Rebirth Of The Duke's Daughter

Chapter 52

"The beasts used to visit this place all the time," Aiken began, his voice tinged with sorrow as he gazed around the crumbling ruins. "But as time passed, they stopped coming. This place has fallen into neglect, and no one cares for it anymore. I come by when I can, but there's so little time to clean it all by myself. People here fear the Mana Hunters, who have grown in numbers. They believe they'll be hunted down, just like the beasts."

"Mana Hunters?" Mila echoed, her curiosity piqued. "I've heard of them once. Tell me more."

Aiken sighed, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the knowledge he carried was too much. "Mana Hunters prey on beasts and people born with mana. Those who envy the power and gifts of others will go to any lengths to take that mana for themselves. Even the beasts refuse to make deals with them, preferring to end their own lives rather than be used like tools. It's a cruel world."

Mila felt a surge of anger rising within her, the thought of such injustice weighing heavily on her heart. "It's a pity," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Beasts aren't objects to be used and discarded. They're no different from humans, with their own thoughts and feelings." The realization that the voices of the beasts calling out to her might be in danger now hit her hard. She clenched her hand into a fist, her nails digging into her palm as anger and frustration coursed through her. 'How could I have been so blind to the existence of these hunters?' she thought, berating herself.

"Hey! Don't do that!" Aiken's voice broke through her thoughts, and she looked up to see him rushing to her side. He gently pried her hand open, revealing the blood from where her nails had dug into her skin. She hadn't even realized how hard she had been clenching her fist. Without a word, Aiken pulled out a small bandage and began wrapping her palm with care. "Why are you getting so worked up over this?" he asked, his tone softer now, filled with concern.

Mila remained silent, her emotions too overwhelming to put into words. Tears welled up in her eyes, and despite the mask covering her face, they began to trail down her cheeks. 'This is so stupid, crying like this,' she scolded herself, but the images of terrified beasts being hunted down flashed through her mind, intensifying her sorrow. 'They don't deserve this.'

"You're crying for something like this," Aiken murmured, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and admiration. "But it's good to know that someone like you still exists—someone who can cry for them." He gently patted her head, trying to offer some comfort. After a moment, he stood and began gathering flowers that had somehow managed to grow amidst the ruins. When he returned, he handed the small bouquet to Mila. "Here," he said softly.

Mila gazed at the flowers Aiken had handed her, her expression blank. "What am I supposed to do with these?" she asked, her voice soft but tinged with confusion.

"They say that if you offer flowers for those who have passed away, they can feel your presence and may offer you a word of comfort in return," Aiken explained, his tone gentle. "Of course, it's just a story they tell children. You don't have to believe it."

Mila stared at the flowers once more, her fingers tightening around the stems. After a moment, she walked over to the ruins and carefully laid the flowers down. "I won't let any more harm come to the beasts I encounter," she declared, her voice firm with resolve. "I want to get rid of the Mana Hunters."

Aiken blinked in surprise, taken aback by the determination in her voice. "How are you going to do that? They're a large group driven by a deep hatred for the nobility and those gifted with mana. They use a special stone to collect mana."

"Then that means their mana is limited," Mila said, her mind already working through the possibilities. "No one can have unlimited mana."

"That's true," Aiken agreed, standing beside her as she continued to gaze down at the flowers. His eyes widened slightly as he noticed the change in her complexion. Mila's face had grown pale, her expression distant as if she were no longer entirely present. "Hey, are you alright?" he asked, kneeling down to get a closer look at her.

Mila's eyes were unfocused, her breathing shallow. She seemed to be hearing something beyond Aiken's reach.

'Help us!'

'Help!'

'They won't stop taking our mana!'

'It hurts!'

The voices echoed in her mind, drowning out everything else. Her heart raced as the cries of the suffering beasts overwhelmed her senses. "They're in pain," she whispered, clutching her head as if trying to block out the sounds. "I can hear them... they're crying out for help."

Mila clutched her chest as an overwhelming pressure squeezed her heart, each beat pounding faster and faster. She coughed, a small trickle of blood escaping her lips. "Hey!" Aiken's voice snapped her back to reality, the voices in her head fading as she returned to the present moment. Breathing heavily, Mila wiped the blood from her mouth, trying to steady herself. "You looked like you just saw a ghost," Aiken remarked, concern etched on his face, though he hadn't noticed the blood she'd quickly concealed. Mila felt a growing unease, a sense of something ominous approaching.

Suddenly, a cage of dark orange fire rushed towards them, but Aiken quickly conjured a shield with his mana, dispersing the flames. As the smoke cleared, they found themselves surrounded by cloaked figures, their faces hidden, their presence menacing. "Mila, stay close," Aiken instructed, stepping protectively in front of her, his hand outstretched to keep her safe.

"So, this is where the strong man was coming from," one of the cloaked men said, his voice cold and calculating.

Mila gripped her sword tightly, realizing these were the Mana Hunters she had heard about. "You all finally crawled out of your burrows," Aiken taunted, his words cutting through the tension. He could sense their agitation, but he was unfazed. "What brings you out here?"

"Our business is none of yours. Hand over the child and no one gets hurt," the leader of the group demanded, pointing directly at Mila. They sought out Mila, sensing her strong mana that no other children could have within themselves.

Mila's heart skipped a beat. 'Me? Why are they after me? There's no way I have that much mana,' she thought, but there was no time to dwell on it. She pulled out her sword, her training guiding her movements. 'They rely more on stolen mana than on their own skills,' she assessed, but she knew she couldn't underestimate them.

"I don't think so," Aiken retorted, his voice firm. "You'll have to get through me first if you want to lay a hand on her." He summoned his beast, Thorn, a massive Needle Skin Centipede, which burrowed into the floating island's soil before launching an attack on the hunters. The ground trembled as Thorn emerged, forcing the Mana Hunters to dodge the crumbling earth beneath them.

Mila's eyes darted around, quickly realizing the hunters were spreading out, likely preparing a coordinated attack. She gasped, her instincts screaming at her to act. Without hesitation, she grabbed Aiken by the wrist. "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed, but he didn't resist as Mila pulled him towards the edge of the floating island.

Just as they leaped off, a giant symbol began to glow where they had been standing. "Thorn! Come back!" Aiken called, summoning his beast back to him as they plunged into the open air, the ground far below them, the floating island rapidly disappearing from view.