Ah rest is the best thing in the world that I could get. Sometimes it just felt this way and I knew this just because of how good I felt after I woke up. It really made such a difference. This was heaven or so I thought until I realized something. My body felt a lot lighter than it normally would and it just felt different.
When I woke up, I decided to still lay in bed and not move at all. In fact I was just staring at the ceiling and wondered if everything was okay with all the men out there. They fought a good and loong battle and were now officially all enemies to the crown. That courage and that willpower that they all displayed was something they should be proud of as well as praised for. All these brave men were ready to leave their life right there.
I wonder how everyone is doing...
And how many people we have lost....
Their poor families...
They should at least get a chance to be able to visit a grave....
I know what to do!
Once I started thinking about what happened, I couldn't help but think about all the people who lost their lives due to the demons as well as the beasts there. All these brave men had families and they would now have a hard life in front of them that was for sure. If there was something I could do to make it up to them, then I would do it. I at least wanted to give them some kind of closure and a place they could cry their souls out. This was what we owed them for sure.
Wait a moment...
Where am I even?
Funny how my first thought was about all the soldiers and their families and yet, I didn't even waste a single thought at the beginning questioning where I was at all. I mean I didn't feel as if I was threatened at all so I had assumed I was at home but looking at the fancy white decoration made me think otherwise. This decoration was just something I saw in a church alone. Then again, why should I be at a church at all?!
Slowly I got up from the bed and started looking around. This was when it hit me. I felt different but I couldn't describe why I felt different at all until it hit me. I got soo used to having a child's body that being back in a body that suited my mental age was just funny. I mean I didn't think that something like this would happen nor did I get why it was happening at all.
"Wow...."
This is me?
What happened?
Why do I have the body of a young adult now?"
Maybe this was related to my dragon form or it was even related to the power output. There were quite some theories popping up in my mind about right now. For one I could simply just grow fast since I was in a dragon form and a dragon but that wasn't making much sense since the first time I transformed nothing like this happened at all. The next logical thing that popped up in my mind was because of the power I had released earlier in the battle.
I felt it back then too. Something was slowly changing while I was fighting that thing but I ignored that small itching feeling that was nagging at me since my heartbeat was exhilarating as I was focusing on getting that thing down once and for all. I also remember them saying something about me starting to heal myself. Perhaps I had just managed to unlock some kind of ability? Maybe I was just stuck in a child's body due to me not being able to use the full power of my inner dragon. Who will know the truth? I didn't and as far as I knew, I was a case that no one ever saw before.
Nonetheless, I kinda really enjoyed being back in an adult body. I had long arms and legs and I was quite tall. My long hair was definitely eye-catching as well as the golden eyes I had. That was all I could tell from first glance at my body without a mirror. If there was a mirror in this room, I would have for sure ran towards it already.
That knock at my door stopped me from doing something foolish I would for sure regret later. There was no mirror in the room but there was a metal plate and even a bit of water was enough to see my reflection. I would for sure find something to satisfy my curiosity.
"Come in."
Not only was the door thrown open when I said that but I could even see my father who dashed towards me to hug me while I was still sitting there at my bed.
"Vivi...."
"Father...I-"
"No. Just let me hug you for a bit more."
"Okay...."
He did as he asked and only let me go after a couple of minutes. I could even see some tears in his eyes. Was he really that worried about me? Did I perhaps interpret things differently only because I thought to know the future bit by bit? I was indeed foolish to think that I would know the future which I could change by myself.
At this point, I felt guilty towards my father. Maybe if I had talked about it, he would have understood me. Maybe if I had told him about the oracle or got back after I found out about it, maybe he would have helped me. Maybe he could have even dealt with things differently than what I did. Maybe... Well maybe I was just overthinking things.
"I am glad you are alright."
"I...I am sorry."
"For what my child?"
"I just disappeared without a notice..."
"I know you had your reasons for it."
"Still I made you worry."
"Don't worry about it. As long as you are alright, that is all that matters."
I didn't deserve to have a father like him or someone who adopted me to be precise. He was described to be different in the book but I found out that he had a gentle heart that he kept for himself and his family. Oliver was definitely a person who should be dealt with respect since he knew when he needed to show mercy and when to be strict as well as when to be gentle. I knew this by now but I didn't know that when I first arrived in this world at all. Looking back, I was quite stupid to think I could do anything by myself.
