Chapter 98 And A Little Tension

There was a current of emotions that flooded through Chaerin at the words of Theodore in regards to Alexei. While she may not have ordinarily cared for someone–stuck as she was in her own little world… it did not sit well with her.

"But a hunter is always a hunter." Chaerin muttered with a bitter smile. "Disposable."

Only Lukas could have heard her and to be fair, he also did think that it was too much to kill Alexei just because they killed one of the stags in the grasslands. He didn't even think that their reach extended to the area.

Stacy was already making protests, Theodore was willing to dispose of Alexei and… it didn't seem possible for Lukas to just turn the situation around. This was the moment where he wished he was stronger.

His mind worked twice as fast now and he tried to formulate a plan.

'Rhea, is it possible for you to knock out each of the people here if I release you from the crystal?' Lukas silently asked. His hand already moved silently behind his pocket and he only needed to crush it to set her free.

"I can do that, just give me the signal." Rhea sounded eager.

'Drusilla–you don't have any special attacks or effects on you, do you–right?' Lukas asked the woman in his dagger. He had a feeling that his Rhea plan might work, but at the same time, if the Sanguise House Ancestor could make it work then he could also opt for that.

"I am not here to help you on every quest that you are on." Drusilla snapped peevishly. "Besides, you may be acting quite rash already."

'Aren't you supposed to be all in for sabotage and backstabbing?' Lukas frowned. 'This should totally be something that you'd like to do.'

"Choose your battles, and perhaps pay a little more attention as well." Drusilla replied evenly. "You do not have to fix every little situation by yourself. There is at least some competency in your companions as well."

Lukas didn't understand what Drusilla meant. He had to be the one to act. Theodore was complicit, Stacy was acting out naturally since it was Alexei's life was at stake and Chaerin was–

"... we did not attack the stag first, rather if you're able to ask for testimony from the creatures who've seen it–it was the stag who tried to attack us first and then we returned its action in kind." Chaerin explained calmly.

"Was it necessary to kill it then?" The Great Leader of the Forest's gaze was on Chaerin. "It was outnumbered and your people could have simply driven it off."

"I am sure that the rules of the forest seek to protect its inhabitants–but it does not absolve them when they are clearly in the wrong. Nor does it forever shield them." Chaerin frowned. "Or else, how does one mitigate when a bird eats a worm? And when the worm eats a bird's corpse?"

Lukas looked at Chaerin in shock and his own heart pounded hard. The expression of the Great Leader of the Forest was taut and hard–and Operation Dream Plan with Rhea was seconds away from activating…

Until the sound of laughter rang in the forest.

It was something that resonated well, and didn't seem to stop even after a couple of seconds. Which was so strange in the forest whose atmosphere seemed better accustomed to silence.

And yet there was a twinkle in the eye of the Great Leader as they stopped laughing and looked at Chaerin in amusement.

"Wait. You like what Chaerin said? Does that laughter mean you're going to spare Alexei or…" Lukas was rather confused still.

"It has been quite some time since we've had any visitors in the Veil Forest." the deer person shrugged their shoulders and stood up at last. "While it is true that you and the others have taken the life of one of the creatures of the grasslands–your companion has spoken wisely and made sense."

"So, it's fine to kill animals?" Lukas narrowed his eyes at the Great Leader of the Forest. "We thought we accidentally killed your husband or something."

"We're demihumans." the Great Leader shot him an odd look. "That creature you've shot was a deer and sometimes, we do hunt them down as well for our own consumption. You need not to worry."

Theodore looked like he was about to collapse into the ground, and Stacy actually did before she stood up and ran into the mist. "Alexei! Alexei!"

Lukas wanted to approach and chase after the girl, still worried if this was some kind of trick, but luckily for him, the Great Leader waved a hand idly.

"One of my people will help her. Currently, this other Vampire is being taken care of by our Healers–but there is little to worry among your kind is there not?" The Great Leader's expression was mirthful. "We could have assailed all of you with arrows and you'll all be getting up after a couple of hours. How envious, really."

Compared to the fox-like woman earlier who seemed sly enough to make Lukas worry a little, the deer person played all of them like a fool.

Great Leader of the Forest now didn't seem like such a majestic title–and it made Lukas realize that if anything, the dwellers inside of the Veil Forest were so bored out of their minds to play mind games with them.

It didn't actually make him pleased, but at least there was no fight.

If anything… Lukas looked at Chaerin who was sighing a little. An ebb of guilt flowed within him and he quickly drew closer to her. "Chaerin! You pulled it off." he said. "You were amazing."

"Ah, Lukas…" Chaerin crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at the Great Leader who was now fussing over with Theodore. "I really didn't do much. I just tried my best to point out the facts of the situation–I didn't actually think it would work."

"But it did and everything's okay now," Lukas reassured her. "I wish I could have done–"

"You would have done something better than me." Chaerin leaned against him a little. "It's you we're talking about… are you going to check on the two siblings now? Stacy ran off already but she's still nearby maybe."

Ah.

Lukas found himself in a much more difficult situation.