"So did anything happen while I was away?" Lucia asked. Lucia had returned before the sun peeped on the horizon. The first thing she did when she arrived was tapping at Yurika's tent. Wen was a heavy sleeper so she didn't even stir. The sky was still dark and everyone was still sleeping when Yurika came out from her tent. She didn't see Scry on the watcher post and that made her wonder if that guy had decided to bail on his duty. The moment she laid her eyes on Lucia, Yurika was quite surprised to see her appearance. Lucia was looking quite dishevelled. There were tiny branches all over her usual silky black hair, her clothes and boots carried patches of dried mud.

Yurika scanned her from top to bottom, "where have you been?"

"I was just doing some research," said the Zanj, while brushing off some of the dirt away, "any way you haven't answered my question."

Yurika awkwardly averted her eyes away from her silver foxy eyes, "Well..., Kind of."

"Kind of? What do you mean kind of?" her silver eyes probed Yurika, "Was it Jace? Did he fail to keep his promise?"

"No, not him," Yurika quickly responded, "it's Wen and Scry. Well, she was kind of speaking without any filter again. It agitated their team, especially Scry. I can't really blame purely on Wen, I didn't really stop her from saying those things."

"Tsk, that girl is too vulgar sometimes. I should have a talk with her soon. Anyway, let me clean up. Meanwhile, you should try waking everyone up," Lucia yawned and scratched her head.

"Me?! Waking everyone up? I can wake Wen just fine, but everyone?" She stammered.

Lucia raised her eyebrow, "you know, for someone who actually put a Katar on Jace's neck and almost destroying the whole world, you sure acting awfully timid. Don't you think that will raise suspicion?"

"Raise suspicion? What do you mean?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe... they will start to wonder if you have known them from the past?" Lucia shrugged indifferently, "when people started to wonder, it will poke on their curiosity and who knows what will they find o--"

"I-I'll wake them up!" Yurika exclaimed, "I will make them breakfast too if I must!"

Yurika stomping out towards the food ingredients bag, while Lucia shrugging, sticking out her tongue cheekily and walking toward the closest river.

"It is a good idea if you make breakfast first before waking them up." She added in without even glancing at the blonde, "delicious smell always works every time."

---

It didn't take her long to make a quick potato soup. Tasting it made her decide to cut some bread and tossed it over the pan while sprinkling a bit of garlic and salt. Toasting it until it was nice and crispy. It was not a meal for the king, but it was decent enough and quite filling. It should keep them full until lunchtime. Happy with the result, Yurika placed the food near the fire and was about to wake everyone up. She turned her body and almost crashed to someone who was standing behind her. She was startled and automatically took a hastened step back but she lost her footing and slipped, falling backwards unto the boiling pot of soup.

She opened her eyes in shock. The world rushed by in a blur. Her perception of time was distorted, everything slowed down. It went fast yet slow, almost suspended. She saw nothing, only her, the sky above and the boiling pot behind her. Her hand reached out, grasping the endless crevasse of blue. She closed her eyes and prepared for the impact when someone caught her hands and pulled her back up just in time. Her face landed softly on a broad chest while the person's left hand was warping around her waist, keeping her safe.

After a short couple seconds of shock, Yurika finally looked up to her saviour. Piercing cold blue eyes were staring back at her. A flash of memory suddenly stroke Yurika's mind, the moment she saw it was Jace who was holding her. She didn't really understand what she saw the only thing she could tell was the jolt of horror that overwhelms all her senses. It caused her body to react before her mind did, she frantically pushed the man.

"Let go of me!" she shrieked in fear. Her mind had stopped working, she didn't remember about the bubbling pot behind her that she was just saved from a couple of seconds ago. She blindly pushed and hit the man with all her might.

"What are you doing woman!" shouted Jace as he was trying to keep her in his embrace and not fall back toward the pot. It caused him to lose his balance and he could see how their body started to collapse into the fire with the girl's back as the first that would make contact with. Jace made a quick decision and swiftly swirled his body. His left foot dropped directly into the flaming wood and kicked the hot pot as he tried to keep his balance. The pot flew a couple of meters away, rolling while spilling the food on its way. He then thrust Yurika toward the ground and quickly put off the fire on his lower pants.

"Argh, are you stupid!" He groaned in pain while checking on his burnt left foot. His eyes glared at the shocked girl who was sitting on the ground with a shocked pale face. Her round purple eyes were so wide that they could have jumped out from their socket if that possible. Her expression nudging Jace's heartstrings, there was something familiar about the girl that he hated to admit. After seeing her defensive stance more than a week ago, he couldn't help being reminded of one specific girl. The one who has been haunting him all of these years.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Yurika sudden hysteria died down as fast as it came and she realized what had she done. Her eyes went toward his scalded left foot, the redness on its skin looked hot and painful.

"A-are you o-oka--"

"Jace!" Amierra suddenly appeared behind Yurika, she rushed toward Jace and checked on his burns, "what happened?"

Amierra quickly chants healing magic, she managed to glare at Yurika fiercely while taking care of Jace's wounds. Yurika gulped at how her glare reminded her the moment when Amierra saw Jace had kissed Eireen. She scrambled up and quickly bow down deeply.

