Chapter 15
Resolution

"Why are there so many doors?!"

My sense of direction. Not the best tool in my brain, but not the worst either. Just like many aspects of me, it was comfortably sitting at the average tier level. It was a skill that I hadn't felt the need to train, since most places could be navigated through lots of visual tells and a tiny splash of mind mapping. It was even easier with a map, since it was all a question of logic, and logical thinking was a strong suit of mine.

That being said, without visual tells or maps, I had to rely on my memory, which was just like my numerous other skill sets: Average.

In addition, If you consider the fact that I hadn't memorized any of the scenery around me thanks to a certain giant knight made of ice that had attempted to turn me into a gory popsicle with his sword, safe to say that my situation was a bit tricky.

"How many corridors did they fit inside this mansion?!"

In short, I was lost.

Each corridor resembled one another, merging together in my vision. Each one had the same amount of doors, the same amount of light source, and the same amount of decorative flowers. It felt like a tedious and frustrating game of Spot the difference.

No matter what turn I took, left or right, it was an endless loop that would never end until death relieved me of this suffering. Either through starvation or banging my head as hard as I could on the nearest wall; depending on the state of my patience and sanity.

Oh, how I wished to blame the mansion, say that it was a nasty magic trick, and that I was not to blame for this misadventure. Unfortunately, that logical thinking - the same one I praised - kept telling me that this was a coping mechanism to avoid the embarrassment of admitting that it was totally my fault.

After my sudden surge of determination upon defeating the ice knight, I had decided to explore the place in search of anything that would help me with my plan. Most ideas require preparation, after all.

And I was rewarded for this line of thinking! I had found a beautiful chamber, a cozy living room, and an enormous library. I had everything I needed to realize this amazing plan of mine that totally wasn't going to fail - another coping mechanism, my subconscious warned.

Unfortunately, in my haste, I hadn't bothered to retrace my steps and find out where the entrance was, choosing to run around and enter every room available to me instead.

What was the point of preparation if I never got the chance to put the plan in motion?

Thus, here I was, running across corridors in the hope of finding that fateful door that would lead to my destination. I hadn't even begun the plan and I was already a sweaty mess, my lungs ready to call it quit. The repetition of each corridor didn't help, my eyesight melting everything into shapes and colors.

The idea of smashing my head till death sounded more and more appealing by the second…

A loud sound of ice shattering threatened to murder my ears, closely followed by tremors that almost made me trip face first on the carpet.

"Did they start fighting again?" I pondered out loud uselessly, taking massive gulps of air as I looked at my surroundings.

Kiara and Botan were still fighting that unknown Myth. I had heard some booming sound from time to time akin to battle noises, with occasional shakes of the house, but it had paused for a good 5 minutes…until now. This one sound had managed to rattle my entire being; the fighting getting more intense this time.

Forget being lost here forever, if I didn't reach the battle in time, the place would be blown apart!

I tried to focus where the sound came from, but the ringing in my ears wasn't stopping anytime soon. Especially the left one-

"LEFT!" I screamed out as I bolted toward the nearest door, pushing it open with all my strength. It didn't look anything like a chaotic battle. I quickly darted toward the door adjacent to the previous one, disregarding all details and thoughts about the previous room. Another door slammed open, another boring room that wasn't the one I was looking for.

"Come on, give me some ice or-" I forcefully gritted the words out of my mouth as I slammed a third door open, only to be met by- "FIRE!"

I threw my body back as much as I could, the fire whizzing past where my head used to be before I unceremoniously fell on my back, losing my breath.

I laid there, body refusing to move as I blinked like an idiot at the ceiling. The flaming projectile had collided with the opposite door, leaving a trail of smoke and the smell of burnt wood. I didn't dare breathe just yet however.

Blinking was fine. Staying down was fine. Not burning alive was fine. That's what you have to do when you see fire...

Fire also meant I found my destination…

"Coping mechanism, don't fail me now." I muttered to myself as I quickly got back up.

