53 Rex

Peering at three people who were moving closer to them, Alyva took a glimpse at Aldin before greeting Kiro's group.

"Welcome back Missa, Gill, Meg... Also, how have you been, Kiro?" Alyva said, in a cordial tone.

When he heard her voice, Kiro stared at Alyva for a brief moment before darting his gaze toward Aldin, who wore a disturbed expression.

Seeing his reaction, Alyva patiently waited for his response. "... It's been a while, Alyva, and... Aldin." Kiro said with an amiable voice.

Hearing Kiro, Aldin was perplexed for a moment. He was about to reply when Alyva called out to the three.

"Huuhaa~ It's getting chilly out here, Missa let's go inside first. It's bad for these two children if they catch a cold." Winking at her, Alyva said.

Missa stared at her in confusion; however, when she noticed Alyva's playful expression, she wasn't stupid enough not to realize what she meant.

"... Oh, that's right, it would be bad if the two children became sick because of my clumsiness..." Getting along with her play, Missa grabbed the two children and went inside, as Alyva followed suit.

Staring at the group's odd behavior, Kiro bitterly laughed inside. Then he stepped forward, and he repeated his greetings. "It's been a while, Aldin, how do you do?" Staring at him. Kiro greeted him out of awkwardness.

Noticing his voice, Aldin, who was staring at Alyva's disappearing back, came to his senses. "... Oh, yup, it's been a while, Kiro, I'm fine, how about you? Why did you suddenly leave the place?"

Hearing his question, Kiro furrowed his eyebrows in trouble. He couldn't simply say he couldn't stand the awkwardness in their group and that was why he left the place.

Seeing his troubled look, Aldin thought that he was still hovering a hatred from abandoning him inside the forest. Patiently standing by for his response, Aldin stared at him, as if waiting for Kiro to curse him and let all his anger out.

Taking a deep-breath, Kiro eventually lowered his head as he apologized. "I'm sorry, Aldin, you should know by now that I don't blame you from what happened last time." Rising his head, Kiro continued.

"So you should forgive yourself too, the real reason I left the training lounge, what not because I bear hatred to the group, rather because of my incompetence, I almost dragged Alina to her death due to my shallow thinking." Looking at his confused Aldin, Kiro said.

Aldin, who was bewildered by Kiro's sudden action, hurriedly denied Kiro's assumption.

"No, no-no. It's natural for you to be dissatisfied in our group, when we abandoned the two of you inside that forest without knowing if you guys can escape the place." Aldin refuted Kiro's words.

"So, it is acceptable, even if you leave us without a word too..." Exhaling slightly, Aldin made up his mind and kowtowed to Kiro.

"It's me who should beg for your forgiveness. I'm sorry, Kiro!" While his head was on the ground, Aldin shouted his regret.

The past event has been dragging his mentality like a curse. He couldn't even sleep peacefully at night due to his decision that day. The word 'what if' has been echoing inside his head repeatedly that to the point he almost lost his path, but thanks to Alyva's psychological assistance; Aldin managed to break through the loop of torment.

His abrupt action momentarily shocked Kiro. Then a childish voice resounded inside his head as it awakened him from confusion.

"What are you doing, Master? That guy already degraded his dignity to the point he even kneeled for forgiveness." Fixie voiced out when she noticed Kiro was spacing out.

"Please get up, Aldin—as I said before, I don't blame you for what you did. A man should not kneel to someone just like that. If you still consider me as your friend—please get up and forgive yourself."

When he heard Kiro's voice, Aldin slowly lifted his head. Then, when he saw the seriousness of Kiro's eyes, only then, Aldin raised his body on the ground.

Seeing him about to get up, Kiro stepped forward and reached out his right hand to offer his assistance.

Noticing his action, Aldin did not reject the offer as he grabbed a hold of Kiro's right arm to boost his body up.

When he got up, Kiro tapped his shoulder lightly. "Don't be hard on yourself, aren't both me and Alina is still alive? You only did what is appropriate when our party fell in disarray."

After hearing Kiro's remark, Aldin felt as if the enormous boulder that pinned on his chest lifted from those words.

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In the vacant lot on the outer-side wall of the municipality. The darkness enveloped the place, with a chilly night wind whistling a whooshing sound as it touched the man who was holding a small lantern that flickered with an orange-red hue.

Suddenly, the silhouette of a person moved closer to the man. "Sorry for the delay." The shadow said. "It's hard to get here without getting noticed by the public eyes."

Staring at the shadow, the man said. "Mm, don't worry about it. So how was it?"

"Hehehe, I've analyzed the two beast-kin, and I found something very interesting..." The shadow responded with an uncleared answer while staring at the man who seemed to have lost its patience.

Seeing the man's reaction, the shadow dropped its game, as it said. "Alright, alright, don't be impatient. I'll tell you what I saw."

"First, there's nothing special about the woman beast-kin, but we can still sell her, at a hefty price given the rarity of their tribe, and the fact that she is a 'woman' Hehehe." The shadow crackled with a peal of wicked laughter.

"Our real profit lies to the other one. The boy has an Innate gift." Hearing the shadow words, the man who was meekly listening in the darkness, both of his eyes flashed with expectation.

"Hooh~ it's been a while since the last time we caught someone with an innate gift." He said. "So what is the boy's Innate talent, Daren?" Noticing the greed in the man's eyes. Daren chuckled slightly before answering.

"It's a shapeshifter, also, because of his tribe characteristics, that boy would bring us way more fortune than we could earn through the entire annum, Rex." Looking at the man, Daren smirked.

"If it's truly a racial skill of the silver wolf tribe, even if we didn't succeed in capturing the girl, with the boy alone. It would be enough for us to start anew in another town," Rex answered with a tone that couldn't hide his uncontrolled avarice.

"But before that, you didn't forget our deal, right?" With his eyes gleamed with wickedness, Daren reminded him of the reason he came to this lonesome place.

Picking up his voice, Rex who was drowning with his greed was awakened.

"... Don't worry. Our plan is already set in motion, we only need the right timing to do so..." Throwing a piece of parchment to him, Rex continued. "Once you finished reading, don't forget to burn it."

After he received the letter, Daren nodded. "Mm, don't worry. I know what to do," putting it away, Daren added. "Now that we're done here, it is time for me to leave."

With that said, the figure of Daren blended through the darkness like he was a part of it.

Staring at his disappearing figure, Rex muttered with an inaudible tone. "Just you wait Gellis, all the humiliation that you did to me from the former years, I would return it with interest..." Rex said with both eyes flashed in hatred when he recalled the past.