Trapped In Hisstory

I spotted the Second Prince and immediately went to him. The moment we got to where he was, I put the soon to be aide of Prince Caliber down.

Phoneutria Fera stared at the man who was sitting on the log, beside the tree, staring at the lake.

I should be looking at His Highness right now, but my eyes kept glancing at the lady beside me. She seemed a bit surprised to see Prince Caliber, well, that is a natural reaction. Especially since he is from the royal family who wiped out the Animalia tribe. The royal family who planned Animalia's downfall together with the Aranea Clan's leader, Phoneutria Bahiensis, her father. 

From the years I spent with my master, sometimes I do not understand what goes on inside his mind. Sometimes, it was easy to read, because he always does what he wants freely. If he wants to do something, he will do it.

I guess that was why I liked him, since it was the complete opposite for me. I do not even know what I wanted before.

But when it comes to not knowing what on is thinking, Crown Prince Leonidas will win. Gosh, he just smiles and I do not understand him. It is as if whenever I see him, he looked like he is always planning something.

In short, these two brothers are hard to understand, I sighed.

Prince Caliber turned around and faced the lady I brought to him and extended his hand to her, "Phoneutria Fera, would you like to be my royal aide?" 

I was kind of annoyed, how could one be a royal aide just like that? As for me, I never wanted to be a royal aide at first but I had to study for two years just to serve Prince Caliber.

"What? Are you jealous?"

I remembered the prince's question and almost clicked my tongue in front of them.

I glanced at Phoneutria Fera, I should not be upset. I should be glad that someone like her is free from her family's abusive hands. I should learn to accept her, after all, I was Prince Caliber's first royal aide, I am basically her senior! 

An image of Phoneutria Fera giving me respect and calling me senior while being weak and shy suddenly flashed in my mind. Hmm, actually, having a new aide is not that bad…

I returned my gaze to the front and saw His Highness shooting me with a disgusted look. My face heated up and I waved my hand, 'It is not like that!' I shouted but only in my mind, hoping he would understand my gaze.

We both looked down when Phoneutria Fera suddenly knelt down in one knee in front of the Second Prince, "I would be honored to serve Your Highness." 

We were both surprised by her action, to think that she would kneel down to the prince of a royal family that she hated…

Although the Second Prince and I were surprised, it was evident on His Highness's face that he had already expected that she would take the offer.

"Do you understand that from the moment you left and escaped, you are no longer part of Summa Octo?"

Phoneutria Fera kept her gaze down, "Yes, I understand."

"What do you think about your name?" His Highness asked.

Phoneutria Fera's lips parted but closed again, not knowing how she will respond and what the Second Prince was expecting for her to answer. "I...do not quite u-understand what you ask of me, Your Highness." 

"Do you not hate your name?"

"Why would I hate the name given to me upon birth?"

His Highness smiled, "But it reminds you of your family, does it not?"

Phoneutria Fera did not answer and just went silent. Oh, master, why would you even ask her that, of course it would remind her since every member has a damn Phoneutria in their name.

"I will give you a new name."

Phoneutria Fera's eyes widened and so did mine as we both turned to look at the Second Prince. Fera was surprised to hear that she will get a new name, but I do not know whether itvwas for the good or bad. Is she happy or upset about it?

After a few moments of being stunned, Sherin knelt down on both knees and bowed, putting her head on two hands that was on the ground.

"I bestow you the name of Sherin. For a commoner that is not connected to the royal family, one does not have a last name. But you shall take your clan's name as your last." 

"From now on, you are my royal aide and you shall serve me until the day of either you or I will die." 

While still bowing down with her head on the ground, Phoneutria Fera raised both of her hands, "I thank Your Highness for the new name." 

"A new name equals to new life. I will be Your Highness's sword and protect you with my life."

That was the moment Phoneutria Fera became Sherin Aranea.

After several months, Sherin trained herself to be strong enough to fight for the Second Prince and her own. I never saw anyone worked as hard as she would.

The moment she arrived at the Royal Palace of Canopus, people was surprised and thought that it was ridiculous to make someone from Animalia as a royal aide.

Even the King was surprised when Prince Caliber introduced Sherin. But King Lionel accepted her anyway, after all, Aranea did help them win.

Sherin wanted to hate the King, but King Lionel was very kind to her, that was something she did not expect. A total opposite of the King of Antares.

My imagination and expectations failed me. I was expecting her to call me senior...but she kept calling me 'Partner!' instead. Well that is still good, I guess.

"Partner! Are we going fo train?"

I was startled by Sherin who was actually right behind me. She looked cheerful yet so shy, my heart always flutter whenever I see her, and calling me partner was an additional arrown in my heart.

Oh, wow. That sounded disgusting.

I had fun teaching her how to use the sword. If I could teach girls how to fight just like this, that would be great, heh.

Before I knew it, I was on the ground. Looking up to Sherin who was also surprised. This...felt strangely familiar. I am getting deja vu right now like the time I was with Prince Caliber.

Damn, this is really embarrassing. 

"Ah! I-I am sorry!" Sherin exclaimed and immediately lent her hand to pull me up. I took her hand and stood up and she smiled at me.

"This is really fun, partner!" She said and I cannot help but laugh. She seemed to be enjoying it, even though she just knocked me down to the ground…

But everything changed when His Majesty, King Lionel died. King Lionel never had a daughter and so he treated Sherin Aranea as her own. For him to die, it had a huge impact on Sherin, not only for the three princes.

Sherin knew why King Lionel died, and he told the Crown Prince and the Second Prince about it. But I do not know what it was. I never asked her, since I do mot want to pry into their matters. And I do not want her to get reminded about His Majesty's death, because she might get hurt.

She never called me partner again, nor was as shy and weak as before. But then one time, she called me partner again.

"This is really fun, partner!" she said, just like the time where she trained together with me. But this time…

She was in the pool of her own kinds' blood. A few bodies of Araneans laid on the ground with their insides burst out.

That was the first time I had ever seen her use Bloodlust and Venenum. It was terrifying. Even my fearless self trembled at the sight of this kind of Sherin.

She was not herself, it was terrifying. And agonizing...because it was surely not something she would want to do.

The moment she gained consciousness and realized what she had done, we could not talk to her at all. She cried in her room by herself, hating what she did, and scared of herself.

I thought that was the last time I was ever going to see her like that, but I was wrong. 

Sherin turned to face us and put her palms together to the lower side of her face, while wearing an excited expression, "Perfect timing! I just finished playing with these cute little ants!" 

She looked exactly the same as the first time I saw her used bloodlust. What in the world made her like that? But unlike before, she did not pass out, and she gained consciousness after a few moments.

She could use her ability and she was in control.

I was glad but at the same time I was worried that she would remember the Araneans she killed before. She embraced me, and I returned her embrace to comfort her.

"You are too serious, partner."