"I see…" Akatosh shrug.

Watch the leaves like petals slowly fall to the ground, Akatosh then said. "Red… The color of many, a love of tragedy, the purity of war itself. Color of life and death."

As Akatosh said the words, Mir was somewhat turned by the words he'd utter.

Akatosh then stood looking at the four corridors leading to a different room. The first corridor holds no signs or symbols. The second holds no fire but depicts a dragon, not until he saw a fire in the third corridor.

"The exit huh."

Mir lifts herself from the bench going towards the tree while Akatosh stood still observing her movements.

She kneels then goes plucking plants, it was vine-like but different. The color of the leaves was yellow but somehow shines, illuminates to tell. Putting it in her basket she starts to pray in front of the tree. To Akatosh who has different culture and religion, he only watches Mir silently praying to her god.

After her devotion both of them went to the exit corridor were came across another large room full of vegetation, it was a large garden. It even had a small pond where unknown water plants are growing. Akatosh thought that Mir would stop and collect some herbs, but Mir keeps her pace. As she said before they were able to reach the exit door, and two people were managing at the admission desk.

"Can you give this to aunt Lily? Tell her my gratitude." Mir says to one of the managers.

"You don't have to worry." The manager said to her, receiving the envelope.

She nods happily while Akatosh only stands there watching her as she smiles, a smile who’s been through a lot. Before Mir leaves, she bows showing her gratitude.

"Nice meeting you, uncle Akatosh and thank you for your time… Towards that door--"Mir hesitated pointing at the exit. "Well, you can meet me anytime." She counties.

To his curiosity, Akatosh went towards one of the managers.

"Hey, about that child," Akatosh said.

"Poor child… I see you met her recently." The manager said giving a pitiful look.

"Yeah, do you know anything about her?"

"It's better this way… It was raining hard that night. We found her collapsed in front of the temple. She was weary and covered in mud, there were bruises all over her body. Her hands were chained tightly, drenched in cold water we took her inside the temple. She was gasping for air, we thought that she couldn't make it. Yet somehow a miracle happened as she slowly regains her life back; we thank the gods that day."

"I see…"

"But… right after that day, a royal private army came. They were searching the whole town looking for her."

"Let me guess… slave traders or a hunter?" Akatosh said in a cold tone.

"Most likely… We were able to keep her at bay from their hands. After that, we sent out one of our knight maidens to investigate about her."

"Why…"

"Well… the people who came looking for her were quite different. They were the people of the Maginum, also she just took the investigation by herself don't know why."

"I see… and what happened to the knight maiden".

"Well… she was able to uncover something."

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"And that would be?"

The man sighs. "Don't know but all the information she gave was about brigands and slavery. She said that her village was attacked by barbarians or bandits there in the far north. Poor child, she must have been through a lot, who knows what they did to her."

Fixing some papers, he continues. "She told us that Mir was able to escape the bandits and brigands, to only be catch by slave traders."

"This world… sure is pitiful," Akatosh says after hearing Mir's story.

"I heard enough." Akatosh shrug then goes to the exit.

When he met Sheila waiting for him at the exit, he saw his belongings. "Sup." Akatosh smile.

After he calls her, Sheila quickly ran in his direction as if going for a hug, but she stops midway.

"Akatosh I'm glad you're alright," Sheila says.

"Yeah… Well, you know what, can we get something to eat."

After retrieving his things, he notices the weightless swords were still missing but Akatosh was relieved to see his bag again.

"I know the best place." Sheila smile.

Akatosh didn't know the place so he following her. And as he slows his pace trying to walk behind her back. Akatosh cautiously pulling the items checking if it was truly his bag. This world is full of magic and mysteries so to tell.

"I know, so no need to concern yourself." Sheila suddenly said.

"So, she knew all along with my secrets."

"Since when." Akatosh reply.

"Right after the Delverish," Sheila respond.

Without further conversation, they remain silent.

"We've arrived." Sheila smile.

"I thought that we were going to some inn, but to think she brought me to her house. But what the heck, hunger was inevitable to me." Akatosh though as they enter the two-story house.

"Oh, look who's here," Reith says holding some ingredients.

As they set foot to where the living room was. He saw Chifya with her eyes closed, she was sitting near the table, crossing her arms and legs.

Akatosh didn't have much anything to do so he sits opposite where Chifya is. And when she heard him, Chifya cautiously opens her eyes like a boss ready for an application interview.

"I see you've recovered," Chifya says.

"Well then I'll be leaving you two, I have something to do." Sheila smile leaving the two.

"Mm-hmm…" Akatosh nods towards Sheila.

After ignoring Chifya both of them went silent smelling the food that Reith's been cooking.

"Um, so I was thinking about--" Chifya again implores. Though, Akatosh didn't want to reply to a conversation from Chifya. And so he slowly takes a nap on the table.

"You are either dense or one stubborn man," Chifya says glaring at Akatosh.

"Right you are. What words are you going to tell me?" Akatosh finally responds knowing Chifya had a story stored in her.

"Well, it's about--"

"Let me guess, want me to help you with something?" Akatosh said, still napping on the table.

"Well, yeah something like that." Chifya hesitates.

"You know what I refuse."

Stamping her hand on the table Chifya exclaimed. "Just listen to me for a while!"

"Not again," Akatosh says.

He didn't want to make this conversation complicated so Akatosh let her do all the talking just for this day.

"The thing is… Right after we've destroyed that place. Sheila informed the guild about the incident that you just recently uncovered. The guild had sent adventures to investigate. And what they found was a very high-rank demon that was sealed from the past era. What triggers and releases that thing is still under investigation. The corpse that piles beneath the chamber were pitted together fighting one another to their death."

"So basically? The demonic tree controls their mind gathering the monsters together and let them gut each other."

"Yes, that's right."

"I see… So that's why I didn't encounter any beast or monster while treasure hunting."

"Though, the investigators didn't uncover why the monsters are pitted together."

"Blood." Akatosh interrupts.

"What?" Chifya respond.

"Don't know, but before I engage a fight with that speaking tree. I notice the gallons of blood streamed like a river towards the roots of that tree. So basically, in short, the tree possessed the monsters letting them killed each other, and then extract their blood for something I don't know."

Chifya was silent in just a second and then. "I would like to request--"

"Sorry ain't happening."

"Would you listen--"

"Sorry I ain't a hired man."

"Can you take--"

"Sorry ain't interested just a traveler. Not a hero oh and I don't want to be a hero."

Filling her with rage from Akatosh's stubbornness. Chifya reaches through Akatosh, and when she does, she grabs his clothes. After that, she ferociously exclaimed face to face.

"FOR JUST A MOMENT WOULD YOU TAKE THIS THING SERIOUSLY!"

By their conversation, all around the house if not even outside the house. Chifya's rage could be heard, even Reith was startled by their words.

Inching Chifya's angry face to his, Akatosh didn't flinch but only shows a tired face. "Nah… Why me when there are a lot of shitty high-rank showoff adventurers that only care for themselves… Let me guessed, afraid to ask a word out of them?"

She was silent, angry, frustrated she relinquished. The exit was behind Akatosh, so Chifya in her angry state walks going outside to relieve her stress.

Before she could walk past him, Akatosh quickly grabs her arms. "It would be rude for someone to just run away when somebody had prepared something to be left out of nothing."