Cordelia recalled that pond as a dreamy place simply because it seemed unbelievable to her that she had gone through such a magical place.
And she was going to call it a dream only, if not for all her wounds being healed and the set of new clothes she wore.
Well, given that she came from a world with no magic and superpowers and all of it just being a Fantasy, no one would expect her to blend in so easily and accept everything as normal. Her normal was just too different.
Sigh
Despite sighing in resignation, looking at her new clothes once again, she smiled gleefully, ignoring the carnage she had just witnessed as she moved away from the scorched site quietly.
Her current set of clothers were completely different from her previous ones, the one she wore before coming here which made her treasure this outfit.
She even squealed like a kid who got their first candy...
"Ahem, ahem. That's not worth remembering."
She waved her hand to fan her face that got red due to the sheer embarrassment as she remembered her childish actions when she first discovered these clothes on her form.
Unsurprisingly, the first thing she did after coming to herself from that sudden fainting was to cover her private parts using her hands before finding out that she already donned beautiful clothes.
Her blueish-white top loosely hugged her upper body as she could easily move about in it while the shoulders, cuffs, and hem had a lining of soft, pristine white fur that was super soft to the touch.
Luckily, it was like a T-shirt. So she didn't have to worry about buttons breaking or it getting wrinkly easily.
She wondered aloud, "Ah! I wonder how this miraculous clothing was even made."
Gazing at her feet, she saw some unbelievably comfortable white slip-on shoes marked with a few light blue streaks across them in some sort of pattern that he couldn't understand.
"Uwaaa! So cute and pretty!"
She liked them to the point of acting like a little child not just because walking while wearing them felt so smooth to her, they even didn't get dirty no matter the dirt, mud, blood, innards or whatever she stepped on.
"I love these!"
Cordelia exclaimed after finding out that not only the shoes, but also the t-shirt top and her lowers didn't get a speck of dust on them.
Her lowers purely matched her top from her waist down her ankles, having the same pristine white fur on the ankle and waist part, with their color matching her top.
The best part about them: She didn't feel her movements being restricted even slightly no matter how weirdly she moved.
Due to her insane obsession over these set of clothes, she went crazy to make sure they didn't get the slightest tear in her fights.
Usually, anyone would hate white clothes in such an environment yet here she was in complete love with them.
After all, no amount of sweat, blood, grime, or dirt could dirty them and she felt comfortable wearing them.
If not for the fact that her leggings were too skin-hugging and basically showing off her rear, she wouldn't hesitate to wear them all her life.
"What am I thinking? This world is different! I am sure I remember the description of quite outrageous outfits. Mine, in comparison, is already quite modest."
No matter what she said to reassure herself or justify wearing this, she wasn't going to stop wearing this anytime soon. And regarding her words about outrageous outfits, they were quite true.
The only problem in her case was how long it would take for her to adjust her mentality and get used to the stares at her body.
Not that she thought about the issue yet.
Cordelia admired her clothes once more as she continued her walk before a confused expression appeared on her face.
'Hm? I am sure I am going on the right path but why does it feel I am following this trail of blood?'
Cordelia didn't waste time on looking around as she immediately opened the map and checked her path.
"I am going in the correct direction but these blood trail is also..."
She mumbled to herself before her entire body froze momentarily as she hurried forward across the blood trail, running to catch-up with the injured person.
'I am sure that is the trail of whoever ran away after causing that explosion and it was correct to not wait for this person to return and confirm his kills.'
Cordelia racked her brain to think of something, but the only conclusion she could come to was that this injured person was going to the Hidden Piece she had been targeting.
And the revelation enraged her a little, not at the person involved, but on herself.
'How could I be stupid enough to gawk around when I was this close to uncovering the Hidden Piece!?'
She chided herself for stupidity before briskly increasing her pace.
Swoosh
Suddenly, a wave of wind covered her body, increasing her speed further.
"What?"
She voiced unconsciously in shock before calming down and noticing where the wind came from as she noticed it originated from her pair of shoes.
She was even more thankful and glad for her clothing before she noticed the fur on her top and bottom pulsating with the wind's wavelength and adding another significant boost to her speed.
'Arghhh! No matter what, I will find you before you reach the Hidden Piece. That's Mine!!!'
Cordelia resolved to herself, even if she could barely keep up with her current speed and not accidentally hitting something.
At the same time she made up her resolve, Juder, who had just continued to walk after a short rest felt a chill run down his spine, causing him to look back and increase his pace.
'Just because I can't see anyone doesn't mean no one is coming for me.'
He had no idea that the one chasing after him had entirely different reasons for doing so than what he imagined of his pursuers, if any.
Unbeknownst to the two of them, their first meeting was inching closer and closer and it wouldn't be a miss like the first and second time, but it would be pleasant for neither of the two.
'Faster! Faster! I can't let some injured nobody take my hard-earned Hidden Piece!'
'I need to move. I can't get caught in my current condition.'
The two moved at their own pace with different agendas towards the same destination, unaware that their fates were going to get entwined in a very complicated way and neither would have expected it in the slightest.