I slowly sneaked my way to the door frame, peeking my head inside the hall to avoid any more elemental projectile.

Blades of flames crashed against walls of ice. Smoke billowed from each encounter between both elements, the sound of sizzling echoing inside the hall. Fire surged with blinding speed; ice steadily rose with no sign of stopping.

Takanashi Kiara, the Phoenix Myth with her weapons made of flames, against the ice user, an Elf of unknown origin. I could even hear the gunshot from a certain lioness Myth's sniper rifle ringing out as each bullet tried to worm their way through the thick barriers of frost.

This spectacle was all mine to observe…from above…

On the second floor of the main hall…

"I'm a dumbass." I quietly stated, closing my eyes in resignation to my own stupidity. No wonder I couldn't find the big doors of the main hall. Those were on the first floor.

"I had enough of you." An icy voice from below resonated, capturing my attention. Goosebumps traveled my entire body in a flash as the temperature dropped. I dropped my gaze below to see the ice user with both arms raised towards Kiara and Botan. "I'm going to end this now!"

"Wait, please!" Someone yelled as I hurled myself forward near the rails, gripping them with both hands. Three heads turned my way, all eyes widening for different reasons. "Ah…"

I was the one who yelled.

"Another intruder!?" The Elf snarled my way.

"A-actually, I came with them. You kinda sent one of your knights at me earlier?" I meekly nudged my head towards Kiara and Botan. Speaking of the two Myths, I could see their expressions from the corner of my eyesight.

Kiara's face was painted with worry, her eyes scanning my body for any noticeable injury. Botan on the other hand, looked more surprised, shocked even. Her head was tilted to the side as if she couldn't believe I was even present. With the growing smirk on her face however, it seemed I had done something good in her book.

As for the ice user, she was squinting. Her eyes were fixated on my face, sometimes dropping down her gaze on the ground before aiming it back at me. Was she trying to recall-

"I don't remember someone like you."

…Ouch.

"D-doesn't matter!" I shook off the brutal attack on my psyche. "I just wanna talk."

"A waste of time." The Elf's eyebrows furrowed, raising a hand my way. Kiara's blazed sword rose up as well, pointed at the ice user.

"I agree."

"Wait wait wait, time out- I mean, lower your weapons! Or hand! Please hear me out!" I blurted out to the best of my abilities, the panic rising in my chest making it more difficult than it needed. I raised both hands above my head as a show of surrender, hoping that it would calm things down.

I needed this battle to stop, on both sides. This wasn't a fight I could win. Kiara and Botan could win.

Not at an acceptable cost.

"Look, we…started off on the wrong foot, I just want to talk, no ambush or trap, I promise-" I attempted a dialogue once more, but the icicle forming near her hand directed at me was telling enough.

Second floor or not, her attacks were fast enough to reach me.

"I don't care." She interrupted, glaring at me.

Flames burst to life. A sniper reloaded. My heart thumped.

She wasn't listening. No patience. I needed something with impact. Now!

"You're not from this world, right?!"

I waited.

My eyelids were shut, waiting.

I took a breath and dared to open an eye.

Time had stopped.

At least, it almost felt like it had.

Nobody dared move, especially me. However, the flames of Kiara's sword danced. I could hear Botan's gun clack from the micro adjustment of her aim. Most importantly, I could see the ice user's magic coming out of her hand, but the icicle rotating endlessly.

Above all, I could see- no, I could feel her glaring daggers at me. If looks could freeze…

"Kiara, Botan, lower your weapons." I managed to breathe out, my sight still honed on the threat in front of me.

"Hunter, no." I didn't need to look at the Phoenix to sense the disbelief leaking from her voice. In some ways, I agreed with that sentiment.

Unfortunately for us, we were dealing with someone paranoid, distrusting of others, and if my theory about her coming from another world was right, those feelings she had were twice as strong.

Paranoia was like a bomb, except with a few notches up the unpredictability factor. The wrong choice of words, or even a slight shift of the foot would be enough to set it off.

