It was already morning, and the four of them were heading to the spot they had discussed with Lumina the night before.
Lumina spoke seriously, "Listen, behind this stone, there is a safe place where we can gain time to build a boat quickly."
Roy shrugged, "So we should destroy the cave?"
Mei rolled her eyes, "There are eyes everywhere. If we destroy it now, people will notice and come after us, even just out of curiosity about who dared to destroy the cave of this crazy place."
Zen, serious, "I got it. I know how to get behind it."
Lumina smiled, "As expected from you, Zen. You still haven't lost your reputation."
Zen remained serious, "But we have to head to the nearest harbor and swim. Can all of you swim?"
Roy noticed Zen's gaze and, annoyed, responded, "Of course we can swim! We grew up on an island, after all!"
Lumina smiled, "That's good. If we get there, we'll build a boat and be safe for at least a few hours."
Returning to that morning, they were heading toward the sea behind the cave, following Zen.
Roy suddenly remembered, "Mei, don't you have a map? Zen said last time that it's useful."
Mei, baffled, "Yeah, I have it, but I don't think this place is on that map."
Zen, in a serious tone, "I think it is. That map looks general, but it's detailed."
Mei took the map out of her bag and looked at it, "It's quite a general map. There are no specific locations."
Zen explained, "That's because it's a tribal-form map. It only shows the locations of tribes. If you scratch it, you'll find many tribe and clan locations, but right now, we're heading to a hidden place."
Mei, amazed, "Well, that's unexpected. But I wonder why she gave it to us. I'm sure there's a reason."
Zen suddenly stopped at a dead end. From a very high altitude, the sea appeared below them. He looked at them, determined, "So, do you have the courage to jump from here? Because it's the only way."
Roy glanced down, feeling uneasy, "It's really high… What about Lumina?"
Mei, in a serious tone, "It's dangerous even for us! For Lumina, it's life-threatening!"
Lumina's voice suddenly came from inside the bag, panicked, "Is it that high?!"
Zen made a shushing expression since her sight hadn't returned yet.
Roy, trying to sound confident, "Don't worry! Nothing risky. We'll manage it!"
Mei, thinking carefully, "I still think it's dangerous. I'd rather climb down until we're closer to the water. In my opinion, you should go first. I'll follow you and throw our bags down. Then Roy will follow, and when we're close enough, he'll throw Lumina, then jump himself."
Zen denied immediately, "That's too complicated. I'll jump from here and wait for you. If there are any risks, I'll handle them—I'm used to this."
Roy, determined, "Okay, Zen, I trust you! But we should also throw some wood down to put our things on."
Mei, serious, "You're right! Let the brave dark monster jump first—he looks confident."
Roy pointed at Zen in the sea, surprised, "He did it!"
Zen was already waving at them from the water.
Mei, surprised, "That was fast!"Roy quickly cut down five trees and gathered them together to throw into the sea.
Roy, serious and focused, "Mei, we'll throw them toboggan-like to lessen the force of the fall on the water. Help me!"Mei helped him.
Roy shouted, "Zen, this is the wooden raft for our things and bags!"
Zen had already found a stone to sit on in the water.
Roy, counting, "Three, two, one—now!"
They pushed the makeshift raft over the edge like a sliding board, and it finally hit the water intact, floating steadily.
Roy, wiping the sweat from his forehead, "We did it!"
Mei followed Zen's plan, gathered all their things, and climbed down.
When she got close enough, she jumped onto the raft, but after releasing all the bags, she lost her balance and fell into the water.
Roy, worried, "Mei! Mei! Aaaah! Mei!"Mei swam and saved herself.
Zen laughed at her, "That was a good one!"
Now, only Roy was left. He held Lumina's bag tightly on his back and started climbing down. After 40 minutes, he finally reached the right height, threw Lumina's bag over to Mei and Zen, then jumped into the water himself.The four of them started swimming with their small raft toward the hidden place behind the cave.
After a long swim, pushing that wooden boat-like raft with them, they finally arrived at their destination.
