Book 1 - The Blue's Awaken, Eps. 01 In Search of Family, Chap. 01

Just after a difficult night, The boy, back on his feet, need to face a very big green danger lies waiting for him inside the deep forest. Will he be able to pass it?

In Search of Family
Chapter 1
“Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!”
I panted rapidly while running aimlessly, trying to run away from whatever was there. It is dark and cold, there are many trees around me, and I do not even know where I am running. I do not like dark and cold nights. However, I must run.
Everybody? Gias? Mizu-chan ..
It is cold. It is very cold. My leg cannot bear the freezing air anymore.
Why did they have to come when I was night bathing. I hate them.
Where am I? Am I.. Circling around? I want to leave... Help Gias... Mizu-chan.. I missed both of you
*Sobs*
Unconsciously, I arrived at a spacious place, snow are covering the flat ground and trees are absent for at least four steps away. I cannot run anymore, I do not want to. My legs are shaking because of the snow and the long run.
I was night bathing and those green peoples suddenly making ruckus here and there. Gias told me to runaway. I cannot go back now, I do not know how and do not want to disobey Gias. The only thing I could do now is to pray that Gias and Mizu-chan would help me.
God please help Gias, Mizu-chan, and me meet again after all of this..
-!!
Saats!!
Itta !
Suddenly something feels pricking my back
What is this? Hurt.. A needle?
I reached my hand to my back, and there is something attached to my lower back, approximately as big as my index finger. Suddenly my head felt heavy, everything is fading into black, I couldn’t stand anymore. I fall on the white snow, it is cold and hard. I could hear small steps, a hoarse and rough voice following it.
“Har... Har... Precious human get.. Boss is happy now”
Gias.. Mizu-chan.. I miss you.. I am tired.. Wake me up tomorrow..
After that last wish, I lost my consciousness and gave up on staying awake...
...
......
.........
BRAG!!!
Hunn~.. Gias??
I open my eyes after the big stump.
A white color enters my sight reflecting a dim light, it is as white as snow, and a pair of beautiful red light flickered below the white snow
Beautiful...
I blink a few times to fix my sight, finally I could focus my eyes on the thing that curioused me.
The white color I saw is someone’s hair and right below it, two dots flickering once more as it transforms into a pair of round red eyes blinking in front of me.
Huh?? Who? He looks old... Santa?? He has white hair just like Gias said
I sit still and blink a few times, responding to Santa’s sudden appearance.
He suddenly pulls back himself
I think I scare him. If I was him I will be surprised too if I found strange girl sleeping in my house
“Ahahahaha, aaaaah... Sooo, you wake up little girl??”
He asks me with a weird face
Is it smiling? Not smiling.. He is showing his teeth..
Is he Santa’s son? If he is Santa’s son, he is a good person. I am hungry, maybe he will give me foods. Oh! I should tell him my name and my age or else I will not be a good girl
I shake my head left and right telling him silently that my name is not “little girl”
“Ve...”
“Venus Grigoria, seventeen”
I hope he knows I am good girl, not strange girl.
After watching closely, he is not fat. Gias said Santa is fat. Maybe Santa’s son does not like cookies and milk?
“Ha.. Hi Grigoria-san .. My name is Rune Midgard, it’s nice to see you wake up healthy”
Santa’s son names is Rune Midgard..
Huh? His name Rune Midgard.. I thought Santa’s name is Santa Clause.. Does it mean he is not Santa’s son? Perhaps Santa changed his name to Santa Midgard? Or does Santa has secret lover?
“Grigoria-san, how old are you???”
He asks me so suddenly, I am still processing Santa’s family problem so when he asks me another question I answer it thoughtlessly
“Seventeen”
If Santa has not change his name, this person is not Santa’s son, if he is Santa’s son, his surname should be ‘Clause’. So if Santa and son is a good person, this person is not Santa’s son, it means he is not a good person. Then it means I will not get any food, even worse! Perhaps he will eat me!!!
He starts yelling something about wrong and error. I do not know what he yells and I would get eaten by this man, even worse! Get eaten with an empty stomach! I cannot even see Gias and Mizu-chan anymore. He is so mean and noisy. I want to eat, I want foods before I die.
