15. Backtracking or Moving Forward

The sun was barely denting the night sky, yet Averin already stood at the gate, her armor placed on the back of a horse that seemed to be giving its all just to stand.

"I didn't take you for an early bird. Morning!"

"Morning..."

But Yumino really wasn't one for early mornings. He was there at sunrise only because he's had trouble sleeping in the same house as Nima. He took the chance and got out of there as quickly as possible.

"So, how's Nima?"

And there it was—the one question he would have liked to avoid.

With no other choice and a mind too tired to find a safe way to dodge the question, Yumino accepted his fate and told the knight girl everything that had happened between them.

"So you broke up with her?"

"If you can even call it that... I just couldn't leave things as they were. It felt wrong."

"Yumino..."

Averin looked at him with a disturbed expression.

"Could it be that you are actually stupid?"

Nothing in her expression could have prepared the elf for such a question. The words themselves were not the problem; what hurt him was the sincere, almost innocent way in which they were asked.

"You know, I took you for the righteous but shy type. If even the kind and friendly Averin started treating me like this, maybe I should just dig myself a hole at the edge of the road and live in it..."

"Ew, what's that supposed to mean?" the girl asked surprised "Besides, aren't you in the pit already?"

Not even playful banter would get him out of this.

"What I'm trying to ask is, why did you break it to her like that? How did you follow up?"

"I got slapped and stayed silent."

"Yumino, you're starting to have me worried, you know? Are you into that kind of thing or something?"

"Please stop looking at me like that, Averin! This poor heart of mine can't take a lot more..."

The girl changed her facial expression with every new answer Yumino gave, and none of her reactions were encouraging.

"So, why didn't you try to fix it?"

"Fix it? How?"

"By promising to make it up to her? No, by offering to get to know her better?"

"Do you really think that would have worked?"

"Is that so hard to fathom? Yeah, words hold little meaning, but what if you actually tried doing something? How about asking her to bear with you while you sort yourself out?"

"But I've only known her for a couple of days!"

"All the more reason to get to know her better! At least, that's what she wanted to do herself. She knew things were progressing way too fast, so she was trying to catch up. She bit the bullet and gave you a chance after the cards had been played. Why couldn't you do the same thing? Why did you have to hurt her pride?"

"I..."

"Yo. I see we're all here!"

The other three heroes reached the gate together during their talk, so Yumino and Averin left the conversation hanging.

"OK! Let's go!"

At Gavin's command, they all urged their horses.

"Averin!" Yumino called.

"Yes?"

"Thank you!"

The girl looked at the road ahead. She didn't answer Yumino, but the smile she couldn't hold back was enough for him.

"Eh~? You also took our little knight? That's not fair~! Am I really that boring to you?" Velmira suddenly intervened.

And so, the rescue party marched on.

*****

Looking back at it. A lot had happened in such a short time. From the time he woke up in the forest to being attacked by goblins, from escaping vampires to meeting death, Yumino had been through things he could have never imagined during his old life.

Adding the recent drama with Nima made him feel even worse, so Yumino closed his eyes, letting the horse carry him as he focused on something else.

"Hey, witch! You've been awfully quiet. Isn't it about time you explained to me what happened to the elves?"

In a corner of his mind, Gauntmere's image became clearer and clearer as time passed.

"I've had trouble finding a moment when I could talk with you without being snapped back at lately... Even now, calling me a witch feels a bit hostile!"

"Well, you are one, aren't you?"

"And what makes you say that?"

"Was the deduction supposed to be hard? You're the only one in here with no elven ears. Besides, somebody must have created the curse that binds me. If not a witch, then what else could you be?"

Gauntmere let out a scoff.

"Fine. Let's entertain that idea for now. So then, does me being a witch make any difference?"

"Shouldn't you be the one to tell me?" Yumino asked back, yet he didn't give Gauntmere enough time to answer.

"What's got you so tied to the elves that you've ended up here? Did you also seek immortality or something? Did Death make your life's work useless? Is that why you seek revenge?"

"Those are some creative hypotheses you're making up. Did you ever try becoming a writer?"

"I prefer archery, but it seems I can't even do that right in this world," the elf said with his head down.

"You seem awfully skilled at putting yourself down... We will also practice archery together, don't worry. For now, I recommend you look at the road."

"Hey! That cute elf over there is going to fall off a cliff!"

Yumino opened his eyes in an instant, and pulled on the reins of the horse only for it to panic and shake him off.

The elf looked around, but there was no cliff in sight. Thinking about it, he didn't pass any cliffs on his way to Veston.

Around him, the other four companions looked at him and laughed. It was only then that he realized the voice he'd heard was a familiar one.

"Is that your idea of a joke?" Yumino said in an indignant tone.

"I'm sorry, cutie!" the sorceress said while trying to calm herself. 

"But everyone laughed, so I guess it worked," she answered with a wink.

As she was the one at fault, Velmira helped Yumino back on his horse. As she did so, she didn't miss her chance to get close to him and whisper in his ear.

"Yumino, when elves die, where do you think they go?"

Yumino's blood froze in his veins; he slowly turned his head towards Velmira, but she brushed it off with another wink and a "kidding!"

"Also," she continued. "Those long ears of yours stick out a lot. But I like that shade of red~."

Touching his hot ears, Yumino's reaction quickly changed from surprise to embarrassment. With time, the mixed feelings he held towards the sorceress became even more complicated.

*****

By the time the team reached the forest, the sun had already set, showing Yumino a completely new face of the place he had woken up in.

The trees changed their color to pure white, while the leaves covering the sky became different shades of deep purple.

Yumino's outfit also changed color to a deep shade of purple—something that has never happened in the kingdom.

"Look at you, looking all mystic and noble. Should we call you 'Lord Yumino' now?" said Gavin.

Unsure what was going on, Yumino let out a nervous laugh.

As he was getting ready to lie down and get some rest, the elf noticed Averin sitting curled up next to a tree, with her arms hugging her knees, seemingly lost in thought.

"You wouldn't have been able to do this in that armor. Hehe..."

But the elf's joke didn't hit its mark. Instead, Averin looked at him with questioning, somewhat distressed eyes.

"Yumino, do you think the ideal knight is a hero of justice or its best-trained pawn?"

The question was too sudden for Yumino to even register it properly.

"You know, this is the second time I've been asked strange things today."

"I see. I'm sorry. Let's rest. Lookout is on us tomorrow."

Yumino listened to her and turned to the other side.

"I think a good knight is modeled after the person laying the role. Not the other way around."

Yet again, no answer came back, but at the very least the girl's frown turned into a smile.

"Good night, the two of you!" said Gavin, who was standing watch.

"Good night!" the two answered.