Nirvana forest
Regis hurriedly called out, "Wait... wait for me," as he approached the mysterious girl.
Walking beside her, Regis introduced himself, saying, "I'm Rex. And you?"
The girl replied curtly, "I won't tell a stranger who hides his face."
Regis chuckled awkwardly. "Haha... forgive me for this, but I have to keep it on."
Her name slipped from her lips, "Liliana."
"Ah, Liliana... a good name," Regis said with a smile.
As they continued their journey, Regis silently contemplated, "There doesn't seem to be any village in this direction."
Curiosity getting the better of him, Regis finally asked, "So, where are we headed?"
Lilyana remained silent, her cold expression unwavering as she walked straight ahead.
Observing her transformation, Regis mused to himself, "The person I saw by the pool and the one before me now are entirely different... Well, I like both."
With growing curiosity, Regis inquired, "This path doesn't lead to a village, does it?"
Lilyana, her gaze filled with coldness and menace, replied, "How do you know?"
Regis replied, "Well, I passed by here earlier."
Lilyana's demeanor softened, and she said, "We're going hunting."
"Hunting?" Regis questioned, surprised.
Just as he spoke, a boar-like monster charged from behind, targeting Regis. In a flash, Lilyana's eyes glowed, and she positioned herself between Regis and the monster, effortlessly halting its attack with a single hand.
Regis exclaimed in awe, "Wow!"
Lilyana swiftly kicked the boar, causing it to crash to the ground, lifeless.
"Dead," Lilyana uttered, turning her face toward Regis, "Are you strong?" said as measuring at Regis body from top to bottom.
Regis replied proudly, "Yes, I'm really strong."
In the next moment, Regis hoisted the entire boar onto his back and asked, "Did you mean strong like this?"
Lilyana wondered, "Are you strong in anything else?"
Annoyed, Regis retorted, "Why do you think I'm not strong?"
"Humans... all weak," Lilyana muttered, casting her gaze downward with annoyance.
Regis began to explain but abruptly stopped himself, recalling the words of Rai.
[Flashback starts]
Secret realm
Rai and Regis sat beneath the shade of an ancient tree, the wind rustling through the leaves around them.
Handing a mask to Regis, Rai said, "Regis, this mask can conceal your aura as long as you wear it. Don't remove it in Nirvana, not even for a moment, or the werewolves will sense your presence."
Regis responded, "Rai, I can't even take it off when sleeping?"
Rai flicked Regis' forehead gently, emphasizing, "No, not even for a moment, or the werewolves will sense your presence."
Confusion marked Regis' face as he questioned, "But why are humans treated differently? Shouldn't they be treated like us?"
Rai sighed, explaining, "No, they can't be treated the same because Eminence protects them."
Annoyance crept into Regis' expression. "Then why can't Eminence protect us too?"
"You are different," Rai responded curtly.
"Different?" Regis echoed, seeking further clarification.
Rai's patience wore thin as he abruptly interrupted, "Stop. You talk too much," his face contorted with annoyance.
Regis nodded, understanding Rai's displeasure. "Alright," he conceded, sealing his lips. Internally, Regis reflected, "I better not push Rai any further. Asking more questions will only lead to trouble."
[Flashback ends]
As Regis walked alongside Lilyana through the dense forest, he gathered his courage and admitted, "Yes, I am human."
Doubt filled Lilyana's eyes as she questioned him about his response. Curious, Regis inquired, "If humans are weak, then what are you?"
Lilyana's cold expression revealed her true nature. "Werewolf," she stated.
Regis paused, absorbing this newfound information. "Werewolf?" he repeated, a mixture of surprise and intrigue evident in his tone.
Suppressing his anger and reminding himself not to lose control, Regis thought, "Don't get angry. If I accompany her to her village, I might discover the whereabouts of my brother-in-law."
Lilyana's cold gaze pierced through Regis as he stood there, confused. He couldn't help but ask, "Is there something on my face?"
Without offering a direct response, Lilyana approached Regis and locked her gaze with his. "Don't you know about us?" she inquired.
Regis, his eyes filled with confusion, replied, "I do."
"Then why?" Lilyana's voice carried a hint of awkwardness.
"You want to ask why I'm not running," Regis stated, meeting Lilyana's gaze.
Nodding, Lilyana waited for an answer.
Regis continued, "Because I know you won't hurt me."
Lilyana appeared even more perplexed. "We have just met. How can you tell I will not kill you?"
"Just instinct," Regis replied confidently. "And if you wanted to, you would have already killed me. I trust you."
Lilyana turned away and started walking, leaving Regis to contemplate, "Did I finally convince her?" He looked at her again, wondering, "Did I really convince her?"
Throughout their journey, they walked in silence, their thoughts and emotions swirling within them.
After a while, they stumbled upon a majestic mountain waterfall. Exhausted from carrying the boar for so long, Regis couldn't help but ask, "Haven't we arrived yet?"
Lilyana didn't respond but instead walked towards the waterfall. She pressed a concealed switch within it, causing the surroundings to tremble. The waterfall split in two, unveiling a dark pathway. Regis stood there, stunned, as Lilyana gestured for him to enter.
Regis followed her into the depths of the cave. After a short walk, they emerged into the light. Before them lay a breathtaking sight—a city nestled in the heart of the mountain, beneath a vibrant blue sky. Modest yet charming houses with intricate designs adorned the landscape, and the air was filled with the sounds of contentment and peace.
Lilyana proceeded towards the city, catching the attention of children playing nearby. They exclaimed in unison, "Big sister is back! Big sister is back! Sister, what did you bring back this time?"
Lilyana smiled and gently scolded them, "Stop running around like that."
