【 ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇʀɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ || ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ ғғ】

ᴏᴜᴛsɪᴅᴇ || ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ sɪx

Craning your neck, you gazed at the insanely tall trees whose leaves nearly covered the sky, leaving only small peeks of sunlight.

The beginning of your trip to the outside has been peaceful so far. You have yet to encounter any demons.

"Woah~!" "Huge!" Comments of awe were heard from your siblings.

Gilda pulled you over with Anna. "Are trees at your world this big?"

You chuckled lightly and turned back to look at the top. "They're not this big. Moreover, these roots are gigantic!"

From your peripheral vision, you saw Ray abruptly glance behind him.

"Everyone!" You called. "Be careful! The outside world may not be the same ecosystem as the ones we've seen back at the House!"

You saw Ray make a face saying, 'Right, a lot must've changed throughout the years. Heck, the outside world we know of might even be a fabrication of a sort.'

Surprisingly, Ray can be easy to read sometimes.

"Okay, everyone!" You heard Emma. "Time to rest! Let's eat breakfast here!"

The rest began to prepare for breakfast, and you took three small loafs of bread from Gilda, planning to give it to Emma and Ray (the third being yours ofc).

You snuck to follow Ray, overhearing his "HEYOO."

"Heyo?"

"We're fine." Ray said. "At the very least, there aren't any predators in the area."

Emma looked around as Ray continued. "I can't find any footprints or droppings in the area. Tracks are always helpful, just like in tag."

"I AM HERE." You stepped out and shoved bread into both of their faces.

"Hiyaaa-" Emma, surprised, made sudden weird gestures in the air. Was that supposed to be martial arts?

Ray just took the bread.

Seeing the bread, Emma thanked you. "Ah... oh, thanks Y/n."

"Don't thank me. Just remember to at least get some food for yourself next time."

"Got it." Yeah, right. You won't eat so we can have more food, I know you did that on purpose.

"...I'm sorry."

Both you and Emma turned your heads to Ray. "If I had been part of the plan from the start... you two wouldn't have gotten hurt."

He was staring at your leg.

"Don't worry about it!" Emma smiled. "As long as you're alive and happy!"

"You spent a long time thinking escaping with everyone was impossible. And the things we believe as kids often stick."

Ray stared. "It is only natural for you not to believe in it."

He looked away. "Just now, I apologized to Anna."

"About her hair..."

She looks good either way so, I don't think she would mind.

"But her response was... happy birthday."

Duh. It was obviously more important.

"I just... I can't believe I was ready to just let them die before."

"Yet despite everything... they're all... everyone's so nice to me."

"I'm going to live. I'm going to live and protect everyone. Same as you, I'm going to protect every single one of them."