Repentance
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Chapter 82 Chapter 83 Chapter 84 Chapter 85 Chapter 86 Chapter 87 Chapter 88 Chapter 89 Chapter 90 Chapter 91 Chapter 92 Chapter 93 Chapter 94 Chapter 95 Chapter 96 Chapter 97 Chapter 98 Chapter 99 Chapter 100 Chapter 101 Chapter 102 Chapter 103 Chapter 104 Chapter 105 Chapter 106 Chapter 107 Chapter 108 Chapter 109 Chapter 110 Chapter 111 Chapter 112 END ???Chapter 46
Night has finally befallen them, the stars in the sky illuminating brilliantly around their surroundings, with the moon shining down on them brightly. Moonlight shines through the branches of trees that were swaying in the cold air, giving their walk a somewhat mystical feeling while at it.
The three travelers, along with their guide, have walked several miles, following her as she guides them deeper into unknown territory. The snow storms have intensified since morning; luckily for them, however, they finally reached their destination.
It was an ordinary cabin—big enough for a group of ten to live in her home—but perhaps a bit smaller than expected by most travelers that pass through these parts of the snowy woodland. Nonetheless, neither cared about the house's appearance, as the three's only focus was sheltering themselves from the harsh blizzards that could potentially end their lives out here.
Arriving at the wooden door, she opened it with a loud creaking noise and motioned for them to enter quickly inside while shutting the entrance afterwards. With everyone safely tucked in from the outside world, she dusted the snow off her shawl and placed the lantern on the tabletop.
Its living room had a simple design; a fireplace was burning in the corner, with cedar logs neatly piled up beside it. The floor was carpeted with a bearskin rug that warmed their feet upon stepping on it, and a wooden rocking chair was pushed away from its original spot.
There were two couches positioned facing each other, which allowed them to sit comfortably while talking to one another. The windows were boarded up to prevent any cold drafts from entering the house, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere between the walls.
Overall, the space itself looked cozy enough for them to spend the night in while resting for tomorrow. Even though the temperature dropped significantly, it wasn't uncomfortable for them to stay here until daylight broke.
Candles were lit around the main area; their flickering flames cast faint shadows against stone walls, casting dark shapes across their forms. The smell of dried herbs lingered within the air as a result of a boiling pot of water heating on the stove nearby. It was somehow making Seth feel relaxed.
"Please have a seat, my dear guests," she said, gesturing to the nearby couch in front of the fireplace. "I will prepare dinner shortly for you all, but first let me finish some things first," Miria informed kindly as she excused herself into another room adjacent to the living area they are currently in.
While Bruno sat himself down and rested upon comfy cushions under him, his thoughts wandered aimlessly until the image of the old woman came across his mind. He wondered who exactly she is and how she has no family members in this lonely place.
Genno walked to the nearby window and stared outside. The blizzard had grown stronger than any of them expected, but at least they managed to get into a shelter spot before things got worse. As for Seth, he sat beside Bruno on the couch, facing the fireplace altogether.
The group of three men mindlessly let their thoughts run free for a couple minutes, allowing whatever they could imagine to pass through their minds as they waited for the woman's return from elsewhere. While doing this, though, Seth broke the silence between them.
"Bruno, why do you assume she's dangerous?" Directly referring to Miria, who was kind enough to allow them inside her humble abode, "do you believe that she might have some trick planned in mind?" Seth questioned his friend while crossing his arms in front of his own chest.
He frowned at the thought of that. Bruno wasn't sure what to say after she managed to convince him that he was not a threat. But for the most part, he still believed her to be a liar and nothing more. "I was tired; I should have been more respectful and less impatient," he sighed heavily, frustrated with himself.
Seth gracefully smiled. "It's fine; I was only curious why you were suspicious of her when Nye was a stranger before bringing us to her home," he admitted, understanding the reasons behind his friend's actions earlier. "She saved us from freezing to death and helped us out when nobody else did," Seth said while shaking his head side to side disapprovingly.
Bruno nodded in his head even though something else told him otherwise. "I know, I should be more careful in the ways I asked, but I still can't get the feeling that she is hiding something," stating out what his instincts have been telling him, "still, we owe her our lives regardless, so I guess there isn't really much point in worrying about that," shrugging his shoulders afterward.
"I am aware, and I thank you for that." Seth spoke with gratitude and appreciation of Bruno's honesty in his willingness to protect them from potential threat or harm. "You are a good friend to me and Genno," the holy man complimented genuinely, expressing his thoughts towards his fellow companion.
A blush spew onto Bruno's face, feeling flattered by Seth's sincere words. He simply smiled sheepishly in response to that, as he wasn't expecting such praise: "Thanks, I'm glad you guys appreciate having me around," returning with kindness of his own.
The monk listened attentively while his lips curled into a smirk, finding humor in their conversation. He is beginning to enjoy Bruno's company, as if there were a new friend joining them. He can't fathom losing either of them if that were to occur, so he wishes to keep them safe.
Genno calmly looked at the peaceful winterland through its glass windowpane, taking notice of the gentle winds blowing outside and how they rattled the bare trees. A strong gust rattles the glass, not even startling him slightly before returning his focus to the snow-covered landscape as he enjoys the scene bit by bit.
