"So?" Shin stood in front of the door and I sat before the window, blocking both of Alfie's exit.
"W-Well, it's just a stupid word I made up for wife. W-Why are you guys looking at me like t-that?" A drop of sweat rolled down her pale face.
She's nervous alright.
I trust her... she's won't hurt us...
"There's something you're not telling us. You know too much, too much for a simple adventurer no matter how high ranking you may be. Spill it." Shin continued
Just tell us...
Tell us you mean no harm. Tell us you're not dangerous. Tell us we can trust you. Tell us we're friends.
"W-We are friends... right?" I asked, gesturing to Fay for her to move behind me.
"F-Friends huh? Yeah... I had those..." Alfie dropped her act of ignorance.
"I really don't wanna make a big deal out of a stupid word like fricking 'waifu'," Even though she scares me half to hell, Alfie is nice. She's like the guardian I've never had. I don't want that to change.
Silence. Her glare... she looked at me in eyes. I didn't see hate. I didn't see pity. That look in her eyes probably matches mine right now.
Fear.
Fear of losing this. It might not be much. Shin and I might not get along, but compared to everything else that happened in this world... this is the closest thing to home that I have since my betrayal.
She saw my shivering eyes and slightly smiled in relief as if she was glad she wasn't alone, "I learnt it from an old friend of mine, I just don't wanna remember his stupid face,"
Was that... really all? She could've just said that. Was she testing me or something?
"Is that it?" Shin's still suspicious...
"Well yeah. I speak the truth and nothing but the truth your honour," Alfie smiled casually, pulling a door open behind the stunned Shin.
"Wait," Shin grabbed her shoulder.
Maybe... we should just let it go... "Hey, she already told us why and it already makes sens-"
"Shut up you damn traitor!"
"Like Amber said Shin, I already told you how I knew it. What else do you want from me-"
"Well, it doesn't make sense! You're a beloved adventurer, an asset to this king but also a person that was on death row?! You having a friend that knew that stupid vocabulary doesn't connect anything together! You're a contradiction in yourself!" Shin snapped
"Quiet," Fay spoke up, softly and precisely.
"Why should I be qui-" Fay walked up to Shin, covering his mouth in a split of a second.
"Do you know how thin these walls are? With all your irritating shouting, I'm willing to bet everyone knows Alfie on death row already," With only 2 sentences, Shin's barking came to a halt.
At least there's one person here he listens to. I gotta admit I totally forgot about the noise we'd make... since Alfie pulled the door open a bit... it totally leaked out into the hallway...
It's late morning. There shouldn't be a lot of people around, but it's still a risk.
I'm glad the rooms next to mine's just Shin's and Fay's.
"We can play it off as a joke if anyone asks. I have no rights to tell you anything about trust, but we can wait for an answer, Shin. Alfie didn't kill us in our sleep right?" I should be the last person to speak of faith, but I really do want to trust her.
"Here is no place to talk about such matters. Pull yourself together... Mr Protagonist," Fay pulled back her hands from Shin's mouth, looking at her own hand in disgust, "I... I will have to go wash my hand, excuse me,"
Alfie opened the door for her and walked away with Fay.
"She didn't answer my questio-"
"Alfie gave us shelter when we needed it. She worries about our safety. She helps out with communication when we have to write. I think she's done enough for you to put a little faith in her." I laid back on my bed, glad that's done. I hate moments of tension. Why can't all conversations be relaxing?
"Why are you defending her?" Shin's tone took me by surprise, he wasn't his usual angry self. He just sounded tired.
"Well, she just seems trustworthy." Is there more I should say?
"So were you back then."
"I know sorry really doesn't mean anything to you coming from a person like me, but I am. I have no excuse other than I was scared. I had my priorities."
"You have your priorities huh? You'd choose power over your friends?"
"I choose survival over my friends, yes. I wasn't a hero Shin, I was human,"
"Were. You choose power over your humanity."
That's not true... I didn't choose this. I didn't want this...
"No, I didn't. If I could choose we wouldn't be here right now, anyway I'm tired. I'm going to sleep," I turned away to the wall and closed my eyes.
"What do you mean you didn't get to choose?" Shin asked, but I only replied with silence. If I was to tell him the truth... then who would he have to blame for all of this?