"Vivi, your brothers want to meet you too. Is it alright if I call them in too?"
"How about spending some more time with me instead?"
"I would love that more too."
"That was obvious, father. How have you been... more importantly how many people did we lost?"
"Immediately talking about business huh..."
"I am glad to see you too but I can't stand the thought about families out there, kids that lost their father because of what happened."
"What a gentle soul you have."
"I am just like my father."
A snicker escaped us both as we looked at each other. It was a bit awkward but I could tell that he was just soo glad to finally see me again. I on the other hand also felt soo relieved to finally meet my family again. To be honest, I didn't realize or more likely ignored the fact that I was missing them a lot. It might have only come to me when I saw Ryan at that banquet that the church hosted but I really missed them a lot. I just wanted to make sure that they would be all alright. I wanted to make sure that they would all live and not die anytime in the future at all. I once again remembered why I was doing all this.
"We don't know the exact number yet but Vivi, you saved more than enough people. There is no need to feel bad about this. It is not your fault."
"I know... but I want closure for their families."
"Closure?"
"Yes. I know it might be hard to get the bodies back for the families but can we make a monument with all their names engraved?"
"A monument? What are you thinking about?"
"I want the people to have a place they can go to talk, cry and even just be there to console their souls."
"Hmmm....."
"Can we make a wall or something like that even a table is enough to honor them."
"We can have that made in the garden here."
It was Micheals voice which brought us to look at the door. The young pope was wearing clothes fitting to his own rank and he looked a lot more mature as well. Not in terms of age but the gaze and his expression told me everything I had to know about.
"Sorry, I wanted to knock but didn't find the right timing."
"It's alright, your Eminence."
"Micheal, how are you?"
"I should be the one asking you that... but seeing you awake."
"You look different from the last time."
"I am officially a pope now but Vivi, you have changed more than me.... Well, I'll excuse myself and talk this monument project with the knights."
That was all Micheal said before he bowed and got his way again. I think he wanted to give me and my family some space. After all I was in the presence of my father and I knew what he meant with how much I changed. I was an adult and feeling soo much better too.
"Vivi, how are you feeling for real now?"
"Better than ever father."
"Good. I was worried that there might be something wrong..."
"I am fine, father. I feel great as well... but how long did I sleep for?"
"A week."
"A WEEK?"
"Yes."
"Did anything happen in the week I was asleep?"
"No."
I knew that he was hiding something but I was not sure what it was exactly but I would find out for sure. The only reason why I knew something was wrong is because he avoided my gaze and was trying to find something he could focus on. He might be a bad liar but he was my father. Besides I never saw him do that at all. Perhaps he was just not sure how to tell me what was going on. It seemed more as if that was the true intention behind his response because in a moment of silence he changed it.
"Aneko is dealing with the crown for now."
"Who?"
"The tower master."
"Oh wait, why is he dealing with the crown?"
"Aneko didn't want to let anyone do this job except himself. Ilya is currently leading the tower while the original tower master is undercover in the palace giving us an update on the situation. As of now the king is still planning another attack."
"Hmm but why is he planning it only?"
"While you were asleep there were a lot of riots and uproars throughout the whole kingdom. The people are not tolerating his foolish behavior anymore. Nobility as well as Civilians are pulling on the same end for the first time in ages to get the king to resign peacefully."
"Let me guess, it won't work."
"Indeed."
"Any plans made on our side?"
"Yes. We were just waiting for you to wake up again."
"Oh?"
With that my father started to explain the plan in detail to me and it seemed as if it was something that was solely possible because the people had started to gain trust in the duchy especially after I healed everyone in the battlefield unbeknownst to me myself. Oh well it was not something bad anyways and I would have done it if I was awake as well.
Once my father was done telling me the plan, it was my turn to respond to it. They were waiting for me to recover to finally act and now was the time for it. Why should I wait any longer after? Why should I let the people suffer more than this?
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's do it."
"Vivi?"
"I am fine, I don't need more rest. Can you call someone over to help me change and get me something to eat?"
"I will. I am proud of you."
"Father.... Be proud of yourself and our family! We fight together and we go down together after all."
"I see.... Thank you!"