Reincarnated As The Heroine?! I refuse!

127: She almost lost herself

Every corner, there was a camera. Along the walls, scanners were in place. It did not look like a cave inside, instead, it appeared very modern with bulletproof metal walls. Lea expected they were soundproofed as well. The place looked very expensive.

She stopped Victor from advancing when she caught a glimpse of laser lines by their calf. If one was not careful, the security system would have found out there were trespassers. 

In this world, there was no incantations to turn them invisible, neither electro-magnetic blasts to blow up all cameras and scanners at the same time. But what this world had that Lea and Victor could abuse were the essences that can bend the rules of many things.

The pair looked at one another, silently agreeing to the next plan. In a heartbeat, they closed their eyes and destroyed their physical bodies, leaving behind nothing from where they used to stand.

Along the long corridors, strange glitters speedily passed by. It was a good thing that there was only one path. Assuming the room at the end would be the most significant, Lea and Victor did not waste time, especially when they had very little time in their current state.

The newly born essences in the jungle felt a sudden pull. They were being called by a strong attraction. Slowly, swarms of essences rushed into the cave behind the waterfall, towards Lea who willed them.

She only meant to gather more essences, but seeing as she was being treated like a VIP, she was very pleased. No longer feeling ill at ease, she wrapped formless Victor with her own, sustaining him with more essences.

For every second they did not have a physical body, the more of their own spiritual essence disappear. But this can be avoided by conversely strengthening their own with even more essences.

[Hold on.] Lea whispered into Victor's mind.

They blasted through the last door like gust of wind, immediately constructing their own physical body. Upon completion, the pair had thick layers of sweat all over their body from exhaustion.

Looking around, Victor noticed, [Nobody is here. Is this a trap?]

Lea shook her head, walking down the short stairs and towards the main controls. There were several screens on the big wall. A deep frown appeared on her face.

Victor joined her at the side, not really understanding everything in the room. [Moving pictures? But that's Eden, then this is Escarcha. That area by the cape of Port Ruo was where we first met.]

Lea did not move. No, she could not move. She simply stared at every monitor with wide eyes.

Victor was very confused, for he could not make either head or tail. Instinctively, he knew something was very wrong.

[Is this a game....?] Ruby eyes glinting a sinister light, Lea was shaking slightly. She was feeling extreme frustration. Tears were threatening to escape her eyes as she thought back of the things she'd learnt and witnessed above.

This cannot be true. She repeatedly told herself, but the facts were in front of her. Life was simply a game.

--------

A while later, Bright finally saw Lea and Victor come out of the waterfall unscathed. He almost ran towards, only to falter as he got closer. Lea was looking very strange.

Slowly, he approached Lea, anxiousness and worry in his blue eyes. When Lea looked into those pair of familiar blue eyes that resembled a clear sky, a little resolve was brought back into her being.

She grabbed Bright's shoulder first, startling him in return. "What's wrong...?" He really was feeling very anxious now, for he saw how dreadful Lea's eyes before. As far as he could remember, Lea has always been headstrong, as if she always knew what she was going to do and where she was going without restraint. But the look in her eyes earlier expressed distress and all his cells were shouting 'danger'. He could not understand what she was feeling properly.

"I think I am lost... Why are we even here, Bright..? They knew everything... Everything!"

Lea's words incomprehensible to Bright, but he did not trigger her. Instead, he gently comforted her on her back, while saying, "Not lost. Not lost at all. Didn't you just tell me? You love eating beast meat over pork or chicken meat. Then once we go back up, hunt me some beast meat to grill you some. I'll make sure they'll be the best food you've ever tasted. And don't you want to see your brother again? He is a great guy..."

Bright may have sounded like he was simply mumbling nonsense, but his words touched Lea's sentiments. 

Her initial shock receded as she slowly regained her focus, "... That's right... I still want to see my brother achieve happiness... I let him go because he can only be happier without me... I want to fight for his future... that's why I've been looking for the masterminds... the Elders... the instigators... the bastards... bitches... disgusting pig shits...... I'll kill them all."

While listening to Lea's rumbling, Bright was feeling calmer and calmer until he heard Lea curse, even more because of the sentence at the end. "...Lea?"

When next Lea looked up at Bright, he saw her limpid ruby eyes no longer having any tumultuous clouds. Relief awash his chest. Once again reminding himself that Lea was not that weak, and for her to have been very distraught would likely because of something she never thought, something unexpectedly bad.

"...We need to go for now. I need to bring Raize here. He is the only one who can manage whatever's inside the cave."

Bright heard her and wondered what exactly did Lea find inside, but he did not pursue the matter. He knew he would not be as interested anyway, and will most likely forget most of the details before returning above ground. So he simply nodded good-naturedly.

He pondered over Lea's words earlier for a moment while calmly staring at her. "So you've been working very hard all over the place because of your brother?"

Lea was quiet, but she stopped walking upon hearing Bright's question. She slightly bowed her head, not turning back so he could not see her expression. 

Bright followed after her closely, still staring at her solemnly. So much hard work for one sibling. How much love has she been keeping in her heart? Knowing Lea, she must want to repay everything her brother has done to her; all his sacrifices, which even caused him his life.

After so long, Bright gained another level of understanding of how deep and loyal Lea's heart could go. If she ever found someone to love, how much of herself would she be willing to sacrifice? Bright did not want to imagine whoever that man will be, but he knew, if she was ever gonna be hurt even the slightest, he'd be the first to wreck havoc.

As they quietly continued to walk in the jungle, Victor offered his tail several times to cheer up Lea even more. He was not proficient with giving comforting words, but he would be very willing to do whatever. So his eyes never left her at all, while taking care of any wild animals before they even reveal themselves.

Lea accepted Victor's usual antics, gaining back her serenity upon hugging Victor's bushy tail. So soft and fragrant, making her heart and mind calm.

Yun Na was secretly amazed by the care of the men towards Lea, applauding for their loyal hearts secretly. She was beginning to see many evidences of Victor's thoughtfulness towards the person he cares the most, making her heart slowly change. If he can look content and happy like that, she shouldn't really make trouble.