Chapter 23 Sanctuary.
After being persuaded by Thena, Jin was guided toward the terrace in the back mansion, where he sat on a chair facing Thena in the opposite direction. Before him steamed tea, a plate filled with golden-brown cookies still radiated heat.
"This...?".
"Come one, don't hesitate and take some!". Thena smiles and rests her cheek on her hand.
Jin hesitated before taking the cup and took a sip. The warmth spread from his mouth to his body, loosened the tension in his muscles, and melted away his depression, which had started to gnaw at his heart.
He glanced at the fresh-baked cookies, took a piece, and then observed its crunchy golden-brown surface, inviting him to put it in his mouth. The smell of melted butter and sweet vanilla taste soothed his distorted mind.
One, two, Jin kept moving his hand and mouth until he ended up emptying the plate. He lifted his gaze and saw Thena watching him with a warm smile filled with motherly affection, but somehow, he felt it was hollow.
"Thank you, Thena".
"Fufu, you're welcome. You seemed to have a rough time back then".
"Yeah... It was...".
Before knowing it, Jin spilled everything that happened inside the dome. The Trial, his opponent, and the way he was being killed one-sidedly kept repeating itself over and over, turning his mind into bloody madness.
Thena pry her ears open and calmly sipped the tea. She calmly sat and listened to every rant Jin had thrown at her. As she observed the boy closer, she parted her lips. Somehow, this made her heart feel at ease because the boy still had some spirit to continue to challenge the Trial.