The Daughter of the Demon King studies magic restlessly!

Chapter 34 - An Introspective

Following her advice, I decided to walk around and listen to the voices of the people around. Although this festival was joyous, it was mainly for comforting the souls of the living so there was plenty of talk from the townsfolk further away from the bonfire of how they felt about the whole situation. 

Quietly wandering about and listening in, I found that most of them while mourning for the dead were doing their best to move on. This was rather surprising to me as I would have thought that there might be some reluctance but after hearing the passing conversation of a parent and child in the distance I started to get how that would be the case. 

"So dad really won't be coming back?"

"Yes honey, Dad is simply gone to rest peacefully with the ancestors of our people." 

"But, I miss him a lot... Will I be like the others who had missing parents?"

"Don't worry, he has simply gone to the resting grounds of the others and is waiting for us as well."

Coaxing her child, she then distracted him with the sights and smells of the festival but the gloom hidden in her eyes was hard to hide. 

It made sense that there would be a lot of death for the people here. After all, this was not like the capital of the Aloph Empire or the Demon King's castle. This was simply a former village turned town of regular beast folk who are trying their best to live out their own lives in this place they call home. 

Seeing this and hearing the quiet sobs and prayers in the distance helped me to understand a bit about what the Alchemist Clone was talking about. 

Maybe... these people don't want those folks back. Perhaps, such an action would be... hypocritical for me to do. Especially in a situation like this. Rather than doing what I believe to be universally good for everyone, perhaps I should take this opportunity to look inward and see what others think. 

Of course, they want them to rest in peace. And I get that, but maybe I should see their opinions as well. 

As I thought that, I noticed a figure walking out of the party a little exhausted. It was Wendy whom I had the best relationship with in the party. Maybe, I can get her opinion on the subject? Of course, I can't just directly say it aloud. 

How should I word it? Hmm, I am not really good at that. Maybe I should improvise on the spot? It would be more productive than sitting here thinking about it. 

Taking action, I headed over to her location where she was spacing out staring into space. Seeing her like this, I could not bear to distract her. Would I be invading her space like this? Shouldn't I just wait until tomorrow after she is rested to talk? 

Standing aside pondering to myself, my thoughts were then cut off by her familiar voice.

"Felicia? So you were over here! That's great, the others were a little worried about where you were earlier. I'll tell them about you being around here in a while. I need a little break."

Startled by her sudden chat, I trembled and then froze up. When I heard her stop talking, I slowly turned to face her directly and saw her relaxing by leaning her back onto a large tree. Seeing that she spoke up, I decided to ask if she was willing to chat right now. 

"Umm, Wendy?"

"Yes?"

"I wanted to talk with someone so... are you okay with me asking some of my questions now?"

Hearing this, she opened her previously closed eyes and stared back at me. Looking into my eyes for a second, she eventually nodded and so I went on with the hypothetical scenario I had thought up.

"If... there was a way to bring back the ones affected by the chimera process, do you think the ones affected and their loved ones would accept them back?"

Oh, I wanted to sugar coat it or guide the situation differently, but I simply said the truth. But she still listened and pondered for a moment. 

"Felicia, do you know how witches are born?"

"No?"

An unrelated topic? But before I could think further, she continued on her story. 

"Witches in history were spurned on by the rest of society. They are mutations in the human race when by rare chance two humans give birth to a child with exceptional magic abilities without relying on knowledge. People feared these children and blamed them on the demon race and went to war. That is how the war between humans and demons started according to legend."

So, the war between the two races was born out of a misunderstanding? I have never heard this story in the demon king's castle, but I never really bothered to read history books anyways. Perhaps it was stated and I simply did not read it?

"You and I both know that the witches and demons have no relation. Even the rulers of humanity at that time also knew it. But they still relied on this rhetoric to rile up the common folk and aim the people's fears and anger towards the demons. And you should know the result. In hindsight, these wars seem so much like a farce, but it is much different nowadays. After war happens, when one side kills the other no matter the circumstance hatred is born. Hatred then leads the victims to become the butchers and creator of further hatred continuing the cycle. We witches have tried to stop it, but it seems like a hidden force seeks to bring the world closer to war and hatred and any methods to resolve it ultimately become useless."

She then showed a rather nostalgic look as she puller up her sleeve and showed a rather grotesque scar on her forearm that was usually hidden under her sleeve.

"Wendy! What happened?! Does it hurt?"

Rushing towards her, without touching the wound I stared worriedly at her. To that she chuckled and told me to relax. 

"If it was really a problem, I would have asked Mellie to fix it long ago!"

Hearing that rhetoric, I put down most of my worries but still looked a little worriedly at her. She then touched the edge of the now scabbed wound and spoke about its story nostalgically. 

