WHEN I felt that the carriage we were riding in had stopped, I slowly opened my eyes. Hindi ko na kailangang mag tanong upang malaman kung na sa'n ako dahil base na rin sa kakaibang paghampas ng hangin ay masasabi kong nasa gitna na kami ng kagubatan at hindi na ako magtataka kung mga ilang oras lang ay mapalibutan na kami ng mga mababangis na hayop.

Bahagya akong sumulyap sa dalawang kasama ko nang makitang nagtititigan sila't tila nagsesenyasan.

"Why is there no question from the Princess?" rinig kong tanong ng Coachman.

"I don't even know, she seems too composed for someone whose life is in danger. I have no idea what she is planning, or perhaps she is just being foolish." Sagot naman ni Celia sa pabulong na paraan pero dahil tahimik ang lugar ay malinaw kong naririnig ang mga bulungan nilang dalawa.

I can kill them instantly where they are standing, but as much as possible I don't want to stain these hands with blood for reasons I don't know. Or maybe because I want to live a normal life, a life where I'm not obligated to kill people.

But is that even possible? Especially if I am surrounded by these kinds of people.

Inilibot ko ang mga mata sa paligid. Napapalibutan ng nagtataasang puno ang lugar na tila ba para itong shield or bubong dahil hindi na halos kita ang kalangitan at medyo madilim pa. The entrance of this woodland gives the impression that it is a typical forest. Calming, with a fresh breeze, a stunning view, and even a wide range of exotic flowers and plants pero kapag nakarating ka na sa gitna ng gubat magtataasan ang iyong balahibo dahil sa mga presensya ng mababangis na hayop na nagkalat lamang sa bawat sulok ng gubat. These wild animals cannot get out of the forest because there is also a spell cast on it that acts as protection for the people outside.

Bumaling ako ng tingin sa dalawa at nakitang nagbubulungan pa rin sila kaya naman tumikhim ako upang maagaw ang atensyon nila. Nang tumingin na sila sa akin ay agad akong tumakbo, they were taken aback by what I did, so they ran after me.

"She's running away! We can't let her out of this forest!" sigaw ni Celia.

Ngumisi naman ako nang makita ang direksyon na hinahanap ko. Lumingon ako mula sa likuran at tumingin sa harapan pero nakagat ko ang labi dahil maling direksyon pala ang aking napuntahan.

"Damn! It should be here! Where is it?"

Two wild animal traps are dispersed around this forest, and the other noblemen use them to cheat on the day of the Hunting Festival. However, it looks like they won't be able to use them this time since I will be the one using them.

I was about to go back in the direction I went earlier but I stopped because Celia and the Coachman were there, standing and looking at me badly. My knees are trembling from running. This body is too weak to last the run, I have to be careful because this body might suddenly give out and just lose consciousness.

Damn!

"Princess, you weakling, where do you think you're going?" kumuyom ang mga kamay ko matapos iyon sabihin ng Coachman at napayuko ako nang maalala ang sinabi ng Mom ko noong ako'y bata pa.

"Savina, there are no weak Feuntales! Death will be your last destination if you are the weaker one."

Nag-angat ako ng tingin at walang emosyong sinalubong ang mga tingin nila dahilan upang mapapitlag sila mula sa kanilang kinatatayuan.

I was born to be strong, I was trained to have blood on my hands, I was raised to kill and I grew up eager for human life.

But he dared to call me a weak Princess?!

Dahan-dahan akong humakbang habang kuyom pa rin ang mga kamay. I will kill him with these hands!

Tumakbo ako at malapit na ako sa kanila ngunit sa halip na atakihin siya ay lumuhod ako't agad na lumusot sa magkabilaang hita niya na ikinagulat ko. Agad akong tumayo habang mahinang hinahampas ang sarili.

Why? Why did I avoid killing him?!

But as I thought back to the times I had assassinated innocent people, I chuckled at that question. Mapa-halang ang kaluluwa at mga inosente basta utos ng client dapat wala akong tanggihan.

"M-miss, parang awa mo na kahit ang anak ko na lang, iligtas mo siya please!" wika ng ginang habang yakap ang limang taong gulang na batang lalaki.

Napatingin naman ako sa asawa nito nang dahan-dahan itong gumapang patungo sa kaniyang mag-ina at niyakap ang mga ito ng napaka-higpit. "Ako na lang, ako lang patayin mo. 'Wag mong idamay ang mag-ina ko total ako naman ang may kasalanan sa nag utos sa iyo nito...n-niloko ko siya."

He's right, siya ang puno't dulo nito. Kung simula pa lang naging tapat na siya sa girlfriend niya at sinabing may pamilya na siya, hindi madadamay ang batang ito pero labas na ako sa kanila. Dapat ko silang patayin, LAHAT.

Pumikit ako't pinaputok ang baril, sa pag mulat ko naman saktong tumama ang bala sa kanilang mga noo. Lumuhod ako't bumuntong-hininga 'tsaka inilagay sa mulat na mga mata ng batang lalaki ang kanang palad ko para pumikit na ang luhaan nitong mga mata.

