Chapter 122 Strange Catharsis

If there was anyone who might have actually looked for the good of other people more–it was Chaerin, not Lukas.

Lukas didn't think that there was anything wrong with himself, but neither did he think that there was something wrong with Chaerin's perspective.

But while Lukas still had thoughts about hope–Chaerin tried to trust in it.

Maybe it was one of the reasons why she liked him?

"Now's not really the time." Lukas silently chided himself. It didn't make any sense, but not as much as the sight before him.

The Dryad approached the water nymph child and carefully lifted one of her hands–and then patted her head. The young child leaned into it.

It was a strange sight, amidst Ursa being forced by Nievu to run away with the rest.

Too many things were happening all at once.

Cervus cleared his throat, tried to approach the duo, and narrowly avoided a gigantic tail whip from the snake demihuman.

"This is… not a fight right?" Rhea whispered to Lukas.

"If it is, this is one kind of a deceptive trick–" Lukas started, but then shook his head and pulled away from Theodore.

Chaerin looked at him confused. "What?"

"I think you have a point, so allow me to fix the mess as much as possible." Lukas offered.

He glanced at the two powerful nature beings and decided that they were fine on their own before he jogged towards Ursa and Nievu. "Hey!"

Cervus jumped back again and winced.

"You're not doing a great job at showing that you're remorseful." Lukas shouted at the guy before he slid below Nievu's swipe and hurtled towards Ursa. "Truce! I mean, stop! This is not a fight–at least, I don't think it is!"

"That's not possible." Nievu hissed.

"It is!" Cervus raised his hands. "Please stop attacking me and let those who are running away stop, it's already a long night."

Ursa glanced around their surroundings, at the wild panic of people fleeing and Cervus' men arriving. She had seen the Dryad's attack and fought her head-on as well.

There was no reason to trust immediately.

Words were hard to believe, sometimes.

Things hadn't actually worked out well at all–from visiting the Heart of the Forest and this…

"Okay, stop Nievu." Ursa wearily said. She looked suspiciously at Cervus, but firmly nodded. "Let the people live and you can do whatever you want with me."

Sacrifice.

Lukas stared at the demihuman in awe. She wasn't hopeful, but she was willing to risk it all for her own people and their safety.

"Very well."

***

It was easy to be self-serving.

Lukas liked to think that people were inherently selfish, and while it may include saving loved ones and sacrificing your life for them–it normally didn't extend to bigger groups.

That was probably a mark of a good ruler.

Someone who thought more of their people than their own needs.

And luckily for the Veil Forest, the two people of opposing forces, Ursa and Cervus just happened to be both like that.

When Alexei drove the van wildly and nearly ran over Theodore and Chaerin–Ursa and Cervus didn't necessarily shake hands, but they had an agreement.

Cervus' men found themselves reunited with the older folks who they didn't think they'd ever see again.

The Dryad and Water Nymph didn't exactly stay too long either.

Contrary to Lukas' opinion, the Dryad did not take full control of the people of the Veil Forest.

"It's true that she loves the people who are a part of this forest, but it does not mean that she wishes to rule them." Cervus explained once he sat down in the fireplace.

It was an awkward moment, surrounded by his former enemies–but he took it all with a dignified look on his face.

"And the water nymph?" Lukas asked. Out of everyone, he was the one more willing to ask questions.

Ursa was seated down, but she was still on high alert which was actually calmer than Nievu who refused to join them and intimidated Cervus' warriors from doing anything too suspicious.

"She… she looked at the Heart of the Forest as her own personal friend–she was jealous and afraid of losing her. The thick mists that covered the forest was a result of her mostly wishing to keep the eyes of the Dryad on her own alone."

"That's incredibly possessive." Stacy muttered.

"Not if you were the only two people in her eyes," Chaerin inputted with a thin smile.

"And yet that's where she's wrong." Alexei shrugged. "But enough of that–are we sure that you guys aren't going to kill us while we sleep?"

Cervus grimaced alongside the rest of the group.

"That's a nice way of putting it, Alexei." Lukas laughed. He secretly wondered the same thing, but just didn't voice it out.

"I… I have chosen to rise above it." Cervus wearily smiled. "As hard as it is to believe, and it will be difficult–"

"Letting bygones be bygones?" Stacy pursed her lips.

"If these people want to move forward, that's the only way." Theodore muttered dryly. "Or would you prefer that Ursa and Cervus settle their grudges with a fight to the death?"

Lukas coughed and eyed both Ursa and Cervus. Neither did seem keen on it.

Of course, there was still some pain. It wasn't only Nievu who was entirely hostile to Cervus' men and vice versa–but Theodore had a point.

It was either one of them chose to be left standing, or tried for this arrangement.

"But ah yes, if you people still do not trust me, then it also makes sense for you guys to leave." Cervus shrugged.

"And then their forces will be fewer?" Chaerin raised a brow. "You know that makes you appear as if you're pushing us to leave so you can have a window for an attack."

Lukas glanced at Chaerin in surprise, but she was not all heart over head either.

"That was not my intention, but all we can ask for is trust." Cervus spoke. "Until we prove ourselves not deserving of it otherwise."