"You know, I said that people hated witches and attributed their fears to the demons. That much is true in the history books. But in reality, it is only a worse situation than that. Any legends or stories have some smidgeon of truth and so hearsay gets passed down from the generations down to a small village known as the Blue Lily Village. There a young couple births a small girl and lived a happy life together. Laughing, playing and all other kinds of things. But one day things changed."

Getting to this point in the story, her eyes started to get blurry and her voice choked up. Silently watching her, I saw her tightly squeeze that arm and winced for her. 

"One day, their daughter suddenly while playing with the children by the river had suddenly found a shadow lurking in the water. Seeing the shadow reaching closer and almost arriving at another child, she ran to yell at them to get back to surface but none of them listen. Not until it was too late. A flash... and red. That striking color. it haunted that girl's mind to this day. On that day, a great blue glow flashed through the forest and when the adults arrived to check the situation, there the girl was standing yet fainted. All around her were pieces of that terrible shadow that took one of their young. But what they saw was not a hero saving a child."

Patting her back as she spoke to this point, she sniffled and thanked me for my comfort. Taking a few deep breaths she then waited there to calm her emotions for a bit. 

"Sorry, although many years had passed all of this is still ingrained into my memory. I have moved on from it in the long years that have passed, talking about it still brings back those repressed memories."

Silently listening by her side, I continued to rub her back until I could feel her fully calm down to continue her story.

"That child was named Wendy and on that day she lost that sense of camaraderie and belonging to that village. To that home. Even her parents, even if they tried to hide it, showed a trace of their fear towards her. All of that eventually culminated one day when she decided that enough was enough and ran into the woods and wanted to see if anyone would come to find her. Seconds passed, then minutes did. Hours and finally days passed as she waited. Three days of scavenging through the woods and waiting not far from the village and not one soul came to her side. So she left. Feeling unwanted, she hid in the woods and after months of living in solitude she finally showed up one day to a ruined and desolate village covered in dried blood."

Her voice then calmed down and deepened to a rather disturbing degree. Her voice now cold and venomous and for good reason too.

"It was simply a game to them. A cult who dedicated sacrifices to an unknown entity in the hopes of gaining status fortune and strength. They even thoughtfully left clues and a mark to find them for revenge. Running to that once warm home now covered in ruined shadows, the girl fell to her knees. Not a tear fell, but it seemed as if that deep dark emotion had led to an unexpected guest to appear. One who would be very important for me later on."

She then looked up at me and saw that I was a little tired and confused at the moment and laughed very happily. Then, she raise her hand and patted my head and quietly spoke to me. 

"I should probably get to the point. I think that you should know how the story would go from there. I found my mentor into magic and under her tutelage I learned how to harness my talent for water magic. After many trials and tribulations, I became quite skilled in magic and eventually was able to narrow down the location and identities of the ones who did it and tracked them down. With just a few spells, all of their defenses were laid bare and the truth was that it was all just one sick conman who falsely spoke of a deity who could grant wishes. Even so, the girl tried to believe in the fact that the village could be brought back but with months without progress and a hint from her mentor she eventually finished off the con man for good and her hopes of bringing back her parents slowly began to dwindle. Then her teacher spoke of a similar story and in the end the story ended with that person bringing back her parents... as undead. Don't give them hope. After so much time studying the history of this world, such a thing as resurrection is unthinkable and taboo to the ordinary. Others have tried to do it which resulted in hatred and despair. Even if you can do it, don't let them meet again. It would only continue the cycle of years past. Let them grieve and let them move on."

Her words I kept in mind as she looked earnestly at me. I eventually nodded my head and she showed a bright smile towards me.

"Maybe another time I will continue this story in detail, but know that you are simply a child living their life. You have not experienced the winds and waves and so it is normal and expected for you to come to us and ask about your worries and questions. Even that 'mother' of yours as well. I don't particularly have any inclination towards humans or demons and I am only on Luke's side. So listen to as many sides of the story as you can access. Even Vanessa, while unwilling, would begrudgingly tell you her opinion as well."

Both of us gave out a laugh at the thought and then she perked up and stretched her shoulders. 

"Well, I have been gone for a little while now. I will get back to the others and perhaps back into the festivities for now. You should come and put these thoughts in the back of your head and listen and feel the atmosphere of the festival!"

Without waiting for my words of approval, she simply grasped my wrist and pulled my reluctant self over with a laugh and brought me over to the others who waved at us. 

Seeing her happy expression now right after such a dreary and depressing moment made me wonder about the others expressions as well. It was almost like... a mask that everyone wears to mask and hide their emotions and insecurities. With questions rolling about in my mind, I followed along with Wendy pulling my wrist along and slowly joined in on the atmosphere for the rest of the night.

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