All of them sighed in relief.Lumina opened her eyes, tore off the bag around her, and sighed in relief, "Finally! I can see again! We arrived… That's so relaxing!"
Roy, Mei, and Zen looked at each other—then all three of them burst into laughter. Zen, of course, didn't show it much, saving his pride.
Roy, smiling in excitement, "Coming to this place is more tiring than fighting those tribesmen!"
Mei lay over her bag, looking at the sky, "I can't disagree with you this time, Roy! Resting here feels peaceful. It's like a very small beach—just 500 meters—but at least it's safe."
Lumina, confused and annoyed, "Did I miss something fun? I felt like I was just floating on the water! What really happened? You guys enjoyed yourselves without me, didn't you?!"
Roy cut her off, trying to calm her with a smile, "Lumina, it's just a relief to see your eyes again! Let's light up some fire—it's starting to get cold."
Lumina's face turned red in embarrassment, "That stupid guy…"
Mei glanced at Zen, who seemed to be in a better state. "So, cold water was good for you after all. But hiding your coughs and sneezing in silence isn't good for your health, you know."
Zen smirked, "I'm strong enough to handle all of this."
Then, he sneezed.Mei rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah. You're so strong—I can see that!"
Mei then looked at Lumina and spoke in a calm tone, "Lumina, let's go check the plants over there, if you don't mind."
Lumina smiled positively, "Alright, let's go, Mei!"
Roy started preparing some food.
Zen, feeling cold, said, "Hey, Roy, give me that small scarf to cover myself."
Roy looked at him confidently, "You shouldn't cover yourself. Don't worry, I'll prepare you some fish soup—I already caught some fish!"
Then Roy suddenly realized something and smiled happily, "You called me Roy! I'm sure you're not mentally fine! I'll finish boiling the water Mei asked me to."
Zen lay down on his back.
Meanwhile, Lumina and Mei were searching for herbs nearby.Lumina asked, "What exactly are you looking for?"
Mei, focused on searching, answered, "Some herbs good for colds. Well, there's no cinnamon, garlic, or ginger around here…"
Lumina, confused, "Cold? Are you worried about Zen?"
Mei, annoyed, "Who are you calling worried?! I just don't want him to burden us. We need to head to that man who knows all the secrets early!"
Lumina smiled, "You and Roy have such good hearts! I realized that while watching you take care of all of us."
Mei, embarrassed, turned red, "What do you mean good heart?! I'll just take whatever plant I find!"She quickly picked up a handful of herbs next to her.
Lumina covered her mouth, laughing briefly at Mei's flustered reaction as she followed her.
Back at the camp, Roy—who had made bowls for everyone using his sword—served them all and smiled, "Mei, do you remember this smell?"
Mei sniffed the air and showed a sad smile, "Of course… It was the village's soup. You served the whole village that day, so they named it after you."
Zen and Lumina exchanged glances as they watched Roy and Mei.
The warmth between the two was something far from the lives they had before.Lumina, excitedly, "I can't wait to taste it! It smells delicious!"
Roy pointed at them, stopping them, "The first bowl must go to the sick one! Zen, can you eat on your own, or should we feed you?"
Zen, annoyed, "Stop with these kind acts. Just give me my bowl—I'll eat on my own."
Roy handed him the bowl, but Zen couldn't hold it properly—he seemed dizzy.Roy, angrily worried, "See? You're not fine! Mei, feed him."
Mei, startled, "What?! Why me?!"
Lumina smirked, "Isn't he your future husband? Do it."Mei, "LUMINA!!"
Lumina primped her hair, "Don't order me around. I'll feed him. Right, my future husband?" she added with an evil smile.
Then, with zero hesitation, Lumina forcefully shoved a spoonful of soup into Zen's mouth."You're sick! You need to heal fast—we need you, right?"
Zen, coughing, "I was going to suffocate! Why did you let her do it?!"
Mei and Roy continued eating, completely ignoring his complaints.
After finishing their meal, Zen coughed, "I regret being sick, seriously…" He lay back on the sand.
