Chapter 11: Homecoming

Ethan's eyes fluttered open as he coughed up water, his senses jolting back to reality. He struggled to his feet, his vision slowly clearing. To his surprise, Seraphina was right beside him, launching herself at him with a fierce hug. He reciprocated, holding her tightly.

[A river? A jungle? Where are we?] Ethan's gaze swept around the unfamiliar surroundings.

Seraphina's delicate, trembling hands cradled his face, her grip almost uncomfortably intense. "Are- Are you alright? You were unconsci-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Seraphina abruptly slumped in his arms, her consciousness slipping away. Ethan examined her closely.

[She looks pale, worn out. Using that teleportation magic must have drained her.]

[But where are we?]

[Judging by the mana density, this isn't the world I knew.]

[It's more reminiscent of... my previous world.]

[I'll need to ask Seraphina when she wakes.]

[First things first, we need shelter.]

Gently placing Seraphina under a tree, Ethan set about gathering twigs and leaves for a makeshift campfire. Night was descending rapidly. After constructing a rudimentary tent, he set off to catch fish from the nearby river.

[My appearance hasn't changed.]

His hair remained partially red, his left eye retaining its unique quality. But now, his hair seemed to have grown significantly, cascading down to his shoulders. An unfamiliar black dot adorned his forehead.

After fishing he roasted them and calmed his hunger. Before going inside the tent he casted some magic barriers around and set some magic alarms around their shelter. Since their was enough magic in the area he didn't need to draw scrolls to perform magic.

[ Seraphina still isn't awake ]

[ What should I do? ]

Ethan felt sleepy as he held Seraphina in his arms. It was very cold at night. Soon Ethan fell asleep holding Seraphina inside the tent.

The next morning when Ethan woke up he was shocked to see that Seraphina wasn't in his arms. He ran out of the tent and saw her roasting some fish.

"Ah you are awake?"

It was Seraphina with her warm smile. Ethan then leapt at her and hugged her tightly. Seraphina being flustered pushed him away.

"WHA- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Her face was red and was breathing heavily.

"Come on you were the one to hug me first. Are you getting shy now? Seriously? The great witch, Seraphina also gets flustered?"

"Shut up and sit down and what's with that devilish appearance? What's wrong with your eyes?"

Ethan sat down and explained everything to Seraphina about how he had demon blood within him. They chatted for quite a while.

"So this still doesn't explain how you can use demonic energy. This is not your REAL body is it? How can it contain demonic blood?"

"I have uncertainty about that as well. The only possible logical explanation would be it's somehow related to how demonic power uses only soul. Since my soul is still my own real one..."

"So this girl named Laila saved you and both of you went shopping around while I was imprisoned? You also stayed at her house and ate with her?"

"I think you are misinterpreting my words by a huge margin."

"Hmph! so what now?"

Seraphina got up as she kicked dust at the fire extinguishing it.

"Since you are saying it's our good old Forest of Sin, we basically have nothing to do but go to one direction and hope we get out of here. To be honest the chances of them are low. But of all places in this goddamn world did you find only this place to come to?"

"Don't complain. The goddess could still be on alert. The forest of sin is the only place she can't monitor properly. If we teleported somewhere else, my arcane energy would have revealed us."

"So which way do you think we should go Miss All-knowing?"

"Hmph!" Seraphina turned herself 180 away from Ethan with her arms crossed.

[ Just what did I do to make her like this? ]

"Then let's follow this river. Lives are bound by water. We will find something while following it. "

The duo started to follow the river. Along the way they found monsters, mostly aquatic. However, unlike Seraphina's last time in this cursed place, With Ethan, this seemed to be very easy.

[ He... was always reliable. He has gotten stronger now. But this woman Laila, I need to see her. ] Seraphina stared at Ethan with an unusual look on her face.

"We found something...?"

Ethan was standing near a cliff. As Seraphina came closer she instantly recognized what Ethan was talking about. It was the destroyed ruins from where her journey through worlds first started. The area around it getting destroyed made it easier to spot it.

"This place... It is the ruins I told you about"

"But why is it in a bad shape? Did you fight anyone or anything here?"

"No... maybe the apostles came here later or this could be done by some wild monsters." Seraphina didn't want to tell Ethan about his elder brother. After all this would be a very big of a shock for him. She didn't want to hurt Ethan anymore.

"Let's check this place. But be careful of traps."

As Ethan and Seraphina made their way to the ruins they were met with more monsters along the way. After they reached the ruins they found it completely destroyed. There was a huge crater around it as well.

