Dearest Anonymous, Let Me Be

Chapter 9: ARC 1 - The Lost Princess

"Must you go? Why would you volunteer to seek danger? We are safe here."

Grandma Mary is now crying in front of her two grandchildren. Her once a gentle face is now full of anxiety. It has been half an hour already when the two children confessed to their grandparents about their request to join Obsidian but the two grandparents insisted on not letting them go.

"Do you both even know how to fight?" Grandpa Roy shifted in his seat, his face grim. "I have been too lenient on you two. First, you wanted to have horses to go to the other villages, and now you want to join the rebellion?"

"Grandma, grandpa, we both want to—" Cage tried to explain once again but was immediately cut off by Grandma Mary's wailing.

"You are both still young! How would you ever survive?" Grandpa Roy exclaimed with his fists rolled into tight balls.

"Those people won't guarantee your safety! We have been living in peace for five years already and it will continue in that way," Grandma Mary protested in between her sobs.

At this point, Cage didn't know what to say. His grandparents have been raising them since childhood while sheltering them away from any possible dangers, but they have also been keeping quiet about the turmoil outside their peaceful village. Cage felt it was unfair, that they too deserved to know what was happening outside, but he also knew that his grandparents just wanted to protect them. However, it should be not like this.

After a few seconds of silence, Umi, who have been keeping quiet from the side, opened her mouth to finally speak.

"This peace is only a façade. It will only be a matter of time before the Mad King's hands will reach us. You have been protecting us since young, you took me in even if you didn't know me before, you gave me food and clothes, and I'm always grateful for that. But this time, please let us be the ones to protect you. The continent will never be peaceful if that kind of King sits on the throne."

Umi sighed. That was the first time, ever since she set foot in this village, that she got to speak a mouthful of words in front of these people.

The people, who heard Fae speak a whole paragraph, were dumbfounded. Indeed, if a person who speaks less on a regular basis, now speaks more than the usual, it must mean something. And now, faced with that someone, the two grandparents realized what that something is...their little Fae must really want to fight. Faced with their little one's eager request, the elderly couple can only sigh deeply.

After a moment of silence, Grandpa Roy finally stood up and slowly walked towards a cabinet on the side. He opened it and fished out a few things, then he laid them on the table.

"This is a dagger that I found in the forest when I was young. This will be perfect for self-defense since it is small enough to be strapped on your body."

Grandpa Roy's voice wavered but he kept on going.

"This pouch contains several herbal tea bags that I made. This will calm your mind and replenish your strength."

A few tears slid down his face as the grandfather further explains to the kids.

"This other pouch contains a few pills that will numb your pain."

By this time, the strict grandfather already can't stop his tears from falling as he sobbed in between breaths. He gripped the sides of the table he was leaning on as he bowed down his head in an attempt to hide his face full of worry from the kids.

Umi felt her heart sank. She knew that this was not reality, that this world is nothing but just a story from a book. But, seeing how this grandfather, who usually is strict and tough, cry loudly in front of her, she can't help but let a few tears escape from her eyes too.