"Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you if you're busy," Ajax worriedly said after hearing Shina's immediate reply, although a bit grateful that the girl was willing to help.
The girl nodded energetically. "Of course! I've been dying to have a conversation with someone my age. I won't let this chance given by the gods go to waste," her loud voice attracting unnecessary attention.
"Hey, keep quiet."
"Hey? I have a name and it's Shina, fyi," her voice annoyed, but the cheerfulness from earlier still evident.
"Okay then, Miss Shina, will you please lower down your voice?"
"My voice is not loud, though?" she looked at him with a pretentious confused look.
Ajax looked at her confusedly as well, not noticing the pretentious look she gave him. Am I overreacting? He thought, feeling guilty and ashamed of treating the only person that wants to help him rudely. Seeing her still confused look, he wondered if he really was overreacting. "I apologize, it seems I overreacted."
Upon seeing his reaction, Shina's fake confused look vanishes, replaced by an amused one. She giggled again, shaking her head. "It's alright, nothing to worry about. But you know, Ajax…? You are really clueless."
Ajax was surprised by the sudden insult and made an offended look. But before he could retaliate, he was interrupted once more by the playful girl.
"Come, follow me. I'll lead you to the Gate." She smiled at him, her smile bright and genuine, one that removed Ajax' initial annoyance he felt to her.
Shina's steps were soft and quiet, humming a tune as she continued leading the way with the clueless boy following her. "What's your class rank?" The girl asked, humming while waiting for an answer.
"Class rank? Low IV. What about yours?" Ajax answered, now curious of the class rank of the energetic lady.
"My class rank? Low III, higher than yours by one number. Aren't I strong?" She says playfully and confidently, facing the clueless boy then flexing her left arm in front of him.
Her playful gesture made Ajax smile, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, you are strong." He replied, keeping up with the playfulness of the thin girl in front of him.
"Right? I guess you have to treat me with respect now. I won't allow any disrespect to me, and I shall only be called 'Lady Shina,' understood?" The girl continued to be playful.
"Understood, Lady Shina," said Ajax sarcastically. feeling the piercing gaze of the girl.
Shina nodded her head happily, appreciating the clueless boy's answer, then faced the other direction, walking again while occasionally looking behind her, making sure the boy behind followed her.
"I forgot to ask earlier. Why are you interested in the incident?" Shina asked, humming a happy tune.
"Why, you ask?" He pondered, thinking of what to say. "I want to know who gave them the fake order," he answered, waiting for the girl's reply.
"Isn't it more convenient if you have just search on the internet instead of going over here? You really are a clueless guy, aren't you?"
The girl's words struck Ajax to where it hurts. He doesn't want to admit it, but what she said made a lot of sense, realizing that he wouldn't have to go all the way here just to acquire knowledge that would have taken him only a few minutes if he just used the internet. Feeling dumb, he groaned.
"What's wrong?" The girl asked, her voice still playful with a hint of worry. "You don't look alright."
"I'm fine, lady Shina. I just realized something that may have been useful earlier," said Ajax, running his hand through his hair, feeling more and more dumb with every seconds that passed.
"What about you, lady Shina? Why are you interested?" asked Ajax, wanting to forget about him not using the internet, even for just a while, he wanted to escape from the hurtful truth that he is dumb.
Shina hummed, thinking of an answer. "I have no reason. I can't think of a proper one." She replied, stopping completely before looking at him.
Shina stopping suddenly and looking at him made him feel awkward. He scratched the back of his head, waiting for her to speak first.
"I'm hungry."
Ajax looked at the girl in front of him, wondering if the girl was joking or not. But the more he stared, the more certain he felt that the girl in front of him wasn't joking and was dead serious.
"You're hungry? For real?" asked Ajax, wondering if the girl who offered to help him is taking advantage of him.
"For real!" Shina replied. "I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. I might die."
***
After the reveal Shina's hunger, Ajax remembered about the untouch burger from earlier that he stored in his bag. He took his bag off and found the container, handing it to Shina. Shina, at first, was confused, but upon smelling the food in the container, she gladly accepted the free food offered to her. The two sat next to each other on a bench. The boy looked forward, head lowered with his face hidden in his palms, while the girl continued to eat the burger slowly, clearly enjoying the taste and happy of the free food she got.
What's wrong with this girl? She's been eating the same burger for ten minutes now, and yet only half of it is eaten. How much longer do you want me to wait?
He stared at the eating girl next to him, wondering if he made a correct choice asking for the girl's help.
"Sorry to say this but, can you please hurry up? Actually, no! I don't feel sorry at all! Please, just hurry up already!" he whined, feeling more and more annoyed with the girl.
