Running through Inferis for the whole morning, I bring Krael and Obrecht up to the events that had transpired yesterday. They contemplate the possibility of that underground lake as a gate to Aovialutre's temple, and yet we had no time to test it out.
Krael voiced out his doubt as well, stating that not just anybody can get in, or else Obrecht and him should have been dragged along with us. Why did the ground collapsed exactly where I stood, taking Vera along with me? Obrecht quickly suggested the variant blessing rune I got during my coming of age ceremony. This all the more solidified that what I experienced was a dream—at least not completely.
"Vid", Obrecht beckons as I feel a cool metallic object poke my cheek.
Turning, I see Obrecht hand me his water canteen, with our dried rations of food on the other. He slumps on the ground to sit beside me.
We had set out early in the morning, with Vera on Krael's back, and me on Obrecht's. Only when it was late in the morning did we take a break in running, although it was only to find the time to fill our stomachs.
I study their pensive but lively expressions while taking the food that Obrecht offered; a fruit.
It's frustrating how we travelled so far a couple days, when it only takes them only a whole morning to run back half of that distance. And though Krael and Obrecht worked up a lot of sweat to get this far so fast, they didn't look tired at all.
I sigh internally, swallowing my food along with a pinch of bitterness. Glancing at my own hard-earned physique, I feel slightly envious of the Hunter-kind's natural body type.
I bet even Vera would be able to handle this amount of running too…
Vera's image collapses with the image of Tukare, as she laid down on that dirty dungeon floor. I pause on my thoughts as I stare at our route ahead without really seeing.
"She's going to be fine", Obrecht utters without looking at me.
"…" How can she be fine if she hasn't woken up since then?
My grip on the fruit tightens. Obrecht grabs my hand, albeit the sticky juices dripping down the crevices of my fingers, and takes a bite of it.
"Don't waste food", he urges. "Or else I'll be angry", he teases as he purposely nibbles on my fingertip. Blankly, I ignore him and his harassment, pretty sure that the turmoil in my heart is sufficient enough to ignore this level of harassment. I hear him sigh.
"I mean, you're fine, aren't you?"
I look to him in question, silently asking what he meant. He snakes a hand to my neck to pull me closer, his other hand still clasping my hand that held food.
"When you got a fever and wouldn't wake up for five days, do you know how much that freaked me out? I've almost forgotten about it until today", he pauses before continuing, "Vera's still breathing. Even if she's asleep, she's still breathing so I'm sure she'll wake up soon. Maybe sleeping is just a natural way for the body to heal itself." He takes the fruit from my hand and eats it himself, sensing that I no longer had an appetite.
"…But I dragged all of you into this."
His large hand covers the side of my neck, his thumb slowly caressing my face behind my mask.
"You forget that it's my job to stay with you, right? For whatever happens, or whatever punishment you receive, I'll be there to bear it with you. That's what I promised during you trial; to you, to everybody…to myself." He breathes out.
"…That's not—", the retort dies on my throat upon seeing his serious face.
"If you feel like you're responsible for it, then take that responsibility and put it on your shoulders. Face everything head on." He stares at me. "No matter what I say, you'd still think it's your fault. So do what you have to do so you don't experience the same kind of regret in the future, Vid", he whispers, before he leans down and kisses the mask's forehead, right in the middle of the two protruding horns.
"I've chosen to be with you on my own accord. You didn't drag me into anything. If you start regretting bringing us along, then very soon, you'll start regretting every little thing up until you regret the very beginning of everything—when you met me. And I'll be extremely angry if you do that."
"…Mm." I bury my head on his shoulder, partly in shame, partly in anger at myself, because I know he's right.
"Haaa—", a very dramatic sigh sounds out. "Can the couple over there not be so…couple-y?", an irritated Krael speaks up. "I've been enduring your public display of attention alone since last night. Do you have no respect for the bachelors?"
Obrecht clicks his tongue, issuing a look that looks down upon other (single) people, chin slightly tilted upwards in arrogance. "Single dogs who can't even be honest to the girl they like should shut up and not interrupt the romance of old sweethearts."
"Huh?!" Krael challengingly throws a scowl at Obrecht's way. "Well excuse me for not wanting to be such a clingy, needy boyfriend all the time." Krael turns to me, as if dedicated in ignoring the entity known as my 'clingy needy boyfriend', and says, "Videre, you should clearly tell such sticky dogs not to be so troublesome when they clearly are." Krael makes a mocking face at Obrecht's way.
"Children who don't even know how to properly kiss and hold hands without sweating shouldn't intrude in an adult's love life", Obrecht mocks back.
"Don't be so cocky, you're only a couple years older." Krael leans back, hands folded in front of his chest. "It's not like you know how to kiss right. I bet you've messed up on the first try any—"
I stand up abruptly, the tips of my ears red. We haven't even done that yet, why are they discussing it all of a sudden like it's nothing?!
"…Can you guys", I say loudly in the beginning, until my voice falters into a low mumble saying, "…not talk about that?"
"Sure", they both say at the same time, one having a big smirk on his face while the other had raised eyebrows while observing me. It's not like I haven't noticed their attempt to cheer me up, but really? Out of the many available topics to bicker about, they choose that?
"Like the clingy dog said—"
"Ha?! Then, sorry for being such a clingy dog, at least I'm not miserably single—", Obrecht grumbled, to which Krael completely ignored.
"—everybody had their own decisions. Vera and I chose to follow the both of you. If anything, it's us who made you bring us along even when you wanted send us back. There's no use regretting things that are done already."
Looking at his face, I feel slightly astounded at the maturity that Krael has; ever the cold and logical one outside, who is actually a soft whiney persimmon inside. I smile sincerely.
"…Mm", I hum in a soft tone.
"Oy!" Obrecht violently grabs Krael's head in an lock and repeatedly nudges it with the knuckles of his other fist. "Don't steal my man", he angrily demands in a loud voice. "Don't steal your teacher's man!"
Krael kicks Obrecht's leg, but it isn't enough for Obrecht to let him go, and so they struggle in an awkward position.
"Who wants your man?! Who's my teacher?! You? Don't make me laugh! It's a miracle anyone would even understand all your 'whams' and 'bams' and 'swooshes'?"
"Well Videre understood them just find didn't he? Just confess that you can't follow a genius' way in life. Maybe it's your comprehension that can't follow?"
Krael scoffs. "You're just teaching me the things I already know!"
"Cocky single bratt! What does Vera see in you?!"
"Take a look at yourself before you spout nonsense, what does Videre see in you!"
They crash down and roll a few times. I walk over them and just head to sit beside Vera, watching them tire themselves needlessly. The Hunter-kind sure have a lot of energy. This isn't even trying them trying to cheer me up, it's just them bickering like kids.
"…Haha…They're at it again, Vera", I whisper. "Hurry up and stop them already. Wake up…"
I glance at her but it seems that my words are useless upon the deaf ears of the those in slumber.
After half an hour, we had set off again, unaware of the lurking dangers that followed us on beneath the Earth.