"Now where to?" I asked while shuffling through our bags to the party members resting inside the inn.
The day broke long ago, yet no conclusion has been made on where to look for Ororon's mother. We were soon running out of supplies, and the village was too damaged to provide us with anything. Time was running out.
"We need enough sources first," Dermis pointed out.
" 'sigh' where will be get the sources?" I replied.
I glanced at Tremious, and the corner of his eyes was busy reading Kyoko's face. He folded his arms and parted his lips to speak.
"Tailviel."
Our eyes shifted towards him, and he still kept on staring at Kyoko. Kyoko finally met his eyes, and an uncomfortable expression filled her face.
"We will be going to tailviel, home of the Demi's and merchants."
"Home of the demis? Is that where you come from Kyoko?" I asked.
Kyoko gave an awkward smile and stumbled a little. She licked her dry upper lip, and with a whisper, she replied.
"Yes...."
I noticed her unease and was about to ask her but was interrupted by the great red dragon.
"It's decided we will leave immediately."
I couldn't put another word in, nor did Dermis, whenever Tremious would make any decision we had all followed. He has lived way longer than us. He is well-informed and experienced. This world carries an unspoken rule. The longer one lives, the more they know.
Kyoko's eyes were shifting towards various parts of the room, as if she was avoiding my eyes. Perhaps she knew I would notice her anomaly and would ask about it. She left the room in an almost hurry state, and little Ororon followed behind like a baby chick.
She must have been a huge comfort for him last night.
My eyes next fell on Dermis, who for some reason seemed quiet and distant. The last time I spoke to him was along the pond. After that, he barely looked my way.
I shrugged the feeling off and sat near Tremious, Dermis excused himself out a while later.
It was me and him again.
Silence filled the room. Nevertheless, it wasn't awkward, I could feel a closeness with him after all this time.
"Where were you last night?" Suddenly, his thick voice entered my ears, and I swiftly moved my face towards him.
"I went for a walk along the pond nearby,"
"With Dermis?"
I narrowed my eyes a little and was a little hesitant to answer him.
"Yes....."
He stopped facing me and then handed me something. A healing stone?
"You wanted to use one." He said out with a still voice that resonates like a calm ocean although he was the fire himself. His voice carried no rage, no sorrow, and no empty emotions.
I was honestly a little disappointed that I wasn't able to use one. Was he absent the previous night because he went to retrieve this for me?
Lingering feelings filled my body, and I smiled happily at him
"Thank you,"
He didn't meet my gaze this time, but I still continued.
"I don't know how to thank you, honestly."
"It's just a stone."
"No. Not just for this. For everything, you saved us on multiple occasions and protected us even when you didn't want to. If it weren't for you, we would've been dead so long ago."
" 'sigh.' I never said I didn't want to protect you guys."
His remarks made my eyes grow a little wide, my eyes followed his face, and he stared at the distant end. His pupil would change depending on a situation. When it was danger, they would thin up, and the large pupils of his now were only shown towards us. Now aswell, his pupils were like orbs, and his face gave a softer complexion than before.
He was a dragon I couldn't understand, a dragon that cared for short livers. How rare. I sent him a delicate smile, and for the final time, thanked him.
***
"Please take this on your way," one of the villagers offered Kyoko some supplies.
They themselves were in such tough condition, yet they were extremely grateful. Ororon was sticking close to Kyoko and replied for her with a lively smile.
"Thank you! We will use it well!"
Kyoko grinned at his remark and placed her palm on his head.
"Thank you for your acquaintance," the tall elf breathed.
The distance between the village and us grew, and soon enough, it wasn't at sight anymore. Hopefully, no demons would harm them again.
In the midst of the walk, Kyoko suddenly came by my side and with almost a whisper she murmured near my ears.
"Did something happen between you and Dermis?"
Her voice caught me off guard, and I assured her.
"No, why do you ask?"
"There's a little tension between you two. It's clear as day in my eyes."
"You must be imagining things. We are fine."
She left while shrugging. However, only I knew the truth. There was no imagination. It was definitely real. There is something between us that felt distant. We both haven't met each other's eyes for the whole day.
If it weren't any other day, we would've been chatting away. Perhaps there is a lot in his mind lately. With Ororon's quest in hand, there is much to prepare.
(Can you feel his mana for me?)
[Huh? You only come to me when you need my help, don't you tsk.]
(Please, tomb)
She groaned, annoying for a while before falling silent.
[Nothing special]
(??)
[His mana is normal, calm, composed, and without a worry.]
(That's unexpected)
[What did you expect, huh!?]
(Nothing)
From the edge of my vision, I caught something approaching me from behind. A rather small figure came beside me and matched my pace. His red hair blazed with a golden-red glow beneath the sun, and his still expression remained. His unreadable expressions made me curious about his motives.
[His mana is amazing]
(That's a dragon for you)
"That thing on you is annoying."
Without warning, our personal conversation was disturbed by his calm voice. Both of our mouths were zipped tight, and my brain started to increase the fuel for understanding his comment.
"Aaaa....what?"
"That spear of yours is annoying."
"!!!!!"
[!!!!!]
With a panic and shushed voice, I pronounced at him.
"Can you hear her too!!??"
"I don't understand her, but I can hear some noises from it."
I breathed a sigh of relief, I said some personal stuff to this spear.
"How come you can hear her?"
"She is made of mana and has remnants of past souls, a being like her isn't uncommon to us dragons. They are also considered wealth to us, so we collect them,"
"Wow. Is that right."
The words stuck to my throat, and I suffocated under my breath. In the distance, Ororon stopped at his feet and stared at a tree branch. I walked towards him in a hurry in an attempt to outrun Tremious.
"Do you want that apple?"
Ororon nodded his head, and I tried my best to retrive it.
Unfortunately, my modest height made many limitations. It was unreachable.
Out of nowhere, an entity came behind me and grabbed the apple for me. I expected to see him, after so long I was about to meet his eyes. However, that wasn't the case at all.
The muscular body and board shoulders. His yellow eyes locked with mine, and for the first time, I had to look up to see his charming face. That face could convince any living or dead, a face that can be followed till the depths. The face was filled with a glimmer and with every softness in the world. All I noticed was his face, a face resonating with the ocean yet burning like a spark. Hair was unchanged but a little longer than before. Even in silence, his eyes spoke louder than any words could ever. There was a gentle glow to his cheeks, as if the sunlight had chosen to rest along there. He stood taler than any man I knew, and his fair skin revealed at many ends of his white cloth. A ridiculous face, a face, meant to please thousands.
"T-tremious?"