The morning was young and the first bell had just rang. The horses neighed proudly as they pulled their carriages, smoke columns rose high with the workers starting their work, and the sounds of people bargaining at the market. The day began just like how it usually does.

In a certain street, located was a well-known inn. It was the "Rabbit's Den" where Gerd and family resided and did their business. And unlike last time, there were no more crowds in front of its doors. Everything has returned to normal.

It has been almost a week since Grey and Yuna left the inn. Ever since then, things have never been the same again. Although they have experienced them leaving time and time again, this time, knowing that they won't ever stay at the inn, it felt different. It became lonely.

"Haah... I miss them already." ［Helen］

Sighed Helen, her eyes looking distant as she stared at the door. She was sitting behind the reception desk, waiting for a customer to come in. Her eyes were lifeless and uninterested as one can be.

Cling Cling Cling

The doors creaked as it opened, accompanied by the sound of bell chimes gently flowing by the wind. Helen heaved another sigh as she tried to greet another customer with a smile on her face.

"Ah, good morning. Welcoー Eh?! Yuna?!" ［Helen］

As of answering her wishes, Yuna arrived at the inn, but not quite in the way she expected. The latter's eyes were bursting with tears and her expression was nothing short of crestfallen. It was her first time seeing Yuna cry.

"Hic... Hic... Helen... I... I... Hic..." ［Yuna］

"Oh my god, Yuna! What happened?! No! Before that, come inside first. Let's hear out what you have to say later, okay?" ［Helen］

"Oー Hic... Okay..." ［Yuna］

Her face full of worries, Helen escorted Yuna inside the inn, delivering her to her previous room which has been unused since she and Grey left. It was one filled with many precious memories.

Even after Helen tried to calm down Yuna, her tears wouldn't stop trickling down. She didn't even say a single word, and was only bawling her eyes out. It only made things difficult for Helen.

Thankfully, Gerd and Selia were already finished with making breakfast. All that was left was serve the customers dinner and watch over the reception desk. They were tasks the two of them could handle by themselves.

Several more minutes passed and Yuna's tears finally stopped. All that was left was her reddened eyes and tear marks across her face from so much crying. It was very obvious that she had cried quite a lot.

"Are you alright now, Yuna?" ［Helen］

"Un... Thank you, and... sorry... I troubled you again..." ［Yuna］

"Don't worry about it, we're friends, aren't we?" ［Helen］

A happy yet sad smile spread on Yuna's lips when she heard Helen's words. She was happy that Helen was there to support her but was also sad, knowing what kind of situation she was in. After all, it was her first fight with Grey as lovers.

"By the way, have you had breakfast yet?" ［Helen］

"Ah... No... Not yet... Sorry..." ［Yuna］

"Haah... Seriously, you should take care of yourself more. Just wait right here, I'll go get you something to eat." ［Helen］

"Ah... I don't have any money on me right now... B-But don't worry! I'll surely pay you back latー" ［Yuna］

Yuna couldn't even finish her words. Out of nowhere, Helen delivered a hand chop on Yuna's head. It was only a soft one, but Helen doing so still made Yuna surprised that she abruptly halted her words.

"Dummy... You shouldn't worry about that kind of thing right now. This one will be on the house." ［Helen］

"Butー" ［Yuna］

"No buts! I'll really kick you out if you say another word. Just sit still and wait for me to come back, okay?" ［Helen］

Not wanting to hear Yuna any further, Helen then headed outside the room and towards the kitchen. Yuna was left behind alone, sitting on the bedside, a little smile forming on her face.

A few minutes later, Helen returned with a tray displayed with a breakfast set. And knowing how much Yuna eats, she made sure to make the servings extra large. One which could probably feed her full more than three times over.

"One extra large breakfast set coming right up! Please prepare your tables and stomachs for a delicious meal!" ［Helen］

"Fufufu. Thank you, Helen." ［Yuna］

"Don't mention it. Now, be careful not to burn your tongue. It's still hot." ［Helen］

"Un..." ［Yuna］

Holding a spoon with her hand, Yuna scooped up a spoonful of the vegetable egg-drop soup served before her. She blew on it a couple of times before feeding it to her mouth. A satisfied smile bloomed as she savored the taste.

While there wasn't any rice present, the bread, the soup, the pork chop, and the little side dishes were more than delicious. It has only been a few days since she last had them over the inn yet every bite, she felt nostalgic, remembering her first few days in the "Rabbit's Den".

"How is it?" ［Helen］

"Delicious as always." ［Yuna］

"Heheh, I'm glad you liked it." ［Helen］

Helen watching warmly over her, Yuna continued eating her breakfast at her own pace. She ate slower than usual with not much appetite. Nevertheless, she still managed to finish the meal served for her.

