Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 39: Maiden like Iris Flower (Part 01)

At the place where Mylta's entourage was, the atmosphere was heavy with guilt filling in. Those who did not go with Lisia lowered their heads, filled with wounded pride especially for the city soldiers.

Choosing to remain silent is the same as ignoring the obligation to serve their Landlords, especially after their Miss says that the young man left behind to buy time is the son of Marquess Luke.

The Head Warrior, Iitla Lots, the shoulder-length blonde-haired man leaned against the outside of the cargo carriage with a grim expression. Both hands that are seen in front of the chest do not stop shaking, haunted by fear and guilt that are mixed in the mind. Recalling a bandit who had previously escaped with him, the man turned towards the trees where the bandits were leaning.

A man of short brown hair sat on the snow surface hugging his two families there, fearfully and unceasingly trembling. A glimpse of wanting to blame them appeared in Iitla's mind, he wanted to yell at and make the bandit family a scapegoat if the young man they left behind proved to be really a child of their territory's Lord and did not survive.

But when he saw the boy in the arms of the bandit woke up and clasped his father's hand weakly, Iitla's heart trembled. He felt humiliated because he had thought like that, fear seemed to make his morals fall even more. Closing his face with both palms, he was really anxious about not being able to be himself and living with a sense of pride like what he had lived all this time.

“Why ... are we this weak? Why are we cowards like this ..?”

The voice was heard by his subordinates who were also leaning on the cargo, right next to that Soldier Chief. The man who was his subordinate just fell silent, without commenting for feeling the same as his superior.

“We are indeed weak and cowardly, Mr. Iitla. We .... always rely on the strong in situations like this, but when peaceful we even boast as if peace is what we bring...”

Iitla Lots can't argue about that. It is a real fact, they often do that by walking in the middle of the main street of the city and exerting power. It was actually done for political purposes, but it could not be denied that they were happy and proud to indulge in position and power as a city soldier.

“Sayang ..?” The female voice from the direction of the bandit family sounded limp. Tox Tenebris' wife, Isla, had woken up and immediately clasped her daughter and husband's hands.

Seeing the warm moment was felt by their main enemy in the plan that was lived for almost two weeks, a sense of annoyance did not arise in the mind. The Head Warrior and his subordinates even felt that the bandit leader was amazingly able to fight fear and still bring his family without running away on his own.

Looking at that warm scene, in Iitla's mind felt, “He was indeed a bastard who led a group of uncivilized assassins. But in the family, however bad he must be a good father in their eyes.”

Taking a deep breath, the Head Warrior stopped leaning and stood upright. Looking towards his men who were not with Lisia, Iitla realized they all felt the same way as him and that was why they did not step forward.

Despite understanding this, the Warrior Chief still loudly said, “You guys!! It's Order! We'll catch up with Miss!”

The soldiers, hunters, and witches who were still staying at the spot turned towards the blond man. They were pensive to hear that, completely clueless as to what reason the man who had been trembling in fear could say that.

”Pak Lots ...? What did you say?” ask her subordinates who are nearby.

“This Order! I know I don't deserve to say this ..., but is this the right attitude for us people of Felixia Kingdom?! We are a strong nation! Blessed by the Great Spirits! We can't leave that young man while we're here like cowards!!”

The Head Warrior walked to the middle of everyone left on the spot, took a deep breath and reaffirmed, “We are Honorable Soldiers of Felixia Kingdom!! Under the auspices of our Master, Dart Luke! We should be able to conquer fear even if it is facing the Demon King once! Remember that! We are the soldiers of this Holy Kingdom!”

“Ta-But ... even if we go there ...”

“While we're going there we're just going to die? Aye!! We have to step up just to die! We who are still here are aware of the limits of our strength! But ..., then how different are we from the cowardly bandits?! Nothing!! We're just a bunch of cowards if we keep quiet like this! Because that! Do you want to die as cowards?! No, right?! If you are afraid and cannot move forward! So rely on me!! On my orders! Make this command your hand to keep moving forward!! I will bear the fear, hate, and guilt of all of you!”

The words really made the hearts of everyone who heard it tremble, it felt warm and a strange spirit began to burn. Stop bowing their faces, they started staring straight and woke up even with a body that was still trembling. Whether it was warriors, hunters, or witches, all of those from Mylta gathered courage once more to advance.

