Chapter 22

It was morning. The sunrise was especially beautiful from the top of the tree. Right under me, I could see the tent and the tarp we had set up yesterday.

Mmm? Why would I sleep in a tree if we had a tent?

That would be because of the wrath of my roommate.

My spirits were a little low that morning as I untied the rope of vines from around me and used it to slowly climb down the trunk. I couldn’t help but sigh in relief upon seeing that there was no movement coming from the sunlit tent. The owner was still asleep. Of course, I would not do anything so tactless as to try and wake her up. That was the other day’s lesson, I suppose.

Don’t wake up Daniela.

I began to make a fire to heat up what remained of yesterday’s soup. As there was not much to do now, I sat and stared into the flames as time seemed to move slowly. I enjoyed staring blankly at the fire. It allowed you to empty your head a little.

Before I knew it, I could hear the sound of the soup boiling and I quickly move the pot away. The soup is poured into a bowl and I enjoy a lonely breakfast. I’m sure she’d wake up eventually. But it was boring to have to wait, so I decided to set up a little surprise for her. I would go and hunt a deer.

I swear, it’s not because I wanted to eat it myself. Nope!

It wasn’t too hard to make a bow out of a pliant branch and some rope. Arrows too. I sharpened a straight branch and attached some feathers that were on the ground and it was ready. I’m sure I could have done better with more time, but I wasn’t a professional. This was sure to at least be enough to take down a deer, thanks to ‘Jack of all trades.’

I tried Daniela’s method of detecting the presence of other creatures that she taught me yesterday, as I searched the forest.

Hmm. Was this a monster or a deer? If it was a monster, then it was likely a forest wolf. They often moved in packs. But what about deer? Deer also moved in packs. But unlike forest wolves, they didn’t have magical energy. Then if I could detect the presence of magic…

“Eh, of course, it would not be that easy to detect.”

That would be a cheat.

“Anyway, I’ll search for one and observe from afar.”

That was really all I could do. I better hurry up and hunt this thing if I wanted to surprise her.

I imagined her surprised face as I walked on for several minutes. Apparently, I was pretty lucky today. There was a group of deer walking ahead of me. This was just great. Now I just needed to successfully kill one and everything would be perfect.

I check the direction of the wind. It wasn’t upward, but it wasn’t downward either. Then I felt a gentle touch against my left cheek. Was it a spirit?

I slowly move to a downward position. The deer were quietly eating the leaves of young trees under the morning light that leaked from the forest roof. They hadn’t noticed me yet.

They continued to be oblivious as I arrived in position and pulled out my bow. I imagine it in my head, then ‘Jack of all trades’ immediately plays the motions in my brain, on four separate screens. I follow the instructions, nock the arrow and pull.

The wind blows calmly at my hair. Just as the bangs that slightly covered my left eye moved, and my view was clear, I let go.

Unlike Daniela’s bow, there’s a loud whoosh as the string sends the arrow flying. The deer all look in my direction. One of their numbers now has an arrow half-way into its chest. There is a faint cry. A scream. The other deer scatter in a panic as the one deer falls to the ground. I quickly dash over to it and raise my sword over it to give it a quick death. It’s wet, black eyes look up at me, but I ignore it as the blade falls.

□ □ □ □

Asagi was gone.

Such were my thoughts when I got out of the tent and looked up at the tree. But there were traces of him having been here. Yesterday’s soup was warm and near the fire. My bowl and spoon had been washed and were set right next to it. The bowl was even upside down as to stay clean. That alone was enough to make me smile, a little.

The morning of the previous day. I had slept in late as usual. Apparently. Not being able to wake up in the morning was my eternal curse. I had even drunk some ale I got from the kitchens to help me sleep that night. But I suppose that was my downfall, as I had become quite hot in my sleep and somehow managed to remove all of my clothing. And then Asagi had come to wake me up. It was an accident that I had invited, and so it was not his fault. But my own sense of shame made it difficult to accept that.

Nothing had been resolved as we left the western gate and penetrated the forest. Asagi made attempts to lighten the mood. But as the one who had been seen naked, I was hardly going to allow that. We talked less after that, and I became less considerate. I know that I’ve lived a long life as a light elf, but sometimes I could be very childish. Unfortunately, this tendency has a way of tying me down and prevents me from moving. He only smiled with a perplexed expression as he followed me and practiced what I taught him about detection.

When it came to combat, my body would move. It was something I had done so many times. But it was here that my consideration for him was lacking. It was lacking to a dangerous degree. And then a sense of self-loathing pierced into my heart like a thorn.

It was after we had eaten dinner. Asagi had looked at the flames and chuckled. Who knows what he was thinking when doing so, but he then looked at me and bowed.

“Daniela, thank you. Everything’s different from yesterday. It’s like I’m seeing things differently now.”

For a moment, I wasn’t sure what he meant by that. But the first thing that entered my mind was the incident of that morning. What was he saying? What had he been thinking as he chuckled a moment ago? That was what I thought.

“Aye, because you saw me naked. Swine.”

Thinking back, it was possible that I was being a little harsh on him. If I could return to yesterday, I would give myself a good slap. Asagi froze for a moment as he continued to look down, then he raised his face, and he was wearing the same perplexed smile he had most of this afternoon.

“Let’s sleep separately tonight. I’m sure we’ll feel more comfortable.”

So saying, he stood up and disappeared into the forest. I wondered what he was up to, but it did give me time to think.

What did he mean by seeing things differently? What had we done today? He saw me naked. We came to the forest. We hunted forest wolves. I taught him how to detect the presence of creatures in the forest.

Recalling all of this, I thought back on what he had said. And I realize. Detection. His view of the forest was what had changed, not his view of me.

It is there that I finally realize what I had said. Just as I stood up to look for him, he returned carrying a rock and some vines. He had adeptly braided the vines into a rope. In the short time I had to admire his handiwork, he had already climbed up the tree and I was unable to apologize to him. He was already up there. Was he in a rush?

I was just about to call up to him when he swung the rock around the trunk of the tree, securing himself with the vines. I see. There were stories of him sleeping in trees, but I hadn’t known how he did it until now.

There was no time now. It was rather sad of me. My own immaturity had chased him up a tree. There were no words to express the distaste I felt for myself then, but I had nothing left to do but enter the tent, which leads to the present moment.

I pour some soup into my bowl and take a sip. It was warm. Just like his heart. I sighed and then sensed a presence nearby. Something was approaching me. And then I knew; it was Asagi. He had come back.

I would apologize to him this time. Thank him for the soup. I drank the rest in one gulp and looked in the direction he would appear from. To apologize. So we could continue to work together.

Then Asagi appeared, shouldering a magnificent doe on his back.