The scream that echoed through the forest near the dungeon led us to a troubling sight—a plant-type monster, the same species that had once attacked Kiara, was preying on someone.
And that someone…was the Ailia lookalike. The one we saw in Driessen earlier.
Looking at the face alone, the resemblance was uncanny. The voice, however, was distinctly deeper. Could this person be a boy?
「This is… startling. Looks exactly like Ailia.」
Hanon muttered, seeing the stranger for the first time.
Indeed, it wasn’t just similar—it was as if they were twins.
「Twins…?」
The thought crossed my mind as I watched Kiara and Simone rush to rescue the boy. If that were true, then saving him could provide answers.
Kiara, who still held a grudge against this type of monster after her near-capture in the past, faced the creature head-on.
「Last time, you got me, but not this time!」
The monster extended its vines toward her, but Kiara countered with her wind magic. Razor-sharp blades of wind shredded the vines, leaving the monster defenseless.
Meanwhile, Simone secured the boy and brought him over to us, ensuring his safety.
Kiara wasn’t done yet, though.
「Take this!」
She unleashed an ice spell, freezing the monster solid. It struggled briefly but soon went still, completely immobilized.
「Revenge achieved!」
Kiara turned to me with a triumphant grin, flashing a peace sign. It seemed she had been holding onto her grudge for a while.
The monster was defeated, but now came the bigger mystery.
「W-Who are you people…?」
The boy, who looked so much like Ailia, was clearly confused.
But no one was more bewildered than Ailia herself.
「W-What…? M-Me?」
She stared in shock, too overwhelmed to even join the battle earlier. The boy, however, seemed to recognize her—or at least, his reaction was different.
「F-Finally, I’ve… found you…」
With that, he collapsed unconscious.
Kiara confirmed there were no signs of injury or poison, but the boy appeared utterly drained, both physically and emotionally.
「Let’s bring him to the treehouse.」
「That’s a good idea.」
Simone agreed.
I carried the boy as we made our way back. Along the way, Ailia, supported by the rest of us, gradually began to regain her composure.
But the question remained: Who was this boy, and what connection did he have to Ailia?
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