part 1: chats and clothes

“So here you are once again.”

"Huh?"

A voice came through her ears, an echoing sensation in the midst of an empty white room devoid of light.

“The dead, the ones whose sorrows you cannot cure. All you can do is bring back that locket. Will it bring comfort or disarray to your life? And for how long can you live this lie? All I can say is, I’ll watch, until we truly meet again.”

“Who are you?"

“You’re waking up? I must take my leave then. Let me tell you one last thing, though. You can run, but the damage is already done.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The empty room began to disperse, but she managed to take a glimpse of a tall figure.

"Hold on!"

As she woke up, she froze. Her white dress was all sweaty and her breaths were heavy. Her hand was reaching out, Nexus backing his face off it.

“Good morning, miss," he didn't mind it at all ,"You seem to be doing better!”

“Ah, it’s-you.”

“It’s me indeed, and you are awake! I was getting worried, you know.”

Not paying attention to what he’s saying, she looks around the room. Simple white walls, with a small painting to make it stand out. Old wooden furniture next to her bed, a window behind the knight’s weird face.

“Where are we? And what happened while I was-”

“Asleep? Nothing much happened. I think the prison collapsed, but I didn’t pay much attention when I carried you here!”

“You did?”

“Yes. Why are you asking?”

Looking at his skinny physique, she highly doubted that.

“After a while, I found this small village for me to check up on you. And don’t you worry, miss. The innkeeper’s wife was the one to lend you the white dress you’re wearing!”

“I see,” she pulls up her sleeves, barely seeing any bandages or any wounds either, “Wait, how did you pay for this place?”

“When they saw how injured you were, they let us use a room for free, but I still gave them the armor you wore, otherwise I’d feel like I exploited their kindness.”

“The armor.” Her eyes shifted away from him thinking about it.

“Oh, I promise, it wasn’t me who took it off, it was the innkeeper's wife and-”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just. Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why did you do all of this? Why did you lock me up inside the cell when you had the chance? You’re going this far, for what? Some stranger who threatened you.”

He simply smiled when she asked, “Don’t worry too much about it, miss. I simply help people who need it. Besides, if what you’ve said is true about being kidnapped, I couldn’t possibly capture you again. I’d never forgive myself for it!”

“You-”

“Though I guess you did commit a few crimes yesterday, including assaulting a government official, damage of public property, threatening a government official, identity theft, and arson if we’re counting your magic.”

She flinched as he listed all of that.

“But escaping prison is one I think is justified enough.”

His smile stayed on his face, Alice simply looking at it with disbelief.

“Why are you so-wait?”

She taps her body all over the place, jumping off the bed, “The necklace, where-”

“Here," the pulled the necklace off his sleeve, dangling on his fingers.

“I kept it safe for you-”

She immediately grabbed it, putting it close to her chest.

“I,” she couldn’t really look into his eyes, simply opening up the locket finding the small pictures unscathed, “I see.”

“No need to thank me! I’m just doing my job as a knight!”

He had the same smile the entire time they talked. Smiles were meant to ease others, but she couldn’t help but feel unnerved looking at it. It’s big, but it never reached his eyes. And she couldn’t forget what he said about the emperor.

“Nexus,” she looked at him holding the necklace to her chest, “I am grateful. That’s you have done all of this, for me all the people, even though there’s no way I deserved any of it, but I need you to know this.”

He simply tilted his head.

“I can’t trust you, not yet, that is. After all, you still work for those guys who kidnapped me, and I don’t know whether what you said last night was true or not. Still, I am indebted to you for keeping the necklace safe. So for now, I want to return the favor. And don’t say any ‘because I’m a knight’ junk. I want to do one for you, otherwise I’d feel guilty in a way.”

“Miss,” he clapped his hand, “I know just the thing!”

“You do? What is it-”

“Accompany me to the fire capital!”

She had stepped back after hearing that. “What now?!”

“Oh, sorry, I mean Ashenwood, though it did change names quite a ton the last few years, so-”

“That’s now what I meant! Accompany you? You’ve got to be joking, right? I’d get immediately caught and who knows what they’d do to you next to some runaway! Who knows what could happen to the two of us?”

“That’s true, but do not worry, the worst is only going to come if we get caught!”

“How reassuring,” she slapped her own face.

“Now hear me out, miss. Both you and I have reasons for going to the capital, but it’s a rough journey there! So we should cover up each other’s strengths. You have the magic and strength that I lack in battling against foes, and I can use my influence to get you money for your travels, unless you happen to have some, which I doubt.”

Her eyes rolled awkwardly, unable to deny that.

“So what do you,” he reached out his hand, “Ready for this journey my friend?”

