“I…” She began trying to say something but is unable to continue saying anything further. It’s clear from her expression and behavior after that incident that she harbor a deep guilt within herself. She wasn’t solely responsible for that happening, the consequence didn’t even come to pass, and now I’m here for her, and yet she’s still heavily traumatized by the event. I would say it’s a bit of a severe reaction, but I’m not the best person to judge these things, I just have to comfort her.

“It’s not your fault, and nothing came of it. I know it’s hard to forgive yourself for this kind of transgression, but you have to move on from that, especially when ultimately nothing came of it” I said trying to convince her. In all honesty I also have a part in that happening as well, and I do my part to amend for that. I’m the one suggesting she bring the weapon with her, a pretty darn dangerous one at that, just a slip and someone can easily end up dead.

“But… if you haven’t been there…” She replied weaker on her bed looking like she’s sobbing. I walked over to her and got on the bed as well. Hugging her tight to give her the company she needs to get over this.

“I wouldn’t say you don’t have part in it, but it was an accident, a terrible one but an accident nonetheless, it’s not something you can fully fault yourself for, and doing so will just bring nothing but pain. You just have to not make the same mistake again” I said calmly, consulting her and embracing her. She really needs this right now, I can’t just overlook someone like this.

“But… What if I do? It might happen again” She asked, sounding very teary. She still doubts herself when it’s not worth doubting. I really have to do something about this. I need to prove her wrong on this, just some sort of dare, maybe some strong wordings…

“Clara. Hold this dagger for me” I said as I gave her the very same dagger that almost killed that other girl. She looked very frightened by the weapon and shook, her body stiff up and eyes widened with fear.

“O-O-Okay…” She said as she shakily reached her arm out to it and grabbed it tight. Even though she’s not moving much her body still shakes violently in fear. She seems very uncertain about how to handle it, looking somewhat pale and still clearly fearful of the weapon that started that whole deal in the first place.

I get out of the bed and lean onto it, getting close to her, right in front of her where the dagger is held, leaning near it as I observed her movement. She stares at me with a lot of worry, but my close proximity to the dagger means moving it around might end up cutting me, so she couldn’t even do that, and only stare in horror hoping I move out of the way. She seems too nervous and stressed to try talking me out of it, she’s too focused on the dagger held near me, even a bit of movement and I would get a cut. If she can’t be certain about herself then I have to be for her. I continue looking at her as if nothing is wrong, even making a few bored or cheeky expressions to show my lack of fear. I glare intensely into her eyes as I can see them twitching with fear and anxiety, the feeling that anything could go wrong, but from my point of view nothing has gone wrong. I do not expect anything to go wrong, a confidence that could easily be misplaced but I am putting them in her.

Time passes by and still nothing happened, her behavior has become less frantic, relatively as anything actually frantic would result in me getting cut up. Her behavior continues to get less and less shaky and frantic, her eyes aren’t moving around as much, her body shakes less, and overall looks a lot calmer. Still I continue to stare at her while not saying anything at all, just continue to observe her behavior, and how she’s acting with the dagger in hand, and her acquaintance’s well being on the line if she slips up even a little bit.

Soon barely any stiff movement was shown, and she seems to completely calm down. Seeing this I stop leaning in and distancing myself from that sharp object.

“Well? Does it seem like you’re definitely going to stab me just there or no?” I asked her as she had calmed down, and that demonstration came to a close.

“N-No” She replied quietly, sounding even almost shameful with how frantic she was through that. A bit of a scary and absolutely anxiety-inducing activity just there. It’s certainly extreme but it’s what needed to convey a message in a short amount of time, and like with everything it could easily go wrong, and if it isn’t then it usually ends up great, fast and tidy.

“See? You just prove yourself, you’re not someone to just stab someone, to hurt someone, clearly you don’t want to do that” I said with a relaxed tone and smile. I then walked over and sat back on the bed beside her.

She still didn’t say anything in response as she seems to be contemplating what I said right now, and whatever conclusion she may have. I’ll give her time...

“I guess…” She replied sounding slightly doubtful, but only ever so slightly just like she usually does.

“That’s the spirit. Look, a lot of people make mistakes, I myself make a lot, but I get past that… I try to look forward, if those mistakes come back, we then deal with it, if it’s not there, then don’t” I said, almost contradicting myself. Past mistakes aren’t all easy enough to rectify, probably not even in a lifetime, but for her, it’s not something that could haunt her for years to come, it’s just a simple mistake, a chain of events she can’t see coming. Her circumstance is nothing like mine and shouldn’t be.

