When Dahlia finally opened the book
She kept her eyes closed tightly
While everyone in the castle backed away from Dahlia and also closed their eyes tightly
Except Fenry, Hunji, Jeon and Xinhua still stayed around her
.
.
.
Nothing happened
Dahlia hesitantly opened her eyes and looked at the book
"Huh... it... looks normal to me..." She commented
Fenry narrowed his eyes as he looks over at the book
"Seems safe..." Fenry mumbled
"Well... that is a relief... and what is written inside anyways, do you know?" Hunji also looked over with Jeon and Xinhua along
All the children looked along too
Not many can read nor write as many didn't had the privilege to learn it
Except Fenry, Dahlia and Xinhua can read
But... it's no use cause...
The writing was not in their language
"It's not in our language..." Xinhua mumbled as he looked up at Dahlia
Dahlia only stayed silent as she just stares at the writing
"... I can read it..." She mumbled
Everyone's eyes widened slightly in hearing her
"... How can you read their lan-" "We got the right book..." Dahlia said immediately
"The... book we got is... encyclopedia of this realm..." She sighed deeply
"Then it should have information of the mana gem we have" Xinhua exclaimed as he smiled widely
"Maybe... but I am not fully sure..." Dahlia closed her eyes for a while
"I guess I have to read everything here to find out" She shook her head
"That might take a whole day in reading this or more..." Xinhua groaned as he stared at the book again... at the pages specifically
"I can do it, if I read it all night long" Dahlia huffed
"You will get dark circles" Jeon commented
"Yeah, really dark circles" Hunji commented along
"Then it won't be long when many will call you, "panda!" "panda!" "panda!"" Hunji and Jeon said in unison
Many children chuckled including Xinhua, as Dahlia was flushed
Fenry didn't laugh as he just stares at Dahlia with a blank look
"C'mon guys... stop teasing me when we all are in a serious place" Dahlia groaned
"You were the one saying that "we should make the most of the time we have together"" Jeon added as he snickered
Dahlia huffed as she looks away, "Shut up... but anyways"
She cleared her throat
"Like I said, to find the specific information we need. I need to read everything in here to find out... so basically I will be up the entire... uhh" Dahlia looks at the sky cause she doesn't knows, if it's night or day cause of the pitch dark purple sky
And the dimly glowing red moon, to top it all off...
"Night!" She finished her sentence
Many stayed silent
Xinhua soon comes forward, "I will also help you" he said
Dahlia looks down at Xinhua and smiles, "I appreciate it... but I will do it alone... I need you to be in full health and energy" she said as she patted Xinhua on head
"But-" "You heard her kiddo, let the lady do her work while we men gather our strengths by sleeping" Jeon chuckled as he lifted Xinhua off ground and on his shoulder
Xinhua gasped in surprised as he squirmed, "Hey!!! LET ME GOO!!!" he yelled out
"No can do" Jeon said as he winked at Dahlia and playfully saluted her, before leaving with Xinhua on his shoulder
Dahlia chuckled watching this, as she too went off to read the book in a place that is appropriate to read at
Hunji clapped his hands to snap the many children, that were staring at Dahlia go her way
"Ok ok, kiddos. You all should go back to sleep, since it's been a long night for you all" Hunji declared
"Right... it's really been a eventful day- I mean- night" One of the children said as he scratched his neck
"Yeah... my throat is sore from all the counting" Another said as she rubbed her throat
"I agree, I will head first before you guys" Another chimmed in as he quickly left to sleep, leaving his group behind
"OI! Not fair!!!" One of the group members of that kid hissed playfully before taking off after him
"Hey!!! Wait for us!!!" More in the group exclaimed
"Hey~ I will take the bottom part of the bed, since it's cold. And you guys will warm me up!" Another part of the group said
"Not fair!!! It's cold here!!!" One of the members groaned
Hunji looked around as the many children that had been separated into groups by themselves, quarreled over simplest things
He smiled faintly at that, feeling warmth creeping up in his chest
Suddenly he felt a pat on his shoulder
Hunji looked over and saw Fenry
He raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong? You have anything to say?" he asked
Fenry doesn't say anything, he just looks over at where Dahlia left
Then back at Hunji
"... Can we talk alone for a moment?" Fenry asked
Hunji tilted his head slightly, "What's up with him? Why is he acting so weird now?" he thought internally
"Why-" "I just wanna talk" Fenry cut Hunji off as he just looks at Hunji, straight in the eye
Fenry's amber eyes glinted with a glim, that Hunji had never seen
Hunji knew for one thing...
Fenry is serious... more serious he ever was...
"Fine..." Hunji replied as he averted his eyes away from Fenry's
Fenry nods only and leads Hunji away
.
.
