The faint golden light of the setting sun filtered through the small wooden window of Florã's room, casting a warm glow over her surroundings. It had been half a day since she had collapsed from exhaustion, but now, her strength was returning. Determined, she pushed aside the thin blanket and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her fingers brushed against the rough wooden frame as she stood, her resolve as unyielding as ever.
Florã crossed the room to grab her belongings, but before she could do much, the door creaked open. Lorain stepped in, his soft footsteps almost hesitant. His gaze fell on her, a mix of concern and disapproval in his eyes.
"Floren," he said, his voice firm yet gentle. "Don't push yourself. You need to rest. At least for today."
She paused, looking at him for a moment. "I can't," she replied, her voice unwavering. "I have to ensure the safety of these people. I've already wasted too much time lying here. I can't let more innocent lives be lost because of those bandits."
She turned back to her things, her movements hurried, but there was a faint tremble in her hands.
Lorain stepped closer, his brow furrowed with concern. "The bandits have been quiet for now," he reasoned. "You don't need to exhaust yourself when the danger isn't immediate."
Florã froze, gripping the edge of the table in front of her. She didn't look at him as she spoke. "That's what worries me. Their calmness... it's unnatural. It feels like the calm before the storm. I can't ignore it. I need to be ready."
Lorain sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He knew there was no stopping her when she had that look in her eyes—a blend of determination and worry that cut through even his protests.
"Alright," he relented. "But before you do anything, sit down for a moment. We need to talk."
Florã hesitated but eventually returned to her bed, the wood creaking softly under her weight. Lorain pulled up a chair, his movements deliberate, and sat across from her. He rested his arms on his knees, leaning forward slightly, his expression softening.
"Floren," he began, his tone sincere, "I know how much you care about these people. I see how hard you're trying, how much you're willing to sacrifice. But you don't have to carry this burden alone."
She opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a hand, stopping her.
"Listen to me," he continued. "The situation you're in is overwhelming. I understand that. The pressure, the responsibilities—they're a lot for anyone. But you need to remember something: there are always options. No matter how dire a problem seems, there's more than one way to solve it. The choices you make—those are what define the outcome. And even a single decision can change everything. That's why you need to think carefully and, most importantly, take care of yourself while doing so. You can't help others if you're not in the right state yourself."
Florã's shoulders relaxed slightly as she absorbed his words. For the first time in hours, she felt a flicker of calm amidst the storm brewing in her mind.
"You're so kind, Lorain," she said softly. Her voice, though steady, carried a hint of sadness. "Too kind. But I'm not being honest with you about something—something that's important in all of this."
She hesitated, her hands clasping tightly in her lap. Her secret felt heavier than ever. The truth about her identity—about being a woman—gnawed at her, especially now. Lorain had been nothing but supportive, and yet, she had kept this from him.
Lorain tilted his head, his expression curious yet patient. "What is it, Floren? You can tell me."
Her gaze dropped to the floor, shame flickering in her eyes. "I've been lying to you," she admitted. "... about something that matters so much right now."
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then Lorain smiled—a warm, reassuring smile that reached his eyes.
"It doesn't matter," he said simply.
Florã's head shot up, her eyes wide with surprise. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," he said, his tone unwavering, "whatever you're hiding, whatever you've lied about—I'm sure you have your reasons. If you've chosen this path, then walk it with confidence. Don't let guilt weigh you down. I won't let our friendship falter over something like this. You're like a brother to me, Floren, and that's not going to change."
His words hit her like a wave of warmth, dissolving the icy grip of guilt in her chest. She felt a lump rise in her throat as her emotions threatened to spill over.
"Thank you, Lorain," she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with sincerity.
He reached out, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone in this, Floren. Don't forget that."
As the room fell silent, the weight on Florã's heart felt just a little lighter. Lorain's words echoed in her mind, offering her a sense of peace she hadn't felt ..
Florã, feeling worn out from the situation, tried to lighten the mood with one of her usual jokes. However, Lorian interrupted her gently, saying, "You don't always have to carry the weight alone, Florã. Sometimes, you should let me take a turn at helping too."
