Chapter 110

Outside, the trio found Alois, Liam and Eulalia waiting for them at the door of the building.

Seeing that they were safe and sound, they finally calmed down and rushed to meet them.

When they learned that Milica's doppelganger had allowed them to set up camp and wait out the night in a clearing, they were surprised and happy at the same time. They immediately started setting up tents and built a bonfire not far from the building.

After everyone had finished setting up the camp, they sat around the campfire. Idan and Arabel briefly described what they had learned, while keeping the details about themselves a secret.

Of course, Alois, Liam and Eulalia were very surprised when they found out that the doppelganger had a name and that she was the ruler of the Forbidden Zone and the Guardian of the Temple.

However, they were disappointed when they found out that the Temple had not appeared in this part of the world.

They had dinner, sitting around the campfire and talking. The sun had already disappeared below the horizon, and soon only the light of the local moon and the flames of the campfire illuminated their third night in the Forbidden Zone.

This time, for the first time, they will spend the night in its central layer.

In the presence of the ruler of the area, everyone realized that they did not need a night watch and that there was no danger unless Geminia changed her mind and attacked. Therefore, it was decided to cancel duty that night and devote themselves to rest.

Everyone went to their tents to rest and gain strength before the new day.

Idan went into his tent, which he shared with Nemo, but did not lie down, but sat down and thought about Geminia's words.

Her words were as accurate as ever.

In the two months they had spent together, he realized that he had begun to like Arabel.

However, he was afraid to make the first move, waiting for the initiative from her. He convinced himself that their rapprochement was because of the System and that he didn't want to be the one to start a relationship. He decided that he would take the initiative only when he was sure that Arabel was ready for it too.

All this time, he was waiting for Arabel to make a move first, not realizing that she herself was immersed in similar thoughts.

While he was sitting and thinking, Nemo entered the tent and, having found his place, immediately began to prepare for bed. He noticed that Idan was lost in thought, so he tried not to make any noise as he made up his sleeping bag.

When he was finishing his preparations, out of the corner of his eye he saw Idan get up from his seat and leave the tent.

Of course, he was wondering where his junior was going, but he understood that it was safe outside and there was nothing to worry about. Therefore, he did not follow him and, taking off his extra clothes, climbed into his sleeping bag. But as soon as he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, Izzy started making noise in his head, disturbing him.

From her words, he realized that she had started following Idan when he came out of the tent, and when she saw something interesting, she decided to share her observations with him.

Idan left the tent and walked towards the slowly dying campfire. He sat down next to campfire, took some branches and threw them on the fire. The bonfire, which had already begun to fade, began to gain strength again.

Staring at the fire, Idan did not notice how someone approached the campfire. It was only when this someone sat down next to him that Idan noticed and, seeing her, was pleasantly surprised.

It was Arabel, who was also staring at the fire.

She wasn't wearing a mask at that moment, and Idan could see her true appearance. Every time he looked at her, he couldn't help but marvel at her beauty. Due to the fact that she almost always wore a mask, he rarely saw her without it, and every time she took it off, it seemed to him that she was becoming more attractive.

Noticing Idan's gaze, she finally looked up from the fire and met his eyes.

The two of them continued to stare at each other without saying a word.

At that moment, both of them didn't know what to say.

It was only when Idan, sighing softly, looked away and looked at the fire after which Arabel also turned to the campfire.

They sat in silence, lost in their thoughts, not noticing how a small creature was watching them curiously.

In their tents, Izzy, Eulalia, and Alois kept a close eye on the couple using their Soul Force, trying not to attract their attention.

Even Geminia herself couldn't take her eyes off the couple, watching them from her building made of multiple doppelgangers.

Everyone waited with bated breath for one of the two to speak first.

"I remembered our first meeting and wondered what would have happened to us if we hadn't run into each other then. Could we have met apart from that incident? Or would this remain our first and last meeting in our lives?" asked Idan, without taking his eyes off the campfire.

Arabel, hearing Idan's question, was lost in memories of their first meeting. This meeting seemed to have happened by chance. They were both looking for a secluded place to be in silence, and ended up reaching for a drink at the same time, accidentally touching each other.

If it hadn't been for this accident, they wouldn't have ended up in this place and wouldn't be sitting lost in their thoughts right now.

How would their lives have turned out?

Would they both have been able to awaken, as happened in their ascension trial, or would they have remained mere mortals?

"My family would have married me off to a man they considered important and necessary for the family, without asking my opinion. And I would not have been able to change anything and would have been forced to follow their decision," Arabel said ironically, realizing what fate would have awaited her if not for this accident.

"That's if you hadn't awakened," Idan said.

"Yes, that's right. But you know, I don't think anything would have changed even if I had awakened. They would have found another way to force me to follow their interests, and I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to resist it and would have submitted to their will." That's how much her family inspired her with their views and the belief that she owed the family.

Even now, these beliefs continued to influence her thoughts.