Chapter 75: The Distance Between Us

Chapter 75: The Distance Between UsEratz leaned down as he spoke to the kids.

"Look, I know you're scared, but trust me, we can handle this. We've been through worse, and we're not going in blind this time."

Milo shook his head, his voice cracking as he spoke.

"But those birds... they almost killed you. I don't want to lose you again."

Colin nodded, her red eyes wide with worry, her hands trembling in her lap.

Mercury leaned forward, resting a hand gently on Colin's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay to be scared, but we're tougher than that. They kicked our butts once, so now it's personal."

Colin hesitated, glancing at Eratz with uncertainty.

"But what if something happens? What if you don't come back?"

Eratz smiled and reached out, ruffling her hair gently.

"You're both here, Colin. Did I ever lied to you? I know we will do it, like always, we always

find a way. And you are here with your fire. We will be fine."

Milo's grip on Colin's hand tightened as he spoke, his voice small.

"But... how do you know? What if it's worse than last time?"

Eratz met Milo's gaze, his tone calm but firm.

"Because we're never wrong, son. Remember that we have a whole season to catch on tomorrow? I'm not missing that."

Before the conversation could go any further, the guide stepped forward, his face pale.

"You're not seriously thinking of going back out there, are you? It's insane. Those birds are too strong... You barely survived."

Eratz stood up, meeting the guide's gaze.

"Last time, we didn't know what we were up against. Now, we do. That makes all the difference."

The guide shook his head, clearly unconvinced.

"Difference? I've never seen monsters like this! Do you really think having a plan changes that?"

Mercury spoke up, her voice steady.

"We're not saying it's without risk. But if we don't stop them, those birds will continue destroying everything. It's not just about us. It's about protecting everyone else."

Both of them exchanged an heroic glance, hiding the knowledge that a Calamity rank beast was the prize money.

A few students whispered among themselves, some too afraid to speak up, while others looked more confused than ever.

One student, gathering enough courage, hesitated before asking,

"But... what if you fail again? What happens then?"

Eratz turned toward the student, and for a brief moment, they seemed to shrink under his gaze. But when he spoke, it wasn't with anger or frustration.

"We have to do it, for everyone's sake."

His calm and measured response surprised them. More murmurs rose among the group, but the fear that had once dominated the cave began to lessen. Slowly, the students started to realize that Eratz wasn't the cold, vengeful figure they had expected.

Another student spoke up, this time with more confidence.

"But why risk it at all? Why even go after those things? Can't we just run from here."

Mercury coughed.

"Hem... It would be impossible, this dragon used all his power to create this cave and is now exhausted. If we tried to dig in, the walls would bury us."

"It... It look pretty healthy to me..." A student murmured.

Ignoring him, Mercury pursued.

"BUT... if we tame those birds, we could stop them from causing any more damage. Who know? Maybe they will go on a rampage in town? We have to tame them for everyone sake... And, well, having creatures that powerful under control wouldn't exactly hurt, would it?"

The guide still looked skeptical, the students exchanged glances, still fearful but beginning to feel a spark of confidence. Melcin's brutal beatdown seemed justified now, a punishment for his racism. Maybe Eratz wasn't as cold as they thought, maybe he was just doing what had to be done, maybe it wasn't even intentional? He was insulted, he was right to defend himself.

And it was good to be on his good side.

Another student stepped forward, looking uneasy.

"So... what do we do?"

Mercury smirked.

"You stay out of the way. We'll take care of the hard part."

Nervous chuckles rippled through the group. Clara, however, wasn't laughing. Her eyes were fixed on Lisa, who was still sitting off to the side, staring at the ground in silent despair.

With a deep breath, she stepped forward and addressed Eratz directly.

"Eratz..." she began, catching his attention.

He turned toward her, raising an eyebrow.

Clara swallowed, her voice hesitant but curious as she finally asked,

"What's your relationship with this girl? You two seem... really close."

For a moment, the cave fell silent. Every eye turned to Eratz. He glanced at Mercury.

Mercury caught his glance, and her eyebrow twitched, sensing the danger coming before it

happened.

"Should I tell them?" Eratz asked.

Mercury's face flushed slightly, she remembered what they were talking about before the birds appeared and she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him.

"Don't you dare," she muttered, but the smirk tugging at the corner of her lips betrayed her

amusement.

