Episode 22: In The Center Area

"Do you love to argue that much?" he found himself asking instead of stopping already.

Not many would argue with him with the smallest of things yet this one seemed like she wouldn't stop until she wins this argument.

"Do you love to ask but not believe the answer that much?" she asked back.

Julian's brows twitched, "Are you a spoiled brat?"

"Are you a snob?"

"Spoiled brat."

"Snob."

"Spoiled brat."

"Sno-"

"And that's enough."

Luna was interrupted when a hand covered her lips.

"We apologize for this. Once she starts arguing, she won't stop until she wins," Spencer apologetically said to Julian.

They had heard their conversation and knew that Julian doesn't really mean anything bad by his words. Luna... well she is still grumpy and knowing that she has not fully recovered, it is inevitable that she will continue doing so.

Julian was silent for a few seconds before opening his mouth, "I apologize for arguing back as well."

"Give us a minute," Spencer smiled helplessly before pulling Luna away from Julian.

"What's wrong?" he asked when they were out of earshot.

Luna took a deep breath.

She was not always like this but there are memories that just won't let her be even after one thousand years.

Memories engraved in her body.

She looked up and saw confusion in their faces.

She knows all four of them are confused with her strong reaction from Julian, who is considered as a complete stranger to them.

In the end, she couldn't open her mouth to tell them,

"I seem to have turned grumpy after waking up. A bit of dislike from the words I hear and I am already arguing with them. I guess I need to have a breath of fresh air then I'll apologize to him properly."

She laughed at the seemingly silliness she had shown them.

And from the depths of her heart and mind, she added another lock to the memories she didn't want to keep on remembering.

It has been a thousand years, it is best for it to remain in the past.

To be completely forgotten from this world.

To erase its existence.

They didn't question it any further as they only thought of it as some kind of side effect due to her condition.

Luna walked to the riverside and stood there staring blankly at the night sky.

For the past few days after waking up, they would have thought that she was able to accept the absurdity of their current situation because it was inevitable.

She had always been like that.

If something is inevitable then one can just look at a different perspective to see through what is in front.

If things don't go the way you want then you can just enjoy the spontaneity of what is going on.

With her back facing all of them, she bitterly smiled.

'I was simply running away from the reality of everything.'

She blinked when she realized a little later that someone was actually standing beside her.

She did not even realize that he had approached her.

She glanced at him before looking back at the river in front of her.

"I was childish. I owe you an apology," she then said.

Julian had just approached her.

He noticed her face being pale upon approaching her but he did not try to say anything. He didn't know them, and argued with her just moments ago.

He simply came to properly apologize but couldn't speak up upon seeing the look of bitterness in her.

"I was the same."

To disperse the awkward feeling she was having been seen in the state she was in a while ago by a stranger, she decided to create a different atmosphere instead.

"Indeed, even though you are older than I am."

His brow raised, he was properly apologizing and here she is looking for another argument.

He had the urge to argue back but stopped himself.

"A good smithy is indeed capable of creating a good weapon with the metal you have," he instead said.

"Well then, I suppose I need to collect a lot of things in order to raise the money for making it."

Julian opened his mouth to say something but decided to not say anything in the end.

'Though he may not need any payment in the end,' he thought.

What Luna has was actually a Caelum. A type of metal that has passed through the sun's power and survived from being evaporated by it.

It is even more precious from a part of the star for every mana the stars and moon possesses comes from the sun.

They were simply the medium in order for humans to receive the power. Since the purest of mana that is coming from the sun cannot be absorbed by humans.

Even a drop would cause one to explode.

And most smithies would do anything just to have the chance to create something out of that metal.

To think that such a big Caelum was in the possession of Luna.

Luna actually got this from the place where they ended up sleeping for a thousand years.

While looking into everything, she noticed the energy coming from one side and found this metal.

Upon closer inspection, she realized what it was and started wondering even more just what it is that was in the mountain range to have such a thing.

Many people have obviously looked into it but almost no one found anything precious in the mountain range.

'Maybe it is because of the battle that this Caelum has come about,' she thought.

The nauseating feeling she was having moments ago dissipated at the information Julian has given her.

"I suppose you won't have any other thoughts about this?"

She squinted her eyes while looking at him suspiciously.

Julian's brows twitched, "Don't lump me with those people who would kill for something that is not theirs to begin with."

"I see that you have some principles, sir knight."

"And you have such a tactless mouth, miss adventurer."

"I am complimenting you and you are insulting me."

"A compliment should be given accordingly. You have not done that at all."

"And you did not deny that you are insulting me."

"I am just replying to the attitude you have shown me."

"You are the first one who showed me an attitude."

"And I already apologized for that but Miss Adventurer doesn't seem like she is letting it go."

Luna opened her mouth to argue more but was indeed unable to do so.

Thinking back to their conversation, she was indeed the one who was showing attitude.

She ended up pursing her lips.

Julian smirked before walking back to his original position.

Luna gritted her teeth but could only stick out her tongue on his back.

She then huffed and walked back to the others.

"It seems that you and sir Julian are not getting well together," Preshea commented.

"He just loves to argue," she huffed.

"Says the one who loves to argue even more," Aaron commented.

She was arguing with him a few days ago with the smallest of matters and now she is arguing with Julian, whom they just met.

Spencer laughed when she sharply looked at Aaron in response to his words.

"I can see that you would get along really well with sir Julian," Spencer commented next.

His eyes traveled to where Julian is sitting.

"Why should I?" Luna argued.

"Since you are getting along really well with Aaron, despite all your bickering," Spencer replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"He and Aaron are different," she harrumphed.

Spencer shook his head, "Anyway, there is something I have been meaning to ask."

Luna looked back at him.

"You were looking back at the inner area of the Dark Forest a while ago. Was there something there?"

Luna had forgotten about it because of her silly arguments with Julian.

She turned serious, "I did not realize it when I first woke up. But while I was in the distance, there was something I felt in there."

"In the inner area?" Aaron asked.

She shook her head, "In the center area."

All four turned silent.

They have not been there yet, all they did was to survey the outer and inner area.

"What could it be?" Preshea asked next.

"I myself don't know. It feels more sinister than the beasts but lesser as compared to a demon. I also don't get the feeling and I wanted to investigate it. But..."

She looked at each of them.

"Our current conditions won't allow us to survive in that place. We would surely die without putting up a fight."

Seriousness befell their group.

If it is coming from her then it means that the place was indeed in a very serious situation.

"I was thinking of staying in Antlia Kingdom to look into the past but I guess we needed to stay on this side of the land in order to know what is in there. I don't think we can leave it alone."