"Oh, there he is!" ［Kris］
"Grey～!" ［Vanessa］
Accompanied by relieved expressions and cheerful greetings, the gentle light from the full moon embraced Grey's figure as he walked out from the entrance. It was already a little past midnight.
Although it has only been a few hours, he had missed the fresh outside air. The gentle and comforting feeling it gave him was incomparable to the suffocating and heavy atmosphere back in the cave-like hideout.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting." ［Grey］
"No, we should be the ones apologizing to not be of any help. Anyway, we're glad you're safe, Sir Grey. I'm sure it was tough." ［Kurt］
"Haha... You could say that again." ［Grey］
Grey laughed wryly as he remembered the battle he just went through. He clearly remembered how annoying it was to hit the creature he fought against. It was like trying to swat a fly with his bare hands.
"Well, if you had been there any longer, we would have ignored what you said and gone back. But it looks like we didn't need to." ［Kris］
"We were really worried, especially Yuna. She wouldn't stー Hmpshspmnh" ［Vanessa］
"Big Sis Vanessa!" ［Yuna］
Vanessa was about to reveal Yuna's worries when the person in question suddenly covered her mouth to stop her from talking. It was also worth noting that Yuna's face was beet red at that moment.
And Vanessa was right. Although Yuna was the one who trusted Grey the most, she was also the most anxious one, to the point that she was being frantic. She even tried to go back a couple of times, but luckily, the others were able to stop her.
Grey was happy that Yuna was worried for him, but there was one thing which kept bothering him. They were two words which made him think he was imagining things as they continued to echo in his mind.
'Big Sis...?' ［Grey］
It was the fact that Yuna called Vanessa "Big Sis". Grey didn't know when the two had such a close relationship. Last time he checked, they only met each other for the first time less than a day ago.
Grey reexamined his thoughts again and again, but no matter how hard he tried, those two words really did come out of Yuna's mouth. He wanted to ask but didn't know how to bring it up.
"Ah, right. Lord Kurt, Lady Vanessa, what should we do with the hideout with the raid now finished? Should I barricade it with earth magic?" ［Grey］
Grey asked as he decided to not think too hard about the odd topic. He was sure he would arrive at no conclusion no matter how hard he tries to think about it. It was best to let his thoughts go.
"There is no need to do that, the government will take care of it. The government will most likely conduct an investigation a few weeks from now on. For the time being, me and Elder Sister will stay put and oversee the base while Lord Kris and Lady Aria report to the Guildmaster the results of the raid." ［Kurt］
"How about Yuna and me?"
"About that... unlike Lord Kris and Lady Aira, who are here with an official request from the kingdom, you two were pretty much just dragged into this mess by pure coincidence, so you are free to go. But don't worry, we will still compensate you for your great assistance today." ［Kurt］
"I see..." ［Grey］
"Oh, Sir Grey, it seems like Lord Kris is calling you." ［Kurt］
Kurt commented as Grey pondered about his words. Kris could be seen waving his hand in an eye-catching gesture towards Grey.
As Kris approached Grey, Kurt also walked away towards Vanessa who was still teasing Yuna in a playful manner. Grey still has no idea how Vanessa and Yuna became so close in a short period of time.
"Grey, are you and Yuna going back to Galderia? Me and Aria are going to depart soo, do you want to go together?" ［Kris］
Grey initially thought Kris was going to bring up a serious topic, but it wasn't the case. Kris just wanted to offer a friendly proposal.
"I appreciate the offer, but I have to talk about something with Yuna. It will probably take some time so you can go ahead first." ［Grey］
"I see... Then we'll be going first... Ah, right! Make sure to report to the Guildmaster after you arrive, alright?" ［Kris］
"Yeah, I'll make sure to do so." ［Grey］
"Alright, see you later!" ［Kris］
Kris turned around as he waved his hand to Grey. He then headed towards Aria and soon after, the two set off back to Galderia. Although they were quick, they weren't as quick as before. It seems that they were still a little exhausted.
