Chapter 46:
After traveling a long road, they finally reached Ayaka's dwelling.
Tucked away in the dense jungle, Ayaka's house was built entirely of forest wood—gray timber that had faded over time but remained sturdy and firm. The roof was thatched with dry leaves interspersed with thin wooden planks, covered in green moss at several corners, as if the forest itself wanted to embrace this place.
The house was simple and neat. Before the door was a small stone step; beside it stood a few crude wooden chairs and a potted plant pruned with great care and devotion. The windows were wide open, with only coarse fabric curtains hanging lightly, allowing wind and light to easily drift in.
Takeshi let out an "oh" of surprise.
"So, you live here?"
Inside, the space was tidy with a small bed pushed against the wall, topped with a hand-woven earth-brown blanket. In the other corner stood a rack for a bow and arrows, along with several forest maps pinned to the wall. On the table were a few notebooks, dried herbs, and a small oil lamp used for the nights she stayed up late.
The floor was clean, meticulously swept.
It was a house not large, not luxurious, but it carried the deep breath of the green forest.
Ayaka extended her hand toward the table.
"Sit down. I will go get water."
The three sat down, but their eyes continued to observe the surroundings.
Ayaka emerged with a water pitcher made of iron that looked quite old. She overturned the cups sitting facedown in the middle of the table and poured water into four cups, then she also sat down.
"Please, drink water."
After all four took a sip of water, Ayaka spoke again.
"This is my home."
Kazuka, with eyes of curiosity and interest, remarked:
"Living here seems quite peaceful, doesn't it?"
Ayaka nodded slightly, smiling:
"Yes. At night it is quite easy to sleep; around here there are no trees with consciousness at all."
Takeshi did not waste time; he wanted to know more information about this girl, having discussed it with Airi while walking here.
"So, you said you must guard that monster. Do you know any information about it?"
Ayaka: "I only know that my clan for many generations has always sent someone to guard this place and allow no one to enter."
Airi: "She probably doesn't know clearly. Let me tell it."
Ayaka: "You know it?"
Airi: "Of course. I have read many books."
Kazuka, with excitement: "Then tell it. Just thinking about it again makes me feel shaky."
Takeshi smiled: "Scared yet still interested?"
Airi began the story:
"That is not a monster, but Kuralak. Once he was the Phantom King of the Phantom Race."
Kazuka: "Why haven't I heard you tell me about this race?"
Airi: "Telling it now."
Airi: "Understand it simply: the Hell of the Demon Race and the Heaven of the Angel Race are places that receive the souls of people after they die."
"When reaching one of those two places and waiting, at some point, they will suddenly disappear. Though it is not clear, most people assume it is into the next life."
"That part is truly still unknown; even the demons and angels do not know. The only thing they often do is inventory the souls."
"There is one special thing: even they cannot affect those souls. Even those possessing light energy and purification abilities cannot..."
"And the main part is: there are those who, when they die, still do not want to go to one of those two places, and they fly everywhere in this human world. We often call them ghosts."
"And when there is a large enough collective, the Phantom Race was formed. The ghost we just faced was once a Phantom King."
Ayaka immediately cut in.
"Ah, let me tell this part: my clan has this story passed down. It seems that when he led an army to attack our Human Race, he was blocked by an extremely powerful human and his entire demon army was annihilated. As for him, he was sealed."
Airi nodded.
"So that is how it is."
"Let me continue. There is a quite strange thing: when refusing to go to Hell or Heaven for a period of time, at this point, instead of being unable to affect their souls as before, they can now be affected."
Takeshi stroked his chin, as if he understood.
"I see. So when someone dies but is not resigned, they become a ghost and join the Demon Race."
"Exactly."
Kazuka grimaced; it seemed he was still confused:
"Huh? Why did that ghost have the shape of a dog?"
Airi: "That is because he occupied the corpse of a dog, or has cultivated long enough. You might not know, but black dogs or black crows often represent darkness; this form is one very few possess. In short, it is not ordinary."
Kazuka: "But letting him escape like that—won't it be a great disaster?"
Airi: "Not necessarily. Currently, he hasn't regained his original strength, so it's probably fine. And precisely because of that, we were able to win."
"Besides, the balance between races is still maintained. If there were a war now, the Phantom Race alone could not face the Human Race."
"I have heard he has five forms, but when fighting us he was... I don't remember clearly."
"But simply, because when Takeshi summoned that ghost, it needed to absorb all the energy of the summoner. But it only absorbed a little, so it was still weak."
"If we faced his strongest form, we would probably die without even knowing it."
Just as Airi finished speaking, Takeshi turned toward Ayaka.
"Hey, when you found out I was the one who summoned that ghost, why did you run away? Then why did you come back?"
Ayaka reached into her collar and pulled out a necklace with a large purple stone.
Ayaka: "I went to get this."