Gias.. Mizu-chan..
*Sobs*
”.. Noisy.. Hungry..”
I really want to eat something.
Gurururu...
My stomach gives a small signal telling me that it needs some refill. Why does it need to let out an weird sound like that.
My face becomes red as a response to my stomach cry of hunger.
Gororororo..
Suddenly I heard an even deeper and louder sound from the man’s stomach.
As I thought, he will eat me. He will swallow me when I am empty. He is the worst.
I could not do anything besides hugging my hungry stomach and sobbing. Praying this man has some kindness within.
“Ah yes! Food! I’ll make something soon. Don’t worry”
He swiftly stand up and replied me while wavering his hands fast left and right in front of his face.
Really?! Will I eat something?! After some consideration, this man is not that bad. He gives me foods before he eats me. Thank you for your blessing God, I hope Your graceness gives him a blessing for his kind act
I am so happy! With this, I could die happily! I lift up my face and give him my best smile, showing my gratitude to his kindness.
After my short gratitudes, he walks to the kitchen, leaving me on his bed. I could hear a lot of things being grabbed and dropped. Perhaps he cannot wait to eat me any longer.
Uh? What is this?
I just realize that I am covered in a boy outfit right now.
His clothes? But it’s smaller than him. He want to eat me while I dressed as a boy, Gias told me there are peoples who have weird affection towards boy.
I must not let his appetite goes wild. I need to search another clothes, anything is fine as long as I am not wearing this.
I put off the clothes that was attached to me and wrap myself with the bed’s blanket.
I look around the room in search of something looks like clothes storage, and the only thing I see is a big thing resembling a wardrobe on the other side of the room. Perhaps it is the wardrobe.
Slowly, I open the lid, white smoke emitting from the gap followed by a cold breeze, when the wardrobe fully opened there is no clothes in it, not even a single piece of cloth. Instead, there are vials and glasses arranged neatly on the shelves. There are blue colored liquid, there are pink, red, purple, and green one too. But what I searched is not here so it is better to leave it alone, or else he will scold me.
Uuunnn... I could not find anything... what should I do....
My eyes wanders all over the places except the boy outfit on the bed, the walls are painted in sky blue, the ceilings are pure white, and still no clothes in sight. Everythings are neatly placed, except books are everywhere.
But there is one place that looks a little bit messy and my eyes pointed that one spot. There is a white shirt laying on the chair. Perhaps I could wear that. I walk towards it and pick it up from the chair
This shirt looks fine..The size might be too big for me, but It is fine as long as it is not dirty or boy clothes
I wear the white shirt on me. As I thought, it is too big on me. The sleeves are a few centimeters longer than my hand. The end of the shirt is as long as my knee. Well, it is better than nothing.
Now, hiding place..
If I am allowed, I do not want to die this soon, even though it will be a bother to Mr. Midgard, but I want to taste lunch and dinner too. So I need to find somewhere to hide after my breakfast.
I spent my short morning searching a nice spot to hide so he cannot find me after the breakfast, but unfortunately this house are packed with a lot of stuff. In the same room, a glass shelf which has a lot of glass thing with unique shape and looks very fragile. There is a big rectangle desk with kinds of glass and tube and small hose connected to each other everywhere, under it there are still a lot of books too. There is a big chest in the corner but when I open it, there are swords and knives, the things that Gias told me not to touch. There are a lot of picture on the walls to, it seems like this person has lot of friends, and perhaps he is not that bad of a person.
There are books under the bed, around sofa too, inside the small tables too.. Uuuuuunn, what should I do....???
“Hey, Grigoria-san, your breakfast is here”
Oh no! Is it time already? Still nowhere to hide.... I think I will just surrender to my fate.
I walk calmly to the kitchen where a table full of beautiful looking foods are arranged. It smells so nice that my droll is overflowing within my mouth. I sit on one side of the table.
”Gulp..”
This is my last breakfast.. I need to eat until I cannot eat anymore to respect my last foods.
Gias.. Mizu-chan... I hope I could show you these wonderful feasts..
