“I want to hunt all of the monsters here,” Broken admitted. “But I think I’ll ask the faeries for permission first.”
“Yes, I wouldn’t recommend doing things like we did in Hell, right?”
After waiting for a while and seeing no sign of Cedric or Cecilia, Broken decided it was time to move on from where they had been standing.
He and Ivana began walking slowly, taking in the enchanting atmosphere of the magical forest. Strange and mesmerizing sounds filled the air-sounds that could have been birds or perhaps some mysterious forest creatures. Whatever they were, the noise was oddly soothing.
“Mr. Broken… Ms. Ivana…”
Suddenly, a voice echoed from a distance. Broken immediately turned his head in the direction of the sound and spotted Cedric and Cecilia running towards them.
“Hi, Cedric, Cecilia…”
“Ahahaha,” Cedric laughed, his face bright with cheer as he ran up to them. “We apologize for keeping you waiting.”
“So, will you take us to the Tribe Leader right away?” Broken inquired.
Cedric shook his head slightly. “Lady Elaine needs some time before she can meet with you, so I will take the two of you to where you’ll be staying in the meantime,” he replied.
“Interesting,” Broken mused, nodding.
“Now, please follow us,” Cedric said enthusiastically, turning around and leading the way, with Cecilia following closely behind.
“Cedric,” Broken said casually, “can I hunt monsters in this place?”
“Huh?! Monsters?” Cedric turned to look at him, pausing for a moment.
“Yes, I saw a lot of them in the forest. Can I hunt them?”
Cedric seemed to swallow hard, thinking carefully before answering. “Egh… most of the monsters around this area are actually quite friendly and won’t attack unless provoked. I can’t give you permission to hunt them, but you can definitely ask the Tribe Leader for an answer.”
“Cool,” Broken said slowly, nodding. “At least I already have one topic I want to discuss with her.”
Cedric offered a polite smile and nodded in return. “Lady Elaine will be able to provide the best guidance regarding that.”
While they continued exploring the Moonlight Forest, they found themselves being watched by various forest creatures. Mushrooms peeked out from behind the trees, while deer with green bodies and elegant antlers observed them from a distance.
“I want to eat that deer,” Broken said casually. “And those mushrooms look so vibrant. I bet they’d have a nice crunch,” he added.
“I’ll cook you something delicious if you want, Broken,” Ivana answered cheerfully.
“That would be great.”
Cecilia, however, seemed to turn a shade paler, her expression tightening. Faeries were a vegetarian race; they did not consume meat, and the taste of flesh was known to be unpleasant to their palates.
“Are you also interested in trying it, Cedric, Cecilia? I’m sure you’d like it,” Broken said. Cedric laughed in response. “Wow… sure, I want to… I want to try delicious meat… ha ha ha.” At that moment, Cecilia suddenly stopped in her tracks, her face going pale, her body trembling slightly. Cedric noticed immediately and turned to her, “Cecilia? Are you okay?”
“Yes… I—I am okay…” Cecilia answered slowly, her voice weak.
Cecilia nodded, but her unsettled expression remained. Broken observed her discomfort, wondering what was bothering her.
Does she dislike meat?
“Well, maybe we’ll leave the hunting for later,” Broken said. “I think we have more pressing matters, like meeting your Tribe Leader.”
Cecilia managed a shaky smile, and nodded to his words.
After a while of walking, they neared a lake, its surface thickly veiled in a gray mist. The trees surrounding the lake were dark, their bark covered in layers of moss. The mist hung low, creating a spooky yet enchanting atmosphere, casting everything in deeper shadows.
“This is a hot spring lake… hahaha,” Cedric said with a wide grin. “I have prepared a place for you to stay. Follow me.”
They followed Cedric along the lake’s edge until they came upon a building made of black stones, with various plants growing in and around it. Vines wound up the walls, and vibrant flowers bloomed near its entrance.
It dawned on Broken that the faeries had provided him and Ivana with their own, separate lodging. There was only a single building here, clearly meant for the two of them alone. Broken smiled, realizing what this meant-an unexpected luxury in such a mystical place. Wasn’t this practically a spontaneous vacation?
“We will bring you anything you need while you’re staying here. Don’t worry-you just need to call Cecilia’s name, and we will come immediately. No one will come close to this place while you’re here, so it’s all yours, completely private. Ha ha ha,” Cedric said enthusiastically. “Have a nice stay,” Cedric added, waving before he practically dragged Cecilia away, leaving Broken and Ivana alone.
Once they were far enough away, Cecilia looked at Cedric. “Cedric, why did you put them in a place like that?”
Cedric grinned. “Just look at how close the two of them are, Cecilia. I’m sure they’re a couple who care deeply for each other. Mr. Broken did incredibly dangerous things to save Ms. Ivana – can you believe it?
“And besides, I’ve often heard players talking to their companions about how much they like places like this, especially when they want to enjoy some time alone with their partner. They feel freer to carry out their romantic activities. Ha ha ha, I’m so smart, aren’t I?” he said
proudly.
Cecilia frowned, her face showing a mixture of confusion and disgust. “Ugh… are romantic activities something humans do to breed, Cedric?”
Cedric’s grin widened. “Yes, of course. I’m sure the atmosphere by the lake will inspire them to want to… you know, indulge even more enthusiastically, ha ha ha…” Cedric laughed. “I’m convinced they’ll both love it, and no one will disturb them when they do. It’s the best kind of service I could provide for them. Ha ha ha.”
Cecilia sighed, shaking her head, clearly not sharing Cedric’s enthusiasm. “Humans are strange…” she muttered.
Broken took a deep breath at the edge of the calming lake, feeling once again like he was on some kind of extraordinary vacation.
“I think I could really make this place my home,” he mused aloud, smiling to himself.
Meanwhile, Ivana had opened the wooden door to the lodging. But as soon as she stepped inside, she immediately exited and shut the door firmly behind her, her expression flushed
and startled.
“Ivana?” Broken called out, quickly turning around. “What’s wrong? Did you find something in the room?”
Without waiting for an answer, he reached for the door.
“No, Broken!!”
Ignoring her protests, Broken managed to peer inside. What he saw made him freeze for a moment. In one corner, there was a mattress that looked like it was made of soft, luxurious leaves, tables, and chairs crafted from wood and stone.
But what truly caught his attention was a decorative writing made of vines on one of the walls, inscribed with the words: “Happy Breeding!”
“What the hell are they thinking?!” Broken exclaimed, turning back to Ivana, whose face was
now bright red.
“Why is your face so red?” he asked, genuinely concerned. He placed his palm against her
cheek, the way he always did when Lily had a fever.
“No, I’m fine!” Ivana responded. She avoided his gaze. “I- I just want to go find some
ingredients for dinner,” she stammered, quickly taking a step back. Before Broken could respond, she spun on her heels and hurried off.