Natigilan ako sa pag takbo, nanginig ang katawan at nanikip ang dibdib matapos maalala ang mission na tinapos ko tatlong taon na ang nakalilipas sa past life ko. Dahil sa panginginig ng katawan ko ay natumba ako at mahigpit na humawak sa mga damo gamit ang kaliwang palad habang ang kanan ay nakahawak sa dibdib ko dahil sa paninikip nito. Umiling-iling ako.

Bigla'y parang nandidiri ako sa sarili ko. If only I could go back in time...I would make a different choice and save the kid, but if I did, it would cost my sister's life.

Mariin kong kinuyom ang mga palad.
"I'm really weak-"

"Akala mo ba makakatakas ka?" I looked at the coachman when he pulled my hair kaya ang kaninang maayos kong buhok ay nagulo na ngayon. He pulled me by my hair, I bit my lower lip because of the pain so I grabbed his hands to try to remove them ngunit nagulat ako dahil sa biglaang pag sakmal sa kaniya ng malaking hayop.

"Ackk!" rinig na rinig sa bawat sulok ang sigaw ng Coachman habang nilalapa ng mabangis na hayop. Napatingin ako kay Celia na ngayon ay nanlalaki ang mga mata at natumba.

Ibinalik ko ang atensyon sa mabangis na hayop at dahan-dahang tumayo at naglakad paalis ngunit nakabawi na sa gulat si Celia kaya bigla siyang tumakbo para pigilan ako. Tumakbo na rin ako, tumitingin muli ako sa mabangis na hayop at nakitang abala ito sa Coachman.

Celia was still after me when I fled, so I kept running. She was about to catch up with me because my legs were worn out from running and it appeared like they would give out in a short while. Parang nag liwanag naman ang mga mata ko nang makita ang bitag na hinahanap ko kanina pero napakalayo pa nito.

Shit! I have to get there!

Pumikit ako't mas binilisan ang pag takbo pero nang malapit na ako ay naabutan ako ni Celia at nahila niya ang dress na suot ko. Pilit akong kumakawala pero mahigpit ang hawak niya at inaabot ang buhok ko kaya naman hinubad ko ang dress na suot ko at tumalon upang iwasan mga tuyong dahon sa lupa kung sa'n sa ilalim nito ay mayroon balon na naglalaman ng mga matutulis na kahoy. Celia failed to realize it, so she trod on some dry leaves, falling into the hole as a result. Pero bago siya tuluyang mahulog ay agad kong hiniklas ang pouch na nasa tagiliran niya at umiwas nang balak niya akong hawakan sa braso kaya natumba ako sa lupa't hinihingal na bumaling ng tingin sa pouch na hawak.

"Haa...that was so close." Nakahinga ako ng maluwag at dahan-dahang tumayo 'tsaka sumilip sa balon.

Kita ko si Celia na nakatusok ang bawat parte ng katawan sa mga matutulis na kahoy. Binigyan ko siya ng walang emosyong tingin. "Look at yourself, you fell for your own stupidity." Bulong ko't tumalikod na.

She deserved it given that I ended up in this body because she killed the real Harmony without realizing it.

༻༺ ༻✧༺ ༻༺

After more than half an hour of walking, I still couldn't find the way out of this forest.

"Urgh! Mukhang naliligaw pa yata ako." Bulong ko habang patuloy sa paglalakad but when I walked on the tree trunk and a loud noise was made, I was startled dahilan upang maramdaman ko ang bahagyang pagyanig ng lupa dahil sa tila tumatakbong mga nilalang. My eyes widened when I turned around and saw the Leopard attacking me from behind, but it died when two arrows penetrated its head. I turned around and peered behind the leopard. I noticed five other leopards coming at me and having arrows lodged in their chests and heads.

"What is the pretty little kitten doing in the den of predators?" kumunot ang noo ko't nag-angat ng tingin sa puno at nakita ang isang lalaking nakatayo mula ro'n at mayroon siyang hawak na pana.

Hmm? Who is he?

Pero sa halip na sagutin ang tanong niya ay mabilis na kumilos ang katawan ko 'tsaka hinugot ang palaso sa ulo ng leopard at agad na hinagis sa likod ng lalaki. Yumuko ang lalaki at naniningkit ang mga matang bumaling ng tingin sa ibaba niya dahil bumagsak doon ang isang Hyena na umatake sa likod niya. Napangiwi at nakagat ko naman ang pang ibabang labi habang hawak ng kaliwa kong kamay ang aking kanang kamay dahil sa biglaan at malakas na paghagis ko ng palaso-mukhang nabalian pa yata ako ng buto.

The man turned his attention back to me, he looked at me from head to toe then raised the corner of his lips while looking directly into my currently emotionless eyes. "I didn't expect that the kitten was actually a lioness." Komento niya. Tumalon siya mula sa punong kaniyang kinaroroonan at naglakad palapit sa 'kin.

