Cursed Flower - The Hunt Begins

"That will be troublesome. I did make a mistake by not registering, but the fact that I helped save the passengers of the train remains unchanged. Besides, I intend to register soon." My voice sounded firm, trying to maintain calm while speaking to Arion.

I tried to argue with him, but deep down, I felt a sense of anxiety that was hard to shake off. If I got caught here, my plan to meet my grandfather's friend would fall apart. Everything I had prepared would be in vain, and this situation was the last thing I wanted.

Arion remained silent, his gaze piercing into my eyes as if trying to gauge the truth of every word I spoke.

"Here, Eira." Joshua suddenly appeared by my side, offering my coat that I had taken off during the fight.

"Ah, thank you," I said as I accepted the coat and quickly put it on.

Arion finally let out a quiet sigh and gave a slight nod.

"Alright, I suppose you're not lying. And it would be quite rude of me to question someone who has helped us kill that monster."

His tone was softer now, though there was still a hint of formality that felt stiff.

"What about your wounds, Eira?" Joshua asked.

"It's not a big deal."

Though painful, it was still bearable.

Arion examined me for a moment before opening a small bag at his waist.

"Use this," he said, handing me a bandage and a bottle of ointment.

I looked at him for a moment, slightly surprised by his unexpected gesture. Despite his stern and somewhat harsh demeanor, it seemed he was willing to help.

"Thank you."

I took the bandage and ointment, starting to apply the ointment on my wounds and bandaging them carefully.

"At least with this, your wounds won't get infected."

If I looked closely, Joshua had also been hit by the flower petals; why wasn't he injured at all?

Forget the wounds; there weren't even any scratches.

"Joshua didn't get hurt at all, right?"

"Ahh, haha... my stigma is iron skin. So physical attacks don't affect me. But I appreciate you trying to fend off the attack earlier."

Joshua laughed while rubbing the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish.

"By the way, what about your backup, Joshua?" Arion asked.

"I don't know. They said they would come as soon as possible."

"Really unreliable," Arion huffed, folding his arms, his eyes scanning the surroundings, taking in the scenery.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but a vast expanse of snow in this meadow. It seemed there was no choice but to walk along the winding train tracks.

"It looks like there's no choice but to walk," I said, trying to ease the tension.

"You're right."

Arion nodded in agreement, and the three of us began walking along the train tracks.

During the walk, we didn't say a word. Maybe it was because of exhaustion, or maybe there was just nothing to talk about.

Although I could see Joshua looking awkward in this silence.

Fortunately, I didn't mind the quiet. The atmosphere was calming, walking on the glimmering blanket of snow, and the weather today was quite warm.

The fight with that monster felt like it had never happened in the first place.

After walking for quite some time, the sound of a vehicle could be heard in the distance.

The vehicle moved slowly over the snow, the sound of metal wheels vibrating as they made contact with the soft surface. It sounded like heavy footsteps on freshly fallen snow, echoing in the cold air.

"Finally!" Joshua exclaimed with a bright expression, as if he felt the weight on his shoulders starting to lift.

The vehicle turned and stopped in front of us, sending snow scattering towards us like a small storm.

"Get in."

A tall man with brown hair and dark brown eyes pointed to the passenger seat with his thumb.

"You took your time!"

Arion shouted angrily, not hiding his irritation at all.

"It's not that I want to linger, but this snow is holding me back." 

Joshua got into the front seat while Arion took the back passenger seat.

I didn't know if I was allowed to get in too, so I stood there with a blank stare, trying to make sense of the situation.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and get in!" Arion called out, his voice urgent.

"Arion, you shouldn't be rude like that to a lady. Little miss, please forgive the rude behavior of this child. Please get in, I will take you to your destination."

The friendly smile from the man seemed reassuring, making me feel a bit more at ease. After weighing my options for a moment, I stepped forward and joined them in the vehicle. It wasn't like I had any other choice but to accept this ride.

.

.

.

The sturdy off-road vehicle was made of thick metal and shaped in a boxy design with sharp corners, giving it a tough and strong appearance. The vehicle was equipped with four large wheels mounted on durable steel rims, designed to conquer the roughest terrains. At the front, a large grille with an iconic design proudly displayed the car company's logo. The large, square-shaped windshield and the lack of a roof made the wind hit us directly as we sped along.

This was my first time riding in a car, and I never imagined that traveling by vehicle could feel so comfortable.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Jasper Thorne. Nice to meet you, little lady," said the man named Jasper with a friendly smile.

"My name is Eira. It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Jasper," I replied politely.

"Eira, huh? That's a nice name. In the Imperial language, Eira means snow—quite fitting to describe you," he said, gazing at me with curiosity.

"That's right," Joshua suddenly chimed in. "The moment I first saw you, you reminded me of snow."

"Is that so?" I asked, confused, offering a slight smile but unsure of what he meant.

I didn't really understand the meaning of my own name. Grandpa Gorath gave it to me after he saved me back then. Did he name me Eira because of my appearance?

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask earlier. Where are you heading, Eira?" Jasper suddenly asked, breaking my train of thought.

"My destination? I'm planning to go to the Capital to meet Lord Zaroth from the Eden Organization."

"Huh?!" Joshua exclaimed in surprise.

"Eh?" Arion, who was sitting beside me, also looked shocked.

"What a coincidence," Jasper continued casually. "The three of us are Finire from the Eden Organization. Do you have business with our superior?"

"Eh?! You guys are from the Eden Organization?" I could hardly believe it.

"That's right. I didn't expect you to have business with our organization," Joshua responded, taking out his Organization Crest and showing it to me.

In the center of the crest was a symbol of a large tree with three stars above it. Trees often symbolize life, growth, and endurance, while stars, in some cultures, represent hope and purpose. But why three stars? Maybe three goals or ambitions?

"So, what business do you have with us?" Arion asked, his tone firm and filled with caution, clearly not trusting me easily.

"That's none of your concern," I replied coldly, crossing my arms over my chest, annoyed by his suspicion.

"Oh, but my grandfather gave me this insignia as proof of identification when I go there," I added, then pulled out the insignia Grandpa Gorath had given me and showed it to the three of them.

Jasper's eyes narrowed as he studied the insignia carefully.

"By the way, Miss Eira, what's your grandfather's name?" Jasper asked.

"His name is Gorath."

*Krkk-krkk.*

The sound of heavy friction broke the silence. The soft white snow beneath us rustled faintly.

Mr. Jasper suddenly stopped the car after hearing my grandfather's name.

The three of them looked at me with shock in their eyes.

Eh? What's this?