Hope of Her Precious Ones

"Nel... sia..."

Nelsia then pulls her slash claw out of Kaina's back and let Kaina fall to the floor. Her glasses also gets thrown to the floor from the impact.

It's not only me. The other maids who are supposed to attack Midora also stand still with their shocked eyes fixated on Nelsia.

As the blood drips from Nelsia's slash claw weapon, Kaina talks to Nelsia while still lying on the floor.

"Nelsia... you..."

"I suggest you to not move for awhile. Otherwise, the poison will spread faster."

Nelsia replies with an uncharacteristically cold voice.

Poison...? Suddenly a flashback comes to my mind.

"That's why I told that woman to use that poison magic."

That was what that beastman said indicating that he ordered a woman to poison my mother... Don't tell me...

If I think about it, poisoning my mother would not be an easy task. Kaina and other maids always make sure to taste-test the food before bringing it to my mother. One of the maids that also works as a chef have poison detection magic so it is most likely impossible to put the poison inside the kitchen... unless that chef maid is the culprit... or...

I suddenly remember that time when I went to my mother's room together with Nelsia who brought breakfast for my mother.

"Nelsia... don't tell me... you're the one who..."

I cannot finish saying that question.

Because if I know the answer, something inside me would crumble into dust.

Though at this point, it already start crumbling so what I just did is pointless. I can't help but to think that is the case.

Rather than "How", my mind is more preoccupied on the question "Why".

While the maids are still stunned, Midora uses this chance to get behind one of them.

"!?"

The maids try to aim their magic at him but Midora uses the maid in front of him as a shield. That action stops the maids' movement for a second.

In the split of the second, Midora grabs and throws the maid forward. The thrown maid hit other maids breaking the maids' formation.

Realizing how bad the situation is, I try to rush towards the maid. However, Nelsia points her left side slash claw weapon at my neck stopping my movement out of shock.

"NELSIA!!"

I raise my voice with anger even though the danger of death is in front of me. My mind is already in so much of a mess that I can't think straight anymore.

"... Rather than your own safety, you are more worried about others' safety. That's so like you, Shion-sama."

"THIS IS AN ORDER. GET OUT OF MY WAY, NELSIA!"

"I am afraid I can't let you do that. Besides..."

*ZRAAAAAATT!!!!*

I see the splaterring red.

"There is nothing more you can do."

After hearing Kaina's cold words, my five senses ceased to function except my eyes.

My world turns into a scene of carnage.

Midora continues to slash every single one of the maids in front of my eyes.

My limbs refuse to move. I cannot hear nor smell anything.

... Stop it.

I don't want to see this...

We don't deserve this at all...

In the midst of the carnage, Midora looks at me. He suddenly looks uncharacteristically surprised when he sees my face.

"You... that face..."

Before he finishes that sentence, a mist suddenly envelops Nelsia's body.

"!?"

Then Nelsia's body become frozen from neck to toe in an instant.

A hand grabs me out of nowhere. It was Kaina's hand. She carries the stunned me in princess carry style and runs away from the maids' room area.

"Kaina!? Ugh! Midora! Chase them!"

Nelsia cannot move in her state. That's why she asks Midora to chase me instead. However, Midora only stands there in daze while looking at my direction.

Nelsia breaks the ice covering her right hand with sheer force. Then she is about to break the rest of the ice with her right hand. But before she can do that, Bielly suddenly comes and bites her hand.

"!?"

Nelsia is surprised by Bielly's appearance.

"BIELLY!"

I shout out the name of that dog whom always stay by my side ever since childhood.

Nelsia then throws Bielly upwards by just using her right hand and about to stab the dog from below before I lost sight of them.

.....

....

...

*thud!*

Kaina falls down after losing balance while carrying me.

"Ouch...!"

That thud wakes my senses up. We're in the tunnel below Graize mansion. And then I can hear Kaina's pained breaths.

"Haaah... haaah... Shion... sama...!"

"Kaina!!"

She carried me all the way here despite her injuries including poison inside her body.

"Kaina!! Hang in there!"

"Haa... haa... I'm sorry... Shion-sama..."

"Kaina...!"

"The one... who recommended... those two guards... was Nelsia..."

"Don't talk! Or else...!"

"It's my failure... as the head maid..."

Is there anything I could do... at this rate... even Kaina will...!

Think! A way to save her... !?

I take a look inside my pocket within my shirts.

There it is! Five small bottles of Graize Elixir.

"Kaina! Drink this! Quick!"

I open one of the bottles and bring it to her mouth. Kaina cannot move well because of the poison but she tries her best to obey my words.

Kaina looks surprised while drinking the elixir. Her wounds start healing even before she finishes drinking.

"This is... even the poison inside my body disappears..."

She says that with confused look after drinking the elixir.

"Kaina!"

