- Fragments of Past -
"Her name is...Kisesia. She's my younger cousin."
"Your...cousin?"
"Yeah. Kisesia's my mom's younger sister's daughter. My mom took her in and she lived with us after losing her mother in the fight between families" Khun explained. "We have different parents but since we grew up together since we were little, the three of us were like real siblings.
Kisesia looked up to my older sister. Because my sister was the closest to being one of the Zahard Princesses from our family. But my sister was very hard to get along because of her very cold personality.
I grew up with expectations from my mom. Not so much expectations about me, more like expectations as a strategist to raise my sister to the position of a Zahard Princess. Kisesia knew that and she told me that she would also help my sister to be a Zahard Princess. I allowed it because I thought it wouldn't hurt.
Kisesia had remarkable swordsmanship even at a young age and she used that skills of hers to eliminate my sister's rivals. I don't know about the other families, but in ours, fighting like this was part of daily life."
'No wonder he didn't have a proper childhood' Charlotte thought. 'These people should learn how to survive the moment they were born otherwise they will be devoured.'
Charlotte knew that because of the simple desire to survive, the people in the tower were very vigilant and each of them was strong. Yes, some of them may behaved like jerks and unworthy bastards but that doesn't mean they didn't have their own pains.
'To think that neither of them had a proper childhood makes me sad.....'
If only there was something she could do about it. But could the hourglass on her hand could reverse back to hundred years earlier?
"Then one day, a problem arose. One of my sister's greatest rivals suddenly appeared from an unexpected place. Her name was Maria .
And..she approached me in order to beat my sister. Because she thought that I know all of my sister's weaknesses. And I accepted her proposal. I can't tell you why but I had my own reason for doing so.
Then ultimately, I got my sister disqualified and succeeded in making her a Zahard Princess. And as the result of that shock, my sister took her own life.
... Kisesia probably hated me because of that incident. I thought that all of that had ended once I entered the tower...but seeing that she has appeared as my sworn enemy, I must have been anxious that she would appear somewhere and attack me."
"............"
The boat was quiet now.
"Well...that's that" he said with a smile, acting as if it wasn't a big deal. He looked at the one who was curious of his past and asked, "By the way, Endorsi...why don't you tell us about your sworn enemy? I heard from Bam about the thing who appeared from that gem, I mean."
He was referring to the yellow gem that Endorsi was wearing. That yellow gem was the Snake Charmer.
"What is this, a background check?"
"I told you everything. You owe me something in return."
Endorsi sighed, "Fine. Well...as I'm sure you know, I didn't have parents around when I was born so I wandered around a lot. Then one day, as I was wondering, there was this couple that took me in. They were very ordinary and good people considering that they were from the middle region. For a brief time, I was raised as an ordinary girl.
But then one day, this thing appeared before me. It looked at me and said that I have talents worthy of becoming a princess. Then it told me to keep the gem that it was in. It said it would help me become a princess, naturally, I brought this gem home with me.
And that night, that thing killed my adoptive parents.
Well, it didn't directly admit that it killed my parents but I'm sure of it. It thought they would get on my way on becoming a princess. After that, I did what it said and became the daughter of a ruined family that was trying to raise a princess.
And in that place, I eliminated the other competitors, became one of the Zahard Princesses and then, the creature disappeared. It was only after I became a princess that I realized that this was all its plan."
"...so you're saying now that right now, you're walking around with the one that killed your parents?" Khun asked.
Endorsi answered with a smile, "Well, so what? It's not like they were my real parents and maybe if I lived with them, I would have remained as an ordinary girl for my whole life. How could a talented person like me live such a life? It would be such a waste."
She lifted the gem that was tied around her neck like bracelet and continued her words with a smile like everything was not a problem, "I don't know what you guys think, but I'm very grateful this thing enabled me to be a Zahard Princess."
One didn't need to think that much to see that Endorsi was lying.
'If Endorsi really didn't hate that snake, it wouldn't appear as her sworn enemy.'
Charlotte had always thought that Endorsi detested her position. If she truly seek for the glory and blessing of being close with the second highest position in this tower, then she wouldn't do such a reckless act like dating a slayer candidate. It was a huge crime already. The one crime she committed was more than enough to have Zahard to cut her head off and kill the rest.