I fold my hand and close my eyes
Dear God, thank you for your guidance. At this moment, I would like to beg for your blessing unto this kind man as his kindness exceeds what your servant had imagined. Please guide Gias and Mizu-chan too on their day and night, might their fate does not end up like me. Thank you for the food you have blessed for me, may this feast be a joy for me. Dear God. I have prayed. A’un.
“I.. Ittadakimasu..!! ”

******



[17 December 1698] 08:46 Adderone Region Time, Rune’s House
After a shocking morning, I made a lot of food.
Not because I’m hungry after a restless night.
But in front of me sits a 13 year-old-looking girl wearing my spare white shirt and gulping down everything on the table as if there is no tomorrow. This girl named Venus Grigoria, kidnapped by goblins last night and rescued by a just-wandering-around man. Which is me.
I made simple foods. It’s only scrambled egg, scrambled Chickatree egg soup, a loaf of bread, and some bacons. But her eating speed and quantity is something admirable, currently she is eating 2 portions of my usual breakfast and still continuing in amazing speed.
I'm glad I used Chickatree eggs. Chickatree is actually a chicken, with size 3 times bigger than the usual chicken, so the eggs are also three times bigger than the chicken eggs. Of course the price is quite cheap too, 72 Val for a dozen of eggs and 15 for one Chickatree egg. Though the stench is a bit different, chicken eggs are milder and chickatree’s are stronger. Well, poors doesn’t choose, money thrifting is a must anyway! After all I want to save up for a new house and weapons. Especially weapons.
If I didn’t use Chickatree eggs, I think there will be nothing left for me.
I slowly eat my breakfast in front of her, but seeing her high appetite makes me lose my own.
After a while, she finished with her portion- I mean she finished the table, leaving nothing edible behind.
I look at her face and she wears back her sad face just after her satisfied ‘huft’ left her small mouth.
What’s wrong? Didn’t she just satisfied by my foods? Does she want more?!
“Umm.. Hey Grigoria-san, if you want more I could give some of mine for you...”
I tried to cheer her up with extra foods but it doesn’t seems to be the case. Well I don’t really want to lose my breakfast after no-dinner night anyway.
“Clause-sa�"Midgard-san.. You are going to eat me ??”
“Haa??”
Between my smile I could feel my own eyes twitching, her small imperfect sentences echoing through my brain, I hope I misheard her words, but after seconds of rephrasing inside my brain, I’m not mishearding anything. Which means it’s time for my internal scream.
WHAAaattt?!!?!?!
Did she just say that I’m going to eat her?! What?! What does that even mean?! Is it eat like eat?! Is it?!
She blurted a weird question while dropping her head down.
“Umm.. Grigoria-san.. What do you mean by that???”
I ask her in case I got everything wrong. I mean what kind of girl saying someone will eat them after they gave her a ton of breakfast.
“You are going to eat me right? *Sobs* you are no Santa, not Santa’s son too.. *Sobs* you are not both, you are not a good person.. *Sobs* after I eat a lot, you will eat me right? *Sobs*”
Eh?
EEeEeEeeeehhh?!?!?!?
What???!!!! Santa?! Son?! Bad person?! What the??!!What happened while I cooked the breakfast?!?! A girl who slept on my bed, wears my shirt, eat on my table. Think I will eat her after it?!?!?!
“Sigh....”
I can’t believe this girl is more stupid than a 10 year old child. Well her appearances dan voice resembles one, but what kind of person judge someone kindness depending on they are Santa or not anyway..
“Hey, listen... I’m not going to eat you okay.. So please calm down.. I might not be Santa nor his son but I’m still a good person okay??? I won’t even touch you without asking you first..”
Except last night though...
“Really???”
“Yes..”
“Really really???”
“Yes yes...”
“Really really really???”
“Yes yes yes... Please stop asking is it real.”
“So you're good person.. You will give me more food???”
“Yes...”
Wait what?!?!?!!?
Her body suddenly stretches across the table and grabs my foods.
Noo.! My breakfast.! What did I...
She inhesitantly gulped down every single food left in front of her.
“Gochichosama deshitta!! Thank you Midgard-san.. I think you, truly a good person”
Yes of course I’m a good person. I saved you from the goblins, lend you my old clothes that you replaced with my shirt, and I let you eat almost all of my breakfast. I AM a really good person.. Sigh..