The girl looked at him, glaring at him, not appreciating the rudeness the clueless boy showed.
"Hmph! That's bad manners, you know? You shouldn't rush a lady, but I'll let it slide this once."
In two minutes, the girl finished the burger and stood up. "Alright, follow me to the Gate!"
The sight of Shina finishing her meal and standing reignited the flame within Ajax. He felt alive again, emotions that he thought he had lost came back, he felt happy and relieved of the girl's decision to continue to the Gate.
"What are you doing?" The girl looked behind, noticing the boy not moving. "Stop standing there and follow me. I also wanna go to the Gate."
The audacity of the girl to say that she also wanted to go to the Gate after wasting most of his precious time irritated Ajax even further, but taking a deep breath calmed him down. Clenching his hand tightly, he followed Shina from behind, happy and annoyed at the same time.
"Waaah, I can feel someone glare at me." Shina said playfully.
"You noticed?" Ajax asked, curious how the playful girl knew.
"Mhm. Your breathing was uneven, and your steps were heavier than before. It wasn't hard to realize your anger. And about the glare, I guessed. I didn't expect you to be actually glaring." Shina said, giggling again and looking behind her.
"Really? It's still amazing how you noticed I was angry with just that." Ajax complimented her skill, amazed at her extraordinary skill.
Shina grinned, flattered by the sudden compliment given to her by the same person who glared at her.
"How long before we arrive at the Gate?"
"Almost there."
"How close is 'almost there?'"
Shina ignored the question, still walking with Ajax behind him.
Shina stopped in front of a metal wall, and glanced at him.
"We're here!" she smiled brightly.
The guards guarding the area blocked them off. His tall figure and large body tells that he isn't someone to be messed with.
"Leave. We don't have time to play with kids here." The tall man said, his voice deep and calm, unlike the voice of the white haired man he met earlier.
Shina pulled out a card from her pocket and handed it to the guard. It was her academy ID. The ID was carefully inspected by the guard and returned after not seeing anything wrong with the ID.
Ajax showed his ID, too, but the guard didn't bother to check it. The guard opened a large door next to the metal wall, giving the two permission to enter.
"What? Why are we allowed in?" Ajax showed signs of confusion, trying to figure out why they were given the permission. Yes, they are students from the academy, but their authority isn't enough for them to enter and leave the Gate as they pleased.
Shina looked at him with a pitiful look. "You're really clueless, aren't you? We're here to see the Gate, not to enter it. First year students don't have the acess to enter the Gate, but they can see it to prepare themselves for the future."
"The metal wall earlier, remember that? That was the main entrance to the Gate. The door we entered is a viewing room to see the Gate." Shina added, still giving him a pitiful look.
"How do you even know all this?" Ajax asked. There seems to be more to Shina than what meets the eye.
"I have visited this place daily ever since getting the academy ID." Shina said confidently.
"Also, the internet." Shina added.
I hoped… for a different answer, but I guess that's life for you. Ajax sighed, feeling a bit disappointed.
"What's wrong?" Shina asked, slightly worried.
"Nothing. Lead the way. I'll follow."
"Hm? Sure?" her voice sounded confused but did what Ajax said.
Shina led the way with Ajax following her from behind. The two continued, walking through the hallway, with every step forward a torch lit up, lighting the path for the two of them, while the torch behind them died down. Ajax looked behind and felt scared, he felt like the darkness was trying to catch him slowly, swallowing the light as it moved to get ahold of him.
Fortunately, before his imagination could get worse, the two of them reached the end of the hallway, revealing a two meter tall door. Shina held the door knob, twisting it clockwise and pushing it gently. Behind the door, was a room decorated for viewing purposes. It's bland, and a huge glass wall. The two of them weren't the only people in the room. There are also students from the academy, mostly the second and third year students, known raiders and raiders from the government and the kingdom.
Ajax looked at the window, seeing what the actual Gate is like. It's… a literal Gate. A huge one. If he were to guess, the Gate was at least 30 to 40m² big. Inside the gate, there is nothing, only a distorted space and time connecting the two worlds together.
Ajax looked carefully at the Gate, taking every piece of detail to mind, but his attention was broken when he noticed five figures emerging from the Gate.
Everyone else in the room, including Shina and Ajax, looked intensely at the emerging figures from the distorted space and time inside the Gate.
A few seconds later, all figures were out. Four raiders, with the strongest one wearing a mask and a greatsword resting on his shoulder. And as for the fifth member…
There isn't a fifth member, only a little girl, not even at the age of a 10 years old girl. Her body is pale and thin as a stick. On her head, is a soldier's helmet.