This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

Chapter 629 - 629: Barrier to Entry

Bai Lian bit her lip, then let out a sigh that sounded too old for her young face.

"After that trial ended... everyone reappeared here...in this waiting room."

Kain crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall next to her, listening.

"Serena was holding me up—I was barely conscious, and she was carrying the artifact we retrieved. But the second she looked around and realized you weren't there…"

She hesitated. "I've never seen someone so composed… unravel like that. Not loudly crying or anything. But you could feel it. Like the temperature dropped. Since she was holding me, I could feel that her entire body went stiff before shaking slightly.

Kain's heart gave out a painful pang upon realizing what the news of his death had likely been like for her to hear. If it had been him who returned only to receive the news of her death…

Bai Lian continued, quieter now. "Soreia told her you'd slipped into acid. That she tried to save you, but the platform was crumbling and she couldn't reach in time." She clenched her fists. "But Serena didn't buy it for a second."

She paused,

"So each trial only allows two entrants at a time…why?" Kain murmured.

Bai Lian hearing him, answered without a thought, "Isn't it to prevent people like you from ruining the purpose of the trial…"

Kain's head snapped in her direction and she immediately flinched away. "Nevermind! Nevermind…"

"What did you mean by that?"

"Nothing! Nothing! Don't be mad!"

"I'm not mad, so just clarify what you meant."

"Nothing! I'm sorry! Don't be mad!"

"I'm not mad…but if you don't answer immediately, I will be."

Bai Lian's mouth immediately snapped shut, and then, after hesitantly examining his expression to see if he meant what he said, she elaborated:

"Well, you wanted to enter that one to help Serena defeat Soreia…but if I were the relic, I wouldn't want that. The purpose of these trials is to find the most suitable person for an inheritance…but what if the most suitable person is eliminated because they were ganged up on by people like…you. So it makes sense… to only allow 2 people… in at a time…" Her voice got progressively quieter as she spoke, until it was no higher than the buzz of a bee's wings—thankfully, Kain was able to hear her fully.

"Dammit…" Kain hated to admit it, but her reasoning made sense, there was no way for Kain to help Serena…