Although they bickered earlier, Meeka still followed Dein when he suggested to leave. Still though, she maintain quite a distance from him, making the silence around them awkward.
After a while of walking in this land of stone, Dein glanced at Meeka from the corner of his eyes and cough slightly.
"So uh…do you have an idea where this place is?"
Meeka eyed him again before shrugging.
"If a Legacy like you doesn't have an idea, how can I, who came from the outskirts, know anything?"
She had a point. After all, if Dein and his Ghosts, who had studied wilderness survival under teacher Julius, doesn't know anything about this place then how could this girl have. Still!
"Tsk, why do you have to be so difficult?! Is your personality always that rude?"
Meeka scoffed.
"Only to stalkers like you!"
"You!!"
Dein was genuinely furious now, he had tried again and again to explain that he isn't a stalker but Meeka seems to have a broken braincell and refused to listen. It was infuriating, he's a damn legacy for spell's sake, why would he ever stalk someone?
Like pineapple on pizza, it doesn't make any sense!
'tsk! Nevermind. These girl is no use!'
Luckily, a far more useful companions finally arrived at that moment. Having scouted ahead of them, Happy and Serious returned to Dein in their Ghost form of the little girl. Scaredy meanwhile, stayed with Dein, being to afraid to leave.
The form of the little girl approached them and it was clear by its stern expression that Serious had taken over.
He spoke.
"Nothing. Miles ahead of where you are going, there's nothing. Only weird shapen rocks and boulders."
Dein regarded them with a nod. He's quite relieved to hear that there's not even a single nightmare creatures ahead of them but he also felt a bit afraid at the thought there's really not a single life form in this place.
Except for them who entered the winter solstice and was sent here that is.
Dein finally spoke again, asking questions. Of course he doesn't have to actually ask as his ghosts can just sent him the information in their shared minds but Dein preferred asking questions.
It makes him feel a bit at ease.
"What about those who entered alongside us? Did you not see any of them?"
Serious nodded.
"Yes, except for that girl, who won't find anyone ahead except weird rocks. Not ruins that might tell us where we are."
Upon hearing that, Dein sighed again. It seems… they really are lost. Moreover, if there's is no other lifeform in this place then Dein and the others sent here would be left to starve and thirst for until they find the citadel.
Which would probably take them a long time.
'right, the first problem is…'
Before he could finish his thoughts however, a curious, afraid voice warily reached Dein out of nowhere.
"Y-you… who are you talking to?"
It was Meeka.
When she caught Dein's attention, Dein saw a genuinely frightened and confused look on her face. As if she's speaking to a crazy creep who's talking to himself like a madman.
Cause well…she is.
Dein cough embarrassedly.
'dammit, I totally forgot about her.'
"I, uh…talking to my Aspect?"
He made an excuse. Of course, the trio wasn't part of his aspect. He still couldn't understand what they are but they're instead, part of Dein's soul and himself.
So…'I'm not completely lying…yet?'
Still, Meeka stared at him suspiciously, still not buying it. Seeing this, Dein shook his head and sigh.
"It's my aspect. A part of me can travel around like a ghost and scout the area…"
"WHAT?!!"
Hearing this, Meeka looks more terrified and her hands instinctively move to cover hand chest and between her thighs despite her chest already being covered by a chest plate and her lower half by a long elegant skirt.
Dein furrowed his brows at her, confused.
"You! You didn't use that to peek on me–on anyone during the academy did you? I'd kill you right now if you did!!"
She even summoned a black longsword and pointed it at Dein.
Meanwhile, hearing her accusations, Dein could only stare at her with eyes as wide as the sky and immediately raised his hand defensively.
"Why would you even think that?! Like I said, I'm not a pervert!"
Even Serious and the other two inside Dein were offended. Serious spat.
"This girl! Just how much self esteem does she have? She's not even as beautiful as Nephis!!"
Unexpectedly, the anger Serious and Dein felt overlapped and unable to control his emotions, Serious's words also came out of Dein's mouth at the same moment, making Meeka frown.
Dein immediately went and cover his mouth but it was too late.
Meeka glared at him with disgust and contempt.
"I see… so it was Changing Star you were peeking at huh?"
Surprisingly, her conclusion takes an even weirder turn. And both Serious and Dein was left speechless.
Only Happy spoke with a curious giggle.
"Not really, it was Sunny!!"
Luckily, no one else can hear that except Dein…hopefully…