Chapter 86
Chapter 86: A woman named Eldith
Eldith’s vision flickered for a moment and she lost her sense of balance temporarily . Then, after several sensations on her eyelids, her eyes finally opened up .
A scene was reflected on her eyes when she woke up . It was a familiar scene . She gazed at her own bed in the Tower . Eldith put her fingertips on the bed to reaffirm that it was real .
Somehow, after creating the illusion, Eldith felt a weird sensation all over her body . As if, her soul came back to her body once again . Sometimes she would even doubt that her real body was really her own . Eldith lost the sense of her real self every time she invoked the illusion skill . A weird feeling that made her feel as if one day she would lose her real body forever .
Either way, it seemed that her role got fulfilled in some way . Eldith loosened her cheeks slightly . This complexion wasn’t a fierce expression . She wasn’t entirely driven by a swirl of emotions . But her face showed that she was slightly upset .
She didn’t know if she had achieved correctly what he asked for . Therefore, Eldith wasn’t sure if Lugis would be satisfied with the outcome . With that in mind, she pulled her legs off the bed to get out of the bedroom .
Suddenly, the full-length mirror came into her eyesight . What reflected on the mirror was the appearance of Eldith getting out of the bed . The hair bounced slightly, and her untidy clothes resembled a man’s clothes . The disorder of her appearance was rather noticeable . She always looked like this, at least as far as she remembered . At least, since she got imprisoned in the Tower . Yet, for her, this appearance felt different today . Her eyelashes twinkled as she realized that this complexion might not be as good as it always were . Eldith’s foot stopped before leaving the room .
Her slender fingers straightened her hair to style it with loose waves . She fixed the unkempt clothes . Then, she washed her face with fresh water . After a short moment, Eldith blinked her eyes as she observed herself in the mirror .
“I wonder if my looks are okay now” . When Eldith thought that it would be better for her to put a hairpin on the hair, suddenly, her cheeks dyed in vivid red .
“What on earth am I doing?” Eldith had never cared about her figure before . She always preferred men’s clothing than a lady-like assemblage . She never felt overwhelmed by her choice of attires because it made her feel comfortable . Yet, it felt different this time . Why? This change confused her since she never thought much of her appearance, and what suited her best .
Therefore, she never really combed her hair . She never groomed herself, nor did she worry about her looks . Until now .
“Why am I doing these things right now?”
Eldith shook her big blue eyes and diverted them from the mirror . For a short moment, Eldith felt as if she was a maiden who had spent her time decorating herself . “I don’t remember having such a hobby before . ”
“Generally speaking, the person I’m going to meet is that rough-looking human Lugis . I wonder why I need to pay attention to myself . What for?” With that in mind, Eldith reached out for the door that separated the bedroom from the living room .
She swallowed dry for a few times in front of the door . After taking deep breaths, Eldith opened the wooden door with one hand, while stroking her hair naturally with the fingertips of her other hand . The old-fashioned cracking sound was heard upon the opening of the wooden door .
「Hey, I’m back . I’ve done it . It wasn’t so bad, you know . At least, I won’t have to fight blindfolded anymore . 」
She didn’t declare whose achievement it was . She just let a slightly higher voice leak from her throat to profess those words .
However, even after waiting for a while, the expected voice didn’t come back from the living room . Strange . She spoke but that little ironic voice didn’t reply to her .
A dissatisfied Eldith looked into the living room with her sharp eyes . Then, she finally saw the figure she was looking for . He was there, as usual . However, the figure of this man dressed in a green robe had his eyes closed while sitting in a chair .
Eldith slowly approached this human man without making a noise, and looked into his face from a close-up range .
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She noticed that he took regularly deep breaths . His eyelids remained unopen . “I see . No doubt about it . Lugis has fallen asleep while sitting in this chair . ”
Once again, Eldith’s lips quivered because of the dissatisfaction she felt on her chest . Her eyes slightly strengthened upon looking at Lugis . She never really expressed her emotions that much . But, now that she looked fixedly at his appearance, all she could feel was a clear disgust .
