Both of them were completely surrounded. Everyone lunged at Silia at once. But Silia grabbed Jhed's hand and vanished — reappearing inside Daichi's house, Jhed with her.
"How did you do that?" Jhed stared at his own hand.
Silia could appear anywhere in the town instantly.
"It's my ability," Silia said. They were in Jhed's room. Outside, chaos had broken out. Back at the guild, it was practically a war council.
"She took our guest right in front of us and we couldn't do anything. Listen — she's still somewhere in this town. Find her. And remember — she's taken our guest hostage. We need to rescue him too." Daichi addressed the crowd. The room was packed — C, D, E, and F-Class adventurers had now joined the mission too. They spread through every corner of the town.
Maruls and his team were right near Daichi's house.
"Everyone's looking for us," Jhed said.
Shine and Nain had reached Daichi's house and come inside. Jhed heard their voices — he quickly shoved Silia under the bed and pretended to be asleep.
Shine and Nain crept toward Jhed's room. Shine slowly pushed the door open — it creaked like something from a horror film.
They stepped inside.
"Jhed." "Good — he's here." Shine thought.
He walked toward Jhed. Nain followed into the room.
Jhed kept pretending to sleep, eyes shut — though his right eye was cracked open just slightly, watching Shine. The moment Nain stepped into the room, Silia's eyes landed on her feet from under the bed.
"Whose rotting feet are those? Is there a monster here?" Silia shifted slightly forward to get a better look. She thought Nain was a monster — though Silia herself was one too. Nain moved to stand beside Shine, glancing around the room — it was her first time here.
One large bed, Jhed lying on it. A window beside the bed showing the view below — Maruls and his team were right there, still searching. A wooden table behind the bed, empty. That was the whole room.
"Is that Nain?" Jhed peeked at her through half-open eyes.
"MONSTER. MONSTER." Jhed screamed and shot up from the bed.
"Shine — there's a monster right next to you!" he yelled. Maruls and his team heard it from below and rushed into Daichi's house.
Shine stood there watching quietly.
Jhed kept jumping around.
"Wait, Jhed — that's not a monster. That's Nain." Shine said calmly.
Jhed stopped. He looked at Nain carefully this time. He couldn't believe it.
"Nain... no..." The words came out quietly.
Regret crossed his face. Something settled in him — the feeling that what had happened to Nain was connected to his choices. Would he blame himself, or would he find a way to face her?
Maybe, for the first time, he was going to feel something real for her.
And meanwhile — Maruls and his team had entered the house. Silia was hiding under the bed. They were trapped.