The last thing I needed while dealing with a Myth capable of impaling me in seconds with icicles was to have two other Myths pointing their own brand of dangerous at her. The first step in my plan was obvious.

"Look, we can't talk if you guys are looking like you'll jump her at any second." I tried reasoning, not willing to move an inch.

"We tried talking, and it didn't really work, buddy." Botan replied calmly to me. I could only sigh at the reasonable counter argument

"Well, maybe she felt in danger?"

"She's dangerous." Kiara's tone made it clear that bargaining with the Elf was not an option.

I carefully pivoted my head to face Kiara, flashing her a smile.

"Trust me. I'm a caretaker, I got this."

Pink eyes stared into mine, searching for doubt.

She wouldn't find any.

"Dammit." The sword made of fire disappeared in an instant, the Phoenix stepping back from the ice user. She released an explosive sigh as she crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at me. "You're full of shit, you know that?"

"Innocent until proven." Botan chuckled as she stood up from her crouched position, putting her firearm away from sight. She quickly shot me a thumbs up, before walking next to an irritated Kiara.

"Thank you." I whispered, nodding at the two. I shifted my gaze back to the Myth below me, her magic still aimed at me as impatience spoiled her features. I slowly walked toward the stairs, making sure to keep my arms up above my head.

"Explain. Now." She ordered. Looks like introductions would be reserved for later.

"I found what I assume is your bedroom while I got chased around by your knight." I complied, going straight to the point. The frown on her face deepened, but no hostility displayed yet. Probably thanks to the way I phrased that.

If I had told her the truth about me snooping around to find her room, that icicle would've most likely been buried in my chest or stomach. It was a small lie, but a necessary one.

"Found a book in your room written in a language I had never seen. Ever." I resumed as I had reached the stairs, carefully going down one step at a time.. "I also saw the library, and none of the books there were written in that language."

"And that proves I'm from another world?"

"The book alone? Maybe not, but that bottle of alcohol inside the living room had the same writing." I couldn't help but shrug as I replied, before remembering in what situation I was in as I held my breath. Thankfully, she didn't seem ready to freeze me to death. "A-and, the rest of the books and bottle of wine were written in English. That's enough to tell me you aren't from here."

"You sure found a lot of evidence for someone being chased." She scoffed. The magic in her hand never stopped, still threatening my life.

"W-well, I was trying my best to run away from a giant creature of ice controlled by magic. I was desperate" I defended myself with an uneasy grin.

"And while you were being chased, you noticed all these details?"

"I was very desperate." The death glare was back. "L-look, the point is, you're from another world, right? I can help."

"How?" She questioned almost instantly. The moment was now.

I finally had my feet on the same floor as everyone else, standing right in front of her, arms still raised.

"Information."

Critical hit! The Elf's eyes widened, as her hand slowly lowered down. Even the light of her magic seemed to lose a few shades of brightness. A smile wormed its way on my face.

The value of information was dependent on various aspects. It could be worth gold thrown at the right time, like it could be worth dirt if tossed recklessly. Not only that, its value was equal to the buyer's need for it.

"First of all, you're in Alaska, in the United States of America. Near Sitka Harbor if you wanna be even more precise." I started, simple at first. "You're on Earth right now. The books you were trying to read were written in English, same for the language we are speaking right now. My name is Hunter Bell, and this is Takanashi Kiara, and Shishiro Botan. Kiara is a Phoenix, and Botan is a Lioness…human? Something like that."

I gestured with an open hand towards the two Myths, the ice user shifting her sights toward them. Some of the frustration Kiara had was mostly gone, but she was still on her guards as she stared back at us.

Botan waved at us with a big smile.

The Elf gently raised her other hand to wave, before shaking her and dropping it back to her side.

"Can I ask for your name? It would make it easier to talk and help you out." I was finally able to lower my hands.

The value of information was ever changing.

However, to someone with no knowledge of this world whatsoever, any type of information would be worth gold to them.

