Chapter 119 - The Privilege Of Waking Teren Up

After returning, Catherine immediately asked which Hanon replied-

"Ah, I forgot to tell since I prioritized filling you some details about the Spirit World last night." he then told them about the thing about the gangs which everyone listened, a bit amazed.

"But wait, are we going as well?"

"... I think so, it depends but the one who decides that is still not awake." Hanon sighed.

Truthfully, he didn't want his students to be further roped into this but what can he do?

Last night, he and Nick fought. However, because of the experience gap, Hanon didn't let himself get hurt nor did he try to hurt Nick... that much. If he turned serious, he would've won but he began enjoying the fight that the two of them were in a stalemate until they've exhausted their stamina. Neither Hanon nor Mike felt like invading Teren's tent anymore and just rested around the bonfire to talk.

If they did, they would've seen something similar to what Nick witnessed earlier this morning.

"I'm getting hungry..." Josh muttered but couldn't complain.

Hanon then looked at Nick and asked.

"Is Boss Hark still not awake?"

But before he could answer, Catherine curiously interrupted.

"Why are you calling that man Boss Hark? Is it related to the gangs you mentioned earlier?"

"That's right, Teren has been the boss of the Heren City's gang for a while now. Isn't that right, Nick?"

Nick nodded and continued Hanon's explanation.

"Yeah, my brother told me the story about it. The Handwing Gang tried to raid Boss Hark's house as revenge but he was the one who ambushed them first, killing half of the gang in a single night."

"Nick... I think you're exaggerating a bit." Josh said.

Because of last night, they've become closer to Nick again. They thought that Nick was also a victim from the start and was unable to defy Teren's orders. He's like a comrade to them, they thought.

Hanon wasn't proud of it but he denied it in place of Nick, "No, he even said that as an understatement. At that time, the Handwing Gang brought guns too, is that right?"

"From what I heard, yes."

"And he defeated the Ogre by himself too." Hanon sighed once more.

"Ogre...?" the rest was unable to keep but Hanon didn't continue with the story. Instead, he directly said his point.

"Remember what I told you about last night, Mike?"

"About the fantasy world and Ter-... that man's enemies?" Mike didn't want to be different from his friends so he regarded Teren as 'that man' too.

"Yeah, I was not lying. Like me, Teren is called an Aberrant. I've already explained what that is if you remember last night. Basically, Teren is one of the strongest Aberrants out there and he made quite a lot of enemies."

Forgetting that some of them were hungry, they continued to hear Hanon's explanation. On the side, Iesa carefully listened too since there are some parts she didn't know about. She only heard about it with their thoughts, piecing it together bit by bit. However, hearing it clearly was vastly different from what she had been doing.

Sometime later, Hanon finished his story. He omitted some parts that he deemed unnecessary for them to know such as the five houses specifically, just their existence in general. If they got further roped into this, it wouldn't be good for them after all.

But even after some time had passed, the person in question was still not awake.

Just that no one had the guts to forcefully wake him up except for Catherine.

"Let me wake him up."

She fiercely said. Her friends were worried but thinking that she still have the guts to act like this after last night, they were a little glad.

They still don't know what happened to her. they just noticed the dried blood on her clothes but didn't ask about it since it would be bad to insensitively remind her that the day after.

Therefore, they silently supported her.

"No, you don't have to."

Iesa stopped her and without saying any further, she went into Teren's tent. Although she's shy to take the initiative to enter his tent in front of everyone, there were other feelings mixed as well.

'I'm the only one who should have this privilege.'

She proudly thought. Now, she had a reason why she's alone with Teren in the tent again.

'I think... I should let him sleep for a while...'

About a quarter of an hour later, Teren opened his eyes and in front of him, over his face, Iesa was staring at him.

"Hm?"

He squinted his eyes, thinking that this should still be a dream too. However, as he regains his senses back, he remembered what he did last night.

"Iesa...!"

He sat up and backed for a bit. Just as he woke up, his heart was already racing. He felt that would be too much for him.

"Ah, I'm just about to wake you up."

Feeling embarrassed now that the other party is already awake, Iesa retreated and said.

"Goodmorning..."

Teren nodded as he wiped his 'sweaty' neck. 

"G-goodmorning to you as well..."

Iesa slightly nodded.

"Um... sorry, it seemed that I sweated quite a bit when I was asleep..." Teren meekly said, ashamed about his 'sweaty' neck.

After an awkward pause, Iesa gulped before she spoke.

"E-everyone's waiting for you and I just went back here to wake you up."

After that, she exited and held a poker face as everyone looked at her. It took her some time to wake him up, what did she do? Were their thoughts.

After she was out of everyone's sight as they now fell onto Teren, she held her chest and she sighed in relief.

'That was close---! I got too much into it that I actually attempted to 'try' his sleeping face. Good thing I was a little late or he would've thought I'm some sort of a pervert. I'm not a pervert!' internally proclaimed by the girl who spent quite some time 'trying' someone's neck and ears just a moment ago.

When Teren got out, the atmosphere became heavier. Just his presence triggered some of their traumas but they held their nerves together.

'Remember, he can no longer hurt you!'

Eline and the others all thought.

Teren looked at the sky and thought that there's only a few hours left before the meeting on the warehouse.

"Sir Hanon, is everyone ready?" he said without his intimidating or cold aura. Just casual and a bit indifferent tone.

"Yeah, we'll just fold the tent you use and we're ready to get back to the van to eat."

Teren nodded as if nothing happened.. Afterward, he and Nick folded the last tent and moved on.