“Alright” She replied. She doesn’t sound the most enthusiastic right now, but I guess it has been an eventful and she still has to recover from that in general, not merely that instance alone.

“I know that was a rough time, and I’m sorry to see that. Please get a good rest, I don’t want you to take this time you could use to recover dwelling on something that would just hurt you more” I suggested as I stood up out of bed, ready to walk out and giving her time to rest by herself. She tugged by my shirt as I said this, what is it that she wants?

“Please… stay with me, just a bit longer” She pleaded sounding ever so saddened. Well, if she says so then what am I to say? If she needs it she’ll get it.

“Of course, I’ll be here” I said to her reassuringly. I sat back on the bed and stayed close to her. Her face reddened a bit as I got closer.

“C-Can you hug me again?” She asked politely, and very much shyly. 

“Of course” I said as I did as she said, even pushing us down the bed.

“A-Ah…” She let out a bit of an embarrassed sound as this happened. She sounds a bit more lively contrasting her tone after that incident. She should let it heal, resting with me by her side for as long as she needs.

“You can rest easy with me here Clara” I said reassuringly as I continued my embrace for her. She wiggled a bit in embarrassment and got into a more comfortable position. Until she’s tired of me I won’t leave…

 

#####

 

“Reiza…” She said in a sleepy tone as if she’s close to falling asleep. The night already sets as I heard that. I still continue embracing her seeing how she’s sleeping comfortably. I can’t possibly just up and leave, that’ll be uncalled of me. I just have to sleep along with her until morning, then perhaps saying a short farewell. I would say Floria and Rumel are probably very worried right now, but I don’t think they actually are, at least they won’t be if I didn’t mess anything up tomorrow. For now I’ll just have a sleepover with her I guess, just for today we’re sharing a bed if it means remedying a trauma.

 

#####

 

Sun starts to rise. Clara is still in her bed, and I am up and about observing the sky. I should do this now as she’s still sleeping, with the window for me to go back and forth as needed. For her nothing is wrong, for me a few hours has already passed.

*Zoom*

Alright… Time? Check. Place? Check. Alright. I came back right where I should be, and let’s see how they’re doing. Just have to do it like the other two days as this is how we live for now.

“I’m back!” I proclaimed as I walked into the house and saw if anyone was around. In fact they actually are around, chomping at some meat they probably hunt for themselves.

“Reiza! Welcome back” Rumel greeted me warmly while walking over to me, with Floria still eating at the dinner table.

“Glad to be back as well. Seems you two get things under control” I said, complementing their ability to manage the new life here, which would in a few weeks be changed once more.

“Thanks. We don’t want to burden you to make dinner again today. Well not that we’re anywhere near as close to know anything more than cooking meats” Rumel commented with a light chuckle, scratching her cheek with a bit of embarrassment while Floria back there clearly heard that with her eating slowing down a little bit.

“Heh. Well maybe I’ll still do it… Just not today, maybe we could just grab a few drinks and talk a bit. A few things happened on my end, but what about yours?” I asked as I walked over to the table and sat down, with Rumel sitting by her sister’s side, who had just finished her meal.

I summoned three glasses, and then a bottle of a soft drink. I also conjured a small amount of ice for all three glasses before pouring the drink in, giving it to the two with one left for me.

“What is this?” Floria asked, looking at the foaming drink with a small amount of paranoia.

“It’s a sweet drink with a strange feel to it I guess. I think it’s best for you two to try it, don’t drink it all down at once alright?” I said as I drank a bit from my own cup. Rumel does as I said while Floria follows after.

“It’s… refreshing and sweet, it really is strange” Rumel commented, sounding a bit bewildered.

“It certainly is Sis” Floria added. While I appreciate their liking of the drink that’s not what I was worrying about. They have been living here for a few days now and I haven’t tried particularly hard to inquire about the living conditions. Regardless of how good or bad it may be I should still try to inquire about it. Their living here, and what they have done when I wasn’t around.

“Glad that you two like it. Anyway, how was living here? Seems you two are enjoying it but you know, I wasn’t here for most of it, so I want to know a bit about what you two have been doing” I responded. I said that in a casual tone wanting them to open up without having to worry about any expectations or that I’m being too worried.

“We have just been lazing around honestly… I mean we do train outside sometimes to not lose our touch of course! And we also navigate outside a little” Rumel explained. So they have been going outside, which would explain the food they have at home since I’m pretty sure I didn’t leave anything here specifically, perhaps that’s how they fed themselves during the midday as well, quite a large time window that I didn’t cook anything for them to eat.

