Brutal Journey Of An Unfortunate Female Heroine 20 New Dawn

"W-why are you crying?!" Lydis was very confused. Her memory hadn't been that sad to listen to, right?

"M-miss…" Valeri covered her mouth with her hand.

"What do you mean?" Valeri took out a small pocket from the packet on her leg. Inside she pulled out a small blue crystal. Dangling from a worn out braided string the blue crystal didn't look all to special.

"This- this is yours." Valeri walked over and placed the small bracelet in Lydis's hands. She hung her head and stood there, clasping Lydis's hands in hers.

"Like I said, what's going on?" Lydis wasn't too sure what Valeri was doing but it was weirding her out and the blue crystal. She felt like she'd seen it before.

"Pardon me but I'm just too happy for words right now!" Valeri raised her head and her face was glowing. Her sincere smile was mixed with both relief, happiness, and pain. "Hold on. Let me collect myself." Lydis didn't say anything but just looked strangely at Valeri. Valeri released Lydis's hands and took some deep breaths. She shook slightly as she tried to calm down.

"When we lost the archduke and the mistress… I-I thought your fate had already been set but always, I always knew that you couldn't have died then, seeing you now, I know all these years of wishful thinking were not for naught." Valeri embraced Lydis in a tight hug, her body trembling with each breath.

"W-who are you?" Lydis tried to slip out from Valeri's grip but she found that she couldn't budge.

"Ah- I forgot." Valeri let go and stepped back. Placing her right hand over her heart she kneeled in front of Lydis. "I have returned miss Lydis." Lydis continued to stare at Valeri as she removed her eyepatch. Her hidden left eye revealed to be a faded grey that looked like fog. "It's me miss, Piti." Valeri smiled and embraced Lydis in another tight hug.

"Wh-"

"Only you and I know that I'm blind in my left eye. On the day you were born the Archduke almost dropped you, ha ha… I still remember how the mistress attacked him the next day, so energetic that it was hard to believe she had just given birth." Valeri's chuckle faded and tears flowed again. "I'm so glad you're alive." Valeri hugged Lydis again and this time Lydis didn't reject it. In her mind she could recall how her mother often told this story to her. She also recalled Piti's left eye and how it got blinded when she shielded Lydis during an attempted kidnapping.

"Piti…" Lydis hugged Valeri back, tears flowing from her eyes. "To think you hadn't died during that attack… I…" Valeri placed her hand on Lydis head and patted gently.

"If Roland hadn't saved me I would've died. I was cleaning up dinner when they crashed through the windows. At the same time Roland was pa.s.sing by and repelled them. I tried to go warn the you and the mistress but Roland locked me in one of the hidden side corridors. I yelled and banged on the door but, he had made up his mind. So stubborn." Valeri's eyes dimmed and her soft smile dropped a little. "And do you want to know the worst thing about that? As he stood there on the other side of the wall, blocking and securing the door, he told me about our first encounter. He said he fell in love at first sight with me. Then he went on about how much he loved me and wished for me to live…" Tears fell off Valeri's cheeks. She brought her hand up and wiped off the side of her face. "What a fool. He should've at least mentioned something before the attack. Even now, when it's just me alone, I think about how things could've gone if Umphia didn't attack. Would I have married him and had kids of my own? Did I actually have feelings for him too? Would you've had a sister or brother? Questions that will never be answered always lingered in my mind…" Valeri was silent for a moment before turning to face Lydis again. "But, all those questions of the past have now been replaced by questions for the future. All because of you miss Lydis." Valeri hugged Lydis again and they stayed like that for a moment before Lydis squirmed out of Valeri's hug.

"What I don't understand is why your name changed. From Pistilla Fawn to Valeri Fawn? Isn't your name Pistilla?" Valeri shook her head.

"When the archduke and mistress died, I couldn't bear to hear people call me Pistilla anymore since it hurt too much to hear it. I changed my name to my grandmother's name. I'd always loved her name so now I'm Valeri Fawn. Have been for over thirty years too."

"Although you'll always be Piti to me." Lydis hugged Valeri and quickly let go. She reached down and continued to open the silver bundle of food and eat it, this time she ate slowly, savoring each bite properly.

