The Lost Kingdom Of Maria!

Chapter 3: The Road Beyond Petita.

Fifteen minutes had passed since Fayrouz, the girl with long black hair and a blue blindfold over her eyes, entered Petita Village. She walked calmly through the village's only market, a quiet place filled with stalls of fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish. The market, though modest, was usually bustling in the mornings, but by this time, just past noon, most of the villagers had already come and gone, leaving the space eerily tranquil.

Behind her, Fulan, the young man with messy black hair, followed at a distance. His eyes occasionally flicked to her flowing hair as he thought to himself, 'What exactly is this situation? I look like I'm stalking her. I mean, yes, this is the only direct path to the other gate of the village, but walking behind her like this feels… uncomfortable. Should I take a different route? But that would just waste more time. No, I'm doing the right thing. She probably doesn't even know I'm here because of that blindfold.'

His momentary relief at this thought vanished when Fayrouz suddenly spoke without turning around. "Your name is Fulan, right?"

Fulan sighed, realizing she had noticed him despite the blindfold. "It's not like I'm following you or anything," he said, his tone calm but slightly defensive.

Fayrouz glanced over her shoulder, her expression unreadable. "Why would you? Isn't this the shortest path to the gate?"

Fulan was taken aback by her straightforwardness. Most girls in her position might have assumed he was following her for less practical reasons, but Fayrouz seemed entirely unbothered. "When I heard you call yourself a future knight," he said, "I assumed you were heading to Ragandarok Academy to take the entrance exam."

Fayrouz turned her head forward again, her voice steady. "Really? When I heard you were going to Ragandarok Academy, only one thing came to mind: you're definitely going to fail the entrance exam."

Fulan's eyebrows twitched, though his expression remained neutral. "And what makes you assume that?"

"The Menma flowing through your veins," she replied without hesitation. "It has no distinct color. This is the first time I've seen something like it. It's as if you have no unique trait."

Fulan glanced at his hand, where all he could see was the pale skin of his palm. "I'm surprised you can see the particles of Menma," he said quietly. "I've heard only a handful of people in this world can do that. Are you from a noble clan or something?"

Fayrouz walked in silence for a few seconds before answering. "I'm just a village girl. Do you think a noble girl would ride in that rickety cart without even having money to pay?"

Fulan chuckled softly. "Fair point."

The quiet returned as they continued walking, the only sounds the soft crunch of their footsteps on the dirt path. Ten minutes later, they reached the village's other gate, the exit leading toward the next stretch of their journey. As expected, two guards stood at the gate, their simple attire and spears marking them as village protectors. A badge on the left side of their chests identified them as recognized guards of the Kingdom of Saita.

Before Fulan and Fayrouz could pass through, one of the guards stepped forward, raising a hand to stop them. "Hold on," he said firmly. "The road between Petita Village and Saikono Village isn't safe right now. It's better for you to turn back and take the main road to the Kingdom of Saita. That route is secure."

Fulan looked at the guard, his tone calm but resolute. "Going back and taking the main road to the kingdom will take us more than a full day. I don't have that kind of time."

The guard's expression hardened. "I'm speaking for your own good. There's a band of highway robbers controlling this road. We've been waiting for the knights to arrive for some time now. You can either wait here in the village or take the main road."

It seemed the path ahead was not an option, but Fulan and Fayrouz were determined. Fayrouz spoke up, her voice as calm as ever. "I'm a future knight. That's why I'll see what I can do about this problem myself."

The guards exchanged glances, clearly baffled by the confidence radiating from the girl. After a moment of silence, one of them said, "A future knight? All I see is a girl who looks about sixteen or seventeen. Letting you pass through this gate would be like sending you to your death. And you're a girl, after all. Your body would be like prey to those bandits. This guy"—he gestured to Fulan—"will suffer less because they'll just kill him. But you… well, you know what I mean."

Before Fayrouz could respond, Fulan suddenly began walking past the gate, his expression calm and unbothered. He didn't even glance at the guard, who called after him in frustration. Seeing this, Fayrouz followed suit, stepping through the gate without hesitation.

The only sound left in their wake was the guard's exasperated voice. "I've done my duty and warned you! Seriously, why are young people so stubborn these days?"