Kazuka: "Does it have an effect?"
Ayaka: "Yes. It is the necklace that the entire clan has passed from one generation of guards to the next. It seems this necklace identifies what is a dangerous blow. And if a life-threatening blow is rushing toward me, it will teleport the wearer of this ring to a safe range."
Takeshi: "Sounds truly powerful."
Airi: "That's right. Probably the whole world doesn't have a second one."
—"I also know a bit about this girl's background; she might be a good person."
Airi: "Then when we were outside the forest, why did you attack us?"
Ayaka: "At that time, I simply did not want to let anyone into the forest."
Takeshi: "So tell us. Why does your clan leave one person behind to guard the seal like this?"
Ayaka lowered her face slightly, her gaze drooping. Her voice was low and steady, as if telling something deeply ingrained in her blood.
Ayaka: "From the moment I was born... I was brought into this forest. My clan, each generation will choose one person to be the guard. Usually, they stay here... for about twenty years."
She looked up slightly at the sky through the window.
"My sister also used to guard here. She brought me here when I was two years old... then left when I was fifteen. From then on... I stayed alone."
A small silence. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the old trees, letting a little wind slip through the withered leaves.
Ayaka lowered her voice:
"And that cycle... just continues through generations."
Takeshi: "Your clan... only chooses girls?"
Ayaka: "Yes."
Takeshi felt a bit resentful, his voice clearly showing irritation:
"Are... all the men in the clan dead or something?"
Ayaka laughed softly. Not a laugh of joy.
Ayaka: "No. I heard... the men in the clan take care of other matters. This guarding... is the role of people like me."
Kazuka: "So that means... you have to stay here until you are over thirty before you can leave?"
Ayaka was silent. A moment later, she answered softly.
Ayaka: "...I suppose so."
She looked at no one. Her eyes followed deep into the forest, where sunlight also retreated.
"To be honest, I also don't know if after thirty I will still want to leave... Growing up with the trees, the silence, and the darkness... sometimes I see that I have turned into a part of it."
Airi: "Currently there are no more seals, right?"
Ayaka: "Yes, only that Kuralak you mentioned, but he escaped before our eyes."
Airi: "So what do you intend to do next?"
Ayaka: "I don't know. I also don't know if the clan knows the seal has been broken or not."
Her eyes drooped.
"Surely if they know, I will not be finished well with them."
Airi: "So, what if they don't know?"
Ayaka: "If they don't know, then I will probably still stay here. I don't know what else to do anyway."
Airi seemed to grasp the situation and felt where the opportunity lay.
Kazuka and Takeshi seemed to realize something and simultaneously turned toward Airi. Seeing that, Airi winked.
Airi: "So do you want to go with us?"
Kazuka and Takeshi stood up abruptly at the same time.
Takeshi: "That's right! Do you want to go with us?"
Kazuka: "Go, okay?"
Ayaka startled back, her expression a bit awkward and bewildered.
"Huh? Go where?"
Kazuka with eyes of excitement and expectation:
"Not clear, but we will go everywhere."
Ayaka was a bit surprised.
"Everywhere?"
Kazuka nodded repeatedly, his eyes still fixed on Ayaka. She was a bit shy and retreated.
Airi sat opposite and let out a sigh.
"Kazuka, sit down. You are making her shy."
Kazuka scratched his head, laughed, and sat down.
"Ah, sorry."
Takeshi: "Don't drop that habit of pressing your face against others' faces, Kazuka."
Ayaka turned to Airi and asked:
"You are not clear where you are going but you tell me to go with you?"
Airi smiled.
"What does it matter? To reveal a secret to you, I am a vampire. And I also find this world interesting."
Ayaka with a very surprised face, her eyes wide open.
"Woahhh, are you really a vampire?"
Ayaka turned toward Takeshi and Kazuka again.
"Then what about these two?"
Kazuka: "I am human."
Takeshi: "Me too."
Airi: "In general, we are friends and like to travel everywhere and do not want to be bound by anything."
Ayaka's eyes seemed thoughtful; she was silent for a while.
Kazuka: "We also promised each other not to fear death."
Ayaka tilted her head: "Promised not to fear death?"
Takeshi: "Promised like that, but we still know we must live to accompany the rest."
Airi: "Anyway, currently there are no more seals left, right? If so, then go with us and see the world out there. Do you want to be locked in here alone until you are old?"
Ayaka was silent, her eyes following the window. Outside was the forest she had lived in for all these years—quiet, solitary, with only the sound of wind and forest birds for company.
"So... what if there is an incident?"
Kazuka leaned back, both hands behind his head, his voice calm.
"If it is a big incident, then overcome it. If it can't be overcome... then just die."
Then his voice shifted to firm:
"But we understand one thing clearly: we must not die."
Ayaka tilted her head, asking softly:
"Is that all?"
