Once they arrived at the site, they saw Asuka from afar and approached her, the young woman saw them all with a smile and without faking anything, she received Shiko with a hug. When she saw the whole group was doing well, she noticed that Light was here, to which she said, confused:
-And who is this? More and more people are appearing...
Light saw Asuka and introduced himself without any embarrassment.
-Light: Hi, I'm Light and I'm Dreik's brother! I see that you are very attached to Shiko... and I think you are very pretty... Don't you have a twin sister?
-Dreik: Light! Be respectful!
-Asuka: So, you'll be the funny one in the group...
-Dreik: Excuse me... He never knows when to shut his mouth. Well Asuka, show us the way.
-Asuka: Right, come closer to me so I can take you all!
They all approached Asuka, and she used her teleportation to take them. Once at the place, everyone saw a huge very luxurious shining mansion, to which Asuka smiled and pointed at it saying:
-Welcome to the place where we will spend days training and resting!
To which everyone on hearing Asuka's words said at once:
-What!?
Zene came out of the mansion to clear things up for them.
"My parents used to own this... but when my mother passed away, I kept the inheritance... and well, I'll guide them to where they're you all are going to stay...".
Then they all followed Zene, except for Alba and Asuka, as this girl asked her friend to talk alone before entering.
-Alba: Asuka... C-Can I stay with you in the same room?
-Asuka: Huh? Why? Hold on... Let's find a place to sit.
The two young women sat down on the grass nearby and then began to talk.
-Alba: I don't want to be alone... the place is very spacious to me, and I don't want to disturb Princess Mayla... In addition, you are the only person who can comfort me and give me reasons to continue.
-Asuka: reasons? Why do you say that Alby?
-Alba: I'm terrified... despite everything you have told me in the forest... I can't get a lot of things out of my head... I have wondered if time here passes in the same way as where we come from... I wonder if our parents have already given up... and we still have things to do here How could I explain that Lisa died because of me? What if I die too? What if I can't try hard enough?
While Alba cried saying these words, Asuka decided to give her a hug from behind, leaving an impression on the girl.
-Asuka: You don't have to worry... you don't have to blame yourself for things that happened, problems will always be present... and you still talk about that fear of dying? Albita... if you are really so afraid of it, you will absolutely give your best effort to avoid it at all costs... besides, I'm going to be with you. I know what it feels like to be cowed and meet someone who motivates you to want to improve yourself... it happened to me when I met Shiko although well... I never showed him that side of my hehe.
-Alba: ¡E-E-Eeeh! ¡A-A-Asuka y-you're way too close!
-Asuka: For the same reason of knowing how you feel... I promise to be with you supporting you... and I will be part of you fulfilling your obligations to reach the end of this journey, I give you all my confidence. But stop crying, okay?
-Alba: G-Great... But there is another factor... I'm not yet used to others very much... I'm not very good at socializing...
Asuka let go of Alba and looked her eyes.
-Asuka: Well, you are in the moment to learn how to.
Alba started crying again... but they were not tears of pain but of satisfaction and happiness and very grateful, she hugged her friend.
-Asuka: Alba!?
-Alba: Buaaahhh! I-I love you so much Asuka! Talking to you takes all the weight off my shoulders! Even though no one noticed, I was very afraid in the battle we had! *snif snif*
Asuka hugged her friend back, and began to rub her head while smiling, to relieve her.
-Alba: Can I call you... best... best friend?
-Asuka: Huh? Don't worry about those things, I would gladly accept that you call me that hehe, although it's kind of embarrassing.
Alba wiped away her tears and gave Asuka a smile.
-Alba: I've cried too much... we'd better go in. I'm going to make an effort to get to know each other and be independent!
-Asuka: Yes! I'll tell the shadow boy to give you the cutest room.
The two young women entered together and went inside to find out where they were going to stay. Meanwhile, Zene was next to Shiko showing him where his room was.
-Zene: Well... I don't know how things are in your world, but I hope you feel comfortable.
-Shiko: This room is very old-fashioned...
