Empire 《Mikayuu/YuuMika》

⥈ Chapter Two ⥈

Yuuichirou Amane wiped the sweat that adorned his brow. Unlike the day before, the weather was scorching hot, not a touch of wind to be felt. The sun did not give mercy to those working in the fields that day.

The wooden handle of the hoe he held blistered his hands as the sun weighed down on his stiff shoulders. The eight-year-old felt as if he was going to collapse under the heavy heat of the sun at this rate. However, he knew that no matter how much the sun beat on him, it would not hurt as much as if he ditched his duties to go and play with some of the kids in the village. His father would not tolerate that in the slightest.

Yuuichirou lived with his family in a small cottage in the midst of a grassy field, only two miles away from the village. The land they lived on was owned by the knight, Guren Ichinose-sama. He was lenient about how much they owed him to live on his land, but he was very strict about deadlines and disciplinary decisions. His personality was a prime example of the hardened mind of a knight.

As much as Guren's sternness annoyed Yuuichirou, he strived to be a knight. The stories of riding on horseback into battle in enemy territories excited him, as well as the ideas of beautiful princesses and honor. His mother and father would be proud of him and all the glory he would earn. However, as his mother instructed him many times, only men of noble blood could become knights and fight with the armies.

This trivial fact disappointed and confused Yuuichirou greatly. Why would having noble blood have any significance? In the end, spilled blood was spilled blood; it would not matter if the blood was noble or not. He did not believe it mattered whether someone was a serf, or a peasant, or a dignitary. All that mattered to Yuuichirou was that if one had the inclinations to fight for their kingdom and everyone in it, then one should do so, no matter their heritage.

In Yuuichirou's mind, the nobility had to originate somewhere. One was not born deemed noble at some period of time. Someone had to earn the title at one point. Why could he not earn the title now? Why could he not accomplish an act that was just and heroic? Would he be able to be knighted if he did as such?

Yuuichirou was grateful his thoughts diverted his mind from his toil in the hot sun momentarily. The ache in his hands and the soreness of his limbs was still very much present, and the sun's intensity seemed to only get worse. He sighed as he continued to work the soil, preparing the land for the next harvesting season.

All he wished for at the moment was a drink of water and a breeze, some shade if he was lucky. The blistering heat of the sun made his throat dry, and his sweat began to drip into his eyes. He wiped the liquid from his eyes with the back of a blistered hand and resumed his duties. He looked up at the rest of the land and groaned when he saw how much work he had left to do.

After this, his mother told him, he could go to the forest and wade in the river. The only restrictions were to not talk to strangers, to not eat unidentified berries, and to avoid the rapids. He was looking forward to this venture, and for that reason was why he obeyed. His mother usually never let him wander in the forest, as she knew Yuuichirou did not have the best sense of direction, but as he was a young man now, he knew to make landmarks in his mind or to make a trail so he would know the way back home.

After he completed his chore, much to Yuuichirou's relief, he brought the hoe to its usual space in the rickety shed and traveled over to the well to receive his well-deserved drink of cool water. He tied the rope to the bucket in a reinforced knot and cranked the lever to send it down into the well water, sweating further from the exertion he used. Finally, he heard the satisfying sound of the bucket's descent into the water and brought the bucket up, the lever heavier this time, but he knew the reward was worth the effort.

Once the bucket was visible, he snatched it and placed it on the wall of the well. He untied the knot that was tied around the handle of the bucket and lifted the receptacle of the water to his dry, cracked lips. He moaned in relief once the water passed through his lips, pouring into his arid mouth and down his throat that was begging for moisture of any sort.

Once a large portion of the water that filled the bucket had disappeared down his throat, he wiped the excess liquid from his mouth and chin and eyed the forest, the place where he usually was not allowed to wander, but was the place his mother promised him he could go to to find sanctuary from the blistering heat of the sun.

He began his journey, and to his relief, it was not too long of one. He observed others riding their horses down the grassy trails, but he had not a horse to ride. Before he knew it, he was basking in the refreshing shade the leafy canopies cast. He sighed in relief as he walked in the direction from which he heard water rushing. He could feel the cool waters sloshing around his ankles already, and the enticing thought only made his strides swifter.

Soon, as he wandered further into the sea of silver tree trunks and vegetation, he could hear a voice, along with the roaring water. The voice belonged to someone young, and they seemed to be talking with themselves.

"I cannot stand the reprimanding any further, Kiiro-san. Between Nurse and Mother, it is endless. They are always scolding me in one way or another for reading and not being attentive."

Kiiro-san? There was someone else there as well? Yuuichirou did not mind that there were others, he only felt as if he invaded on someone's private conversation.

He kept walking toward the voice, which he discovered to be near the river, as the roaring of the water only seemed to get louder as he continued. The frothy water was in sight as he approached the voice. Soon, he saw a head of blond hair, but he was the only one there. The fair-skinned boy was seated on the grass next to a yellow flower on an island that separated the river before it merged again. The waterfall that created the river was not too far from the island and it mixed the water into a white froth.

"It is hard, Kiiro-san," the blond boy complained, looking down at the wildflower. "I am trying my best, but I do not understand how I alone can handle all of the pressure."

"...Are you talking to a flower?" Yuuichirou asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at the boy, who he noticed was dressed in elegant clothing.

The boy looked up in surprise from the flower at Yuuichirou with crystal blue eyes.