There was a tragic look about the chiefâs face. It seemed to be a reflection of the harsh situation that they were in.
âDid something bad happen?â
That was all the chief had to say.
âSo they just hate you for having different ears? What a harsh worldâŚâ
âNot only are our ears are different from theirs, we also tend to be physically stronger than humans. And the difference between our magical power is way too big as well.â
âSo why donât you just get rid of the humans? Since youâre much stronger than themâŚâ
The chief was surprised by Mariaâs words. She didnât seem to be siding with humans. The two little girlsâ eyes fired up as well.
âWe canât do that. Weâre no match for human wisdom and their large numbers. Thereâs not much we can do but to do our best to live hidden away in caves.â
The chief seemed disappointed to see Mariaâs usual uninterested reaction.
It seemed as if Maria had nothing on her mind, but she actually did. The two girls unconsciously imitated her pose as she placed her thumb on her chin. Now Maria seemed to have two little clones of herself in the world of monsters.
âI see. Well, hereâs what weâll do.â
Maria took 30 seconds to say what she was thinking about.
âI canât split my soup with you, but I will certainly repay the favor. Even if I look like this, Iâm actually a princess. I have such an immense influence that no one in Kudan can oppose me.â
The chiefâs eyes were full of doubt.
âIâm sorry. I donât have anything with me that can prove that Iâm part of the royalty, but youâll know if you go there. Iâll write a letter explaining your situation. If I do that, they should give you somewhere to live there.â
The chiefâs doubt wasnât getting any weaker.
âAh, but Papa is a bit stubborn about this stuff. And I donât think that my little brother Arc is going to be brave enough⌠I wonder if a letter will be enough? My other little brother, Rahsa, may follow through with it, but he doesnât have as much influence as Iâd like for thisâŚâ
âI know about the country of Kudan, but not so much about its details. If what you say is true, then itâs truly impressiveâŚâ
âHow obstinate. Itâs true!â
She placed her hand on the shoulder of the still doubtful chief. As he turned around, he saw the two little girls, whose eyes were still glittering with excitement. They had completely turned into Mariaâs fans after learning that she was a princess.
âThatâs Lady Maria for you.â
With that remark, the chief decided to believe in Mariaâs words and asked her to continue to say what she had in her mind.
âOh, I think Iâve come up with a good idea. A new autonomous territory has recently been established in our country. Its lord is a very nice man, so Iâm sure heâll take you in with open arms. Letâs do that. Letâs go to the autonomous territory of Helan. Youâll be able to start your life anew there.â
âWill they really let monsters like us live there?â
The worried chief asked Maria.
âI said Iâd write a letter, didnât I? Donât you worry.â
And so, a new path was opened for the monsters by that lady brought to them by the spirits.
Maria lived with them in the cave for some time. Her overwhelming charisma and proactiveness could be seen every day. More and more monsters began being thankful to the spirits and to Maria as well. Her influence with the monsters kept on growing day after day, and more and more of them started to see her as a heroine. The most noticeable cases were, of course, the two little girls.
Eventually, the monsterâs days in that northern region were finally reaching their end, and their preparations for migration were almost finished. Thatâs when Maria disappeared.
She was still the same unrestrained woman, even when she lived together with the monsters.
She was a free spirit, who would go anywhere that caught her eye. The monsters continued to think about Maria, but she was always headed for the next unknown, looking towards the future. She might not remember them ever again. Thatâs just how Maria was.
The hopelessness of the monsters, who had been expecting her to go with them on their migration, was truly deep.
However, she had sent the letter to the Kudan country as promised.
ăTo Rahsa. Itâs your sister, Maria. These people are in trouble, so make sure to set some land aside for them. I ask this of both you and your close friend, Kururi. This is an order from your sister!ă
After reading the letter, the monstersâ hopelessness became even worse.
Their days in the north were reaching their limit and they had no choice but to leave.
They had little hope, and were burdened by a profound despair. The road ahead would be harsh. But they quickly realized that the future that lay ahead for them could not be so bad. After all, the spirits were on their side.
Maria would appear anywhere. But no one truly knew where Maria actually was.