Chapter 61 - Running Away
After handling things from Earth, Avery and Yue then came back to the Ascended World.
As usual, they started their day conducting their morning lessons.
Afterward, they dealt with the loots that they gathered from the expedition yesterday.
The materials they got were good, but the village currently lacks the required elves that had the right skills to handle such materials.
They decided to keep it aside and train the necessary elves for the job.
Afterward, they handled things related to the Den. Things such as how the elemental elks were going to be fed and cared for.
They also had a militaristic discussion with the Elemental Elk Princess in regards to how they could help in their fights.
After some discussion, the Elk Princess agreed to serve them as long as the elves would help them avenge their fallen families.
After that, Avery and Yue went on their separate ways and overseed different parts of the village.
At this point, Avery was now sure that something was definitely bothering his sister.
Throughout the day, the cheerfulness and smile that always shined were missing.
He knew that his sister was concerned about something but was too scared to act.
He knew because he experienced something similar to this in the last timeline.
Last time, his sister had misunderstood something and was very depressed.
He saw her wanting to confront him with it but was too scared of what the result of the confrontation would be.
So he who had not been able to notice it at that time, let the tension brew until it got to the point where they had to distance themselves from one another.
This is also the reason why he was very open to communicating with anything that concerns him and his sister.
He wanted to avoid such a thing again.
But he forgot that he was the only one who had that mindset for now.
His sister had yet to experience anything of some sort that would make her open everything to him.
Thus, not wanting to make the same mistake in the last timeline, he decided to forcefully confront his sister this time around.
And so they continued with their work until it was time for them to leave the Ascended World again.
***
In a grassy plain just outside the village, with the moonlight shining upon them.
Avery and Yue stood facing one another.
Yue was nervously looking down on the grass as Avery stared at her.
Yue knew what it was about, she had been acting out of it lately.
And now her big brother was going to confront her about it forcefully.
She doesn't have any excuse that would convince him after how tense she had been during the day.
She knew it was her fault. She can't help it. She was afraid that the same thing that happened years ago would repeat itself.
At that time she confronted her big brother regarding her feelings, but that only resulted in him distancing himself from her.
Afraid that the same thing would happen again, Yue decided to keep her worries to herself and figure things out.
But from the looks of it, Avery does not think the same. He was going to confront her with it.
"Yue." Avery calmly said.
"Y-yes, big brother?"
"You have been acting weirdly this day… can you tell me what's been troubling you?"
"Its n-nothi–"
"Stop. We both know that there is definitely something on your mind."
"It's true there is n-nothing to worry about."
"Please Little Yue. Tell me, so we can solve whatever is troubling you… I don't like seeing you sad and depressed all day, it pains me to see you that way." Avery sadly said.
"..."
"Little Yue…. please.."
Yue was in deep thought.
After some deliberation she decided to confront it… maybe… just maybe she was wrong.
And so she took a deep breath and looked up at her big brother.
Seeing this, Avery nodded in satisfaction.
"So what's been bothering you?" Avery asked as he smiled at her.
"...in the past timeline… d-did you p-perhaps had a-another w-woman?" Yue nervously asked.
As she finally asked what was bothering her, the time seems to have slowed down for Yue, as she anxiously waited for his response.
She was scared.
Scared of what he was going to say.
Was he going to say that he truly had another woman from his past timeline?
And that they dated?
And then kissed?
Married one another?
Had a son or daughter?
Then became a family?
And that he still loved her and wants to get back to her?
She was scared…. if any of these were true.
She won't be able to accept it.
No. She refuses to accept it.
It is just not possible for another woman aside from her to be with her big brother.
It was inconceivable in her head.
It was just unfair…. She loved her big brother more than anyone.
She was willing to do anything for him.
And now someone was there to snatch him away from her.
She might be overthinking things, but she can't help herself from doing so.
Love is illogical.
And so were the actions brought from it.
"Another women? Hmm…I dont really have another, but if you mean that woman I married…"
'Married.'
'Married.'
'Married.'
That was the only word she registered.
Pain
She felt pain.
Indescribable pain.
Her heart wrenched as tears starts to flow down from her eyes.
The world seems to have fallen from her perspective as she failed to understand what was going on around her.
Her body moved on her own.
And before she knew it, she was already running away thus failing to hear the other parts of Avery's sentence.
Her brother called for her as he chased after her.
Not wanting him to see her like this.
She quickly opened her system and logged out.
But unlike the usual feeling of waking up, she felt like she was being transported.
Just like the feeling she felt when being forced to watch her big brother's memories.
***
"Another woman? Hmm…I don't really have another, but if you mean that woman I married…", after saying that, Yue ran away thus failing to hear the rest of the sentence "...then you don't have to worry as it is all–Yue?!"
"Little Yue!" Avery called for her but she has already logged out.
He forgot that his little sister was very emotional when it comes to things relating to their relationship.
He remembered in the past timeline where she would tend to run away in the middle of an argument between the two of them.
That is why she tends to misunderstand the situation. It also doesn't help that she would keep her feelings for herself while he would simply let her be.
So when something that she always wanted (marriage with him) since they were young was given to another, she ran and couldn't accept reality.
Like last time, before he could explain things in detail, his sister had already run away.
Damnt it! It's because of that lunatic of a woman again!
Even in this timeline, that slut still continues to haunt me!
How could he genuinely marry that slut of a woman who had boy toys all around her?
If it weren't for that deal, I would have never agreed to indulge in her illusions.
She was nothing compared to my sister.
Heck! comparing them was already an insult to his little sister.
And now he was in the same situation as in the past timeline.
Like last time his sister ran away from him and kept her feelings to herself.
However, unlike the time when he was too prideful to go after her and simply let her be.
He was going to do the opposite and chase after her.
From his experience, things like this are better solved immediately than let grow into something that is difficult to fix in the future.
So I need to talk to her and explain that the marriage was all an illusion that was part of a scheme that he cooked up to fool that lunatic.
And so Avery quickly opened his system and logged out following after his little sister.
However, what he felt was different.
"No! I have no time for this! I need to talk to my little sister!"
Unfortunately, the soulbond refused to listen to him.
The scenery started to shift and started to show a memory.
Seeing that he could not leave, Avery had no choice but to grit his teeth and watch the memory play out.
He was angry and agitated.
However, as if it was all a lie, his anger suddenly dispersed.
The reason?
He heard someone crying…
A cry of someone who was heartbroken.
And he knew who that voice belongs to.
That soft voice that he loves so much could only belong to none other than his precious little sister.