I ran.
I ran.
I don't even remember how many kilometers I covered that night.
All I remember is holding the tiny hand of Alex.
She was only three years old.
She had just witnessed her entire family being murdered.
And the only person left with her…
was a boy barely seven years older than her.
Me.
Zen.
For days we wandered through forests and empty roads.
Eventually we reached a small town far away from Seonaa Village.
It wasn't a big city.
"Vayugram" village of wind
Just a small settlement where travelers sometimes passed.
But for us it meant survival.
Or at least… I hoped it would.
The problem was food.
For seven days we survived without eating anything.
Seven days of watching Alex slowly grow weaker.
Her tiny stomach growling from hunger.
I couldn't take it anymore.
So I stole.
At night I sneaked into shops and grabbed whatever food I could find.
Bread.
Rice.
Fruit.
Anything.
For the first month…
it worked.
But one day everything changed.
I was caught.
A soldier grabbed me by the collar and threw me to the ground.
"You little thief!"
His fist slammed into my face.
Again.
And again.
And again.
I was only ten years old.
But he beat me like I was a criminal.
I could barely move.
Blood covered my face.
And then I heard a small voice.
"Stop!"
Alex.
She ran toward me.
She tried to protect me.
The soldier raised his hand to strike her.
But suddenly—
THUD
Someone hit him from behind.
The soldier collapsed.
I lifted my head weakly.
Standing there was a princess.
She looked furious.
"What did this poor child do?" she demanded.
The soldier stuttered.
"H-he stole food, Princess…"
Her eyes turned cold.
"He's a ten-year-old child."
"And you nearly killed him for food?"
The princess looked at me carefully.
I don't remember her name.
But I will never forget her face.
Her skin was pale like the moon.
Beautiful.
And on her left cheek was a small mole.
That princess saved us.
She took both me and Alex into the palace.
She gave us a home.
Food.
Education.
A future.
For the first time since the tragedy of my village…
I felt safe.
I was a smart child from birth.
Studying was never difficult for me.
Years passed.
And I became one of the most loyal servants she had.
If that princess had told me to kill myself…
I would have done it without hesitation.
Five years passed.
I became a scholar.
I traveled to different places studying ancient artifacts and maps.
Those things fascinated me.
One day the princess gave me a task.
"Zen," she said, "go to the Kingdom of Roose. It's only three hours away."
So I prepared for the journey.
But before I left…
Alex ran toward me.
She had baked a small cake.
It looked terrible.
But to me it was perfect.
I had raised her like a father.
She was the only family I had left.
I kissed her forehead.
She smiled brightly.
"Bring me cotton candy when you come back!"
She handed me a bracelet she made herself.
I still have it.
It broke once…
but Mary fixed it for me later.
I promised her I would return quickly.
So I left.
But as I walked away from the kingdom…
I felt something strange.
A feeling.
Something familiar.
Something terrible.
But I ignored it.
And that was the biggest mistake of my life.
When I returned later that day…
I saw a crowd.
People shouting.
Protesting.
My heart froze.
It looked exactly like Seonaa Village.
The cotton candy slipped from my hand.
I looked up.
And my world shattered again.
There…
on top of the watchtower…
hung Alex.
Completely naked.
Her small body swinging in the wind.
The crowd screamed.
"Witch!"
"Go away witch!"
And then I saw something worse.
The princess who saved us…
She was hanging too.
Dead.
Something inside me broke.
People noticed me.
I ran.
Just like the first time.
I didn't have the strength.
I didn't have the courage to stop them.
And it happened again.
Everything was gone.
My hatred grew beyond anything I could control.
And then…
I saw her.
That same witch.
Standing far away.
Watching me.
Smiling.
A grin I will never forget.
I ran.
And ran.
Until I reached a forest.
I collapsed under a tree.
I cried.
My heart was shattered.
The only family I had left was gone.
For a moment…
I thought about ending my life.
But then I remembered the witch.
I wanted revenge.
Deadly revenge.
And then…
I heard a voice.
Soft.
But clear.
"Zen…"
"Come here."
End of Chapter 10