Another World Story

Day Fifty-Eight:

"Sir Rudolf. Make me stronger"

"I plan to do so. But before that, Why don't you change your clothes? It wouldn't be good to destroy your dress right?"

With the Count's words. Dawn, the maids along with the princess and the other knights changed into training gears. With the exception of the princess, Dawn and the others wore the 6th legion's training equipment.

As the princess appeared on the training field. Oohs and aahs of amazement pour out from the spectators.

"Woah! I think being a knight suit you better than a magician, your highness. The armor suits you. Hmmm... What about it? Why don't you join the knights, your highness"

"I'll think about it"

"Haha! I think you'll enjoy it there!"

The princess who was once wearing a beautiful red dress, was now covered in shining silver armor. Her platinum-blue hair tied in a bun and short sword hang on her waist. If Kaiser were to see it, the term "Knight Princess" would be uttered without hesitation.

"Now. You might be wondering why a beginner such as you need to wear such a heavy armor in the get go..."

"No, not reall-"

"Well! It's simple. It is so that you'll be able to familiarize yourself in it. I don't care if you can't carry the armor, or if you can't swing the sword. I'll train you all to death until you could fight be atleast on par with the average knights of my Legion"

And to prove what he said, Dawn along witht the knights and mais run more than 30 laps around the wide training field. While the princess was isolated from them as she swung the silver short sword countless times.

"You're hand is slowing down! Swing harder!"

"Faster! You want to get stronger?! Don't make me laugh! With that strength even a child could beat you!"

"You're tired already? It hasn't even ben an hour!"

The Count's loud voice reverberated throughout the field. Dawn, seeing her princess swung the small sword countless times couldn't helped but bit her lips. Even though she knew why her princess wanted to become stronger, she didn't want to see her suffering.

'If only I got more time...'

Dawn couldn't helped but feel frustrated. She wanted to stay with the princess longer, to watch over her, not as a maid but as a person.

Cough!

Dawn who felt the cough erupting immediately covered her mouth, she turned around from the others and excused herself. She ran towards the nearest comfort room and locked herself inside the dimly-lit room. And as if it's a signal, with the sound of the door knob clicking-

Cough! Cough! Cough!

"Urkgh! Ha. Ha. Haaa. Cough! Gha! Urgh"

The cough she was suppressing erupted like a volcano. She fell to her knees, and clutched her chest as a crippling pain gripped her heart. She felt like her body were in flames, her lungs blocked, and her surrounding spinning. Her face pale as ashe, her eyes sunken, her previous healthy face became hollow and grim. With just a few coughs she became the image of a dying person.

"...ahh, I shouldn't have forced my body there. Hahaha"

She laughed as she saw a puddle of red liquid on the floor and on her hand that covered her mouth previously. Though her laugher made it seems that her condition was not that grave, it was obvious for anyone who see her current appearance that she's walking on a very thin thread.

"...The physician said that I only got a few more weeks... do you think My Lady would hate me if I left?"

As she said this, a gentle yet melancholic voice answered her.

"Considering her personality... she would"

"...ahaha, I see"

Dawn remembered her promise to her princess, and a bitter laugh escaped her mouth. She knew it would end in tha direction.

"Why did you hide it from the others? You know that you are important to them right?"

The voice said, sadness could be felt from it. Dawn who heard such question, smiled bitterly and with difficulty opened her mouth.

"...It's because I know it that I didn't tell them. I plan to leave the capital and die... where no one could find me... But I guess I wouldn't even have the time to look for someone worthy to serve My Lady..."

"Is she that important to you?"

The voice asked. Dawn couldn't identify if it came from a man or woman... All she know was that voice came from the person standing a few meters away from her, vieled in darkness. But strangely, she felt that answering the person's question was the most natural thing to do.

"...Lady Marriane not only save me, but also gave meaning to my life... I plan to serve her and her children... for the rest of my life... but now... that she's gone. I'll devote my life...and soul to Lady Eleonora"

"Is she important to you?"

The voice asked the question once again, but even so Dawn answered.

"She is... very much so..."

With those words, Dawn who was threading a very thin road, slowly closed her eyes, her consciousness fading in the abyss. With her slightly closed eyes, she could see the person walking towards her, she couldn't hear properly, her vision blurry. But she knew that the person was walking towards her, muttering something.

"As.....Apo..le....of God...I'll.....ur wish...."

Dawn couldn't understand the words spoken as her consciousness succumbed to the darkness.

.....

"I'll come back again after you accomplish your goal. Dawn Velan"

The voice echoed through her head and Dawn woke up with a start. She looked around and saw that she was still inside the comfort room. The lights were turned on, the dimly-lit comfort room was now fully illuminated. Dawn then look at herself in the mirror. Her ashen pale face was now full of vitality, her cheek bones not showing, her sunken eyes return to normal, and the aura of death that loomed over her was gone as if it was all an illusion.

"...A dream?"

Dawn couldn't understand what happened, as she clearly remembered the intense pain that covered her whole body and the couhging of blood...

"!!"

Realization struct Dawn like a thunder.

"Where's the blood...?"

She asked, dumbfounded. The puddle of red on the floor, her hand, and clothe, as well as her face was nowhere to be seen.

"...Then, was that just a dream?"

She looked around once again, but she couldn't see anyone around.

"Haa... Anyway, I should go back"

Deciding so, Dawn left and went back to training, leaving behind the fully illuminated comfort room.

Click! The sound of switch turning off, and the comfort room returned to its dimly-lit state, and from the darkness a silhouette appeared, staring at the door where Dawn left.

"This is all I could do... I'm sorry, Ms. Dawn. I promise, I'll save you someday..."

With those ambiguous words. The silhouette disappeared in the darkness once again.