Chapter 13 - The Only Reason (1/2)

Chapter 13 – The Only Reason

「That… those red eyes…」

Clang.

Luke’s voice was buried by the sound of the bells jingling as the store door opened and closed hastily.

“Oh?”

Ashia’s head turned toward the door of the store.

“I guess you didn’t lock the door.”

It seemed that Ashia had forgotten to lock the door as she entered after seeing Verna off.

Ashia propped her body back up, leaning against the post of her bed, and walked through her hallway into her shop.

“Hmm?”

Ashia’s eyes widened as she looked at the person who entered her shop.

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

“She said you collapsed?”

He walked over and placed the back of his hand on Ashia’s cheek and forehead.

“Terros.”

Terros, who should have been in the Imperial Palace, had arrived. Seeing that her fever had gone down, he sighed and continued.

“I met Sister Verna while I was on the way here.”

“Ah…….”

Ashia then nodded her head with a look of understanding. And soon, Terros’ nagging gushed out.

“Why are you acting so stupidly? What did you do after leaving the hospital?”

His voice and expression were full of concern for Ashia. Just like Jericho, a kind child. Ashia looked up at Terros and laughed silently.

Note: Jericho is probably a small child from before from their village

“You said you went to the hospital. Why can’t you fix it by telling the hospital ahead of time?”

“At the very least, you can ask for painkillers.”

“If it’s such a drug, I can make it myself.”

“But you didn’t make it and became like this!”

Both ends of Ashia’s eyebrows slanted downwards as she watched Terros wrestle with his upset heart.

“…I’m sorry. I made you worry.”

“…Take care of yourself, please.”

He was so worried about Ashia, who made potions to treat others, but did not take care of her own body.

Ashia felt even more sorry when she saw the look on his face, which was clouded with sincerity.

“……Yes, I’ll be careful.”

Terros carefully supported Ashia’s shoulders and led her to the bedroom. He put her on the bed, pulled a chair, and sat next to her.

“Your face is very distorted.”

“I’ll be fine now. If I hadn’t taken medicine, I’d have been sick for three to four days.”

“Starting next year, make medicine in advance. Even if the store is closed.”

“….I will. Don’t worry.”

Terros stayed at Ashia’s shop for a long time. Despite Ashia telling him to go back immediately, he insisted that he would sleep in the place he had stayed in when he was young.

“I’m really fine now, Terro.”

Terros gazed at Ashia and rose from his chair.

“My room is next to the warehouse, okay?”

“Terro.”

Terros returned the chair he had sat on and looked at Ashia again.

“I said I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be too worried to train properly anyways.”

He then walked towards the door, grabbed the handle, and said.

“I know you can’t sleep if there’s someone next to you.”

“I’ll be quiet in my room, so please don’t think anyone’s here and take a nap.”

Terros opened the door to his room and managed to walk away from Ashia’s room.

He walked a little past the warehouse and found the dark brown door. Ashia and him had settled in the capital of the Karhan Empire and had been together for several years. It was Terros’ room at that time.

He turned the door handle and entered the room. It seemed that it had already been more than three years since he had been inside this room as he had entered the Imperial Palace Order.

And yet, it looked just like the way it did when he had left. It felt like time had not passed in this room.

“Sigh…”

It was as if the room was managed every single day. The sun-scented bedding was still spread out straight, and his scent seemed to be lingering in the clean room devoid of any dust.

The desk Terros used, the books he read, and the things he used were all in place.

He wouldn’t have been sad if the room had been left unattended or cleaned up, but seeing how it was managed, his heart beat so fast that it ached.

Despite her busy schedule, he pictured her cleaning and organizing his room every day without exception.

Terros slumped down on the bed. He bent over, wrapped his face, and sighed loudly.

He knew it’s all just sympathy and guilt.

Nevertheless, his feelings for her could not be reversed. No, he couldn’t figure out how to give up on her in the first place.

For Terros, Ashia was the beginning and the reason for everything. The only reason he could breathe and open his eyes every morning without being frustrated by any pain and anguish.

He couldn’t get her off his mind like that. He couldn’t give up. But he couldn’t force his feelings on her either.

So he waited. Until she looks at him as a man. Until then, Terros was going to stay with her quietly.

Until just now. It was until just now.

Ashia collapsed.

He met Verna on the way to Ashia’s store. The moment he heard from her that Ashia had collapsed, his eyes went blank.

Verna caught Terros again, who was about to go to the store.

-Did you know that guy?

-What do you mean by that guy?

-I heard about a man who went into Ashia’s shop and saved her from her sickness. Although he was just passing by, I felt that he wasn’t just on the level of a client she had known.

-Is Ashia’s nickname Lena?

-Lena?

Terros tilted his head when he heard that the man had called her Lena.

-No, I don’t even have a pet name for Sister Ashia.

Suddenly, he remembered a name he had heard in a conversation between Ashia and Ventus seven years ago.

-What’s this paper under the necklace, Lena Connelly?

-Oh, that’s my other name. I wrote down the name because I needed it for my order.

Note: Order is regarded as some sort of ritual or something about theology or magic