Spirit Game

Rain couldn't move, paralyzed in his place. He was still having a hard time pulling himself together. No matter how hard he tried to think, his mind was blank, and he couldn't form a coherent thought.

Looking over at Druger and the others who were busy setting up the shelter, Rain didn't want to face them. He was angry at them for bringing war upon him, but above all, he was worried for their lives.

Chi was still scouting up north while Chin and Chill were scouting the Port Town. Unlike what Druger and the rest had thought that they were hunting north and fishing in the east. He didn't want them to find out that he already knew about their plan. It might make things worse.

Rain didn't want to face anyone right now, so he absentmindedly wandered to the west to escape.

Aimlessly, Rain walked blindly under the twin moons. His destination was unknown, the only thought running through his mind was to get away from this place.

Rain didn't know how much time had passed, and he didn't care if some beast appeared and mauled him. It was better to die at this point than to prolong his agony.

He was sure he would die anyway.

There was no escaping his fate this time. Not when he was trapped from all sides.

"I'm sorry, Father . . . Mother . . ." Rain muttered while walking, tears running from his cheeks.

He stumbled over a protruding rock and fell face-first onto the ground.

"I'm sorry . . . I can't take it anymore." He sobbed, dirt and grime clinging to his wet, snot-covered face.

"Dad . . . Mom . . .

I hope you didn't forget that I like my coffin light green like my hair," Rain choked on his tears.

Strangely, the light of the moon intensified as if there was a flashlight on his face. When he opened his eyes, Rain saw butterflies.

A lot of glowing, mesmerizing butterflies flying over him. They sparkled, gliding dust all around, and it strangely had a calming and cooling sensation when the dust settled on his skin.

"Why are you crying, little boy?"

Rain gasped at the sound of a voice, a slow, haunting voice that felt strangely sweet to his ears.

"W-what?" Rain got to his feet and looked around but saw nothing.

Then the butterflies coalesced into a single point, and when they scattered, a woman appeared. She was floating, covered in robes, and her face obscured by her hood.

"W-who . . . who are you?" Rain asked on guard, silently cursing himself for wishing a beast to kill him. Now that the threat was staring him in the face, he realized that he didn't really want to die.

He wanted to live!

A sword appeared in Rain's hand, and he went into a fighting stance. He didn't know how strong this woman was, but one thing was for sure: if she could levitate and appear at will, she was powerful enough to make him sweat.

"Relax, little boy . . . I'm not here to fight you. Otherwise, you would have died already."

". . . W-what do you want then?"

"I merely wanted to know why you're crying." She landed on the ground and offered a hand to Rain.

Rain found that stranger than her very presence and decided to step back to put more distance between them. Chi and the others were far away; he was alone right now. He couldn't outrun her that was for sure. So the best course of action was to stall for time while he thought of a plan to get out of this sticky situation.

"W-why?"

The woman bobbed her head to the side, and crossed her hands. She didn't answer right away, as if she herself didn't know why. "Hmm . . . to put it simply, I don't like that you're like this."

"Like what?"

"Like you have given up on life."

". . ." Rain's hand flopped to his side, and his sword disappeared from his hand. "Ah . . .

why are you concerned? You don't know me, and I don't even know you."

A soft chuckle tickled Rain's ears, coming from the woman. They were like twinkling bells that calmed him.

Was it a charm skill? Rain thought.

"True. But I've been watching you," the woman said, gliding gracefully through the air and circling Rain with an appraising gaze. "You've summoned rain without magic. You've warded off Hobgoblins with nothing but those silly traps. In this unforgiving wasteland, you, who is so weak, should have perished long ago. Yet here you stand, defying the odds."

"Uh, t-thanks?" Rain scratched his head, feeling a bit unsure. Her words were more of an insult than a compliment.

"And you . . . you made me curious about your next move. I took a liking to you."

". . ." Rain's blood rose to his head. "L-l-l-l-like?!"

Rain squirmed. Is this a confession?! This is a confession, right?!

She's confessing to me!

This was the first time that someone had confessed to him, and Rain covered his red face as he shook his head left and right, embarrassed and didn't know what to do.

"T-telling me that so suddenly . . . I-I . . ." Rain stuttered, but the woman ignored him.

"I don't take a liking to just anyone . . . so tell me what's bothering you. You need to continue living, so you could amuse me everyday."

Rain paused. Amusement?

Rain stared at the woman who was staring back at him. He knew she was staring back at him even though he couldn't see her face.

So it was like that. She didn't like him in a romantic way. He was merely a player who she found amusing to stave off her boredom.

Rain felt disappointed but accepted that fact. I know, right.

No one would like an ordinary guy like me. I'm more like an entertainer at this point.

It was like she was watching her favorite movie every day, and the main character in that movie was him.

"So what is it . . . what is troubling you?"

Rain sighed and took a seat. He didn't know why, but maybe telling his problems to a stranger was what he needed to clear his mind and the heavy weight in his heart.

Rain started his story, and the woman sat beside him on a boulder, silently hearing his problems.

"There's the Hobgoblin army to the north and a war brewing in the south. Then there's my Novice Lord title fast approaching." Rain took a deep breath. "It sucks to be me right now."

There was silence for a moment, and Rain thought that the woman would only brush off his concern, but he was surprised when she said seriously:

"Do you know how to wage war?"

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