Chapter 12

After Elerina was done with her bath, it was my turn to take a shower.

So this is how she feels…

I couldn't relax knowing she was there, even if she faced the other way. But I need to get used to this, especially since we didn't know how long we would be stuck like this for.

I didn't end up taking a long shower. After cleaning myself, I quickly get dressed, grateful that these clothes did appear in her eyes. Things would be vastly different if we could only see each others’ bodies.

“Are you done?” Elerina asked, not turning around.

“Yeah, I'm done.”

“Okay.” She turned around with a smile. Elerina had switched out of her armor. She now wore a set of long-sleeves, pink pajamas. It really suits her.

“You look cute.”

“Th- thank you,” she answered bashfully.

“So umm… now…” Her cheeks reddened and she began fidgeting. “... What do we do?”

“Hmm? Do you have anything else to do?”

I had finished my tasks for the day and brushed my teeth. I'm ready to sleep.

“You know… sleeping arrangements…”

I tensed up. I had completely forgotten about that.

As I looked for the words to say, Elerina moved closer and hugged my right arm. I was surprised by her sudden action, but I prevent myself from moving back.

She averted her eyes. It must have taken her a not small amount of courage to do this. I raised my hand and tenderly patted her head.

“This… feels weird…” she murmured.

“Maybe because this is our first night together?”

She raised her head, her eyes meeting mine. Her clear blue eyes, reminiscent of a calm ocean.

“No, I mean… the headpats.”

“Ah…”

“I was always told that headpats are a sign that you mess up badly. So…”

“Is that how it was in human culture as well?”

“That… I don't know.”

I continued caressing her head. She rested herself on my chest and gently pushed me down. I let my left arm embrace her while my right remained on her head.

“I… this… this feels nice…”

“Yeah…”

To my surprise, she was light, very light, like that of a feather.

“Say… are you eating alright?”

“Based on the food I had earlier… I think our definitions of alright are different.”

“Those aren't even the healthiest of food.”

It's not recommended to have instant meals often.

“I could tell… still better than what I ate, though.”

Her words pained my heart. If she considered those as good food, then the quality of what she usually ate must be terrible.

“Do you not have rations?”

In most militaries, soldiers are provided food by their superiors. Sometimes these came in the form of instant meals that only needed hot water, while other times they had full-blown kitchens in the middle of camp.

“I'm an adventurer, I don't have that luxury.”

“I see… I'll handle it, somehow.”

Someone who never even cooked before. It was a tough promise to fulfill, but I still remembered how tough it was when I picked up drawing for the first time. I knew I could do it if I wanted to. Seeing her should be enough to motivate me.

“Say… why are you willing to go so far for me?”

“I… don't know… I just feel like it.”

“I see…”

Elerina didn't ask any further and closed her eyes. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. I kissed her forehead.

“Good night.”

•••

My eyelids feel heavy, like some kind of glue preventing them from parting. Hardly any light passed through, so I could only assume one thing…

I must have woken up early again. I groaned, too lazy to move, wanting to get back to sleeping, but my chest felt light, as if there was nothing there. I forced my eyes to open.

I stared up at the dark ceiling, the single lightbulb up there just barely visible. I turned to my left. Elerina stood by the bedside, gazing far into the distance. She looked like a mystical beauty. From the corner of her eyes, I could sense a feeling longing, reaching out for something far away.

I remained in silence. She eventually noticed me.

“Oh, Nicholas, you're awake.”

“Yeah…”

Should I ask her? Not, it would be insensitive to do so. The mere name of war implied death and destruction. There's a chance that whoever or whatever she longed for no longer exists.

“I thought about waking you up, but I guess I didn't need to,” she said with a smile, hiding her expression from before.

“Wake me up?”

“Hmm?”

We stared at each other in confusion.

“You don't… you don't wake up in the middle of the night?”

“Why… why would you even do that?”

“To, you know, socialize and stuff.”

“... Who socializes in the middle of the night?”

Elerina extended her hand. I reached out for her phone and gave it to her. She pointed it somewhere, using it to record a video before returning it to me. What I saw was baffling.

The streets outside her inn were filled with people, laughing, talking, even dancing. There was music playing in the air, with instruments I had never heard before. The city’s lamps turned the street yellow, crowds of people grouping beneath them.

Some of the people who lived on the other buildings’ lower floors stood by the windows, speaking with others below. Those that didn't join in on the street, sat on the balcony with their companions. Joyous laughter filled the air, their voices echoing in my empty room.

“This…”

“It's what everyone does here. People would get out of bed from eleven to two, talking to each other and having fun, before returning to sleep. Do the people in your world don't do this?”

“No…”

While people do go out during the night, they go to specific places like bars and not crowd around the main streets.

“Why not go out during the day?”

“Because people have work?” she answered as if it was obvious. “There isn't lighting out in the battlefield, you can't fight in the dark, and with how things are going, everyday you're alive, that's a good enough reason to celebrate.”

“You’re talking as if you're going to die.”

“Everyone dies eventually.” She gave me a mischievous smile. “Why? Worried?”

The image of her slicing that bull reappeared in my mind. “Not really. You'll tackle anything that gets in your way.”

“I wish I'm that powerful.” Elerina chuckled.

“So… you're not going to join them?”

Elerina shook her head. “I can't.”

“I'll keep quiet if you want.”

“You're not the problem.”

“Oh…”

She said nothing else, staring at the people below. I got off the bed and walked to her side. There was nothing for me to lean on, so I just stood there.

“What are you doing?”

“In the video you captured, everyone else has a companion.”

Even those that didn't come down from their balconies sat with someone. Maybe it's their friend, maybe their partner, or maybe their family. They weren't alone, and I didn't want her to be.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

We whispered to each other, standing in a comfortable silence.