“So how was the foraging? I didn’t get a good look of this place as I was building this so I would like to know” I asked as the conversation leaned towards that. I wasn’t paying much attention to what could possibly be out there, so I built a wall just to be sure.

“There wasn’t anything remotely threatening out there. We’re fine” Floria now is the one who responded. Then this forest isn’t anything out of the ordinary, since that’s the only way they can pose any trouble for these two girls, they might be significantly weaker than me but by their standards they’re borderline overpowered, not that there’s not a few stronger than them of course, but even then they’re an exceptional case clearly.

“I see. Good to hear, guess I don’t have to worry even a slightest bit when I’m going out” I said with confidence to lift up the spirit.

“What about you today? Anything we should know about? You did just ask us, why not tell in return?” Floria asked, she is the blunter one so of course she’s the one to say that, the main event today… yesterday… whatever. The main event was the confrontation of those girls, and it’s something that needs a bit of context so I’m not sure how I should say it to not take too much time… Hm…

“Well there was a girl being bullied by a few girls of her age and an accident happened between them. That’s really about all that there is to say” I said trying to sound doubtless. The soldier training isn’t of value, and talking with my friends should stay between us, even these girls don’t need to know about them.

“Sounds… pretty mundane” Floria noted as her cup was empty. I silently filled it up as both her and Rumel thought of what I just said.

“Well I did intervene so it got a bit more exciting, if only by me” I said without specifying anything. If we walk any further on this Clara might end up as the person of interest, which I’m not sure how that’ll play out.

“I see. Things are going well right?” Rumel asked, conveying her compassion.

“Yeah, thankfully I was there so no damage was done” I said. It is true in the physical sense at least, mentally it’s clear both sides aren’t coming out more triumphant than the other, and two are clearly traumatized, but I was there for the one on my side at least, as for the other one… I don’t know.

“You sure love butting in if it means saving anything” Floria commented. If only I could say that absolutely certainly. I think of myself who even when thinking of doing good can be quite destructive and chaotic at times, not the most flattering description but certainly true.

“Well this time I managed to end what would’ve escalated the point of something being permanently scarred” I said, talking about the giant hole in the torso that would’ve been the end of that girl.

“I see. Glad to see everything working out on your end as well” Rumel said as she emptied her cup. 

I think we got the group together and getting lively, how about changing the pace and ready for the night to come?

“Let’s go upstairs and relax then. I could use a good sleep after that, a bit stressful even if it’s not a lot of work” Lying on both fronts but whatever gets them to come along and relax just like the past two days. They both nodded as I collected the glasses and ready to walk up and to the bedroom of us three.

 

#####

 

“Say…” Floria suddenly spoke up as the three of us were snuggling in bed, readying for a good night's sleep.

“What is it Floria?” I responded wondering what she was thinking of.

“What you did yesterday… was that the extent of it?” She asked rather shyly and quietly. I can’t help but get a bit flustered by that question, she’s definitely trying to ask for more but unsure of how much she actually wants it.

“Of course not. Like I said I have a lot of girls back home to satisfy as well, one way or another, I still have things in store, want that now?” I said, perhaps trying to justify why I seem to have more at my disposal. I’m not craving anything right now with two consecutive nights but if she’s willing to I guess I can.

“N-No. Maybe later on” She replied as she turned away. Guess it’s not the time just yet.

“Okay then. Let’s just sleep then. Your sister fell asleep already” I said as I looked over to see Rumel sleeping peacefully. 

This will be a second sleep for me today, it’s strange but I just have to deal with it. Tomorrow I’ll just do a similar thing with Clara.

 

#####

 

Alright. It’s morning, the time is about the same, I have to go back there to say my temporary farewell.

*Zoom*

Back in the room I just left technically, I walked over to Clara still sleeping. I patted her head for a while as she groaned and moved around a little bit, then opening her eyes.

“Hope that was a good sleep Clara” I said as I still patted her head.

“Yea-mnh. It’sa… good shleep” She said fumbling on her words still.

“I’m glad. I’m sorry Clara but I’m a bit busy today, I’ll see you later again today okay?” I said while giving her a small to comfort herself with.

“Yeahhh” She replied still dragging out her words, clearly sleepy.

“See you soon” I said as I walked over to the door and get as close as possible before I-

*Zoom*

Teleported back here in the home with these two. It’s still early and there’s no need to wake them up, so I guess I’ll go prepare something while they enjoy their sleep still, and soon for today I’ll try doing something else for a change, maybe something that Maova has brought attention to. Just that quest alone will clearly not be enough for me to know what’s going on with these people, good or bad, incompetent or not, however it is any information is needed, and I don’t want my friends involved, or anyone I come care for very much here.