Ethan then put his hand on the ground and closed his eyes. He then spread his mana underground to feel the structure that has been destroyed.

"It's all filled with debris, all destroyed. It's not something some wild monster could have done. It is most likely the work of some apostle who was chasing you."

"..." Seraphina didn't say anything to Ethan's remarks.

With a heavy sig Ethan continued, "The night is coming. Let's make our shelter here, there doesn't seem to be any monsters around."

Then the duo prepared their camp and a tent to pass the night. As the night fell they enjoyed roasted fish under the moon together.

"Well... since you came here before... do you remember the way out? well it's been so long-"

"Hmph! Who do you think you are talking to? Just keep following me tomorrow"

[ Sigh... Why is she still like this ]

The day after, their journey continued. Ethan, led by Seraphina traversed through the forest taking and finally reaching Seraphina's hide out.

"What kind of arrogant old sage would live in a cursed place like this? Are you sure we are on the right way?"

hearing those words Seraphina stopped in her tracks and turned her head. Her eyes felt so scary that it sent shivers down Ethan's spine.

"Umm... Did I say something wrong?"

"It is my house."

At that moment Ethan knew what he did.

"Well I-"

Seraphina simply ignored Ethan and went inside the cottage.

"Make yourself at home. I will cook up something."

"Quite the humble abode you have here," he remarked, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Seraphina shot him a glare as she busied herself in the kitchen. "It's functional, unlike some people's taste for unnecessary extravagance."

Ethan chuckled softly, taking a seat at a rickety wooden table and putting his coat on the chair beside him. He observed her graceful movements as she prepared a simple meal, her every action exuding an air of dominance and control. The setting sun cast a warm glow through the windows, painting the room in a slightly eerie orange hue.

[ Seraphina seems prettier than before ]

[ Is it just my imagination...? ]

"So, you can cook as well? Is there anything you can't do?" Ethan quipped, trying to keep the conversation light.

Seraphina huffed, but he noticed a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I've had plenty of time to learn various skills while wandering through different worlds. Survival sometimes requires versatility."

As they sat down to eat, Ethan couldn't help but marvel at how their circumstances had shifted. From a desperate struggle against overwhelming odds to sharing a simple meal in a quaint cottage, the contrast was stark. Seraphina's demeanor had softened somewhat, her guard appearing to lower in the intimate setting.

Their conversation flowed more like a one-sided interrogation, with Seraphina asking pointed questions about his past, his magic, and his interactions with other women. Ethan answered cautiously, not wanting to trigger any outbursts.

After the meal, Seraphina cleared the dishes and gestured toward a small wooden door. "You can freshen up in there if you'd like. I'm going to prepare the sleeping arrangements."

In the center of the bathroom stood an old-fashioned bathtub, its wooden surface gleaming invitingly in the soft light. Ethan's eyes widened in surprise and appreciation as he took in the sight.

He found a round orb like thing on top of the bath-tub that radiated mana. He touched it out of curiosity and warm water started to flow out of it.

[ A witch's house. I should have expected this much ]

Suddenly the door opened from behind.

"About the water- kyaak!"

"Oh I turned it-"

The door was then shut close just like that.

[ What's wrong with her? ]

The tub was getting filled with water, its surface shimmering with the reflection of the dimly lit candles that lined the room. The water was comfortably warm, the steam wrapping around him like a gentle embrace as he approached the bath. His fingers dipped into the water, confirming its soothing temperature.

As he stepped into the tub, a sigh escaped his lips, the warmth enveloping his tired body. The water reached up to his chest, the sensation easing away the tension he hadn't realized he was carrying. He sank deeper, allowing himself to be cradled by the gentle ripples.

Ethan leaned back against the edge of the bathtub, his eyes closed as he let the warmth seep into his bones. He felt the knots of anxiety and fatigue gradually unravel, the events of the day fading into the background as his body surrendered to the comfort of the water. The scent of the herbs mingled with the steam, creating a tranquil sensory experience that eased his mind as much as his body.

On the other hand Seraphina was outside on the ground covering her reddened face.

[ His body, they are so macular ]

[ How could he look so attractive with just a towel? ]

[ What if he didn't wear it? ]

As indecent thoughts engrossed her mind, her face started to get more red.

As Ethan stepped out of the bathing room some time later, he felt rejuvenated, his body and mind both refreshed. The events of the day had taken a backseat, replaced by a sense of calm and gratitude.

As he reentered the main chamber, he found Seraphina waiting, her eyes catching his for a fleeting moment. The air seemed charged with an unspoken understanding, a connection forged in the quiet moments of vulnerability.