Florã smiled softly, her expression lightening as she looked at Lorian. "Let's head outside," she said, her voice carrying a hint of warmth and resolve. "I think we still have some meat left from yesterday, so at least we don't need to go hunting today."
She glanced toward the village, her gaze lingering on the scattered homes, many of which still bore the marks of recent attacks. "But there's so much more to do," she continued, a thoughtful crease forming on her brow. "The houses need repairing, and the villagers… they need to learn how to defend themselves. We can't always be here to protect them."
She sighed, running a hand through her hair as if trying to organize her swirling thoughts. "It feels overwhelming sometimes," she admitted, her tone softening. "But we'll take it one step at a time, solve it all little by little. That's the only way forward, right?"
Her words hung in the air for a moment before she turned to Lorian, her smile returning, steadier now. "Come on, let's make a start. The sooner we begin, the sooner this village can stand on its own."
Lorian chuckled softly and asked, "Alright, so what's first on the list?"
Florã threw her hands up dramatically, groaning. "Don't confuse me, Lorian!"
He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Confuse you? Why are you confused?"
She sighed, crossing her arms. "Because I'm terrible at making decisions. That's the hardest part for me!"
Lorian burst out laughing, clutching his stomach as his laughter echoed through the quiet village. "You're so dumb sometimes!" he teased, his grin widening.
Florã narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a pout. "Aaaa, don't be so rude, na! You're supposed to help, not mock me!"
Still laughing, Lorian reached out to ruffle her hair. "Alright, alright, I'll behave. But seriously, let's figure it out together. Deal?"
Florã hadn't expected it when Lorian reached out and ruffled her hair. The gesture was so casual, so easy, and yet it completely disarmed her. The warmth of his hand lingered for a moment, and to her surprise, she realized it felt… kind of nice. But almost immediately, her mind spiraled into chaos.
Why does that feel good? Aaaaa, this is so bad! Why am I being so open like this? she thought, her cheeks warming. Memories of a manga she'd read in her past life suddenly surfaced. In that story, the main character would always ruffle the waifu's hair like this… Am I… the waifu here?!
Her eyes widened in panic as she continued her internal rant. No, no, no! He doesn't see me like that. He thinks of me as just another guy. Yeah, a man. I need to act like one. Be strong. Be cool. Men don't blush over hair ruffling!
Determined to suppress her spiraling thoughts, Florã abruptly raised her hands to her head, smoothing out the mess he'd left. "Hey!" she snapped, glaring at him, though her voice wavered slightly. "Don't ruffle my hair—it's going to get all messy! And if you touch it again, I swear I'll beat you up!"
Lorian leaned back, clearly unfazed by her threat, and burst into hearty laughter. "Yeah, yeah, sure," he said in a mocking tone, his smirk widening. "Like you could actually take me down."
Florã huffed, her face heating up further. She turned her back to him, hoping he wouldn't notice the faint blush creeping across her cheeks. She clutched at her hair protectively, muttering under her breath. Stay calm. Be cool. Be… a man. That's right. A man. Forget the waifu nonsense!
Behind her, Lorian's laughter carried on, his teasing tone making her want to throw a rock at him, but instead, she took a deep breath. There were bigger problems to deal with than her hair—or her flustered heart.
Florã cleared her throat, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment. "Alright, enough of this," she said firmly, turning back to face Lorian. "Let's be serious. I don't want to waste all our time just talking and laughing. There's too much to do."
Lorian raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Oh, so now you're all business?"
"Yes, exactly," Florã replied, ignoring his teasing tone. She folded her arms, her expression growing thoughtful. "I think our first step should be to talk with the village head. He knows the people here better than anyone, so it makes sense to start with him. Once we've gotten his perspective, we'll make a plan."
Lorian nodded, the teasing look in his eyes softening into something more serious. "Alright, sounds like a solid idea. Let's head over and see what he has to say."
Florã felt a wave of relief as the conversation shifted back to their mission. She was determined to focus, pushing aside her flustered thoughts. There was too much at stake to get distracted. "Good. Let's not waste any more time, then," she said, stepping forward with renewed determination.