"It's Lamy." The ice user replied.

The magic around her hand slowly faded away.

"I'm sorry for attacking you."

The mansion had many rooms. A bedroom, a library, a kitchen, a living room, and many others with purposes that alluded me at times. Almost all of them could be used to sit down and have a conversation.

And yet, we all chose to stay in the main hall and sit down on the stairs. Well, Kiara and I chose to sit down on them. Botan was standing next to one of the pillars that held the rails, her arms crossed with her back resting on said pillar.

Lamy had made a chair out of ice to sit on. Magic was a cheat code, I swear.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure you had your reasons, right?" Botan shrugged, flashing the Elf an easy smile. Lamy nodded.

"The last visit I received didn't go so well." She casted her sights to the ground, fiddling with her hands. "As soon as they saw my knights, they would try to destroy them. I did my best to not harm them and bring them back to the nearest village."

That would explain the people waking up with no memories. It wasn't magic, it was simply trauma mixed with a not-so delicate hit to the noggin causing them to "not remember a thing". Trauma was maybe pushing it, though…

...then again, if people suddenly saw giant creatures and knights made of ice moving and attacking them…

"Only natural that they freak out. People don't know that magic exists here." I offered an explanation.

"Wait, they don't?! This world doesn't have magic?! Then I can't-" Lamy shrieked, her expression riddled with panic. Witnessing her in this state, it was hard to believe that this was the same woman who had gone toe to toes with the three of us - mostly Kiara and Botan.

"We said people don't know, not that magic doesn't exist." Kiara pointed out, cutting through Lamy's distress. She lifted her hand with her palm facing upward, fire bursting to life soon after. Despite the flame being small, I could still sense its warmth hitting my skin. "The supernatural does exist. The majority just doesn't know it exists. For good reasons."

Lamy's panicked state immediately vanished, her eyes glued to the flame in Kiara's palm. Relief seemed to wash over her.

It was easy to guess why.

"Besides, something or someone took you away from your world, magic possibly being involved." I added to Kiara's statement. "If that's the case, something or someone can take you back."

"With magic." Botan chimed in with a snap of her fingers.

Lamy nodded, a small smile materializing on her face. It was my first time seeing her enough, it brought satisfaction and content to my mind.

"I forgot how long I've been here. To finally have any kind of knowledge about this place…" She gently whispered. Her eyes glimmered as tears formed in the corner of them.

I looked away.

Learning about Myths and the existence of magic and the supernatural changed me. The way I approached certain things about life, the way I spoke or acted, but most importantly, my thought process.

I needed to be flexible, open minded about what could be real. When everything was possible, my mind had a tendency of throwing "what if" scenarios at me.

With all these roaming my head, the one about being stuck in another world vastly different from mine came up all the time. It didn't help that I had read some books of fiction about a plucky hero being teleported to another world. In almost all of them, it was an escape from reality, a desirable outcome. The hero would learn how to integrate this new, fantastic society while learning magic spells and making tons of new friends.

I didn't remember what opinion I had about this type of scenario back then, but looking at the girl ready to break down in front of us certainly crushed any favorable outlook on this kind of scenario.

This was reality, not fiction.

She couldn't read the language, she couldn't trust anyone, she didn't know where she was.

All of our world was an unknown threat to her.

I could feel an aching in my heart just thinking about it. It was terrifying. It was harrowing. Safe to say, I couldn't imagine what it felt like to live through an experience like this.

"I'm sorry." Lamy apologized as she did her best to wipe her tears away with the back of her hand.

"It's okay, you've been through a lot." Kiara softly replied, giving her a smile charged with compassion.

"How did you even end up here? I mean, this isn't even your place, right?" Botan asked, confusion evident on her face. The Phoenix simply nodded at that question.

Kiara and Botan were smarter than me. Obviously, they would realize that this mansion didn't make the trip with Lamy.

The books written in English, as well as the various bottles of spice and alcohol, were proof enough, but the fact that the house looked brand new was also very telling. Almost none of the rooms had been used either, dust coating every furniture.

