10. Elven Passion

The first thing when he woke up, Yumino went to check up on Nima.

With every step his heart grew more and more heavy. After all, it was his first time seeing beings behind his comprehension and bloodthirsty vampires. And in a natural moment of weakness, he lest his consciousness and left the girl alone at the first sign of waters calming down.

"Nima? Are you there?"

No answer came. No, Yumino did not leave her enough time to answer. He pushed the door open and entered her room in a rush.

There, Nima stood comfortably in a wooden armchair. The elven girl pretended to be busy, reading a book she didn't notice she was holding upside down.

Upon seeing the frail girl, Yumino let out a slow breath as a sign of relief.

"Oh? Look who's finally awake. You sure do love your long naps," said Nima, purposefully avoiding his gaze.

"Look, we really have to work on that personality of yours. You were a shy, lonely elf just two days ago. What is up with the sudden switch?"

But Nima didn't seem to care about his complaints. She placed the book she was holding on a table nearby, got up, and grabbed the man's hand with a wide smile.

"Now we can finally have breakfast together! I thought I would starve to death waiting for you!" Nima said with big, sparkling eyes.

"Huh? You were waiting for me to wake up? Why would you even do that?"

Instead of an answer, Yumino's question was rewarded with a loud stomp on his foot.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Is there even a point in asking?"

Nima's moody shift didn't last long. After a quick staredown with the confused elf, she let out a healthy laugh.

"Pffft, ahahaha! What's up with that face? You look like you've just landed here! If not for those ears of yours, I would've said you're seeing an elf for the first time!"

"Oh? Is that so?" said Yumino, taking the girl's taunts on. "Do we elves also have the ability to read books upside down?"

"Hk?!"

Nima froze in place, her cheeks turning bright red while trying to confirm whether Yumino was bluffing or not.

"A... Ah... Well... Haha! I've read that book so many times, I thought I might as well try something new!"

"Hmm? Is that so..."

"O... Of course! I thought that maybe I could uncover some hidden passages if I read it like that. What? Are you doubting your elven peer?"

By now, Yumino had gotten a clearer read on the girl called Nima. Her sudden change was hard to explain, but the man decided to just roll with it. He stretched his hand forward and opened his palm, inviting the lady in front of him.

"Shall we?"

The girl, still a bit red in the cheeks, decided to go along with his acting, and the two of them went together to the kitchen.

*****

"I'm telling you, I've read it so many times!"

"Hmm~? So many that you'd try something like that?"

"Of course! I have to switch it up, or I'll become bored..."

Yumino didn't even try to hide his teasing smile.

"Well then, Great Nima, Princess of Children's Books, what is that book about?"

"You see... It's about... It's about cats!"

"Yeah, I could see that much from the cover," said Yumino, waving around the book Nima had been keeping herself busy with. "But I am sure you can tell me a bit more about it, right?"

"Of course I can! It's a story about cats... who live in a big happy family."

"Oh? And?"

"And... there are good cats and bad cats. And they fight each other!"

"Good and bad cats?"

"Yes! And then, one of them... One of them goes missing for a bit..."

Suddenly, Nima seemed saddened.

"It went missing? Just like that?"

"Well... The cat does come back… but on the enemy side."

Nima's enthusiasm dropped more and more until she seemed uncomfortable telling the story.

"It just turned its back to everyone it loved. No explanation, no parting words."

A single tear dripped down the girl's face.

"You just wake up one day and it's gone..."

Seeing her struggle, Yumino reached out his hand, but the girl spoke before he could reach her.

"Yumino... Why does betrayal happen? Why do people betray their close ones?"

"Huh? Weren't we talking about cats?"

"Why do some people switch sides like they're switching bedsheets? Don't they think about the ones they leave behind?"

"Nima... That's a bit deep. I'm not sure I know the answer to that..."

The girl suddenly stood up and slammed her hands on the table.

"Then does that mean you'll do it too? Does that mean you'll also leave without saying a single word?! Just like... Just like..."

Yumino didn't know what to answer. It had only been a short while since he came to this world. He had little interest in staying, but he wasn't sure he wanted to return. No, he didn't know if he could return. He was yet to understand what he could become in this world. He was yet to foresee a chance at building a reputation here.

He couldn't promise anything—be it one way or the other, so instead of lying, he chose not to answer.

"Look, I'm sorry I've brought this on. I didn't know you felt so strong about it..."

Nima could barely hold back her tears.

"Then why don't you promise me? Why are you avoiding my *hic*?"

Something about Nima was not right.

"Wait... Nima... What are you drinking there?"

It took him plenty of time to notice, but the liquid in the girl's glass wasn't water—it was a bright red drink.

Before she could react, Yumino lifted the glass and took a sip.

"Is this wine?"

"*Hic,* so what if it is?"

"It's barely afternoon! I know I woke up late, but afternoon is still a bit early to get this wasted. How much did you drink?"

"Oh, cut me some slack!" Nima said as she wobbled her torso over the table, trying to reach Yumino.

"After all, I had to stay awake all night because of you..." she said in a low voice.

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

A loud knock on the door interrupted the two.

"Ah! Saved!" Nima celebrated as she wobbled her way to the door.

"Yo! We heard about what happened yesterday! Thought we may as well check up on you."

Pushing the door with no regard for the struggling Nima, a bright man with an even brighter smile entered the room. From the way he carried himself, it was obvious to Yumino who this hero was without having to look twice.

"Excuse me..." said a voice from the entrance, followed by the entry of a girl carrying around a large sword.

"So, where is the girl?"

"Ah!" Averin screamed as she entered the room. "Nima, are you okay?"

The hero called Gavin looked behind him to notice the girl he was looking for.

"What happened to her?" Averin asked in a worried voice.

"That's what I'd like to know... She's been behaving completely different from how she was when we were all together. Now, for no reason, she drinks until she can barely stand."

"And you let her get like this? Are you sure you didn't plan this?" Averin scolded the elf. 

"... Ha?"

"You'll have to excuse me while I take care of her in her room, alone."

While Alerin was placing Nima on her bed, Gavin noticed a red dress hanging on the wardrobe as the door was closing.

"Eh? So that's how it is…" he said with a cheeky smirk.

"So, how did you two move so fast?"

"Is this about the fight last night?"

"I think you already know what I'm referring to~."

Gavin's teasing was met with a straight face.

"To be honest, I have no idea." Yumino replied. "She also said something similar about things 'going fast,' but I have no idea what she's talking about."

"Wait, didn't she wear that red dress with you yesterday?"

"She did."

"So..."

Yumino was getting annoyed by the cryptic conversation.

"Are you getting a thrill out of this? Can you stop throwing around weird hints and explain to me what you mean?"

"Man... Are you really an elf?"

"Consider me the nail that sticks out between elves. Saves us a lot of trouble that way."

"I see... So you don't know."

"Know what?"

As the elf was getting impatient, Gavin sat down and poured him some of that red liquor.

"Yumino, I think you may have gotten yourself a pretty lover."

Yumino froze.

"Can you say that again? I must have misheard."

"I said you've got yourself a lover!"