Emilia, wincing with pain, attempted to sit up, only to find her entire body aching and immobilized.
—(What happened to me?)
Emilia’s recollection gradually returned with the pain.
She remembered that the night before, Branch Chief Oleg had organized a group of outstanding bounty hunters to venture into the Northern Westland of Sunny Town at midnight.
She and Banning were among them.
And then…
Then came the agonizing memories that tormented Emilia, causing her head to throb.
Those harrowing scenes were not dreams.
The events that had occurred in her “dream” were real.
Staring blankly at her ceiling, Emilia struggled to understand why she was here.
…If everything that happened last night was real, why am I lying in bed? Were we discovered and saved by the Sunny Town Patrol?
Vaguely, Emilia felt she had forgotten something important. She decided to sit up, hoping to gain some insight by observing her surroundings.
With great difficulty, Emilia propped herself up on her elbows. The more she exerted herself, the more her body ached, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to sit up.
Upon doing so, she was astonished to see a young man seated on the edge of her bed, asleep and half-lying on her covers.
It was Banning.
·
Emilia’s mind ceased functioning for five minutes and twenty seconds.
Subconsciously, she wanted to touch Banning’s face but was jolted awake by the pain from her injuries.
Banning was alive.
It was such a relief! In an instant, her heart swelled with joy.
She even pinched herself, enduring the pain, to see if she was dreaming.
Once she confirmed it was real, Emilia’s eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back.
Emilia clearly remembered that in the heat of battle the night before, Banning had singlehandedly lured the monstrous scaled serpent away. That was an enemy even Branch Chief Oleg couldn’t defeat after using his enchanted sword!
Yet Banning had survived and returned! How had he managed it?
Observing Banning’s filthy, mud-streaked clothing and numerous injuries, Emilia knew he had endured more hardships than anyone else in the battle.
Now that Banning was here, it meant that in the end, he had been the one to bring her home.
She hadn’t expected that they would need Banning’s help, even after fleeing from the battlefield.
Emilia felt a deep sense of shame. As peers and fellow first-rank bounty hunters, she felt she had fallen far behind Banning.
At some point, perhaps after meeting Banning, Emilia had gradually reignited her desire to participate in battle and not just delve into the magic books.
Now, she could somewhat understand her parents’ feelings.
When faced with danger, people could dedicate their lives to protecting what was dear to them.
Understanding her parents, Emilia was finally able to break free from the emotional shackles of the past.
“Dad… Mom…”
Years of suppressed emotions surged forth as the chains shattered.
Emilia’s heart ached, and she couldn’t hold back her tears, which came cascading down.
As her sadness intensified, Emilia began to sob uncontrollably, but she tried her best to stifle her cries for fear of waking Banning.
At that moment, Banning awoke, sat up, and saw Emilia struggling to hold back her tears.
Embarrassed, Emilia wanted to hide, but her body was difficult to move, and there was nowhere to hide on the bed. She watched as Banning stood up, walked over to her, and then…
·
Emilia found herself enveloped in Banning’s embrace.
.
The young man tenderly embraced Emilia, burying her head in his chest, much like an older brother comforting his little sister.
Emilia felt the strength and warmth of Banning’s body, along with the beat of his heart.
She could not recall the last time she had been held so gently.
In her memory, only the hazy figures of her parents remained.
The memories of days gone by had become an untouchable past.
Emilia’s emotions crumbled, and she wept uncontrollably.
“It’s alright, Emilia. It’s all in the past now,” the young man’s voice resounded near Emilia’s ear.
His strong, comforting hand stroked her head gently.
In the young man’s embrace, Emilia found a sense of home.
She now understood that in his arms, she could return to her original self.
.
Emilia cried for a long time, only stopping when she was utterly exhausted.
After her tears subsided, Banning carefully wiped them away with a towel, then handed her a handkerchief to blow her nose.
Having released her emotions, Emilia felt considerably lighter, though her physical pain had yet to subside.
“Shall I help you up?” Banning inquired.
As Emilia was about to agree, she suddenly remembered she was in bed and that Banning had brought her back the night before. Could it be…
!
Emilia immediately looked down at herself, her anxiety momentarily causing her to forget to breathe.
Fortunately, she was still dressed in the clothes she had worn during the previous night’s battle in the wasteland, and they had not been changed.
“What’s wrong?” Banning asked.
“Uh, nothing…” Emilia replied.
Emilia could never mention her thoughts from moments before. Her cheeks flushed, and she gratefully accepted Banning’s help, allowing him to assist her to the dining table.
It was only then that Emilia began to wonder what Banning was planning, but her astonishment grew when she saw him take up a knife and cutting board.
Could it be…? Was Banning going to cook? Wouldn’t he burn down her kitchen?
Emilia wanted to intervene, but her body wouldn’t allow it.
So, she decided to watch for now, resolved to step in if Banning took any outrageous actions. 𝒩𝞸𝓋𝗅𝐞xt.𝔠𝔬𝔪
To her surprise, merely half an hour later, Banning presented a steaming bowl of vegetable, lean meat, and egg drop soup before Emilia. I
t seemed… quite appetizing.
Emilia was reluctant to praise Banning, but the aroma of the soup enticed her stomach to betray her with a hunger-induced growl.
Banning smiled faintly, scooping up a spoonful, blowing on it, and bringing it to Emilia’s lips.
“Eat up.”
“I-I can do it myself…!”
Emilia insisted, but her attempt to lift her arm resulted in a pained whimper.
“Don’t push yourself. You should act like an injured person,” Banning gently chided, tapping Emilia’s forehead before offering the spoon again.
This time, Emilia obediently took a sip.
(How could it be… so delicious?!)
Emilia’s eyes widened, unable to believe the turn of events.
Banning’s soup was even more delicious than her own? She had no choice but to admit defeat.
Later, under Banning’s attentive care, Emilia quickly finished her meal. It was then that her suspicion emerged, belatedly.
Why had Banning, who always teased and bullied her, suddenly become so gentle towards her today?