The house and Lamy were two separate cases.

"All I can recall is studying a new tome I had purchased, and then, a sphere made of runes I never seen enveloped me." Lamy stood up from her chair, pacing around the hall as she began her retelling. "Then, darkness shrouded my vision. I couldn't see anything, not even my hand. All I could sense - or hear - was whispers. I…I don't remember what they said, I couldn't even understand them…but they scared me."

Kiara, Botan and I all looked at each other, gauging one another's reaction in some hope that one of us would find something familiar.

Confusion was the only discernible emotion we could find.

"When the darkness finally vanished, I was surrounded by hooded people. They kept yelling something about failing and how I wasn't the revelation they sought." The Elf continued. Botan nodded to herself.

"That's what you meant by hooded people when you met us."

"They were violent, immediately trying to attack me when they saw I wasn't what they were looking for." Lamy scoffed as she crossed her arms, a familiar scowl taking place on her face. "They were no match for me."

"I'd hope so. That ice power that you have is no joke." Kiara chuckled with a smirk. Lamy smiled as she looked apologetic.

"So, what now?" Botan cut in with the big question, taking a step away from the pillar she rested on. "You do know that you can't stay here, right?"

Lamy's lips thinned, her eyes drifting to the side. A complicated array of emotions permeated her features, making it impossible to read between the lines.

Even with all the information we gave, she was still in a problematic situation. Stuck in a world with a completely different system, economy, cultural norms. Even if she was lucky to have this mansion to herself, there was no telling when the hooded people would come back.

Yet, even if we helped, we had no way of sending her back home. We couldn't fix the problem-

My body lurched forward as I choked on air, focusing on regaining my balance. My head swiveled towards the one that slapped my back with that much force.

Kiara stared at me with a tiny grin on her face, pink eyes brimming with mirth. I opened my mouth to ask her why the sudden hit, only to stop midway my effort as the Phoenix next to me nudged her head toward Lamy. When she settled her eyes on me again, the mirth that used to be there was now gone.

It was replaced with trust.

Eyes wide and mouth slightly open, I only blinked before the realization settled.

I nodded to Kiara, getting up from the stairs.

"Hey, I know you've got no reason to trust us, or anyone in this world in fact…but I may have a solution to help you out." I lightly spoke at first, trying to catch Lamy's attention. Her gaze settled on me.

"Do you know of a way to send me home?" She asked quickly, certain words stuck to another. I gulped nervously at the raw display of hope in front of me, mentally fortifying myself before coughing.

"I can't promise anything-" I could feel her hopeful demeanor cracking. I could feel my heart cracking. "-but, there would be a chance. Plus, this would be better than staying here, right?"

"I have food and water here." Lamy replied. The defensive walls were back up.

"And when it runs out?"

"I…I could travel to that village I saw. If I don't show my magic, maybe then…" The strength of her voice ran out parallel to her argument. She knew this wasn't a good plan.

"What if I told you there's a place that can provide you with food and water…and let you use your magic under certain conditions?"

I hated Cover Corp. I didn't trust them. However, their power and reach was something I needed to recognize. No matter what, they made sure that the existence of Myths was perfectly hidden from the masses' sight.

Every Myth they apprehended was kept under wraps and surveillance because they didn't have anywhere else to go. Because people could see things they weren't supposed to see. But what if one of these Myths had a place to go back to?

In that case, I assumed the better idea would be to try their best to send that Myth back home instead of spending resources keeping her in this world against her will.

If they had the magical means of healing me, and detect signs of magic through special devices, then surely they could find a way to open a portal to another world.

It was a lot of assumptions on my part, but it was all that I had.

For the first time, I would extend a helping hand as an employee of Cover Corp.

"The company I work with, Cover Corp, is one that finds people like you or magical items and do their best to keep them hidden from the world." I internally winced as I tried to make it sound as non-ominous as possible. Unfortunately, these bastards were just plain shady. "They also have vast knowledge on magic. If anyone could send you back home, it's them."