I hug her so hard the moment she recovers. Honestly, I'm on the verge of crying already.

But this is not the time to cry. Tears won't save anything. It stays true no matter which world I'm living in.

"Shion-sama... don't tell me... this potion is... Graize Elixir...?"

"*nod* sorry to hide it from you... but still... thank goodness...!"

Kaina pauses a bit. And then she starts patting my head.

"I know that you are capable of doing incredible things but... to think that you are even capable of creating this. As expected of Shion-sama."

Kaina's smile manages to calm me a bit in this dire situation.

"... Now what should we do?"

I say that while trying to act strong despite what happened earlier. No, I have to stay strong precisely of this situation. Since it comes to this, I must at least protect Kaina at all cost.

"... let's move forward. We'll arrive at Emergency Teleportation Gate if we follow this path."

"Emergency Teleportation Gate...?"

While running towards the gate, Kaina explains about the gate.

"It's actually a secret that only your parents and me in family know."

"Secret...?"

"Graize family existed ever since hundred years ago as one of the guardians that protects Brahmastra Kingdom. As part of their duties, we also protect one of Brahmastra's relics."

"... and that relic is..."

"Emergency Teleportation Gate. Just like the name implies. It's a relic that is able to use the ancient teleportation magic. Aside from guarding, we are also given the privilege of using it if the need arises. Using that magic, we will be able to teleport straight into its designated destination in capital."

"! I see. If we can get contact into Millson and father in capital-"

A flash of unpleasant memory when my father slapped me comes to my mind. However I can't let it disturb my mind right now.

With a flash of hope in my mind, we head towards the gate.

... only to find a destroyed mechanical-like room that is shaped like a tube... I try to ask for confirmation by asking Kaina.

"That is... the gate?"

Kaina then look carefully at the damaged parts of the gate.

"... she got us. It must be Nelsia's doings.."

"She also know about this gate?"

"I never told her about this. But she is the only the maid that worked for a very long time for Graize household besides me. She might have found out at some point of time."

*boooom!!!*

Suddenly a loud sound of explosion can be heard. Hearing that, Kaina starts walking towards the gate and talks with serious tone.

"It seems that we don't have much time left..."

Then she places her hand on a small black square part of the tube. A blue light appear on that glass. Like turning on a machine, the big tube lights up in response of Kaina's hand.

"It's not that easy to break this relic with brute force alone."

Relic... no. No matter how you look at it, this is definitely a machine. But a machine... in this world...?

"!"

Kaina suddenly looks surprised while looking at the gate.

"What's wrong, Kaina?"

"Probably due to the damage, it seems that the destination of the teleportation becomes random. But we have no time to repair the gate's destination function right now."

"... we have no choice but to use this gate to escape right?"

I reply with serious tone resolving myself to prepare for the worst.

"That's right... we will never get away from them by any normal means.... The magic is ready. Please go inside the gate, Shion-sama."

The glass door of the big tube room opens up. I immediately go inside that room.

"Kaina! Let's go!"

I look at Kaina urging her to come with me.

But Kaina just stands there looking at me with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Shion-sama."

*flash!*

Suddenly a transparent wall of blue light close the big tube room together with the glass door.

"!? Kaina!?"

I try to open the door but that thin wall makes me unable to touch the door.

"The reason why the head maid was told this secret and given the privilege to access this gate... is because she has two roles to fulfill..."

"!?"

Even after the glass door and the transparent wall close the gate. I can still hear her voice.

"The first role of the head maid is to activate this gate that can only be controlled from outside. And the second... is so that the head maid can destroy the gate preventing other people to use the gate by any means."

If Kaina do that, she will....!

"Kaina! Stop it! I beg you!! You're the only one I have left! If you leave me too, I....!!!"

Flashbacks of my time with Kaina appeared in my mind. She might be a bit strict but she cares about mother and other maids the most. She was the only one who is really angry at me doing dangerous things because that is her way to show that she is genuinely worried about me.

Despite me being a failure of a child without the ability to use magic, she never even once look down on me. Instead, she helped and took care of me just like how she did to Millson and Korsch.

I hit the transparent wall as hard as I could. But it doesn't even budge.

I try to use my Overtake on this so-called ancient teleportation magic. But my Overtake cannot affect this gate at all.

"It's fine. Shion-sama..."

"!?"

Kaina places her right hand on the glass door that is near to my position.

"If it's Shion-sama... I'm sure you will manage somehow... Just like how you always exceed my expectations all this time."

"! That's not true! I'm just a useless girl!! I can't do anything without you!!"

"I do realize that this is nothing more than my own selfishness... Even so.."

Kaina places her hand on the glass door near the position of my face as if she wanted to touch my cheek.

"I wanted to offer my everything.... to protect our beloved hope."

Then the blue light inside the gate starts shining brighter and brighter. The last sentence I hear from Kaina at this moment is:

"Please stay alive, Shion..."

