The woman who was forrly known as Cailleach sighs, holding her head in her hands.
"Listen here, girl. We have a common enemy, and that’s all. We are allies by convenience. Don’t get the wrong idea."
Well, after everything that happened, it’s no wonder she would have trust issues.
"It’s okay. Let’s partner up until we make her pay for what she’s done to you and to everybody else."
I offer her my hand with a smile. She looks at it and then at my face.
"I know that I’m not the most trustworthy person out there, but you’re able to see mories, right?"
She nods, unsure about what I’m trying to say.
"So, if you ever have any doubts about my intentions, I’ll allow you to access them and see for yourself."
The widening in her eyes and the shock on her face are exactly the reactions I expected. And the very reason I’ve offered it in the first place.
My guess is that the goddess probably never allowed her to do that, so she would never suspect anything.
She then sighs and shakes my hand.
"You seem to be the opposite kind of person from that one. You make an effort to look like a trickster but are always honest when it matters."
"I think that what you said is the greatest complint anyone ever said to ."
At this mont, she smiled for the first ti today. It was a smile full of sorrow and pain, a long shot from the one depicted in those murals. But still a smile.
I want to see her smiling again, as brightly and naturally as she did in the paintings.
:::
Our bodies and clothes had also been cleaned by the automatic cleaning rod, so we just got to eating and drinking before heading out.
Strangely, even though the magic fixed all damage to the walls and floor, the damage to my clothes stayed the sa.
"I wonder what aria that one was. It’s really useful, though nothing surpasses the comfort of a good bath."
"Oh, you an the cleaning aria? I think I know it. Give a second."
She spends the next few minutes with her eyes closed, in a deep ditation.
"Yeah. It seems that only mories related to the workings of the system and of transferring magic energy were stolen. So I can teach you that one later."
"That ans you rember everything else?"
"Not exactly."
I tilt my head, trying to understand. But instead of explaining, she just sighs.
"I don’t want to be in here more than necessary. Could we head off?"
Oh. Right. Of course.
"Yeah. Let’s go, then."
:::
Passing through the first barrier was just a matter of going out using the amulet and then tossing it back to her.
It was a very convenient trinket, a backdoor most security devs would scream just by hearing about it.
It works for my convenience, though. I want to ask about the other places, but I don’t want to cause her another headache like the last one, so I keep silent.
When we go upstairs to the ’museum’ floor, I see her flinching and trembling, with her face like she’s crying.
I instinctively reach for her hand.
"Close your eyes. I’ll guide your steps, so you don’t need to see this."
She only nods and takes my hand in hers. We walk like that through the corridors until we reach the staircase.
"We reached the staircase, and the walls are all white from now on. It’s safe for you to open your eyes."
"Thank you."
"It’s nothing. Here, take the amulet to pass the last barrier. That one I can traverse without it. My friends are on the other side."
She holds the amulet in her hands and goes through the barrier, and I follow right after.
:::
"Aurea!!!"
Yaci jumps on as soon as I’m on the other side, hugging and kissing my forehead and face.
"You took so long to co; I was so worrieeeeeeed."
Her voice sounded like she had been crying for so ti, so I don’t try to free myself from her hugs, instead hugging her back.
"It’s okay. I’m safe and healthy, and I brought a new friend."
"I’m not a friend. I’m an ally on a limited scope."
"Right, right, whatever you say."
"Are you... Cailleach?"
"That’s what I used to be called. But I won’t use that na anymore."
"And what’s your na now?"
"..."
She didn’t have an answer to that simple question. She probably only thought that she didn’t want anything from the goddess, but I guess she didn’t have the ti to choose a new na for herself.
"Aurea, I see you are without a boot, and your clothes are all torn apart."
That now was Kwarah, bringing the conversation to more imdiate, concrete matters.
"Yes, Kwarah."
"Are you not hurt?"
"She healed . I just need to rest and recover my mana."
Kwarah then turns to the new girl. We will need a na for her at so point. We can’t just call her ’her’ and ’new girl’ forever.
"Thank you for saving Aurea. My na is Kwarah, and I’m the head elder of the Wolf Beastkin tribe."
"It’s nothing, Kwarah. Her wounds were caused by myself, to begin with."
Everyone looks at her, not knowing how to react to that information. They don’t seem to understand exactly what was going on.
"Is it okay for to explain it to them?"
"Yes, please."
"She is a monster-type person. That giant scorpion I told you about yesterday was her original form. During the fight she regained her lucidity and then healed . That’s all."
I purposefully left aside the fact that she had practically killed before coming back to her senses.
"Aurea... Your pendant."
Fuck. It seems that I forgot a simple yet important detail.
"Yeah, the fight was that wild before she regained her senses. But all that matters is that, in the end, everything turned out all ri... Ouch! Why??"
Yaci has just given a smack on the head.
"Don’t you dare to ever do sothing as risky as that! Ever again!!"
The relief in her eyes betrays the anger in her voice. Instead of answering with words, I just hug her again and cry.
I’m so happy to have her by my side. To have all of them.
:::
Everyone quickly packed up to make the return trip, so less than one hour later we were already backtracking the dungeon.
It was easier than the way in, only because the girl forrly known as Cailleach was taking the chance to vent so of her bottled-up anger on the poor monsters.
I haven’t had the chance to recover my mana yet, so I stay out of the combat for now.
In the last chamber before the outside door, we decide to set up a new camp for the night. It would be easier than spending the night outside in the wilderness.
"Hey, we should decide on a new na for you."
That’s Yaci’s voice, but it was my thoughts as well. It was becoming a bit awkward to talk about her without having a na.
She nods in agreent and then turns to .
"I have been thinking about it since I t your friends, but everything I know about the world of mankind, I learned through her. So, as the one who gave this new chance at life, would you mind giving my new na?"
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