Lamy raised an eyebrow at that, looking at the three of us with a perplexed look.

"I can understand these two, but as far as I know, you aren't…special."

Ouch…If I didn't see her ice magic, I would've been sure that her magic was to stab people where it hurts.

"N-no. I'm what they call a caretaker. My role is to take care of Myths - people like you - and make sure the public doesn't know about them while keeping everyone happy."

"Like a babysitter?" She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

"No, not at all/Yeah, pretty much." Kiara and I responded at the same time, looking at each other. I quickly whirled my head back to look at Lamy, ignoring the death glare that the Phoenix was shooting at me. "Anyway, uh the point is, you'd have help and resources available to you while they try to find a way to send you home. I'd make sure of that."

"Sorry to interrupt, but we actually have a different caretaker for cases like ice queen over here." The lioness chimed in, walking towards us. "They're basically my caretaker, so you'd have a familiar face with you."

"Huh, guess that works too…" I mumbled, looking at Botan with a hint of shock. I was aware that I wasn't the only caretaker in Cover Corp, but I didn't know that some of them had specific cases.

Judging by what Botan said, the one she recommended took care of Myths from different worlds, or something alike. Did that mean Botan was from another-

"What's the downside here?" Lamy's blunt words shoved me outside of my thoughts. I looked at the Lioness Myth beside me, who simply shot a grin my way. I couldn't help but sigh at this.

"To be frankly honest? Your freedom." I helplessly shrugged. Better to rip that band aid, easier to deal with the reaction. Predictably, Lamy's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I know, it sounds bad, but there's no way I can shine a good light on this. You'll be fed, you'll have a house, all the currency you need to buy what you want, and a dedicated slave just for you."

"Oh, you asshole!" Kiara objected from behind me.

"It's just that in exchange, you have to be under watch all the time, and follow the rules Cover Corp will give out." I ignored it. "But you have a chance that not every Myth has."

"Which is?" Lamy questioned. I gave her the best smile I could manage.

"A chance to return home."

Her eyes softened as she looked at her surroundings. It was a miracle that the hall was still somewhat presentable; the rubble and scorch mark plastered everywhere painting an intense battle.

If this had been my first case as a caretaker, I would've made the deal I offered Kiara back then. To run away as I made a normal report on what I found. Hell, in this instance, the creepy mansion itself would've been enough to call it a day.

However, Enma's threat from last time made it quite clear: No more lying to Cover Corp.

Looking at Lamy, who was probably contemplating her options, all I could do was hope for an agreeable answer. I had played all my cards, after all…

…or did I?

"You know…" I trailed off, catching Lamy's awareness. "Couldn't help but see that most of the food was untouched in here, but the bottles of wine were here and there around the house."

"Ah." A light blush lit up on her cheeks, looking away for a brief moment. "I…do enjoy the taste of alcohol. It served as comfort at times, since both my world and yours had wine. It had a good taste."

"Well…Earth's got plenty of different types of alcohol, not just wine."

Her eyes widened as her jaw loosened. Her curiosity had been piqued.

Okay, now all my cards were played. It wasn't much of a final hand, but maybe it would push for a favorable outcome.

Maybe…

"A house to investigate, and a new Myth under branch 5, that I can get. Filling the fridge of Branch 5 with different types of alcohol, that I just don't."

Soon after shaking hands on a solution for Lamy's problem, I made a call to the Cover Corp office. They were quick to dispatch a couple of units to our location after my report. Barely an hour after the call, 3 helicopters landed as people dressed in all kinds of unique outfits and gears stepped out.

Another hour, and this place was surrounded and brimming with Cover Corp.

Stingy pricks. Made us walk all the way here and only now they're willing to take out the helicopters.

The big fight inside the main hall, getting chased by a knight made of ice, the conversations between us and Lamy.