Roy handed Mei a container, "Here, this is the boiled water."
Mei sighed, "Alright, my turn to give you some treatment so you can recover faster."
Zen raised his hand in refusal, "The soup was enough."
Mei smirked and glanced at Lumina, "Lumina, make him sit against that stone."
Lumina, excited, "Alright!"Zen, tiredly, "I told you there's no need! And aren't you injured, too? Are you a monster or something?"
Mei sighed, "You're annoying. And if you're asking about my injuries, they're fine. Since I was in the sea, the water helped me heal."
Mei sat down in front of Zen and forced three spoonfuls of honey into his mouth before handing him a cup of herbal tea.
Zen refused again, "Is this some magical elixir meant to kill me?! It smells bad! I won't drink it!"
Roy, in a firm tone, "You have to drink it. I don't accept refusals."
Mei, smirking, "Should I use my knife? I think it missed you."
Zen smirked back, "Mocking me in my bad state… annoying and frustrating."
Mei smiled at him, "I won't lie—it's amusing."Zen, stunned, "You even showed a normal smile… That's unexpected."
Mei, sarcastically, "I can smile whenever I want." She handed him the cup, making him drink.
Lumina, holding her hands together with a tearful smile, "Look at you… like a child being fed by his mother! How sweet is this?!"
Mei rolled her eyes, "STOP! That's scary!"
Zen, agreeing, "She's right, so please stop."*
Roy built a small wooden tent for them to sleep in. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he took a deep breath, "This is the only shelter we've got."
Lumina's eyes widened, "All of us?"Her face turned red. "I-I'll stay outside! You guys can go inside."
Mei glanced at the tent, "It's really small…"
Roy shrugged, "Lumina, Mei, and Zen can sleep inside. I'll stay out here—I don't mind. But Zen is sick, so he at least needs to be covered."
Mei rolled her eyes, "I don't mind staying outside either."
Lumina, adjusting her hair uneasily, "Y-Yes, yes! We can manage it!"
Zen sighed, "I'll sleep outside. You guys can stay inside."
Roy smiled, "I've got an idea. We'll sit inside, and only Zen will lie down. That way, we'll all fit."
Lumina, unsure, "Alright… I'll sit near Mei."
Roy shrugged, "If you're uncomfortable with my presence, I'll stay outside."
Mei sighed, "Do what you want, Roy. The three of us will take turns keeping watch since one of us is sick."
Roy carried Zen inside the wooden tent, and the three of them entered as well, covering up against the cold as snow started falling outside.
Mei smiled as she sat next to Lumina and Roy, watching the snowfall from inside the small tent.
Zen opened his eyes without realizing he had fallen asleep, completely losing himself. He touched his forehead, checking for a fever.
Zen, stunned: "It disappeared…"He sat up and noticed Mei, Roy, and Lumina all asleep.
Lumina was resting on Mei's shoulder, while Roy slept near them. They looked like they were in a deep sleep.
Zen noticed the snow falling outside and whispered in amazement: "Snow?"Then his gaze shifted back to the three of them, and he smirked. "Is this how they keep guard?"
He suddenly noticed each of them was holding a damp fabric in their hands. It didn't take long for him to realize—they'd been taking care of him the whole time he slept.
Zen smiled warmly for the first time. "They're crazy… I bumped into a bunch of kind-hearted idiots, I guess. They forced themselves to care for a careless, cold-hearted guy like me."
He sighed softly. "Seriously… they're insane. Making Kuroi Zen, the dark-hearted man, get softer is a crime, really."
Zen leaned back and kept watching the snow, lost in thought. Since when… have I rested like this? When was the last time I had fun like this?He frowned slightly. "I barely remember…"
Roy woke up, startled. "Zen! You woke up! We were so worried about you! How do you feel?"He suddenly gasped. "Wait—I overslept! I should've stayed awake to guard this place! What a failure I am!"
Zen looked at Roy and sighed. "Calm down. I'm fine. I kept watch when I woke up, so no need to beat yourself up." He crossed his arms. "My fever's gone, thanks to all of you. Is that what you wanted to hear?"