"Thank you for the meal." ［Yuna］

Yuna, with her open palms linked to one another and her head slightly bowing, sang her short prayer of gratitude to the heaven's above. Now that she was full, she felt much better and looked much brighter.

As for the plates and utensils used, it was just left by the top of the drawers, to be delivered downstairs later. A slightly serious atmosphere loomed over the room now that Yuna had finished eating. The time for questioning has arrived.

"Well... now that you've finished eating, Yuna, can you tell me why you were crying earlier?" ［Helen］

"Ah, that's..." ［Yuna］

"Actually, wait a moment. Let me take a guess first. You had a fight with Grey, didn't you?" ［Helen］

"H-How did you know?!" ［Yuna］

Yuna hasn't even voiced out the reason yet but Helen already managed to tell what it was perfectly. The former was greatly shocked about it, her mouth hanging open in agape. Helen, on the other hand, was proudly puffing her chest with a smile plastered on her chest after guessing correctly.

For Helen, despite not having been in any relationships, after reading hundreds of romance novels, it wasn't that difficult to guess Yuna's problem. It was also a big clue to her since Grey wasn't with her.

"Well, it isn't important how I knew about it. So, tell me, what did the two of you fight about? Is it because of food?" ［Helen］

"N-No! Not at all! Geez, Helen, do you think I'm such a glutton?!" ［Yuna］

"Hahahaha, sorry, sorry, I was just kidding. Anyway, why were you fighting in the first place? So early in the morning as well." ［Helen］

"Umm... You see..." ［Yuna］

Slowly and surely, Yuna clearly explained her troubles to Helen and the latter listened in attentively. The main cause of their quarrel was the main focus. It was Grey's focus which has been shifted too much on work, depriving Yuna of his time.

It was a common problem between couples. Even Helen knew about it, not only from her romance novels, but from seeing it happen between customers as well. She was thankful her parents weren't like that.

It didn't take long before Yuna finished her summary, and Helen nodded silently throughout the whole thing. There may be a few tidbits of information missing, but Helen had gotten the gist of it.

"I see... So you fought this morning because Grey was ignoring you due to work. Did I get that correctly?" ［Helen］

"Un... I know I said too much, but still... It wouldn't even hurt taking a break to have a meal with me. It felt so lonely." ［Yuna］

"Well, I guess there are times like these too, huh..." ［Helen］

Helen mumbled under her breath. She was still somewhat in disbelief. After all, she knew how much Grey was heads over heels for Yuna, and just couldn't imagine him prioritizing work over her. She was a little baffled.

"Right... By the way, Yuna, how long has Grey been ignoring you?" ［Helen］

"Umm... Since yesterday afternoon...?" ［Yuna］

"..." ［Helen］

Shocked speechless. That was the state Helen was in when she heard Yuna's response. It was only then that she realized how needy and clingy Yuna was. It was not something she had anticipated at all.

Helen initially thought it has been at least a few days since Yuna has been bawling her eyes for so long. Realizing it hasn't even been a whole day, Helen felt her head aching a little bit.

"Yuna... You're quite the needy one, aren't you?" ［Helen］

"Huh? Did you say something?" ［Yuna］

"Ah, no... It's nothing..." ［Helen］

A careless thought slipped out of Helen's mouth. Thankfully, Yuna wasn't paying much attention hence her not catching it. She was still distracted about what happened with her and Grey.

"Haah... Anyway, we should get this sorted before things gets worse. Come here, Yuna! I'll teach you the ways!" ［Helen］

"U-Un!" ［Yuna］

Despite not having been in a relationship. Yes, that's right, despite not having been in any relationships ever since she was born and only knowing love through the world of romance novels, Helen braced herself and gave Yuna the best advice she could.

The holy scriptures (romance novel volumes) in hand, Helen lectured Yuna time after time. She offered different solutions for different situations which could arise. Now, it was Helen who had become a spartan-like demonic teacher.

...

Silence and gloom. There were only those two brewing around a certain office. Inside, there were two figures. One was an elderly man bulging with muscles while the other was a younger and much leaner figure. It was Grey and the Guildmaster.

The time was nearing high noon. After working nonstop for almost a day, Grey had finally finished the paperwork. It went without saying that he was extremely tired. On top of that, he even had a fight with Yuna.

"Haah..." ［Grey］

The Guildmaster who wanted to thank Grey couldn't even do so. The serious and dark expression on his face made the former troubled about how to handle him. He could only watch over him as he sighed over and over again.

"Ehem!" ［Gaston］

The Guildmaster cleared his throat, successfully garnering Grey's attention. While he tried not to meddle with the latter's affairs, with how awkward the atmosphere is, he had to do something about it. What is that something? He also doesn't know.