Somehow, the sun was still high in the sky, not willing to head down just yet. Checking my cell phone, it was barely 2 in the afternoon. We had left early, but it all felt unreal to see sunlight.

Guess all that stress and danger screwed with my sense of time in a way; I was sure a day or two had passed inside the mansion.

"Think nothing of it. It's a deal between me and Lamy." I waved it off as I scanned the area.

"Well, as long as it gets the job done, you won't see me complain." The woman dressed in a Cover Corp uniform shrugged with a smile.

When they landed, I had expected Enma to be the first one out, barking orders or something of the like.

Instead, it was a new face. A new manager. Pale blue eyes, blonde hair with bright pink underlayer and a smile that hid its true intention. A glowing halo levitated above her head…

…I didn't wanna ask.

She was the complete opposite of Enma in aesthetic, but in behavior as well. If it had been Enma, she would've asked me the specific of that deal and possibly scold me for agreeing to something reckless. Instead, this lady seemed content with the brunt results and letting the details be swept under.

The only thing that bothered me about this new face was-

"I'm sorry, I gotta ask, are you related to Enma by any chance?" I asked with uncertainty dripping from my words. The lady blinked, before snorting as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Is my name throwing you off, Mr. Caretaker?" She queried back with amusement. I couldn't help but scratch the back of my head as I sheepishly looked away.

"Sorry, it's just…Jenma is a very familiar name, no? Also, Mr. Caretaker? Hurray for originality."

"Perhaps, but have you considered that it might not be our real name?" Once again, she threw another question at me instead of answering. I guess codenames were a possibility, especially when dealing with Myths and Cover Corp. "As for your second question, I apologize, your name makes for a terrible playmate when trying to come up with a nickname. You should blame your parents for such a difficult name."

"Gee, thanks. I'll make sure to mention you and your gripe with my name to my parents if I see them again." I grunted out as I rolled my eyes, a slight giggle from Jenma audible in my ears.

What was it with women bullying me or making my life a chaotic mess?

I took another glimpse at the mansion. People from Cover Corp were constantly entering and leaving, items and furniture in their hands. Were they gonna clean the entire place or only items that looked suspicious?

Seeing one person coming out with a bag of potatoes, the former seemed more likely.

"Did they find anything notable yet?" I swiftly asked Jenma, taking out a cigarette from my pockets. I patted my coat for my lighter, before a lit zippo appeared near my face, held by Jenma. I nodded a silent thanks as I lit up my cigarette.

"The basement was painted with various symbols and runes we had never seen before, especially one giant circle in the middle of the room." She replied as she flicked the zippo closed, putting it back in the pockets of her suit. "Some strange books, cult-like items, and lots of dead carcasses of animals."

"She really was summoned…" I muttered, taking a long drag of smoke from the cigarette resting on my lips.

"Indeed. Her story checks out, so the next step for us will be to find those hooded people she mentioned."

That would be for Cover Corp to handle. After all, I was just a caretaker. My job was finished here.

And yet, a part of me still hoped that Lamy would find a way back home. I wouldn't wish for her entire life to be spent under the watchful eye of Cover Corp.

The cigarette in my hand burst in fire, causing me to drop it in the snow with a small cry. I shook my hand, checking around me before quickly finding the culprit.

"Come on, I deserve that one, it was a stressful day for me." I loudly groaned as I threw my head back, shoving both hands in the pockets of my coat.

"Those things are bad for you." Kiara shook her head as she lightly scolded me, leisurely walking up to me. A small smirk crept up on her face. "Besides, I wouldn't want my babysitter to die at a young age."

"God, I can already expect you to be a headache and a half for the upcoming days."

"Damn right." She growled, lightly smacking my shoulder with her palm. Jenma simply chuckled at the display.

"I'll leave you two alone. Come talk to me when you two are ready to leave. Botan is still needed here." The blonde manager spoke, before leaving Kiara and I alone in front of the mansion.

It wasn't silent; impossible for silence to reign when the sound of Cover Corp workers crowded the air. It was soothing, however. Just the two of us watching each worker entering the house, while another left with an item in tow.