She had the trouble of making an illusion as he requested her to do . All in order to make reconnaissance activities . However, after all that trouble, when she returned, the person in charge was asleep . If he ordered her to make some illusions, then it was his duty and obligation to wait for her in order to see the results . Eldith looked at Lugis’ sleeping face and sharpened her lips .
However, Eldith blinked her eyes and reconsidered her thoughts .
“Well, he didn’t sleep much last night . ” Thinking about it, Lugis supported Eldith’s body all night long . He held her without a night’s sleep . Yes, this body of his .
Somehow, Eldith shook her ears .
“I see . If this is the reason why he is sleeping, then I mustn’t be that harsh with him . I’ve heard that the human body is neither strong nor durable . If I think about yesterday, I have to admit that it is obvious that he is tired . Taking a moment of sleep won’t do any harm anyways” .
Eldith gently touched his hand placed on the chair . It was strangely small . Especially because he was sort-of a knight . Eldith thought that forgiveness was a measure of who stands above it; therefore, she let him sleep peacefully .
After settling her thoughts, Eldith looked at his sleeping face again . The frustration had finally disappeared from Eldith’s chest . Rather, she recognized her partner’s work and praised him .
She didn’t want Lugis to worry now . She believed from the bottom of her heart that without him things would’ve been different . That’s why she mustn’t have useless and bitter thoughts now .
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Nonetheless, it was clear that Eldith’s hostility towards humans had faded away because of him . Eldith blinked her eyelashes repeatedly once again .
At first, Eldith felt compassion for him since both sympathized with each other’s feelings . She felt that they had given up on everything . Because of these defeating feelings, she thought that they had a relationship where they could understand their wounds .
However, that was Eldith’s misunderstanding . In fact, it was a one-sided feeling . Lugis said it himself . He didn’t want to give up or die . On the contrary, he said that he would try to live regardless of the consequences . Eldith’s blue eyes were deeply fixated on Lugis .
A smile leaked from Eldith’s cheeks who continued to gaze at Lugis’ sleeping face .
“C’mon, what I am doing again . This is so shameful . I should have left him there to die . Why did I save his neck? After all, he is just a human and I am the Elf Princess . It is absurd to even compare us . ”
These thoughts crossed through Eldith’s mind for countless of times . Nevertheless, this time was different . Eldith didn’t feel that way anymore . If there was no Lugis, she would have lost her spirit and soul in the Tower with the passage of time . Her roots would have gone crazy .
Surely, she wouldn’t have the courage to leave the Tower and try to reach for the sky . There was no way that she would have been able to get back on her feet in this earth .
“Ah, that’s right . I would have given up on everything if I threw his hand away from mine . If Lugis accepts me as I am, I will be delighted to follow him wherever he’ll go” .
Eldith grabbed Lugis’ stretched fingers and entangled them with her own fingers . She held his fingers strongly, but not strongly enough so that he won’t wake up .
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「You told me this before . You said that I mustn’t run away from my problems . That I must face them and get involved in your flow . I was surprised when you said those words . 」
Eldith recalled his words one by one . She continued to speak with Lugis, who was asleep . These were like congratulatory words . But, at the same time, they were like a “curse” .
「You know what, elves are a very obsessive race . The emotions we hold can never be scratched away that easily . Never . 」
Elves couldn’t change their ways rapidly due to their longevity, such as thoughts, habits, and emotions . Anything that floated in their everyday life, that made them change a little, would be something everlasting . Summing up, the deeper it was, the more it was engraved in their hearts . Yes, the more permanent it became .
Eldith kind of signed a contract with Lugis . He said he wouldn’t let her go, since they were caught in the same stream . Therefore, Eldith accepted him . And he accepted her . Yes, a contract of cooperation .
Still, Eldith had not completely forgiven herself . She didn’t trust everything nor everyone . She didn’t accept everything as it was .
Regardless of those feelings, Lugis said he wouldn’t let her go .
Eldith accepted that binding contract .
「I am going to keep my promises . I swear to you on my own pride . 」
Eldith whispered those words on Lugis’ still-sleeping ears .