"Grey, you've been sighing a lot lately. Did something happen?" ［Gaston］

"It's... Well, actually..." ［Grey］

In a concise fashion, Grey explained everything to the Guildmaster. The latter's expression feeling a little guilty after knowing the cause of the two's fight. Still, he managed to retain a composed expression.

"I see... A fight with Yuna, huh..." ［Gaston］

"Yeah... I'm such an idiot. I shouldn't have said those words... I even ended up hurting Yuna..." ［Grey］

Traces of regrets were present on Grey's face as he lamented his previous actions. He knew full well how Yuna felt at the time yet he still decided to say those words without much consideration. Even when he was mentally exhausted at the time, it was not an excuse to hurt her.

Grey had also never been in a romantic relationship before Yuna. While he did have someone special back in his high school days and had gone on a date with her, they didn't click in the end. Don't even mention college and work, he was too busy for such stuff. In other words, he was completely inexperienced in couple fights.

"Guiidmaster, what should I do?" ［Grey］

"Why are you asking me that? This is the Adventurers' Guild, not a love consultation office." ［Gaston］

"Well, you're married, aren't you? Surely, you have some advice for me. Even a little would be helpful." ［Grey］

Upon hearing Grey's words, the Guildmaster stopped working with the paperwork. He pondered over Grey's question whilst stroking his beard. There was no need to rush since the paperwork which needed to be passed today was already finished.

"Hmm... You just have to talk it out, I guess...." ［Gaston］

"Eh? That's it?" ［Grey］

"You said anything'll do, didn't you? Besides, aren't you two head over heels for one another? I'm sure a little talk will smooth things out." ［Gaston］

Grey was made to ponder with the Guildmaster's words. He knew how important communication is in a relationship and with how many years of experience the one giving the advice has, he has no reason not to believe him.

Well, it wasn't the first time he and Yuna fought because of lack of communication, though it was mostly his fault back then since he kept things secret to her. Well, it wasn't much of a fight but a one-sided scolding. The current case is much more serious.

"Alright, I'll give it a try. Thank you, Guildmaster." ［Grey］

"No problem, and I should be the one thanking you for your help. You really saved my ass there. Thank you, Grey." ［Gaston］

"Anytime... Though I'll probably have to decline the paperwork next time." ［Grey］

At Grey's words, a smile appeared on the Guildmaster's face, accompanied by a slight chuckle. He also wished the same thing. After all, it would only be improper for a guild to always keep relying on one of their adventurers for paperwork.

"Ah right, Grey... I know you and Yuna are in a fight now, just don't start involving magic in your fights, okay? It would be problematic if you did." ［Gaston］

"Guildmaster.... Just what do you think of us...?" ［Grey］

"I'm just reminding you. There's nothing wrong with being careful." ［Gaston］

"Haah... Sure, sure, I'll keep that in mind." ［Grey］

His heart lighter than before, Grey exited the Guildmaster's office and out to the streets, heading back home whilst thinking of how to reconcile with Yuna. As much as possible, he wanted to resolve it before things got worse.

When he got home, there was no one to greet him. Yuna was still not back. While he could only think of a couple of places where she could be and he could use his "Heaven's Eye" just in case, he didn't. Grey wanted her to take her time and cool down, just like he did.

It was already early in the afternoon but Grey had neither lunch nor breakfast yet. Now that he thought of it, he hasn't had lunch nor dinner the day before either. It was only when he realized that his stomach started growling.

"I guess lunch comes first, huh..." ［Grey］

Lonely like an island in the middle of the ocean, Grey hummed to himself as he took out a lot of ingredients from his "Inventory"ー or he was about to, but when he opened the refrigerator, he became frozen for a moment.

"Haah... I really am an idiot..." ［Grey］

Grey sneered at himself as he took out the meals Yuna had saved for him to ear. He stopped whatever he was planning to do and heated them up quickly all while wearing a somewhat lonely smile on his face.

Aromatic scents filled the air as the dishes Yuna cooked were reheated. It didn't take long before Grey managed to serve them on the table. Soon after, he took his seat, readied his utensils and took a bite.

After the first gulp, as if frozen in time, Grey sat still for a moment, not moving even a single inch. On the corner of his eyes, a little tear was forming. Not only his tongue, but also his heart was overwhelmed.

"Delicious..." ［Grey］

Thinking about what Yuna felt when she cooked and ate alone, Grey only felt guiltier with his actions. All he could do was continue eating and savor the food Yuna made with all her heart. He swore in his heart to never make her sad again.