With the engaged couple leaving and the siblings heading back inside the hideout for a preliminary inspection, Grey and Yuna were left on their own in the middle of the quiet night.
"You wanted to talk about something with me?" ［Yuna］
Asked Yuna a few moments after Vanessa and Kurt headed inside the entrance. She had overheard Grey and Kurt talking beforehand. After all, she has the hearing ability of an A-ranker.
"Yeah, but let's go to a quiet place first." ［Grey］
Yuna didn't know what Grey was going to talk about but she didn't question him. She just silently followed Grey as they walked slowly and searched the nearby forest for a suitable place.
Chirp Chirp Chirp
The chirping of the crickets echoed throughout the whole forest, giving life to the dull and silent night. And as the forest slept, the stars smiled down upon it. It was a peaceful night.
After traveling for about ten minutes or so, Grey and Yuna finally found a quiet place, far away from the hideout. It was near a cliff, fully exposed to the sky with only a few trees and boulders around.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" ［Yuna］
"Umm... Yuna, how are you feeling right now?" ［Grey］
"Oh... So it's about that..." ［Yuna］
Silence fell to the air as Yuna fully understood Grey's question. He was clearly talking about Yuna's feelings with her revenge now fulfilled. Grey wanted to know whether Yuna was feeling alright.
"Sorry to ask so suddenly." ［Grey］
"No, it's fine... We'll have to talk about it after some time anyways. I just did not expect it to be so soon... Ah! Why don't we take a seat first? It's tiring to talk while standing after all..." ［Yuna］
Yuna ended her sentence with a smile, but although she was smiling, Grey could clearly notice the pain hidden behind that sweet smile. He knew Yuna enough to tell that she was just acting strong.
Following Yuna's suggestion, the two searched the surroundings for a place where we can sit comfortably as they talk. Luckily, there was a large smooth boulder nearby under the shade of a large tree. It was quite a scenic location.
"Ah～ This is much better." ［Yuna］
Yuna said with a gentle voice as she slowly sat down on top of the boulder. She then stretched her arms towards the sky with a refreshed expression. Still, the pain expression Grey noticed has not disappeared.
If one would look at her, she would look like a calm and composed lady just sitting peacefully under the starry night. Her countenance is brighter than the moon and her eyes sparkling brighter than the stars.
"You probably know about this already, but... when I was still living in the village... I was really happy. Having a loving family, playing with friends, talking with the other villagers... I thought life was perfect, that there was nothing more I needed... It was a happy life... ［Yuna］
Yuna recalled her past with a bittersweet smile and an expression filled with sorrow and longing. Her eyes were looking at the horizon, gazing at the sleeping forest with a lonely smile.
"That's why, when that day happened, my mind collapsed. It was as if everything I had experienced was just a lie. As if... life was playing me. I wanted to disappear so I could run away from the pain... It was a dark era of my life and I almost passed the point of no return... Thankfully, you were there for me... I'm still grateful to you for that and I will always be." ［Yuna］
Yuna continued talking, her words filled with even more sadness than before. But even with a heavy heart, she still tried to smile as she looked at Grey's direction.
Seeing Yuna's forced smile, Grey's heart screamed in pain. He wanted to comfort Yuna but didn't know how to. He wanted to pat Yuna's head like he always did when she was down but couldn't find the right timing.
"You know, when I asked you to train me, all that was on my mind was revenge. But as time passed, the anger in my heart calmed down. Actually, there were times I wanted to forget what happened and move on in life...
But when we came across another one of those incidents, what resurfaced was not anger but fear... fear that I will lose everything again... fear that I will be alone again... fear that I will be swallowed by darkness again...
Truthfully, when we were raiding the hideout, I was extremely anxious. Thankfully, Big Sis Vanessa was there to cheer me up. Because of her, I forgot all about my anxiousness and was able to focus my mind on the battle.
When I left you alone to face that creature, even though I knew that you could beat that creature, I still can't keep myself from worrying that something might go wrong. That's why when I saw you return, my heart was filled with so much relief that I felt like I lost all the strength in my legs. I would have probably collapsed if Big Sis Vanessa wasn't there to support me." ［Yuna］
Yuna giggled as she remembered what just happened a few minutes later. While she looked better as she giggled, her eyes begged to differ. The loneliness and sadness in them still have not disappeared.
