Can't Be Helped

Alina froze upon reading the words written on the ground. She touched her throat as a sudden realization hit her.

When she was injured by the venomous phyton's scales, her body had already started to suffer from an unbearable pain that scorched her entire soul. The pain was akin to needles being personally hammered into her bones, without the slightest restraint nor circumspection.

And now, although her body might still be aching all over and her back was still suffering from soreness, the intense pain from before had already started to subside until finally becoming bearable.

These only pointed out to one thing...

She had already taken the antidote

And if that was the cace then it can only mean that the tree in front of her is her conquest.

She looked at the tree still writhing from pain and she was suddenly unsure about her speculation so she decided to confirm it with the vermillion bird.

'The venomous phyton transfered its venom earlier through my wound right? ' Alina said in her thoughts.

This was how she normally communicate with the her contracted beast. The contract between a master and a beast has its own complex logic, that is unfathomable by nature.

When someone forms a contract with a beast, a bond that can only be broken by death will ensue. Their thoughts will inevitable entangle while their trust in each other will continue to grow stronger.

The vermillion bird however, wasnt just an ordinary beast. It was a beast from the ancient era that survived through thousand of years by hibernating in the tree of life. Alina had managed to form a contract with it in her ventures in the deep ravine of Lore.

The vermillion bird has an unfathomable existence, even Alina couldnt completely comprehend. As an ancient beast, the vermillion bird has its own traits that are rather perculiar among conracted beast.

Its thoughts to Alina was imperceptable while her own was as transparent as water. Its mystifying nature hadnt at all stopped at that, as it seems to also have its own space linked to her own consiousness, in which it can lay dormant until its called.

Alina was rather apprehensive of the beast at first. She never liked the feeling of being put in the dark, not knowing and not being able to understand anything.

But after experiencing countless trials with the ancient beast, she had learned to put some trust in their bond regardless of their own differences.

"Yes, you have indeed been injected with its venom. However, your body had already started to get rid of the poison. ' The vermilion bird anwered sincerely.

Alina showed a trace of astonishment on her face but she immediately hid it. However she couldn't help but feel a little giddy inside.

She had finnaly found what she had come here for so she would make sure not go back empty handed.

She thought of the man lying on his bed, suffering and wandering on the edge of life and death and her hands clenched in resolution.

Regardless if its a talking tree or not, she will make sure to have its roots! She stood waveringly with her knees feeling as if it weighed a ton. But she only bit her lips in response, not at all swayed into giving up despite the heavy toll on her body and the pain peicing through her bones.

She had finally managed to stand up again but she found herself on the ground the next second as she tumbled emberassingly when she tried to step forward.

Luke saw all this and a sudden thought came to him 'Could she possibly be a masochist? '

The back of Alinas ears flushed red but her face remained ussually impassive. She was sprawled on the ground in an embarrassing manner with her legs kneeling and her tush facing Luke. Her armored skirt had been lifted up as it draped on her back, revealing her rather interesting inner garment.

A thought once again found itself Lukes head which seemed to be assimilated by rubbish by now.

'Girls really do like flowers huh... '

He suddenly aporimended himself for his thoughts. He was supposed to be a gentleman. And a gentleman couldnt possible act indecent towards the fairer sex.

Thats right a gentleman as classy as him should be considerate enough not to degeneratively stare at girls in there emberassing moments no matter how enticingly inviting they may look.

He was not like his shameful brothers who are always looking underneath everyones skirts. No, not at all.

He said that but his vision was tightly cemented at Alinas undergarment embroidered with crysanthemum flowers.

Alina wanted to find a hole to jump into. Never have she been humiliated to this extent. It wouldve been fine if this happened with her alone but alas the tree behind her has it own conciousness!

"D_Dont just watch t_there, help me" Alina said in a flustered voice.

Jaws wouldve drop to the ground if anyone heard the Chosen Hero of the goddess of protection utter such words in a flustered cuquettish voice.

One must know that the chosen hero was a huge iceberg that was as calm as a tranquil lake. Even if the world ended, the huge iceberg wouldve even watched calmly while seeping a cup of tea. So the for the hero to be be flustered was like watching the sun rise from the west and set from the east.

Alina had a reason for asking this freak of a tree for help. For one, she hadnt felt any malicious intentions emanating from it. Rather it seemed to be emphasizing with her when it laid her on the pile of leaves.

She can only hope that the tree, if ever it has a gender, was a female rather than an animalistic male

Meanwhile, the animalistic male, Luke, was stunned for a moment before he was finally brought back to reaility "So she was not masochistic? "

A hint of dissapointment appeared briefly inside him. Realizing his own thoughts he mentally berated himself.

A gentle man shouldnt be muddled by his primal instincts! He should be helping her right now! But his roots seemed to be lacking a bit on energy so he would have to wait for a while before moving. He wasn't making stuff up to cover up his perverted actions. No, not at all!

It just couldn't be helped!

Alina wasnt able to read his thoughts but if she was able to do so, she wouldve already forgo the goodwill she had felt towards him and annialiated him on the spot, leaving only a pile of wood dust scattered on the ground.