As the first rays of dawn painted the sky with a soft golden hue, Merina and Ceti made their way through the winding streets of the Safe Zone.
Their clothes were dusty, and their eyes bore the evidence of a nights worth of hard work.
They could hear the city starting to come alive as people were busy entering and exiting the safe zone while opening up their own stalls to trade and haggle as usual.
Ceti kicked a stone in her path and huffed, "I swear, if I have to work one more day for that impish Zone Master, I'll snap. She hasn't let us sleep for a week!"
Merina chuckled lightly, though the weariness in her eyes was unmistakable, "It will be fine, daughter. At least she's allowing us a bit more time here. If it helps the royal consort heal, isn't it worth putting up with a bit of her... 'unique' character?"
Ceti stopped in her tracks, her dark blue eyes filled with a hint of worry and concern, "Do you think he will truly recover, mother? He's been unconscious for so long. His mana circuit isn't working for some reason, and…what if he gets crippled again? Using that much power must come at a price."
Merina looked at her, the gravity of the situation evident in her usually dark blue eyes. Every day since that night her heart was heavy and plagued with worry but was trying to remain strong for his and others' sake.
However, she had noticed her daughter was unusually worried about her Master ever since he collapsed, and there were only one or two guesses in her mind to the reason why.
But she summoned a strength from within, her voice gentle yet firm, "The royal consort is stronger than we think. We've seen him face impossible odds and come out on top. He's not going to be taken down so easily."
She paused, taking Ceti's hand in hers, offering a squeeze of support, "And besides, Isola hasn't left his side for a moment, taking care of him day and night. If anyone can help him find his strength again, it's her. At least his condition has been improving slightly by the passing of each day."
"Isola, huh…" Ceti's gaze briefly became distant as she remembered the look on Isola's face every day for almost 2 months as she took care of Asher.
If she didn't know any better, she would have thought Isola was his dutiful wife. And when she and her mother offered to help on the first day itself, Isola refused and said she was responsible for this and that she would take care of him herself.
How could she decide that on her own?
Ceti knew Isola was only being Isola, but why was she feeling a bit bitter about this?
But since the Zone Master was so demanding, Ceti knew she and her mother could at least help Asher stay here by working for her.
And that was what they had been doing for the past few weeks until people were beginning to envy them for getting to stay in the same safe zone without leaving for so many consecutive weeks.
However, it wasn't necessarily a good thing since they weren't here to enjoy but to complete the quest successfully. They were losing time and the chance to earn more treasures. Only those who don't care about all that wouldn't mind staying inside a Safe Zone until the quest was over.
Their only relief was that they had a treasure trove of shards, thanks to the number of Hunters they killed that night.
As they ambled down the cobblestone streets, Ceti glanced hesitantly at her mother, her brows furrowed in deep thought, "Still…I can't stop thinking about what happened that night. You also can't, right?" Ceti couldn't help but reveal the thoughts that had been sitting in her mind for so long.
Merina paused, her eyes growing distant as memories from that night flooded back as she softly nodded in silence.
Ceti began, her voice laden with doubt, "How is it even possible for Asher to draw upon the power of a divine being like the phoenix? That radiant mana...Even with his Immortal Bloodline, he shouldn't even last a second. Nobody can survive a power that is completely against the nature of their mana circuit. He should've burned up from the inside. It's... it's impossible."
Merina's gaze also fell into one of contemplation as it was something she had been thinking about as well.
Ceti's voice dropped to a near whisper, her eyes sharp and piercing, "But there's something else that has been bothering me more. Those golden flames that surrounded him... they were eerily familiar. The only other time I've witnessed such brilliance was from that disturbingly powerful Golden Prince. The very same Hunter who killed the late king and being a nightmare for us all," Ceti finished grimly.
Merina halted, rounding on Ceti, her face a mix of shock and admonishment, "Ceti, you cannot just associate the royal consort with the likes of the Golden Prince. To even associate the royal consort with a Hunter is a grave insult," Even though she said this, her lips firmly pressed together as she also inwardly held Ceti's doubts. Even if it was a divine being, radiant mana could never enter the mana circuit of a being born with demonic mana.
If it did, all it would cause was one to implode.
Ceti sighed heavily, rubbing her chin with her fingers, "Of course, I didn't mean it like that, mother. I'm just trying to make sense of things."
Merina softly smiled and said, "It's fine. Maybe if the royal consort wants to, he might tell us what happened. Or maybe he doesn't know as well. Using the power of a divine being is beyond our comprehension."
Ceti let out a low sigh as she nodded, though it also seemed odd a mythical being like the phoenix helped out a demon in the first place.