“Fear indeed exists in all living beings! It's instinct! But we can't be cowards!! Pick up your weapons once more, my friends! Let's prove that we can also smolder ourselves even if only for a moment!!”

The soldiers instantly stood upright, taking the weapon from the scabbard at the waist and lifting it straight forward as a sign of respect as well as an embodiment of determination. Together with them, the hunters and witches also ignited the spirit and stopped bowing their faces.

Amidst the atmosphere that was once again beginning to be filled with excitement, the bandit leader came over to Iitla Lots and said, “Tuan .., please let me come along .... I owe that young man a lot, please .. let me come!”

Tox Tenebris was about to bow down and plead, but Iitla immediately stopped him and held the bandit leader's right shoulder. “I know your wish .... You are a criminal and deserve to be punished accordingly. But this time we have the same goal, I give you permission for that,” said the Head Warrior with mixed feelings.

“Thank you .... Thank you so much, Sir!”

Seeing the bandit leader say such a thing in earnest, the people who saw him grew even more ignited, not anger but passion. In contrast to them, the wife and son of the bandits standing by the trees looked at their family heads with great anxiety. Isla never saw her husband willing to do such a thing, let alone for someone from the government.

««»»

In the forest of ravaged pine trees, Fiola walked while carrying Odo on his back. Under the exposure of the twilight light that was present, they moved towards the cliff area that was previously torn down by the Demon King.

The scattered pine trees and their roots were uprooted into a thickening along the way, the ground was lifted and scattered into a steep field of footsteps of the black-brown woman. After getting the previous offer from Odo, Fiola said absolutely nothing about it or gave a clear answer.

The Huli Jing preferred to remain a taxa, either agreeing to support Odo or forbidding it in its cause. He lacked the confidence or courage to agree with what Odo Luke wanted to do.

Slightly contemplating the words of the young man she was carrying, Huli Jing asked, “Master, why do you feel so light? Although it looks heavy and has a stocky body, but your weight really does not feel more than 16 kilograms?” The words that came out were not very important and did not reflect at all what Fiola really wanted to know.

Odo was silent for a moment hearing the remark, analyzing and understanding the question deeply. Slightly narrowing his eyes and understanding what Fiola was feeling, the young man in black hair slightly sighed lightly and regulated the turbulent emotions a little chaotic.

“Hmm? I explained it, you know. I lost a lot of weight while inside the Giant Skull .... I told you earlier, the Demon King rose in a fragile state after being sealed for thousands of years. Because of this, the condition is weak and tends to absorb life energy .... The result was that I was also absorbed while inside. It could be said I was lucky to mess it up from the inside and out of that giant body.”

“Hmmm, so apparently ...”

The conversation stopped, Fiola continued walking and really did not ask any more despite knowing some of Odo's words were lies. They were completely silent in a silent atmosphere. Huli Jing the black hair that hid her tail and ears with the transformation magic could not ask, what exactly she wanted to know about the condition of the young man she was carrying.

“I'm glad Ms. Fiola did not ask unimportant and endless things like interrogating me, but if not ask at all I was also confused,” said Odo while adding hugging Fiola who carried him.

It felt so light to the Huli Jing, even though Odo's body was supposed to be heavy and had strong physical abilities. With a slightly sad expression, he said, “What ... Sir want me to ask?”

“No need, let me just tell you ...”

“Hmm ...” Fiola only nodded small.

Slightly silent for a moment and compiling the appropriate words, the young man of black hair said, “Mbak Fiola .., in fact I have lost almost 4/5 of my magic structure earlier.”

“Eh?” Fiola's steps came to a halt, he was completely shocked to hear that and vaguely understood the meaning of Odo's words.

“Because of the loss of that much magic structure from the body, most likely I could not use the magic circle and any external Mana activation was interrupted,” continued Odo.

“What ... means?”

“The bottom line, I most likely lost all the magic abilities I had learned all along .... Well, that doesn't mean I can't use Mana anymore, anyway. Battle Art that tends to use Mana in a simple way can still be used.”

“Be-Means currently Mr Odo can't use magic?”

Odo extended his right hand forward past Fiola's shoulder, then activated the Magic Core and created a magic structure. But when the magic will activate and the magic circle is formed, the existing structure is destroyed and the magic circle in front of his palm is broken. The raw mana came out, with no change in nature or change in form and only a form of vitality drained out without any command in it.