'I think what Endorsi wants is freedom. She wants to be that ordinary girl who isn't restrained by anything. She enjoys her ordinary life but now she needs to live with rules and everything.'
She inwardly sighed in pity and looked away.
The sky was vast, this world was boundless. Under the vast sky and in this boundless world, how many people suffered? It was very easy for one to get hurt, no matter how strong they were. She was curious....
'Then if it's easy for one to get hurt, I wonder whether the one who controls everything in this tower could also feel hurt right now? Ah, he has already experienced it. The feeling of wanting to obtain something or more like someone, but could no longer have the way to see her again.'
"Anyway, now this is your turn, Charlotte!" said Endorsi.
"What?" Charlotte asked as she crossed her arms.
"I mean, among all of us, you are the most special one. You are someone whose soul came from the outside, right? A place that all of us will never be able to go and see" said Endorsi who sounded rather excited. "Come on, tell us about your past!"
"My past...."
Charlotte pondered about it carefully.
Of course, she would have been happy to tell them about her past. But Charlotte's feelings towards her past was fear and she wished to forget about her past. If she told them about her past...wouldn't they know her weakness and her weak side?
She looked at Bam as she thought of it.
"My past... what's so interesting about my past?" She asked with a proud and playful smile. The young girl proudly said, "Unlike you guys who are struggling to survive since birth, I spend my childhood by teasing people around and creating troubles. I could get whatever I wanted. The only thing that I hate about my past was that I have to go to school."
"Is school really that hateful...?" Bam innocently asked.
"Yeah, brother! You haven't been there so you don't know how terrifying the subjects, the teachers and home works are!" Charlotte answered, looking annoyed. "They are very heartless and strict, taking away my freedom for more than four hours!"
"Is it really that terrifying?"
Charlotte nodded her head quickly.
"... but that is somehow different from how Altaira told me."
".............."
She could not believe her ears.
'What?'
Altaira and Bam were having a normal conversation? What the heck? How could a kitten and a puppy possibly have a normal conversation without glaring and beating each other?
'...is the world ending?'
"Ah!" He noticed his sister's expression and asked her, "Could it be he was lying to me? I know it! He isn't a good person!"
The school that Altaira described to both Bam and Khun who were curious about it was a place for learning, studying and make friends. He described school generally without involving his feelings. He said that it was a place for Charlotte to create troubles and he also mentioned that his younger sister was rather popular in that place. Not popular because she was smart, because unlike her brother who always has good grades, she was well-known because she was a pain in the neck for teachers.
Seeing how Charlotte was shocked, bewildered and suddenly became quiet without any attempt to argue, Khun couldn't help but to laugh and earned himself the glare from the girl. She was asking him what made him laugh like that through that glare.
"You really hate school that badly, huh?" He asked. "Bam, I think the one who is trying to deceive you isn't Altaira, but that little brat."
"Who are you calling little brat? School is indeed that hard!"
"I've heard it all from Altaira about your behaviors. And I know that it's not actually that hard. It's just you are too lazy and missed all the knowledge that could make you smart. No wonder you are so dumb."
"I am dumb?!" She echoed in an offensive tone, "You called your life- savior dumb? Then don't you feel slightest ashamed that you are in one team with such a dumb girl and even got saved by her?"
Before his sister could attack someone wildly or bite Khun to death, Bam had already taken actions and held her back.
"That's because all you have is muscle and not brain. Come to think of it, it is not a surprise that you and that alligator are close friends. Both of you rely on muscles and not brain."
Rak at the back was wondering, he didn't say a word or do anything. All he did was watching this pair of blue turtle and black turtle were arguing again like usual. And somehow, he was mocked again by this despicable blue turtle.
"K-- Khun......!" Bam really wanted him to stop teasing his sister right now. Because the more he spoke, the more fuel he was adding to this fire. He could tell that right now, his sister had a vein popping on her head and inwardly cursed Khun who she was worried for his life some time ago.
'This ungrateful bastard--'
"Yes! I indeed rely on my impulse and reckless behavior to solve problems as I don't have talent to manipulate and lie to every single person who I see! What of it? If you have a problem with it, beat me first and we'll talk about my behavior!"
