The next day, Free, Elina, Hinata, Lina and many villagers were in the village's grave yard. Free stare blankly at Philip's coffin it was his 15th birthday today and this had happened. Okoto and the others were quietly sobbing. Free just pat both Hinata and Elina who were crying loudly.
HE was in black clothes from shirt to pants, the wound in his eye wasn't healed, he simply didn't heal it. "If only i didn't give that stupid plan" Free said, blaming himself. The memory of his plan was still fresh. Sylvia wrapped her arm around his, Free look at her. She was staring at Philip's coffin getting buried.
"It's very sad, right Free" she whispered, Free gave a faint nod. He slowly pull Sylvia closer with his right hand. "Free..." Sylvia mutter to herself, she cloudn't even say it was his birthday today.
"Young master" Lina said, she was in her usual blue maid uniform, Free turns to her. "We should go and see lady Hina" she said, Free glance at the grave one last time and nods, they slowly walks back home. Hemire and Rael was staring at Free intently.
"Are you sure it's time" Rael said, her face was filled with concern.
Hemire gave a nod. "They will come tomorrow so we can't waste time" Hemire said, coughing into his hand. "I'm also too old for this now".
At Free's home, Hina was in bed. She hadn't woken up, Free and the others sat beside her bed. Sylvia sat beside Free, while Elina, Lina and Hinata were sitting opposite to them.
"Lady Hina hasn't woken up since the last night" Lina mutters, gently placing her hand in Hina's.
"She will woke up soon" Hinata said, her cheeks were still red from earlier.
"She will" Sylvia said, conforting Hinata, she smile a little. Just then Hina's hand twitched, then her eyes slowly opens.
She sits up and Hinata and Free hugged her. "Mom!" Hinata cried, hugging her tightly. "Dad is gone!" she cry out.
"Mom...i'm sorry" Free apologized to her, but Hina didn't said anything. Free look up at her and Hina's face was blank.
"Who are you?" she asked, Free froze everyone in the room froze. "I ask who are you?" she asked again, Hinata cried out loud while Lina smile faded she covered her mouth from shock.
"Mom..." Free falls into his knees, his hair covered his eyes, tears starts to fall from his eyes.
"Lady...Hina" Lina said, she put her hand on Hina's shoulder but Hina didn't recognize her too. Lina falls into her chair while Hinata cried loudly, only Sylvia and Elina were quiet but even Sylvia was too scared to comfort them.
Minutes later....
Free was on his room, staring outside the window. The house that was always filled with shouts, smells of bread and chaos now felt lifeless. Free stared at nothing, he was sitting in his chair.
Knock knock. A gentle knock came. "The door is open" Free said, Hina enters inside the room with something in her hand.
"Are you still blaming youself" Lina said, Free nodded and Lina pat his head gently.
"I told them to split into teams" Free said, wiping a tear from his cheeks, Lina hands twitch she but her lip. "Because of my stupid plan, dad is no longer with us and mom lost her memories".
"It was no one's fault, we didn't know there would be a Kobold emperor instead of a king" Lina said, Free looks at the garden it felt lifeless, then at the village. He didn't said a word. Lina sighed and put something in the table, it was his cigarette. Free hand reached out to take it but he recalls Sylvia's words, he pulls it back. Suddenly a hand from behind took the cigarette and put it in his mouth. He look behind, it was Sylvia. "What?" he muttered.
"The door was open, Lina said you might need help" Sylvia said, she lit the cigarette with her fingers using a small fire spell. "You can do it.... I won't get upset now" she said.
Free starts to inhales it, he blew up smoke from his mouth, while Sylvia stare silently sat on his bed . Free stare at the sky.
"Your mom forget about us and Philip left us" Sylvia said, Free hand paused for a second but he put the cigarette back to his mouth and inhale it slowly. Sylvia hugs him from behind, Free stayed quiet.
Lina came in and saw the two, Sylvia hugging Free and Free sutting silently in his desk. "Mhmm!" she cough grabbing their attention. "Village chief Hemire have come to see you" she said, Free stands up from his desk.
"For what?" Free asked with a low voice, but Lina just signals him to follow her. Free and Sylvia followed her to the living room.