“See ..., its structure response slows down until the structure cannot activate properly.”

“Are you okay like that? Doesn't Mr Odo really like magic? Loss of ability to use it ... instead of ..”.

“I have no problem,” answer lightly Odo. Re-closing his arms to Huli Jing who carried him, Odo said, “Let's learn more and find a magic that suits me. After all, I'm not really able to use magic right now. For example, I can still access the Dimensional Bracelet or just simply improve my physical abilities.”

“But, just right it ...”

“Yes, I'm weakening .... Eat it, I offered it to Fiola. If I were as strong as I was before, I wouldn't offer something like that. Ma'am Fiola knows, I'd rather move alone freely.”

Fiola fell silent, stepped back his legs and did not reply. He understood that the young man was serious about saying that, his master's head was eager to invite him. But even though he already knew this, the doubt in Fiola's mind still existed.

“What ... You okay with such conditions?” ask Fiola worriedly.

“Yes, I think it's fine. But now I think there's one big problem ...”

“Trouble?”

“Because the structure of the body shape builder is also lost, most likely this body shape is what my original form is.”

“Eh? Meaning?” Fiola's steps stopped.

“I mean, I got stuck in this form and couldn't get back to my true form. Forever become a young man with a look about 19 or 20 years this.”

Fiola's mouth was gaping, but he did not understand why it was such a big deal. Slightly breathing heavily, he asked, “Eng ..., what is the problem with that?”

“Hmm,Mbak Fiola doesn't understand? If I go home with this form, what will the reaction of Mom and the people in the Mansion be?”

Fiola was wide-eyed, he just understood and immediately shouted, “Gawat, dong! That's a big deal!!”

“I told you that was ...”

“Uuuh~” Fiola growling.

Amidst the conversation, Odo's internal calculation magic suddenly activates and Perception Speculation gives him some possibilities that will happen to him in the next few minutes. Since the magic is included in the structure arrangement on the Magic Core, it can be activated without any constraints in the Magic Structure Auto Senses.

An internal magic circle appears on Odo's cornea, giving him several images that flash directly into his head. The conclusion was instantly obtained at the same time, making Odo smile a little.

“Ah, it looks like they came .... Though it had gathered courage and came, but instead it was all over it must have been a little strange. Just for them, anyway.”

“Hmm? What are you talking about, Mr Odo?”

“Tak what .... Isn't Fiola able to read my mind? Just read!”

Fiola's eyebrows twitched, fretfully he grumbled, “Begini, yes! Not that I can freely read people's minds at all times. Please don't treat me like a peeping man!”

“Hahah ..” Odo just laughed dryly hearing that.

“So, what's up?”

With a lazy-sounding tone the young man replied, “It looks like there are two people coming at us. Hmm, no. They've been near us like.”

“Who? What are the Perverted Streams?! Those fuckers?!”

Fiola turned around quickly, facing right left and making Odo who was carried by him oscillate. “Mbak Fiola, can you calm down? My head and body still hurt, you know,” complained the young man.

“Ah, sorry ...” Fiola stopped immediately.

“Can you put me down? Near the tree is also no problem ...”

“Eh? He said it still hurts?”

“Tak what. If we keep moving, they can chase us longer. We better wait and talk first.”

Fiola walked towards a fallen log, then lowered Odo on it to let the young man sit down. Facing the young man who was only covered in cloth from below the navel to the knees, Fiola only really knew that the burly body of the young man was very strange. The skin that wraps around the Odo muscle looks stiff, slightly wrinkled looking like the skin of an old man and has black marks on the surface. Obviously it's a body like a sick person.

Trying not to question the matter considering Odo's feelings, the Huli Jing took something else in mind and asked, “What exactly do you mean?”

“Child ... Witch?” Fiola slightly tilted his head in confusion. He knew the Witch who according to rumors lived in the Pondo Forest, but he had never heard of the son of a figure who was even known as the legend.

“Why install such a doubtful face, Sister Fiola?” asked Odo while smiling faintly.

“Witch? The kid? Its existence alone is not proven to exist or not, but you say his son?” ask Fiola hesitatingly.

“Padahat Mbak Fiola himself a creature that has been considered a myth, but instead said so.”

