The Grimoire

Chapter 26: The Protector

CAIRO

"What?" I exclaimed after I received a triple S rank mission. All I did was to give him the piece of paper that I saw coincidentally at my locker. Although we weren't sure if we've found what we have been looking for the past few years after travelling in each country, we were confident that this was it. This anonymous tip was right. "Principal, I can't leave my team behind," reklamo ko.

"Don't worry about it too much, Cairo," singit niya at inakbayan niya ako kahit nahihirapan siyang abutin ako kasi mas mataas ako sa kaniya. I glanced at her with a glimpse of annoyance while she gave me a charming smile. "It'll be fine. We just have to stop their army right? Kaya na namin yun but in exchange, you have to protect her no matter what. She is the key to all of this," she added.

"Kung ikaw na lang kaya ang pumunta doon, Farrah? Do you even know how far Liwet is?" reklamo ko sa kaniya.

"You know how important this is, right?" she asked with a serious tone at umiwas ako ng tingin.  It's not like I don't have any trust on them. I'm just worried about them, especially her. Kahit na arrange marriage lang lahat ng ito and it's not like I like her that much, I must say that at this moment, I'm already prepared to marry her. "We can't let this war go on, Cairo. I don't think it's a perfect place to make a family," she added with goofy smile at umiwas ako ng tingin sa kaniya at tinaboy siya palayo.

"You're gross, Farrah," reklamo ko at tumawa siya. Napatitig lang ako sa kaniya habang binibigyan niya ako ng motivational words at mga ngiti na hindi ko man lang naisip na iyon na pala ang huling pagkakataon na makita iyon.

Months. I was in Liwet for months, looking out for this lady who doesn't seem to care on what's going on. This country is lucky enough para hindi makita o mairinig ang mga nangyayari sa Liwet and it turned out that the key that they have been looking for is here.

I've been sealing my presence while protecting her kasi sa oras na matuntun ako ng kalaban. This country will be in complete chaos. The fact that most of the people her doesn't have magic is dangerous itself kaya minabuti kong ni-isang tao walang makakita sakin but somehow, her stepfather was quite sharp.

Dumating nga ang araw na nakita niya ako sa labas mismo ng kwarto ni Vermillion. I was sitting on her window while I was watching the red moon, wondering how my team was doing. I had a lot of thoughts at that night, and I let my guard down. Nang napatingin ako sa ibaba, I saw her stepfather, holding a few rocks at handang itaboy ako. Syempre nakita na niya ako, wala na akong magagawa. I jumped down towards him and tilted my head as I activated my magic and pointing at my logo's school which surprised him to the point na nahulog niya ang mga dala niyang bato.

"A-A-Anong ginagawa mo dito? B-B-Bakit-"

Hindi ko na siya pinatapos at tinuro ang kwarto ni Vermillion.

"Let's just say I'm her protector and I'm here to make sure that she's safe," I said. Surprisingly, he gave me a soft smile as if all his worries were gone.

"Kaya pala," I heard him whispered. Kaya ano? "Kaya pala hindi na masyadong binabangogot si Vermillion," he added and my eyes widened.

"Binabangogot?" I asked and he nodded at napatingin rin siya sa buwan.

"Lahat ng alaala na mero siya ay hindi kompleto. Minsan umiiyak na lang siya sa gabi at minsan may umaatake dito kaya lahat kaming mga residente dito ay nakabantay sa kaniya pero napansin namin na ilang buwan na ring tahimik nang namumuhay ang anak ko," he replied.