Regis, captivated by the scene before him, couldn't contain his amazement. "Beautiful!" he exclaimed, momentarily forgetting himself as he covered his mouth with his hand.
The children noticed Regis and his peculiar mask, fear causing them to retreat behind Lilyana.
Lilyana reassured them, saying, "Don't worry, kids. He is good."
The children, still hesitant but no longer afraid, cautiously approached Regis. He gently placed the boar down and extended his hand to greet the children, introducing himself. "Hi, I'm Rex, everyone."
The oldest child, Zen, bravely extended his hand to shake hands with Regis. "Hello, I'm Zen."
Regis greeted him with a smile. "Hi, Zen. You look brave and strong. It's nice to meet you."
Zen hesitantly replied, "Hmm... It's nice to meet you too."
The other kids gathered around Regis. One by one, they introduced themselves. "Hi, I'm Sen," said one, followed by another child named Nim, and so on.
Every child started talking to Regis without fear now. Lilyana stood beside them, briefly smiling. However, as Regis made eye contact with her, her smile disappeared, and she returned to her cold expression.
"Hey, Lilyana, you're back," a girl approached Lilyana.
Lilyana replied, "Ginna, I'm back... Today's hunt," pointing at the boar.
Lilyana continued, "Give him a place to rest. He was lost in the woods."
Ginna looked at Regis suspiciously. "Is it alright?... He..."
Lilyana assured her, "Don't worry, I already told him about me."
Ginna sighed in relief. "Then that's good. You go refresh. I will arrange things for him."
Lilyana nodded and said, "Hmm."
Lilyana approached Regis, introducing them. "Ginna, this is Rex. Rex, this is Ginna. She will take care of you now."
Lilyana turned her back to them and started walking away. Before she could leave, Regis spoke from behind, "If I want to meet you later..."
Lilyana turned towards Regis, her expression puzzled. "You won't need me in the city. She can take care of you."
Regis persisted, "I'm asking if I want to meet you."
Lilyana replied, still not understanding his intentions, "That's what I'm saying."
Ginna and the kids exchanged smirks, realizing Regis's intentions while Lilyana remained unaware.
Regis stumbled over his words, feeling embarrassed. "You... I... I... That..."
Lilyana turned her face away and said in an embarrassed tone, "Back mountain at midnight," then ran away from there.
Regis, the kids, and Ginna stood there, stunned by what had just happened.
Ginna exclaimed, "She answered."
The kids chimed in, amazed, "Wow."
Ginna approached Regis with an excited and anxious look in her eyes. "How did you do it?" she asked. "How did you melt that ice fairy?"
Regis, still trying to comprehend the situation, replied, "I'm not sure what you mean. Show me where I'm staying. I'm too tired."
The kids blocked his way, speaking in unison, "Tell us... Tell us."
Regis knelt down to their level. "This is an adult matter," he said with a sigh, his face expressing exhaustion.
Zen spoke up, "We are not kids."
Sen added, "Right, we're not."
Regis patted Zen and Sen on the head. "Yes, yes, you're not kids. But I'm too tired," he said with an exhausted expression.
Ginna finally relented, saying, "Alright, kids, let him rest first."
Regis pointed towards the boar. "What about this?"
Ginna reassured him, "Someone else will come to take care of it. You come with me."
Ginna led the way into the city, and Regis followed her. Inside, the city presented a harmonious environment where werewolves and humans peacefully coexisted.
Regis observed his surroundings, wondering aloud, "What city is this?"
He turned to Ginna and asked, "I haven't seen any city like this before. What is it called?"
Ginna replied, "Yes, this city is different. It's called Iguazu."
Regis repeated, "Iguazu."
Ginna took a deep breath and continued, "This city was created to showcase to the world that two different races can coexist peacefully."
Regis, confused by this statement, asked, "But I thought werewolves didn't desire peace and wanted to start a war."
Ginna's anger flared up, and she retorted, "Not everyone thinks like that. Only that foolish individual who lacks self-awareness and shame believes that war is the solution to everything."
Regis questioned, "Foolish individual?"
Ginna nodded and added, "Yes, but our Lilyana doesn't share that mindset. She is pure-hearted. That's why if you were to harm her, I would not hesitate to kill you."
Regis intended to inquire further, but Ginna interrupted him abruptly, pointing towards a nearby building. "We have arrived," she said, gesturing towards the structure.
Ginna withdrew the keys from her pocket and directed Regis's attention to the sizable building. "On the 10th floor, you will find Room 305. That's where you'll be staying. Okay, bye for now. I have work to do. We can talk later."
With those words, Ginna swiftly departed, leaving Regis standing there. Regis muttered to himself, "Okay, she's gone."
Regis entered the building and made his way to the 10th floor. Using the key provided by Ginna, he unlocked the door to Room 305 and stepped inside. The room, though not extravagant, was well-maintained and tastefully decorated. It consisted of two spacious interconnected rooms, an attached bathroom, and a separate kitchen. All the necessities for daily life were readily available.
Regis entered the bathroom and refreshed himself, washing away the fatigue of the day. Afterward, he made his way back to the bedroom and settled down on the bed. As weariness enveloped him, he found his mind consumed by thoughts of the city and Lilyana.
"I'm exhausted, but I can't ignore the mystery surrounding this city and its connection to the Risens that arrived here," Regis murmured to himself, his voice filled with determination. He knew he couldn't afford to rest for too long if he wanted to uncover the truth.
Regis felt a tinge of annoyance as he thought about the mask he wore. "This disguise is quite tiresome, but I can't take it off just yet. Rai would be furious if he found out." With a sigh, he closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep, hoping that the next day would bring him closer to unraveling the secrets that lay within the city.