Asta Silva - Childhood and travel

Chapter 17

<Asta>

I overestimated myself, finishing the book took me almost two weeks. It would be just one, if not for Liebe telling me to eat and sleep, so I couldn't read anytime I wanted. After reading the book I began learning the language, which I understood surprisingly easily. After a month I knew most of it. Mister Blacksmith looked at me as if I were an alien, after I could hold a conversation with him in his language, but I ignored it. He still couldn't cook, even though I tried to teach him, but his incompetence is like an incurable disease.

Currently I sat before a shop with snacks and ate something called dango. They're really good! Even Liebe likes them. I asked people nearby, to learned about the local... well, everything, really.

"Hey miss, why can't the children work here, anyway?" I asked the waitress. Mikuno never told me about it.

"Oh, you see, children used to work here almost like slaves, which made them die from exhaustion, and the population started decreasing... After that they banned child labour entirely"

"Wow, so that means the ruler is pretty good, right?" 

"Not exactly..." The woman sighed. "The current Empress... Well, she doesn't care about anyone. Noblemen, villagers, everyone. No one knows what she even does, because the eldest son Mikel tries to rule the country, but he has no real power, so there's not much he can do"

"So why won't you rebel, so that he can take over?"

"Shhh!" she silenced me, then looked around in panic, then back at me and whispered "It's not that simple... The nobles are bribed by the Empress and the villagers don't have enough courage. That's why a new law gets added once in a blue moon"

Well, so it's not that much better here than in Clover.

***

When I returned home, I decided to do the homework from mister Blacksmith. He insisted that I can't ditch education and he told me to write an essay about the current authority. That's why earlier I was walking around town and asking random people. Where would I get more information than from them? Someone would say the law etc., but not every law is obeyed even when it's in effect, so it's best to just talk to people.

Writing it took me about three hours, because Liebe was constantly flying about and grumbling. When I finished, I left it on the table outside, and went to grab something to eat. I grabbed a knife, ready to make some food, when suddenly Mikuno called me.

"Yes?"

"It's time for your first smithing lesson"

"Yay!" I was happy, I will finally make something!

We went outside and Mikuno showed me various weapon designs, explaining step by step how to do everything. It took about two hours before he let me try to make a sword. Of course I failed, but he said that for a first try it wasn't too bad. I didn't think the same, because can you really call a twisted piece of metal a sword? But well, he's the professional here, so I'm not gonna question him.

***

I'm sitting on the roof of mister blacksmith's house, watching the stars. I'm wondering if Langris already forgot about me. Did Father forget? Does he have a new fiancée? Probably yes.

Liebe is sleeping peacefully on my lap, and I'm admiring those shining orbs. I closed my eyes and smiled, but it quickly fell from my face, when again I felt like being thrown into water.

Damn it.

***

This time I woke up on the ground, and not in a freezing lake, which was some kind of improvement. I looked around, hoping that the wolf from before is not nearby.But my luck once again decided to kick me in the ass, because from the bushes in front of me stepped out the aformentioned wolf. This time it didn't growl, only looked at me like a predator does with his prey.I felt my ribcage constrict with fear, my heart beating as if I ran a marathon, and my breath get stuck in my throat. As much as I didn't want to be scared, I couldn't do anything about it. It was Solid and Nebra's fault that I'm so afraid!

"Unworthy" I suddenly heard a female voice. It came from the wolf! "At least for now..."

After those words I lost consciousness again.

***

I woke up, still on the roof. I looked at Liebe, who was still sleeping. I smiled, relieved that I didn't wake him. He deserved rest, after I dragged him everywhere with me all day.

I got up slowly, my whole body hurt, but I don't think I have any broken bones. I sighed with relief when I could move. After a moment I laid down again and watched the stars. But then a black blur zipped through the air. Surprised, I blinked, seeing it fall into the forest. I wasn't able to see it's shape or size, but... well, I guess I could go and check what it is, right?

It's not like anyone could find out, and if something happened, then no one would miss me at least. Maybe except Liebe, but he's a millennia-old spirit, and I'm just another human, destined to pass away someday.

***

I left Liebe in the bed, then grabbed a flashlight and headed out to the forest. Now that I'm thinking about it, if someone wanted to murder me then now would be an excellent occasion to do it. I should probably wait until morning, but... where's the fun in that?Although Liebe would kill me if he found out I went out to a forest late at night, where a strange creature fell from the sky.

I waded through the bushes, looking out for that strange shape. After a while I got to a place where broken trees were visible.Oho, looking at the scale of the damage, the creature must be quite big. Is it a good idea to go any further? No. Will I do it? Yes.

I went after the trail of broken trees, until I got to the shape. I turned on the flashlight and shone light on it. I froze.Before me lay a massive gryphon. It was the first time I saw such a thing. I read in books that they are very intelligent creatures, which went into hiding because of humans hunting them.

It was wrapped up in some kind of net and looked unconscious. Poor thing...I took a step forward, wanting to help it, but it abruptly opened it's eyes. I froze, gazing into it's blue eyes, which held resignation in them. I swallowed. What I'm about to do might kill me, but... It's right. I can't leave it alone to die, just because I'm scared.I came up to it with determination. But then I remembered that I didn't bring a knife with me. I sighed and grabbed part of the rope. I felt something course through it. It wasn't antimagic, but rather... Magic?

I took a deep breath and then directed some antimagic to my hands. If I nullify the magic in the rope, the gryphon should be able to fly away.

Closing my eyes, I focused on getting the antimagic to nullify all of the magic. I'm not sure how I'm doing it, but the results were all that counted, right?

The rope suddenly loosened and I heard it snap. I smiled, happy that the gryphon was free. But then I heard deep growling in front of me.

I'm fucked, aren't I?