Roy smirked. "The way you talk is funny. But if you're alright, that's great! I should start working on a boat for us since it'll take some time."
He peeked outside. "Did the snow stop?"
Zen answered calmly, "Yeah, it stopped just a few moments ago."
Roy stood up, suddenly serious. "I need to start making it now."
Zen stretched, pretending not to care. "Since you'll need help, I guess I can offer a bit."
Roy smiled. "That would be really helpful. Let's gather some wood first. We still have the ones we used to carry our things, but we'll need more."
Zen cracked his knuckles. "Alright then, let's get to work."
While Zen and Roy were working, Mei and Lumina woke up.
Mei stretched, yawning. "I overslept too much this time. What's gotten into me?"
Lumina rubbed her eyes. "I had a great sleep... but I need some coffee or brunch." She yawned loudly.
Mei rolled her eyes and scooped a handful of melted snow, splashing it on Lumina's face.
Lumina shrieked. "Aah! It's cold! How dare you!"
Mei crossed her arms, her tone firm. "Wake up, princess. We're deserted, outlaws, and being followed by rebels. How do you expect a warm, comfy breakfast?"
Outside, Roy and Zen were focused on their work, but they heard Lumina's complaints.
Roy scratched his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, Lumina... I would've prepared a delicious meal if we had more ingredients. But I did make some hot honey-flower tea. It's relaxing in the morning."
Zen blinked in surprise. "Since when? You're truly amazing."Lumina huffed but felt sheepish. "Fine... it's enough. Thank you for your hard work."
Roy waved at Lumina and Mei as they sat down with their tea before returning to work.
Mei sipped her tea and glanced at Lumina. "If this man we're heading to knows everything, do you really think we can discover any secret from him?"
Lumina smiled faintly, avoiding Mei's eyes. "I don't know. They say he's a descendant of the creators of the tribal code that everyone follows. He might know something to guide us."
Mei stared into her cup. "I hope you're right." She sighed. "Roy, why didn't you wake me up? I should've helped you."
Zen chuckled darkly. "What? Are you jealous of me?"
Roy smirked. "You were sleeping like a bear hibernating in a cave. How could I wake you?"
Zen followed with a teasing tone. "Yeah, after all the food she ate yesterday... it's impossible for a normal woman to handle that much. She's got a monster's stomach!"
Roy laughed, playing along. "If she cooked for us, it'd be worse than a dark witch's dinner at night!"
Zen pretended to think. "Yeah... I don't want to get poisoned by bear stew."
Mei's face twitched.
Her hands tightened around her knives. In one swift motion, she hurled them toward Zen and Roy, missing their heads by inches.
Her voice, low and enraged: "Calling me fat? A bear? A witch's cook? Fine. How about I prepare dinner using your skins and blood? Sounds tasty, right, Lumina?"
Zen gulped as Roy ducked behind a tree."I guess we pushed the wrong button,"
Zen muttered."Yeah... Lumina, help us, please," Roy begged.
Lumina, still sipping her tea, adjusted her posture. "Don't waste your energy on unnecessary people, Mei. Their presence alone ruins the taste of anything delicious. Let them work for us, at least." She smirked wickedly.
Mei took a deep breath and turned away.
Roy gave a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry, Mei. I didn't mean it."
Mei glared at them. "This is your last chance to survive. Use it wisely." She flipped her hair and stormed off to breathe some fresh air.
Zen called after her with a mocking tone. "Hey, scary girl! Don't get mad. Lumina's no better than you!"
Lumina froze mid-sip. "What did you just say?" She put the cup down. "I guess my mark's working now... and I can use it to purify the area of certain bugs."
Roy cleared his throat and returned to the boat. "Come on, Zen, let's finish this."With combined effort, they finally completed the boat.
Roy exhaled in relief, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We did it!" He raised his hand for a high-five.
Zen stared at it. "No way. That's childish."
Lumina grabbed his wrist and forced him to clap Roy's hand. "This is called teamwork. Learn something."
