Ch.53Sorry (1)

A family dinner.

Elin stole a glance at her mother’s expression and swallowed nervously.

‘Please, today…’

Her mother had instructed her to prepare dinner once a week, and she had always put her heart into it.

But all she ever received in return was criticism, making Elin so tense that she could barely swallow her food.

After everyone had sampled each dish…

Her mother, with furrowed brows as if deep in thought, spoke softly.

“Elin.”

“Yes! Yes! Did you call me?”

Just as Elin was about to give up, thinking from her mother’s expression and tone that she had failed again…

The corners of her mother’s lips curved upward slightly.

“You’ve finally made something edible. Well done.”

“…Really?”

Having never received praise from her mother in her entire life, Elin couldn’t help but ask again. It was simply unbelievable.

Her mother’s response was…

“Yes, really. And everything else has improved wonderfully too. I’m glad to see you’ve finally become a proper woman.”

While the consecutive compliments made her happy, there was something else she had been waiting for even more.

“So, does that mean I can go?!”

Crow—she could finally go meet Crow.

Realizing her voice had risen, Elin quickly covered her mouth.

It was a breach of table manners.

If her mother judged that she still needed more education because of this, it would be truly terrible.

Fortunately, her mother was quite generous today.

“Let’s take a walk together after dinner.”

“…Yes.”

After finishing the meal that continued as if nothing had happened, Elin went outside with her mother.

Moonlight filtered through the tall trees, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

Her mother walked in silence, and Elin followed behind.

Though she desperately wanted to get to the point, she couldn’t risk ruining everything by being impatient.

She had to wait until her mother brought it up first.

She thought it would take a while, but surprisingly, that moment came quickly.

“Aren’t you afraid to meet him?”

Though the question came without preamble, Elin immediately understood its meaning.

She was asking if Elin was prepared to endure even if Crow hated her.

Her honest feelings about that were…

‘I’m not confident.’

Her feelings for him, which had been considerable even when they adventured together, had only grown stronger during their time apart.

By now, she connected almost everything she did to him.

If he were to say he disliked her or rejected her, her heart would surely crumble.

But even so…

“I really want to see him.”

There were things she absolutely needed to tell him.

A thank you for saving her from becoming a slave. And an apology for what happened that day.

Even if he hated her, she wanted to convey these two things at least.

Whether he would listen was uncertain.

“I see. Then head straight southeast from here. Not far from here. You’ll be able to meet him on the path connecting the Royal Capital and the Un-drying Pond.”

Elin stared blankly at her mother’s face, then bowed her head.

“Thank you, Mother. And…”

Though it was her first time saying such words, she felt she absolutely had to.

When else would she get the chance?

“I love you.”

“That’s enough. Go quickly.”

Elin turned and began walking slowly, then broke into a run.

Her mother, staring blankly at her daughter’s retreating figure, whispered to herself.

“Elin, my daughter. I love you.”

.

.

.

Elin ran.

She ran without stopping.

Even when she was out of breath and felt like collapsing, she persevered.

She could endure anything if it meant reaching him in one go.

As distant lights began to appear, Elin finally…

“Crow, is that you? Is it really you, Crow?”

She was standing before the Crow she had dreamed of.

* * * * *

My mind was thrown into confusion by the sudden turn of events.

Even though this was near the Great Forest, it was late at night—what reason could she have for wandering outside?

Besides, even if she had a reason to be out, the chances of meeting me in this vast forest were almost nonexistent.

Which meant…

‘She came to find me.’

I don’t know how she discovered my location, but there was no other explanation.

Anyway, it seemed wrong to just leave a guest who had gone to such lengths to find me.

“Elin, don’t just stand there. Come over here.”

As if she had been waiting for my permission, Elin emerged hesitantly from the bushes and began walking toward me.

Seeing her like this reminded me of when we first met.

After I saved her from being taken by illegal slave traders, she followed me around as if I were her master.