After his meal, Grey did the dishes for a hit minute before proceeding to cook what he and, hopefully, Yuna would be having for dinner. There were a lot of ingredients taken out as Grey planned to cook Yuna's favorites.

The sky has started to change color, it was the advent of the night. The fifth bell was about to ring and the people's works were about to finish. It was time for the sun to have its slumber, letting the stars take over.

"I'm home～." ［Yuna］

An almost lifeless voice rang across the house. Yuna has returned and both her heart and mind has been cleared up. Even then, she couldn't help herself but feel nervous, anxious, and awkward, returning back home knowing she and Grey had a fight.

"Oh, welcome back." ［Grey］

Replied Grey as he greeted Yuna. Neither pair of eyes matched one another, their hearts fearing a little what expression the other wore. Silence enveloped the house as they both entered.

"I've already cooked dinner. Let's eat together." ［Grey］

"Un..." ［Yuna］

A one-word reply. That was all Yuna could muster. Even when she practiced a lot with Helen about what to do, now that she was in front of Grey, she couldn't muster any courage to do them. It was as if the words were stuck in her mouth.

Not saying a word to one another, Grey and Yuna headed to the dining table where they took a seat together. Even though they were at the dining table already, there was only an awkward silence over them. They didn't even look at each other.

Just like before, the food on the table tasted worse than Yuna remembered. Or rather, she couldn't taste anything because of her conflicting emotions. The awkward atmosphere was just too much to bear.

"Haah... Look, Yuna, aboutー" ［Grey］

"Grey..." ［Yuna］

"Eh?!" ［Grey］

Grey's mouth hung open in shock and he couldn't finish his statement. When he raised his head to look at Yuna, her face was already covered in tears. She was keeping silent but god knows how long she has been already.

Panicky, Grey frantically stood up from his heat and hastily headed to Yuna's spot with his face distraught. Traces of shock and concern were present when he knelt with one knee in front of her, trying to see why Yuna was crying.

"I-Is there something wrong?! Is it because of what I said this morning?!" ［Grey］

"N... No... Hic... Grey... I'm sorry... I... Hic... I shouldn't have said those words... I... Hic... I'm really sorry... Please... Hic... Don't hate me... Hic..," ［Yuna］

Tears continued to flow relentlessly down Yuna's pearly cheeks as she apologized to Grey. It was not one of the things Helen taught her. They wear tears borne out of fear. Fear that Grey might come to dislike her. Such anxieties were brewing in her heart.

Grey's heart was more than torn when he saw the state Yuna was in. Before he could even think about it, his body moved on its own, standing up suddenly and embracing Yuna in a tight hug, burying her crying face to his chest.

"You silly girl... Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to hate you. While I might get mad from time to time... Hating you is something I could never bear to do... In fact, shouldn't I be the one apologizing? What kind of man am I to make such a kind and beautiful girl shed tears like this...? Yuna, I'm sorry." ［Grey］

Throughout Grey's somewhat lengthy monologue, Yuna remained quiet the whole time. Tears continued streaming down her eyes as she reciprocated Grey's embrace, giving him an even tighter hug.

Listening to Grey's heartbeats, Yuna slowly calmed down and her tears started to stop. A few moments later, she has completely returned normalー or at least, somewhat normal.

"Are you alright now?" ［Grey］

"Un..." ［Yuna］

"Then, can I return to my seat now?" ［Grey］

"No!" ［Yuna］

Even after she cried, Yuna didn't let go of Grey and continued to embrace Grey tightly. Grey tried to have her let go, but what he received instead was a short and snappy response from her. She has become clingy again.

"Haah... Fine, I'll sit beside you. Just let me go for a moment. I'll just go get my chair." ［Grey］

"Okay..." ［Yuna］

Deciding to give up, Grey gently patted Yuna's head as he asked for such a request. Thankfully, Yuna granted it and released him. He then headed to where his chair was, but he wasn't even halfway there, he suddenly halted his movements.

"Ah, right... Yuna, this might be a little late to mention this, but... the food you cooked yesterday... It was delicious. Thank you." ［Grey］

A little bit embarrassed, Grey gave Yuna his sincere gratitude. Even when he was facing away from Yuna, just the tone of his voice was enough to tell that he was a little flustered. As for Yuna, she couldn't be any happier.

"Un! I'm glad you liked it!" ［Yuna］

Like the frozen plains during spring, a beautiful and radiant smile bloomed on Yuna's face, one which Grey considered the sweetest and warmest there ever was, is, and ever will be. The smile he wanted to protect the most.

Soon after, their dinner together which had been delayed for a day has finally continued. It might have been just their imagination, but suddenly, the food that tasted bland and lackluster before was full of flavor, seasoned with smiles and laughter.

CHAPTER 125 END