The light completely envelops me and blinds my vision. I cover my eyes before I shout her name for the last time.

"KAINAAAAAA!!!!"

.....

....

...
_______________________________________
*Interlude* [Part of the story that is outside of main character's perspective]

Kaina looks at the gate whose light finally disappears after successfully teleporting Shion away from the Graize household.

She has some worries that Shion will be teleported to dangerous place but she wants to believe that it is a better action than staying here and wait for the inevitable doom.

Without any delay, she once again places her right hand on the square inputting the order for the gate to self-destruct. She remembers the time she was taught on how to use this mysterious relic by Victorious, her master.

With this, even that Midora won't be able to take advantage of this gate easily.

Right after she thinks that, the gate starts crumbling into small pieces. As expected, even after studying magic for a very long time, she just never understand how this ancient magic works.

As she thinks on what to do next. She suddenly hear footsteps approaching. Judging by the sound, one person is approaching.

"... Nelsia..."

Upon the figure of a short-haired girl approaching, Kaina says the name of her precious friend who works together with her for a very long time.

Kaina sees Nelsia who stopped walking after seeing Kaina and the crumbled gate.

"... Kaina."

As if Nelsia wants to reply Kaina's call, Nelsia says that name with solemn tone.

Strangely, Kaina does not feel any negative emotion upon seeing Nelsia despite her betrayal. Rather than hating her, Kaina chooses to ask her a question.

"Why would you do this?"

Nelsia is still silent. So Kaina asks the next question.

"Were you involved in that raid 6 years ago?"

Kaina knows the tragedy that happened 6 years ago. Graize household family is not only Brahmastra Kingdom's shield but also Brahmastra Kingdom's sword. They are required to destroy any threat that will disturb the kingdom. Even if it is killing illegal immigrants from other continents, it is Graize's duty to do it without any complaint.

"I don't have personal grudge against this family... however..."

Kaina suddenly notices Nelsia's painful and hateful gaze.

"Fragest.... that person alone... IS THE ONLY ONE I CAN'T FORGIVE."

Fragest. Kaina knows that name. Or rather, almost everyone living in Brahmastra should have known that name. That is the name of the Brahmastra Kingdom's king.

"Even if I have to pile countless hatred and corpses behind me... I'll do anything to make him disappear from this world."

Nelsia said that and points her right hand slash claw at Kaina. It's a side of Nelsia that Kaina never see before despite working together with her for so many years.

Kaina remembers the past a bit. No matter how depressed or dire the situation is, Nelsia is the only one among the maids who can still stand up and encourage everyone with her smile. Kaina refuses to believe that all of it was just an act.

"And since Graize family gets in your way, you're going to eliminate us first. Is that your motive in becoming the maid of this household?"

"..."

Nelsia becomes silent again.

"... Understood."

Kaina says that in response to her silence. Then she undo her bun hairstyle letting her long blonde hair flutter in the air.

"If that is the path that you choose. I shall not ask anymore questions. Instead..."

Kaina releases the ice mist from inside her body as a sign that she is ready to fight.

"I shall also stay true to my path as the head maid of Graize family till the very end."

Both of them stares at each other for few seconds before Nelsia rushes towards Kaina signalling the start of a fight between the two maids.

*End of Interlude*
_______________________________________

"!?"

The light fades away and all I see around me is the trees and bushes.

Where is this? A forest?

I look at the night sky. Kaina did say something about the destination being random.

I have a bad feeling about this. I run within the forest in order to know where I am.

But I suddenly stop and hide after noticing a wolf-like creature within the forest.

That's... a monster. A type that I have never seen before. Normal wolf always travels in packs. And they definitely does not have a blade on their tails.

I carefully choose my steps and get away before that monster notice me.

A monster that I have never seen before... no, don't think about it. Right now, what I must do is to go back to the mansion and save Kaina as soon as possible.

"Faster... my leg...!"

I'm almost out of stamina already. But I don't care and continue running.

Then I notice a light from sunrise coming from outside of the forest. I follow that path and finally reach it.

It's a cliff.

I am standing near a cliff. From this place, I can clearly see the forest below the cliff.

I am still not sure where I am right now. But I can tell this for sure.

I am nowhere near the Graize household.

My legs finally give out and I fall to the knee.

Mother...

Kaina...

Everyone...

It's my fault...

If only I were to be more attentive towards those male guards....

If only I did not fight them recklessly and tell the maids about the situation instead...

If only... I know more about Nelsia....

Tears start welling up in my eyes.

The regrets I have been piling up so far makes me unable to control my emotion anymore.

What is second chance... I wasted it again just because of my selfish way of thinking...

In the end... I cannot protect anyone and shamelessly escape by myself...

"...! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

That final thought breaks the dam.

I cry like a little girl I am in front of the morning sunrise.