Kristen's Side… ⛩️
The old man stood before Kristen, still wearing his mysterious smile.
Grandpa: "If you're searching for the house, go west, take ten steps, and you'll find a stone without life. That is the house. ☺️"
Kristen stared at him.
Kristen: "Huh? 😶"
Before she could ask another question, the old man slowly turned around and walked away.
Kristen: "HEY, GRANDPA! WAIT! 😤"
But he continued walking as if he hadn't heard her.
Kristen watched him disappear into the temple crowd.
Kristen (frowning): "Huh… is that a direction or just confusion? 😤"
She folded her arms and sighed.
Kristen (thinking): "First, he calls me Mother. Then he talks about my birth. Now he's giving me directions to a house using a lifeless stone. Wonderful! My life is becoming more confusing every minute. 😑"
She glanced toward the temple entrance.
Kristen: "Fine! West, ten steps, and a lifeless stone. How difficult can it be? 😎"
Unfortunately, she had absolutely no idea how to identify the house.
---
Laura's Side… 🌳
Meanwhile, Laura was standing beneath a tree with the handsome stranger.
Laura: "So… your brother looks like this? ☺️"
Man: "Yep!"
He carefully showed her a small drawing he had made of his missing brother.
Laura examined it closely.
Laura: "Your drawing is… beautiful! ☺️"
The man immediately blushed.
Man: "Nooo… my brother is beautiful! That's why the drawing is beautiful! 🥰"
Laura blinked at him.
Laura: "Okay… 😶"
Man (thinking): "WHAT AM I EVEN SAYING?! WHY DOES MY MOUTH BETRAY ME EVERY TIME SHE SPEAKS?! 😱"
Laura smiled sweetly.
Laura: "I'll search for him. If I find him, I'll inform you. 🥰"
The man suddenly looked worried.
Man: "But… how will I see you again? 😕"
Laura tilted her head, considering his question.
Laura: "What about coming to the same place tomorrow at the same time? 🥰"
The man's face brightened instantly.
Man: "Okay! 🥰"
Laura: "🥰"
He walked away, practically floating with happiness.
Man (thinking): "I came here to find my brother, but I found an angel instead! What a wonderful day! 🥰"
He continued daydreaming, completely forgetting how worried he had been just minutes earlier.
---
Back to Kristen… 😑
Kristen was still trying to understand the old man's directions.
Kristen: "Everything was okay… but how the heck do I find a lifeless stone? 😒"
She stopped walking and looked at the ground.
Kristen: "Aren't stones usually lifeless anyway? Does he expect me to interview every stone in the kingdom? 😤"
She shook her head and continued walking.
Then she spotted Laura standing beneath a tree, smiling foolishly at absolutely nothing.
Kristen narrowed her eyes.
Kristen (approaching sweetly): "Laura… 🥰"
Laura immediately snapped out of her thoughts.
Laura: "Huh?! 😤"
Kristen raised an eyebrow.
Kristen: "In which world are you living? 😤"
Laura: "Nothing! 😒"
Kristen: "Idiot! 😤"
Laura: "Look who's talking! You were talking to yourself at home! 😤"
Kristen: "THAT'S DIFFERENT! 😭"
Laura: "HOW?! 😑"
Kristen opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Kristen: "Just shut up! 😤"
Laura turned away, hiding her smile.
Kristen: "Why are you smiling like that? 😑"
Laura: "I SAID NOTHING! 😤"
The sisters continued arguing as they walked away from the tree.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Lupesia, a mysterious house waited beside a lifeless stone.
And Kristen still had no idea what she was about to discover. 😈
To be continued...