When all things were done, Raize decided to organize their future plans once again.
"To make this clear.... Bright listen up!" He called to Bright who seemed to be looking at something in the air for some reason. As he called, Bright immediately perked up and glared at Raize.
"I will never forgive you!!" He said rather childishly. Remembering the time he was thrown into the lake.
"Okay." Was all Raize said before he continued from where he left off. "Since Izaya offered us shelter as repayment, we should gratefully accept it."
"I can understand that, but for how long should we stay under his protection?" Ulla inquired.
"As much as our identities could hold. We should be safe if Izaya lends us a hand in allowing us to be safely hidden."
"Wait. Why do you guys need me to hide you? Should I be worried?" Noticing the progress of the conversation being pulled to a direction that could likely get out of hand, Izaya asked. He was anxious if his saviors were criminals on the run when they didn't appear to be one as such.
"Don't worry. Since we are at it anyway, I'll let you know of our situation. Lea?" When Raize called for her, Lea nodded her head in assent. She had been listening to the flow of conversation from the start with her eyes closed while sitting silently on a rock. She then looked on Izaya's unmasked anxious expression.
"We came from a small tribe that was annihilated. We escaped to Mingzhe Dei to seek repose. But even then, our pursuers chased us. So we have been traveling in hopes to find a place to hide us just until they give up or slack off on chasing after us.
"We are the last of our tribe. We don't want our ancestors' tradition to disappear with us gone." She said quietly, as if telling a folklore.
Izaya was surprised, but he had to ask, "Who are these people who are chasing you?" He seemed to believe their story.
Relieved, Lea answered. "If we were to tell you, you will be automatically dragged into our situation, and with it, our problems too. So please don't ask anymore."
Understanding Lea's tone of voice, Izaya complied with a nod. "Alright. You may stay as long as you want. I won't ask anything more about your tribe, especially after hearing you are the last of your people....." He said, looking at the group with pity.
Bright was speechless over their past that he never knew about, but he kept his silence due to Raize's constant illusions flashing his eyes. He knew better when Raize wanted him to keep his mouth shut now.
Ulla almost couldn't hold her laughter. She was covering her mouth and her shoulders were shaking. With her back on Izaya's peripheral view, he couldn't help but feel sad for the group who experienced such devastation. Now he understood a little of how Lea could turn out to be so cruel over the mercenaries.
With another nod, he produced a kind and gentle smile for the group. "You are part of my household from now on. I will protect you from anything that harms you with everything I have. So please reassured."
Feeling rather guilty, Lea gave him an awkward smile. Izaya took her expression as someone holding back their tears. He felt a pang in his chest and he unconsciously gave Lea a hug while rubbing her back in comfort.
".............."
"......................."
Lea couldn't push him away since she understood Izaya's kind intentions. And since she just fooled him perfectly, she restrained the uncomfortable sensation that was creeping inside her. She just knew from there on that Izaya would become one of the people she'd hate to see sad. A kind young man. Even if he was part of the capture targets, she couldn't help but see him in a good light.
After staying in that position for a minute or two, Raize stood up and separated Izaya from Lea. "It's okay now. She's strong." He said, revealing a small smile.
"Ah.. right.." Seemingly blank for a moment, Izaya simply said. His eyes on Lea's usual blank canvas face.
All the while, Bright was feeling rather dark in his chest to which he didn't understand why. When he felt even more down, Raize's illusions that had not been released took hold of him stronger.
Before anyone noticed, Bright had turned pale considerably. About to lose his consciousness once again, Raize suddenly released his illusions.
"Sorry. I totally forgot." He said to Bright.
"...............Raize...." Muttered Bright after recovering.
Raize looked on Bright, curious about what he was about to say.
"This is the first time............." Appearing dramatically touched all of the sudden, Bright stared at Raize's form in bewilderment.
"What?" He asked.
"This is the first time you said SORRY!!" Exclaimed Bright rather surprised.
".........." Raize was speechless.
".. You are right....." Ulla added slowly with her brown eyes looking on Raize, face masked with bewilderment.
Raize decided to ignore the two as they were acting rather strange. But to Bright and Ulla, it was Raize who acted rather unusual.
"Shall we leave now?" Lea suddenly asked when nobody was going to interfere anymore.
To her question, Izaya smiled in agreement. "Sure! From here, we should get to Chlad in 5 days by foot."
"No need." As she said so, she summoned Hamsphant. He appeared as immediate to Lea's call.
Staring at Lea, Izaya suddenly widened his eyes when he saw her expression changed from a blank canvas to a face of delight. He was struck speechless.
With a pat on his shoulder, Raize said to Izaya, "I understand what you are thinking."
Hamsphant excitedly landed on the ground. It then charged towards Lea's approaching form. Her arms were spread wide and a smile on her face.
Hamsphant wailed in delight. For a moment, the scene seemed to emit a brilliant light upon their reunion despite not separating that long. Lea ruffled its furr vigorously, making Hamsphant snort in delight.
Everyone else was too embarrassed to stare, thus they had their back turned.
"Do you think there is a switch in Lea's head?" Bright asked offhandedly.
"Maybe..." Was all Raize could produce as an answer.
"I feel like her affection to Hamsphant is going to a dangerous territory." Whispered Ulla, afraid Lea and Hamsphant would hear her voice.
"..........." To her statement, Raize and Bright had on a flabbergasted expression. Their face earned a chuckle from Izaya.
"Haha... You four seem like great friends. I'm envious." He said.
"But you are our friend now too, right?" Bright asked innocently, his blue eyes wondering towards Izaya's direction.
Pleasantly surprised at Bright's words, Izaya felt warm in his chest. "I hope so. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to get along with you guys, but I hope the rest of you would feel the same eventually." He said and showed a wry smile.
Raize considered his answer for a moment then replied, "I think you already get along very well with us."
"Is that so? Thanks!" His smile wider, Izaya said.
"Let's go." Lea announced in her usual placid tone.
"So you are done~" Bright lightly said and started walking towards Lea's direction together with everyone.
To his statement, Lea simply gave a nod and a small smile.
Raize was suddenly reminded to the time in the cave when Lea showed her unusually incredibly delighted expression. He suddenly felt pity that he might never see it again.
Looking at him shrugging and shaking his head to himself, Lea asked, "What?"
"Nothing." He replied quietly.
♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠
"This beast is amazing. And it even treats Lea with such care!" Izaya couldn't help but utter his thoughts. He had never seen a beast act so amiable to a human. At least in his nation.
"Exactly! We were surprised the first time too, but you get used to it." Bright said, his arms in the air as usual when he sat on Hamsphant's back. He loved the feeling of the wind flowing against his body.
"I want to learn from you, Lea! Can I?" Asked Izaya a little louder due to the noise of the wind as they were high up in the sky.
"Sure I can. If you tell me whatever I want to know in return." She replied quietly.
Izaya was hesitant to answer to her bargain, but made up his mind, "I can try."
"You don't try anything with Lea, Izaya. You do them." Said Raize as he was trying to hold back his raven hair from flapping on his eyes.
With a nod from Lea, Hamsphant sped away towards Chlad.
♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠
Not long after, they arrived to an eerily quiet city.