.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Hunji asked as he leaned against the wall as they were at a pretty good distance away from the prying eyes
Fenry doesn't says anything, instead he looks back at the red moon
Hunji stares at Fenry only, not saying anything
{ { Minutes ticked by } }
"Urgh... what is this guy thinking? Dragging me here with that look in his eyes and now... staying there like a stupid statue?!" Hunji thought internally. He groaned as he ruffled his hair
"Hunji! If you have anything to say... say it! Don't just stand there and-" "Don't you think Dahlia is being weird?" Fenry suddenly asked as he cut Hunji off in the middle again
Hunji looks back at Fenry's face
"Huh? Weird?" He asked as he was baffled
"No... let me correct myself..." Fenry said quietly as he turns back to Hunji
"... Dahlia being suspicious" Fenry said, it didn't sound like a question... rather a statement
Hunji blinked for a moment before he narrowed his eyebrows, "Suspicious? In what way?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest
Fenry only sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose
"Really Hunji? You haven't noticed any suspicious parts in Dahlia?" he asked as he felt like a headache was forming on his head
From seeing Hunji being oblivious to everything
Hunji only looked down at the ground with a blank look, "Well... why not enlighten me then?"
Hunji looked up at Fenry as his blue eyes pierced through Fenry, "Since you have noticed" he retorted, as he emphasized his last words
Fenry shook his head slightly, "Tell me... how come she knows everything about this realm we are stuck at?" Fenry asked
"Well, maybe she has good information source... or maybe she was taught" Hunji replied with a huff
"Good information from who? And who taught her about all those things?" Fenry scoffed only
"From her parents... teachers... you know that nobles kinds of things..." Hunji shrugged
"And how would they know about this realm? If they had even the slightest idea... then we-" Fenry paused for a brief moment
"No... those who had come before us, on this realm... then they would've never come here from the very beginning!!! They would all be rescued... safe and sound" Fenry groaned as he look down at the ground
"I wouldn't be part of this world... I wouldn't have killed Xen... my older sister wouldn't have died... I... I... wouldn't have been an orphan... completely..." His voice cracked slightly
"Your... still doubting her...?" Hunji asked as he clenched his jaw
Fenry stays silent for only a moment
"... I don't know... all the things that is happening... here... she knows it all..." Fenry began
"Think of it... the realm name I mentioned... the entity and on how to summon it... so we all can go back..." He pointed out one by one
"And her while we were running... she asked me if I am hearing something..." When Fenry mentioned that, Hunji's eyes widened from hearing it
"What... hearing things?" Hunji asked
Fenry nods as he soon point out the last detail, "And... lastly... her being able to read their language..."
Hunji stilled completely, he tried to process things
Trying to process what Fenry is saying
"So... how come she know this... what if-" "If you say anything stupid... I will throw you out the window" Hunji cut Fenry off as he glared at him
Fenry's eyes widened
"What?..." Fenry mumbled out of surprise
"You heard me..." Hunji retorts back as he stepped closer to Fenry
"... I trust her... cause if she was really betraying us-" "I wasn't trying to say that she is!" Fenry tried to defend himself as he backed away
"But the way your saying all this... it speaks volumes of what you think of her!" Hunji exclaimed as he punched the wall besides where Fenry is backed against at
{ { { Silence } } }
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.
.
Hunji grunted as he pulls away from Fenry, "Right... what I was thinking? Your that type of person that doesn't sees what people are going through..."
"You only see the worst outcome of them... thinking everyone is a villain..." Hunji chuckled humorlessly
"But... tell me one thing... didn't you see the injuries that little girl had!!! How many times she cried!!! How many times she always cower in a corner when she sees that things aren't going the way she planned!!! The look in her eyes..." Hunji pointed out
"That speaks volumes of what she went through!!! Or how traumatized or terrified she is!!!!" Hunji's voice raised at the last sentence... but tried to keep himself calm...
Fenry narrowed his eyes as he thought internally, "No... get yourself together Fenry..."
"I was not intending that!!! I was asking how come she knew all that-" "AND WHY SHOULD WE CARE IF WE ALL HAVE A CHANCE IN GOING BACK TO OUR WORLD!!!" Hunji snapped at Fenry as his tone raised
It echoed around the castle
Fenry's eyes widened as he saw the raw emotions in Hunji's eyes
Fenry bit his lower lip as he was speechless, "I... well... I was just curious... on how she-" "If your so focused on it, then go on ask her. But after we escape" Hunji huffed
"I don't want you to disturb her with your stupid questions while she is trying her way to help us all" Hunji warned before he left Fenry alone in the hallway they were at
Fenry didn't know what to do as his body trembled
He soon slumped down on floor as he just stared blankly at the red moon
"... I... guess I still doubt her..." Fenry thought as he closed his eyes tightly
.
.
.