I give a nod while smiling to the little girl. Now that it’s done I’ll need to wash everything to keep my dishes as clean as ever.
While I wash my dishes, she’s standing beside me, helping me drying the washed dishes. Well at least she helps.
I think now is the best time to ask about that...
“Hey Grigoria-san, will you tell me how could you ended up being caught by the goblins??”
She stands unmoving for a few seconds while frowning, closing her eyes and still holding into a bowl that we just used a while ago.
She opened her eyes very slowly and faced me, looking at me, into my eyes, I almost captivated by that slight elegance this girl radiating.
“Well Midgard-san..“
“ Rune is fine..”
I cut her before she continued on the story and keep calling my last name, for the God’s sake, I'm 18, and even though her body is 13 year old like, she is 17, one year younger than me. I do feel like an old man when someone called me with that century-aged name. I do have a surname but I never know who my parents are.
I grew up helping old-man Tyron the blacksmith that found me when i was still learning how to crawl. At 7 I started to have an interest on Chemistry and began to study a lot about it, at 9 I become the youngest Alchemist Apprentice on the local school, and at 14 I finished the study with a satisfying grade. After a lot of consideration, old-man Tyron rent me this old house, and I was helping him to pay the bill. It was messy but I was able to clean up the mess and revive this old building to its old self. When I was 16 my friends invited me into a hunting party several times. It’s purpose was only to collect some stuff demanded by townspeople and train ourselves in an actual battle. But after that time, I began to love hunting more and more, unconsciously I begun to hunt alone and thus my hunting habits starts.
“Venus is fine too...”
A sudden statement from Grigoria-san�"No, it’s Venus now.. Surprised me and forced my eyes to lock on her. On her small expresionless face I focused on a pair of emerald eyes that looked back at me, a bright green eyes that shines purely, uncontaminated by this world.
“Umm.. Rune”
My eyes finally moved when she called my name, I alter my focus on both of my ear and listen to her story.
“Last night, I walked with Gias and Mizu-chan and a many people too.. We made camp.. I took a bath.. And I heard noises.. I took a peek and green creatures were fighting with peoples.. Gias also fight.. When a green creature approached me, Gias throw it aside and told me to run, I wear a cloak and run with Mizu-chan but lost her halfway.. Then I run and run and run and run and can’t run anymore, I stopped and there is dart piercing my back, here..”
I thought she’s going to say run until noon
She points out a spot a little high from her hip.
It’s true that last night I saw it too, but I think it’s not too bad compared to my left hand.
“.. And then I sleep.. When I wake up, I am here with you.. Rune..”
So it’s a sleeping dart huh..? Could goblins actually create a dart? Or even more a sleeping dart??
I see, so that was what happened last night. As I thought it’s weird for them to chase one person, their behavior seems changing than what I heard in town. Their tools of hunts also changed, I’ll need to warn townspeople about this. About Venus, I think she was moving to another town with her family when she got attacked. I’ll need to help her find her family.
Finally all my dishes are clean and dry. Thanks to Venus I could finish it faster. Now that everything is clean, I should think about Venus’s condition who was walking around my house looking at my belongings.
Now what should I do..? Should I announce a found child? Or should I search for her family myself?? Either way, I should help her reunite with her beloved ones, Gias and Mizu-chan if I’m not wrong. They must be searching for her too.
When I was thinking about the first thing I should do, Venus suddenly request something..
“Rune.. Can I search my friends? I am grateful for your kindness. Your foods were very delicious, I will love to eat again. But I need to be with Gias and Mizu-chan. I will search them myself.”
Hm? A friend huh? A couple of family moving between town seems to be the case and this Gias and Mizu-chan are her friends.
She thanked me while bowing her head. This girl actually has some manner even though her behavior is somewhat unpredictable.
I can’t let her go searching for her friends alone! Whether it’s in town or out town, it’ll still be dangerous for her. I must! Accompany her.
“Um.. Venus.. If you're okay with it I could help you search your friends.”
She suddenly lift up her face and look at me dearly
Ugh, too much cuteness, I’m going to puke love.
“Really? Really? You will help me again?”
