"It- it's not even their fault though" I made up excuses for them stuttering, caught a little off guard.
"But why are you so hurt, It never happened before..." His eyes filled with tears as he pouted
Aww how cute, he's worried about me
I put both his cheeks in my palms and kissed one gently
"I'm really sorry, I promise it won't happen again" I promised him smiling softly as he blushed frowning
"I won't forgive it If you don't keep it" he muttered shyly
The guys in the back looked amazed
Are they not used to sisterly love?
It was like that until Nico the damned blurted out
"It never happened before? Didn't you say nosebleeds happened ofte-" Before he could complete the sentence Ethetia elbowed his ribs "Ugh-"
I glared at him
'Haa- What a dim-witted individual'
Rin's eyes widened, and he narrowed them again. "It happened before...?"
I held my temples and "Mm...I think I'm a little dizzy; Rin, can you help me sit?" Changed the subject as I gave him a task for distraction
He fell for it right away and helped me cutely with his short hands
•••
As soon as I sat down, the exhaustion hit me like a carriage
I felt my eyes get heavy and Aravind noticed right away and got up
"You should rest for now, All of you to the second tent." He ordered
They all went out, including Rin
He said that he wanted to have a chat with them or something, I couldn't hear well because my consciousness was slipping away
I closed my eyes and pleasantly cosily snoozed
●●●
As soon as they got out of the tent Aravind ordered Michiel to call a shadow
A shadow is the one who specializes in guiding banished people to the abandoned village
They usually hide in the shadows of the exiled and guide them by showing small clues along the way to make their sentence more arduous and torturous
Never minding leaving them eaten by a monster along the way or starved to death
Of course, it will not happen like that this time around
The four of them will accompany Secillia and make sure she reaches the village safely
Then they can leave
Aravind truly believes that she will live there just fine, she is a very strong-willed woman with a good sense of responsibility
Nico told him about the old carriage driver and how she protected him. Furthermore, that quick sword she showed against the Ovak...
With her younger brother accompanying her, She will certainly be fine
As soon as she gets better, They will inevitably depart for their destination
But his grim face showed hesitation in applying it
If only she wasn't so adamant on doing it, hadn't she looked almost excited...
He would've found a way to help her out
But it would've been strange if he suggested otherwise all of a sudden
He sat near the half-made campfire and stared at it for a while
•••
"Hwaaam" I yawned and stretched from the good slumber I had
"Hm..?"
What's wrong with my...body?
I woke up feeling very strange
What? I feel focused
Like a fog cleared from my mind
My eyes were clearer and my mood was soaring
I instinctively felt like my mental capacity expanded
I always used my gravity one way or another
But the number of times which I strained myself to the extent of bleeding counts on one hand
And this time was the longest
"Hm...."
Does overusing gravity develops it?
And the more I bleed, The stronger I get...?
It felt like I just deducted a very troublesome truth
I left the tent and was met with the scene of Aravind cooking with an apron.
I wonder how he got it, looking like a housewife
'Did he perhaps bring it along?'
Thinking about him packing an apron with his usual serious face was comedic
I turned my head to Michiel and Etheria sitting together, apparently pondering how to break the news to the Grand Duke.
That his only Heir will take a criminal by himself to the middle of an unknown territory, without investigating properly or even taking proper security measures.
Taking along the count's son and the marquis's most beloved daughter
'How can we report it without causing him to collapse from blood pressure?' They looked very troubled as it seemed like an impossible mission
And on the other side...
'Hm..?'
I saw Nico giving Rin swordsmanship advice
The serious face of that child was very endearing to me
I decided to leave them alone as Rin looked really focused and determined
I would uncontrollably hug him and disrupt his training if I got any closer
So I went ahead to Aravind's side, intending to help
"Oh, you're up" He calmly glanced
I smiled again at his uncharacteristic appearance
"How long was I asleep for?" I asked curiously
"Two days" he cynically responded
My jaw dropped
"T-two days?" I responded a little loudly
And the attention of everyone turned to me
"Older Sister!!" Rin ran right away and hugged me
"Oh, It looks like disrupted your training anyway" I said laughing helplessly
"Did you say two days? No one woke me up?" I asked with Rin still hanging from my waist
"This one here was threatening us" Nico pointed at Rin who frowned as a result
"How can a small cute child like me threaten full-fledged adults" He coyly acted like a pitiful kid
And I unfortunately fell for the act in the blink of an eye and patted his back consolingly
While the other four narrowed their eyes
"What a cunning child" Etheria muttered
"Anyways, I'll go clean myself first. Is there a water source here?" I asked
I intended to help with the food but since it's been that long, I need to bathe first
"I'll guide you" Etheria took the initial
"I'll get my clothes first"
"Did you have baggage? I've never seen it" Nico interrupted
"Oh...Uh...I hid it"
"Hm? Why would you?"
"Why should I tell you, Anyways I'm smelly I need to hurry" I hastily changed the subject and went to the tent
They all tilted their heads puzzled by my behaviour
Nico's a nice man but he's a little too observant
I got clothes that were shrunk in my sack and left with Etheria to the river nearby
We were walking along the trees and beautiful unique vegetation
Since we were in the early spring, Flowering was in its zenith
I looked around the greenery in delight for it was fairly different from my past life
As I said before, I couldn't go out often in this life especially for my own enjoyment
"You certainly look happier here..." Etheria muttered
"Hm..?" Did we really meet each other before?
"Oh..nothing" Thinking my hum was for not hearing her, she dismissed her words
I went along with it and after a few minutes walk
We reached our destination
It was a long-running river at a higher elevation, The ground abruptly cuts leaving the water stream flying off to a low depot already filled to the brim
"How do we get there..?" I asked pointing downhill at the stable body of water
"We jump?" She tilted her head not hearing my concern
Wasn't intelligence her forte?
I am out here acting like an ordinary person, I almost readily nodded at her matter-of-fact proposition
I decided to show a little of my power
The others know anyway, They might've even told her that's why she proposed it
"Alright then, Let's Jump"
"Huh? You can?"
"What?"
"What?"
What in the world is she doing....
Turns out, She wanted to jump...while carrying me
Her intentions are a little...
That made me a little suspicious so I refused to bathe with her
And she almost cried...
She is undeniably unusual
She defeated me with her tears in the end, And we are now washing in the fairly deep waters
"Are you better now? Your complexion is uncomparably better, I can't get my eyes off that face"
Lightly ignoring the last sentence I responded
"I feel so good, in fact it's been so long since I had this much of a good sleep"
"Oh, when are we leaving?" I blurted out as she played with the water.
"We were waiting for you to wake up. The shadow arrived yesterday," she replied, pausing for a moment.
"Is that so..." I responded calmly.
"Are you sure? My suggestion still stands—"
"I am," I declared, resolute. "Even so, I'm grateful..."
Not many would do that for a stranger, even if she was a bit... peculiar.
"You looking at me like that makes me feel weird," she said, clutching her chest. "But I'm not that good of a person."
"Why is that?" I asked, puzzled by her odd response.
"Frankly, I'm indebted to you. If it weren't for you, I don't know where I'd be now..." She seemed to drift in thought.
"Huh?" Had I been that close to her, and I didn't even remember?
I was about to ask for clarification when I sensed someone nearby.
I hushed Athy and stepped behind a tree to conceal myself from the unknown presence.
He seemed to be a skilled assassin.
I extended my gravity and...
"A woman?"