CHAPTER 47: DIVINE HEART

Drake took his time to stare at the building in front of him. It looked as usual — Tessa’s place. A familiar sight that somehow managed to feel both nostalgic and ordinary. It was a normal home, built out of old reddish bricks, not particularly large but not too small either, sitting modestly by the roadside with a narrow concrete path leading to the front door.

Its exterior, however, was nothing compared to what Drake knew lay inside. He had been here more than once, and every visit reminded him how deceptively normal the place looked from the outside.

He approached the entrance slowly, his boots making dull thuds against the pavement as the cool wind brushed past him. Reaching the small porch, he stood before the door and knocked a few times, his knuckles meeting wood that didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

The integrity of the wooden door was not something to be admired. In fact, it felt so light that Drake was certain even a regular human, armed with a simple axe, could tear through it without much effort.

’She really needs to change this shit,’ he thought with a sigh, staring at the worn-out frame that seemed to creak under its own weight.

He stood there longer than he had expected, waiting in silence, before the door finally came alive with a series of clicking sounds — the locks turning one after another — and soon it swung open.

Tessa appeared on the other side, holding a large bowl filled to the brim with popcorn. She wore only a short pair of trousers and a light singlet that outlined her slender shape clearly. It was also apparent she had no bra on.

Seeing Drake, her once blank expression transformed instantly into unrestricted excitement. Her eyes lit up like stars, and her grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Drake! You came to visit!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine joy before she stuffed another handful of popcorn into her mouth.

Drake found the sight oddly adorable. Without much thought, he reached out and patted her gently on the head, something he often did whenever she acted like this. She looked up at him with that bright, stunning gaze that had always made him smile. For a brief second, his usual guarded demeanor softened.

Now all that remained was to not sound suspicious. He cleared his throat. "I heard you went on an investigation into a crater," he said calmly. "I’m glad you made it out alive." His tone carried a weight of sincerity — the kind only found in someone who had seen too much loss already.

Tessa, however, took his words for something entirely different. Her cheeks flushed red as she looked away, suddenly flustered. "You caring for me, you big oaf!" she spouted defensively, pushing his hand off her head before storming into the house with dramatic flair.

Drake let out a slow sigh, shaking his head. ’So dramatic,’ he mused, stepping inside and closing the fragile door behind him as gently as possible — almost afraid that shutting it too hard might send it splintering apart.

Inside, he was immediately met with the sight of Tessa’s well-decorated and colorful living room. The large couch sat neatly in the middle, where Tessa now lounged with her popcorn bowl, watching a movie projected from a sleek holographic screen. The soft ambient glow of the screen cast ripples of blue light across the walls, giving the room a cozy warmth.

She paid little to no attention to him now, her eyes locked on the film. Yet, deep within her mind, she couldn’t help but notice the state Drake was in — his torn, battered clothing, the faint bruises on his neck and arms, and the quiet heaviness in his eyes. He looked like someone who had just crawled out of a life-or-death situation.

She wanted to ask about it, to demand an explanation, but she knew how cryptic Drake could be when it came to his missions. So she chose to play along, pretending not to notice.

"You better get a shower," she finally said without looking his way, "and change into the spare clothes you left the last time you slept over."

"You mean my clothes you stole," Drake replied flatly.

Her lips curved into a grin that she tried to hide.

Drake’s expression went blank. He peeled off his torn shirt without hesitation, revealing his well-built upper body and carved abs that glistened faintly under the room light. ’Leveling up made me more ripped,’ he thought with a small smirk, ’how comforting.’

Without saying more, he walked across the living room and disappeared into Tessa’s bedroom.

The room was unmistakably hers — a large master bed sat in the center, the sheets an explosion of pink and lavender. The ceiling was littered with glittering stickers that shimmered faintly like constellations. Pink bulbs hung on either side of the room, filling the air with a soft, rosy hue. It was the kind of space that screamed girly, yet somehow comforting.

Shutting the door behind him, Drake slowly removed his torn trousers, glancing at them for a moment. ’So much for keeping a low profile,’ he thought dryly, folding the ruined clothing and tossing it into a corner.

The bathroom was smaller than the grand marble one he had back in the Drakon mansion, but it had everything he needed — clean tiles, a working shower, and the faint scent of lavender soap. He took his time under the running water, letting the heat wash away the exhaustion clinging to his body.

After what felt like forever, he stepped out, feeling refreshed. He went straight to the large wardrobe at the side of the room and opened it — only to find countless clothes hanging neatly, and a disturbing number of them looked painfully familiar.

’I feel robbed,’ he muttered, shaking his head as he pulled out a white shirt and a pair of shorts. Dressing up, he was about to head out when something crossed his mind — something he had nearly forgotten.

He sat down on the bed and opened his right hand, focusing his energy. A spark of golden, ethereal light flickered in the air, growing until it solidified into a crystalline stone resting on his palm. The faint hum it gave off sent shivers down his spine. This was the stone from the crater hunt.

"Can you analyze this further, System?" he asked aloud, his voice steady but hopeful. Deep inside, he prayed the System wouldn’t brush him off this time.

A moment later, glowing text appeared before his eyes.

{Heart of Divinity}

"Heart? What do you mean?" Drake’s brow furrowed, his pulse quickening.

{From the chest of a divine, the gift has been carved. The Heart of Divinity.}

Drake’s eyes widened. His throat went dry almost instantly, his gaze tightening on the crystalline stone. "Do you mean this is literally a heart? Why was it dropped then? Is it a monster’s heart? Or does it mean a core?"

His mind raced with questions. From what he had learned so far, monsters’ hearts and cores were one and the same — their essence of life. But this one... it looked far too refined, too deliberate, almost crafted.

’The core of a divine being...’

"Any more information?" he pressed.

{None that can be shared for now. Please place the Heart in your space for further investigation.}

Drake sighed, watching as the glowing crystal dissolved into tiny golden lights before vanishing into nothingness. "For now, I’ll leave it to you, System."

He rose from the bed, his expression unreadable as he turned toward the door. His mind, however, was anything but calm. Thoughts circled endlessly — the craters, the attack, the strange artifact. None of it felt random.

He knew the truth deep down. Wherever those craters came from, they weren’t mere natural disasters like dungeons or plagues. They were sent. Someone had orchestrated all of it — purposefully, precisely — to draw him out.

Drake clenched his fists as he stepped out of the room, his eyes darkening.

’Just who’s behind the Craters?’