Science/Magic 43 The One Living in the Swamp 4

My grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer, and due to some situations, I'm the one that is helping her in this process. The last two days, (mainly yesterday) I was accompanying her in some check-ups she must do before the surgery.

Those check-ups take the whole day, and when I was back home I was very tired to write.

Don't worry, I'll post today all the chapters I owe (Three Science/Magic today)...

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In the end, although Bloed was reluctant to follow Chorius, they decided to go when the bird insisted.

Bloed was slightly suspicious of Chorius's friendliness, but the bird explained that not many people visited the exiled lands, so he learned to enjoy each opportunity to have a conversation.

Plus, after seeing Bloed and Regina's specialness, it did not mind being a bit more friendly.

In the way, Chorius continued pestering Bloed and the group with questions. It asked about the martial arts he was teaching Regina, about Bloed's saber, about ESP powers. To be honest, the image of demigods in Bloed's mind was starting to crumble due to the bird.

Bloed answered some questions he deemed adequate but he did not answer anything important. At the same time, he asked some questions about the outside world.

Actually, Chorius's endless chattering was a bit helpful. It helped Bloed to avoid the awkwardness between Regina, Liu Ying, and him.

Ever since Chorius exposed the group's secrets, Liu Ying had been a bit awkward around Bloed and Regina.

Finally, when they had walked for about five minutes, Liu Ying forced herself to talk.

"Hey Bloed…"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry… Sorry for hiding my identity… I-I did not want to be treated differently if you discovered that I was the demon princess."

Bloed smiled. "Don't worry about it, everybody has secrets. Plus, I already knew it."

"You knew?" Liu Ying was surprised.

"It was pretty obvious. Surnamed Liu, red hair, amber eyes, and a powerful demon bloodline. I was 99% sure you were from the demons' royal family, and 90% sure you were a demon princess. I confirmed it last night after you told me about how you ended here."

Liu Ying blushed. She did not expect to be seen through so easily.

"… You don't mind?" She asked with a bit of dread.

"Why would I mind?" Bloed was startled.

Liu Ying bit her lips. "Well, the demon king's family is not well-liked between humans… I heard that humans think of us as monsters."

Bloed nodded. That was true. Before the calamity of one hundred years ago, humans and demons warred constantly. In fact, they were the two races with more hatred between them. The situation turned a bit better after the Blight, but the demons' royal family was still considered as subjects of fear and hatred between humans.

Actually, some human kingdoms were very xenophobic against demons, at such level that they were killed at sight. Of course, Bloed did not share such a view.

"Of course I don't mind. I think that hating a particular group of people due to their race, religion, or family is a very backward practice. Only ignorant people do that."

Liu Ying was surprised. She looked at Bloed carefully to find any sign of lies on his face, but she failed to discover anything.

Hence, she started to smile.

"Thanks… And I don't mind that you are manaless either… Well, I admit I was surprised when I learned about it, but we have traveled together for a while, and I'm sure you are not evil or a monster." Liu Ying blushed a bit at the end.

Bloed smiled. He looked at Liu Ying for a moment and realized that her smile was very beautiful. He opened his mouth to speak again, But then–

"Hmph!" Regina snorted.

Bloed and Liu Ying looked away instantly. For some reason, both of them felt a bit guilty.

At that moment, Liu Ying looked at Regina.

"Regina, you too. I don't mind what you are, I consider you my friend."
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Regina scoffed. "I don't need friends. Master is enough."

Both Liu Ying and Bloed smiled wryly. Well, Regina was still Regina.

"You three are pretty admirable." Chorius suddenly said. "Being able to look beyond races and prejudices despite your young ages. Not many people can do it even after they are much older."

"Oh? You don't mind I'm manaless?" Bloed asked curiously.

"Of course not." Chorius snorted. "I fought in the war against the Blight one hundred years ago. And like all the demigods and powerful people of this world, I'm clear than the Blight is not related to having mana or not. In fact, I'm a bit sad that the fear of the Blight caused so many deaths."

Bloed was surprised. "You mean that there is nothing wrong with people like me?"

The bird looked at him. "Are you not clearer than me about it?"

Bloed fell silent. Chorius was right, he had learned long ago that his lack of mana was not something wrong or evil.

However, hearing someone in this world accept it so easily was surprising. He had grown hearing that he was evil or cursed, so hearing someone denying it so naturally was a bit unexpected.

For an instant, he did not know what to think.

But then, a doubt appeared on his mind.

"… If people like you knew the truth, why did you do nothing to stop it?"

Chorius looked away. It thought for a few seconds before sighing. "It's complicated. Actually, there were many reasons behind it, but the main one was that the people needed someone to blame.

"… Someone to blame?"

Chorius nodded. "The war took too many lives, and after the Blight was killed, nothing could console the people that lost their friends and family. Eventually, someone said that the people born without mana were children of the Blight.

"People needed it. Someone to blame, someone to receive their hatred. So, although many people knew the truth, they turned a blind eye. Besides, people with mana were already considered lesser and severely discriminated even before the Blight."

Bloed gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. For an instant, a powerful rage ran through his body.

All his suffering, all his pain, just for that reason?

Did the king and queen also know the truth? Yes, as rulers of the greatest human kingdom, they surely knew.

But even so, they exiled him.

Regina grabbed his hand silently. She looked at him with her golden eyes and nodded as though telling him that she was with him.

Bloed took a deep breath and calmed down. Now was not the time to think about his pain.

While they were walking, they arrived at a huge tree.

With almost one hundred meters of height, the tree was standing in the middle of the swamp proudly. No tree grew in two hundred meters around it, and the dirty swamp water seemed much cleaner near it, like a shining green jewel.

Chorius took the group to the tree and flew towards it. "Welcome to my humble abode, guys. This is an Archon tree, the core of the swamp and the place where I have lived in the last one hundred years."

Chapter end