{1 day before the breakdown.}
The trip was going smoothly. Almost a little too smoothly considering how the pursuers back in Rottheim were so adamant on killing us. The second day was just a straight leisure trip by the amount of rest we were getting, not to mention, we never once lost our way.
As the day passed by, I felt it was unfortunate that I didn't let Anino throw up yesterday since we never deviated from the path our food supplies were topped up.
Anyhow today was the final day before we reached my hometown and I was starting to recognise the scenery around. The place where we were resting was the only stopped we made back when I left for Rottheim with Gern.
And yet, this place was almost completely isolated.
I understood that the outside was a dangerous place to be without adventurers. But from what Anino said, the organisation thing had high level adventurers amongst its ranks. So the fact that none followed was pretty unnerving.
"Natural Predator." I extended my search radius again, yet found nothing, but petty monsters around myself.
Nonetheless, I'm not one to complain about the lack of misfortune. For all I know, Vivi's aura might have warded them off too.
I shoved the useless thoughts away with slight relief. I was almost there.
The scent of grass, and the breeze hitting my skin. I felt refreshed and accomplished. After forcing myself to forget almost all the past, at least.
"Oi, El. You can keep on going ahead, I'll catch up with you in a bit." Vivi stopped right after we started to leave last night's camp.
"Eh? Not again." I turned around to face her.
"I need to do my business." She said while scratching her collar bone. Her eyes were darting around but I had no right to refute. She could just throw this party away, and we'd be sitting prey here. It was regretable, but I had to show some authority.
"What business?"
"Take a clue, man. It's almost been 3 days since we left. You already went like twice, I'm the only one left."
"Oh, I see." That's what she was talking about. It was weird seeing her all twiddly. "So it was just that. We'll wait for you." I leaned against a tree.
"DON'T! ...wait for me. That's embarrassing!" Vivi came running to me and pushed me away.
"And now you act reserved. What if you get lost and can't find us? What if we turn into some monster's lunch?"
"I'm a woman, it doesn't take me that long! You don't need to wait, I left my scent on you." What? Left her wha- Her sudden claim was concerning. "Please just gooo, I'll be back in a bit. And don't do something stupid like you did the last time that I was away."
"Tch, what do you take me for? Anyways, be quick." Be quick? To a person who was about to take a shit? What they heck was even talking about? I couldn't think of anything appropriate to say. Vivi nodded back. "Let's go Anino."
The girl next to me bowed a little, before starting to walk off next to the trail.
On the other side, the woman briskly walked off into the trees as Anino and I resumed our journey.
"Don't you have to go too? You haven't gone in two days either." I looked at my companion.
"I'm fine." She said politely but slightly embarrassed.
"But you should, it can't be healthy." I don't know why I was so concerned about her. Perhaps it was just my way of reaching out, to be needed. "Having you have stomach aches would be concerning. Are you sure, you'll be fine." I looked down at her.
"I.. w..t... wo..." She muttered.
"Eh?"
"I went before you woke up!" She said while grabbing the large t-shirt. Talk about a maiden.
"I see." The air became awkward. "But don't do that from tomorrow. Don't be alone when Vivi and I are asleep." The ground was coarse under our feet, and even though we were only left Vivi for a bit, my senses were picking up monsters eyeing on us from afar. But they still didn't take any actions, perhaps because of Vivi's 'scent'.
This was a dangerous place.
"Io- I mean Master Elyan…" As our little stroll progressed, Anino grabbed my sleeve.
"What? Did talking about it make you want to go too now?" My words made her face turn red again.
"N-no! I just- I haven't thanked you yet… So I wanted to just- Just! THANK YOU!" She jumped ahead of me, turned around, and bowed down sincerely. So quickly in fact that her braid flipped over her head. I could see her nape and a glimpse of the scars on her back.
Even after going through so much, she was cheerful. Unlike me.
But then again, she never got thrown in front of a moose in the middle of the night. Nor did she get her legs obliterated. Not that I'm trying to one-up her.
'Why am I even comparing?' It was envy.
She had gotten closer to becoming a 'live'r while I was still filling the roll of a survivor.
"It's fine. I couldn't just leave after seeing a scene like that." I tried to brush her gratitude off.
"But still!"
I couldn't stand her believing that my act was an act of heroism. I needed to set the record straight-
"Anino, honestly, I stood there for a minute weighing the outcomes- watching you get slapped. I could have intervened sooner. Even when I was getting chased out of the city and was about to fall off the bridge I hated myself for choosing to help you. I'm not a good guy. Just an impulsive one. Your situation just happened to be one that I wanted to mess with." My confession made her eyes wide.
I couldn't in my right conscience have her believe that I was her saviour. If it were the past me, who didn't know how much it hurt to get beaten to a pulp, I wouldn't have second-guessed saving her. I would have graciously become her saviour. But after feeling unimaginable pain, more than anything self-preservation mattered tremendously to me.
I was just a guy who wanted to live to see another day.