"Looks like we made it back in time." I murmured, proceeding from the blue portal I created.
Every other member of the team stepped out as well, with Neron directly behind me. We looked around us and found nothing to be in any form of jeopardy. The barrier was still active, and the landscape had been preserved.
'I can reconnect to my Automatons now!' My eyes widened and I started to quicken my pace.
My biggest fear had been that the enemy had attacked this place. The sudden burst of energy that the barrier recorded didn't seem like a fluke. Had we been compromised? Was our location unsafe? These questions were relevant, but one was even more so.
'Is Aloe safe?'
At the thought of this, I swept through the area with my senses and made my way towards the base building.
'This feeling… An Arcana?!' My eyes widened, and I swiftly teleported myself and everyone around me into the base itself so as not to waste any more time.
>WHOOOOSSSHHH<
The moment we appeared, we all glanced in the direction of Aloe's enchanted bed. We had worried looks—at least, I was certain I did—but who would have thought...
"A-Aloe...?
... We would see the sleeping beauty now seated upright and staring at us.
Aloe's blond hair seemed golden as it flowed down to her shoulders and fluttered in the soft breeze. Her brilliant eyes caught my attention, and as we gawked at her, she also stared at us with an expression of surprise.
"Jared... everyone..." Her voice was calm and gentle.
A warm smile spread all over her face, and I could tell how happy she was to see us. However, what was even more amazing, was what she held in her hands as she looked in our direction.
"Is that...?" I murmured, pointing at the card in her grasp.
Aloe shifted her gaze to the object she was holding—which was obviously an Arcana—nodding as she smiled more softly.
"Yeah. It's called [The Moon]. I met its owner in my dream, and she actually gave it to me."
Perhaps Aloe was tired, considering how she hadn't been conscious for some time. Besides, her tone and expression told me she wasn't exactly in top form.
"It's good to see you safe and sound, Aloe. I'm so sorry I resorted to such a reckless plan." Maro stepped forward and bowed his head to the still staring lady.
"A-ah, Maro, it's alright. We did what we had to do to win the fight, right?"
As expected, Aloe remained kind hearted as she accepted Maro's apologies, and the welcome of everyone else.
Everyone except—
"What's wrong, Asa? You won't welcome me back?" Aloe smiled sweetly at the boy.
I had also noticed the pouty Beast folk who chose not to say anything to Aloe. Rather, he simply stood still and stared at her with some sort of dazed expression on his face.
"You... you're not..." He murmured.
Everyone in the room paused in welcoming Aloe back from the realm of unconsciousness, and instead focused on Asa, and the kind of reaction he was having.
At the very least, no one expected it.
"... You're not Aloe!!!" He yelled; with almost all the strength he could muster.
His reaction shocked all of us, and I personally stared at him in surprise. If anyone would be happy about Aloe's return, it would be Asa, right?
Yet, why was he being this way.
'Perhaps he's right.' I thought to myself.
Could it be possible that we were somehow underestimating the miracle that brought her out of an unidentified coma?
Could we be ignoring the suspicious convenience of it that Aloe managed to be awake and with an Arcana?
Could we also be ignoring the fact that Aloe was in possession of an Arcana out of thin air.
'So, I should indeed remain critical...' However, I had run as many tests as I could during my brief exchange with Aloe, of which I learned that she was perfectly normal.
'It seems to be her.' I glanced in Neron's direction to hear his opinion on the matter.
His nod and shrug showed that he agreed with my observation—probably because his own bore the same results.
'I admit that it's possible she isn't the same Aloe as before. I trust my friends, though.' There were two things I wanted achieve with Aloe's warm welcome.
'First, was to get as much information as possible, and the second is to closely monitor her.' By doing these things, I was giving Aloe the benefit of the doubt.
Still, I hoped this blond and beautiful lady before me was the genuine one, and I was certain others felt the same way.
"Asa, wait!"
It seemed the young Beast folk couldn't take it anymore as he sped away from our gathering.
He ran out of the room and past the hallway—most likely heading outside for the fresh air. I heard his footsteps grow duller and fainter, before returning my gaze to Aloe.
"Did you do something to him?!" I asked, cocking my head.
She shook her head and sighed. Her expressions definitely counted as the most worried or devastated.
"I'm just as confused as you... as well as a little hurt that he wouldn't even greet me."
I could tell from Aloe's sighs that her exhaustion wasn't just physical any longer.
"Why don't you rest your body, first? There's much to do, and a lot to discuss." The moment I told her, she eyed me with curiosity, but I was determined to let her rest.
"Relax." I nodded, leaving her in the room along with my automatons as guards.
The Team Members once again expressed how happy they were to see her. It was definitely a happy moment for everyone.
A moment I didn't want to interrupt.
*************
"Haa..." Aloe plopped down on her bed, tired of everything she'd had to go through simply because she woke up
As she stared at the ceiling, watching the pure and simple design on it, she wondered if they would all understand her reasons for taking so long to wake up, as well as taking over someone else's body.
'That Asa is very perceptive..." She knew she had to be wary of him.
Even Jared didn't completely trust her, so had her work cut out for her.
'I'm sorry everyone. You all seem like wonderful people. Aloe is really fortunate to have people like you...'
Still, she knew her mission wasn't going to be stopped. She had to complete it at all costs!
'Please forgive me, Aloe. But this is something I have to do.'
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[A/N]
I guess we all know this is Kazen, right? Also, please support this book with your power stones and Golden Tickets.
Also... I really need more comments and reviews for this book. Thank you very much.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