"I don't lie to every single person I see" Khun defended himself. "Besides, fighting you is not worth it."
"Indeed as I could kill you within three seconds."
"Arrogance will hit you back instead."
"This arrogance of mine comes with real strength, not some stupid tricks!" Charlotte said, finally released herself from Bam.
"That hurts...." Bam mumbled, looking sad.
Endorsi observed Bam and was relieved that there was no scratch on him.
"You couldn't stop both of them from arguing. Just let them be."
"But what if they fight for real?"
"Is this the first time they've argued like this?"
"..........no."
"And based on your experiences and judgement, do you think Charlotte will blindly attack Khun?"
".........no."
"Then what are you worried about?"
What made him worried was that usually after arguing, these two will hold grudges for some time before forgetting it and until they forget the grudge between the two of them, they will insult each other whenever they have a chance.
"Look, so what if I am lazy and reckless?" She asked him solemnly. "Even if I beat up people randomly or buried people alive, what does it have to do with you? Nothing, right?"
His teasing smirk grew wider suddenly.
"I don't know" he spoke. "As far as I could remember, someone once said to me that she is very interested with all my business. Since she really cares for me a lot, I should also care about her businesses, right?"
That didn't only surprised Charlotte, but also surprised the others, especially Bam.
Khun's words literally meant that it was her fault from the beginning to be nosy and right now, she had no right to blame him for being nosy as well. Who asked her to interfere with his matters first?
"........."
"T- That...! Since when have I said those words?" She asked, somehow flustered and started to blush in embarrassment.
"You want to know when?" He asked back, pressuring Charlotte and made her panicked even more as he got closer. "Really?"
"I would never say those unreasonable words! Why should I care about you from the beginning? Go away!"
"Oh, I'm hurt. It's fine already that you create troubles by relying on impulse, but now you are running away from your responsibility? That's worse."
"What responsibility? I said get away from me! Don't get close! Your slandering disease is infectious!"
"I still remember the event happened that day really clearly and vividly. Where you spoke those words or when, the time and every single word that you say, I remember them very, very clearly."
"Would you please not follow me? If I jump from this boat, will you also follow me? No, right?"
"Depends, whether you want to acknowledge your responsibility or not?"
"KHUN AGUERO AGNES!" She turned around and shouted his full name. "Are you mad?!"
He just shrugged, unbothered and uncaring.
At this point, Charlotte was thinking about returning this guy to Kisesia.
The others were quiet, fallen into silence as they watched how Khun was calmly following Charlotte who was walking around to boat to stay on distance with him. However, unfortunately for her, if she wanted to play hide- and- seek, the boat was not a right place.
Seeing her panicked made him smile. Teasing people was indeed fun, Khun thought. He glanced towards the driver who, at the time, said that they have reached their destination.
He smirked wider and looked at her who was hiding behind Bam, "You are quite lucky. But if you really forget your words... I could always remind you about that."
He spoke with a charming and sincere- looking smile that offended her further. Charlotte was pulling her own hair in frustration and squatted down while he walked off the boat at ease. While Bam was trying to understand what Khun had just said earlier, Rak patted Charlotte's shoulder and assured his turtle friend.
"Come on", Endorsi extended her hand to her. "We should go."
Charlotte pouted. But still took her hand and stood up, leaving together while holding her hand.
As what the driver said, they have indeed reached their destination. From outside, their destination this time looked like a town. A town filled with large and unique golden buildings.
"That's the town on this stage."
The town that they arrived was called as the Town of Golden Dome.
"Wow...it looks like we found a pretty decent place this time..." said Endorsi who was holding Charlotte. She glanced at Charlotte and said to her, "Don't pout anymore. Bam is not going to be happy if he knows you keep pouting. I'll help you get revenge with Khun later."
"Say, the best way to revenge against someone is to beat him in his best field, right?" Charlotte asked Endorsi, still holding her hand.
"But his best field is exactly something that you lack the most" Endorsi reminded her, making the younger girl even sad and gloomy. "Honestly, was he telling the truth?"
"What?"
"That you cared for his business first."
Her cheeks reddened again as she looked away and pouted once more, "That... I don't even remember about it anymore. I mean, I have so much to remember. How could I remember those words?"
