Chapter 196 - 196 Finding Justice (Part 3)

196 Finding Justice (Part 3)

The way to the hideout was rough, with the wet ground and so many bugs around, Anne can’t imagine how they can live in such conditions for days. She looks at Vale and thought to check his health properly along with the others. That is the only thing she can do. Anne felt bitter sometimes that she constantly need to be protected by them. Although Anne managed to harness her way into this world by becoming a healer, that’s her strong point and will always be her way of protecting them.

“Wow, this is how you guys live for a while?” Arthur looked around the area with a grimace on his face.

Vale rolled his eyes, pretty annoyed by his condescending question. “Yes, and we could always endure harsher conditions than this magic knight captain. You should try it sometimes.” He stops and looks at Arthur directly.

Seeing how Vale doesn’t appreciate his tone, he felt bad and apologizes immediately, “I’m sorry, primary captain, I came as a bit condescending.”

“Well, at least you begin to learn now.” Muttered Vale, making Henry and Xavier chuckles.

Leo and Anne saw their interaction and just shook their heads. They always knew the tension between the magic knight and the other jobs, and for them, this little bickering proves they could become their friend. The magic knight could learn to adapt to the other jobs, and so do the others to the magic knight.

“We are here, that’s hour hideout.” Vale points into a dry ground with a wide cave. “The cave is actually wider and deeper, so it’s a perfect place for us.”

Henry stops everyone in their tracks. “Wait, before we go inside, probably best if you scan thoroughly inside, Vale.”

“I did…” Vale said when his eyes just changed back from luminescent green to his emerald green eyes. “It’s safe. There’s nothing inside.”

.....

“There are no wild animals or monsters either.” Said Xavier, who uses his skill as well.

“Good.” Henry nods his head. “We can safely go inside then.”

Vale and Xavier look at each other with a frown on their face, “I think Henry just elected himself as our leader.” Said Xavier, while cringing at his friend.

“And they said I am the primary captain now.” Teased Vale again.

Henry glared at them, “Shut up *ssholes!”

They laughed together afterward. Anne would miss this kind of interaction with them. Her heart was once again touched by the absurdity of her case. Leaving them would become a nightmare for her, but staying with them would be wrong in her mind.

“Anne, what are you doing there? Come on.” Leo was already inside the cave with the others. She was practically standing in her place, imagining another worst scenario.

“Brom would scold me if he knows about this.” Murmured Anne while she waved her hand to Leo, followed along with others.

The inside of the cavern was not as bad as Anne thought it would be. They managed to make the bed from the big dry leaves and orbs. She could also see the amenities.

“I guess you all managed to make this place a bit cheery.” Said Anne while looking around the cave.

“You should see Justice’s spot. He got a room just for himself deeper into the cave.” Vale said to her while a smirk came into his face.

Anne was intrigued and excuse herself to go deeper into the cave. She walked inside and saw so much light moss that makes this area lit better than the previous one. Anne could see the charm of this room, and how Justice put his items. She could see him in this room, lying on the leaves, probably reading or just taking his much-needed rest.

She touched the dry leaves with him in her thoughts.

“Did you got anything in here?” Vale asked her while he looked around the small room.

Anne shakes her head. “I don’t see anything yet. What about you?”

Shrugged his shoulder, Vale crouched beside her. “No, we don’t have anything.” He said to Anne with a long sigh. “I don’t think he came back after the raid.”

“Don’t give up just yet. He must be hiding something. Oh, what about Kirara?” Anne enthusiastically asked Vale about Justice’s familiar.

“Oh, Xavier and Henry didn’t tell you? Kirara was injured when he sent the message to them. He was resting at the palace right now.” Vale informed her, which makes her surprised.

“Oh my God, he’s fine, right?”

Putting his hand on her back, Vale brushes the back and nods his head. “He will be fine, don’t worry, but sadly, he can’t assist Justice right now.”

“I was so scared for both of you, at first I just thought this will become a way for us to assist the king and the crown prince, but when Henry and Xavier told me about how all of you need to be hiding and almost every population in this big island is a traitor.” She whispered to Vale when he brushes her back.

“Anne, did you know what makes us stronger when we were here?” He whispered back to her, a smile appearing when he reminisce the past month, “We thought about you.”

Anne turns her head away from Vale. “Vale, it’s because of the bewitched spell. The trace of the spell probably lingered inside all of you.”

“No! That’s not how the bewitched spell works, Anne.” Stubbornly he grab her shoulder, probably a bit tighter than he should have, she winced and he released the grip immediately, “I… I am sorry, it’s just, please you need to read the bewitched spell description again, the effect will never linger, but the memory will be intact, all the moments that we have been through together, those memories are the things that kept us for loving…”

“No! Vale, please stop! Just don’t say it! Just, not right now!” She shouted and tried to get away from his side, but a piece of material almost make her trip. Vale put his hand, preventing her from falling to the ground.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, there’s something here that almost makes me trip.” She said to him.

They look at each other and realize, both of them begin to scatter the dry leaves around. When Anne touched the item, they look and screamed in joy together. The glassmap with a red dot beeping inside the glass of the glassmap, the red dot represents Justice and his location.