Ch.39

( Maya Pov ) 

' He's sleeping.' I looked at Cain. His sleeping expression made me remember something from the past. 

Cain would only sleep when he feels safe. It was a habit I noticed from my previous lives. 

' Does he trust me that much? After that fight, we had and my resolve to kill him.' 

I took a deep before exhaling as I calmed my mind.

Cain was someone who never appeared, yet his presence influenced the world.

' Will he also influence the world again?' I asked myself as I looked Cain, whose head fell on my shoulder.

I jolted in surprise before calming myself again.

I watched Cain sleep as I felt myself also tired as I absorbed the mana.

" If you change the world with your presence, then I shall guide you, Cain Styker. Not as a hero or a demon king but as a comrade and friend."

I looked at Cain before looking as the crystals.

" Even if it meant controlling you."

( Lady Aethra Pov )

" Oh my!" I looked at the gem on the floor as I picked it up as I lifted it up to see its shining reflection.

" What a lucky day!" I pocketed the gem as I walked past the mana crystals.

" Now, where did the boy run off to? Sigh, men." I shook my head as I continued my search.

As I poked around a few skeletons here and there as I made my way down the dungeon.

The mana in the air was increasing as I knew this was the correct way towards the core.

" Oh?" I entered a large room filled with Mana Crystal's as I spotted Cain with a woman.

A smile crept to my face as I saw Cain sleeping on th3 Woman's shoulder.

The girl looked at me vigilantly as she seemed wary of me.

" Oh my! So this is where you were. Sleeping with a woman." I spoke as Cain slowly opened his eyes.

" Huh?" He rubbed his eyes as he spotted me.

" Lady Aethra?" He blinked as he stood up, not noticing he drooled on the poor girl's shoulder.

" It seems like you caught up." Cain smiled as I approached. Ain't as I put a hand on his shoulder.

" Don't fet smug." I replied as I applied pressure to his shoulder.

" R-Right!" He replied as I patted his shoulder before looking at the girl.

" Amd. who is she?" I asked a I looked at Cain.

Cain looked at her before looking back at me.

"Her name is Maya, and Maya, this is Lady Aethra." I waved hello at the girl who nodded in return.

' This is supposed to be a secret mission. There should be no witnesses.' I thought as I looked at Cain.

We both locked eyes as it seemed Cain guessed what I was thinking.

" She's the disciple of Amelia... and..." he seemed hesitant as he looked at Maya before looking at me as he tookna dep breath.

" A skill fighter. She could be useful in our organization."

I looked at him with a serious face as I looked at this girl known as Maya.

' A skilled fighter? Her body was frail and weak. But her eyes reflected experience.'

" Hmm? And how can we trust her?" I tapped my chin.

" She had chances to kill me. But she had not. That speaks for itself." Cain replied as I nodded.

" Okay! Then we shall head to the core!" I replied with a cheerful smile.

( Cain Pov )

From what I observed, Maya would be a great asset to have in our team.

And with enough resources, she will be a deadly disaster.

I thought as I looked at Maya before offering a hand towards which she took.

" Let's have a chat after this." I spoke with a serious tone as Maya nodded.

" Well then....let's go! Onward to the core!!" Lady Aethra walked towards the passage as Maya and I followed her.

I could walk better as I stood behind Maya with Lady Aethra in front.

( Maya Pov )

' I'm trapped.' I thought as I noticed the two of them in front and behind me.

I looked at Aethras' side profile as I recognized here.

The elven woman I didn't really want to meet, amd not just her but also the other members of the AC organization.

Each chair head is a disaster.

' But who would've thought Cain would be a member as well. I never knew of this before. Maybe it's connected to his disappearance or why he was saved from that train.'

I remember the loss of Cain Styker, the day he went missing for months.

His training, skills, and knowledge must come from these people.

' But why is he with Aethra? Is he her disciple?' I asked myself as I noticed the opportunity in front of me.

' I could use this to my advantage. Joining this organization could help me with resources and keep an eye on Cain as well.'

I decided as I kept to myself for now until the talk with Cain after this was over.

( Cain Pov )

Minutes passed as the mana in the air became denser to the point that it became harder to breathe as I controlled my breathing.

Aethra and Maya seemed to have no problem as I continued behind them.

My mana was easily refilled.

And as we got closer to the dingeon, the more dangerous monsters appeared.

Bang!

But they were all killed by Lady Arthra by one shot.

Thud!

A minotaur fell to the ground as Lady Aethra picked up its core before moving onwards.

It was my first time seeing a minotaur in person as I wanted to analyze the monster, but I realized I couldn't open my left eye right now to observe it.

I could only see how it looks and its description.

As we entered deeper intot he dungeon, the more monsters appeared.

Minotaur, death knight's and night stalkers.

I really hate night stalkers.

" Jijijiji!!"

Bang!

But with Lady Aethra, we are able to move fprward safely.

' But still, why would Lady Alexandria want me to tag along? Was it to see this? Or was it another lesson to learn.' I thought as I looked Maya who was able to dodge a death knight's attack.

We both took a fee steps back as Lady Aethra shot it breaking its skull.

" Sorry~ it slipped passed." Lady Aethra apologized as she continued shooting her gun with mana.

A mana weapon, it's rare to see someone use it as it needed great control to compress the mana to a ball of mana and spin it as the gun using the mana's momentum to shoot it.

Though it was only from my observations from before as I don't have any experience with it.

' Though, feels like I'm being a burden being here.'I thought as I followed Lady Aethra into a larger room.

Statues filled the walls as we walked closer to a larger statue in the middle of the room.

It was a woman with a blind fold covering her eyes and her hands together in the air like she was offering something to the sky.

I observed the statues. Knight's holding different kinds of weapons.

Great sword, spear, and shield.

I didn't say anything about the statues less I jinx myself.

' The core!' I looked at the floating crystal in front of the statue.

A slight wave of mana passed us as the air became harder to breathe.

I covered my mouth as Lady Aethra grabbed the crystal.

" Hmm." She then observed the crystal as she took into her space ring.

" Welp, mission accomplished! Hurray!" She cheered as I fell to one knee.

I felt light headed as I tried to breathe.

" Yuto?" I heard Mayas voice as she took my arm around her shoulder.

" Let's go." Lady Aethra spoke as she I heard her footsteps coming closer.

I then blacked out.

Then woke up in a room as I hurriedly got up andnobserved the room.

The room was simple as I heard footsteps approaching.

The door opened to reveal an two elves.

" You're awake."

" What time is it?" I asked as I touched my left eye to feel the blod still there.

" Hm? It's been an hour since you came back from the dungeon." The elf who looked the oldest replied as I hurriedly got up from bed. .

" Shit, I need to go back!" I panicked as I need to go back to my friends.

" Wait.."

I passed the two elves as I went to bathroom to wash my face and clean any blood off from my body as I ran out of the small house.

I went to the market to buy some new clothes.

I ran up to a stall selling jackets and pants.

" How much for these two?" Ibpoointed at a red hoodie and black pants.

" 50 Rubies." The merchant replied as she handed the clothes to me in a bag as I gave her the cash and ran to a public bathroom to change.