Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 183 - Could Have Been

Medrauta stared at the doorway that had been left ajar for what seemed like hours prior.

Leaving the door open had been very unlike her mother. Stranger yet was the fact that she'd left without saying farewell or giving Medrauta a kiss on the forehead. Despite Morgana's frequent absences from the house, she had always made sure to spoil her daughter whenever possible.

That was why the silver-haired child had been left so confused by her mother's sudden departure that she could do nothing but stare at the half-open door vacuously, as if she had been possessed by a spirit. In fact, that might even be the case.

Though she could see and hear clearly, Medrauta felt as though her body was not under her control. Her mind was hazy, almost as if the world itself was a dream.

Her stomach growled, and a pang of hunger shot through her stomach, grounding her to the world once more. For a moment, it felt as though she might have drifted away to some far off place, where a too-familiar blonde-haired girl was crying out her name in vain. Not that she knew any blonde-haired girls.

She shook her head, breaking free from her semi-catatonic state at last. Now that she was moving around again, she found the last few hours actually rather strange. In fact, she couldn't even tell if it had only been a few minutes or actual hours. But then again, there was no point in dwelling upon it.

The gnawing void of her stomach called, and she would have to satisfy its demands before doing anything else.

Medrauta made her way to the kitchen almost robotically, her limbs moving without her conscious command. She reached into one of the cupboards, grabbing the jar of cookies waiting for her. Slowly and methodically, she consumed one of them.

With her stomach sated at last, Medrauta swept her gaze around the empty house. It was silent as expected, but so too was the town outside. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, dyeing the sky in a multitude of colors that were predominantly orange, but there should have been at least some commotion despite the hour. To have none was simply out of the ordinary.

Medrauta made her way to the door and stepped outside somewhat experimentally. The wind whispered silently in her ears as she looked around. Everything seemed normal aside from the lack of people, but the buildings around her home were lit, and if she strained her ears, she could hear her neighbors conversing over dinner. As usual, everything was normal.

...What am I even doing outside? She thought, a frown creasing her brow. The sun had somehow managed to fall even lower below the horizon now, the moon quickly rising to take its place as the cloak of night draped itself over the sky. Medrauta stared up at the moon, its silver light jogging her memory.

That's right. I'm supposed to be looking for mama. Medrauta nodded to herself, affirming her own motivation before beginning to stride purposefully down the street. Truthfully, she had no idea where she was going, nor did she know where her mother had gone, but for some reason, she knew she was heading the right way. The only way, in fact.

Even if Medrauta wanted to, there was simply no way she could deviate from her current course, her body refusing to listen to her commands as it steadily marched down the moonlit streets. She walked slowly at first, gradually gaining speed before she began to run without conscious volition. Her swift legs, small as they were, managed to carry her far out of the city's bounds, moving faster than what a normal child of her age should've been capable of. For some odd reason, Medrauta could sense her mother's approximate location. She always could.

That was why she never worried even when Morgana left for extended periods of time, but this time, Medrauta felt a strange urge to find her mother as quickly as possible. She could not explain this feeling, but she understood it was something she must do. Something only she could do.