Raised in Dungeon

"Mr. Waldo."

I feel like I am drowning in the deep ocean.

You could see the light from the sea's surface, but your body kept being pulled to the bottom of the sea.

It was terrifying.

Because as you continue to sink, you see less and less light. I couldn't remember how long I had been sinking; all I knew was that the light had started disappearing.

I kept trying to reach the light because if I lost it, I might not be able to come back.

I cried out in fear

I cried and cried

But my voice doesn't come out in the sea

Nor could my tears be seen in it.

Just as the light was about to disappear, a new light appeared. The hand of someone I knew shone towards me, grasping my right hand that wanted to grab it.

A feeling of relief immediately enveloped me; the grip of that person's hand was so warm, and the light emitted by that hand was so soothing.

I pulled that hand away, brought my whole body close to him, and hugged him to my chest.

I fell asleep because of the tenderness of the hand.

Then suddenly I found myself transported into a lush garden and started walking along the river.

As I looked around the garden, I couldn't help but be captivated by the abundance of vibrant flowers and plants that adorned the landscape. Many unique plants were standing next to the beautiful plants, creating a harmonious tapestry of natural beauty.

It felt like I had stepped into the Garden of Eden, a plant paradise where every conceivable plant in the world gracefully coexisted.

The view was not much different from my God's blessing, perhaps because coming here was always my wish, and God blessed me with such skill. All I wanted was a quiet place, surrounded by flowers and plants, that would continue to heal the pain in my heart.

After strolling along the gentle banks of the river, my footsteps gradually led me to its end.

At the end of the river, a wave of anticipation washed over me. There, in that blissful moment, stood the person whom I loved so much. He Gently caressed the vibrant roses that flourished beside him.

"Mr. Waldo!" I exclaimed, with overwhelming joy welling up inside my chest.

With haste, I dashed towards him, my heart pounding when I saw him. As he turned towards me, a hint of surprise reflected in his eyes; I soared into the air and landed securely within his embrace.

Mr. Waldo accepted my body and turned it around after he embraced my body.

"Be careful; what if you fall?" asked Mr. Waldo.

"I believe that you will accept me... you always have."

You always accepted me as I am, making me a more confident girl.

For some reason, when I hugged him, I realized that I missed him a lot. An overwhelming sense of longing washed over me. It felt as though he had been absent from my life for a long time.

In the gentle embrace, his hand tenderly caressed my head.

"Felicia, why are you crying?" he gently inquired.

"I don't understand either."

"Is something wrong? Did I not accept you very well?" he asked, referring to when I jumped toward him.

"No! It's not that. I just... somehow feel like it's been a long time since I talked to you like this and hugged you like this. Hahaha, that's weird."

Mr. Waldo smiled and said, "You've always been crying since we first met."

"I don't always cry! That must be a false memory!"

"No, you've always cried.

From the very beginning,

When I was about to leave the next day we met, and again the next day, you were always crying because you didn't want me to leave."

"W-was that true?"

"After you showed such a sad face, how could I just leave you? I always thought that if I left you like that, you could disappear at any time. If I wasn't promising you that engagement, you definitely wouldn't have let me go home."

I nodded "That's right! If you left me, there's no way I could survive in this world."

"Why is that?"

"Because you are my reason for living and the reason I can survive in this world where nobody needs me."

Waldo's smile disappeared, "Is that so?" he said. "Are you sure no one needs you in this world?"

"Everyone rejects me—my father, even my mother. Everyone saw me at the ball as a political tool. I don't want to live in a world like that anymore."

"You're wrong, Felicia."

"Huh?"

"You're not a little girl who can only cry now.

You help people when you can without thinking about the bad things they'll say about you.

You might think you're doing it because of me, but the truth is, you're a good girl who wants everyone's happiness."

"Mr. Waldo?" I asked as I saw his sad face.

"Felicia... you don't need me by your side anymore, do you?"

"That's not true!" I shouted, tugging at Mr Waldo's shirt. "I will always need you! You're the one who gave me the meaning of life! You also praised my blessings, telling me I was a girl who could save people! And you're also...

The only person who believed that I was able to do anything and needed anything in this world.

I... without you, I'm just a puppet of my father."

Mr. Waldo smiled, then replied, "You're wrong, Felicia. Don't you remember? There's also someone who will always protect you. He trusts you, thinks that your God's blessing is amazing, praises everything about you, and he's also the one who sees you for who you are."

Mr. Waldo took my hand, touched the palm gently, and said, "And he was also the one who held your hand when you fell into the deep sea."

At that moment, a flood of memories surged within me, reminding me of someone who was also very important to me—my one and only treasured friend. In an instant, recollections of our last encounter flashed across my mind, evoking a sense of longing.

"Allen!"

I immediately looked around, looking for Allen if he was in the garden. I suddenly remembered the last time I saw Allen. He was injured after trying to save me.

"That's right, Allen was injured! I have to save him! Reig must be waiting for me.

Mr. Waldo, did you see-"

However, I turned my gaze back to Mr. Waldo, and to my surprise, he had vanished from his previous position right in front of me. My eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, and there he was, already sitting on the boat in the river. The tranquil waters began separating us, gradually carrying him further and further away from my reach.

"Mr. Waldo!" I shouted at him. My heart lurched in my chest as I watched Mr. Waldo float away on the peaceful river.

I ran after him.

I ran with all my might.

Because if I didn't chase after him, I felt like he was really going to leave me forever.

"Mr. Waldo! Don't leave me!" I called out, my voice carried away by the wind. But he didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if he were looking at something I couldn't see

I cried again.

It seemed like Mr. Waldo had overestimated me. How could a weak girl like me stop crying?

"I'M STILL A WEAK GIRL WHO NEEDS YOU BY MY SIDE!"

I kept running until I finally fell.

"Felicia!" called Mr. Waldo. "When you run, you might fall like that many times. But remember, you're not running alone! There will always be someone around you who will help you up! Never lose hope and become stronger!"

"Mr. Waldoo!"

As I chased the boat. The edge of the river loomed dangerously close, threatening to swallow me whole. Just as I was on the brink of losing my footing

-GRAB

A firm hand reached out and grabbed hold of mine. In that fleeting moment, as our hands interlocked, a familiar sensation washed over me - reminiscent of the tight grip I had experienced when plunging to the depths of the sea. It was a feeling filled with warmth and an undeniable longing for him.

....

...

...

That morning, Felicia woke up from her sleep.

As she slowly opened her eyes, she immediately turned her head to the right.

There was a black-haired boy, sitting and resting his head on her bed. And that boy was grasping her right hand tightly.

'Eh?! Who is this?! Where is Rachel?!' thought Felicia, who was starting to panic and get confused.

'The only person with black hair in this house is Allen, but that can't be him, right? He should be smaller, and I can't see his white hair.'

'How could you leave me with a stranger? What was Rachel thinking!'

Somehow, despite her confusion, Felicia didn't feel at all bothered by his presence. The grip of the boy's hand beside her, somehow, made her feel calmer.

A few minutes later, Allen immediately removed his hand and got up.

"Ah! I overslept! Why didn't Rachel wake me up?!" Allen immediately turned around and ran to the door, not realizing that Felicia had opened her eyes.

As for Felicia, as soon as she saw Allen's face and red eyes, she immediately called out to him.

"Allen?"

Allen stopped.

Then he slowly turned his body toward Felicia.

"Felicia?"