In the Living room Hemire was sitting, in the chair, Free enter inside the room. Hemire stares at him with a serious gaze, a chill creeped into Free's spine. "What brings you here chief?" Free ask, taking a seat opposite to him, he didn't look at Hemire in the eye and Sylvia sat beside Free.
"It's very sad that Philip pass away..... but..." Hemire paused, Free hand twitch a bit. "We have a big problem" Hemire said, with a cough. "The nobles have somehow knew there was a stampede yesterday so they are making moves and will come here tomorrow".
"And?" Free ask.
"If they succeed in taking over as the village's new lord, the Village will be ruined" Hemire said, Free hearing it finally looks up.
"What did they want?" he asked.
"The soil is too fertile, crops are best quality and big, they are harvested twice a year, that's what they wanted. If a noble got their hands in this village we will be treated like slaves, nothing more" Hemire said, Free hands trembled. His instinct were screaming that it wasn't the most important one.
"What can i do?" he said, squeezing Sylvia's hand gently for comfort. She grip his hand tighter with gentleness and warmth.
"I want you to..." Hemire cough mid sentence, he covered his mouth in his hand and open it. "Become the new village chief" Free eyes open wide in trauma, his previous life experienced flooded in, all those life of overwork and treated like a puppet with no Freedom of his own will. All that trauma came all at once.
"W-what?" Free said in a low voice too horrified to speak.
"We only have time till tomorrow so please decide quickly " Hemire said, and left the living room, with a polite bow he left. Free took a deep breathe, exhale slowly.
'Why!? First dad and now this?!' Free whole world was shook and now this, his whole body was trembling. Sylvia grip his hand tightly, he look at her and she gave a warm smile.
"It will be fine" she reassured him, but Free couldn't stop trembling. "Free..." she said, Free let go of her hand and quietly left the room, Sylvia just stared at him till he completely disappeared to the 2nd floor.
Lina was outside, she stared at the second floor silently. "Young master is very depressed" she said, Sylvia turn her head toward Lina, she didn't notice Lina was listening to the whole time.
"He really is..." Sylvia mutters, she quietly sat there, on the verge of tear. 'No i can't' she thought to herself wiping her eyes with determination. "I have to do something" she stands up and walk close to Lina. "Can you please tell help me how to make Free feel better"she asked to Lina.
"There is one" Lina said, she gave a faint smile.
Night–time came, Free was in his room laying flat on his bed, he stare at the ceiling. Just then his room door open, he sat up and it was Sylvia , in her night dress her face was flushed. "Sylvia?" he said, she walk close to him and sat on top of him.
"Free...." she bring her face close to his, Free felt her warm breath. His hand trembled, he slowly touch Sylvia's thigh but he push her back.
"N-no" He said. "Lina and the others are downstairs".
"No" Sylvia whispered into his ears. "They're in my home" she said, but Free didn't glance at her. 'You won't, then i'll force you' she thought, giving Free a deep kiss.
Free face slowly flushed, he tried hard to resist, but couldn't stop his hand from touching Sylvia's thigh.
She slowly brings her face to his ears, her breath was warm in his ear. "You can do anything to me tonight" she whispered with a smile, Free couldn't resist anymore. He kissed her and gently put her in the bed.
The next morning, the birds chirp happily on root tree, Free eyes open. Sylvia was sleeping beside him peacefully with the blankets on. Free looks at the room, their clothes were on the floor, he stare at Sylvia. She still had a smile on her face.
Free got up from the bed and wears his clothes and went downstairs, no one was there. He suddenly remembered Hemire's word, and he thought for a moment thinking of refusing it. suddenly he recalls Philip's last word, his hands start to tremble again, thinking about the people's expectations.
He went back in his room, and saw Sylvia had woken up she had already done wearing her clothes. "Ohh Free! You up!" she said, walking toward him. "I'll go and make breakfast, okay" she said, giving him a kiss on his cheeks.
Sylvia ran down, Free stand frozen there, his mind was suddenly lighted up, his hands stopped trembling. After a while he came back to his senses feeling energetic, "Hey Sylvia!" he shouted, running down the stairs, he enters the kitchen. She was starting to cut vegetables and Free hugged her from behind.
