14. Red Dresses and Missions

"Ok then, on departure day we'll gather at the gate. See you then!" said Gavin, waving his hand to the others.

Yumino ended up agreeing to undertake the rescue mission on a whim, being impressed by the story and determination shown by Lucien.

"But you still have to tell me what that story with the Rider of Death is all about."

"Don't worry, Yumino. Once we get to the forest, I will show you how your peers used to live. That being said, I thought you didn't want to hear another word from me, or from us as a whole..."

The way Gauntmere phrased it, gave Yumino a weird feeling. He felt like he was the one in the wrong for some reason.

"What's with the tsundere act all of a sudden? It's me who's supposed to be mad at all of you!"

"For saving your life?" Gauntmere retorted.

"For dragging me around as you please! No... forget it! I see no reason to waste my focus arguing with you. Besides, I always find myself blankly staring in the distance when we do."

The two ended their conversation right as Yumino had reached Nima's house, but what he saw there seemed like it would give him another headache.

Piles of boxes, flowers, toys, and trinkets were piling up in front of the door.

"What's this supposed to mean?"

Making his way through the chaos, Yumino barely managed to enter the house. Inside, Nima was keeping herself busy searching for vases, ordering books on shelves, and placing knick-knacks around the house.

"Oh, look who's finally decided to show up. Come on, don't just sit there! Help me find a place for all of this!"

"Sure..."

With a confused look clouding his face, Yumino picked up a couple of boxes from outside and opened them.

"Wait, that's not how it's supposed to work! First tell me what those things are!"

But what Yumino received as an answer was an angry glance that seemed to be waiting for something.

"... Please?"

"Presents. What else could they be?"

"Presents for what?" 

"Did you hit your head or something? We barely escaped the vampires yesterday, remember? The neighbors brought a lot of things out of sympathy."

Even with that explanation, Yumino's puzzled expression didn't change.

"Ehh~? Don't tell me you didn't get anything~" Nima said, switching to a mischievous smile meant to mock him.

"That's not important!" he said in an attempt to hide his disappointment. "My question is, how did you get so many things?"

"Hmm~? So it's jealousy then~" 

"It's not!"

"Oh, don't get shy now! Jealousy is perfectly normal. Maybe even a bit cute~" the elven lady said, playing all of the cards she had just to see how red Yumino's ears can get.

"Do you want me to send them back?" she asked jokingly.

"Why do I feel like you're messing with me?"

"I wonder~"

*****

By the time the two finished sorting out the presents, the sky had already darkened.

"I guess it's too late to go out and grab a bite..."

Yumino felt annoyed. Just because he had been transported here as an elf, he had suddenly become part of an endangered race—one that was naturally hated by the vampires who ruled the night.

Fortunately, food had never been a problem in this world, so they had plenty to eat at home, and he could explain to Nima what happened during the day. 

"So, where have you been wandering with Gavin? You've left in quite a hurry."

"More like he took me with him. I didn't have much of a say in the matter."

In truth, he went with him willingly to find out what the meaning of the red dress was, but he wouldn't tell that to Nima.

"Well, making friends is not a bad thing. Just, be careful with that guy. As the hero, he gets dragged into a lot of trouble."

"Oh yeah, about that. We'll be going together on a mission to look for surviving elves. I hear it's the biggest one yet. 'A full-scale expedition to end them all,' or something like that."

Hearing this, Nima dropped her spoon in shock, soup splashing all over herself.

"When is that?!"

"Two days from now. Seems none of them except Averin are eager enough to leave next day at dawn, so we're delaying it to give them time for preparations."

Nima, already forgetting about the fallen spoon, gulped down her remaining soup and stood up.

"And when were you going to let me know? Do you think going on a mission is just like going out on a walk? I have to get so many things ready..." the girl said, running around the house in search of clothes and provisions.

"It's ok. I've already talked with the rest. I'll go buy my gear tomorrow by myself. I've troubled you enough already."

But the archer had missed the mark.

"Well aren't you full of yourself? Do these look like clothes you would wear?" she said, showing a green shirt a bit too small to fit Yumino.

"Then who are those for?"

"Are you trying to make fun of me?"

Soon after, the girl grabbed a pair of daggers and started flinging them around with grace.

"It seems I've still got it. Ok, so tomorrow, I'll go shopping with you. If we're doing this, we're doing it well!"

It took a while for the man to finally catch on to what Nima was thinking, and by the time he did, breaking the news to her seemed like his biggest ordeal yet.

"Nima... I think there has been a misunderstanding..." Yumino said while nervously playing with his white hair.

"It seems I'm going on this search without you. Something about my shots being strong enough to keep up..."

Once again, the girl heard something hard to believe and even harder to accept.

"Ha? Who decided that? Nuh-uh, there's no way you're going without me!"

"I'm not alone, though. I'll be with the hero's party."

"So? Have you ever seen those people fight? Have you ever seen the dangers of the forest? You keep acting like you've been born just days ago! How are you going to survive there?" the girl suddenly exploded.

"Besides, I'm an elf too! Are you all really going to leave me in the dark when it comes to my own kin?"

When it comes to Nima, there are few things she wouldn't budge on, but one of those was her kin. She had lost too much already to accept those conditions.

Even so, with a sad look, Yumino sighed and continued.

"I'm sorry, Nima. It's been decided."

"..."

Defeated, the girl threw her dagger in the ground and looked at Yumino, tears flowing out of her eyes.

"And you? Are you OK with that?"

"Nima..."

"Stop with that unneeded pity! What am I going to do if you die out there? Ha?"

"Nima..."

"I don't want to hear it. Not now that we—"

"Nima!"

The loud scream came at an unexpected moment and startled Nima. With big, bubbly eyes, the girl stopped talking and finally listened Yumino.

"Look. About that red dress thing... I'm sorry I didn't mean to have that kind of relationship with you."

There, I've said it.

Yumino steeled himself, ready to be yelled at. Yet nothing happened. Instead, silence hung heavy in the room. A silence that Nima broke with a single word.

"... what?"

Nima's big eyes pierced Yumino, but now that he had said it, there was no going back.

The girl felt on the edge from the moment she had met Yumino, as if she had been given one last chance that she had to hang on to by any means. As much as she tried to hide it, her cup was already full, yet Yumino poured a whole bucket on top of it.

"I know what happened back then, but the truth is—"

Before Yumino could finish his idea, a slap shut him up.

"Tsk! To think I was willing to go so far for a freeloader!"

"Nima, please listen to me—"

*Slap*

"Oh! But it's all good! You can go for all I care! Learning to like you wouldn't work either way! Go! Bring another elf back for all I care! That way I won't be stuck with you for the rest of my life!"

With this, and without giving Yumino a chance to answer, Nima ran to her room, smashing the door behind her.

Yumino had hurt her feelings. He had toyed with her heart. Willingly or not, he spat on her honor, on her sentiments, and on her determination. 

He had nothing to say to her—no, he had no right to say anything to her. So he went back to his room in silence, doing his best to ignore the drowned cries coming from next door.