THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

Hastiness is the daily meal of fools. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to ask where was the church. And people here are just like in Nargil.

"No, I don't know anything!!" Even the fucking guards here don't answer your questions. Everyone just flees from me. Did the rumors come out of the school as well?

"Kevin?"

As I was walking like a lost ghost, I hear a familiar voice.

"Anriette!!" That's great, I finally get to see some familiar face.

"Kevin! It's so good to see you!!"

Anriette runs to me and tries to embrace me. The fuck is she doing that for? I evade her and step to the side.

"What are you doing?! Why did you evade me?!" Why did you try to hug me out of nowhere in the first place?

"It's a reflex. Have you seen K'nor? Where is he?"

"Hm…Is this how you treat a friend you haven't seen for days. You even abandoned us with all those old boring men."

Friend? "What?"

"What?"

"You said 'friend'?"

"Y-yes, I-"

"And who is that, Anriette?"

A big man and a slender woman come from behind me. The woman looks fierce, with a scar running from the left side of her neck to her cheek. I wonder how she survived such a wound.

The man is big but not too muscular. He is bald with a thick black beard.

"He is the guy I told you about. The one who saved me and-"

Just as they hear 'saved', they both kneel in front of me, with their head lowered.

"Aunty, what are you doing?!"

"Sir. It is an honor to meet the savior of our child. Our gratitude and respect for you will be eternal."

People start gathering around us. Are they not ashamed of doing that in public? I would be, I think. Though I would never do that in the first place. There is nobody to be grateful to in this world.

"Look. It's the captain of the city guards."

"Why is she kneeling to that omega student?"

"Maybe he is a royal?"

People are whispering all over about us. And this is becoming really awkward.

"Let's go somewhere else first." I don't like to be the center of attention.

The big man stands up and starts walking ahead. I suppose he will be the guide. We all silently follow him to…wait, what? It was there all this time? 

In front of me, the church. An immense building so huge there is no way you wouldn't see it. How did I miss it?

The big man turns and there it is. The smithy. Everything is like the guard told me, which means that K'nor is not far.

The big man enters the smithy and waves his hand. Signaling us to follow. I enter after Anriette and her aunt.

Inside the smithy, there is a desk and a girl behind it. Just like an inn. It is a smithy but there are no weapons exposed or armor. Do they not sell anything? Anriette said that smithies sell weapons as well, if I remember correctly.

Without a care about the girl at the counter, they both kneel again. Sigh, not this again.

"Stop kneeling already."

"No, we must show how much we are grateful for what you did."

"I don't need it. In the first place, she should have told you that I wasn't willing to save her. And I left her comrades to die. There is no need to thank me."

"Even so, you saved her life. I do not know about the other people that you didn't save but for this very life you rescued, this life that is everything to us, we thank you, from the bottom of our hearts."

They lower their head even more.

"Aunty, please."

Anriette's eyes are wet and red. You are way too emotional, girl.

"I see. Stand up, then. I heard you."

As they stand up, I notice that the big guy hasn't said anything at all. Is he shy?

"Oh, my apologies. We were so carried away that we forgot to introduce ourselves. I am Claire. Claire KAGAR. He is my husband, Frank."

The big guy just closes his eyes.

"He lost his voice after getting poisoned."

"I see." Well, everyone has his own conditions, I suppose. "I am Kevin Dragonroad."

"We know. Anriette told us about you for more than half a day."

"Aunty!"

"What?"

"You said you would keep it a secret!"

"Ah, sorry, sorry."

You guys look good together. A good family, with smiling faces and genuine happiness. I hope you will break…No, no, no. There is no need for other people to feel the same pain as well.

"Kevin?"

"No, nothing. Ah, by the way, I was looking for K'nor. Anriette, please, do you know where he is?"

"I won't tell you."

"Eh?"

"Yes. You didn't even miss me a little. Why would I tell you anything?"

Stop trying to act cute with me and fucking tell me where K'nor is!! No, acting like this won't give me anything.

"I am sorry. I did miss you but I had a lot in my mind recently. Please forgive me." Urk…I feel sick lying like that.

"Okay, but at one condition."

"Which one?" Aren't you satisfied already?!! Don't push my buttons too far, girl.

"You have to come and eat dinner with us at least once a week from now on."

"Eh?" Why would I do that? I don't want to see your happy faces all day. "I don't think I can. They already have a canteen in school and-"

"Then I won't tell you."

"Ah…okay, I will come and eat with you guys once a week from now on." It's free food anyway.

"Good!!"

"Fufufu…Look at you all happy like a cute little puppy."

"Aunty!!"

"So, where is K'nor?"

"Let's go together. I will show you where he is. Aunty, Uncle, I will see you later."

"Okay."

"Goodbye." I greet whoever Claire and Frank are to Anriette then turn around to leave. 

"Yeah, and once again, thank you."

"Hm…" I don't know why but their thank you don't reach me. It doesn't feel real. Maybe it is because I am the one who put her in this mess in the first place.