Airi replied, her voice light as wind.
"Yes. Just that. Then we will go everywhere. Until someone dies of old age, then the journey ends."
Takeshi laughed lightly, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
"Our plan is very simple. Go and get stronger, don't let anyone bully us. That is enough."
Kazuka suddenly remembered the letter the old wolf left behind. On the back, at the bottom, were two lines of scribbled handwriting.
"If you find the human kingdoms too boring, go to Velgrath—a place where monsters and humans live together. And it is a gathering place for many adventurers. There are many dangerous people concentrated there too."
"Or Aurenthal—the Golden Kingdom, the richest in the world. But both are very far; remember you must get strong first."
Kazuka looked up, his eyes flashing a spark of determination.
"Actually, we already have two directions."
Ayaka was surprised.
"Two directions?"
Kazuka nodded.
"Yes. One is Velgrath—where monsters and humans live together. Two is Aurenthal—the Golden Kingdom."
"But both are far, so we intend to just go, get strong, and explore."
Ayaka pondered; in her mind appeared the images of silent afternoons in the forest, with only birdsong as a companion.
Airi looked at Ayaka, her eyes no longer joking. She tried to persuade Ayaka:
"Now there are no more seals left, right? So... go with us."
A light silence passed. Then Ayaka nodded, as if nodding to her own heart.
Thinking about the times spent only in the forest, surrounded only by green and darkness. Then she imagined the world outside.
"...Fine. I also want to see the world outside. Staying here forever, I feel like I'm being buried alive."
Kazuka and Takeshi shouted in unison.
"Wonderful!!"
Both jumped up like small children.
Airi still sat still, smiling.
"Alright, you two are overdoing it."
Kazuka leaned close to Airi, laughing mischievously.
"I know very well you are also very happy, just not showing it!"
Airi turned her face away, her cheeks puffing slightly.
"Hmph. Only you people would overreact like that."
Takeshi laughed, reaching out his hand as if to greet.
"Alright then, let's introduce ourselves again. I am Takeshi Rin, 17 years old."
Airi followed.
"Airi Chika, also 17."
Kazuka raised his hand high.
"Kazuka Kai, 15 years old!"
Ayaka laughed softly.
"Minazuki Ayaka. 17 years old."
Airi glanced over, catching Takeshi's gaze also looking at Kazuka; both burst into a large laugh.
"Haha! Do you see, Kazuka? You are the only one who is 15 years old!"
Kazuka's face reddened, he shouted:
"Shut up! Age is not important, okay!"
Airi laughed while wiping tears.
"Alright, alright..."
She extended her hand forward.
"So from now on, we are friends."
Ayaka looked at each person one by one, then gently placed her hand on Airi's hand.
"Yes. So... I also promise not to fear death. And will adventure with everyone until the end of the journey."
Kazuka looked at her in surprise.
"Huh? You don't need to promise... we just met."
Ayaka smiled.
"Precisely because we don't know each other well yet, that's why I want to go along. We will adventure and understand each other. That is how to be friends, right?"
That evening, Kazuka and Takeshi were slumped over the table sleeping; both slept so soundly that drool ran onto the table.
Outside, the forest seemed covered by a black color; the moonlight also had to submit before these leaf canopies.
Around the house, there were a few torches to light this place. Ayaka was behind the house; she was sitting before a fox that looked very old with pale red fur. She was watching it drink water very attentively, but her eyes did not hide that pensiveness.
Suddenly, Airi's voice rang out.
"Still don't want to leave?"
Ayaka startled and turned around. Airi was sitting on a branch of a low tree that had died and dried up; it could not rise to catch the sunlight and died down here.
Ayaka's gaze drooped; she walked to a wooden chair leaning against the house wall and sat down.
"I don't know how this old fox will live; it has been here through four generations of guards."
Airi: "Is it that you are afraid the fox won't live, or are you still lingering on something?"
Ayaka smiled.
"You are truly scary, as if reading what I am thinking."
Ayaka's voice immediately deepened.
"Actually, I have considered this place home for a long time. Today suddenly wanting to leave, there is indeed a bit of regret."
"Besides, you also know some trees in this forest have consciousness; I am afraid they will destroy all living creatures in this forest."
"The people guarding the seal here pushed all the animals to the South and prevented those conscious trees from coming near; that is why we could live here."
Airi: "You should call them Ancient Woods, Ayaka."
Ayaka: "Is that so?"
Airi: "Are you afraid this forest will be destroyed by those Ancient Woods?"
Ayaka: "Yes."
"So is there a barrier there?"
"There is, and only the person with the necklace I am wearing is allowed to enter. But every period of time, energy must be channeled in to maintain it."
Airi: "Then why don't you release all the animals outside? Anyway, you aren't here anymore. Even though it's home and has memories, you can't remember forever."
Ayaka: "I think I should do that truly."