Chapter 49: The Sun Still Shines
Two days had passed since the incident.
The sun was shining brightly today, almost as if it were celebrating their return. Its light reflected off every shiny surface inside the cathedral, making the entire place look almost divine. For a brief moment, it almost seemed as though the gods themselves had blessed the place.
But that illusion quickly shattered.
The entire crew stood in front of Caelan.
Didn't this already happen a few times? Nuri thought. Why do we always end up coming back here?
Not to mention, Caelan's face looked particularly bad today. Are those... wrinkles on his forehead?
“I'm sorry, Captain. I lost the criminals and the scholar... someone named Lucien.” Elina bowed her head so deeply that it almost looked like she was about to touch the ground.
“Lucien.”
The moment that name left Caelan's mouth, his eyes shifted toward Nuri. His gaze carried a deep, knowing look.
I'm sorry, sir. I don't know why you're looking at me like that, but I definitely don't know anyone by the name of Lucien.
Nuri stared straight ahead.
Wait... Was it him, or was he becoming more and more thick-skinned as time went on?
Nah. That's impossible. I'm just overthinking it.
His stomach suddenly felt lighter, as though a massive weight had been lifted from it.
“Don't worry,” Caelan said calmly. “I expected this to happen when I sent you there.”
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Nuri blinked. If... if he knew it was going to happen, then why did he send us there?!
Alina's face contorted at those words. Elina noticed her sister's expression, which had almost turned completely black with anger, and quickly gave her a small kick. Alina immediately straightened herself, though she couldn't help cursing under her breath. What kind of demonic boss is he?
“Thank you for your efforts,” Caelan continued. “You brought back crucial information. You can take the rest of today off. Work will resume tomorrow.” He waved his hand dismissively. “I'll handle the rest.”
The three of them immediately understood that they were being dismissed. As they left the room, they couldn't help but wonder what terrible sin they had committed to end up choosing this line of work in the first place.
“It was nice working with you guys,” Elina said with a smile before leaving. “I hope I can work with you again someday.”
The others watched her leave, letting out a collective sigh.
“So... what should we do now?” Alina asked.
“Should we go down?” Nuri suggested.
“I guess.”
Nuri began walking. The cathedral seemed unusually quiet today, likely because of the recent events. But deep down, Nuri knew something.
This wasn't the end.
The town, however, was much livelier than the cathedral. Perhaps it was because the sun was shining so brightly. The smiles on people's faces seemed almost as bright as the sun itself.
Alina looked around. “It's really nice here, isn't it?” She smiled softly. “I hope the village recovers well. It's a pity that so many people died...” Her expression became slightly more solemn. “I wonder what would have changed if we had arrived earlier?”
She couldn't help but think about it. Could they have changed that tragic fate if they had known about it sooner? Could they have saved more people?
“I... I don't know.” Nuri looked down for a moment. “Maybe.” He paused. “But what's the point of worrying over a tragedy that already happened?” His voice was quiet. “I know it sounds cruel, but we did what we could. That's what matters.”
He looked toward Alina. “If you keep thinking about it too much, won't it just eat you alive?”
Alina remained silent for a moment, then nodded. “I suppose you're right.” A faint smile returned to her face. “We did our best.” She looked toward the sky. “And I'm sure the people we managed to help will find their own meaning too.”
The sunlight illuminated her face. For some reason, she felt certain that one day, those people would be able to smile again.
“Anyway, about Luci—”
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
A sudden shout interrupted her. Alina stopped mid-sentence. Nuri immediately turned toward the source of the voice.
The twins exchanged a glance. Without wasting another second, they both rushed toward the commotion.