Chapter 33 - Sacrifice
Me and Homura titled our head, curiously staring at the inn that stood tall in front of us. A little rusty and
old with the signs squeaking as the wind blew at them.
"What''s this ce? A human gathering?" Homura asked in a mocked tone. "I thought you said you
were going to sleep" I rose my eyebrow in question. "I was but this ce is too loud for my fox ears" he
scratched behind his ear with his non injured paw. "Please keep you fleas to yourself, thank you very
much"
"You should be honoured to get fleas from a beautiful fox" he ridiculed me. My mouth twisted in
annoyance, "well then I will be honoured to brush that beautiful fur of yours to get rid of the fleas" a
mischief smile crossed my face. "Why do I have a feeling you have bad intention in your words"
''Because I do'' I thought still managing a smile, but it twitched in annoyance.
"It''s ok Homura your still beautiful" he told himself. A wide smile crossed my face when I heard him call
himself Homura.
He was confused at my sudden mood change. "What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing" I started to walk. "Then why are smiling? It''s giving me the shivers" ignoring his question I
opened the door of the inn and walked in. The fear of being in crowd had slowly disappeared. Thank
fully but that didn''t mean I was fully recovered from it. Lowering my head to avoid their gruesome eyes,
I strolled in slowly.
Some people stopped what they were doing and watched me walk in. Whispers was heard among
them. I made my way to the receptionist, ignoring them.
The intense gazes felt like I walking in a pile of hot ming magma.
Finally reaching the desk which felt like forever, I lifted my head and saw a guy with small round
sses. He was an old looking guy with messy curly white hair, looking at me intriguingly up and down
then to look at Homura who was ring back at him.
"He is an ugly looking Human" Homura said. "Just by looking at him, his making me feel ugly. Look
away you pathetic ugly looking human before I poke those mud-coloured eyes of yours" he bared his
teeth at him in disgust.
The man adjusted his sses, leaning forward to get a better look at Homura. "Oh my, it''s an angry
little fox" his voice croaked. "Keep your filthy face away from mines, old hag" he bit down his jaw to
warn the old guy to back off. The old man jolted back in fear of the fox''s nasty tantrum.
Smacking the back of his head I apologised to the old man. "Sorry, he has terrible anger issues ever
since he became a fox".
"ANGER ISSUES! WHO HAS ANGER ISSUES? AND-HMMM" I snapped his jaw shut with my hand.
"See" I smiled at the stunned old man.
"Do you have any spare rooms?" I asked changing the subject.
The old man jumped from his daze and started to flip through his book "Ahhh- yes we do" he replied.
"Room for one?" he asked. "Yes"
"Alright give me second" he turned around, behind him was looked like dozens of keys hanged on a
chart. He rose his index finger and trailed through the keys looking for the one, then tond on one that
said 12.
Lifting it up from the hook, he ced it on the table. "And who will be staying in this room?" he asked.
"Artemis Ray" I answered. "Arr-t-e-mmi-ss R-aa-y" he pronounced while scribbling it down on the giant
looking book with over hundreds of pages.
"That would be 16 copper coins" he said eyeing down from his sses. ''Shit I don''t have copper coins
with me except for gold''
"Um sir I don''t have copper with me now, but can I hand it to you when I return" I asked.
*"No money, no room" he voice became loud for the whole room to hear. "Just give him the silver"
Homura yapped. ''Silver to rece 16 copper coins! But that means I would lose about the equivalent
of.......''* Calcting I ended with ''84 copper coins''. I bit my lip, not knowing whether to lose 84 copper
coins for measly room just for one night or walk out and sleep in the streets.
I mmed a silver coin on the table. "Take it" **** this shit. I mentally waved goodbye to the silver coin.
''Thank you for your generous sacrifice silver coin. I will never forget you for about....maybe in like half a
minute''
The old man threw a pouch on the table as the sounds of metal ng together. Reaching out my hand I
took my change.
Sliding the key with his pointy grey nail, he smiled. "Have a nice night"
"You too" I smiled like a bitch back at him as I took the key from the table and left knowing he did not
see it because of my hood.
I examined the room I was staying tonight. A single bed in the corner of the room, with a simple brown
coloured nketid neatly on top with just one pillow. Looking to the left was a simple desk and a
chair and in the middle of the room was an arched window, reflecting the light rays of the shining
semicircle moon above the starry night sky of Aurum.
"This ce stinks of rat poop" Homurained, sniffing the air around him. "Deal with it sweetheart
you''re not going to get any better than this" I rolled my eyes.
Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.
"If use your small human brain of yours. I''m a fox, I slept in harsh weathers, forests and even
ufortable burrows"
"No shit sherlock" I ced him on the bed. He rose his head and titled his head in confusion
"Sherlock? My name isn''t sherlock but Homura" I turned to him smirking, realising what he just said he
shut his snout.
"Tch, I have no name" he hissed. "GOOD NIGHT" he nodded his head before curling into a ball and
snoozing off to sleep.
Hearing his faint breathing, I sat beside him leaning my back on the wall and resting my hand on
Homura''s soft orange fur and gently stroked him.
"What a day it was" I whispered.
