Kyle pushed the heavy oak door inward, his gaze sweeping across the dimly lit chamber. A soft smile touched his lips as he saw Mariana still nestled beneath the thick furs on the large bed. He stepped silently into the room, the stone floor cool beneath his boots.
Kyle had barely reached the bedside when her eyes fluttered open, her violet gaze meeting his with surprising clarity.
"Oh, you're awake?" Kyle asked, his tone gentle.
"Where are the others?" Her voice was a soft whisper, yet the question hung heavy in the air.
Kyle was taken aback. There was no inquiry about her own well-being, no confusion about her surroundings, only concern for the villagers.
"Do you have a relative among them?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"No." The single word was firm.
Kyle nodded slowly. "They're in the hospital."
'BS had already orchestrated the construction of the medical facility and the seamless transfer of the injured. By now, their wounds should be mended.'
{BS: Yes Host, all wounded have been healed, and two among them possess a life force, weak, but undeniably present.}
'Uh? That's unexpected.'
Kyle mentally processed the information, then subtly scanned Mariana with BS, confirming her physical well-being. He offered a reassuring nod.
"You will be alright, you just need something to eat… Oh, what's your name?"
"Mariana," she replied, her voice barely audible.
"Alright, Mariana. Let's go meet the others, then we can find you some food." He extended his hand, palm open in invitation.
Mariana's gaze lingered on his hand for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes.
"Come on, you can trust me," he added softly.
She nodded slowly, her small hand slipping into his.
"Come on." He gently pulled her to her feet.
As she descended the bed, Mariana glanced down at the soft nightgown she was wearing, then looked up at Kyle, a silent question in her eyes.
'Uh? When did she get a nightgown? Wait, the real question is: where did Gabriela get a nightgown from?' Kyle smiled inwardly.
"Gabriela helped with that, you can thank her later," he explained.
She nodded again, and they walked out of the grand chamber.
___
Mariana's eyes darted around, taking in the opulent surroundings with a quiet wonder.
"What is your name?" She asked as they walked down a pristine hallway, her gaze fixed on the intricate paintings adorning the walls. "And where are we?"
'Now she asks.' Kyle thought.
He turned his head, studying her delicate profile as she admired the artwork.
"My name is Nemesis, but you can call me Big Brother."
Mariana's head snapped around, her purple eyes wide with confusion as she stared at his face.
"Big brother?" She repeated, a hint of bewilderment in her voice.
"Yes," Kyle affirmed with a warm smile.
"Ok."
She nodded meekly.
"And this is Celestia, my Kingdom," he added, gesturing around them.
"Oh?"
Her gaze returned to Kyle, her surprise evident. Seeing her innocent expression, Kyle chuckled softly, unaware of the deeper implications behind her reaction, which the System swiftly revealed.
{Information acquired: Mariana has awakened her life force… She is a rare awakener, possessing both the Assassin and Mage attributes.}
Kyle blinked, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.
'A mage and an assassin? Doesn't that make her a formidable force?'
He glanced at the small girl walking beside him, a new understanding dawning.
"Mariana, how old are you?" he asked, his tone casual.
"Fourteen." she answered, her eyes still exploring their surroundings.
'BS, I need her profile.'
{MS: Processing request Host.}
{Name: Mariana Blade.}
{Rank: 1.}
{Class: Assassin/Mage.}
{Race: Human.}
{Strength: 10.}
{Agility: 15.}
{Defense: 10.}
{Endurance: 15.}
{Affinity Mastered: Water.}
{Health Point: 50.}
{Intellect/Wisdom: 47.}
'Hmm… Surname, Blade.'
He glanced at the young girl again, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"It might just be a coincidence that she shares the same surname as me," he murmured under his breath.
'I wonder if she's aware of her awakening… At fourteen, she's already unlocked her life force, she's similar to me… Well, I unlocked mine at twelve, but still...'
"Hmm… Big brother, why are there so many people working around?"
His thoughts were interrupted by Mariana's question. He looked around the hall they were now traversing, observing his soldiers moving with purpose, organizing various items.
"They're working… This is a new castle, they're just arranging some things," he explained, while Mariana nodded slowly, absorbing the information.
The pair exited the castle, and guided by the System's subtle directions, Kyle led Mariana towards the newly built hospital.
They stopped before the impressive white building, its clean lines stark against the morning sky. A moment of shared confusion passed between them before Kyle took a deep breath and pushed open the entrance doors, stepping inside with Mariana close behind.
'System… My flag, make it a silver wolf silhouette, the background should be a rich golden hue, while the wolf itself should be rendered in polished silver.'
{MS: Activating the workshop.}
{BS: Done… The flag has been created and equipped.}
{Ding!}
{MS: Host has completed a hidden quest: Equip a flag.}
{MS: Host has been rewarded with 5,000 MS coins.}
{MS: MS coins: 10,000.}
Hmm, he mused, a holographic image of the newly designed flag flickering briefly before his eyes.
'This will do.'
He muttered to himself, coming to a halt as they approached two of his soldiers standing guard within the hospital.
'They are stationed everywhere?'
{Yes, Host… A soldier is stationed in every building within Host's kingdom.}
Kyle nodded in understanding.
"Where are the villagers?" he asked the soldiers.
"My King, this way."
Kyle and Mariana followed the soldiers as they led them towards a closed door. Kyle nodded his thanks to the guards and pushed the door open, stepping into the room with Mariana.
"Mariana!"
A young woman, appearing to be in her early twenties, with long brown hair and kind green eyes, rushed towards them. She knelt down, embracing Mariana tightly.
Kyle released Mariana's hand, his gaze sweeping over the thirty villagers gathered in the spacious hospital room. He noted the mix of ages – mostly young men and women, interspersed with a few older individuals and five children, some even younger than Mariana.
They all stared at him with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity, a palpable fear lingering in their eyes.
"Why are you all so scared?" Kyle asked gently, moving towards a comfortable sofa in the corner of the room and settling down. He fixed his gaze on the group before him.
The young woman stood up, still holding Mariana's hand protectively, her attention now fully focused on Kyle.
"So, where should we start?" Kyle inquired, meeting her gaze steadily.
"First of all, we all want to thank you," she began, her voice earnest, "And also ask what you want with us, and why you saved us?"
"That's a fair question," Kyle acknowledged with a slow nod, preparing to address their concerns.