CHAPTER 76: REASON

Seeing that, Shaan stopped for a moment. For some reason, doubt crept into his mind. Perhaps they should find another place to rest. Someone might get upset and attack them if they tried to rest here. However, it was getting darker outside and the rain was still falling. Besides, Chelsie was still unconscious, and their energy was running low. It seemed impossible for them to find another place to stay now.

"...Shaan? What’s wrong?" Nalira furrowed her brow, seeing Shaan standing silently without speaking. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no. I’m fine." Shaan slowly put Chelsie down from his shoulders and leaned her against the house’s walls. "It’s just, are you sure there’s no one else here besides us?"

"I don’t understand what you’re saying, Shaan." Shaan simply pointed ahead. "That cigarette butt...it must belong to someone, right?"

"Yes, it belongs to someone." Nalira walked over and picked one of the butts up from the floor. "But it’s already crushed and brittle, which means whoever was here left a long time ago."

’Wow, I didn’t expect Nalira to be this observant.’

"I agree with what Nalira said," said Mr. Courier with a nod. "I think those cigarettes probably belonged to the bandits who used to hide out here. Bandits often take shelter in places like this."

"Oh... alright then."

"...Instead of discussing such things, I think we should focus on something more important." Nalira turned her gaze toward Mr. Courier. "Mr. Courier, could you show us where we are right now?"

Hearing Nalira’s words, Mr. Courier opened his bag and took out his map. Once again, he unfolded the map in front of everyone and explained their current location on the map.

"We’re more or less right in the middle of the Tansel Swamp now," he said, tapping the map with his finger. "I think maybe if we—"

"Ugh, wh-where am I?" Chelsie slowly woke up, looking around at the others. "Lira? Mr. Courier?"

"Elsie, thank goodness you’re awake." Nalira let out a relieved sigh."Mr. Courier explained to us that we’re already in the middle of the Tansel Swamp now."

"Yes, that’s true," Mr. Courier said with a nod. "I believe we’ll be able to get out of this swamp."

"Wow, that’s great news," said Chelsie with a smile. "I just hope everything goes smoothly and we can get to the Twilight Sanctum as soon as possible."

"Yes, I hope the same." Mr. Courier walked over to the window of the wooden house and looked outside. "The rain has stopped, and we should start gathering some branches to make a campfire."

"I’ll help you, Mr. Courier," said Nalira. "Shaan, you should stay here. Someone has to watch over Chelsie."

"Alright, I don’t mind at all."

***

Silence immediately enveloped the room shortly after Nalira and the courier left to look for wood branches. Honestly, Shaan felt quite awkward in this situation. Although he knew Chelsie much better than Nalira, he still felt strange because this was the first time he had been in the same room with a woman.

’Damn, I have no idea what to say to—’

"Uhmm... Shaan. I just want to say thank you."

"Thank you? Thank you for what?"

"You’ve always helped me whenever I was in trouble, and you never looked down on me like other people do," Chelsie said with a smile. "Just like Lira. She’s never treated me harshly and always sees me as a friend. I just feel really lucky to have met both of you."

"I feel just as lucky to have met you, Chelsie," Shaan smiled back. "Without your help, Nalira and I might not have made it this far."

"Uhm... it—it’s nothing. I-I only do what I can do." Hearing Shaan’s words, Chelsie’s face turned red. "Shaan... there’s something I want to ask, if you don’t mind at all."

"Oh, not at all. Go ahead. What do you want to ask?"

"Uhm... why do you want to become a Daemonist? Why don’t you choose another job instead, one that’s not as dangerous as this?"

"This may sound silly to you, but I want to save the world from the threat of dark creatures and make it a much better place than before," said Shaan. "Therefore, I must become the strongest daemonist and never give up so that I can make it happen."

Hearing Shaan’s words, Chelsie paused for a moment, then smiled. "Shaan, it’s not silly at all. You sound just like my father. He was a man full of passion and determination, just like you."

"Really?" Shaan scratched his head. "I don’t know anything about that."

"My father also had a similar philosophy to yours. He just wanted to make the world a much better place than it was before," Chelsie said. "He believed that the world should be a safe and comfortable place where everyone could live in peace and without pressure."

"Chelsie’s father’s life principles are quite good."

"That’s also what always motivates me, and I always believe that what my father says is true."

"Yes, I agree with you."

"But..." Chelsie paused for a moment. "But when he was carrying out a special task for the government, he suddenly disappeared into the dark realm. Many people thought my father couldn’t possibly survive in the dark realm because he must have died."

’I also heard this from Chelsie’s mentor during training camp.’

"However, I’m certain my father couldn’t have died."

"Chelsie, but how can you be so sure?" Shaan asked, curious. "What makes you believe your father is still alive?"

Chelsie took off the cross necklace hanging around her neck and showed it to Shaan. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary necklace, but if one looked closely, a small red stone sat in the center, faintly glowing with a dim red light.

"While I was at the training camp, this stone inside the necklace my father gave me never glowed at all," she said, gently running her fingers over the surface of the pendant. "But strangely, once I entered the Dark Realm, the stone slowly began to glow... and at the same time, I kept dreaming about my father."

"Dreaming about your father?"

Chelsie nodded. "Uhm... yes. In my dreams, he also seemed to be trying to speak to me."

"What... what did he say?"

"I’m alive."