My Muse || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

🔒 My Muse || Chapter Forty Seven

"y/n. Breathe. Your hands are trembling."

"Hah... Hah..." My eyes focused on the ignorant deer, grazing on a patch of white flowers.

Sonju whispered his words, directing my actions quietly. "If you shake, your aim will too. Breathe, focus, concentrate."

He bent to my level, pointing at the deer's stomach. "Right there." My left arm was extended, holding the bow's grip. My right held the arrow back, the bowstring bending with it. "Three... Two... One..." Sonju counted down and I released the arrow. The deer fell to the ground, a trickle of blood falling from the wound. Sonju patted my head.

I killed it. Sweat ran down my forehead.

"Come, y/n." He said. I followed him to the deer's carcass. He kneeled over it gently. "In this world, food is precious." He plucked one of the white flowers the deer never got to eat. The root of the flower seem to twirl together, sharpening into a drill. "Take it, y/n." I hesitantly grabbed the base of the flower, both my hands trembling. He looked at me sternly. I closed my eyes, plunging the plant into the deer's chest. It bloomed crimson red. "It's been accepted by the Gods." My head was spinning, still quivering on the flower's stem.

"You did well, y/n." Sonju patted my head, hauling the deer onto his shoulder. "We do what we have to for survival." I stumbled onto my feet, sighing. His comforting words didn't make me feel any better. The creature seemed to glare at me as we walked back to the caves. "Can I walk in front?" I asked. He laughed, slowing down his pace.

Lannion and Thoma ran up to Sonju and I, staring at amazement at the hefty deer we brought inside.

"Don't look at me," He laughed, putting the carcass down. "y/n is the one who got it."

"Wow!" Thoma cried, kneeling next to it. "You're like an expert hunter already!" Lannion agreed, poking it's tail. "Are we sure it's dead?" The blond haired boy asked. "The flower is red!" Yvette cried, pointing at the bloom. "That means we can eat! Ugo said so!" I chuckled at her enthusiasm, picking her up in my arms. She squealed happily.

Sonju was right.

We do what we have to for survival.

And besides, it seemed the kids are having a lot of fun cutting it up. The next two days, Sonju continued to train me how to fight. He taught me how to shoot a bow and swing a sword. Especially how to stab someone in close combat. "Why do I need to learn how to stab someone?" I asked. He shook his head. "Not someone. Something. Many of the demons living in this world are of your stature. Only aristocracy grow to become great hunters of great height and athletic capabilities." I tilted my head in confusion. Sonju was about eight feet tall, of a very lean and well built composition. "So you were an aristocrat, Sonju?" He chuckled, handing me another arrow. "I was once a prince, but that was very long ago."

Mujika taught the children about medicine and herbs. In the day, they would forage together around where me and Sonju trained. Gilda, Don and Emma always waved, cheering me on. But Ray just stared. Every time I returned his glare, he'd look away. Classic Ray. I rolled my eyes, continuing to practice my bowmanship.

It was the last night of my stay and I couldn't bring myself to sleep. I had never moved my things into the room everyone else was staying in, and if Ray was there I'd rather be alone. I indulged myself in the tales of Isabella's blue pocketbook, describing stories of when Norman, Ray, Emma and I were still small.

----------------------------------------

Last night, the mother of Grace Field House One, escaped with product 70293.

I would have liked if I didn't care, or cry, or mourn, or regret. But I have regrettably done so for House number one's mother, Josephine.

When she was caught, she was executed, along with her partner. The heir to the Ratri Clan, James Ratri. It's been said that Peter Ratri, the second born of the family, overheard a conversation of James' with Josephine. A plan to escape, on that night. He was correct and the two were killed for treason. For breaking The Promise.

I very much believe they were in love. And I very much believe they did this for love. For their daughter, 70293. To my amazement, I was assigned another child to raise. She is two years old. Her number is 70293. I was given Josephine's child.

She doesn't remember her past, or her parents, or the incident that happened that night, but a fire grows in her heart. She doesn't go a night without crying in pain.

She looks at me with her heart ablaze, with a match in her soul. She's going to be dangerous. I will do whatever I can to make sure she doesn't end in the same fate as her mother.

- Isabella 73584

----------------------------------------

I turned to the next page when a pair of footsteps interrupted my reading. The person softly knocked on the tunnel outside before peeking inside.

"Hey," Ray said, dark circles underneath his eyes. He couldn't sleep either. "Can we talk?"