"... And right now, I'm really really happy that everything is over. Now, I can finally move on from this gloomy chapter of life." ［Yuna］
Without voicing out anything, Grey listened to Yuna expressing everything she had felt all this time. And with each and every word that came out of her mouth, are the emotions she had always wanted to convey.
"Ah, I never noticed until now, but the stars sure are beautiful." ［Yuna］
Yuna said as she looked above towards the deep blue night sky illuminated by the silver moon and sea of stars. She was trying to change the topic with another lonely smile on her face.
"You don't need to hold back, you know." ［Grey］
"Huh? What do you mean?" ［Yuna］
"Haah... You're really so stubborn! Even if your voice is calm and you're wearing a smile, your tears beg to differ." ［Grey］
All the time Yuna was expressing her feelings, tears have been flowing down her face. She might not have noticed it herself, but for Grey, it was clear as day that she was crying.
"Ah, sorry for showing you such an ungracefー" ［Yuna］
Yuna tried to wipe away her tears but before she could even raise her hands, Grey placed his hands on her shoulders, making her jolt in surprise and stopping her words midway.
"Listen here, you stubborn girl! Didn't I say before that you don't have to hold back? If you want to cry, then cry until your tears dry up! Let it all out! Your fears, sufferings, anxiousness, uneasiness, whatever those maybe! And if you want a shoulder to cry on, you can cry on mine!... That's why... you should cry.... Cry until you're satisfied, okay...?" ［Grey］
Grey couldn't take it anymore and expressed his frustration about Yuna's stubbornness. He has known Yuna for almost three years and in those three years, he knew that Yuna would just try to keep everything to herself, in fear of bothering others.
Yuna was clearly showing a pained expression yet she tried to stay strong so that she wouldn't bother Grey more than she already has. In contrast, Grey wanted to take those pain away, even if it was only a little.
"Hic... Hic... Uuu.... Uwaaa..... Waaaaa....." [Yuna］
Grey's words were the final strike which finally broke down the dams stopping Yuna's tears from flowing. She cried as if there was no tomorrow.
It reminded Grey of the time Yuna cried years ago, and just like three years ago, as Yuna bawled her eyes, she soon fell asleep from all the crying, her face looking much better than when she was forcing herself to smile.
With Yuna asleep in his arms, Grey was not able to set up a tent to sleep into. Rather, he just rested his back to the nearby tree and covered Yuna in a blanket. And soon enough, he also fell asleep from all the exhaustion.
With the protection of the blanket from the cold night breeze and Grey's warmth, Yuna slept peacefully throughout the night. The symphony of the sleeping forest acting like a lullaby to soothe her dreams.
Time passed and the gentle rays from the sun seeped through the forest's canopy. The forest has started to wake up as the chirping of birds echoed in the air one after another.
"Fuwaahhh～" ［Yuna］
Yuna yawned as she greeted the new morning. She was woken up by the sun as it basked her face with warm and gentle sunlight. She was still quite sleepy as she stretched her arms outwards.
A puzzled expression loomed over the sleepy Yuna's face as she scanned the surroundings. She was trying to figure out where she was and tried to recall what happened the night before.
"Hm? Where's Grey?" ［Yuna］
Just as she tried recalling the events of last night, Yuna noticed that Grey was missing from her view, leaving her to be more puzzled. But her question was soon answered in a way she didn't quite expect.
As she removed the blanket covering her body, she noticed something was off. Other than her hands, there was another one which was revealed which was wrapped around her slim waist. The owner of the hand was none other than Grey who was still sleeping besides her.
"Kyaaaa!" ［Yuna］
Yuna jolted in surprise and quickly backed away from the sleeping Grey. Her face was redder than a ripe tomato and feeling feverish as she tried to figure out why she was sleeping beside Grey. On top of that, she was sleeping in his embrace.
