Ilona likes her father very much, but her father is always busy with work and away from home. Moreover, her father's fingers are as rough as grinding paper, and the beard on his face is very prickly, so Ilona prefers her brother at home.
My brother is a few years older than Ilona.
Time has passed so long that I have almost forgotten the faces of my relatives, but every time Ilona was bullied by the bad boys in the town, her brother would always pick up something and rush over to fight with those children.
I remember that he couldn't beat him every time, so in the end they would end up being bullied together. In the end, they would make fun of each other and limp home laughing while supporting each other.
The brother and sister played together, played football, painted, and climbed the house. When their father was not at home, they accidentally lit a haystack and almost burned down the whole house. They were scolded and beaten together, and they ate on the same table. Sleeping in the same bed.
Although life is poor, I am still happy when I am with my family...
My brother would always say to Ilona.
"When you grow up, I will take you out of Fog Village."
"Going to the forest?" the young Ilona asked innocently.
"Yes, but no, I will take you and dad to a farther place! Go and see a place without fog, further than the Papal State, further than this land!"
Ilona knew that it was just bragging, but bragging is always better than a life without hope. Only when there is hope in life can life be happy, just like what the Bible says.
…
One night more than ten years ago, the crows were hunting mycelial monsters around the castle as usual. When the troops discovered the abnormal creatures and pursued them, the crows were led into the heavy fog and headed towards Go in the direction of Kirimura.
Ilona's home is very small, with only one room within the four walls, where all the life of eating, sleeping and playing happens.
That night, the family was sleeping soundly when they suddenly heard a woman crying outside the window... The sound was very close, as if she was wandering outside the house. The cry was so miserable and terrifying that it no longer seemed to come from a human throat. the sound of.
Ilona woke up from her sleep, only to find that the voice in her ears was not a nightmare but reality.
The little girl was frightened and wanted to break down and cry, but her father's big hand covered her mouth.
"Don't make a sound, she will leave..."
Ilona still clearly remembered her father's voice. She watched her father standing in front of the bed and making a shushing gesture, then slowly walked toward the door with a broken chair leg. And her brother held her tightly, reassuring her that nothing terrible would happen tonight.
Ilona thought of the nursery rhymes that the children in the town would sing, and the story about Mary Poppins...
The story says that a crying woman would wander around at night and would take away children who did not sleep well and plant them in her garden... But as long as the doors and windows were locked, they would be safe.
But tonight was different. The monster called "Aunt Mary" was chased by a flock of crows and was stimulated. The huge hatchet split open the dilapidated wooden door, and Ilona saw the terrifying creature, the woman who was entangled in mycelium and had lost her human form.
The father's weak body blocked the door to prevent the monster from entering, and he yelled at the children to run out of the window.
When the brother opened the window, a flower with a human head blocked the window and smiled at the two children. The brother immediately protected his sister, but at the same time, he also let the terrible flower bite it off. Neck...
More flowers with human heads poured in from the window and wanted to eat her. In the panic, the young Ilona could only shrink in the corner tremblingly. At that time, she only realized that her left eye suddenly hurt and she could no longer see anything. ...I didn't even see clearly what hurt me.
With his remaining right eye, he watched his brother roll his eyes and fall in front of him, losing body temperature as he lost blood, while his father was chopped into pieces by the monster for insisting on blocking the gate. …
Later, the crows arrived and drove away the monster... and that was how he was later taken to Hunyadi's house as Master Cesare's personal servant.
When Ilona began to like Cesare, she herself could not tell.
Perhaps it was because the old count had instilled it in her over and over again, and it was Cesare's words of pleading for her that allowed her to live to this day, or maybe... it was because Cesare had said it to her when she was a child.
"When you grow up, I will take you out of this forest..."
Ilona still remembers these words, and she is willing to do anything for Cesare... as if her brother is still alive by her side, but Cesare should not remember these words long ago.
After all, he hadn't even sent a letter back since he went to school...it had been many years since Cesare left.
Ilona's memory of the year when Cesare first went to San Carlo to study was very clear, and she will never forget it in this life...
One night, Ilona was cleaning Cesare's bedroom as usual.
Although this room has not been used since Cesare went to school, Ilona still insists on cleaning it every day, so that Cesare will not have a place to live when he comes back to visit her one day.
The door was not knocked but was pushed open rudely. Mr. János, who had a conspicuous scar on his face, walked in. He was a key member of the crows and had a fierce face every day. I've seen him smile...
"Master Cesare has gone to school. What can I do for you?" Ilona wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked politely.
"No, I'm not looking for Cesare, I'm looking for you." János said expressionlessly.
"Looking for... me? Is there something I didn't do well enough... or is there something that needs cleaning?"
"You did a good job, I'm not here to question your work as a servant." Janos said, staring at the uneasy Ilona. "I heard you wanted to join the Crows in their hunt, is that true?"
Ilona was obviously surprised when she heard the other party's question. She had witnessed the battle of the Crows and knew the mission of the Crows... and she also knew what it meant to be a Crow.
But she does want to join the Crows...
Thinking about it day after day, year after year, she wanted to avenge her family. It was not just as simple as killing the monster that appeared in the foggy village, but she didn't want the same tragedy to happen to anyone again. …
But...how could she do it? Ilona lowered her head and hesitated. She was just a first-class servant, and these things were too far away from her anyway.
"Yes, or no, give me an answer." Janos said seriously, as if he didn't have much patience to wait.
After struggling repeatedly, Ilona nodded silently in response.
"Okay, change your clothes and come with me."
