A Background Character's Fate

Chapter 16[OLD]

I went back home to find my father doing his daily workout and training. It is almost afternoon and my mother is preparing lunch. My sister is probably deep asleep and my brothers are at school.

My father notices me at the door and stops his workout. "So, did you get in?"

I nod. "But... Are you aware of something?"

"Hm?"

I present to him the dark elf in my storage ring.

!!!!!!

The dark elf jolts up in alert when I suddenly pull her out.
Her hand is holding the knife I placed in the storage ring, pointing at my father.

"Don't worry."

I gently place my left hand on the upper side of the blade that is not sharp and push the knife down.

Her legs are trembling from her injuries as she attempts to stand.

"L-Loi... What is..."

"This is my second trial. Are you aware?" I ask my father.

"What?!"

His eyes widen in surprise as he drops the wooden sword in his hand.

"This... I recognise her." My father says. "She is the dark elf spy my squad captured. I left her in Orland's hands for him to interrogate..."

"It looks more like torture to me." I blurt out.

"I know...I..."

My father's eyes are still wide open. His brows are slightly contorted as his legs tremble.

"Why is she in such a state? I-I ordered Orland to let her go if she refuses to tell anything. But instead of doing so... What..."

...

"Are you aware of what is happening within the army?" I say.

My father looks at me, pleading for it to not get any worse. "The entrance fee was 2 silver coins. However, people who were deemed 'useless' like old age, disabilities and illnesses faced extreme prejudice such as an increase in the entrance fee. For your information, this dark elf was my opponent."

"WHAT?!"

My father grabbed my shoulder. "A-Are you hurt anywhere?"

I shake my head.

The dark elf is still on high alert.

My father let go of my shoulder and grasp his forehead. "I...need some time for myself. Tell your mother to treat her wounds...I..."

My father walks into the cabin. I follow him while helping the dark elf trudge her way in.

My mother stares at me in surprise. She just finished cooking lunch. "Is that a dark elf? Why is she-"

"I'm sorry, I need some time alone. Loi, help your mother patch the elf up." My father says before locking himself inside his and my mother's room.

My mother sighed. She goes to the storage room to take some medical supplies. Our storage room is a basement that can be entered from a hatch. The hatch is at the corner of the room under a cabinet.

I help her pull the cabinet aside after laying the elf on my bed.

She climbs down into the darkness. The only thing visible is the void and some light shone through from the top.

My mother raises her index finger on her right hand. She closes her eyes and chants something before small little dots of lights like fireflies floats around her finger. The room is soon surrounded by small little dots of light, allowing my mother and I to see a dusty basement. The basement is only slightly bigger than my room, only allowing about 10+ people to fit in. In the basement, there are racks of supplies carefully organised. An ice scroll is used to keep the place cool for preservation. My mother coughs as she brushes the cobwebs aside.