I opened my eyes as I stared at the wooden ceiling. I tried getting up, but I winced from the stinging pain coming from my waist and forehead. Eventually, I managed to sit on top of the bed I'm laying on with much difficulty. I looked around, and it seems like I'm inside a small room lit with candles as they illuminate the darkness. There's a window to my right on where the bright moon shines in the evening sky and a simple wooden door in front of me.
'It's already evening... But where am I?'
I tried recalling the previews events as my face turns serious from remembering that one scenario on where I was attacked from behind. I loosen my robe as I looked at the place where I was hit. I saw a giant bruise surrounding the right side of my pelvis.
*sigh* "Such carelessness led to this..."
Suddenly the door opened and I saw a young man carrying something. 'Ah, It's the guy who saved me earlier... Gellard was it?'
"Ah! You're awa-... I-I'm sorry!" Gellard suddenly turned around with a blush on his face and left the room apologizing.
"Wha- why did he leave?" I then look down and I realized that my robe is very loose at the moment as two mountain peaks are exposed. I immediately realized what happened and I quickly tightened my robe and covered myself under a blanket as my face turned as red as a tomato. I berated myself for being so carefree without thinking of the consequences. 'Noel, you idiot! W-wait... Wait a second! Why am I acting like this!?'
I breathed deeply as I tried to compose myself, after that, I spoke to the door in front of me.
"H-Hello? Are you there?"
Then a reply came from the other side of the door.
"Y-yes I'm here, are you a-alright?" Said the person on behind the door.
"Y-yeah... You can c-come in."
I heard the door creak open and the sound of footsteps approaching. I peek at the edge of my blanket and stared at Gellard while still retaining a blush on my face. Gellard saw me staring at him, he looked to the side as his face is sported with a tinge of red, stealing glances at me every few seconds. The atmosphere grew awkward as nobody spoke a single word. Surprisingly, Gellard spoke first.
"I-I'm sorry about what happened! I d-didn't know you w-were... I-I promise I didn't see them!"
'Wha!? What do you mean you didn't see them!? You're clearly stating the obvious!'
"I-It's alright... It is also my fault for not being c-careful."
Gellard suddenly straightened his head as he looked at me. I stared right at his eyes for a considerable amount of time, but I couldn't maintain eye contact as I shyly covered my face with the blanket while blushing. A moment of awkwardness occurred again as we shyly looked away from each other.
I decided to break off the awkward atmosphere by being the first to ask the question this time.
"S-so, where are w-we?" I spoke shyly
"W-we're currently staying in a tavern in Car-antor, I... I..."
"W-what is it?"
"I... c-c-carried you here." I blushed a lot harder from the thought of being carried by him, I thought to myself on how much more embarrassing it must have been if I was awake at that time... I composed myself and took off the blanket from my face as I sat up to express my gratitude.
"Thank you for carrying me. I-I believe you shouldn't have bothered on doing it. Y-you could've just woke me up..." I remarked.
"Ah, N-no! I couldn't bring myself to w-wake up a sleeping b-beauty..."
"Huweh!? Wa wa wha-" I blushed as he called me a sleeping beauty.
'M-me? A beauty? Whaaaa!?'
'W-what's this? Why is my heart beating so fast? N-no! This shouldn't be happening!'
"A-ah! I-I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was thinking! Ahahaha!"
'Didn't know what you were thinking!? Do you really have to deny it!?'
"M-mn! I-It's fine, I... liked it."
Suddenly, I realized the words that I have uttered. My face turned very hot as I blushed deeply thinking about the words I just said.
"Ah, ahahahaha!" I laughed awkwardly as I tried to diffuse my embarrassment.
"I-I'll be back." Gellard turned around as he went out of the room. A few seconds later, he came back bringing with him a wooden tray holding a bowl and a spoon. He approaches me as he walks to the side, and places the wooden tray on top of the bed.
"Here, I brought you some soup. I-I thought that maybe you didn't eat yet so I bought you some beef stew."
'It's already night time... Of course, I didn't eat yet!'
"Thank you..." I tried to express my gratitude but all I could muster were only two words with a voice as quiet as a mosquito.
"Huh? Did you say something?" He asked.
"I... I said, T-thank you..." This time I managed to speak with a louder tone, enough for him to hear.
"Oh, don't worry about it! I'm just helping a lady in need." He smiled at me with an otherwordly charisma as he directed those words to me. Suddenly, I had this light feeling within my chest as I was overwhelmed with joy.
I laid my back beside the bed's headboard to have a comfortable posture. Then, I picked up the wooden tray with trembling hands as I placed it on top of my lap. I picked up the wooden spoon with my right hand as I used it to eat the contents of the beef stew. I twist my wrist to the left to try and scoop up the contents of the stew, but I'm suddenly attacked by a stinging pain from my wrist which made me drop the spoon that I was holding.
"O-ouch!" I said with a pained tone.
"Careful! What's wrong?" Gellard approached me closely as he took hold of my right hand, he examined it with focused eyes as he slowly tilted my hand up and down then he tilted it to the left which immediately sent a stinging pain to my wrist.
"Aya!"
"Ah! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"
"It's fine."
I blushed a bit as I thought of how he gently took hold of my hand as if it was a delicate flower.
"It looks like you have a sprained wrist. You should lay it down straight and let it take a rest."
"Mhn, sure…"
I laid my hand on the side as I let my wrist recuperate. Now I'm stuck, wondering how should I eat my food… I pondered for a considerable amount of time, thinking about what should I do. Then, a random thought just hit me as I blushed while thinking about it. I breathed in and out as I calmed myself down. I summed up all of my courage and faced Gellard with a shy face.
"Can you feed me?" I asked.
"Eh!? Ah, s-sure… If you don't mind."
I nodded at him, signaling that I permitted him.
Gellard sat on the side of the bed as he picked up the spoon and bowl of stew to feed me. He scooped up a spoonful of beef stew as he placed the spoon in front of my mouth.
"Say, aah."
"Aah!" I swallowed the spoon as its contents were laid on my tongue and I slowly savored it.
"Delicious!" I muttered. The stew is lukewarm but delicious nonetheless.
"Really? That's great!"
Gellard continued feeding me as I eventually finished the stew's contents. He stood up from the bed while carrying the tray with the spoon and bowl on top.
"I-I'll be going now, you should rest, we'll talk tomorrow."
"Sure."
Gellard opened the door and stepped outside as he slowly closes it. But before the door fully closes, he stopped.
"Good night, Noel."
"You too, Gellard."
The door completely closed as I replied to Gellard. There I am, left alone inside the room with a flushed face as I smiled like an idiot. I was left with a joyous feeling as I thought about tonight's events. I then laid down on the bed as I slowly fell asleep with a smile.