"The way to turn a creature back to the world they belong in..."
Fenry's eyes snapped open when he heard a voice
It was a low whisper
But still clear in the quiet atmosphere
He stood up from the floor and followed the whisperings
Until... he was at the top of the castle...
There he saw Dahlia curled under the window to read the book under the dimly lit red moon
Cause there is no source of light to read them
And even tho with a source... they would alert the ghouls, if they turn on any light sources here
Dahlia's eyes were narrowed in concentration on every letters in the book
All cause the light the moon was providing wasn't enough to read... but she still tried her hardest anyways
Her eyelids were getting heavier... but forced them to keep it open to read
Her body trembled faintly... probably from the cold
Fenry saw all this with widened eyes
HIs chest tightened painfully as something flickered in his eyes
"Lady... Dahlia... forgive me..." Fenry mumbled softly...
Too softly that it wasn't heard
Fenry still kept watch on Dahlia as she still kept on reading
Fenry can guess that Dahlia found a way to find out the level of the mana gem...
Judging by the way Dahlia has marked a page by her ribbon that she tied her hair with
And instead of announcing it...
Dahlia is reading more
So she can find a way to help Fenry
{ The next night }
{ { Everyone was done eating their meals to gather their strength } }
Everyone has gathered around including Fenry, Hunji, Jeon and Xinhua
"Guys... I finally found a way to know the mana gem level" Dahlia exclaimed, her hands were still trembling slightly but she hid it well
"I just need to pull something out from the book" Dahlia said
"Huh? Pull something from the... book?" Jeon asked as he tilted his head slightly
Xinhua looked at Hunji and Fenry, the two doesn't says anything
The two were silent the entire time... never exchanging the usual playful gestures... or talking to one another
While every children just looked at one another for any clue on what Dahlia is saying
Dahlia soon cleared her throat
"Uhm... I guess everyone will understand if I showed you all" She said as she soon opened a specific page, before she suddenly pushed her hand inside a page
Her hand went inside making many gasp, their eyes widening at her actions
"Calm down... my hand is safe... just..." Dahlia chuckled seeing everyone's reaction as she searched something inside the book
Finally her hand gripped something inside the book
She tried pulling it out
But groaned cause it was heavy
Immediately on cue, both Fenry, Hunji and Jeon pushed their hands in the book
Fenry and Hunji looked at one another
"Hunji..." Fenry mumbled as his eyes softened a lot
Hunji stared at Fenry before he gave a small smirk, "Your helping even though you doubt her?" he asked sarcastically. His tone low
Meant only for Fenry to hear
Fenry only chuckled in response
"Used to... I should've seen this sooner... instead of making the same mistake like in the past..." He replied as he gave Hunji a smile
"Good... cause if you were still a stuck up... I would've thrown you off the window... but... let's focus on helping her" Hunji scoffed playfully at Fenry
Fenry nods in response
"Urgh... it's heavy..." Jeon groaned
"Yeah... but- what are we pulling anyways..." Hunji hissed as he tightened his grip on something inside the book like the others
They were all suffering too in pulling something out from the book itself...
Soon all the children joined in, including Xinhua
They all pulled Fenry, Hunji, Jeon and Dahlia
Putting all their strengths in pulling something out
.
.
.
Finally with everyone's strength
They pulled out the thing inside the book
By suddenly pulling it out, everyone fell on ground by the impact
"Urgh... I think I lost half of my life in pulling something out..." Jeon groaned
"Yeah... same..." One of the children hissed as he couldn't feel his hand
"Hey!!! Get off me!!! Your heavy!!!" One of the children groaned as he was being squashed by another child
"Wait... please... let me catch my breath" the other replied as he panted heavily
In between the chaos, Fenry rubbed his head as he finally looked over at Dahlia
His eyes widened at what he saw
Dahlia was on floor like everyone else, as she had the thing on her hand from inside the book
It was chains...
Many had their mouths agape in seeing this
"This is what we were pulling out?!" Xinhua groaned as he was in disbelief...
Cause the chains... looked too thin for it to be this heavy
"Hah... what now?" Hunji sighed deeply as he dusted off his clothes after standing up
Everyone stood up too as Jeon helped Dahlia up
"Well... since the chains are out, now all we need is take out the mana gem inside this artifact and then rub it here" She explained in between pants as she smiled faintly tho sweating heavily
She was tired as her body couldn't handle the exhaustion
"No... I need to get a grip of myself... if I faint now..." Dahlia looked back up at everyone
She narrowed her eyes as she forced down her tiredness
Not to mention that she didn't got a single wink of sleep as she had read the book the entire time
"I don't know when I will wake up... and even if I wake up..." Her grip on the chain tightened
She closed her eyes tightly
"It might be too late... and I can't take a big risk like that..." She thought again