Everyone could sense the undertone, something deeper lying beneath their banter.

Eratz smiled, he leaned back, his gaze returning to Clara, but this time it was warmer.

"Let's just say we're close enough to share the same family, she's the sister of my son, and I'm the brother of her sister."

For a second, everyone just stared, dumbfounded by the answer.

Mercury almost burst out laughing, shaking her head.

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" she shot back, half-amused, half-annoyed. "You're

terrible at this, you know that?"

Eratz grinned wider.

"You would have prefered the other part?"

Mercury rolled her eyes, but there was a flush of warmth in her cheeks that didn't go

unnoticed.

The students exchanged glances, baffled by the easy intimacy between the two. This wasn't just camaraderie, they were close in a way that most of them couldn't grasp. Kenny felt a sharp, bitter pang deep in his gut. It was like a knife twisting inside him. For so long, he had lusted over Mercury, fantasized about her, the object of his desire.

She had been unattainable, his current goal, someone that no man could even see smiling.

But now, seeing her laugh, so natural, so comfortable with him, with Eratz, of all curses, it had to be Eratz.

It sent a violent wave of anger and jealousy coursing through his veins. His fists clenched at his sides, trembling with barely controlled rage.

How could Eratz, the one he despised more than anyone, have what he wanted most?

The idea of Mercury, his Mercury, sharing that easy connection with Eratz made his skin

crawl.

In his mind, it felt like a betrayal, as though the universe had aligned against him to screw

him forever.

Julian, standing beside him, couldn't tear his eyes away either. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what he was witnessing.

The sight of Mercury, so at ease with Eratz, left him unsettled. He muttered under his breath,

disbelief dripping from his voice.

"They know each other..."

It didn't make sense. How could someone like Eratz have gotten so close to someone like her?

What were the odds?

Lisa, watching from her spot in the shadows, felt her heart sinking lower and lower with every word and every glance exchanged between Eratz and Mercury.

It was as if every playful banter, every smile, drove a sharp blade deeper into her chest.

She had imagined this moment for so long, fantasized about seeing Eratz again, and what she could say, how they could fix things.

But now, watching him with Mercury, seeing the bond they shared, her chest burned with an intense, suffocating pain.

Her throat tightened, and for a second, it felt like she couldn't breathe. It wasn't just jealousy; it was the crushing realization that Eratz had moved on without her. Sёarᴄh the Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

She had spent so long hoping, and he had found someone else, someone who looked like she

truly belonged by his side.

The more she watched them, the more the fire in her heart burned, the flames of regret and sorrow licking at her insides until it became almost unbearable.

Clara, sensing the silent anguish radiating from Lisa, clenched her fists. This was wrong. She

had always rooted for Lisa, hoped that somehow things could work out between her and Eratz and he would save her from Kenny.

But watching this... seeing how close Eratz and Mercury were, seeing the way they connected on a level she had never witnessed between Eratz and Lisa, it made her stomach churn. "How could he just... replace her like that?" Clara thought, her nails digging into her palms as

she watched them.

The unfairness of it all was suffocating.

And then there was Crystal, who had been silent this whole time, watching from the back of the cave. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes narrowed as she watched Mercury, again this Mercury, always her around the boys she was trying to get. Crystal's mind raced, piecing things together, realizing just how much had changed since they had last seen Eratz. She felt a strange twinge of fear, mixed with confusion. This revision deepens the characters' reactions, emphasizing the emotional complexity each one feels when confronted with Eratz and Mercury's bond. Kenny's lust and envy, Lisa's heartbreak, Clara's frustration, and Crystal's unsettling realization all add to the tension and complexity of the moment.

Eratz, meanwhile, was ignoring the mix of shock, envy, and confusion rippling through the

students. "We'll wait until nightfall," Eratz said, breaking the silence. "That's when we'll make our move."

Mercury stretched her arms, the tension of battle still lingering in her muscles. "Get some rest if you can, once night falls, it's going to be crazy."

Farther than everyone else, Crystal's gaze remained fixed on Eratz, her thoughts churning.

There was something about him, something she had to figure out. The way he reacted with

the other students, the violence he showed, the calm following, the warmth.

She murmured, with a strange smile, so quietly that no one could hear.

"I knew it..."