"Wha-Free!" she yelled, blushing red, he kept hugging her and for the first time in 15 years he laughed. "Free....pft...hahaha" they both laugh together, Free lifted her and starts to spin gently. "Stoppp!" she said, while laughing.
"Thank you" Free said, putting her down. " It must have been hard for you" he said, giving a kiss in her forehead.
"No it wasn't" Sylvia said, she brings her head closer to his ears. "We can do it anytime..." she whispers in his ear, Free face flush. Sylvia turn back to chop the vegatbles. "The nobles will arrive soon, so you should tell the village chief about your decision" she said, Free nods and exits the kitchen.
Free left the house and ran to the village meeting hall with full of energy. After sometimes he reached the hall, everybody were already waiting. "Hello" Free said, gasping for breath.
"Free, what's you decision, choose wisely" Rael said, she was sitting in the chair of the meeting hall. Hemire was silently looking at Free, full of hope.
"I will become the new chief" he said, everyone exhaled a breath of relief, some cheered, Lina was outside eavesdropping. A smile creep on her face. "But...." Free said, everyone pause. "Please don't have your expectation high on me" he said.
"We won't" Hemire said, coughing into his palm. "We only need a new chief to keep those nobles away that's all" Hemire said, he stands up from his chair and hands Free something. "Keep this, it is a sign that you're the new chief" Hemire said.
Free look at it and it was a small pendant looking like a tear made out of gold with a word 'Leader' carve in it. "it's beautiful" he mutters, hanging the pendant to his chest like a batch.
"Don't lose that okay, if you did we might get into problem" Rai said, Free hold the pendant tightly in his hand and nods.
In the afternoon a expensive looking carriage arrive and a fat man came out from the carriage, he had smell with too much scent, a badge in his chest and a mocking smile in his face. "DEAR PEOPLE OF HAYAN, DON'T WORRY YOU ARE SAVE BECAUSE I'M HER-" Free cut him out.
"The new chief's already been chosen" Free said with an annoyed face, holding the pendant in his hand. He showed the noble the pendant.
"What- how dare you interrupt a elegant man like m-" he didn't finish his speech, suddenly someone's shadow was behind him, he look back and a muscular man with red hair and a scar on his chin with a grinning was staribg darkly at him. Though his eyes were closed.
"We don't need help so please excuse us baron" Free said, with a calm yet dangerous voice.
"Can you please make a way for me" Okoto said darkly, his eye were shadowed by his hair making him more menacing, the noble fall into the ground and run back into his carriage.
Free gave a faint smile and left, Okoto followed him behind. Free walks into the adventurer Guild and he hands the Kara his guild card. "I'm retiring.....as an adventurer" he said hesitantly, Kara nodded with a smile unfazed by his sudden retirement.
"You can re-register anytime" she said, smiling joyfully at him.
"Oye healer boy, y'a retirin'! " an adventurer said, he was drunk. He walk toward Free, his foots were wobbly. "If y'a retirin', let's celebrate y'a retiremen right guys!!!" he yelled, other roar and Okoto laugh at the chaos, Free just smiled.
At night in Free's room a stack of papers were on his desk, he was signing, writing and doing lots of work, but the mountain of papers was way more than it should have been. "Those pests" Lina cursed. "Pressuring you with mountains of paperwork" she said, looking at Free signing the papers.
"Don't worry, i'll be okay" Free reassured her, putting the completed papers on his bed. "How is mom's condition?" he asked, without looking at her.
"She is healthy but still her memory hasn't return, it might be ling-term or so the healers said" she answered, Free's hand pause for a moment before he signs another paper.
"Ohh" Free replied, he signs another paper, the wind outside faintly blew into his face as he signs another paper. Lina exits the room, Free was now alone with the candle lit up in his desk. 'Dad i hope you're watching over us' he thought to himself, staring at the sky and then a star shine a little too brightly in the sky as if responding to him.
This was only the beginning of my journey as a lord, dad is gone, mom forgot everything about me and everyone else. But, i have Sylvia,Lina, Elina, Hinata and many more people supporting me and in the future, our 'Town' will grow better than any other. This is the story of someone wanting Freedom from expectation but after the loss he realized responsibility is always a part of destiny, fate and life.
— END OF VOLUME 1 —
Thank you for reading it till the end