"So you feel like you might have spoken it before, but you forget about it?"
"He might it sound convincing......"
"Depending on your relationship with him, you probably tease him first. And depending how he loves to hold grudge, he probably was waiting for one day like today to tease you back. It's your fault then."
Charlotte could only sob, thinking why her memories were poor.
In another boat, Noah and Altaira wanted to jump off from the boat together but somehow it ended up with a fight. Estrella casually pushed the two of them and left first with Estelle and Celeste without the fear of being skinned alive by the two of them. The three girls roamed around the town, leaving the two childish men behind without a care. Raisin could only sigh at their behavior, deciding that if they were in the town, he would pretend not to know them to save his dignity.
A white creature approached them, "Hello, warriors. I'm the head of this town. I will guide you so that you can receive the quest."
"... be careful, Bam" said Hansung Yu. "This is Big Breeder Hwang's territory."
"... what?"
"He's the most leader- like even among the Big Breeders. Although I still haven't seen him...for now, let's split into teams and look for our companions. We can beat the quest after that. I'll follow the head of the town first" he suggested.
"Sure. Let's do that. Endorsi, take Rak to the highest place around here."
Endorsi sighed before she agreed and let Charlotte go. It wasn't like she had any other choices.
"Charlotte!" Bam called Charlotte who watched Endorsi go and gestured her to come to his direction. "Come here."
When Charlotte arrived, he held his sister's hand and patted her head, telling her to stay close to him and to not get lost in the big city later on. Charlotte just nodded her head with her eyes closed, enjoying her brother's loving gesture.
Icarus then looked for Bam. When she called Bam's name, she noticed that Charlotte was sharply glaring at her. Icarus sweated dropped seeing Charlotte standing behind Bam was glaring at her.
'What does this woman want from calling my brother?' Charlotte silently thought as she angrily and fiercely glared at Icarus.
'She doesn't know who I really am, right...?' Icarus worriedly thought. 'No, it's impossible. My appearance and voice have changed. She won't be able to tell who I am.'
"Is there something wrong?" Bam asked her, holding Charlotte's hand tighter to tell her to restrain herself. Charlotte just looked away, secretly unhappy.
"Can I have personal time for a minute?" Icarus asked. "There's something that I want to check in this town..."
"Something that you want to check...?" Bam echoed.
"Yes. It will only take a moment! I'll make sure that I'll return immediately if any fight happens!" said Icarus.
Before Bam or Khun who had just arrived could even reply to that, Charlotte happily said, "Of course! No problem!"
"Really? Thank you!"
'I know it! She doesn't know!'
Charlotte nodded her head and waved both her hands to Icarus with a very happy and excited smile, "Just take your time and check whatever you want to check carefully!"
'It's not like any of us is going to miss you anyway-!'
Khun was unsure what to say about this girl. One second ago, she was glaring at Icarus like she wanted to kill her. Right now, she was smiling excitedly as if Icarus was her friend. She really detested Icarus, he noted that.
He was curious why she was hating Icarus that bad but couldn't ask her about it as she was holding a grudge with him.
Just like that, Icarus left the group for awhile. But Charlotte was certain that she won't be back for one month which made her happier.
'It would have been better if she doesn't come back for the rest of her life. I really don't want to see her again.'
As Icarus left, they continued their journey in that town.
Bam and Charlotte went together to find their comrades while Khun went on separate way. Before he left, he warned her to not create troubles. Charlotte pouted, asking him whether she was still a child who needs to be reprimanded or not and he answered that he was worried that she might be forgetting the most important thing they must do in the Hidden Floor considering how bad her memories were and Bam had to pull Charlotte away to prevent her from jumping and attacking Khun.
"I thought you were worried of him minutes ago" said Bam and Charlotte scoffed, still looking pissed. Bam sweated dropped and said again to her, "Khun is just worried that you might be in danger. I mean, you are no longer a child and he knows about that. It's just that he couldn't express it honestly, knowing that you would laugh at him. But he's actually nice."
Charlotte didn't seem to believe it and glanced away as she mumbled, "Brother is too innocent. He might just scheme against brother and you won't know about it."
Annoyed, Bam pinched her cheek hard.
"Brother! I know my mistake! I won't do it again."
