Fragile Phantasy

Part 16

Zeline, who had been walking quietly beside him, turned to face him. Her dark eyes shone with a fierce pride as she spoke. "Because my parents used to be slaves who ran away. They started living here so they wouldn't be caught again."

Edgar nodded in understanding, his mind racing with questions about the courageous people who had raised Zeline. As they continued on their way, Zeline's mother stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around while on kc's back, disoriented, before her gaze settled on her daughter and the man whose carrying her. The weight was heavy, but KC soldiered on, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead.

"Zeline, where are we going?" she asked, her voice weak.

Zeline rushed over to her mother, embracing her tightly as if to shield her from the truth. she clung to KC, hiding the handcuffs attached to her from her mother's view. KC struggled to free himself, but Zeline hugged him tighter, determined to keep her secret safe."We're going to take you to the hospital," she said, her tone bright and cheerful. "Don't worry, we'll get you treated."

Edgar smiled, heartened by Zeline's unwavering optimism.

"Your boyfriend looks responsible, even though he doesn't speak much," the old woman remarked, studying KC closely. "I feel deep inside that he's a good person." zeline mother said sweetly.

KC, embarrassed by the sudden attention, tried to hide his face. Zeline, sensing his discomfort, playfully pinched his cheeks. "He's the type of guy that actions speak louder than words, haha," she quipped, flashing him a flirtatious smile.

KC, red-faced and sweating, couldn't bear the attention any longer. his embarrassment on full display "Please stop," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

Zeline's mother chuckled. "That's the first time i've almost seen you smile and heard your voice. It's okay even if you're a little shy. I accept you for who you are," she said kindly, kc tries to loom away and hide his embarrassment. Zeline's mother soon fell back asleep, resting her head on KC's back.

As the sun began to set, the group decided to set up camp for the night. They erected a small tent for Zeline's mother to rest in, while the rest of them laid out under the stars. Despite the harsh conditions, they found comfort in each other's company, the darkness of the night bringing them closer together.

As the moon cast a soft glow over the campsite, Edgar, Zeline, and KC found themselves unable to sleep. The quiet of the night was too oppressive, too thick with the unknown. It was Edgar who finally broke the silence.

"Zeline, excuse me for asking, but I'm really curious. What did you do before? It's fine with me if you don't answer."

Zeline smiled a small, melancholic smile. "Just struggling to make ends meet. Juggling a few jobs and being an adventurer on the side so I could buy my mother's medicine," she said.

Edgar nodded sympathetically. "Since you told me yours, Zeline, I'll also share mine. Let's just say like you, I also want to make my family happy. So even though they are not related to me, I dreamed of being the capital emperor so that we can live luxuriously."then they turn their attention to kc.

The two fell silent expecting kc to share, KC broke the quiet by faking a loud snore.

"We know you're just faking it, KC. Come share yours," Edgar said with a laugh.

"Come on, don't be shy," Zeline added.

KC remained still and unresponsive, but then in a weak voice, he said, "Were similar in way i wanted my family to be happy."

It shocked the two, as this was the first time KC had shared anything personal with them. But their moment of connection was quickly interrupted by a rustling in the nearby bushes.