“Ras I exist since long ago, only now live a little in this world ...”

“Yes, let's just say Witch is that kind of thing. Almost extinct creatures of this world.”

“Eeeeh? What a rare animal—Wait! You classify me the same as a rare animal?!”

“Hahah, just realized? Fiol—Ukag!”

Odo suddenly vomited blood, in an amount that was not small and actually made Fiola wide-eyed. The young man's gaze was instantly blurry, his body limp and consciousness as if floating into the air.

“Tu-Master!? You Why?! Is there an internal wound? Need I provide Transfer Where?” The Huli Jing immediately knelt down in front of Odo who was sitting on a log, regardless of his dirty knees touching the young man's blood on the ground.

“No need ...”

Odo immediately wiped the remaining blood around the mouth. His face grew pale, looked limp and his voice sounded so soft. Anxiety really messes with Fiola's mind, but he is confused about what to do because he is not too good at recovery magic or healing.

“You sure all right?”

“Yes .... It's not a problem. Let's just wait here, let them catch up.”

“Don't you do that calculation magic again in excess?”

“I don't use it.”

“Really?!”

“Yes .... Huh, don't scream. My head is dizzy, lower your voice, Sister Fiola.”

Odo sat in a really weak condition, swaying left right and could have collapsed easily in the wind. Holding both sides of the young man's shoulders, Fiola immediately sat down beside him and laid Odo's head on his lap.

“Ah, what is this?” the young man said as he was suddenly laid on a soft thigh, the only barrier between his head and Fiola's skin was a thin cloth of the woman's kimono.

“Sleep first .... If the person you mentioned came, I'll wake up.”

“Eng ..., Sister Fiola why is it so easy to believe my words? Could have been just reasoned.”

“Reviews for what?”

“Pura weak like this so that Mbak Fiola will accept my offer earlier.”

Fiola was stunned, he vaguely felt it in his mind but he tried not to think about it. Hearing clearly that from Odo, he slightly stared flatly at the young man sleeping on his lap. The sound of birds inaudible, the sound of leaves inaudible, even the sound of the wind. There was only silence in the middle of the ravines, the heavy breathing of the young man dominating.

Touching Odo's forehead, Fiola instantly knew that the young man was having a fever. Slightly squinting and staring straight, he said, “Master is feverish also did not say, what will tell me?”

“That's wrong Brother Fiola for not wanting to ask.”

“So this is my fault?”

“Ya ..”.

“Then, I'll ask this .... Why do you want to go so far? If you just want to protect the house, you don't have to do it so far. You ... know that Demon King is coming when we transit, right?”

“Yes, more or less I have predicted it.”

“What ... reason you do all this?”

“Reason, yes ...”

Odo momentarily fell silent, staring back at Fiola with a limp face. He was no longer thinking too much about such things, his head was full of thoughts of what to do to achieve something he aimed.

Breathing a little heavily, the young man replied, “Actually there is no particular reason, it happened just as it should have happened. Living things depend on information, are entangled in information and actually rely on information. When you know something and see something, your attitude and nature will be affected by it. Everyone gets knowledge, then his or her perception will change. That is human nature to learn and understand something.”

Fiola was silent to such an explanation. Slightly tidied up the young man's pony hair and smiled lightly. With a sad face mixed with a grim smile, Huli Jing said, “You've always been like that, answering with clear thoughts. Without a doubt, it coldly and sounds so right in my ears.”

“What So, huh? Honestly I myself often doubt my own words, loh.”

“Hong?”

“I doubt if my thoughts are just fleeting and not the thoughts I expected. As I said earlier, knowledge changes perception.”

“Then why is Mr Odo so thirsty for knowledge? Why do you like it so much in the library — sources of all things that can change Mr Odo's perception?”

Smiling thinly full of confidence on his face, the young man unhesitatingly replied, “Knowledge is Power. Unlike office, property, or dignity, knowledge does not need to be maintained, even knowledge is what keeps us.”

“Ah, again answered logically like that ...”

“What Mbak Fiola hates logical answers?”

“Tak also .... It's just that I've never heard the original answer that came out of Mr. Odo. You ... rely on such things to answer.”

It really made Odo stunned, he didn't expect Fiola to notice him until that. Nodding lightly, the young man said, “Hmm, right too. Come to think of it, I never took an answer from my own heart.”

