A Guide to Kingdom Building - Chapter 177

“Too tight and too hot.” That was Orphella complaining to herself regarding the path as she wiped her sweat off her forehead. The explosion that occurred earlier made it difficult for the both of them to continue on treading the path. The narrow path and the radiating heat from coming from the ground made it feel like a furnace. It was cooking them alive. However, they had no other way out other than the small path that cracked against the wall.

The air of awkwardness between them still remained. Adaloun wasn’t talking to him, no that she wanted to hear his explanation…it was way passed that. Too late and too unimportant to care about something that happened out of a misunderstood action she did.

Orphella had been silent the entire time while walking through the small-spaced pathway that she and Adaloun discovered. They believe it was the only way out of the chasm and they also believe that it was the path where their other comrades might have gone out. She was hopeful that it was, although her initial reaction was otherwise different.

She looked around the dark and tight stony pathway filled with earth and debris. Up until now they still didn’t have any idea how the chasm appeared other than it was created by a huge explosion. However, the cause of the said explosion still remained a puzzle for the both of them.

She squinted as the glaring light from Adaloun’s torch hit her eye every now and again. She should’ve taken the lead, but he insisted that it should be him doing it. He was as curious as she was with regards to cracking the mystery behind the big gaping hole that appeared out of nowhere and the footprints they found earlier.

There were three things that came in her mind while trying to figure out how the explosion occurred. It could’ve been some other monster who had sealed its fate against the nest of monsters, or it could either be Ghwynmyr or the other Orkamuu who’ve done such feat even though it was highly unlikely.

The footprints were already gone at this point. The well-furnished stone floor was too hard for them to leave a mark. She just hoped that they were doing fine. The puddle of caked blood was not a good sign, her heart dropped the moment she saw it. She knew that one of them was seriously injured and was losing a lot of blood in the process.

Adaloun suddenly stopped and gestured her to do so as well. “Do you smell that?” He said as he turned around to her. “It smelled like rotten flesh.” He added.

Orphella closed her eyes and sniffed the air, there was nothing. She couldn’t smell anyhing he was describing. There was not a hint of rotten flesh in the air. She looked at him and shook her head.

“You can’t smell it?” He asked again. He closed his eyes and approached her, sniffing the air where she was standing. “It’s there. I can smell it right here!” He raised his eyebrows.

She reflexively pushed him away. He was getting too close for her it was making her blush. Adaloun tumbled down the stony floor. His eyes wide and his look said it all, he was baffled.

“W-what’s going on?” He said as he slowly stood up. “Is there anything…Was I too—”

“I’m sorry,” She signed while hiding her flushed face. “I… didn’t mean to do that. You were just too close.”

“Too close?” He blushed. “Well, I do apologize. That wasn’t my intention to invade your space…it’s just that scent is too strong. Can’t you not really smell it?” He asked again with a skeptical tone.

“No, I can’t!” She answered. “Again, I apologize.”

Adaloun looked at him straight in the eyes, “No, I should be the one apologizing.” He cleared his throat. “Can we…ummm…rest here for the time being?” He averted his gaze and sat comfortably away from her.

He didn’t give a chance for her to answer, but she simply sat down on her own a few footlings away from him. She took out her bow and placed it on to her side while resting her back against the warm stone wall.

“That was a bit awkward, don’t you think?” Papillon the bow said teasingly. “I mean, it’s not like he would kiss…”

“Ugh! Shut up!” Orphella glared at the bow. “I have no time for this, Papillon!” She shouted in her mind.

“Come on, sister. You don’t have to be THAT defensive…geez.” Her bow answered back sighing.

Orphella sat silently beside her bow and as the moment went by, she felt like the bow was pouting at her. She tried to dismiss the notion. First of all, it was a bow. Secondly, although it could speak, it was likely impossible for it to have some sort of gesture or feelings, she thought.

“I heard that!” Papillon said. “I have feelings too, you know!”

“Get out from my mind!” Orphella protested.

“Oh no, I can’t we are mentally linked now, remember. What you feel and think, I can feel and hear them too.” The bow responded

“Is there any possible way for you NOT to do that?” Orphella asked. She was obviously annoyed at how nosy her weapon was and let out an exasperating sigh.

“Well, sorry, sister but I CAN’T.” The bow replied. “That’s how I was made. When you took me from Lady Oyue, your soul immediately bound with me. You know the implications of that, right?”

Orphella didn’t answer. She knew what the bow meant and that means, there’s nothing she can do to change it.

“Orphella…Hey, Orphella.” Adaloun called her out. “Are you alright? You kept staring at your bow. Is there something wrong?” He asked.

His eyes showed both worry and concern for what she did. It wasn’t normal to stare blankly at some weapon for a longtime. She shook her head and stood up.

“I am alright,” She signed. “We must not waste our time idling like this.”

Adaloun nodded. “Sure, I agree. But are you sure you’re alright? The stench was getting stronger. Are you sure you’re not able to smell that?” He sniffed the air once again.

She shook her head, “I couldn’t smelled what you are smelling. Are you sure, you’re alright?” She flung the question right back at him.

Adaloun was silent for a moment, “Yes.” He sighed. “You know what, don’t mind me. I must be just smelling things. Isn’t it weird?”  He smiled awkwardly at her.

She shook her head silently. She was worried about him but tried to mask it with a stoic look. “You might just be tired. Let’s get to the end of this path and rest there…if we can.” She signed.

“Agree.” Adaloun answered and stood up.

They continued their way into the deep recesses of the path. As they went deeper and deeper the narrow pathway began to widen. Along the way, she noticed how Adaloun became uneasy and suspicious of everything. He sniffed the air along the way and gag several times while doing it.

She tried asking him about it but he just simply replied with, “I’m just tired.”

“Wait here.” She said to Adaloun as she picked up her bow.

She was now convinced that something was up in the air and that only he could smell it, but she’s not sure. After settling him down on a boulder sticking out at the side of the wall, she continued moving forward. Her plan was to scout the area for anyone, either living or dead then get back to him and show him the way.

Orphella was walking a few footlings away from Adaloun when suddenly a thick fog came gushing out of nowhere. She wasn’t able to see Adaloun who was only a distance reach away from her. She tried reaching out for him, but he was suddenly gone.  Then, suddenly a putrid scent filled the air. The smell of rotten flesh.

It was the scent that Adaloun had complained about a few moments ago, the scent she thought was just a product of his imagination. Her vision became blurry afterwards. She began to hear whispers, voices from people she knew, people that were already dead.

They spoke to her like buzzing flies assaulting her ears, it made her felt nauseated. She fell on her knees and began to shiver violently. She knew there was something wrong with the air, with presence of the thick fog. She could feel her stomach turning inside out. The pain was getting out of control but then, as quickly as the symptoms appeared, it suddenly went away in a blink of an eye.

Confused, she stood up and began to compose herself as if nothing had happened. She began to walk around in search for Adaloun, worried that he might have been afflicted by the symptoms as well. But he was no where to be seen. No one was around her until she suddenly heard a growling voice calling her.

———————

JULY PROMOTION!!!Please read AUX Chapter if you want to join!