The silence was eventually broken by Mike, whose curiosity had been flowing unabated.
"You mentioned earlier that the shins and shanins wake up at night and illuminate the surroundings, right?" he asked, seeking clarification.
Garo and Miram nodded in unison, slowing their pace as they focused their attention on Mike.
"Does that mean it's morning for you guys here?"
Once again, Garo and Miram nodded in affirmation.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Mike said.
As the three ventured deeper into the village, they began to attract attention from the Anthropters. One by one, the villagers emerged from their homes, their gazes fixed intently on Mike.
The piercing stares seemed to bore into his very soul, leaving Mike momentarily startled. He couldn't help but wonder if these people might eventually pose a threat to him.
Unsettled by the unnerving stares, Mike attempted to tune in to the villagers' conversations. He strained his ears, trying to discern the topic of their discussion and the reason behind their intense scrutiny.
The snippets of conversation he managed to catch only served to heighten his curiosity.
"Where did they come from?" one of the villagers asked.
"The boy looks strange," another replied. "Just look at what he's wearing. I highly doubt he's from our kingdom."
"Then where could he have come from?" a third villager chimed in. "All the neighboring kingdoms have been decimated by Dahra."
The villagers' concerns and speculations continued to swirl around Mike. However, as he listened to their conversations, he began to grasp the underlying reason for their apprehension.
They hadn't seen new faces in their village for forty years, and the sudden arrival of two strangers had understandably sparked their anxiety.
Mike realized that his attire was a significant contributor to the villagers' unease. The elastic pants he had worn when he left Earth were an unfamiliar sight to the Anthropters. Although he wasn't wearing any clothing on his upper body, the unusual pants were enough to alarm the villagers.
Mike's primary objective now was to avoid exacerbating the situation further. He decided to ignore the villagers' prying eyes and follow Garo to their destination, hoping to escape the uncomfortable atmosphere.
However, his resolve was soon put to the test as he heard a commotion behind him. He turned around, and his jaw dropped in astonishment.
A sea of Anthropters had gathered around him, their numbers swelling to approximately a hundred. Their senses were on high alert, their eyes fixed intently on him.
Mike couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of unease. What he needed now was to extricate himself from this precarious situation as quickly as possible.
With a sense of urgency hastened his pace, catching up with Garo and Miram, who were a short distance ahead. The trio continued walking for another two minutes, which felt like an eternity to Mike.
And finally, they arrived at a large, imposing building that stood approximately twelve feet tall. With ease, Garo pushed the door open and stepped inside, beckoning Mike and Miram to follow.
Without hesitation, Mike quickly crossed the threshold, considering his need to escape the prying eyes of the villagers. Miram followed and Garo closed the door behind her.
Mike let out a deep sigh of relief when he entered. He turned around to take in his surroundings and a gasp of wonder escaped his lips.
The room was bathed in a warm glow emanating from the shins and shanins that clung to the walls. The ceiling, painted a brilliant white, added to the room's grandeur, creating an atmosphere of serenity and tranquility. On the ceiling was a mural of a singing half-naked Anthropter.
As Mike's gaze wandered through the room, he noticed a peculiar arrangement of chairs in the center. The chairs, crafted from sturdy wood, resembled stools but featured two vertical wooden supports at the back, allowing individuals to rest their backs while seated.
A spacious gap between these supports accommodated the wings of the Anthropters, ensuring their comfort while seated. The chairs surrounded a small, elegantly crafted table.
Mike's eyes also fell upon two entranceways, one on each side of the room, which lacked doors. These openings likely led to adjacent rooms or chambers. Nonetheless, the room's beauty was a testament to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Anthropters.
The intricate carvings and attention to detail suggested that these underground dwellings had taken years, if not decades, to construct.
"This is Cat's house," Garo said. "I brought you here so you can eat before I escort you to your resting quarters." She walked to the far end of the room and disappeared into one of the entranceways.
A few seconds later, she reemerged, carrying a wooden tray laden with bowls and cups. She placed the tray on the small table and gestured to Mike and Miram, who stood frozen in wonder beside the door.
"Please, come and eat," she urged. "I need to return to the cavern as soon as possible."
Mike and Miram approached the chairs and sat down, their eyes fixed on the contents of the bowls before them. Garo poured clean water from a large bowl into two bamboo cups and handed them over to Mike and Miram.
Mike hesitated for a moment before collecting his cup. He brought it to his lips, took a cautious sip, and instantly recoiled. "Ahh!! It's so hot! Fuck!" he exclaimed, his face contorted in discomfort.
In stark contrast, Miram let out a deep sigh of satisfaction. She had already gulped down the water before Mike even had a chance to collect his cup, ensuring it was safe for him to drink. "I feel... revitalized," she murmured to herself, a look of relief on her face.
"This is how our omi is," Garo explained, gesturing upwards as if pointing to the sky above. "We only get cold omi when it pours."
"Are you telling me that you guys drink hot water here?" Mike asked, dumbfounded.
Garo shrugged before nodding. "If omi is what you're referring to as water, then yes. We drink hot omi, and it's not unusual for us. That's how we've been surviving," she replied matter-of-factly.
Mike turned to Miram, his eyes scrutinizing hers for verification. Miram, however, sensing his skepticism, nodded affirmatively, her mouth engaged in savoring the food.
"It's true," she confirmed, "but it's not always this hot. It's probably like this because they live underground."
After clarifying the situation she returned to her meal with an air of relished hunger, as if she hadn't eaten for days.
"Where do you get your water?" Mike asked Garo.
"We call it 'Well'. We dig holes until we reach the point where there's Omi," Garo replied, her response straightforward, scanning Mike's face to gauge his comprehension.
"You guys dig wells here too?" Mike said.
Garo nodded, clearly surprised that Mike was already familiar with the concept of a well.
"But... This is somehow confusing?" Mike wondered aloud. "How do you guys have both water and fire under your land?"
"You won't understand if you overthink it," Miram rejoined, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. "The omi and the fire river don't collide with one another. Both of them flow under our land, but they have their own distinct paths."
"Sometimes, when we dig wells, we inadvertently stumble upon liquid fire instead of omi," Garo added another layer of depth to the explanation. "This has led to the loss of lives and tools in the past. We've had to dig numerous wells before finally striking the right spot where Omi flows."
"I think I grasp the concept now," Mike said, nodding thoughtfully. "The fire river and water flow far away from each other. But… what about this?" He pointed to the food on the table. "You can't venture out of this underground village, but you have meat, and... is this not soup?"
"We have much more than soup and meat. We have everything we need here," Garo replied. "Why do you think that's the case?"
Her question was designed to pique Mike's curiosity and encourage him to think critically.
"This can't be possible unless you guys…" Mike's response trailed off, his eyes widening as the truth became clear to him. "You guys farm?"
Garo's eyes bulged in equal amazement. "You even know what farming is!" she exclaimed. "I guess our worlds have more in common than we initially thought."