Even after walking for several minutes, the two were silent.
Mara kept her steps slow as they walked, making Terla annoyed and wanting to leave more.
"Ahh…I just recalled…" Terla broke the silence first
"Do you still like him?", but was cut off midway.
"Huh? I don't think so."
*halt*
Terla's abrupt answer stunned Mara and the atmosphere instantly became a standstill.
Mara slowly turned and attempted to ask something but strangely, she gave up at the last second and continued her pace.
"You are so amazing, Terla."
'Liar.'
Then, she gave a gentle smile of a noble lady as she said, "You've changed."
"___"
"You used to get very shy and touched that you felt guilty when someone praised you. But now, you won't even react."
'That's because I now know they are all empty words.'
"You know, Terla. I envied you a lot back then. When we first met, you looked so cold and distant. You give people a feeling of inferiority as if you sat above all of us and still you are so kind, always putting other people before yourself. You were like a big sister and an idol to me. But Terla…."
Mira looked at Terla seriously before she continued.
"You changed. Especially since he appeared that day. I knew you had a softer side, but you looked like a fool at that time. I can't understand what made you so foolish. Everyone said you have fallen in love but….sigh… even if it's true, you had the power to make him yours anytime. Hazel? Dorothy? They all are unworthy of your consideration. Much less him"
"Mira!"
'Did I wanna stop her? No, I would have been very pleased to hear how he is unworthy of me. But why did I stop her?'
"And, and…. you even tried to bring them closer. You, you were so stupid Terla that I wanted to agree when he said you were dumb....."
.
"Woah, Woah, Woah. Don't underestimate me, will you? It's not like what you are thinking and what she said isn't all right. I wasn't that considerate and generous at all. haha…"
"Actually, I was crazy, really…crazy."
.
.
.
Nick talking to his friends, " who would it be? It's that bitch of course"
"You were calling me bitch, behind my back?"
"Terla? It's…I" "Block!" "_____"
.
.
.
"Yeah, I stalked him….and well, eavesdropped on his conversations, yep."
.
.
.
*Tap* *Tap* *Clatter*
[Hey, you have a crush on him, right?]
[ ___ ]
"Nicholas, is this your girlfriend?" Dorothy speaking.
"No."
.
.
.
"Ahem, yea. I texted his potential admirers to check."
"Mmm… she really didn't need to ask him like that, right. Just in front of me… although she didn't know I was there."
.
.
.
.
"Information with information, deal!"
[Hey, what kind of relationship do you have with her?]
[Just friend.]
"Here, this is what he said."
"Okay, here's about Tsveta."
.
.
.
.
"Hmm…and deals. I made people ask him that kind of ridiculous question in exchange for their admirers' information. Haha crazy."
"And do you know what's more crazy? It's not a secret but… Shush! Actually, I have seen him"
*Roar*
"What's that sound? Mmm…whatever. So I have seen"
Louder *Roar*
"Yep mmm. Now, that sounds dangerous. We will talk later, mmhmm."
*Roar* *Screams*
Continuous roars and shouts for help from a nearby place rapidly filled the air.
Terla and Mara quickly rushed to the scene where they saw people running away with terrified faces as well as a group of people in the stance of protecting their partners or fighting back if needed.
The two rushed to the front but Terla was held up by a hand.
"Terla, don't go there!"
"What, VV? What's happening here?"
*Roar* *Screams*
Without waiting for her answer, Terla dashed through the crowd.
*Roar*
When she arrived at the front line, she saw a huge white tiger emitting a pure white aura which seemed to be looking for something.
"Mara, your taming magic." Terla called out as she knew no one would be more suitable in this situation.
"No, Terla. I can't."
"What do you mean? It's okay, I will protect you…"
"No. Look at its forehead, do you see that golden symbol?"
"A divine beast?"
"Yes. Even a saint would find it difficult to tame it, much less me."
'What is a divine beast doing here at the mayor's mansion?'
*Roar*
'Healer….' *Roar* 'I need to find a healer.'
'Huh? Who is shouting?' Terla searched around but she couldn't find anyone hurt or shouting for help other than petrified faces.
*Roar*
'You can hear me?', through the roar, she heard the voice again.
When she turned back around, she met a pair of eyes which gave out a sacred aura.
'A spiritualist.' The voice came up again and chills ran down her spine.
The next second, the tiger came running at her and everyone screamed.
*screams*
Terla was paralysed in place but in her mind, a thought ran through, 'Sigh…not again.'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
However, an unexpected scenario occurred.
Terla was grabbed by the tiger's tail and was picked up.
The tiger then rushed somewhere with Terla on its back.
"Hey…. wait, wait. Where are you taking me to?"
The tiger ignored her as it quickened its pace.
It then stopped beside a fountain where it finally put her down.
Just when she was wondering why she had been brought here, something caught her eye.
'A tiger cub?'
*Roar* 'Heal him!' The tiger pushed Terla to the little cub.
"What, me?"
*Roar* 'Heal!!!'
"But I…"
'Terla, help her.'
'Aunt Ilana?'
'It's time you put your abilities to use.'
'Okay….' Terla took a deep, deep breath as she walked to the little hub.
She focused light magic into her hands and knowledge she had studied in a 10-day time flowed through her brain.
[ 'Desire, desire is magic and magic is the will of nature. To use magic, you first need to understand the nature of each magic and recognise the will of the magic. Once your desire matches the will of the magic you need, it will do its work.'
'Understand the nature, and recognise the will.'
'Yes. Think back to when the wind shielded you. What were you thinking at that moment?'
'I…, back then I only wished to be protected.'
'Right, that's your desire and to protect you was the wind's will.' ]
'Light, one of its nature is healing. Their will…. light, please help me heal this baby tiger.'
The light glow on Terla's hands became brighter as they spread to embrace the tiger cub.
Slowly, the light dispersed and the little cub opened its eyes.
Its eyes moved but it didn't seem to see anything.
The mother tiger quickly picked it up to embrace but the stomping sounds of footsteps alarmed her right away.
She turned around to look in the direction they were coming from and then at Terla.
She gently touched the little tiger's forehead with hers and carried it to Terla's front.
She stared at Terla for a moment before cutting a small wound on Terla's hand.
"Ahh!"
A drop of blood flew out as if carried by a motion and fell on the baby tiger's forehead where glowed a tiny golden symbol.
Just as the glow died down, the mother tiger placed the cub into Terla's embrace looking at its son with sorrowful eyes.
She then gave Terla a warning glare as she turned around and left for the group, 'Go.'
"There it is! That's the tiger." shouts came from a not-far-away place.
"What do you mean? Where are you going?" Terla shouted but she never turned back or voiced.
"Hey, don't leave your baby like thi….", before she could finish her sentence the cub disappeared into her body.
"Huh?"
'Terla, we should leave now.'
'But….okay.' Terla glanced at the leaving tiger one last time and quickly drew a teleport rune.
"Wait." As she disappeared from the place, she remembered something. The divine symbol on the mother tiger's forehead...., it had disappeared.