Third Point of View

  "Where the hell is she?" Thailon demanded, his voice sharp with frustration.

  "Hey, have you found her?" he asked, addressing the system linked to Caelum.

  "No, this kingdom is vast," Caelum replied calmly. "Since we didn't assign an alias signal to her, we can't track her location."

  "This always happens! Every time she disappears, something big is bound to follow," Thailon muttered, pacing impatiently.

  "That's just how Lara is," Caelum said with a hint of amusement. "It's a good thing, in a way."

  "A good thing that she's technically lost?" Thailon snapped, his irritation evident.

  "It's not like anything bad will happen to her," Caelum reasoned, still unfazed.

  "Are you sure about that?" Thailon shot back, glaring. "Every time she runs off on her own, she gets herself into something dangerous."

  A Few Moments Later

  Lara Point of View

  "Oh no, no, it's just what I could do as a person," I said awkwardly, trying to calm the woman bowing deeply in front of me. "Please, raise your head."

  "Thank you so much! I thought I had really lost her," the woman said, her voice trembling with relief. It was obvious how worried she had been, her gratitude overflowing.

  I waved it off, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the attention.

  "Really, it was nothing. I just did what I had to do." I glanced at the child beside me, her wide eyes now dry, looking a bit more at ease.

  "Now that your sister's here, make sure to stay close to her, okay?" I smiled warmly at the little girl, and she nodded obediently.

  Before I could excuse myself, the older sister, still holding onto my hand, spoke up. "How about I invite you to dinner? It's the least I can do to thank you properly."

  "Oh, no way—there's no need to go that far," I quickly responded, waving my hands.

  "I wouldn't want to impose."

  But she was insistent, holding my hand tighter.

  "Please, I insist. It's the least I can do for saving my sister."

  Third Person Point of View

  Despite her initial protests,

  Lara eventually agreed and followed the woman, Lian, and her younger sister back to their home.

  The walk was short, taking them through a quiet neighborhood filled with modest apartments.

  As they approached a quaint building, Lara took in the sights with interest, marveling at the setup. It was so different from what she had seen 200 years ago. There were refrigerators, sofas, and other modern conveniences she still found fascinating, even after being in this time for a while.

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  "May I ask your name?" Lian asked as they made their way inside.

  "Amelia," Lara answered without hesitation. She was used to using this alias in situations like this. Well her real name is Amelia.

  "And yours?"

  "I'm Lian. We're just a middle-class family here," Lian said, though there was a hint of disappointment in her voice that didn't go unnoticed by Lara.

  Lara offered her a kind smile.

  "You have a beautiful home, Lian," she said as they entered the apartment.

  It was cozy, well-kept, and full of warmth that made it feel welcoming.

  "Oh, thank you," Lian replied, smiling bashfully as she led Lara inside. "Jilian, why don't you go change your clothes?" she suggested to her younger sister.

  Jilian nodded obediently and hurried off to her room, leaving Lara and Lian in the living room.

  Lara couldn't help but ask, curiosity piqued. "She can change her clothes on her own?"

  Lian chuckled softly. "Yes, she's pretty independent for her age."

  Lara raised an eyebrow. For a child that young? She thought back to her own time, where children at that age were barely capable of such tasks without assistance. This world continued to surprise her in many ways.

  "We taught her to be independent, since sometimes we're not home due to work," Lian explained, her voice tinged with worry.

  "That's why I was so scared earlier when I couldn't find her. She must've wandered off, and that man spotted her." She shook her head, visibly shaken.

  Lara, listening intently, offered a suggestion.

  "You should at least have someone you trust look after her when you're away. It's hard to leave kids alone, especially when they're so young."

  Lian looked at her with curiosity. "You must be familiar with kids?"

  Lara hesitated for a second, her eyes shifting slightly.

  "O-oh, yeah," she replied, a little unsure.

  "Kids tend to forget things and... well, they can't be left on their own for long."

  Lian sighed and headed towards the kitchen, her voice softer as she spoke.

  "You know just lost our parents last month, so we're still figuring things out." She paused, the pain clear in her voice.

  "We're not used to all of this yet."

  Lara felt a pang of sympathy. "I'm so sorry. My condolences," she said gently.

  Lian smiled weakly, shaking her head. "It's okay. Thank you. You've already done more than enough. Without you, we might've lost Jilian today."

  Lara was quiet for a moment, then asked,

  "We? Do you have more siblings?"

  Lian nodded as she opened a cabinet, pulling out some bowls.

  "Yeah, I have an older brother named Liam. He'll be home later."

  "Is he working?" Lara inquired.

  "Yeah, he is," Lian replied, her tone softening.

  "He's just a year older than me, 21. We've been relying on him a lot since our parents passed away."

  "It must be hard," Lara said, her voice empathetic.

  Lian sighed and nodded.

  "Yeah, it's been tough. But we're managing." She busied herself with preparing dinner, then glanced over at Lara.

  "Are you new to this area?"

  "Yeah, I was just shopping," and I am a visitor Lara replied casually.

  "Alone?" Lian asked, a bit surprised.

  "No, I had companions with me," Lara said, though her expression shifted slightly as she remembered something.

  "Oh... I forgot, we parted ways earlier."

  "It's getting late. Aren't you worried?" Lian asked, concerned.

  "This kingdom is large, but it's also dangerous. There are scammers and worse."

  Lara waved it off, though she knew she should probably check in with her party.

  "They'll find me eventually. We're part of the same party. Besides, it's night—they're probably looking for me as we speak."

  "You don't seem too worried," Lian observed with a raised brow.

  "Wait, did you say 'party'? Are you an adventurer, Miss?"

  Lara nodded. "Yeah, I am."

  "That must be exciting," Lian said, impressed.

  "Not always," Lara admitted with a small chuckle. "It can be... chaotic." She glanced at Lian. "Do you need help with anything?"

  "Actually, yes," Lian said with a grateful smile. "If you don't mind, you could help with the soup."

  Lara stood up from the sofa, joining Lian in the kitchen.

  A few moments later, Lian tasted the soup Lara had helped make, her eyes widening in surprise.

  "Wow, Miss, you really know how to cook!" Lian exclaimed, clearly impressed.

  Lara smiled, a hint of pride in her voice. "Well, I own a restaurant, dear. Cooking is second nature to me." She looked over at Jilian, who was now happily eating.

  "Is it good?" she asked the child.

  Jilian nodded enthusiastically, her shy demeanor still evident but her mood lifted by the warm meal.

  "You're a bit shy, aren't you?" Lara said softly, gently patting Jilian's head. The child looked up at her with big, innocent eyes but didn't say a word, just offering a small smile.

  "Let's prepare the table," Lara suggested, and Lian nodded, the atmosphere feeling much lighter now.

  Just as they were about to set the plates, the door suddenly swung open, and someone entered the room.

  Chapter 101: “The Truth in Blood”

  Spoiler Alert: Proceed only if you dare.

  impact.

  His head—severed.

  stood there—motionless, yet trembling… and then, a laugh.