"Miss, there are some things that have changed drastically. Firstly, the age to enter the military academies have been adjusted from twelve to ten. The higher ups seem to think that these two years of difference will make stronger soldiers. Since we're in war with Seruin the need for soldiers is incredibly high and valued. A good soldier brings good merits, or so they say. By law anyone at ten years old must enter a military academy. It's harsh but true." Lydis took a moment and closed her eyes, thinking about her next move. To enter a military academy and rise in the ranks or try to live a slow life somewhere far away. If she went to the military her ident.i.ty could be exposed and that would just bring harsher attention. Living off somewhere alone would just be too boring. Having thought for a minuet Lydis opened her eyes.

"I've decided. I'm going to the military." Valeri's legs almost buckled when she heard this.

"But miss! If you go into the military I won't be able to help you. What if, what i-" She was cut short by Lydis grabbing her face with her small hands.

"Do you think that the current me wouldn't be able to take a few children on?" Valeri remembered Lydis fighting against the alpha wolf and how she had tried to sneak attack her.

"B-but still…"

"And don't worry. If you want to help me being my cover and alias would certainly help explain my existence to the higher ups." Valeri thought about a bit more before turning to look Lydis.

"Fine, but! We'll say you're eight since you look it and in the next two years I'll be training you on body enhancing and teaching you in more detail about how the world has changed."

"Thanks Piti." Valeri's face flushed at having been called such a cute name despite her old appearance.

"Never call me that when others are around." Although she looked mad a soft glow of reminiscence pa.s.sed through her eyes as she looked at Lydis lovingly. "Once again, I'm glad you're safe miss Lydis."

*nn* Lydis had already gone back to eating the delicious wrap but Valeri was already thinking about a backstory, evidence and some sort of plan to get Lydis into the military without any problems. Valeri stood up and left the tent, leaving Lydis to raid their food rations. Minuets pa.s.sed and Valeri returned with a stern looking woman. Despite her strong features she didn't look much older than in her early twenties.

"Lydis, this is Blair. She has been my right hand for many years. Although people say she's a genius and prodigy and that she shouldn't be here in my scouting squad she is very loyal. Though I still don't know why she's stubbornly stuck by me all these years." Valeri huffed and placed her hands on her hips. "You won't believe how many complaints I keep getting about how I'm forcing her to be here and not allowing her to leave! By all means she can if she wanted to." Although Lydis knew that it was just a little act and joke Blair seemed to take it seriously.

"I-I apologize for the inconvenience! I'll go resign myself right now and never appear before you again!" Her stiff face softened a bit, looking a bit hurt before sharply turning around.

"W-wait Blair! I was just kidding. No need to act so rash." Valeri went over to comfort her.

"So I'm not a bother?"

"You're not."

"Can I keep staying here?"

"Sure."

"Are you really not annoyed by my presence?"

"No."

"What if I caused a problem, will you still keep me?"

"Yes."

"Can I follow you forever?"

"Ye-wait what?"

"Nothing ma'am! What did you need to tell me?" Valeri sighed and turned around to face Lydis's mocking face, her eyes seemingly saying, 'wow, and you're supposed to be the captain'. Valeri ignored Lydis's gaze and sat down next to Lydis.

"Blair, this is Lydis."

"Yes. The child you brought back from the train wreck."

"I need you to teach her so when she enrolls at the military academies, she'll be ready."

"I don't quite understand. Why would you have me teach her and not Rein or Pali? They're experts on training children. It used to be their job for a while."

"I know but she's… special. Special like you. I feel that you're the only one who can teach her properly." Blair seemed hesitant but Valeri tried to push one more time.

"You're the only one I can trust to do a good job. The only, one." Hearing how much Valeri needed her Blair blushed a little and stiffened her back and saluted to Valeri.

"Yes ma'am!" Looks like hearing Valeri need and praise her seemed to convince her. Blair happily walked out of the tent. "I'll be preparing her training grounds. In an hour or so we'll begin training." And like that Blair was gone. The moment she left, Valeri sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"That child is too earnest and mischievous at the same time."

"What I don't get is why she's so attached to you."

"That, I'm not to sure of myself." Valeri sighed again and picked up one of the many silver bundles Lydis had taken out and had laid on top of the crate. She opened it and took a bite, unsure of the future that had drastically changed with the appearance of Lydis.