“Tuh, ‘kan?”

Amidst their small talk, the person they were waiting for could finally be just like what the young man had said. Three moments of existence approached. As he turned his head towards them, the three children standing before them were seen. The ones that came were more aptly called Artificial Life Forms than living beings, looking identical to each other with blonde hair and red eyes. Only hairstyles, clothing and gender distinguish the children of the Witch.

Two boys look like 14-year-olds and one girl whose age is not much different from the other two. Boys wear white shirts with white trousers, while girls wear plain white dresses.

“Sister Odo, En came at the behest of our Mother after she felt the unnatural radiance of demonic power from this area.”

“Sister Odo, Karl came to help. Is there anything we can do?”

“Black Kakanda, Hilya wants to know why this place could be like this? Where's the Devil?”

Hearing the speech of the three children wearing all-white clothes, Odo's eyebrows twitched and he immediately sat down. Staring at those who came in with a little wonder, the young man asked, “How to talk to you ... why? Is it a trend or something?”

“Tren? Karl doesn't know that.”

“Hmm, En also.”

“Ngomog-by the way, why is Black Sister skinny like that? Hilya wants to know ...”

Odo slightly looked away, trying not to pay attention to the way they spoke which seemed to emphasize the name he gave to the Witch children. Sighing slightly, the young man asked, “What did Lileian tell you?”

“Mother says help Black Sister immediately. Forecasts and the flow of destiny churned strangely, that's what he said,” said Hilya representing his two brothers.

Odo slightly turned towards Fiola. Knowing that Huli Jing was staring suspiciously, she knew that Fiola could not trust people with identical twin faces immediately because it reminded her of the Korwa.

“Take it easy, they're not babar witches who like to shout anarchist, really. They tend to be quiet ..., maybe.”

“That's not the case, sir. They ... the magic aura is different. Are they not human? A demi-human? I don't think that's either. They what?”

“Ah, that's toh.” Odo heaved a sigh of relief, then said, “They are indeed not humans.”

“Keep what?”

“Eng, how to explain it, yes. Witch children are born into the world in much the same way as Mom. They Form Artificial Life, Homunculus ..”.

Fiola's mouth momentarily gaped, completely shocked by the fact. Getting up and standing in front of Odo, the Huli Jing was holding both sides of the young man's shoulders and asked, “A-Did they have anything to do with the Great Witch of Aster?!”

“More or less so .... It's a long story, we'll talk about it later. The point is they are not enemies, that info is enough for now, ‘kan?”

After Fiola raised his hand from his shoulder, the young man immediately woke up. Walk through Fiola and head towards Hilya who became the Main Cluster of the entire Witch children numbering six children.

“Be quiet,” said the young man as he touched the girl's forehead with the fingertip. Odo uses his newfound powers from Odrania Dies Orion. Within seconds, all the information Odo wanted to convey went into Hilya's head and spread through the Witch children's network of minds.

It was a synchronization of thoughts, a rapid sharing of information that Odo could use in some individuals by adjusting the frequency of brain signals. Understanding the information the young man had conveyed, Hilya immediately nodded her head in understanding and said, “Alright, Black Sister. Riria and Wulan there will explain it to Mother.”

“Hmm, thank you. Perhaps with that one of the secrets of the world that Witch wants to know will be answered. Well, just think of it as my gratitude to her.”

Fiola was only speechless hearing their chatter, unable to read the contents of the young man's head or understand what they were talking about. With a puzzled face, he stood up and felt like a misplaced outsider as Odo and Hilya conversed with each other.

After some other things with the Witch boys, Odo and Fiola again walked towards the collapsed cliff and Hilya and her two brothers went to go home. Given Witch's explanation of her children it fundamentally has physical abilities that are even stronger than adults, Odo only realized that they came walking more than a dozen meters in a short time.

“Ah, what physical limits do I need to remove, yes?” mind Odo.

Knowing what the young man she was carrying was thinking, Fiola slightly shook her to a reprimand. But Odo did not care, really interested in trying what he was thinking.

“Tuan ..!”

“A, sorry. Kidding, really. I know my physical is not possible.”

“If it's prime?”

“I tried it.”

“You are ...”

After that, on the way they talked about small things and occasionally argued with what the young man was thinking with his crazy ideas.