"I am sorry. It was my fault, I'll go find some Acemannan leaf to lesser the scalding," she added in and without waiting for any answers from the couple she turned her heels. Walked as fast as she could toward the river. Even with healing magic, the wound won't heal one hundred percent directly. Healing magics especially those that under a subclass' skill only work as first aid. He would still need some ointment or potion to be completely healed.

Yurika walked pass Lucia who just finished cleaning herself.

"Hey, is the breakfast do--," Lucia had to stop herself when she saw Yurika strange expression. She grabbed her arm to stop her, "What's going on? What happened?"

Yurika just shook her head fast, "Nothing, can you let me go? I need to find something."

Her voice was trembling as if she was on the verge of crying, she didn't really know what made her like that. Was it the shock of Jace getting hurt to save her, or the way Ammierra glared at her, or it was more of the unclear glimpses of flashback that carried an unexplainable immense horror to her mind and heart.

Lucia refused to let her go, "It didn't look like 'nothing'. I am not letting you go until you have calmed down."

Yurika suddenly dropped down on the ground, her whole body shook hard and her face was so white. She hugged herself as if she was trying to stop it from falling apart.

"Hey, are you okay?! Yurika? Get a hold of yourself!" Lucia kneeled down next to the pale girl. Yurika didn't really hear her, her mind was full with questions on what images that flashed by before. What were those mean and what actually happened between Eireen and Jace?

'Eireen..., what had happened to you? Did Jace do something terrible to you?'

***

Yurika didn't remember how long she was sitting on the ground while hugging herself. Lucia stayed with her even without saying anything. Her senses came back slowly when Wen's voice came to her ears.

"Yuu, are you okay?"

Yurika finally moved her head and faced Wen, her pale face slowly to have color, she reached out and pulled Wenona into her hug.

"I am okay..." she mumbled while holding her friend tight, "now you are here, I am okay."

"I saw the mess to what was supposed to be our breakfast. Did that turnip man do something to you?" Wen growled as she stood up and seemed ready to march to find Jace.

"No, no, he didn't do anything to me. He actually saved me from falling to a boiling pot," Yurika quickly stopped her, "oh, how did you know it was Jace?"

"Saw him walked out from the crime scene with that girl tailing him. She sure was persistent even after that turnip scolded her and told her to go away," explained Wen.

"Scold? Why would he scold her?"

Wen shrugged, "how would I know, I didn't hear their argument. I left the moment Lucia telepath me. I came rushing here to find you and to be honest..., I don't really care."

"So if Jace saved you, why are you so pale?" asked Lucia, "is there something you haven't been telling us."

Yurika glanced at Lucia with a look that Lucia finally caught on, "I-I think I was just too shocked because of the 'almost' accident. I almost burn myself because of my clumsiness."

"I see, I hope you are feeling better now," said Lucia while clearing her throat, "I guess no breakfast for today. We really should get going. I have found a shortcut to Marama."

Wen glanced around between Yurika and Lucia, she suspected that they had hidden something from her. But the moment Lucia mentioned Marama, the plan to interrogate Yurika and Lucia disappeared; forgotten.

"Shortcut?"

"Yep, it will cut the time to almost a day sooner," said Lucia, but then she looked thoughtful, "that if we managed to find the way out of it."

"What!?" Wen exclaimed, "what do you mean by if we managed to find the way out of it? What short cut are you proposing?"

"Poroiwi cave, at the northwest edge this forest. I've heard some stories from the guild member about a labyrinth cave that lead to Marama and Stilla ar --"

"However, that cave was quite famous for the high-level monsters and how a lot of adventurers didn't make it through it," cut Wen anxiously, "Are you sure we should go through it? I really like the idea if we can reach Marama sooner, but I don't know... It felt too risky."

A chuckle came from Lucia, surprising Yurika and Wen, "seriously, it is funny to hear that from someone who for some reason likes the idea of risk and been nothing but a risk-taker from what I have seen and heard ever since I had the chance of knowing her.."

"Are you saying I am careless?" retorted Wen.

"Well, that's exactly what I am saying, my dear princess," Lucia winked teasingly at Wen.

Wen was ready to argue back, but Lucia quickly stopped her, "I have found the way out of it last night. It wasn't that hard for me with my speed. But since I can't be the only one who reached Marama, I went back to get you guys. So everything should be fine."

"You could have said that from the beginning!" protested Wenona.

"Well, I have said it just now, right?" said Lucia, her silver foxy eyes glowed mischievously.

"Urghh, you sure are annoying for a Zanj!" Wenona snarled. She then grabbed Yurika and dragged her away, "Let's go, we need to tidy the tent and preparing for the journey. She can do the explanation to that turnip's party."

"Eh, wait I still need to find Acemannan leaf for Jace's foot," said Yurika.

Wen stared at her friend in annoyance, "I have it in my bag. No need to search for it. You can just throw it to him later or whatever. I don't care."

Then Wenona stomped all the way to her tent with Yurika following behind her, trying to calm her down.

Meanwhile, Lucia was chuckling at Wenona reaction.

"I really like teasing you, princess" muttered Lucia while watching the purple-haired girl, "you are just too cute."