First, I attended tea with Damon and Ariana, then to my supplies arrived, I sneaked into the knights
chambers and stole a cloak, I waited for Ariana to arrive, then I threatened her to give my gold that she
promised me, then I decided to leave because I didn''t want to deal with the duke, I found Homura in the
words who got his paw stuck in a bear trap, freed him, and bandaged him then to forcefully take him
with me.
I went to a cksmith and asked him to form me my needles. I then brought a bag for the gold but
couldn''t find one that could hold the food and medical supply. The shopkeeper told me I should try the
upper district, so had to go on this awful journey to the top but had to avoid many knights just in case
they were looking for me.
Finally found a bag that looked like a backpack for only 1 silver I brought it. I then made my way back
to the lower district to by bread, apples and other food that might be needed while Homurained
and begged me to get meat as well. I then went sold all Diana''s jewellery for gold and silver but sadly
no copper.
But going through all that, I stumble upon an opportunity when I was buying medical herbs and other
important equipments.
''Every Healer and physics are going to Ventus to try and heal the young prince of Ventus and if cured
the emperor will reward anyone who cures him 5,000 gold pieces and huge block ofnd''
Was what the old man selling me the herbs told me.
Benjamin Vnt wasn''t he Neil''s little brother. The young prince who died from a mysterious illness. He
didn''t appear a lot in the novel except for a few chapters when he was on his deathbed, so I don''t know
anything about him or who he really was.
Neil only discussed to Ariana about how kind and energetic he was, roaming around the castles looking
for any secret trap door, wanting to explore the world and it''s secrets but he never got to do that. So
instead, Neil took it upon himself, promising Benjamin he will discover every secret this world holds but
he was unable to fulfil the promise to his brother and was rip limb by limb by goblins.
Maybe if Benjamin hadn''t died from the mysterious illness Neil wouldn''t have set on a journey to find
the Alphyrian Crystal that allows you to make any wish. Neil wanted to use the crystal and wish to bring
his brother back from the dead, maybe he wouldn''t have endured the heartbreak from Ariana and the
painful death that awaits him in the future. He probably would have married happily, ruled his kingdom
in prosperity with his wife, kids, and Benjamin.
I know how Neil must have felt for when he lost his brother, to never see him again them promise to
fulfil his dream but was killed.
It wasn''t all like that in the beginning though. Neil never cared about Ariana, he only joined her and the
other princes so he could easily find the crystal without spending years and Ariana was the key to
finding it.
But seeing how kind and warm she was, it melted his stone-cold heart towards her and thus resulted
him falling in love but got crush when he saw her kiss, Damon. Yep, they kissed.
The one time he finally opened up to woman he was heartbroken in the spot.
Wow, gee thanks a lot Ariana, you have done it again, you just killed another important person and his
dream. Round apuse everyone for the Heroine of the story My Grace who just loves to kill people off
and break every prince''s heart.
I sighed. ''I probably could change his fate by going to Ventus and seeing what the problem is with
Benjamin, but I don''t want to suddenly spark the curiosity of Neil. I''ve seen enough Isekai animes, read
novels and mangas simr to scenarios like that. Then I would have a big problem served on a golden
te for me''
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed in frustration. "But I don''t have the heart to let a young 12-
year-old boy die due to an illness I probably can cure, and I don''t think God would like that either"
"Oh, trust me God would definitely punish you" Homura suddenly spoke, making me flinch in surprise.
"Your awake?" I said dumbfounded, quickly moving my hand from his back.
"I''ve been awake since you ced me on the bed" he said under his charisma but snobby tone.
My faced turned into a poker face.
"But I''m telling you, letting that human die because you''re not bothered to go on a long walk to Ventus
could get you in deep trouble by God"
He wasn''t lying about it. "Take it as an opportunity to receive more gold, since you very much like the
sight of gold" he mocked me on thest part.
"I do not like gold. I just need to just in case I need to purchase more supplies that mighte as
expansive" I exined.
"uhu" he wasn''t buying it. "Whatever. Believe me or not I don''t care but I''m telling the truth" I really was
telling the truth. I need money if I was going to survive, even if I''m going through forests or mountains I
mighte to vige and need to restock my medical supplies or food.
"Whatever. It''s not like I care anyway. I will be going my own way once my paw is healed" he mumbled.
"Mhm" I agreed. "But telling you again. It''s not a wise decision to leave a dying human to die when
there is hope left for him to recover. This is your choice Artemis not mine so choose wisely because
you can not go back once you have decided which path to take" was all he said before he didn''t utter
another word.
I smiled. Under that snobby personality of his, he has an understanding heart and wise mind.
I rested my head on the wood and thought about it. ''Should go help him or let him die because of my
selfish decision?''
''Never make permanent decision on temporary feelings, Artemis'' Hiroshi-sensei words appeared in my
mind.
I looked out the window, staring into the night sky and to the beautiful, halved moon.
"God please guide me to where I must go, what decisions should I make to end in the right path"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What will Artemis choose?
Will she woman up and save Benjamin from his ill writtened destiny knowing Neil will suddenly find
interest in her or will she choose to leave knowing that God will punish her and walk with guilt on her
shoulders.
Stay tuned for the next chapter and find out her decision.
Goodbye for now.
Love you all