Adopted Soldier

’He actually said that they should give me a second chance, and that I’m like him . . . Even though I was there enemy, even though I was the cause of his death . It would seem that even in the end he never resented me . . . Why?’

Rika was confused as to why she was shown mercy, since that was the first time an enemy showed her any mercy . Actually most of the time the enemies she fought would only look at her in fear or anger . Lyner on the other hand simply smiled at her joyfully, even in the end when he was dying . Well to be fair Lyner was the very first opponent that was an actual threat to her . Not only was he a threat that could match her, but the longer the fight went on the stronger he got . He was in the end the de facto winner of that battle, but he was the one who died .

Rika couldn’t forget that smiling face of his as he fought . Why was he smiling? What kind of person could smile so joyfully in front of an enemy . Rika felt it that that person with that vicious smile of his was different from her . They were both SS rank, they were both people that went beyond what it means to be a normal human, but he was different .

He was different from her, he was not bound by anything . It felt like he was more free than anyone else . The way he fought told Rika a lot about him . He felt like those clouds in the sky, unhindered and free . While Rika was thinking about Lyner she heard the sound of the door opening . She continued to close her eyes and pretended to be asleep .

The person who entered was none other than Anita Resteti the wife of the man she killed . Rika found her confusing as well . Even though she didn’t need to do it, Anita stayed true to her word and saved her from her wounds . It was Anita who nursed her back to health as Rika wasn’t able to move at the moment .

It was a surreal thing that the wife of the enemy you killed, was the one who worried about you the most . It has been a week and it would seem that the Granado Empire has given up on her . Her own country hasn’t bothered to do anything to save her, as she already served her purpose . On the other hand, the wife of her enemy was more caring .

"Oh Rika, still pretending to sleep I see . You do know that closing your eyes doesn’t make you look like your asleep . . . Still not willing to talk to me? It’s been a week now . I thought by now you’re bored with this sleeping act . "

While she was talking Anita started to check on Rika’s body . Even as a woman Anita was a little bit captivated on how beautiful Rika was, no matter how many times she looked . Her looks, her abilities, everything about her makes it seem like she was no longer human . No it felt like she was the next step of what a human was suppose to be .

"No matter how many times I see it, I am always amazed . If it was anyone else, even my husband who is said to be a monster, if he was the one or anyone else who sustained your injuries they would still be in a comatose state and their bodies would still look injured . Yet look at this, you remained conscious even after that fight, not only that your body’s healing itself four times faster than normal . Some of the injuries in your body is already healed and gone . If everybody had a body like yours it would be amazing"

Anita started happily talking to Rika . After saving Rika from her wounds, Anita had continued to talk to her like this . Aside from her parents this was the first time anyone has talked to Rika like a human being . Everyone else would look at her as if she was some higher life form or a monster . So listening to Anita talking to her made her quite happy, and at the same time extremely guilty .

She couldn’t simply talk to Anita since she felt extremely guilty and confused . She was the one who had killed her husband, his blood stains her hands . Yet even with this fact in mind, she was the one who treated her the best aside from her parents . Anita treated Rika not only as human being but as a friend .

She the murderer of Anita’s husband was being treated as a friend .

. . .

After talking for a bit Anita left the room . Once she was alone again, Rika opened her eyes and felt a pain in her chest .

’What should I do? . . . ’

. . .

The following day Anita once again started a conversation with Rika . Anita thought her talk with Rika would end up the same but something different happened today, Rika actually spoke to her .

Rika’s beautiful ruby red eyes looked at Anita .

"Why do you do this? Don’t you hate me? I was the one who killed your beloved husband . I know he told you to save me, but do you need to be so kind?" The pain in Rika’s voice was easily heard and felt . In response to that Anita smiled .

"Why would I hate you? You are the person who granted my husband’s final wish . You might not have understood my husband, but I did . I knew at some point he was going to die, that’s why we treated everyday like it was the last day and had fun . Though the war limited our options of having fun, but we still had fun nonetheless . He even left me someone to be with, so that I won’t be lonely . " Anita caressed her tummy, smiling at her unborn baby .

"So please don’t think I’m doing this because my husband told me so . No, I’m doing this because I’m thankful to you . "

Rika who heard what Anita said was confused, Lyner’s final wish was death? She couldn’t understand why Lyner was like that, nor could she understand Anita’s reasoning .

"Aren’t you going to ask me, to help you in fighting your enemies?" Rika couldn’t help but ask, since that was the only thing anyone has ever asked of her . She was nothing more than a weapon . Anita hearing Rika’s question tilted her head confused .

"Why should I ask someone else to do that?" Rika was even more confused when she heard Anita’s answer .

"Then what do you plan to do with me?"

"I don’t really plan to do anything with you . You may leave anytime you want, you’re free to do what you want . I just hope you tell me when you’re leaving so I can prepare a farewell feast . "

"I . . . I’m free?"

"Of course you are . "

Hearing Anita’s answer made Rika stop talking and suddenly suddenly started to look like she was contemplating something . Seeing her like this made Anita smile, as she silently left the room .