"Who are you calling 'too innocent' again?"
"Me! I said I am too innocent! Spare me!!"
In the Town of Golden Dome, the people there were filled with white-colored robots. Compared to the Town of Wandering Minstrel, it appeared to be more crowded, but less noisy than the Town of Wandering Minstrel.
"Here is gold and there is gold. No wonder this town is called as the Town of Golden Dome" Charlotte said. Looking at her brother, she pointed to a direction where he could see a golden building and asked him, "Say, if we could take the gold out, won't we be rich?"
Bam awkwardly smiled and reminded her, "We couldn't take things out from the Hidden Floor...."
"Oh...." She felt that it was a pity.
Charlotte remembered that at this arc, Bam would meet with Zahard. Although it was dangerous to face Zahard right now, but it wasn't like it will get them killed. So, she thought that it would be safe to bring him to face Zahard, considering that they won't die as long as the so- called "plot armor" still existed. Besides, the flow now is quite similar with the manhwa. She was sure that this won't get them killed.
Inside the Central Dome, there was a huge statue, designed well and judging from its appearance, the statue seemed to be built by an expert.
Everything in the Hidden Floor was just like another world. Everything here was detailed. The sky, the flowers, the grasses, they were all too real to be considered as data. She had just remembered that they were actually in some sort of virtual world once more, considering how detailed everything around them.
"So it's the two of you."
Both of them were sure that before, when they were looking at the statue, there was no one standing there. But right now, there was a human standing and talking towards them.
That person with the red three-eyed mask...Charlotte immediately recognized who he was.
Bam realized that this man was looking at his twin sister. He felt rather uneasy and extended his hand as the gesture of protecting his younger sister. He frowned at the blonde-haired man, wondering whether he was an ally or a threat.
"I see that one of you could imitate the [Shinsu Black- Hole Sphere]. You must have learned that from the guardian on the train. Although you are still sloppy" said the blonde-haired man. "You must be one of those, what do you call them...? Irregulars?"
"Who are you?" Bam asked as he now felt even more uneasy. Compared to the data out there that seemed to exist just to serve the "warriors" as their sole purpose, this person seemed to be different.
Though his outfit resembled an adventurer, there was something about him. The shinsu around him was different and so as his aura. The feeling was hard to be described, but he somehow carried some sort aura of nobility.
Without hesitation or without being hurried, he opened his mouth and spoke firmly and clearly,
"I am the one who will be the king."
The name of a person immediately crossed his mind.
"The king?! You mean...!"
In this tower that had existed for thousands of years, there was only one king. That king was none other than Zahard. And in the tower, there was no one else dared to claim himself to be the king as long as Zahard was still alive.
He was the sole and absolute ruler in the tower. Signing himself with immortality, watching the people of the tower ascending from each floor to another one through all means, watching how changes happened and how each warrior comes and leaves, he was the king who sat on the golden and mighty throne while holding his crown, maintaining the system in the tower.
"That's right. I'm the one destined to rule over the very top of this tower. The first and greatest adventurer in this tower with the red third eye on my forehead and a crimson cape wrapped around me.
I am Zahard ."
Could they be this lucky to immediately find the person or data they've been looking for? Or unlucky?
'What's the top of this tower? Didn't you lock the 135th floor and prevented anyone else from climbing it?' Charlotte thought as she glared at him. Yet in the same time, she was worried of him.
She feared him, knowing who he was.
The Data of Zahard looked at the two of them. The boy looked confused and bewildered, yet there was no trace of fear. It was more like he was seeing an ordinary stranger who didn't hold the most authority in the tower, who wasn't one of the most dangerous people in the tower. He may just be a data, but as a data of the king, he deserved the praise and loyalty from his subjects. He was the data of the king himself.
The girl, on the other hand, seemed to be aware of his identity and remained vigilant. No matter how hard she tried to hide her fear, those beautiful golden eyes would always found their way to reveal it. How those golden eyes were glaring to him in vigilance and fear reminded him of an unpleasant memory.
'With that face and how she glared at me... it's almost like she's glaring to me....'
He was unhappy with that. The thought that this "she" was glaring to him made him felt upset and displeased.
'No, she's not her. She doesn't have a lotus mark on her forehead. She's just someone else born with the same face with her coincidentally.'
