Seeing the others staring at her, Doreen instinctively gripped the hem of Eros’s shirt tighter. Only after Eros offered her an encouraging glance did she muster the courage to recount her harrowing ordeal in a small, frail voice:
"When we first entered the Sin Realm, everything was fine. We encountered a few evil spirits, but our academy courses had taught us how to handle them. We managed to eliminate them at the cost of only a few minor injuries among my classmates."
"The change began that night. The first half was normal, but for some reason, a heavy fog appeared during the second half."
"We had never heard of this phenomenon, and the academy hadn't taught us about it, so we simply thought it was ordinary mist. It wasn't until we discovered classmates mutating in their sleep that we realized the fog carried contamination."
"Fortunately, several students had brought holy water and sealed artifacts capable of purging pollution, so we managed to resolve that initial crisis. Though sudden, it didn't cause too much damage."
"The true nightmare happened after we purified the contamination."
At this point, Doreen paused. Her eyes flickered with uncontrollable dread as if merely recalling the memory caused her soul to tremble. Eros reached out and stroked her head; feeling the warmth of his hand, Doreen gradually regained her composure. She looked up at him, her gaze shimmering with a deep sense of attachment.
Biting her lip, she continued with a trembling voice: "After we dealt with the initial contamination, an endless swarm of evil spirits suddenly emerged from the depths of the mist. We couldn't resist them at all. We could only flee into the night, desperately trying to lose them."
"During the escape, classmates were constantly swallowed by spirits or mutated into monsters because they couldn't be purified in time. Eventually, we managed to run beyond the fog's reach and shook off the spirits. But by then... our numbers had dwindled to just ten."
Doreen sniffled, her tone choked with emotion. Thirty classmates who spent every day together, reduced to ten in a single night—it was a staggering cruelty.
A heavy silence fell over the group. Joanie and the others felt a profound impact; Doreen’s experience was the polar opposite of theirs. While they had been as leisurely as if on vacation, Doreen had been navigating a precipice where every second could be her last.
Eros reached out to wipe the tears from Doreen's cheeks and sighed softly. "And after that? Why are you the only one left? Did something else happen?"
Doreen nodded, sobbing as she spoke: "We found a secure location to rest and recover. But no one expected that when night fell, that mist would suddenly and silently creep toward us again."
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"The scene that followed was just like the first night—endless spirits surging from the fog. Fortunately, my family had prepared several powerful sealed artifacts for me, which allowed me to escape the mist and hold out until you arrived. But the others..."
She couldn't bring herself to finish. Instead, she threw herself into Eros’s arms, wailing, "I was so scared!"
Eros patted her back, whispering comforts: "Don't be afraid. I'm here now. I'll protect you."
Though she didn't finish her sentence, everyone present understood. On the second night, everyone but her had died.
Looking at Doreen sobbing in Eros’s embrace, Undine felt no trace of jealousy this time. Her eyes were filled only with pity for the petite girl. On the other side, Syphreya softly repeated a specific phrase:
"When night fell, the mist suddenly and silently crept toward us."
Joanie was startled. "The mist spreads at night?"
Syphreya shook her head, her tone remaining gentle: "Given the lack of data, we can't be certain it always spreads at night, but we should prepare for that possibility."
Joanie turned her gaze toward the rosy fog at the horizon behind them, her expression grim. "We need to get away from that mist as quickly as possible. Regardless of whether it spreads, distancing ourselves from it is the only safe move."
If the mist truly expanded, their current distance wouldn't be enough to keep them from being swallowed again. If that happened, their luck might not hold a third time. They could very well face what Doreen had—an endless tide of spirits.
Joanie looked at Eros, and the others followed suit, waiting for his decision.
Eros nodded slightly. "Joanie is right. Regardless of the mist's movement, putting distance between us and it is the right call. So... once Doreen has finished putting on some undergarments, we’ll start moving."
Seeing the group’s confused stares, Eros quickly explained: "Doreen’s clothes were destroyed in the fight, and the supplies she was carrying were lost during her flight. Does anyone have spares?" He glanced at Undine as he spoke.
Realization dawned on the group as they looked at Doreen hiding behind Eros. So, this girl wearing nothing but Eros’s coat—revealing only a pair of fair, slender calves—was actually completely naked underneath? And Eros had seen everything? They could understand it, though; it was a matter of life and death, after all.
Doreen turned beet-red with embarrassment, tucking her head behind Eros.
Undine cleared her throat and looked at Doreen. "Come with me." She picked up her and Eros’s backpacks and headed toward the vine hut. Doreen looked at Undine, then at Eros; seeing him nod, she timidly followed.
Once Doreen had changed, the group began trekking in the opposite direction of the mist. Along the way, Eros looked at Doreen—who was still clutching the hem of his shirt—and asked curiously:
"Is your current behavior a side effect of a sealed artifact?"
When he had met Doreen at the ball, she had been a bit timid and shy, but it hadn't reached this extreme level. Eros could only guess it was a drawback of her equipment.
Doreen nodded, her voice still thin and soft: "It's the side effect of my Grade 3 Sealed Artifact, The Mad Doctor's Scalpel."
"Its ability allows the holder to become extremely cold, focused, rational, and fearless while being exceptionally skilled at dissection. However, the side effect is that frequent or prolonged use will turn the user into a literal 'mad doctor'—someone devoid of emotion who enjoys vivisecting human bodies."
"And if one merely carries it, they become incredibly cowardly."
"It's thanks to this tool that I managed to survive until you found me."
Having said this, Doreen looked up at Eros, her eyes brimming with an unconcealed, profound attachment.