Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Chapter 64

She didn’t care that they had only just met. Anyone who could be this kind, this powerful, and this willing to annoy an arrogant man on her behalf deserved a place in her heart. Ingrid had spent enough time around people who judged her without understanding her circumstances, and Freya’s easy acceptance felt like a breath of fresh air.

As for Jowe? He can go eat shit.

Ingrid almost smiled at the thought, although she quickly suppressed it when she remembered that the man was still standing nearby. She had no intention of starting another argument with him, especially when she needed the hunters’ help. If he wanted to believe the worst of her, he could do so until he grew tired of it.

Hunter G glanced toward the bus, then turned to address the group.

"We’ll be returning to the base now. The medical team is already preparing to examine the injured, and I want everyone to get there without any unnecessary delays." His gaze shifted toward the distant settlement, where a faint haze still hung above the trees. "I’ll remain here for a little while to confirm that the village has been completely destroyed and that there are no surviving threats in the area. Once I’m satisfied, I’ll return to the Hunter’s Guild and meet you there."

Freya immediately raised her hand. "Don’t worry, Hunter G! I’ll make sure everyone behaves themselves while you’re gone."

Jowe gave her a flat look. "You’re the last person anyone should trust with that responsibility."

"And yet, somehow, I’m still the most lovable person here."

"That’s debatable."

"You’re just jealous that I have more friends than you. How many friends do you have? Like 1? And I’m the only one! Even Sesshōmaru has more friends than you! And he’s a cold ass dog!" Freya exclaimed.

’Sesshōmaru? From Inuyasha? Wow, she’s watched that?!’ Ingrid blinked, that was one of her favourite animes!

"Freya."

"What? It’s true!"

Hunter G sighed, though there was a hint of amusement in his expression. "Just get on the bus, the two of you. And Jowe, I expect you to stop provoking our guests before we reach the base."

"I wasn’t provoking anyone," Jowe muttered.

"Of course you weren’t," Freya replied sweetly, patting his shoulder as she passed him. "You were simply being your charming self."

Jowe looked ready to strangle her, but Freya had already turned away, laughing as she headed toward the bus. Ingrid followed more slowly, keeping one hand near her neck to protect the open wounds. Sorren and the other fox Beastmen gathered their belongings and moved with her, and she was relieved to see that none of them had been left behind. Even after everything that had happened, they were still together, and for the moment, that was enough.

When Ingrid stepped inside the bus, she stopped in surprise. The interior looked nothing like what she had expected.

From the outside, she had assumed the vehicle was simply a reinforced transport used to carry hunters and their equipment, but the inside was astonishingly modern. The seats were upholstered in dark, comfortable material, with wide aisles and sturdy handrails running along the sides. Bright lights were fitted into the ceiling, while several screens displayed maps and information that Ingrid couldn’t immediately understand, and there were even charging ports and small storage compartments built into the walls.

Farther inside, she noticed a separate section divided by a sliding door, with medical equipment secured neatly along the cabinets. The arrangement made the bus feel more like a mobile command centre than a vehicle meant for ordinary travel. Everything had been designed with efficiency in mind, from the reinforced windows to the neatly arranged supplies, and Ingrid found herself staring at the surroundings with genuine amazement.

If this was just a bus, then how would the hunger guild actually look like?!

She had spent so long in the village, struggling to survive with limited resources, that she had almost forgotten how much technology and comfort could exist beyond its borders. The contrast was startling, and for a moment, she felt as though she had stepped into an entirely different world. She had no idea how the hunters had managed to build something like this, but she was certainly grateful that she didn’t have to walk another step through the forest.

Freya, who had been watching her reaction with amusement, leaned against the nearest seat.

"You must have never seen anything like this before, right, pretty lady?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Ingrid turned toward her, feeling a little embarrassed that her surprise had been so obvious. "Not quite like this," she admitted. "I’ve seen vehicles before, but this one is completely different. I didn’t expect a bus to have so much equipment inside."

Freya laughed and dropped into a seat, stretching her legs comfortably in front of her.

"There’s a lot more outside the village than you think! You’ve got proper cities, Hunter’s Guild branches, markets, restaurants, and all sorts of places where you can spend an entire day without worrying about a zombie trying to eat you. There are people who make a living repairing equipment, people who hunt for supplies, and people who spend all their time inventing things that make our jobs easier. It’s not all blood and fighting, you know. Though to be honest, you can only find these things where there are Hunter Guild’s. In villages like yours, or where there are so many zombies, there’s nothing."

She patted the empty seat beside her, inviting Ingrid to sit down.

"It’s actually good that you’ve finally come out of that place. I don’t know what your life was like before, but you shouldn’t have to spend the rest of it hiding in some village. There’s a whole world waiting outside, and you might as well get to see some of it while you’re still alive. Who knows? You might even find something you really like."

Ingrid hesitated before accepting the invitation. She lowered herself into the seat beside Freya, allowing her tired body to relax for the first time in what felt like forever. The moment she sat down, she became aware of just how exhausted she was, from the reopened wounds around her neck to the ache that seemed to have settled into every muscle. She had been forcing herself to keep moving for Lysander’s sake, but now that they were finally heading somewhere safe, her body was beginning to demand the rest she had been denying it.

"That sounds nice," Ingrid said softly. "I think I’d like to see some of those places once things have settled down. Right now, though, I just want to rest for a little while. I feel like if I stay awake much longer, I’ll fall asleep sitting right here."

Freya’s smile softened, and she shifted slightly to give Ingrid more room.

"Then rest, pretty lady. Nobody’s going to bother you for a while, and if anyone tries, they’ll have to deal with me first. You can leave the worrying to the people who get paid to worry."

Ingrid let out a small laugh. "You say that as though you’re not one of the people who gets paid to worry."

"Me? Worry?" Freya placed a hand over her chest and looked thoroughly offended. "I’m a picture of peace and responsibility. Ask anyone!"

From the seat across the aisle, Jowe muttered, "A picture of a natural disaster, maybe."

Freya immediately twisted around to glare at him. "Did you say something, Dart?"

"No."

"Good, because I would hate to have to remind you who saved your miserable life during the last operation."

"You did not save my life."

"Then why were you hiding behind that wall?"

"I was taking cover!"

"Of course you were."

Their argument continued, but Ingrid barely listened to it. She was too tired to pay attention to their bickering, and despite Jowe’s unpleasant attitude, the familiar sound of their voices made the bus feel less threatening than it had when she first stepped inside. She leaned back against the seat, carefully keeping pressure away from her injured neck, and closed her eyes for a moment.

Before exhaustion pulled her under, her thoughts drifted toward the medical section at the other end of the bus.

Lysander was there, and she could only hope the hunters would be able to treat him properly once they reached the base.

But, she had survived the village, escaped the Evolved Ones, and found a group of hunters who might actually help them. She had also made what she was fairly certain would become a very beautiful and very troublesome new best friend.

For a second, the thought about how those villagers would be dead by now came to mind but she quickly threw it out. They deserved whatever happened to them. Ingrid wasn’t a saint, and she wouldn’t pretend like she wasn’t angry that they almost killed her.

Ingrid’s lips curved into a faint smile as she settled more comfortably into the seat. ’Just let Lysander be okay. I’ll deal with everything else after that.’ And with that thought holding her together, she finally allowed herself to rest.