"Mr. Lucky Guy!" Rita yelled, her hand cupped around the sides of her mouth. "Nero won't fight you anymore! Are you okay?! Mr. Lucky Guy!"
She scanned the area and spotted a figure in the distance. Her eyes widened with excitement, waving to catch Nero's attention.
"Nero!" she called out, causing him to turn towards her. "That's him!"
Nero followed Rita's finger with his gaze, furrowing his brow as he noticed the strange silhouette of a man, seemingly carrying something bulky.
"What's that?" he muttered to himself, walking back towards Rita as they approached the man.
As Lucky emerged from the thick fog, Rita and Nero instinctively focused on the person he was carrying. Curiosity brimmed their eyes as they waited for an explanation from Lucky, which they wouldn't get so soon.
"One moment you want to kill me, and now you're acting like concerned friends," Lucky couldn't stop his sarcasm from coming out, ignoring their curious expressions. "So, what changed? Are we friends now or still foes?"
Nero cleared his throat. "I apologize about that. We were merely being cautious."
"You were ready to roast me alive — that's not caution, that's attempted murder," Lucky retorted with a hint of disappointment. "Being cautious is staying in your home with weapons hidden under your pillow in case someone breaks in."
"We're sorry," Rita frowned.
"So, what changed?" Lucky queried, more intrigued by their answer than their sincerity.
Had Lucky portrayed himself as a hero after leading the hounds away from them? Were they moved by his actions?
"I trust Rita's judgment," Nero replied without hesitation. "If she believes you aren't a threat, then I believe her."
"Oh?" — That was disappointing. Lucky raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at the young girl grinning up at him. "Her?"
"Rita may be young, but she's perceptive," Nero explained, then pointed a finger toward the barely clothed woman in Lucky's arms. "Who is she?"
"I found her in the dry canal where I was hiding from the hounds," Lucky glanced down at the woman briefly. "I thought she was dead, but it turns out she's alive."
Nero glanced at Rita, who was studying the woman in Lucky's arms intently.
"She's hurt," Rita murmured with a sympathetic frown. "And cold."
"It's unfortunately common here. Women go missing. We assumed they were being abducted," Nero added, focusing his attention back on Lucky. "So, that was your plan? To hide from the hounds?"
"Why would I confront them? The alpha hound took care of them," Lucky replied casually. "Work smart."
"How?"
"Huh?"
"If you got off from that hound, it likely would have attacked you first," Nero reasoned. "The hellhounds are not only ferocious but also intelligent."
Lucky shrugged. "A hound that big wouldn't have fit in the canal I slid into. I saw an opportunity to escape, so I took it. It probably didn't notice me, or maybe it reacted too late. Honestly, everything happened so fast — I barely had time to think. Either way, I'm alive, and that's all that matters to me."
Rita and Nero exchanged glances as Lucky recounted his experience. They couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth, but they were sure of one thing: Lucky had saved them. If Lucky hadn't diverted the hounds' attention, they might not have survived.
"In any case, it's not safe here," Nero stated, pushing aside his doubts. "Those hounds will return soon. Follow us."
"Are you taking me to your base?" Lucky inquired
"Not so fast," Nero replied, scooping Rita up into his arms and giving Lucky a quick glance. "While I trust Rita's judgment, bringing you to our base is too risky. We need to be sure no one sent you on a mission. I hope you understand."
'Uh… so, I can't tell them someone did send me on a mission. Not that I planned to.'
"You're quite... kind." Lucky faked a smile. "Since you know the area, lead the way. I'll follow."
With that settled, they dashed through the dense fog, with Lucky trailing behind Nero. Lucky couldn't help but be impressed by Nero's speed — it was extraordinary. No ordinary human could run so swiftly, unless they were a record-breaking track athlete.
In no time, Lucky found himself standing outside a dilapidated building. Piles of rubble formed a small hill of debris, with the rest of the structure looming on top of it like a forgotten relic of a bygone era.
Carefully stepping over the fallen debris, Lucky followed Nero to the entrance. The sound of their footsteps echoed eerily, accompanied by the occasional clatter of small debris shifting underfoot. As they entered the dim interior, dusty shafts of light filtered through the broken walls and ceiling cracks.
"The hounds avoid confined spaces," Nero remarked, his voice echoing in the empty space. "We should be safe here for the night."
"But it's not night yet," Lucky pointed out.
"It will be soon," Nero replied, nodding towards the darkening sky before setting Rita down. "Stay close, Rita. Don't wander off."
"Got it!" Rita skipped over to Lucky, her hands clasped behind her back. "Can you put her down? I want to see her."
"Don't touch her, and don't get too close," Lucky cautioned the young girl. "Who knows? It might bite."
Rita frowned, watching as Lucky laid the woman on the dusty floor and adjusted the jacket to cover her properly. After making sure that the woman was sufficiently covered, Lucky settled a few steps beside her and rested his back against the wall.
Rita sighed in disappointment but said nothing as she walked away.
"Don't wander too far," Nero reminded her as he found a spot to sit. "Night will fall soon."
"Okay! I'll just play here!" Rita replied cheerfully, flashing Nero a sweet smile.
"Are you two father and daughter?" Lucky asked, glancing between the departing girl and the man seated at a distance. "You seem too young to be her father."
Nero chuckled. "That's the first time someone said I look young. Most people say I look older than my age."
"People can be mean, can't they?"
"Haha. Rita and I aren't related. We're not even siblings," Nero explained, resting his arms on his knees. "I found her when she was still an infant, abandoned in this kind of place."
"Ah," Lucky replied, his interest plummeting at the sentimental story Nero shared.
"I've been her guardian ever since. Taking care of her was the best decision I've ever made, as she's saved me many times. It's kind of ironic, isn't it?" Nero added with a genuine smile. "And you? How did you end up here?"
"I woke up here," Lucky shrugged. "Maybe I was abducted too? Just like this woman? But then they realized I'm a man, though beautiful, so they tossed me out in the middle of nowhere."
Nero didn't react, staring at Lucky with a neutral expression.
"I'm not lying," Lucky repeated, this time firmer. "I just woke up here."
"You're from another world, aren't you?" Nero asked, earning a horrified look from the man.
"Uh... what? I mean, no. What another world?"
Nero chuckled at Lucky's reaction. "Don't worry. You're not the first person or the second who was sent into this world from another world." He peeled his gaze from him, eyes drooping as he added;
"I heard stories here and there, though I never met one aside from myself."