Not longer after, upon entering their temporary abode, Ceti remarked on the unusual stillness that permeated the air, "Why is it so silent?" Ceti wondered since, usually, this time around, she could hear Isola's faint footsteps or her humming a melody.
Merina was about to agree when a faint, yet unmistakable scent wafted towards her. Her cheeks instantly reddened, and her brows raised, recognition lighting up her eyes, "Oh..."
Ceti's nose wrinkled, trying to discern the unfamiliar aroma, "What is that scent? Why does it seem…" Ceti wasn't familiar with this scent, yet it felt like this wasn't the first time she smelled something like this.
It just made her feel strange and a sense of realization was slowly creeping up her spine.
Merina gulped as she awkwardly smiled and said, "It must be some medicine…" She winced slightly, feeling she could have come up with a better excuse, and hoped Ceti wouldn't press further.
But as she feared, Ceti felt a sudden surge of curiosity.
Without any further ado, she made her way briskly towards Asher's room, Merina following close on her heels.
"Ceti, wait!" Merina's voice was tinged with urgency, and tried to stop her.
But it was too late. The door swung open, revealing a tender scene inside.
Asher and Isola, lost in a world of their own, lay intertwined, their bare forms showcasing a vulnerability and intimacy that was breathtakingly beautiful.
The thin sheet that draped over them only added to the tantalizing allure of the tableau.
Awoken from their peaceful slumber by the sharp intake of breath and the creaking door, Isola's dreamy contentment was instantly replaced by a rising sense of panic.
She quickly clutched the sheet around her, her eyes darting to the door to find Ceti and Merina standing there, their expressions mirroring their shock.
Asher, however, seemed unaffected by the sudden intrusion, squinting against the bright morning light. He gave a groggy huff, "Who opens a door so loudly at this hour?"
Ceti's eyes widened, her cheeks turning redder and her shock transitioning to a mix of disbelief and even a tinge of bitterness, "You two... How could...You..." She stuttered, the weight of what she saw sinking in.
Feeling the weight of judgment, Isola tried to find words but found her voice lost in a sea of apprehension.
Her heart raced as the implications of their relationship, now exposed, loomed large, even though she had never planned for any of this to happen.
The risks of their tryst were amplified tenfold, given the status of Asher as the Bloodburn Queen's consort.
And with Ceti, a trusted aide of the Bloodburn Queen, having seen them, the secret may not remain concealed for long.
"I can't believe this..." Ceti mumbled, her tone shifting from shock to anger, "You... with…This is so... urgh!" Her frustration evident, she turned on her heel and stormed out.
"No, Ceti, wait!" Isola called out, attempting to rise from the bed in her haste.
But Ceti had already left, sealing off any chance for immediate explanations or assurances.
Isola's eyes were wide, her vulnerability apparent, "Asher... I'm so sorry," her voice barely above a whisper, "I never wanted any of this to complicate things or put us in trouble."
A smile crept onto Asher's face, a surprising reaction considering the gravity of their predicament.
He leaned in, gently cupping Isola's chin and bringing her gaze to meet his, "You think too much," he murmured before planting a gentle kiss on her lips. As they parted, he continued, "Let me handle Ceti. Trust me, none of us is going to get in trouble."
At the same time, he was surprised his mana circuit was up and active again, making him wonder if sleeping with Isola worked some magic he wasn't aware of.
Isola blinked, surprised and touched by his calm demeanor, while wondering how he was going to handle someone like Ceti.
However, she felt a wave of warmth spread across her cheeks as she remembered the previous night.
She was still in a state of disbelief, realizing that what happened wasn't a dream.
She then sunk her face into her arms, her lips pressing together, wondering what she had done and if things would really be alright in the future.
She also felt guilty that she did this behind Rowena's back and didn't know how she was going to face her once she returned.
In the heat of the moment and after being overwhelmed by her own feelings, she let herself get swept away by him.
After spending almost her entire life yearning for love, he was the only one who gave what she was seeking and she couldn't help herself from embracing it.
But something equally or more concerning was how her parents and her people might react if they came to know that she slept with the consort of an enemy kingdom.
She knew that her people, including her parents, would never see the Bloodburn Kingdom in a friendly light, especially when tensions still existed.
She also never thought she would share a bed with the same man whom she hated once.
At the same time, Merina, observing the two, couldn't help but wear a small, knowing smile.
The situation was undeniably complex, but there was no denying the raw, palpable emotion between her Master and Isola.
Her eyes glistened with tears, feeling relieved and happy to see that he was finally awake and seemed to be in healthy condition.
She perked up as her Master walked past her, his voice echoing in her mind, briefly instructing her.
Understanding his message, Merina nodded subtly, turning her attention back to Isola.
