Reincarnated as an Energy with a System

Chapter 1978: Safety First

”Big sister?” Ning asked in surprise. ”You know her?”

”She... she is my cousin,” Minhya said. ”Are you saying she’s dead?”

Her expression changed at once, and for the first time since Ning met her, the fear was replaced by something closer to surprise.

”She was my cousin,” Minhya said after a short pause. ”I remember her from a long time ago, before everyone started scattering and hiding. She was older than me, but not by so much that I didn’t know her.”

Ning was a little surprised by that.

Minhya looked away as old memories surfaced. ”She used to visit sometimes. I remember that she hated being watched all the time, even back then, and everyone always acted like that was somehow improper for someone from the Royal Family.”

Ning remained quiet until she looked back at him.

”Were you aware of what happened to her?”

Minhya shook her head slowly. ”No. I knew she escaped, and after that, I heard nothing. I thought that meant she had made it somewhere safe.”

Ning’s expression softened slightly.

”She did escape,” he said. ”For a while. She left Faedria and built a life somewhere else. We got married and had a child.”

Minhya’s face changed again.

To a High-Elf, a child was a miracle. It wasn’t something one could take lightly.

Then Ning continued.

”Leamor found her, and once he found out that she was with my child, he killed her.”

Minhya looked down.

Her shoulders sank slowly, and she pressed her lips together as though she were trying to stop herself from reacting too strongly. Ning did not say anything while she processed it.

After a while, she finally spoke again.

”I suppose I should have expected something like that.”

Ning frowned slightly.

Minhya gave a hollow laugh that had no amusement in it. ”Another cousin of mine did something similar. Not exactly the same, but close enough.”

Ning waited.

”She was found before they could force her into a marriage,” Minhya continued. ”They cornered her, and she understood what they wanted. Before they could take her, she killed herself.”

Ning’s expression hardened.

Minhya kept her eyes on the floor.

”She would rather die than let them use her,” she said quietly. ”At the time, I thought she was a fool. I knew things were bad, but it certainly didn’t seem so bad that she had to die. It was only after they found out about me that I realized things weren’t so simple.”

She looked back at Ning.

”I don’t think she was a fool anymore.”

Ning nodded.

”When were you first pursued?”

Minhya thought for a moment. ”It was around late summer last year. A group of people came to me with an offer to marry someone.”

”One of the three candidates?” Ning asked.

”No, someone else. Though he was a minor candidate. He found me and wanted to use me as a stepping stone. Someone was with me at the time, and he helped me run away. From what I’ve heard, he was killed for that. The news must’ve spread from there, and more people kept coming to find me. Thankfully, I’ve always managed to stay a step ahead of them all. Right until today, when they nearly caught up to me.”

Ning tapped his foot a couple of times as he thought.

That was enough for him to understand that Leamor was only one part of a much larger problem.

The other candidates might not have murdered Alya personally, but if they were all searching for surviving women from the previous Royal Family, then there was a pattern here that went beyond a single man’s ambition.

He had understood it already before, but now he understood it on a more direct level after talking to the young girl before him.

Something had to be done.

”I’m going to have to look much deeper into all of them.”

Minhya studied him cautiously. ”Why?”

”Because I thought Leamor was the main problem,” Ning said. ”Now I’m not so sure.”

He stood and looked toward the surrounding area.

”For now, though, getting you out of Faedria matters more.”

Minhya tensed slightly.

”Where are you taking me?”

”Somewhere no one here can reach you.”

Before she could ask anything else, Ning placed a hand lightly on her shoulder.

The world changed.

One moment, they were surrounded by the forests of southern Faedria, and the next, they stood on the remote island where Jun’Tal had been training.

Minhya stumbled slightly from the sudden shift and immediately looked around in alarm.

Ning removed his hand.

”Relax. This place is safe.”

She stared at the unfamiliar buildings near the center of the island.

”What is this place?”

”A training base,” Ning answered.

”For who?” she asked.

”A troubled youth with dangerous powers,” Ning said. ”Though, you don’t have to worry about that. I believe he isn’t here at the moment.”

That answer only made her more confused. She looked around, trying to fully understand what had happened.

Ning glanced around and confirmed what he had already expected. Jun’Tal had returned home after his training for the day, while Emma had gone off to roam through the other regions of this land.

”No one else is here right now,” Ning said. ”You can rest without worrying about anyone bothering you. Once you wake up, we can talk.”

Minhya still looked uneasy, but exhaustion had begun to overpower her caution.

Ning brought her inside, gave her food, water, and a room where she could sleep, then left her alone once she had settled in. He did not question her further that night.

She had already survived enough for one day.

By the time Minhya woke the next morning, sunlight was spilling across the room, and the island outside had become quiet and bright.

When she stepped out, she didn’t find Ning, but instead found a young woman sitting by a table.

”You’re awake,” she said, gesturing for Minhya to sit with her.

”Who... are you?” Minhya asked.

”My name is Emma. My father brought you over yesterday, right?” she asked. ”You can sit here for a while. He should be returning any time soon.”