"Ethan, drink this. It's a C-tier healing potion. It'll help your wounds heal faster," Aria said, her voice gentle yet urgent.
She handed him a small vial, its liquid shimmering with a faint blue glow. The cost of such potions was exorbitant, and Ethan couldn't help but feel grateful for Aria's generosity.
They were gathered in Ethan's cramped quarters—the place he called home within the bustling inn. Aunt Greta stood nearby, her expression a mix of concern and indignation. Her daughter, Emily, hovered at her side, wide-eyed and curious.
"How cruel!" Innkeeper Greta exclaimed, her voice filled with sympathy. "I can't believe they beat you up like this. It's abominable!" Her gaze shifted from Ethan to Aria, as if seeking answers or perhaps reassurance.
Emily looked at Ethan's bloody wounds, hiding at the corner of her mother's clothes. "Big brother, get well soon," she said softly.
Ethan smiled at her, despite the agony. Thanks to Aria, his wounds were healing fast. It was possible that these wounds might be healed by the end of the day.
"Aria, will Ethan be alright?" Aunt Greta's worry spilled over.
"Yes, he will be alright. There's no need to worry," Aria assured with a smile.
"I am worried about something else," Aria said, her expression shifting to deep contemplation. "Ethan has killed a hunter inside the city, and this could lead to serious consequences."
"Although I threatened them not to reveal about the killing outside, who knows what happens mext. What if they don't keep their promise? Then what? We might need to go for another long trail. "
"Aunt, you know how strict the rules are about killing a human inside the city. On top of that, in our case, it was a hunter. The city lord doesn't take these kinds of cases kindly. He is very strict in this regard," Aria added seriously.
As Ethan frowned, contemplating the worst-case scenario, Aunt Greta and Emily's expressions shifted to concern. Within this time, they had grown close, considering themselves not just friends but almost like family.
Their worried faces weighed on him, and guilt settled in. "I'm truly sorry, Aria, Aunt Greta, and Emily," he confessed, his voice laced with newfound emotion. "I hate that you're all concerned about a nobody like me."
Aria's smile was reassuring. "Ethan, no need to apologize. We haven't been able to help you yet."
"Yes, Ethan. Don't think you're just a stranger to us. We are with you," Aunt Greta added kindly, revealing her motherly nature.
"Yes, just like Aunt said, don't dwell on it too much. I will find a way to get help from my clan," Aria replied with a smile.
Ethan's emotions swirled as he shook his head, rejecting Aria's offer. "No, Aria, you don't need to involve your family any further. You've already done so much."
The weight of her favors and kindness already felt heavy on his shoulders. He couldn't accept more of this, otherwise, he would be too reliant on Aria. That's why he said that. However, Aria mistook it for something else entirely.
Aria's expression shifted to anger. "Why, Ethan? Don't you consider me a friend?"
The sudden transformation of her expression caught Ethan off guard.
"No, it's not like that. It's just..." he tried to explain, but her words cut him off.
"Fine," she huffed, her frustration evident. "You don't need my help? I won't talk to you again. Goodbye!" With that, she stormed out of the room.
Exasperated, Ethan called out, "Wait, Aria! I didn't mean it like that." But his words fell on deaf ears as she left, leaving him with regret.
He slumped on the bed helplessly.
Aunt Greta and Emily observed the quarrel with amusement. "Girls are like this, Ethan," Aunt Greta said, her tone amused. "Sometimes you have to give in to them a little."
Emily remained silent, recognizing that the topic belonged to the adult world. Still, her curiosity lingered.
---
Aria walked through the night streets, her figure blending with the darkness. She couldn't help but pout angrily. "Humph! 'Don't get your family involved in this!' What high and mighty words!"
"If I hadn't been there in the forest to help him, where would he have been now?" Anger surged within her, questioning whether their friendship was merely a facade. Unfamiliar emotions churned inside her, leaving her frustrated.
"Was I too harsh?" Aria regretted her words a little after a while. "Sigh! Whatever! I'll go ask my father for help. I can't leave him alone in danger, can I? Although I don't know if he sees me as a friend or a benefactor, I consider him a friend regardless.
And a true friend always helps each other," she murmured, recalling her mother's words. Her kind personality was the reflection of her mother's teachings, while her merciless personality result of her clan's teachings.
As she hurried home, Aria couldn't shake the thought: If she had killed those delinquent hunters earlier, this mess wouldn't have happened. She could have buried them underground, and nobody would have noticed. Problem solved!
Yet, something held her back from revealing her cruel side to Ethan.
Aria found herself overwhelmed by emotions she didn't quite understand. "What are these feelings?" she whispered, confusion clouding her thoughts. It was strange—ever since she first laid eyes on Ethan, there was an undeniable pull, as if she had known him for far longer than she actually had. Each time she saw him, a surge of emotion bubbled to the surface, a mixture of warmth and familiarity.
She wondered what could possibly link them. Why did she feel this way about someone she had barely met? The intensity of her emotions towards him seemed almost natural, as if it had always been there, waiting to awaken.
Perhaps, in time, the true nature of their connection would reveal itself.