Of course, as time passed, that behavior disappeared and was replaced by excessive confidence…

But I thought that was better than how she was at first, so I never said anything about it.

Besides, she was pulling her weight just fine.

Anyway, since that was how I last saw her, her current behavior seemed strange to me.

“Crow, um… Have you been well?”

Elin asked in a very cautious tone as she settled beside me.

“Well, more or less… And you?”

“I…”

A moment of silence followed.

“I haven’t been well… I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…”

Elin’s moist eyes finally overflowed with tears, marking the beginning of our conversation in earnest.

“I’ve wanted to apologize all this time. I’m sorry…”

I couldn’t say anything in response to her apology.

I simply didn’t know what to do.

Should I get angry? Or should I just say it’s okay and move on?

I was disappointed in her, that’s true, but…

‘Elin likes me.’

It’s not that I’m willing to understand because she’s a woman who likes me.

It’s just that I wonder if there might be a reason why someone who had actively shown affection toward me would act that way.

Finding that out should come first.

Then I can either accept it or be disappointed.

“Why did you do that that day?”

“Whatever I say will just sound like an excuse. What I did that day was clearly…”

“Why are you the one judging? That’s for me to decide. I want to know why you did what you did that day.”

Elin, who had been about to lower her head again, raised it and met my eyes when I interrupted her.

There was anxiety in her gaze, so she was probably thinking something similar to Derin.

‘I’ll be abandoned.’

It was quite annoying that she would jump to such conclusions when I was trying to resolve things through conversation…

But if I had experienced something similar with my master, I might have acted the same way.

Being abandoned is terrifying after all…

I knew that better than anyone because I had felt it that day.

Tap-tap—

Only the sound of the crackling bonfire echoed through the forest.

After a long silence, Elin carefully opened her mouth.

“I was scared… I was so scared.”

Yes, the very existence of a Warlock is considered sinful, so it would be natural for even an elf to feel that way.

Which meant Elin’s feelings for me only went that far.

Lael and Derin didn’t even care about such things…

Just as I was about to be disappointed, I heard her next words and changed my mind.

“I was so scared of the monster.”

Oh, so that’s what it was?

“My legs wouldn’t move at all. The thought of dying made my whole body tremble, and I couldn’t even make a sound… It’s pathetic, isn’t it? After all that confident talk, when something actually happened, I was the most frightened and couldn’t even move.”

“Well, that is a bit…”

The terror of facing an S-Rank Monster for the first time.

For an ordinary person, it would be normal to freeze up, but she was a member of the Black Crow, an A-Rank party.

I thought she would naturally be able to overcome such fear, but it seems it was too much for her, given that she had the least experience as an adventurer.

It was disappointing that a former party member of mine had reacted that way, but it was an understandable reason.

“You probably don’t believe me, but it’s true…”

“I believe you. If you say so, I have to believe you.”

If that’s what she says, what can I do?

Besides, she’s not good at lying.

Perhaps it’s because she’s pure. Everything shows on her face immediately.

“Um, then maybe…”

“You’re asking if I forgive you?”

Elin nodded cautiously.

Forgiveness…

I let out a deep sigh.

Now that I’d heard the truth from her, all my previous worries seemed foolish.

Elin’s body flinched noticeably at the sound of my sigh.

I gave her the answer she was hoping for.

“Alright, let’s do that. Consider yourself forgiven.”

When she says she was too scared of the monster to move, it would be ridiculous to retort with something like, ‘Why didn’t you get stronger?’

“Hic…hic…”

Her tears, which had been subsiding, began to flow again, and at that moment, a presence and a chilling voice came from behind.

“Hmm—. I see. So Elin has returned too?”

I wasn’t sure if it was already time for the shift change or if Derin had woken up because of our conversation, but this situation was definitely unwelcome.

And on top of that…

“Should I go relieve myself one more time…?”

Frit appeared at just that moment.

The timing was really…