Umawang naman ang labi ko nang makalapit siya dahil na-realize ko ang suot at itsura niya. His black hair has a side fringe, and his eyebrows have soft angles. His teal eyes give me the impression that I can see the ocean in them. In particular, his pale red, thin lips, and aquiline nose truly enhance his good looks. He was dressed in commoner clothes, including a brown suede jerkin over a tronde wool tunic, which he combined with a folke suede hood that is presently down. He was wearing simple trousers and black boots. Sa baywang naman niya ay mayroong belt kung saan nakakabit doon ang dagger, hammer at pocket.

Behind him was a quiver made of leather, dito nakalagay ang mga pana niyang lima na lamang ang natitira.

He is a commoner who came from Rystria Village. A commoner who prefers to be a slayer goes to the dungeon to slay monsters and strange creatures in exchange for the gems they can get within the bodies of the monsters that they killed. Because of his strength and skills, he was chosen by his peers to serve as their leader, proving how good he was. Aside from that, the group he leads is the group that the Female Lead in this story belongs to.

And for goodness sake, he is the second male lead in this book! Flavius Uolevi!

He is my bias. He is the second character I like the most. I admire his demeanor and the way he thinks-in fact, I like him more than the male lead. I want him for the female lead but of course not because the reader/s wants the second male lead they should be the end game. The Crown Prince was not as strong as Flavius, and the female lead is almost as strong as Flavius kaya naman paborito ko silang dalawa.

As a reader like me, there are characters we don't want to have a partner with because we want ourselves to be their partner instead. Na matatawag naming asawa, and since he wasn't taken, we feel the affection for that character more.

And I like him because like him we both gamble our lives to survive.

"Milady?" tumikhim ako at umiwas ng tingin.

"Who are you?" I asked even though I was aware of his identity.

Inilahad niya ang kaniyang kanang palad kasabay ng pag bigkas ng kaniyang pangalan. "I'm Flavius ​​Uolevi and I'm a Monster's Slayer." Tiningnan ko lang ang nakalahad niyang palad kahit pa gusto ko na itong hawakan ng mahigpit at pugpugin ng halik.

Because my favorite character is here standing in front of me! Oh, fuck! For a die-hard fan like myself, it's an honor to be able to speak with or at least see my favorite character, so I don't know where to place my happiness!

"I don't just shake hands with someone I just met," I responded coldly to him while looking into his eyes pero nangunot naman ang noo ko nang mapansin ang gulat sa mga mata niya at ang pamumula ng kaniyang pisngi.

"Y-you! Don't you even have respect for yourself?!" mas lalong nangunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niyang iyon.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean? Iyan lang talaga ang masasabi mo? Damn! You're almost naked, Lady!" tiningnan ko ang suot at na-realize na chemise underdress na nga lang pala ang suot ko dahil nahubad ang dress na suot ko kanina.

But what exactly about wearing this is disrespectful?

"I'm wearing something, I'm not almost naked because this underdress is long-" he cut off what I was saying by gesturing with his hands.

"Are you even serious? Do the nobles act like that?"

Dahil na-mention niya ang nobles, the realization hits me. That's why he is acting in this way because I'm not in the modern times. I was here in the 1840 era.

What will be his reaction if he goes to Earth? Baka hindi na niya imulat ang mga mata niya dahil uso ang revealing na pananamit sa Earth.

"Pfft!" I looked at him and the suppressed laughter suddenly escaped from my mouth especially when I noticed that he refrained from looking at what I was wearing.

"Hey! Is there something funny?"

Tumigil ako sa pag tawa't tumikhim. Walang sabi-sabing pinunit ko ang suot na underdress dahilan para sumigaw siya't tumalikod sa akin.

"Are you crazy, young lady?!" wika niya habang nakatalikod pa rin. Naglakad ako patungo sa harapan niya kung saan na ro'n ang patay na leopard. Umupo ako sa lupa at ibinuka ang bunganga ng leopard. Kahit tila nabalian ako ng buto sa kanang braso ay inilagay ko pa rin ito sa bunganga ng leopard at inipit.

"Urgh!" daing ko nang maramdaman ang sakit at inalis ang braso sa bunganga ng Leopard. Nag iwan naman ng bakas ang matulis na ngipin nito sa aking braso.

"A-anong ginagawa mo?!" nag angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya nang sumigaw siya at lumapit sa akin upang alalayan ako. "What the heck are you doing? Why did you harm yourself and rip your clothes?!"

Ngumisi ako. "Oh, this?" tiningnan ko ang aking lagay. Punit na punit ang suot ko na tila ba mukha akong nilapa ng aso at tumutulo naman ang dugo sa braso ko na nasugat dahil sa ginawa kong pag-ipit mula sa bunganga ng Leopard. "This is none of your business, Mr. Second." At the same time as I said that, I looked up at him with a wide grin on my lips.

To be continued...