“I am fine, thank you,” Hazel replied.
“It is good that you are fine,” Clide said.
“Yes, Guide Hazel.
It is good to see you being well again.
The sight of you…” Louis was about to say something about what happened in the Contamination Zone when he suddenly stopped talking under the glares of his brothers-in-arms.
He scratched the back of his head while laughing.
“Heh heh heh.”
“The people are planning to host a celebratory bonfire for the disappearance of the Contamination Zone tonight.
You can also come,” Clide finally said.
At this, Hazel nodded.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the guys left while Hazel returned to her room.
Once it was evening, Jane came and knocked on her door.
Knock!
Knock!
Hazel rose from her lying position and went to the door.
She asked with a raised brow.
“The bonfire will be starting at 6 p.m.
It’s already 6:01.
Let’s hurry, or we will miss the fun.”
As she said this, Hazel also checked the time.
Seeing that it was late, she said, “I don’t think I need to go.”
“How can you not go?
It is a celebration you would not want to miss.
Hazel, come on, just go change already, and let’s go,” Jane said before folding her arms and squinting her eyes at Hazel, who was currently wearing purple pajamas.
“I…” Seeing her folded arms and that look, Hazel knew she really had to go, or else Jane would not let her be.
So, she sighed.
“Alright, let me go change then.”
“Better,” Jane said as she stood at the door while Hazel shut it to go get changed.
A few minutes later, Hazel returned wearing loose long pants with a hoodie.
Jane glanced at her outfit, and seeing how casual she was, she could not help but ask,
Hazel nodded.
“Okay, then let’s go,” Jane said, and they both headed to the bonfire gathering location.
Halfway to the place, Hazel could already hear the cheering sounds of the local folks.
From where she was, she could already feel the excitement in the air.
Upon getting to the place, the local folks were all there, some selling night snacks, some enjoying themselves, while others were talking with their groups.
As she walked over with Jane, Hazel noticed eyes on her, but not long after, they all stopped looking at her.
She glanced around, wanting to find a secluded seat, but before she could find one, someone called out to her.
When Louis noticed her, he immediately called out, “Guide Hazel, over here!”
Since it was too late to sit elsewhere, she walked towards the group.
Before she got there, the guys shuffled around, making it so that the only space she could sit in was beside Simon.
Simon shifted slightly to give her more room, then she went to take a seat.
As she did this, she said softly, “Thank you.”
Simon just nodded.
Then a woman came over with food.
Following behind her were two little girls.
Seeing her, Hazel realized she was the woman with two daughters who had been seated opposite her on the hover bus when she was coming to the Eastern Region.
Clide stood up and gave the woman a hug before collecting the food.
When the little one called him “Daddy,” Hazel realized that she was his wife and they were his children.
Clide began sharing the food, and when it was Hazel’s turn, he handed it over to her.
“Guide Hazel, thanks for what you did to the bandits.”
As he said this, his wife also did the same.
“No issue at all.”
‘After all, it was basically saving herself that saved the rest,’ she thought.
While Clide and his wife went over to give the others food, the younger daughter came in front of Hazel.
“Sister, my name is Nuonuo.
I want to be like you when I grow up, fighting all those bad guys who want to harm everyone.”
Hazel smiled while the rest of the adults laughed after hearing this.
“My daughter would be a heroine then,” Clide said before carrying her, and she giggled loudly.
“He he he he.”
Seeing the little girl giggling loudly, Hazel also smiled at the innocence of childhood.
Simon took all this in, and a smile appeared at the corner of his lips unintentionally.
‘I want to come out now.’
Ever since Hazel had sat beside him, it had been insisting that it wanted to go out.
“No.
Let her relax.”
“If you don’t let me come outside, I will ruin the Spirit Domain.
I will poison the tree and even the water.
I will shed my skin all over the floor.
Not only that, but I will poop everywhere,” it threatened.
“Do your worst.
After all, it is you who lives there.
If you ruin it, then you’re the one who would be affected,” Simon replied.
“I just knew it.
You just want to have her to yourself.
I am not speaking to you again,” it hissed before going deeper into the forest to hide from Simon.
“Childish,” Simon scoffed.
While all of this happened, Simon’s expression did not change one bit.
After getting their food, the local folks began the competitions, from interesting dances to storytelling and even comedy.
Halfway through, someone brought wine.
When Louis saw it, he beamed while saying, “This would not be a party without old wine.”
The other men cheered upon seeing the wine.
As they began to serve the wine, Louis said when it was Hazel’s turn, “Old Ryan’s old wine is the best.
Even the captain can testify.
Right, Captain?”
He turned to Simon, who replied with a “Mmm-hmm.”
Hazel nodded and collected her cup of wine.
She only sipped a little, and the strong alcoholic taste slid down her throat.
The wine was indeed good.
One of the things she enjoyed in her past life was good wine.
Unknown to her, her current body was not like her previous one.
After finishing the cup of wine, her cheeks became flushed, and she had begun to sway unconsciously to the sound of the music.