THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 213: 213. AFFECTION?

If they let the Haku River keep carrying them, it would definitely bring them close to the Achi tribe, which was even worse than the Haza. Their only option was to get out of the water farther west, just as it meandered northwest. Sagiri planned to keep walking at the edge of the Haku tribe. Further south of Haku was the Bami, and even though the manchild was from Haku, the Haku were one of the strongest tribes of the north, and they were honourable. Surviving near the Bami for so many years had to show how tough a tribe they were. Where the haku failed in strength, like the bami, their agility made up for it. They also kept mostly to themselves and were honorable in battle, which perhaps was the reason they had survived at the border of Bami.

The two walked slowly, making sure to stay at the edge of the outer villages, which are more deserted. One thing was clear, however. When morning came, and they were still wearing the Galka Academy and the Yalami combat suit, they would be apprehended in minutes. The entire Bami tribes were made up of warriors, and even the elderly living at the edge of villages were still deadly warriors. The Bami tribe is also the richest in the north, followed by Haku, then Lofekeni.

Sagiri was beginning to miss more and more the uninhabited lands. Now they were moving even slower, and he did not know how long it was going to take. The two would need to rest at some point, too. The Haku was indeed rich and sophisticated. What bad fate had befallen the man-child that he had fallen into such a dark path? He was also very good in battle. The Haku, unlike the Bami, were most likely not to scorn him because of his body size and inability to grow. What hell had possessed him to leave such a rich and sophisticated tribe and become a weapon in someone else’s hand? Perhaps there was bound to be a black sheep in every herd.

The two ran at a slow pace at the edge of Haku until they saw a well-lit house that was at the edge of a small village. Even the houses at the edge of the villages still looked well-kept.

They knew what they had to do. By morning, their combat suits could stand out like a sore thumb. What attracted them, however, was not the lighting of the house but the fabric hanging outside. The Haku were known to be good at setting traps for protection, and the two moved slowly as they approached the house. They soon realised why the house was well lit by the union ceremonial coats hanging outside. One white to showcase the woman’s innocence, which she would keep, and the black one of a man to show protection. He would protect her innocence, which was the meaning of the cultural fabric. Young couples loved to wear those around until at least three months had passed. Stealing them could mean a bad omen for the couple, but their young marriage was the least of Sagiri’s concerns.

No one ever stole those, and this couple might be the first in history to lose their union coats. The bad luck from the couple must have followed them because things went south quickly right after they left the Haku tribe. It was almost morning now, and they were standing at the edge of the Haku tribe close to the bami border. The place was busy even that morning. The Haku were business-oriented, too, and so a small town had begun to grow at the edge of the Haku. Sagiri was beginning to feel hungry again. All the roasted meat that they had eaten back at the Haza tribe must have run out of the system again, and he was starting to feel tired.

The coats they were wearing drew attention to them quickly, and Sagiri did not know whether they had picked the worst disguise or the best. Young couples were always treated with high esteem in most clans, and even more so in the Haku. They were expected to have babies and continue their clans and their tribes’ bloodlines. The two smiled politely at the elderly aunties and uncles who were looking at them with approval. Well, Lira smiled at them because Sagiri’s face was still covered with a mask. He just tilted his head to show respect. The smile on Lira’s face was the thing he was most interested in looking at. It was the oddest thing Sagiri had ever seen. It was as if the girl had never smiled in her life before. The smile looked eerie and scary, as if she were haunting the place.

Sagiri was not better when it came to smiling either, but he had never had to show his smile since he was always covered. He, however, knew what a kind smile looked like, and right at the moment, the girl was looking like she had hit her head when she was born. Everything she did was unnatural, but this was by far the most unnatural thing Sagiri had ever seen.

”Your smile is too wide. You are showing too many teeth,” Sagiri said, furrowing his brows. Her smile could be the end for them if she kept it up. Lira turned to him, the smile on her face leaving for a moment before it was back again when an elderly lady smiled at her knowingly.

”What do you mean? Smiling helps calm people and make us look more relaxed,” she said as if it were an order she was required to do.

”That is not the use of a smile,” Sagiri refuted before he stopped and turned around. ”Your smile does not look relaxed in the slightest. Sagiri now stood face to face with the girl. She was short, and he had grown taller in the past few months, so he had to stoop down slightly. Sagiri’s index fingers rose, and he rested them at the edges of Lira’s lips. He pushed her upper lip down, forcing her to close her mouth, before he tilted the edges of her mouth up again to give her a more natural, polite smile.

Sagiri had not realized what he had done, but soon gasps filled the place, and the aunties were smiling even more knowingly. Deep feelings of joy were flooding them, and the uncles were nodding in approval.

”Such a loving boy,” one said with hearts in her eyes.

”He does make a good husband,” a middle-aged man added.

”She is so lucky, he will for sure keep her innocence.” Another said.

These young couples are always so hot-blooded. They don’t shy from showing their affection publicly.” Whispers started flying from all over, and Sagiri froze. They had totally misunderstood his actions, and he could not redeem himself.

Affection?

He took a step. Keep her innocence? Were they serious? The girl had tried to kill him, and he had still not scratched the possibility of killing her at some point. He had to remind himself that other people could not perceive emotions. Perhaps that was a good thing.