He wanted to go out and play with the snow. The sight of this was clearly new to him, as he had never encountered snow in all of his life until now. I was reminding him of the fact that he's never experienced winter in a world where most people only worry about staying alive rather than enjoying their youth.
It was an exciting fact nonetheless for him to find the rumors of it true. Although back in his home world, everyone already knew the concept of snow was a real thing except himself. He never had the opportunity to experience the beautiful sight that is now playing before him.
Should he go out? He already had it, and Genno doesn't seem impressed with experiencing snow for the first time. In fact, it feels like it wasn't worth it after all. There's more to life than just wandering aimlessly through places without knowing what lies beyond and what's presented in front of him.
But it won't hurt to try to do so. "I'm going to be outside for a while," he suddenly announced loudly, catching them by surprise. "I won't be long," Genno assured as he headed over the exit, "and if something happens, just yell for me," he added with a wry smile as the door creaked open while letting a frigid breeze sweep across his face before closing it behind him.
Leaving the two men alone together in comfortable silence while gazing at the warm fire blazing in front of them and listening to its crackling sound as sparks dance upwards towards the ceiling, where they fade into black smoke that dissipates entirely.
"Should we get him?" Bruno asked curiously, wondering whether or not to intervene on his friend's decision to let the man himself roam freely around unfamiliar lands. "Don't get me wrong, that guy is the only one who can protect us from whatever comes our way, but it's getting late, and nighttime is dangerous for anyone," he explained, voicing his concerns.
"Let him be," Seth gracefully responded with closed eyes, not opening them at all. "We will be alright for a while, Bruno," reassuring him everything is perfectly fine so long as they remain here without any trouble. "Were grown men, aren't we?" Asking rhetorically to further prove his point.
Nod was what he said in response, focusing entirely on the dancing flames while occasionally glancing at the nearby door as if waiting for Genno to burst through any second now. "Alright, as long as he doesn't end up getting himself killed by the undead," Bruno said softly, settling in his mind that there will be nothing that'll happen anytime soon.
The two stayed like this for a few minutes more until he glanced at Seth, having already fallen asleep peacefully without moving an inch on spot and without saying another word or making another noise aside from steady breathing through the nostrils.
Bruno felt tired, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep at this incident. However, he still can't stop himself from thinking about food, as he is beginning to grow hungry by the second. "I wish she would hurry up," he muttered quietly under his breath.
It doesn't make sense how Miria is taking so damn long. While she is indeed an old woman, the kitchen isn't far away from the living room itself, and she surely wouldn't take over thirty minutes cooking soup for three people, right? This was getting ridiculous.
He quietly taps his fingers on his own lap, awaiting the woman to already come back and start serving them some tasty goodness while sitting in the comfort of their host's residence. Five more minutes of waiting later, and his stomach started grumbling even louder, causing him to wonder if staying any longer was worth it.
Sleeping can be a way to get this over with, but on the other hand, it was rather difficult to do so when his own mind was covered with only nothing but food alone. It is indeed a challenging dilemma for one young poet who has never experienced hunger pangs in years.
What is taking her so damn long? She couldn't possibly be preparing some feast for them with the limited resources around here, and surely Miria must realize that no amount of potatoes or carrots will fill their bellies after spending days on empty.
Unable to take this anymore, he stood up from the seat and prepared to get into the kitchen without wasting any precious time, as every passing second matters to him. The longer he waits, the hungrier he will become, and sooner or later he might begin devouring raw flesh right out of a living corpse.
Although that was just a joke, as Bruno wouldn't do something like that, he has common decency, unlike others who are willing to do anything for sustenance at all costs, regardless if it involves eating their enemies alive or killing innocents.
With quickened steps, the poet exited his spot and moved across the living area, reaching the short hallway that leads to its destination, which is the kitchen. Bruno took a deep breath, gathering courage within him to confront the task at hand.
Their kitchen is a medium-sized room with a worn wooden table in the center and a stove by the wall. Shelves line the walls, stacked with jars and containers of various sizes and shapes. A single lantern is placed on top of the table, its glow filling the room with dim light.
Several knives are spread out across the counter, their blades gleaming in the orange-yellow flame. The air is filled with the smell of spices and herbs, making the place feel more like a medieval apothecary than a place where food is cooked.
A small iron pot hangs over the fire, bubbling with the steaming liquid simmering within it. The walls are decorated with shelves filled with ingredients and utensils, adding a rustic touch to the entire atmosphere.
On closer inspection, one can see that the floors are filthy with mud and dirt that has not been cleaned properly for months. The woodwork on the table has also become rough and splintered due to years of use.
Despite these minor imperfections, the room has a unique charm to it—a charm that makes one feel like they've stepped back in time and are in the midst of a bygone era. This place gives off such an authentic vibe that it's hard not to be immersed in its sheer historical value alone.
However, he isn't here for a tour; only the food is what truly matters to him more than anything else in the world combined at this moment. Ignoring the background decorations around him, Bruno quickly rushed into a nearby cabinet before a voice called him out.
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