Unfortunately, the stimulation was too much that Yuna's brain overheated because of it. Her brain couldn't process any sort of information anymore and she was red all the way to the tip of her pointy elven ears.
"Mmm...?" ［Grey］
Yuna's scream served as an alarm clock which woke up Grey from his peaceful sleep as he rubbed his eyes. Because of it, he wasn't able to witness Yuna's extremely flustered face.
"Hm? Yuna...?" ［Grey］
"Y-Yes?!" ［Yuna］
"What do you huwaahhhnt～ foww～ breakfast?" ［Grey］
Still wearing a sleepy face, Grey asked Yuna as he stretched and twisted his body. He still wasn't able to see Yuna's red expression as his eyes were still half-open as he did those actions.
When Grey fully awake, Yuna has already managed to suppress her embarrassment to the point it would only look like her cheeks were rosy. Her mind was still playing the scene of her waking up by Grey's side over and over again.
"U-Umm... I'll have whatever you cook." ［Yuna］
"You sure...?" ［Grey］
"Un!" ［Yuna］
Grey grabbed pots and cooking utensils from his "Inventory" and started to cook dishes one after another. Meanwhile, Yuna set up the picnic blanket and set the plates and tablewares in the right position.
Fried chicken, pork stew, soup, grilled fish, fruits, beverages, and of course, rice, were served on the picnic blanket. All of the foods were emanating aromatic scents which can make people salivate at a single whiff.
""Thanks for the food!""
Wearing happy expressions on their faces, Grey and Yuna had a hearty meal as they talked about a few topics. With one of the topics being how Yuna came to address Vanessa as "Big Sis".
Time passed and the once plentiful plates were now empty. Only bones and small pieces of food were left in the dishes Grey cooked. Even the container of beverages was drained empty.
"Yuna, what are you going to do from now on?" ［Grey］
As the two were cleaning up after their meal, Grey asked a sudden question out of the blue, making Yuna have a puzzled expression.
"Hm? What do you mean?" ［Yuna］
"You know, since the perpetrator of your home village's destruction has now been destroyed, you must have some plans from now onwards." ［Grey］
As Grey expounded on his question, Yuna became even more puzzled. To her, the answer was already obvious. She didn't understand why Grey would ask about it.
"Isn't that obvious? Of course, I'll be continuing my journey with you." ［Yuna］
Yuna declared with an innocently puzzled expression on her face. It was an answer which made Grey feel relieved and happy at the same time. One could see a faint smile on his face.
"Or... is it that you wish me to part ways with you?" ［Yuna］
"Of course not! Why would I? We're partners after all!" ［Grey］
Hearing a slightly crestfallen tone in Yuna's question, Grey quickly cleared Yuna's suspicion with a panicked expression.
Grey and Yuna have already been together for almost three years and Grey didn't plan to end their companionship anytime soon. He just couldn't imagine a life without Yuna by his side.
"Hehe, then I'll be in your care once again." ［Yuna］
Yuna giggled with a sweet expression on her face. Her lovely smile was brighter than the morning sun as she answered Grey enthusiastically.
Seeing the cheerful girl in front of her, Grey had once again realized how much Yuna had grown. She has become much stronger and brighter than before. She was now a fine lady.
After cleaning up their meal and the picnic site, Grey and Yuna then started to head back towards Galderia, and since it was only the two of them, they traveled at much faster speeds than when they were with the raid team.
"Oh, right. Yuna, what kind of sweets do you want to eat?" ［Grey］
Grey asked suddenly as he remembered his promise to Yuna the day before. He could still vividly remember Yuna's gloomy expression as she said those words. He wanted to change it into a cheerful one.
"Ah! You remembered!" ［Yuna］
"Of course I did. So, take a pick." ［Grey］
"T-Then, I'll have ice cream... pudding... and..." ［Yuna］
One after another, Yuna requested a lot of sweets from Grey, but Grey didn't stop her from ordering up, rather, Grey just looked at Yuna warmly as a joyous smile bloomed on her face.
CHAPTER 32 END