"Please don’t talk so suddenly.

And where are you anyways?"

Naomi asked with a frown.

’Didn’t you see?

I just came inside you.’

Aevrienne answered in a confused tone, not sure why Naomi would ask that when she literally saw her coming inside her.

And Naomi...

"You said it like that on purpose, didn’t you?"

’What do you mean...?’

Aevrienne now seemed even more confused.

"Just... stop talking."

Naomi sighed.

’No, I don’t understand. What did I say? Did I somehow hurt you? Why are you making a face like that? What did I do?’

The Ancient Spirit asked.

"Please stop talking."

Naomi requested again, her mouth twitching nonstop. The worst part of this all was that the spirit genuinely seemed confused.

"It is not you, it is me."

’What are you talking about?’

"Just be silen—"

Just as Naomi was trying to convince the spirit to stay silent—

"NAOMI!!"

Naomi heard her mother’s voice. She turned towards her parents and saw them trying to move towards her while the guards tried to stop them.

"Don’t say anything. I’ll explain everything later."

Naomi spoke one last time.

’Alright.’

Aevrienne nodded.

Then, she waved at her parents and walked towards them.

"Mom—"

She called as she reached them, but before she could even complete her words, the two parents freed themselves and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh my God!"

Her mother cried, tightening her hug. Her father remained silent, but just the relief on his face alone told more than most people could realise.

Naomi too, stayed like this for a good few seconds, enjoying her parents’ embrace, then, once the two were satisfied, her mother grabbed her face, then her shoulders, her arms, then her hands, checking everything as carefully as possible.

"Are you okay?"

She asked.

"They treated me, I am fine now."

"How did it happen?"

"I don’t know. I was in the shrine, then I smelled something, then I passed out. I couldn’t react in time."

"Why didn’t you leave!?"

The mother asked.

She couldn’t explain what she felt in the past few hours, hearing that her only daughter was being treated and she wasn’t allowed to even see her—

It was heart-wrenching.

Naomi could feel that.

And she felt terrible lying to both of them when they seemed so, so concerned.

But...

She had no other choice.

"I couldn’t. As I said, I passed out. I was too late to react."

"Does your body feel fine?"

The father asked.

He was more worried about her current condition than understanding how it happened.

"Yes. I feel perfectly normal."

Naomi nodded.

The father nodded back, the answer alone made him feel a strong sense of relief.

"Still, we will take you to a regular doctor and get a proper health report, just in case."

"The ones who treated me are said to be the best in the country."

"I would still like to talk to Dr. Geller."

"Fine..."

Naomi just sighed.

She knew the man wouldn’t give up, so there was no point in fighting him.

Her report should come clean anyways. If it doesn’t, Naomi knew the Enclave would be able to handle this. She had been talking to Lucian for a while now, she knew how she was supposed to throw all this on Claire.

Then, as her father continued asking more questions, whether she could walk properly, feel any sort of weakness and whatnot, her mother began looking around and...

"Where is Lucian?"

She asked with a frown.

"He rushed in when we told him tha—"

"He’s being treated."

"Treated?"

The mother’s face changed.

Naomi nodded.

"From what I was told, I was passed out inside, no one knew I was even in there, I was completely exposed to the leak. Then he suddenly rushed in, covered me with his mask, exposed himself to the toxic gas and carried me out.

And because he inhaled more of the toxic gas as he carried me, the gas entered his system and did the damage.

They are treating him right now. The damage is worse than most cases, but they say he will live, though he will need time to recover."

"What...?"

The parents couldn’t believe it.

Naomi stared at them and nodded.

She wasn’t telling a lie.

Or at least—

It was partly true.

It wasn’t a gas leak, sure.

But it was far more dangerous and Lucian still rushed inside just so he could protect her. He did give her a mask of protection, while he himself exposed himself to enemy attacks. In some way, everything she said was true.

Naomi just...

She wanted her parents to know that as well.

So in the future, when she mentions Lucian...

They remember what he did.

And as she stared at them, looking at her with shocked and concerned looks on their faces, she knew what she said worked.

"I... can’t believe he did that for you."

Naomi’s mother muttered in a weak voice.

"He’s one brave boy."

The father nodded.

Naomi didn’t say anything, she just kept thinking about him.

"Can we... meet him?"

The mother asked.

She wanted to personally meet him and show her gratitude. Naomi however, shook her head.

"The gas that leaked is very toxic, they managed to contain the toxins inside, but the emergency medical camp is still dangerous, they won’t let anyone inside. That’s why they didn’t let you inside either."

She explained.

The parents nodded in understanding.

"...do you know when he will be released?"

"I don’t."

Naomi shook her head.

"A day? Maybe two days? They say he will need time to recover completely, but they should be able to move him from the emergency medical camp to a more proper one.

Since this was an on-site accident, his company will take care of all the bills and formalities, they even covered my bills as well, claiming that it was their mistake that they missed me."

"That’s... a generous company."

The father was surprised.

"You should come and rest now."

The mother gently held her hand, but Naomi—

"You two go back.

I... will wait for him.

It is the least I could do after what he did."

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