"It doesn't make sense, how come there are places that belong to both worlds...? even plants"
Kaylynn observed the forest as she walked alongside Arlan. Before, she hadn't had the time to focus on her surroundings while running, but now that they were walking at a slower pace, she had the opportunity to do so.
Just as when Arlan and the others left the bunker, Kaylynn was taken aback by the changes on the island. She had been born and raised in these woods, so to see them changed so much brought a small sense of loss.
Things would never be the same again, not only had the island changed, the world had changed too... both worlds.
Half of the flora had changed from Arlan's point of view, and it was the same for Kaylynn. It was as if their worlds had merged, each bringing half of what existed in the other.
But something was different, the flora seemed to have changed, but what about the fauna?
Before they arrived in the village, and now that they had escaped, Arlan had not seen a single animal in all the time he had traveled through the forest.
"Are monsters common in your world?" asked Arlan.
Kaylynn quickly denied.
"No, well… yes, they exist, but not so many. The island is infested with them...that we haven't encountered any is simply a miracle"
Arlan suspected that the monsters were the animals in Kaylynn's world, but when she denied it, he didn't know what else to think.
At least he knew that the monsters came from the other world, now there was just the unknown why there were so many.
Arlan's theory about the animals was that they had also been hunted by the monsters, for lack of human flesh, they resorted to animal flesh.
But nothing was certain until they saw it with their own eyes, and for now they could only speculate.
"For example, the monster that attacked us is called Knosprin...but it's not a monster native to this island"
Arlan frowned slightly and continued to listen to the young woman.
"They usually inhabit dry or swampy areas where they can move better"
It was understandable, the Knosprin long legs made them good hunters, where their strength was speed, and in a place like a forest, where there were so many obstacles, it was difficult for them to perform properly.
For them it was a disadvantage, for Arlan it was the opposite, it was something he could use against them.
"Do you know of a rhinoceros-like monster?"
Arlan was curious about the monster he had seen fighting Knara on the second floor.
"What's a rhinoceros?" Kaylynn replied in confusion.
Arlan scoffed at himself and rephrase.
"More like an animal with a large gray body, about two meters high and four meters long..."
Arlan finished describing the monster he had seen, and Kaylynn stood in silence for a few seconds, searching her mind for a monster that resembled what Arlan had described.
"Hmmm, I don't know if it's the same one you have in mind...but the only one I can remember with that description is the Brethel"
Arlan was surprised because he hadn't really expected an answer from Kaylynn. Obviously, the young woman had a lot of knowledge about monsters and who knows what else.
"Wait... if there are no monsters in your world... then you saw one"
Arlan did not deny her words, but he also did not tell her the circumstances under which he had seen it.
Time passed as they walked through the forest, talking about a few things for a moment before they both fell silent again.
Arlan expected the young woman to hold a grudge against him for forcing her to go with him, even though she was reluctant at first, but in the end, it was of her own free will. So Arlan was not forced to use force.
Beyond malice, the young woman seemed interested in Arlan himself and the world he came from. Still, from time to time, Arlan could hear disappointment in Kaylynn's voice.
"How do you know so much about monsters?" asked Arlan rather curiously, it surprised him that Kaylynn knew so much about things and considering that she had never left the island, it was even more surprising.
The young woman put on a forced smile and answered.
"Well... I like to read"
Arlan stopped, turned, and looked at her, more at the bandage over her eyes.
"...Can you read?"
Kaylynn cocked her head to the side, not understanding Arlan's question.
"Read? of course I can read"
The young woman raised her hand and stroked her bandage.
"Did you think I was blind?"
Arlan was silent for a few seconds, not knowing what to say.
"Well, yes"
A small smile appeared on Kaylynn's face.
"H-hahahahah!"
The young girl began to laugh softly, trying not to raise her voice too much. Arlan sighed and just stood there in silence, waiting for Kaylynn to stop laughing.
Arlan didn't feel annoyed by the young girl's laughter, on the contrary, he felt strangely relaxed...he felt alive.
'…When was the last time I saw someone laugh?'
Arlan tried to remember, but after a few seconds he couldn't find anything in his memories.
Arlan couldn't remember, he couldn't remember laughing with anyone.
When was the last time Arlan had a good time?
Arlan started to feel sick, his body started to heat up and his breathing got harder. But then Kaylynn stopped laughing and wiped away an invisible tear.
"No, I'm not blind...I just wear this bandage for my job"
Kaylynn's words distracted Arlan from his dark thoughts and he slowly calmed down.
"Your job?" he asked once he had calmed his breathing.
The young woman nodded, looked up at the sky and smiled faintly.
"Yes, I am a priestess... the priestess of light"