Adopted Soldier

It has been a month since Rika stayed in Anita's home. In the time she stayed with the gracious doctor, Rika was able to become friends with Anita. Once Rika was able to move again, the first thing she did, was to take a look around town. As she was walking in the streets of the capital she was expecting to see, serious faces, hateful gazes, or faces filled with fear about the future. Yet the sight she saw was different from what she thought she would see. The people of Berdonia were smiling, they were living their lives as if the war wasn't happening. The students walk side by side to school. The businessmen talking through their phones, as if the world would end if they weren't able to make the meeting. The street carts selling their food without a care in the world.

She knew that the Capital of Berdonia was currently the safest and most secure place in the whole country of Berdonia. Yet even with that knowledge they shouldn't be this chipper, should they? Rika was unsure if the sight she was looking at was real or not. Yet here it was in front of her eyes, and still she couldn't believe it.

Rika was also sure that the people of Berdonia would hate her for killing their hero, yet after a brief interaction with some people on the streets and looking at some articles through the internet, she found out that not only did the people not hate her, they were sympathetic to her plight.

It would seem the idea of her being used like a weapon by her own country was being told by one of Lyner's students, Kei Kaido. Still even with the support of such a person, there were still some people that truly hated Rika. They hated her not because she killed Lyner, but because she was a citizen of the Granado Empire. To these people everyone from the Empire was to be hated. These people full of hate were the ones who lost their homes and families.

Rika wasn't really bothered by that, since that was the reaction she was expecting in the beginning, but in the end it turns out that they were the minority. The people of Berdonia actually accepted her. They weren't even afraid of how monstrously strong she was. They treated her like any other normal person.

'Where these the monsters, that I was taught to hate? Where these truly the evil slaves that disrupted the Empire? How foolish we all were, and how arrogant we are now.'

Now that Rika was able to see both sides of the coin, she now understood that this whole war was nothing more than a farce. The whole reason for the war was a farce since the beginning, and she was sure that the Emperor knew of the whole truth. Most probably the ten generals knew as well, wait they're now the five generals.

'So in the end not only was I used by those higher-ups, but everyone else was as well.' Rika felt sorry for the people of Berdonia, but she also felt sorry for her own people in the Granado Empire. She wanted to save them, but in the end she couldn't figure out how to do it. Even if she told her people about the manipulation the Emperor was doing, they wouldn't believe her. They would simply brand her as a traitor.

Rika hated this feeling, even though she was gifted with incredible abilities, she was in the end powerless.

...

Aside from learning different things about Berdonia, and becoming best friends with Anita, Rika was also going back and forth to a certain orphanage. A few days after she was able to move again, Rika asked Anita to accompany her to meet the child Lyner saved.

The child like many others in the war, were left parentless. It took Rika a great amount of courage to visit the little girl. Yet the moment she came into contact with the girl, the little girl started to panic and threw everything she could at Rika.

"Monster! Monster! Give me back my Mommy and Daddy! Give them back to me you monster! Why did you eat them?!" The little girl just continued screaming and throwing whatever she could at Rika, who simply stood there receiving everything.

Once the little girl was out of things to throw she cowered into the corner of the room, and started crying. Seeing this, Rika no longer stayed and went out of the room.

"It's alright Rika, you just need to give her some time. Once she calms down, you'll be able to apologize." Anita tried to comfort Rika, as they left the orphanage.

....

After that incident with the little girl, Rika would come back to the orphanage and visit everyday. After a while she was able to find out the name and age of the little girl. She was called Hina, and she was currently six years old. Every time Rika visited Hina, the little girl would react in the same way of crying and screaming, but then a few days ago, Hina actually started a conversation with Rika.

"Lady monster, why did you eat my mommy and daddy?" When Rika heard Hina's question she felt her heart ache. She couldn't help but swallow her saliva as she tried to answer. She opened her mouth but no words would come out. Rika didn't know what to say and simply left without saying anything.

...

A few days later Rika returned to the orphanage this time there was something different about her. She once again sat down with Hina, but this time the little girl didn't start talking to her, so instead she initiated the conversation.

"Hina I didn't eat your parents." Rika said firmly to Hina, who looked at her with confusion which then turned into hope.

"Then can you bring mommy and daddy back?" Hina's voice carried a trace of excitement as she said this. Rika clenched her fist and steeled herself once more.

"I cannot bring them back..." When Rika said those words, the light in Hina's eyes slowly dimmed.

"Why? Why can't you bring them back?... Mommy! Daddy!" Hina then started to cry louder than before. Rika hugged the little girl and patted her back. As her crying became softer, Rika spoke to Hina.

"Hina I can't bring your parents back, and the only thing I could do is stay by your side. If you would allow me, from her on out I will stay by your side until the very end. I'm not here to replace your parents... I'm not here to save you because of sympathy. I'm here simply to make amends and fulfill my selfish desires. I understand your loneliness since I too have felt the same loneliness. So please allow me to make you feel a little less lonely."

Hina who listened to everything Rika said, couldn't understand most of what was said, but she was able to feel Rika's sincerity. She also understood that she wanted to be there for her. Hina then looked at Rika who also had tears in her eyes. The little girl seeing the tears falling on Rika's face wiped them off. Rika smiled at Hina's actions.

"I hope to have a new start to my life, and I hope you start it with me.." This was Rika's wish, one that wasn't forced onto her, but something she thought for herself.