"The spell was created by a powerful mage from the first generation,a old friend gave it to me. However, compared to the Kingdom Icon, it's nothing special. The Icon protects an entire kingdom, while this spell shields only one person. The difference is obvious," Lucy explained.
"Yeah, I get it now. But what about tonight? Where are we going to sleep?" Rebekah asked.
"Don't be silly, Rebekah. We're traveling through the night. We don't have time to waste."
"Oooh, that's not fair, Master. We don't even know which kingdom we're heading to. How can you be sure we'll arrive before morning?" Rebekah pressed.
"Rest assured. We're heading to a kingdom far more suitable for an adventure." Lucy smiled at the moon. "This is going to be a journey you'll never forget."
"Why are you smiling, Master? Where exactly are we going?"
Alfie had just regained consciousness after Lucy finished casting the sealing spell. He rubbed his eyes, still feeling slightly disoriented.
"Oh, you're awake already. Good. The sealing spell was a success." Lucy climbed onto her horse. "Now, let's hit the road. We're heading to Ashura."
"Ashura?" Rebekah's eyes lit up. "You mean the kingdom where everyone is a Shinra? I've only heard about it from my father. I never knew it actually existed. That place must be incredible for training. Let's go, Master."
She eagerly jumped onto the horse.
"And you call me easily carried away?" Alfie said, shaking his head. "You're getting excited just because you heard about a place full of Shinras. You're such a kid, Rebekah."
"You idiot. What do you even know about the Kingdom of Ashura?" Rebekah laughed. "It's the strongest kingdom in the entire country. Powerful Shinras from all over come there to train and grow stronger. There's no way someone like you could understand how amazing that place is."
"I don't really care if every powerful Shinra in the country lives there," Alfie declared as he climbed onto the horse behind her. "I'll kick the butt of anyone who tries to mess with me or any of you."
"Such big words coming from a little boy," Lucy teased.
"I'm not a little boy." Alfie retorted firmly. "I'm a man who swore to eliminate every last Darkside Spirit from this world. The moment I made that promise to my family and myself, I stopped being a kid."
Lucy smiled at him.
"I'm impressed. Now, let's get moving. At our current pace, we can reach Ashura in about twenty days. If we'd hired a chariot, it would've taken fifty-five days. You two should be grateful."
"TWENTY DAYS ON HORSEBACK?" Alfie and Rebekah shouted in unison.
"Keep your voices down, you morons," Lucy snapped. "We're not going to ride nonstop. If we travel through the night and rest in the nearest towns from sunset until noon, we should arrive in about fifteen days."
She glanced at them over her shoulder.
"Besides, Ashura is roughly ten times the size of Guhan. We'll be passing through several kingdoms along the way, so don't get yourselves into trouble."
"Yes, Master," they replied together.
For a while, the three continued riding through the night. Eventually, Rebekah could no longer contain her curiosity and leaned forward.
"Master, which kingdom are you from? And… why did you abandon everything you had just to help Alfie? Is the promise you made really that important to you?"
Lucy remained quiet for a moment before answering.
"I left of my own accord. I was a Special Darkside Knight. It wasn't just about the promise I made to Falco. It was also about a promise I made to myself."
She paused before continuing.
"You see, the reason I know so much about Darkside Spirits, wizards, and witches isn't simply because I was a Special Darkside Knight. It's because of everything I've experienced throughout my life."
Lucy took a quiet breath.
"I'm a witch myself. I possess both Light Renshi and Dark Renshi. I suppressed my Dark Renshi using an ancient spell similar to the one I used on Alfie. Though, in my case, it's more like I exiled my Dark Renshi deep within myself, somewhere beyond my reach."
Alfie and Rebekah listened in silence.
"I once served as a Special Darkside Knight in the Kingdom of Mechan," Lucy continued. "But I was never its ruler. I hated sitting in a castle, drowning in paperwork while weaker Shinras died fighting on my behalf. That kind of life was never meant for me."
"Hmm… I'm sorry for asking so suddenly, Master," Rebekah said, still processing everything. "But you look so young, and you said you learned all this through life experience…"
She hesitated before asking, "How old are you, anyway?"
Lucy smirked.
"Well, promise me you won't freak out when I tell you."
"We promise," Alfie and Rebekah replied eagerly.
Lucy smiled faintly.
"I've lived for several centuries. Throughout that time, I've survived countless battles and trials while living under different identities."
She looked up at the night sky.
"This is my twelfth century on Earth."
"Huh? You've been alive for twelve centuries?" Alfie asked slowly.
"T-W-E-L-V-E C-E-N-T-U-R-I-E-S?" Rebekah screamed. "That's over one thousand two hundred years. That's impossible. No human has ever lived that long."
Lucy sighed, looking utterly unsurprised by their reaction.
"And that's exactly what I expected."
She shook her head.
"Seems you two aren't very good at keeping promises after all."