"There's no need for sorry," Eli reassured them firmly, his voice carrying a gentle yet resolute tone that seemed to soothe their troubled minds.
"B-But we w--"
Arlyne attempted to voice her lingering guilt, but Eli's interruption halted her mid-sentence.
"I'm sorry" He said sincerely.
"H-Huh?" Both Arlyne and Pearl were taken aback by Eli's unexpected apology.
Eli then proceeded to explain what had transpired, his gaze fixed pensively on the cave's ceiling as he recounted the events in detail.
Listening intently, both Arlyne and Pearl were shocked to learn that an unknown entity had entered their soul realm without their knowledge and what's more... that the fear they had been experiencing was due to its influence.
Though they had been scared when they encountered the legion of Thunderbonii, they were not ones to freeze or run with their tails between their legs. It made them realise something wrong with this dungeon.
However, what shocked them even more was Eli's revelation.
"Y-You entered our soul world?" Arlyne's voice quavered with disbelief, her eyes widening in incredulity as she sought confirmation from Eli.
"Yes," Eli confirmed with a nod.
'Gulp'
'Gulp'
Both Arlyne and Pearl swallowed nervously, their throats dry with apprehension as they absorbed the weight of Eli's revelation... they exchanged a glance, their hearts still racing with the implications of Eli's words.
"No one should be able to enter another's soul realm; it's an inviolable boundary, safeguarded by the very essence of one's being," Arlyne murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief as she processed the gravity of Eli's revelation.
Pearl nodded in silent agreement, her thoughts racing as she grappled with the implications of what they had just learned
The idea that their innermost sanctum could be breached sent a chill down her spine, igniting a newfound sense of vigilance within her.
Pearl and Arlyne silently nodded and muttered,
"We won't breathe a word of this to anyone... " Pearl affirmed, her tone resolute as she exchanged a solemn glance with Arlyne.
Eli's chuckle cut through the tense atmosphere, drawing their attention back to him, "Hehe... You know, sometimes I truly wondered what am I doing..." Eli mused, his expression unreadable as he spoke.
Confusion furrowed Arlyne and Pearl's brows as they exchanged perplexed glances, unable to decipher the deeper meaning behind Eli's words.
Before they could voice their questions, Eli rose to his feet, his reluctance palpable as he tore himself away from the comfort of their thighs.... but this wasn't time for that.
He glanced outside and observed that the sky had turned a luminous white hue, devoid of the familiar sparkling portal that had once adorned it.
"No portal?" he muttered, his brow furrowing in concern as he scanned the horizon for any sign of the gateway.
Pearl, standing beside him, confirmed his observation. "Yes, it disappeared the moment the sky brightened," she replied, her voice tinged with worry.
'Tsk, It seems we were really fucked up this time!!' Eli's frustration mounted as he realized the implications of their predicament.
Upon hearing his voice, Pearl and Arlyne turned to him with small smiles. "We thought we could use these weapons," Pearl explained, indicating the array of weaponry they had gathered.
Eli nodded in understanding. "Hmm," he murmured thoughtfully, considering the practicality of their idea.
"So, did you find any food?" Arlyne asked, her attention shifting from the weapons to Eli as she worked on repairing some old armour.
Eli shook his head, a sense of disappointment evident on his face, "Unfortunately, no," he admitted with a sigh, feeling the weight of their predicament.
Arlyne paused for a moment before revealing, "I have some homemade cookies" retrieving a small container from her inventory.
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"Here," she offered, extending her hand toward Eli, "It might not be that tasty..."
Eli smiled gratefully and accepted the offering without hesitation, "Food tastes better when you're hungry," he remarked.
'Chop, Chop'
"Heheh.."
Arlyne couldn't contain her laughter as she watched Eli eagerly devour the cookies, the sound of his munching filling the cave. She continued her repairs with a smile, finding amusement in Eli's voracious appetite.
"Hmmm... Damn girl, you would be really be a good wife," Eli muttered absentmindedly between bites, his words catching Arlyne off guard.
'Ting'
Arlyne froze in place, her cheeks flushing bright red as embarrassment washed over her. The armor in her hands slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground. She tried to compose herself, but her heart raced at Eli's unexpected comment.
"W-What do you mean?" Arlyne stammered, her voice trembling with nervousness as she asked Eli who was devouring the food without even a piece of giving it to his companion.
Selfish Bastard!!
"Hmm..."Eli paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he took in Arlyne's flustered state. With a sly smile, he leaned in close to her ear, his voice barely a whisper, ready to play along with her reaction.
"It means..." Eli began, his voice teasing, but before he could finish,
"Cough, Cough" Pearl coughed so hard.
Startled, Eli turned his attention to Pearl, who was glaring at him with annoyance written all over her face.
"What?" Eli asked innocently, feigning ignorance.
"Nothing," Pearl replied with a shrug, her irritation thinly veiled, "Just a little itchiness on my neck..."
"Is that so..." Eli regarded her for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his expression as he asked, "Shall I heal it.."
He softly touched her neck,
"!!!" Pearl flinched at his touch, swatting his hand away reflexively. She met his gaze with a defiant glare, "I don't need...!!"
"..." Eli stared at Pearl and thought, 'Something is rising...'