♕Guardian Demon ∥ Yeonbin [✎]

Chapter 20

Hastily after a moment of hesitation, the boys followed the pixie into her temporary home. Soobin entered last, ducking his head down and looked into the space, jaw dropping open instantly at the view. Just to be sure, he even popped back out of the tent to look at the size of it before going back in. 

It was just like those harry potter tent kind of shit he's seen before in the movies. The outside looked flimsy and small but the interior was a cozy, large space with area enough for a small sized family to run around freely... with sturdy walls! It had, least to say, a peculiar layout as well. It had a circular layout and faded green coloured walls that was decorated with a few framed paintings of Ji Han herself and other people as well around the room. At the furthest corner, there was a bar like kitchen counter and a sink filled with unwashed dishes, which oddly reminded Soobin of their unwashed dishes in their house as well. There was food on the table but it seemed to be half eaten, as if ji han had to leave her meal behind to greet these random strangers into her haven. The stools seemed to be made of lilypad shaped into a chair. Far infront of the counter nearest to the entrance was a table littered with books and scrolls, some of which had fallen to the floor and pens had rolled off towards different directions. Small plates were stacked at the corner of the table, dangerously at risk of being tipped over at the slightest push of the books. It was enclosed by a low shelve that was against the wall, stocked to the brim with many more books with occasional holes that was home to the abandoned books on the table. 

On the other side of the room seemed to be the resting area. A huge lily pad with folded edges laid on the floor with pillows and blankets arranged neatly on it while a sizzling orange juice laid untouched on the bedside table next to it. At the foot of the bed was another small table, again stacked with 4 books and an unlit lamp. Just a few meters beside the bed, rounding off the entire layout was oddly and amazingly, a spring water bath, complete with a small waterfall! There were shampoos and lotions on the rocks, balancing steadily and towels on the hanger. A bamboo standee was used as a curtain to close it off. Beside it was a small slender door that led to the bathroom. 

"Are you done staring boy?" 

Soobin snapped out of his trance to looked down at Ji Han seated at the table of scrolls, eyeing him suspiciously. He felt mildly offended at that since he was just taking a harmless look but understood why she had to be wary in the midst of the crisis here. So nevertheless, he apologised and set his backpack down where the other two had put them. Yeonjun had already seated himself around the books as well while Taehyun went for a quick bathroom break. 

"I've already received words of you guys passing by, i just didn't expect you guys to arrive so early and hence my suspicions," Ji han started once all of them had sat around. The boys waved her off and Yeonjun asked about what was going on here. 

Ji Han sighed at the mention of the events in her hometown and leaned back on her elbows, jerking her neck and releasing whatever held tension she had been holding in. "There's been an explosion in one of the mining caves in the central construction area where the Dust of Darkness is supposed to be collected and manufactured by the dark elves. And i guess there weren't enough people to react quickly to the big spread, but pure darkness has been leaking out of that mine for the past few days already. The whole main town has been shut down and hence," Ji han gestured around her, indicating to the hundreds and thousands of tents outside. 

"But people have been increasingly moving out as the darkness spread. People have no jobs, there's a shortage of food and potion available to counter. It's chaos here. It's still pretty chill here because we're right at the very edge of whatever that's happening. Though i expect I'll have to move again in a few more days when this area gets eaten up as well." 

"So what's the plan? Is there anything the council here is going to do? Is there any way around this thing?" Yeonjun asked but Ji Han held up her hand before he could spew more questions. Soobin tugged his angel's shirt and quietly told him to calm down. The girl looked like she hasn't slept for a while and they were already intruding onto her work area.