Roy smiled. "Lumina, can you bring all our things to the boat?""Sure," she replied. "It's a pretty big boat. Original, too."
Roy shrugged. "It's not much... I just hope it gets us to our destination."
He turned to Zen. "Go get Mei. We should leave."
Zen pretended not to hear. "Huh? What did you say?"
Roy gave him a flat look. "You're the one she hates less, so you're the best person to convince her."
Zen frowned. "Convince her? Why? She's not even upset."
Lumina scoffed. "For someone smart, you're clueless. You need to apologize.""Apologize?"
Zen looked at Roy. "You said the same things!"
Roy shrugged. "Yeah, but I apologized."
Zen crossed his arms. "You're all talking nonsense. You just want me to get stabbed instead of you."
Roy and Lumina whistled innocently.
Zen rolled his eyes and headed toward Mei, who sat alone on a rock at the edge of the beach.
He cleared his throat. "Ehem... can I sit here?"
Mei smirked without turning around. "No. It's reserved for my bear friends."
Zen blinked. "You're still upset about earlier?"
Mei laughed loudly. "Upset? Don't tell me you believed those two. What do you think I am? A child?"
Zen gazed at the sky. "You're the youngest here, so it makes sense."
Mei rolled her eyes. "Please. Your teasing doesn't affect me... but if you call me a bear again, you'll dig your own grave."
She crouched to gather some plants near the stone. "I came here for these. They're water plants. Useful for medicine."
Zen sat beside her.
Mei stared at the sky, her voice soft. "I won't say this again, so listen carefully." She hesitated. "I admired your strength against Theo. You refused his offer... even though it meant losing gold."
Zen leaned forward, his voice cold. "I refused because I couldn't stand the idea of working with him. If I did, I'd have to see his face every day." His expression darkened. "And... things like that never end well."
Mei turned, narrowing her eyes. "Don't tell me that if we weren't here, you would've accepted."
Zen looked away. "You're scaring me. Step back."
Mei sighed. "I'll be honest this time... Roy trusts you blindly. He sees you as family, a brother. You should remember that." She smiled faintly. "Even Lumina joined his family. And as his sister, I respect his choices because of his pure heart."
Mei's smile softened. "So... thank you for protecting him."
Zen shifted uncomfortably. "This is getting weird. Can you go back to being annoying?"
Mei tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah... it's not like me to get emotional. My reflection scared me too."
Suddenly, Mei and Zen felt a monstrous power surging from the water.
Zen's eyes widened as he realized the danger. "Watch out!" he shouted, pushing Mei away.With a powerful splash, a mysterious old man emerged from the water.
His wet hair clung to his face, and his eyes gleamed with eerie amusement.
He sneered, "Well, I aimed for that off-guard woman. Why did you interfere?"
Mei, pinned beneath Zen's weight, gasped, "Hey, Kuroi Zen! Are you alright?"
Zen coughed as he struggled to his feet. His voice was strained. "He's... he's from the Whales."
The mysterious man let out a low, villainous chuckle. "Whales? You're wrong. I am something far greater... a successful experiment."
He shrugged off his jacket, revealing his arms covered in glowing, intricate marks—each one pulsating with a different, ominous energy.
Mei's hand trembled as she gripped her sword. It was the first time she had ever felt such fear.
The man's eyes flicked toward the distance.
His smile widened as he pointed to Roy and Lumina, who were running toward them with alarmed expressions. "What if I attack those two instead? They look... fragile."
Mei's grip tightened, and she stepped forward. "No! I won't let you!"The man tilted his head. "Is that so?"
Zen's voice cracked with urgency. "No! Don't go near him, scary girl!"
The man's marks began to glow in unison.
The air thickened with energy as all the symbols lit up simultaneously.
With a single, casual motion, he thrust his arm forward. A wave of invisible force erupted, slamming into Zen, Mei, Roy, and Lumina, sending them all flying across the rocky shore.
The man stood alone, the power still crackling around him. "This," he murmured with a satisfied smirk, "is the beginning of the end."