His closed off eyes annoyed her a bit, she simply flung his hand away.

“I wouldn’t call you a friend yet, but I can work with that.”

“Yay,” he really enjoys clapping his hands.

“Though, do you really have that big of an influence as you say you do? "

"That I do. I am the knight of miracles, you know?"

"Miracles," she rolled her eyes, "If making fancy light shows is a miracle, then so be it. Though I doubt that alone makes you popular."

“Well.”

He walked off to open the window. The two looked through as several villagers simply lived their lives. Several men were trying to fix up a wall of a nearby house, as small kids began playing tag with one another. Everything being surrounded by a large brick wall.

“Good morning, everyone,” he got the townsfolk’s attention. “How is your day so far?”

“Is that the knight of miracles?” 

“It is!”

Like a storm crashing on the roof, all the townsfolk left all of their responsibilities, making a large crowd in front of the inn.

“We need your help!”

“My son injured his knee!”

“My back has been hurting for days!”

“My cousin has sleeping issues.”

“Grow back my teeth!”

The requests kept piling up. There never seems to be an end to them.

“Shoot, all of you,” the innkeeper came out hearing that ruckus, his bulky arms pushing away the growing crowd, “Don’t you all have jobs? I swear-Sir, I am so sorry you had to see all of that!"

“It’s fine, my friend! And to all of you, I’ll be sure to attend to your requests once I get the time, though I can’t grow back teeth!”

The crowd sighed, but they left him be returning to their old business once more.

“Well,” Alice scratched her head, seeing all of this, “you sure are-something to these people”

“I’m glad that they can count on me!”

“I still don’t see why you’re so-divine to these people!”

“Oh, so that we can focus later. First of all, how are you feeling? Can you walk?”

“Uh, I guess I can,” she put her shoes next to her bed, “Why? Do we need to go somewhere-”

Nexu quickly grabbed her arm, dragging her across the inn until they reached the streets.

“Hey,” Alice said, her head dizzy, “Where are we-”

“Hm, where was it again? Excuse me sir?”

He called out to a man wearing a beige hat, “Do you know where the clothing store is?”

“Pass that street over there, and you’ll see it. It has a red roof on top!”

“Thank you very much,” he bowed down, “Now off we go.”

“Wait, clothes?”

“Why miss, we can’t have you cross the terrain in a dress like that,” he said, running around in a black dress with frills of all things.

“Here we are,” he entered the store, an older lady waving at him,

“Ah, I was waiting for you, my knight.”

“It’s good to see you too, my lady. This is my friend that I’ve been talking about yesterday.”

“I see, just give me a minute,” she took out measuring tape out of her pocket, “Now let’s see her.”

Alice wasn’t sure how to respond to this. As the lady kept measuring her waist and arms, she simply froze.

“Oh, you can breathe, darling.”

“Wait, I wasn’t?”

“And done! That will be enough. Now let’s see what type of fabric you prefer!”

She brought over different types of fabric with varying types and colors. Her eyes simply looked at the varying shades of purple, feeling their soothing texture.

“Do you like purple, miss?”

“I do, but it’s expensive so-”

“Oh, there’s no need to pay!”

“The knight of miracles has helped us enough last time he came here. I couldn’t possibly make him pay after everything!”

“Ma’am, you’re too kind. We’ll gladly accept the offer,” he nudged Alice’s shoulder.

“S-sure. Thank you very much!”

“It will be done in a couple of days. Can’t wait for you all to see the final result!”

The two exited the shop. “Couple of days. Hm, well, that should be just enough time for you to fully rest.”

“Yeah, without you dragging me to some place I’ve never been before.”

He chuckled, not doing anything in response to the people watching him.

“Say, what did you do last time for you to get everything for free? Did you throw bricks of gold through their windows or-”

“A charming idea, but no. I did send in a letter to the emperor to send supplies for them to fix up their houses and weapons. And I’m glad to see they arrived early.”

“Huh,” her stomach clenched thinking about the emperor, “Heh, you're popular and know the big shot, you family must have been quite rich-”

Nexus stopped in his tracks, “Quite the opposite actually, I never had any gold or land to my name. I was just a normal kid like any other. Had it not been for my blessing and my teacher finding me, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

“Blessing?”

“Argh!”

A sudden roar made everyone go quiet.

“Help,” a man shouted, “Beasts! They broke through!”

—

Chapter 6 is here! Boy, you don’t know how GLAD I am that we are finally finished with the prison arc. I’m really excited to go more in depth with Unia and its citizens and the growing bond between Nexus and Alice and I hope you are too! Thanks for reading!!!