The next day, a very hot sun struck their bodies. Elisa opened her eyes, grumbling at the heat. The memories of that intense moment returned to her mind. She turned her head in several directions, looking for the fatherly figure.
"Where is he?"
When she tried to get up, a crash appeared ahead of them. A wave of smoke blinded Elisa and the noise woke Shaphira abruptly.
But when they finally saw it, it was a demonic beetle, already dead. On top of it stood Slady, scratching his bare chest while yawning.
"It is a hot day, isn't it?"
Before they could respond, Slady dropped down in front of them, holding two sets of clothing in his hand.
"I made these myself early this morning, try them."
With wide eyes, both took the outfits and ran their hands over the fabric made of wood, leaves and Renkai Creature hide.
"T-thank you."
Shaphira said with a small smile and her ears lowered. Elisa examined the fabric with a critical look.
"They resemble those of the people of Brasilovia, but still short. Why?"
"Well, I am adapting you two to the place we are in. Besides, Rykenzon has a very unstable climate, it can be hot one moment and very cold the next. These clothes are short for heat and heavy for cold. You will understand when the temperature drops."
As he turned, Elisa touched his shoulder with a serious tone.
"I appreciate it, but I see you are not doing this only to protect us. You are still trying to earn our forgiveness."
Slady stayed silent for a moment, leaning on his cane like an amulet.
"... No. I already explained everything you needed to know. Now I want to do what I want."
Without another word, he walked to the beetle and began cutting it open, removing its shell and hide, then going inside the massive insect to extract its meat.
Shaphira pressed the fabric against her chest, noticing the effort he had put into the clothing. She looked at Elisa and asked:
"Do you think he is really trying to regain our trust?"
Elisa sighed, her eyes falling on the set made with such care.
"I do not know. It is hard to trust him after everything. But I can feel that he is trying to show something, and it will not be through words. It will be through these small gestures."
She pointed at the clothing. Shaphira nodded and turned her back.
"And I accept this gesture. Not only because of the unbearable heat, of course. But because I still want to trust him. He is my father, biological or not, I am only alive because of him."
Elisa understood and decided to follow her sister's choice.
***
Dressed in that clothing, both walked through the forest with heightened senses. Elisa grabbed her sword and tightened her grip. Shaphira clenched her fists, closed her eyes and concentrated the Renkai Energy to strengthen her body.
Then, unexpectedly, footsteps. They stopped to see what approached.
A demonic horse. Its two heads seemed connected by a line that, when searching for food, opened like a flower covered in teeth to devour the fruits brutally.
When it saw them, it froze as well. Its empty eyes met theirs and its nostrils flared, trying to detect danger.
The leaves fell silently to the ground and when they touched the soil...
It roared. Its face split into four parts to open its mouth and it lunged forward.
Elisa quickly ran to stab it with her sword. She passed her blood to the blade and when it struck the creature's throat, her blood traveled through its larynx and into its veins, bursting outward with red spikes emerging from inside the horse.
Shaphira acted fast and kicked it against a tree, unleashing a series of blows and finishing with a punch that sent it through the wood and down to the ground.
From the air, Elisa created small sharp blood spikes to pierce its many eyes and drove her blade into its skull, moving the sword to break it and reach its brain.
"The brains of these beings are getting more protected, different from years ago."
She murmured. Shaphira heard the comment and nodded.
"Yes. And this island seems infested with them."
She raised her hand to her forehead to block the sun and look deeper among the trees.
"This place is dangerous, Elisa, more than we can imagine."
"Exactly."
Suddenly, Slady's voice interrupted the dialogue. Leaning on his cane, he stood beside Shaphira with a slightly serious expression.
"I remembered some of the books I used to read about the geography of our world. Places unknown to humanity are the most dangerous. This place, in the Ancient Society, was already rarely visited. Now it has become a home for these creatures..."
With a sigh from his nose, he pointed to a campfire in the distance.
"Anyway, please, girls, let us eat."
Sitting on the logs, Elisa, Shaphira and Slady ate in a circle. The two women stared at the food with disgust. Slady simply put it in his mouth as if it were natural.
"Although I am blind now, I know you are not used to eating Renkai Creature meat, especially you, Elisa..."
"You still remember that I used to eat this, Slady? Well, it did not taste great, but it was normal for me. I lost the habit over time."
"Of course I remember, Shaphira. I never forgot those moments..."
When he raised his head, Slady heard the sound of sharp teeth crushing meat with an almost pleased groan. His face turned toward Elisa.
"Allow me to reassure you, I removed everything that could cause harm. The Renkai Energy will not affect you. It is like normal meat, but you know where it comes from."
"It is just that even in the army, no one ever ate this kind of thing. Maybe common insects, common animals, but not demons."
She put the food in her mouth, feeling the flavor spread across her tongue and slide down her throat.
"How... how is this so good?"
She seemed genuinely surprised by the taste. Shaphira felt the same.
"Not even when you cooked it for me yourself was it this good, Slady. How did you do this?"
Tilting his head, Slady almost smiled. He placed a piece of meat in his mouth and spoke with his mouth full, though trying to be discreet.
"Well... I learned how to remove impurities from Renkai Creature meat. It is not common knowledge, in fact it is quite unknown."
"You and your knowledge you never share with anyone. No matter how much time passes, you are still a mystery, uncle Slady."
Elisa laughed as she said this, not noticing the term she had used. Shaphira smiled slightly. Despite the tense situation they had experienced earlier, everything, slowly and gradually, was returning to normal. Like a family gathering again.