Chapter Twelve - A date? This is not a date!

After we finished our conversation Eiran requested a maid to accompany him to her sister but she told him that she had fallen asleep so he wrote a letter to her in case she woke up and missed him. Of course, Lord Lauviére had offered us to stay but they had their hands full dealing with the criminals and providing for the victims, so we both declined his offer.

I also penned a letter for my family and handed it over. In my estimation, when they receive it I won't be here anymore. I am going to talk to the doctor tomorrow and either go home with her or continue my journey.

After we left the mansion behind I looked at him.

„So what's your plan now?"

„I camp in the forest tonight and go back for Aprudeé tomorrow and we will go home. That's all." He answered without hesitation.

„I am renting a room nearby and if you want you can join me." I offered.

„Inviting a man into your room is pretty bold. Are you sure this is a good idea?" He looked at me with his eyebrows raised high.

Damn, I am so stupid. I felt my face turn red. I hadn't thought of that but he is right. I was just reluctant to part for some reason… But people would give us weird looks if we did that.

„I just wanted you to get a good night's sleep, but yes, that was a dumb idea," I admitted and he sighed.

„I don't think you could rest well if I were there too." He scratched his head awkwardly as we stood in silence. Why he is so….

„Alright, then we'll meet tomorrow," I said hastily and turned around. The situation was becoming unbearable. I felt so embarrassed. But then I heard footsteps behind me. „Why are you following me? The forest is not in this direction." I asked without turning around and he stepped next to me and continued to walk.

„I decided to get a room as well. Otherwise, I would worry about you ." He averted his eyes.

„You didn't seem worried before."

„I didn't know you before. Now that I know you better I can't just leave you alone." Damn, this heart of mine! Stop fluttering! I wish he would stop saying things that remind me of someone else. But I didn't say anything.

We reached the inn at a steady pace and he got a room without any problem. We both went up to our room to rest a bit and freshen up and I changed my clothes. I took nothing but a few simple pieces with me because even the thought of wearing the same clothes for days without washing them disgusted me.

After that, I fell on my bed. It was such a long day that it felt like a little eternity. Meeting Persiana and then Eiran. Finding the hideout and capturing the criminals. This day was much busier and more exciting than my entire year.

After I get home I think I will just stay in bed and read for a few days. I hope I can go home tomorrow…

I must have drifted off to sleep because I jumped up when I heard a knock. I rubbed my eyes and went to the door.

„Who is it?" I asked sleepily.

„It's Eiran." I opened the door. „I thought we could have dinner together." As friends? I don't even know why this thought came to my mind. What else could we be?

„Oh, sure." I agreed immediately. „Let's go."

„Maybe you should tidy up your clothes a little." He was obviously looking at the ceiling. I looked down at myself. Oh my good. My clothes shifted a bit in my sleep and my cleavage was very noticeable. I wanted to slap myself but resisted the urge and just pulled it back into place. Ignoring the heat in my face I marched down to the dining area.

Luckily, he didn't say anything, just followed me and we sat down at the table. We ordered our food and stared awkwardly at the table. I held back a sigh. Why do I feel this way? The last time I felt like this was on my first date, but we barely knew each other.

„Hm…" A theme… We need a theme. „Why was Lord Lauviére so shocked when he saw that child with your sister?" I was interested in the answer. He gave me a suspicious gaze. What?

„I am surprised you don't know. In your country, the people revere the elves as gods. In my kingdom, we also respect them but we are more religious. So buying and selling an elf is like defying a god." He explained it to me.

„Is there a reason for it?"

„Well, a long long time ago thick, dark smog surrounded the whole empire destroying all the plants and making the people sick. Every year it became more and more difficult to live there and people despaired. Until the elves showed up and revived the forest. They breathed life into the plants and the air cleared up and the sun shone again and so on. It's a very famous fairy tale as well." Ugh.

„My parent's methods are…unique." I am sorry, father, and mother. I never paid attention when you told me tales. I hope Rihian did better and knows this thing. I only told him about fables from my original world, but I am sure my parents did their job and told you about the elves.

„Really?" He raised his eyebrow but let it go. „But they love you," He added.

„Yeah, I never doubted their love, and I am the same. I would do anything to see them happy and healthy. What about yours?" Complex emotions flashed across his face.

„I have them but can't say more. They have no interest in us, they just wanted to make sure to have a successor so they had more children. The only thing I remember about them is their cold gaze and saying to me that I could do whatever I wanted as long as I didn't tarnish the family name. If I ever did something shameful they would disown me." His voice was matter-of-fact and I felt a pang in my heart. He has grown into a good person so I shouldn't feel sorry for him. He deserves only respect, not pity.

„I am sorry to hear that. What about your siblings? Is your relationship good?" I hope you had someone to rely on at least in your childhood.

„We rather indifferent to each other. „He thought for a bit before answering. „But I trust them." He said it in a quiet voice as if it was hard to admit. „My older brother is five years older so when I was old enough to walk and talk he already started his education as the future heir. We didn't have much chance to interact. Now he is a knight, a vice-captain in charge of protecting our border. My younger brother is three years younger but our interests are vastly different. I like to go out and explore the world and hone my swordsmanship, and he prefers to read in the library about weird things and do research. He is at the Royal Academia of Seimus studying magic and curses."

„An interesting topic." I hmmed.

„And you've already met Aprudeé. She is the youngest, she is eleven this year. 8 younger than me. We all knew that our parents wouldn't care about her or give her any warmth, so we decided to do everything we could to make her a happy child. It was a silent agreement. After her disappearance, I notified them and told them to concentrate on their own thing, I will find and bring her home."

„And they didn't protest or offer to help?" It was unbelievable to me.

„My younger brother, Wairon would be useless. He doesn't know anything about the world, he was raised by books, so it's better if he stays still. My older brother, Taueirre is capable and experienced but he has a lot of responsibilities. And they know I work as a mercenary when I feel like it. I have people I work with and I know how to follow traces.

„Still, if my little brother disappeared I wouldn't stay put even if my parents told me they take care of it."

„Even if you know you couldn't contribute or potentially put your kingdom in danger?" He seemed sceptical.

„You're probably expecting me to say no but I don't think I could just stay still," I admitted and to my surprise he smiled.

„I think you have a wonderful family."

„Thank you, I think so too. I am proud of them and love them. My father, my mother and my brother are all upstanding, fair and responsible people. I couldn't ask for a better family." In this world. I felt sadness start to creep into my heart so I quickly shook myself. „Are you going home tomorrow?"

„Yes, I plan to. What about you?" I just sighed.

„It depends on what the doctor says. I would like to go home as well, but if she can't give me a solution I have to go on."

„Is your father's condition very severe?" I didn't want to say it, but considering I implied that it's not something that can be easily cured, it's rather obvious.

„We don't know what kind of illness it is because we've never seen anything like that before." I didn't want to go into details.

„I see. I hope you will find a solution soon." I appreciated that he didn't ask more questions. I could tell he was curious but he considered my feelings and remained silent. He was just like… Nope!

I probably feel this kind of attachment and attraction for him because he keeps reminding me of him but I need to sever this connection. If I continue to stay with him, I may lose my sense of reality and begin to believe it's him, and that isn't good for my mental health and would be unfair to him.

So I quickly finished my meal and went up to my room. Tomorrow we will part ways and never meet again. Thank you for everything, I wish you the best.