Chapter 5: Journey

Time passed quickly.

Even though the urge of perfecting the art still came from time to time. I was able to finish two paintings. After seeing my first progress earlier, I got fired up and immediately made a second one. As if I was not tired anymore.

But soon I noticed that it was midnight already and looked at the full moon that beamed beauty in the window. The dazzling light from the moon reflected on my two perfect paintings. Giving me a peaceful mind.

I then sighed in satisfaction as I stared at them.

The first painting was the place I saw earlier where I felt some nostalgia. So I tried putting a radiating aesthetics and some medieval feeling. While the second one is a boy with a sorrowful look on his face, his eyes full of longing and unending loneliness, the people around him were hurt and angry at him.

"..."

I stared at my art again in silence as I recalled a glimpse of my bitter past.

Soon a little boy and a beautiful female flashed through my mind, and it was no other but me and my mother in my past life.

At a young age, our father left me and my mother alone.

Since at that time we were just some poor family with some business to feed ourselves. I worked my ass off at an early age and had to mature faster so I could help my mother.

I really didn't have a childhood if I'm being honest...

Soon I turned into a teenager and faced some success in life because of my hard work and of course my mother who was always there.

We eventually turned our business into something I would call a success since I get a lot of money. But because of my continuous success, my arrogance also grew.

Which led me to forget where I came from, and who helped me in the beginning.

I started to see myself as a higher being and a much more intelligent one. Slowly... And gradually hurting other people without me realizing it. This continued until my mother adopted a shitty son because she missed the old me.

I soon faced my mother again after some years and fought with her because of who I have turned into. I only realized what I became after I said some hurtful words to my mother.

To this day... It makes my heart ache because of how clear I remember those words I said.

Those eyes that tears streamed out of her eyes...

To be honest... I'm missing her that's why I made this sorrowful painting and as a reminder of the past mistake that I promised myself to not do again. I wonder how is she right now after I died?...

I died first before her after all...

‹I wouldn't want to see my mother crying again... Especially if she knew how I died.› I thought inwardly as I shook my head.

‹Now that I'm done venting my feelings out. I need to sleep for now so I'll have energy if we got to our destination tomorrow.›

With my last thoughts, I closed the window and rolled over the bed as I slowly closed my eyes in peace. The bed I was sleeping on and the inn was for VIPs only and it's unlikely that a commoner touched it or slept on it. But Mary still changed the cover since a maid or commoner probably fixed it.

………

(Mary's side)

When Mary was called out to buy color paints for Alfonso. She was surprised since it had been a long time.

Alfonso always drew the places he liked when they still sneakily went out to stroll in the past and stopped because of some horrifying incident.

Though he was not that good at drawing lol.

That's why she was baffled again. It made her think, that Alfonso she knew is coming back, but again, still kept some doubts and went on to buy what she was ordered.

She then pondered that maybe in about a week or month that she'll finally see how he is changing. She didn't put much attention to his action this time.

Soon, they stopped in an inn and went for dinner first while she already placed the things that Alfonso ordered of her perfectly.

Of course, Mary brought a spoon and fork covered by a cloth for Alfonso since he doesn't like using some shit he considers dirty. When they finished eating, Alfonso immediately went inside his room while Mary guarded his front door.

But as time passed and finally only silence can be heard. Mary felt that something was strange.

Her guts were telling her that if she won't be cautious, something terrible might happen. She then heightened her hearing and senses if there was any weird and suspicious movement, at some point, a shadow leaped out of the inn.

Mary didn't see this but felt there was someone who flee,

‹A bird?› Thought Mary with suspicion and even heightened her senses further. She could hear every noise that came from each room, some rooms contained a slapping noise and moans, some were writing and sleeping, while the room of Valentina's whisper could be heard by her too.

This ability that Mary used is called [Hyper senses] This is one of the reasons why Mary got the job of protecting Alfonso, in case someone was trying to hurt or assassinate him she'll be able to act in no time. There was also one reason, it's because of Alfonso's dead mother who can see other people's abilities.

Alfonso's mother hired her and trained her so in the future she can protect her son with the use of this maid.

But as Mary was listening to other people, she then heard Alfonso's voice that contained a deep contemplation.

'Yeah, that could probably be it...'

Mary's brows furrowed in question and got curious about what Alfonso was whispering. But Alfonso's following words shocked her.

' Once I get stronger, in the future, I'll give Mary an option to be free,'

Mary got even more curious about why Alfonso whispered that. But all she could ask inside was, ‹Why?›

Was he so tired and full of her since she is a commoner? But Mary shook that thought because Alfonso could always just change another protector for him. And if he was tired of her, he could have done it sooner and it could just have been today! She can't do anything about that. So she can only think that the reason why is because of what Valentina said to him last week.

She continuously pondered Until she came to the conclusion of just watching and waiting until it slowly unfold.

Soon after, Mary shook her head and focused on her job. She is already at the Legend rank so she didn't need to sleep anymore, so she stayed the night guarding and sensing every corner of the inn. Until morning.

………

(Alfonso's POV)

Daylight was beginning to break. The sounds of crowing roosters could be heard faintly in the distance, then a knock coming out of my door followed.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Young Lord it's time to get up." A female muffled voice continued.

However, I stayed silent and didn't respond because I wanted to sleep more since I slept late at midnight.

"..."

The sound of knocking continued until Mary opened the door after saying that she'll get inside.

As she was about to speak, she halted her footsteps and looked at the painting I made in astonishment.

But when I finally remembered that I didn't hide the painting, I immediately got up from my bed and looked at Mary in worry. Still, my face stayed sophisticated and expressionless followed by my cold gaze.

It would be troublesome if Mary got suspicious as to why Alfonso is so good at arts but fortunately, Mary didn't speak a word of what she saw and slowly opened her mouth.

"It's time to take a bath, Young Lord," Mary said with her expression turning vacant again, as I groaned inwardly in relief and elegantly stood up, and went to take a bath.

Just like that, time flew fast, when I was done taking a bath, and eating breakfast with Valentina, we finally went inside the carriage. After some hours, the destination where we are headed finally emerged.

The system then showed the name of the location.

[The Bestial Forest]