"You're...not scared as I thought you would be" he spoke again, pretending that he was unaware of her fear.
"...pardon?"
Zahard scoffed, "You must have not realized who I am at the outside. So, where are you from?"
"Well....I'm not...."
"Sure...?"
"Yeah, I don't know where I came from" Bam honestly answered. "I was trapped somewhere the moment I was born and I still don't know where it was."
"You don't know where you are from...what a strange kid you are" Data Zahard spoke in ease. "You're the one who is full of secrets. I'm also from the outside but unlike you, I wasn't trapped anywhere. The place where I came from was very vast and spacious."
Bam at Charlotte who shook her head. She was telling him that she didn't want to tell her past to Zahard.
"You came from the outside yet you don't know where you're from. You know about the real me but you don't seem to serve me as a king. Yes- very interesting."
He suddenly disappeared and appeared again. Right now, he wasn't standing on the statue, but standing on the floor like them. He didn't even make a sound when he moved, or both of them could see that he was moving.
"It was worth coming here in person."
"King Zahard. There's something that I want to ask you" Bam spoke to him politely, feeling that since this person was the data of a king, he should be treated with at least respect and courtesy.
The respect and courtesy should be given to those who deserved it, it was what Charlotte taught him during the 7 years of FUG's training. Although he may not like this guy as he made his sister felt uncomfortable at the first gaze, he was at least the data of the king.
"What is it?"
"By any chance...do you know someone named Arlene Grace ?" He carefully asked.
The two of them could see it clearly that Zahard flinched just now when he heard that name.
Both Bam and Zahard looked at each other before Zahard replied with serious and firm tone,
"No."
"YOU DON'T KNOW?!" Bam asked in disbelief like he couldn't accept the fact and reality that the Data of Young Zahard refused to acknowledge his mother. "That can't be! Arlene was one of your companions when you cleared the train...!"
Now, it was Charlotte who was struggling to hold Bam back, "Calm down, brother!"
"I said I don't know about her. I don't know how you know about her name, but I don't know about that name anymore" said Zahard calmly before he explained his reasons for not wanting to acknowledge her, for not wanting to know her. "Do you know what it means to be a king?
Becoming a king means erasing the people around you. Starting with the people who are hostile and distant towards you. In the end, you erased people around you. Then finally, you erased the person who you love the most. You are alone in the world, and only the one who shines alone can be the king in the end."
Charlotte knew a bit about becoming a king. To sit on the throne, you must be lonely and alone, for there was only a throne for a king. That throne, in her eyes, it was nothing but a well-decorated chain that separated someone from freedom. Each of the gem used on the beautiful throne was just a reminder of the price that he paid for the authority that he possessed; eternal loneliness.
If there was something that her history teacher taught her, since the ancient times, authority, wealth and women seemed to always become the reason why people fought against each other. If there was something that her experiences taught her, that since ancient times, not all people fought just for their selfish desires. Behind that authority, wealth and women, there was something more. There was something that they needed. There was a reason for each of them to fight and win the throne.
What made her sick about this kind of thing was actually because of their reasons. The more selfish their desires, the more she felt sick and upset. The more dirty their motives, the more she felt disgusted. For her, she knew that she wasn't suited to be a king. Years of loneliness taught her how terrifying it is to sit in the middle of darkness where on every single corner she could juts be attacked and harmed.
She knew that she wasn't suited, for what she looked for in this tower was genuine and pure love, affection and freedom. Those were her goals. And to make sure that the source of her pure love, affection and freedom were safe, she had to be stronger.
But it seemed like for Zahard, being a king was more important than anything else, including the one who he loved dearly.
'He could even forget about Arlene. Could it be that he cared for the throne more than her? No wonder Arlene rejected her. I would have done the same thing.'
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Author: Now that the exams finally ended, I think I could get some rest. Tomorrow I will have to go to school early in the morning again for competition among classes and I don't have slightest expectation to win since I don't even get a chance to practice (my exams are more important--).
I've just finished watching Yu Yu Hakusho and thinking that I'm going to make a fan fiction about it along with Hunter X Hunter. Maybe after finishing this book I'm going to write about Yu Yu Hakusho first.