I didn't feel the need to speak. I never did with Kiara. She was the kind of person you could simply hang around without talking and still have a great time. It was that maturity and wisdom that could only come from years of experience that allowed her to let those moments come by. Maybe it was because she understood my introverted nature, or maybe it was because she enjoyed those moments just as much as I did.

I didn't care about finding an answer to that riddle.

"I'm…sorry I wasn't able to protect you."

I turned my head toward Kiara, catching her observing my reaction to her apology. I shook my head.

"You did protect me. Without you, I would've been dead a million times against Lamy."

"Cut it, Hunter. You know that I'm not talking about this. That ice knight you faced…alone." She ignored my argument, her eyes still fixated on me. I couldn't overcome the reflex to look away.

Sometimes, it felt like Kiara was the caretaker between the two of us. It had only been two weeks since I had known her, and somehow, she was a presence that I could trust and feel safe around. Gura saw her as a sister, and I saw her as a pillar in this new, chaotic world of magic and Myths.

Somebody I could rely on. I wasn't used to that kind of presence in my life. By choice, I had pushed people away, not wanting to be held down by anyone or anything. I wanted a normal life, and even now, I still craved it.

"Wasn't your fault. Besides, 'had to keep that knight away from you guys." I tried laughing about it, tilting my head to peek at Kiara. Her eyes were still on me, even more stern than before. "Come on, Kiara. I'm a big boy, an adult, you can't back me up for every problem. I gotta take care of myself somehow."

I wasn't pushing her away.

Not like the others. I had to tell myself that when I saw hurt flare up in her expression. I just couldn't keep relying on the people around me all the time and expect everything to just work out. I didn't want to be dependent on anyone.

Not anymore…

"You've changed." She stated. "Before that knight chased you, you looked like a nervous wreck, and now you're…different. What happened?"

Of course she would've noticed that.

I took a slow breath of air, closing my eyes as I let the rays of sunlight wash over my body. Despite the snow all around us, I wasn't that cold anymore.

Maybe I did change in there. I practically had no choice but to change, otherwise I would've ended up dead. All I remembered was that-

"I decided to be a real caretaker." I breathed out. It wasn't a complicated answer. I didn't even think it was a real answer at all.

I glanced at Kiara one more time.

Her expression hadn't changed, a mix of emotions still dancing in her eyes. The only one I could discern was anger…

…and none of it was aimed at me.

Suddenly, she sighed, closing her eyes as she brushed her hair away from her face.

"Well, I'm glad you made it out." Kiara softly said, shooting me a bright smile. Those words felt genuine, the anger and everything else gone. I could only smile back, nodding in agreement. "You should say your goodbyes to Botan and Lamy before we leave."

"Yes ma'am." I chuckled as I began to walk away. I didn't manage to make two steps before a hand gripped my arm.

I looked back, ready to question the big idea of telling me to leave just to hold me back, only for that question to die in my throat.

Kiara had a serene aura about her. She still had the same smile from before, except the brightness of it had dimmed. And her eyes…

"Don't change too much, Hunter."

The hold on my arm loosened. The sound of snow crunching under boots echoed in my ears.

Kiara had left. I was left alone.

"...Yes ma'am." I muttered to myself, before leaving to find Botan.

It didn't take me long to find the Lioness, considering she was the only person around with animal ears on the top of her head. As soon as she noticed me, she waved my way. I smiled, walking towards her.

"Here to say your tearful goodbyes?" She cheekily asked, making me snort at the idea.

"Funny. Actually, I'm here to ask you a favor."

I couldn't remember the details of what really happened in my head during my encounter with the ice knight. I had changed, in a way that Kiara noticed.

However, there was one thing I was sure of now.

"Think you could teach me how to fight?" I asked the lioness Myth, who's eyes widened in shock.

Dreams and goals had to be fought for.

And I would have my normal life, even while being a caretaker.

No matter what.