“Why are you following me?” Stella’s voice was tinged with a mix of confusion and concern as she furrowed her brows, observing Aether trailing behind her like chicks obediently following their mother hen.
“I’m following you because you’re the only way I can get out of here without risking harm,” Aether explained, his expression awkward as he scratched his head. “If you feel insecure, I’ll leave you alone.” Although he said it, he wasn’t sure what action to take next.
As for the mission… well, the whole idea of seducing her felt like a distant fantasy already and now it was clouded by the reality of their situation.
Hearing his awkward and serious tone, Stella let out a resigned sigh, her features softening slightly as she shook her head in understanding. “Well, I’m also sorry for getting all worked up,” she admitted, her tone tinged with a hint of shamefulness since it should be her who should framed her words correctly.
Aether simply offered a grateful smile in response, his eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and gratitude for her understanding.
Stella’s ash-coloured eyes lingered on the masked figure beside her, taking in his appearance with newfound curiosity. Despite his initial impression as a degenerate, she couldn’t help but sense there was more to him than met the eye.
“So?” Aether’s voice broke the momentary silence, his gaze scanning the surroundings in search of a suitable resting spot.
Understanding his intentions, Stella also surveyed the area, searching for a suitable spot to spend the night. However,
“Oh!”
Startled by her outburst, Aether turned to her with a mixture of concern and curiosity. “What happened?” he prompted, his voice laced with concern.
“My friends have all the camping equipment…tsk, tsk” Stella’s frustration was palpable as she muttered under her breath, the click of her tongue punctuating her words.
“Well…” Aether’s voice trailed off as he scanned the vicinity for a patch of grass to settle on for the night, his mind wrestling with conflicting thoughts. Though he briefly considered seeking assistance from Blake, he ultimately dismissed the idea, realizing the importance of maintaining a low profile until he could safely escape the forest.
“Let’s take rest here,” Stella suggested, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion as she settled near the flickering firecamp. She grabbed a blanket, spreading it out on the ground before gingerly lowering herself onto it, seeking solace in its warmth.
“It’s…” Aether’s smile was tinged with a touch of awkwardness as he noticed the single blanket, realizing it was barely sufficient for one person. Despite her efforts to create space, he knew he would have to make do with the cold ground.
“It’s fine, I can rest on the ground,” he insisted, suppressing any hint of discomfort as he resigned himself to his makeshift bed.
“W-Wai–” Stella’s protest was cut short as Aether interjected, his voice firm yet tinged with a sense of resignation.
“I am a slave, and if we sleep on the same blanket, others might start to doubt, so it’s better to maintain the status quo,” he explained, his words laden with a mix of gratitude and reluctance. Though he found himself drawn to Stella’s kindness, he couldn’t risk involving her further in his precarious situation.
In this cruel world, it was often the generous and naive who met untimely ends, and Aether couldn’t bear the thought of endangering her.
‘Shit!! Did I just raise a death flag..?’ Aether’s mind raced with worry, but exhaustion soon overtook him, pulling him into a deep slumber before he could dwell further on his concerns.
It had been a gruelling day, and sleep claimed him swiftly, offering temporary respite from the trials of his reality.
Observing Aether’s peaceful slumber, Stella couldn’t help but smile softly, a wave of tenderness washing over her weary heart. With a gentle sigh, she too succumbed to the embrace of sleep, her dreams a refuge from the harshness of their world.
Meanwhile, a little distance away, the enigmatic figure of Blake watched over them with silent vigilance, his piercing gaze lingering for a moment before he resumed his patrol, a silent guardian in the darkness.
As the morning light descended, casting a warm glow over the forest, a voice pierced the tranquility.
“Mr. Kai?”
“…”
“KAI!!!”
“H-huh!!” Aether’s eyes snapped open, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he was rudely awakened from a deep sleep, his face drenched with sweat.
“You had a nightmare?” Stella’s concern was evident as she offered him a handkerchief, her eyes searching his for signs of distress.
“-ha-ha- Y-Yeah,” Aether managed to stammer out between heavy breaths, still shaken by the vivid images that lingered in his mind.
In his dream, he was being relentlessly pursued by a monstrous creature, its grotesque form bouncing toward him with terrifying agility. The memory sent shivers down his spine, leaving him truly traumatized by the ordeal.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Aether glanced around, noticing that the others were already preparing to depart.
“It seems that monster didn’t come during the night?” Aether remarked as he rose to his feet, his voice tinged with a mix of relief and disbelief. He had half expected to be awoken by the creature’s rampage, but the forest remained eerily calm, with people casually going about their business.
Stella breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Aether regain his composure, offering him a reassuring smile as she explained, “You might not know this, but when hunting monsters, one must be aware of their surroundings. This forest is home to creatures of varying levels that mix with each other and fighting between monsters is rarely unavoidable…
so lower-level monsters tend to avoid areas with powerful energy.”
With a flick of her wrist, Stella conjured a swirling mass of silver particles, their ethereal glow illuminating her features as she continued, “This is the aura of a high-level monster, silver-ranked, after a fierce battle. Any creature of lower rank would sense this energy and steer clear until it dissipates.”
“I see…” Aether nodded in understanding, but his curiosity soon got the better of him. “What about if a 3-Silver Star Ranked monster appears?”
“Well, they do appear, but since silver aptitude is rare in these parts, encountering a 3-Star Monster is highly unlikely,” Stella reassured him, her voice tinged with optimism.
But Aether couldn’t help but press further, his mind buzzing with questions. “And what about Gold–”
“That’s a national-level disaster, Mr. Kai… We’d all be already dead before we even realized,” Stella interjected with a solemn expression, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
Aether nodded silently, absorbing the information as he began to grasp the norms of this unforgiving environment.
And so, with their conversation concluded, Aether and Stella joined Blake’s group, who were about leave the hunting forest.
As they walked, Aether found himself captivated by the surrounding forest, its familiar yet foreign beauty reminiscent of the woods in his own world. However, the sight of strange plants that seemed to speak and consume large animals served as a stark reminder of the differences between this world and his own.
Lost in his thoughts, Aether was brought back to reality by Stella’s voice, her husky tone cutting through the quiet murmurs of the forest.
“So, Are you coming with me?” Stella’s question hung in the air, laden with unspoken implications.
“Ms. Stella, as much as I’d like to escape my past…” Aether’s gaze met hers, his eyes drawn to the enigmatic depths of her ash-coloured irises as if they held lots of secrets, “I don’t want you to suffer because of me.” he said with a small smile.
His words were a reflection of his inner turmoil, torn between the desire to flee and the need to grate for those who had shown him kindness. Aether couldn’t bear the thought of dragging Stella into his dangerous situation, where the shadows of his past loomed large.
Hearing his heartfelt confession, Stella’s smile was a beacon of warmth and reassurance. “Don’t worry, my father is a powerful man. He will help you,” she offered, her words brimming with confidence as if her father’s aid was guaranteed.
A flicker of hope ignited within Aether’s chest at her unwavering faith, but before he could fully process her words,
“BOING, BOING!!”
The sudden sound of bouncing echoed through the forest, cutting through the tranquillity like a sharp knife.
“…. FUCK!!” Aether’s scream pierced the air.