Adopted Soldier

Rika was on a bed faking her unconscious state. When she lost consciousness after losing to Lyner, it took her only a few seconds to wake up. Though her consciousness was wide awake her body wasn't. The battle with Lyner was more taxing than she ever anticipated, without being able to move a muscle, she heard what Lyner requested his wife to do.

'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 he continued to smile. 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 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 most 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, since 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 are you acting like 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.