-Zene: Does it have anything that resembles where you come from?
-Shiko: Yes, the truth is that it's a style from a few centuries ago in my world, but it's nothing that is new to me. I wish I could teach a little bit to those who live in this world... by the way... you have a suit like ours and Mayla is the young woman who designs them apart from being royalty. Is she the girl you mentioned?
-Zene: No... I was still surprised when they told me that she designed them since mine was given to me by a different girl.
-Shiko: Oh... There are more and more questions.
-Zene: You are too generous with people... I wonder if it's really because of the way you grew up...
-Shiko: There are many things that influence a person's growth... the truth is that I don't consider myself a good person... or a friendly person... or I didn't until I started this journey with Asuka, she decided to accompany me as if nothing had happened and for some reason... she has always made me feel free, to be whoever I want... I don't consider myself kind because the world I live in requires being someone isolated, apart from the fact that I have committed things that I think do not deserve forgiveness...
-Zene: Friends... Are friends an influence?
-Shiko: ... Anyone who slaps you in the face and makes you come to your senses that you make mistakes is a good influence... as long as you have support from that person or you feel that you have to improve yourself for them, you will know that they are one of the best influences...
-Zene: You're someone strange... But you exude a lot of confidence, whoever that is inside you must have had their reason for choosing you, so, if it was done by a defender of justice, I don't think you are a bad person by the way you consider yourself.
-Shiko: You might be right... Why so interested in that?
-Zene: I don't know, I've always considered myself a neutral person who lives for his own good... but I have never been satisfied in this way... Maybe it's a reason why I carry a shard of power... perhaps this was part of destiny.
-Shiko: In other words, you want to learn from us to find yourself... It's not bad for you to think that way.
-Zene: It's strange, I'm curious... now that I've had this conversation with you, I understand the enormous appreciation that the green-haired girl has... When I was alone with her in the woods she tried to talk to me, but she did nothing but talk about you.
-Shiko: Lyn? Jeez… and tell me, do you find her attractive?
-Zene: Huh? What does that mean? *blush*
-Shiko: I see... How about trying to figure out how to find yourself through knowing her? She's a good girl... She's been through hard things and she's still a great person, so she can help you.
-Zene: I see... well, I'm leaving.
As soon as Zene left the room, Shiko could only think:
"I see... doing things for one's own benefit... feeling like you're not there... seek satisfaction... oh, Zene... if you knew that before you came here, before you tried to act natural when you met Asuka, she was so identical to you... hehe".
Once everyone settled into their rooms, Dreik and Mayla decided to go for a walk around to spend some time together. Once they moved a little away from the place they sat down under a tree.
-Mayla: Well? Your mission has already begun, my dear guardian.
-Dreik: I thought it would be hard... but they have already had some experiences... either by making some kind of art in their world or by learning here.
-Mayla: Hahaha, I didn't expect to see your brother... by the way, Light? Where does that come from?
-Dreik: Keep the secret please... the truth is that I understand my brother's anger a little... but I support him because I would hate to leave him alone, not that I felt the same dislike for my father as Light... But I get it.
-Mayla: hmmm... Okay, I can play along.
-Dreik: Ha... thank you truly... and on the other hand...
-Mayla: hmmm? Don't tell me that you can't stand to pass by me without giving me some kind of affection, hehehe.
Dreik faced to at opposite side of Mayla and felt embarrassed, to which trying to act rude he said:
-Ha! It's not true! I don't care about any of that!
Mayla laughed and landed on Dreik's back and while serene and smiling snuggled.
-Mayla: Hehe... You've always tried to hide your affection, but I think that's what makes you, you...
-Dreik: hmm... It's not like I care if others find out...
-Mayla: Everything is fine like this... Once it's all over...
-Dreik: By the way... thank you for hiding my last name when you mentioned my name.
-Mayla: I know you don't like me mentioning it, don't worry.
-Dreik: hmm... well, let's go back. The others will notice something strange if they see us lost for too long.
They both decided to get up and go back to the mansion...
To be continued...