I nod at her question, but her eyes suddenly gloomed again.
“I, burdening you Rune. You have important things to do. It is okay to not help me.”
What is she saying? There are no such things as more important than helping a girl in need
“Don’t say that. For me, Helping others is as important as my own problem, especially you.”
Yes. No way would a little girl survive in this harsh world, someone needs to help her and for now, that someone would definitely be me!
Her face reddens for a second and she give small nods agreeing my statement. I'm glad she knows that she needs a guardian. I started to like her anyway. Perhaps my paternal instinct are triggered because of this girl innocent and fragile acts, she doesn’t have anyone to rely on right now and the fact that I am the one who saved her made me feel that I am responsible to reunite her with her friends.
Well actually, I need to go to the market to sell my Drops essences and stock up my foods as fast as I can, but I think it could wait. She is the number one right now.
But before going out, I and she will need to take a bath first. A night with 30 minutes run and without a bath is sweaty enough for me so I’ll take a bath now
“Venus, we will search for your friends but first we will need to take a bath okay?”
I told her while she was gazing through the window.
“Understand.. We take bath together??”
Of course!
No!
What is this girl thinking?!?!?! Sigh...
“No... I will take a bath first and you could take a bath after I’m in okay?”
“Understand”
Thus I enter the exchanging room. I unequipped my leather armor that stuck with me since last night. It's surely sweaty.
I take off my shirt and pants then I look on the mirror.
Gee. The wound looks bad. It has some frozen blood all around it. Perhaps hot water will get rid of it.
“Sigh...”
My tired body looks fine from the outside, though they are aching inside
I enter the bathroom by sliding the glass door, slowly stepping into the wood paved ground, I turn left and sit on a small wooden chair. I faced a water device called wateream, a small magical device that provides water simply by tapping its button. As I tap the top of wateream a current of water flowing through the small hole, falling in front of me. I cup my hand below it and take some water to wet my face and hair, then I proceed to clean myself, shampoo, soap, a bucket of water and I’m done with my morning bath.
After I’m done with my Vinta shampoo and Locus soap I stand up and walk towards my bathtub for some refreshing Alora Leaves dip, then-
-“I’m entering”
A girl voice could be heard from opposite the glass door and in an instance, a figure of a blonde girl could be seen sliding the door and entering the bathroom
What?! What happening here?! Didn’t I tell her to get in after I’m done?!?!
I quickly jumped into the bathtub hiding my naked body. I mean, I have a private part that I need to keep.
“Ve- Ve- Ve- Ve- Venus?!?! What are you doing?!?!”
She tilted her head and a question marks seems to appear above her head
“Umm.. You said I can enter after you??”
Huh did I really say it?? Did I?!
“So I’ll be bathing next to you..”
Nooo!! Don’t say that with a straight face! Give me a break..
I dive myself on the bathtub while trying to avert my eyes from her. She is currently sitting in front of the shower and shampooing herself.
This is weird. Totally weird. I thought that I am mature enough to stay calm in this kind of situation. But the fact is I'm totally stoned by the tension. It's true that she has 13 year old girl-like body but knowing the fact that she is 17 made me nervous. Is she okay with this? Does it means it’s okay for me to see? What if, what if something happens what if something comes up! Bad, this is bad, I coud be sentenced with underage sexual crime considering her girl-like body, but but, what if this is some kind of signal, what if she wants me to do that, I mean it’s okay if she wants it right? But what if it isn’t what if it’s a trap. AAAAAAA!!! As I thought, I'm still not good with woman related things. Sigh...
“Rune which one is the soap??”
“Ah this one..”
Unconsciously I move my head towards her direction and give her the soap.
She is trying to open her eyes while her head are full of shampoo making her hard to see, but of course I see everything clearly.
Bathed in sunshine that enters from the windows up high, her skin reflects the light blinding my eyes. Her wet hairs stick to her bright soft skin adding more spice to her slim petite body.
She turns her body facing me. It becomes even more tempting. Even though it’s covered with some foam, I still could see its pink skin and her undeveloped breast. Last night was dark and I don’t pay that much attention on it but after this blessed moment I know that it’s an unripe beauty. Around the foam, shyly covered by it I could see its pink mark, an area of earthly heaven. And far below it, between the legs. Foams are gathering, stopping myself from another heaven-
-“Rune? Where??”
