Nicos stared at Alfonso's back, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His mother placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. When he turned to look at her, she greeted him with a reassuring smile, her eyes filled with confidence.
Everyone stepped into the Forgotten Region, and they immediately felt the difference.
At the boundary, there had at least been a trace amount of Spirit Essence lingering in the air. But once they crossed over, it all but vanished. The atmosphere was gloomy, with no sunlight shining through. Dark clouds blanketed the sky, casting the entire region beneath an eternal shadow.
Alfonso's expression twitched slightly.
"You feel it too?" Chloe asked.
"Yes, Madam," Alfonso replied shortly, still trying to adjust to the unfamiliar environment.
"What is it that you're feeling? Is it the same thing I'm feeling?" Tabitha asked. "Because I feel like something creepy is about to jump out and bite my head off at any moment." She looked around nervously as she spoke.
"You can rein in that wild imagination of yours, young lady." Chloe rolled her eyes at her daughter.
"There seems to be something draining the Spirit Essence throughout this region, which is why it's so scarce. There's only just enough left to sustain breathing. As for the people here, they're simply surprised to see us. It doesn't seem like they intend to attack us." She turned toward Alfonso. "Correct me if I'm wrong."
"You are correct, Madam. It seems they haven't seen anyone from the outside for a long time—or perhaps they simply haven't seen a group as large as ours. That would explain their reactions. Even so, we should remain cautious."
"Definitely." Chloe nodded. "Let's keep moving. We can't stand here forever, and it's not as though we have anywhere else to go. At the very least, no one has attacked us yet. That's a consolation in itself."
With that, they continued deeper into the Forgotten Region.
Everyone remained vigilant, carefully observing both the people and their surroundings.
The residents watched the newcomers with expressions of surprise and pity.
To those living here, entering the Forgotten Region marked the end of one's journey.
They even had a name for themselves.
The Condemned.
As long as someone entered the Forgotten Region, there was no hope of ever leaving. Countless people had tried over the years, yet none had ever succeeded.
None of the residents recognized Chloe or the others. The Silvermoon family had only risen to prominence in recent years, thanks to the meteoric rise of Chloe, the Healing Goddess, and Aeneas, the Spellblade Lord.
Although there were young people among the residents, it could be assumed they had been born within the Forgotten Region, as no one had been banished there for nearly a century until now.
However, one person among the crowd was different.
A middle-aged man stepped toward them, only for Alfonso to move forward and block his path.
"I have no malicious intentions." The man raised both hands calmly. "My name is Nakita. I simply wish to speak with the lady behind you."
"And what exactly do you wish to speak about?" Alfonso asked without moving aside. "We just arrived. It's not like we have family here waiting to throw us a welcome party."
"Let him through, Alfonso," Chloe said from behind him.
Though reluctant, Alfonso stepped aside while remaining alert.
Chloe smiled politely.
"Nakita, was it? What did you want to speak to me about?"
"It really is you... Healing Goddess Chloe." A broad smile spread across Nakita's face.
Everyone in Chloe's group looked at him in surprise.
Alfonso became even more vigilant, instinctively releasing his Spirit Essence.
Yet the moment it emerged, it was rapidly drained away by the strange environment.
"You can put your Spirit Essence away, Alfonso," Nakita said with an easy smile. "I'm not your enemy."
"Who are you?" Chloe asked, keeping her expression neutral despite the surprise she felt.
"You may have forgotten me, but I haven't forgotten you." Nakita smiled faintly. "Two years ago, I came to you with a proposal. I asked you to heal my daughter, and in return, I promised to find something that could help your son recover his decayed Spirit-Root."
"Oh..."
Recognition finally dawned on both Chloe and Alfonso.
"So it's you."
The reason she had failed to recognize him immediately was because many people had approached her with similar offers back then. She knew some of them were merely lying to gain an audience with her, as meeting the Shelter Leader of Silversky Shelter was no easy task.
Even so, because of her compassionate nature, she had accepted every request for treatment.
She simply hadn't expected to meet one of those people here.
"Yes, it's me." Nakita nodded. "I know you might think I abandoned my side of our agreement, but I didn't."
"So... are you saying you're here because of that?" Chloe asked, unable to hide her bewilderment.
"Yes... and no."
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, it's because of that promise that I ended up here. But no, I wasn't banished." Nakita smiled. "I came here of my own free will."
Everyone looked at him as though he had lost his mind.
Even Nicos couldn't hide the flicker of surprise on his face.
"It's actually quite simple," Nakita continued. "I couldn't find what I was looking for in the Eastern District. Even Sosthenes failed to find it on the other bases and regions. So I decided to search here instead. My plan was to find what your son needs first... then figure out a way to leave afterward."
"So you were willing to remain trapped here forever if you couldn't find it?" Chloe asked in disbelief.
"No."
Nakita shook his head.
"I wasn't dooming myself."
His expression softened.
"You saved my daughter, so helping your son is the least I can do."
He paused before continuing.
"Ever since you healed her, she hasn't been the same. You didn't just cure the infection that plagued her—you also healed every hidden problem within her body. She knows I'm here, and she's continuing the search from within the Spirit Realm."
Chloe looked at Nakita with a complicated expression.
"You don't have to continue searching anymore," she said quietly. "You should focus on finding a way out of here instead."
"Yeah." Tabitha nodded. "There's no need to keep risking yourself for us anymore, Uncle Nakita. We truly appreciate everything you've done, but... it's no longer necessary."
Nakita looked from one face to another, his confusion growing.
Finally, he asked the question that had been bothering him.
"Then... what are all of you doing here?"
"It seems you've already realized the crux of the matter." Chloe forced a faint smile. "But we'd rather not talk about it. Thank you for everything you've done."
She walked past him.
"Now, if you'll excuse us."
The rest of the group silently followed behind her, continuing their search for a place to settle.
After they had walked a short distance, Nakita suddenly called out.
"Nicos!"
Everyone stopped.
"Are you really willing to give up just like this?" he shouted.
"I'm still waiting for your answer."
Nicos froze.
His fists clenched once more, his fingernails digging so deeply into his palms that they nearly drew blood.
"No!"
His voice echoed through the gloomy surroundings.
"I won't!"
A smile slowly appeared on Nakita's face.
"That's all I needed to hear."
He walked toward them.
"There's an empty building beside where I'm staying. You can live there if you'd like."
Chloe let out a quiet sigh.
"Thank you... and please lead the way."
"You're welcome, Goddess."
"I'm no longer worthy of that title," Chloe replied with a self-deprecating smile.
"You are to me," Nakita said without hesitation. "And to my daughter as well. No matter what happens, you'll always be our Goddess."
With that, Nakita led the group toward the place he had mentioned.