My Extraordinary Childhood Friend (#Wattys2016)

30 - Revelation

Akihiko's POV

BOOOM!!!" I heard an explosion in near distance...followed with a fireball...Azusa suddenly became anxious about it that she decided to call me and go to the site together...

"Akihiko-kun!!!"

"Okay, I know that! Let's go!!!"

We are about to trek towards that site when...

"Wait!!!"

"Huh?!" We turned around and saw all of our friends awake and offered us to join them.

"Let us join you." Danica told us. "We don't know what caused that explosion...nor if we see any dangerous opponents there so... let us join you...it will be easier."

"Yes, she's right..." Rin added. "Even I don't have magic just like yours but...I will do whatever it takes to help you."

"Hehehe! Well then...shall we keep going?"

"Wait, Akihiko-kun. I got just the thing to travel to the site faster." Regine then cast a spell... "Ambulans Caelum Genere!!!"

We are started to raised up in the midair...and run towards the site of the explosion. It took a little while before we found the location and lowers ourselves down...

In the site, it was looked like something had crashed here...but there was no debris...not even a single bit...just a crater...

"Hmm...this doesn't make any sense...was really something crashed?" Danielle is confused by the absence of debris in the crater. "Or only a bomb exploded here?"

"Whatever that means, sis, we should find any signs of it." Danica replied to her sister. "Guys, let's find the surroundings!"

We decided to split to find any signs of anybody who might be involved in this. Azusa and I find the southern part of the crash site...

"Akihiko-kuuun!!! Did you find something there?"

"No...just plenty of trees and grass..." I told Azusa about my observation. "How about you? Did you find anything?"

"Nope...I don't find any signs on my part..." Azusa replied. "Hmm...perhaps it was a bomb exploded here...but why such in a place like this?"

"Probably, the bombs that was yet to be detonated way from the war seventy years ago..." I presumed on Azusa's conclusion.

"Huh? A war?"

"Yeah...there was a war in our country seventy years ago...my mother told me that it was so massive that our soldiers puts bombs even here in the deepest jungle..."

"Umm...guys...you need to see this..."

Lily/Azusa's POV:

Upon Rin's call, we quickly gone to the northeastern side of the crater site, where she is standing by...and I saw...a motionless human...standing with its back facing us. I'm the only one who dared to wheel myself closer to the human...and when I was about to pat its back, the human turned and faced me...it was another girl...yet... I feel something strange...it's like it happened long ago...when I was teleported to Akihiko's world for the first time but different...I switched places...now...I was the one who found "myself"...

I just keep on staring on the girl that I never noticed that she starts to collapse. Good thing that she fell in my lap...

"Regine, let's go back to Rin's. She need to have some time rest."

"Yes, Azusa. Ambulans Caelum Genere!!!"

Akihiko volunteered to carry the unconscious girl as we travel back into Rin's house. We took her into a spare bedroom remaining, as Rin herself puts a wet towel into the girl's forehead to make her a bit better. But while we are all observing her for many moments, we heard a strange voice...

"Umm...Hello?"

"EEEEEEK!!!" All of us girls were startled.

"Umm...who's there?!" Asked by the scared Rin. "I don't have a ghost in my house for a long time!"

"Don't worry guys...I'm not gonna kill you...I'm just talking to you through your minds..."

Knowing the good intention of the voice, I looked down to the girl...she was already wake and looking at me...no...she is blind... and muted...but then she smiled at me...

"I'm Princess Alice Flonne of Nova Ascia...the adopted daughter of Empress Angelica Diana Of Nova Ascia...you can call me Alice...nice to meet you, Empress Lily..."

"WAAAAAH!!!" All of us in the room are greatly shocked...she is the daughter...of the Empress who has been suppressive against me, my friends, and the resistance...

"Wait...if you are the daughter of the Empress, why are you helping us?" I curiously asked the girl.

"That's because Nova Ascia is in great trouble...and my mother is nothing to do with it..."

"Wait...what do you mean the Empress is not responsible for that?" Regine asked Alice.

"Right now, General Ronald Castillo is imprisoning my mother for not obeying his orders. She was under his spell for a long time, using her as a puppet to do whatever he wants for himself. Right now, the General has gathered all of the elite Generals to defend the Empire against you and the resistance, Lily. But not everyone is loyal to him."

The voice coming out from the blind and muted princess continued to explain: "I have known some generals that have been defected from General Castillo and are ready to support you, Princess Lily, in an efforts to liberate the empire. That intelligence that I have is the reason why I was arrested, and thrown into the forest like a fireball...that's when you found me..."

Hearing all if that, Regine, Danica and Danielle are visibly excited about the developments, especially Regine who has a deep vengeance against the General...

"If that's the case, we should revolt now!"

"Not so fast, Regine." The voice of Alice speaks again. "The General is still in the upper hand. He has more Generals than we do in that case. We need support from the Kingdom of Alaniab."

"Umm...as far as I remember, Princess Alice, Alaniab is a neutral. That means they don't take sides."

"Not anymore..." Alice replied to Regine's insight "You may not know this but...the King of Alaniab is against the rules of my mother and the General, he is not only showing it to retain status quo by standing his country as a neutral one. We must talk with the King to supply us the troops and help us save my mother and the empire. The only problem is that there are still a rift between humans and elves who reside there. We need to end that rift so that we can establish an alliance easily."

"OK...I understand. After this vacation, we go straight to the capital of Alaniab." In the end, I finally make a decision. "We must do whatever we can to overcome these obstacles and win the battle as soon as possible."

"Yes, Princess Lily!" Regine, Danica and Danielle responded to my directive. They are ready to help me in this battle...to finally liberate the empire...that my parents and I...cherished so much...but for now...

"Umm...Alice, do you want to join us tomorrow? You can swim and play with us for some time." I offered Alice to have some leisure time.

"Hehehe...Princess Lily, you're so a jolly person." The voice of Alice replied as she smiled at me. "All right, I'll play with you. Just teach me how, okay?"

"Sure! Hehehe!"