Another world, Celeste

Chapter Twenty Two

Per Luna's instruction, Amber takes us to a large wooden door with a metal frame while the rest of the exterior structure seems to be entirely covered in thick green vines. At a glance, I can already tell the magic surrounding the vines is reinforced with multiple barrier magic but the most peculiar characteristic is that the barriers' purpose is made to keep things locked in and prevent whatever is inside from being exposed to the outside. Just as Amber is walking back through the same path that took us here, she doesn't forget to mention that she wants to tag along when we're having another running contest for an observational purpose which I object immediately. Roy says he'll consider it when Amber tells us about clearing for monster herding that we can use as a running track.

Now, the three of us are standing in front of the very sturdy-looking wooden door. Somehow, the surrounding is becoming too quiet; very different from the usual bustling noises by the central entrance area, and there's no sign of monsters and keepers passing through here. Isn't this one of the possible situation when a hostile monster jumps out of the shadow of the trees and attack the unknowing victims, which are us?

Stop, stop. Focus.

"Do we wait or..."

I'm about to ask if Roy has the key but there's no keyhole. When there is a locked door and no keyhole to insert, that means there is no physical key but uses a specified person's mana signature to unlock and enter the premise. It's not unexpected since the entrance to the sanctuary utilises the same method. Just as Roy is about to place his palm onto the surface of the door, it suddenly opens and Luna appears from the other side.

When Luna realises it's us, all she says is - "I've been waiting."

Without much of a greeting, Luna welcomes us with her lacklustre voice paired with the usual dishevelled appearance that matches well with her short pixie blond hair.

"Sorry, it's our fault. We were sidetracked with Roy's scheme and I got carried away in the end." I explain.

Roy raises his brow when I describe the earlier event as his 'scheme' and I ignore it. Luna takes it as it is without asking any question. Before letting us in, Luna briefly explains what's going to happen through the door.

"It's a necessary process that everyone must go through before entering the rehabilitation centre," says Luna.

All I have to do is stand still inside an enclosed room that Luna calls a sterilisation chamber and wait for a gust of wind encircling my body from bottom to top until it dies down, signalling the end of the sterilising process. We all take turns and once I'm inside, though knowing what will happen, the sudden force of the wind startles me yet refreshing and wakes me up completely. A second door automatically opens from inside the sterilisation chamber leading to a spacious open-plan facility. The interior is designed with smooth grey stone walls extending to the floorings and decorated with dark yet warm shades of brown furnishing unlike the porcelain white layout of the village. Lined up on the walls are the complete set of protective suits including gloves and boots and the equipment are neatly organised on the tables and shelves.

Bane comes out from a sterilisation chamber for large-sized monsters and magical beasts with his grey fur sticking out everywhere. He huffs a wind to my face when I burst out laughing at the sight of him looking like a tornado just blow over. The Great Wolf shakes his body vigorously like a dog drying its wet body after getting out of a bath except there's no water splashing everywhere. I help him untangle the remaining fur that's still sticking out and comb through his fur with my hands. An assistant keeper offers a brush which I gladly accept, though surprisingly no one volunteers to help out with the actual brushing of the Great Wolf. If Amber were here, she would immediately take the chance. Roy later scolds me for not knowing that it is the unspoken rule amongst monster/beast tamers that no one can approach a familiar without their master's permission or in rare cases, the familiar itself allows it. Amber is the weird one for disregarding the unspoken rule when she should know better as a keeper. In that case, Amber and Mint would get along well since Mint's always blurting stuff like 'fluffiness is the greatest medicine to cure exhaustion.' Anyway, since I don't want to keep the others waiting, my hand holding the brush move as quickly as I could until Bane is groomed enough; a process that's taken no less than ten minutes. I return the brush and thanked the assistant keeper then join Luna and Roy to the far side of the facility, beneath a stone archway.

"Through here is where we placed and heal monsters and magical beasts that were infected with black mana," says Luna.

Roy follows up by looking me in the eye and strongly says, "Don't stray off from the path. The monsters here may have been healed but they are overly cautious and will be agitated when a person approaches."

"Are you prepared?" asks Luna.

I nod and shows Luna a smile to reassure her that I'm not nervous. Potions in my item bag and my body is thinly wrapped with barrier magic that is also reinforced with light magic. All good.