“Ah! Here!...”
Surprised. I quickly hand her the soap that I was holding.
I fix my tomato face to another direction again and sighing because the morning refreshing session is over.
But! Inhesitantly she enters the tub.
What?! There are more?!?!
She clearly doesn’t try to hide her body. For a couple second. Her innermost beauty awes me. Everything becomes so hot and the last thing I know is everything goes black, the hot tub and the over-pumped blood within me must’ve be the cause..
......
............ [Oo... You reach this place..]
[Nice..]
[I’m Etheron.. Hope we get along...]
......
...........
..................
Hm? What? What happened? Didn’t I just take a bath seconds ago??
I wake up on top of my bed. I could see my own ceiling and the notes glued on it.
As I remember, I was taking a bath, then a naked angel fall down in front of me, and everything becomes black.
That was a weird dream. Rather than dreaming about that angel, I dreamt about a round white table inside a vast dark large room with 4 chairs around it. And a silhouette of a man hanging, chained across the table, each of his body part is chained, he doesn’t move, but I believe he was alive.
I raise my body and sit on the bed. I look around, there are no one to be seen and it's a bit cold in here. Well of course it's cold. I am baby naked on my bed, wears nothing. Anyway, how could I sleep naked on my bed if I was bathing before?
I face a chair on the left, before the working table there is a chair and a white shirt hung on it.
Is it a dream? Did everything happened yesterday until this morning is just a mere dream?
I let out a small sigh. So the meeting with a cute girl is just a dream. Speaking about destined-to-always-be-single fate. I always failed at understanding woman’s heart.
“Rune? You wake up?”
A sweet voice comes from the living room.
I recognize this voice. Please tell me that I’m not crazy!! Yet!!
A bright yellow hair burst into the room and dives right into my stomach.
“Ghaa!!”
A cry of pain combined with a big sound of a breaking bone filling the room instantly, and the person causing that is no other than the blonde girl who caused my blackout.
“I worried you don’t wake up, I thought water killed you”
Actually you're the one who killed me on spot....
I fix my blurry vision to see her, and what I found is a girl wearing only towel hugging me while sitting on my lap.
I twitched my eyes as response of this girl weird clothing
“Venus... Why are you wearing towels only???”
“It's because that shirt is yours and I’ll need permission to wear that”
So you finally realized it huh? You're slow aren’t you...
Well it's true that she doesn’t have anything to wear right now. I found her last night only covered by a single piece of cloak anyway. She’ll need a new cloth, A set of girl clothing will cost approximately 300 to 800 Val and by selling some of my yesterday collected Drops Essence I could have at least 1000 Val. I could buy her a new clothes and still eat properly tonight.
“Hey, Venus. How about we buy a new clothes for you?”
I told her while scratching my cheeks with my index finger. Well I couldn’t think of a situation any weirder, just imagine a strange man starts to cook for you and offer you a new clothes with no apparent reason. Definitely suspicious!
“Really? Thank you Rune”
She thanked me while once again bashing my belly with her hug.
Really?? I don’t know whether you’re an undeniable air head or you finally know that I’m a good person.. Sigh..
I wore my daily clothing, a black long-arm shirt with grey line on both sides and arm, a black jeans with grey line too. Actually it’s a pair. Someone I know made this pair for me and since I don’t really care about what I wear, I always wear this pair outside
I put on my black leather belt with 3 waist pouch in it, each one has their own uses, on the right for money, left for my own made medicine, last one hung on my rear is my items and small tools.
I hop into my dark grey shoes and wear my long black cloak, after all the preparation I stepped outside with Venus.
Thus my exhausting morning ended as we prepared to go and bought her a new clothes. In the end, she wears my old clothes and jacket until she has the new one.

*****

Author's Note

Yooo.. I'm back beybeeeh
So, this is my newest work.. it's still part one tho...
Chap 02 is on work... I hope you like it.. and if you have any comments/advise/praise.. just comment or add me via LINE: @nau2366d
So thats it... Byeeee niiiiiii~~~~