Chapter 125 - One-Hundred-Fourteen

I feel exhausted after that conversation, so many ups and downs that the only thing I wish now it to sleep the rest of the day in and ignore all these emotions causing havoc inside my chest.

As we watch both the elder and Hel walk out the room the demon, before leaving, says she will give us all the information we need later that day.

A part of me still wanted that information now, demanded even, after all who knew where she could sneak out to if we don't watch her closely, but after all that anger and outburst my energy seems to have flipped upside down, a dreadful sensation crushing my heart, a depressing hollowness filled with the inability of doing nothing more, of having tried all I could and still not managing to accomplish it, not being able to save my brother until now and yet unable to take that out of my mind.

We stay behind in that now suddenly very quiet room as I sit back down, putting a hand on my forehead, overwhelmed by such stressful energy that I just have to lay down for a second.

"Sigh…" Leonel takes a seat beside me, passing his arm over my shoulder and making me lean on him, but instead of saying any comforting words he actually says:

"So… Seems like someone likes long hair uhm?" That question earns him a hit on the ribs and a small smile from my part as I roll my eyes. "Ouch. I deserve it."

"You always deserve a few punches here and there."

"Wow, how brute of you, I do not deserve such harsh treatment." He says, but no serious tone was used as we played around a little.

"Oh you do, otherwise you will get to comfortable and it will be a nightmare to deal with."

"Haha, well, is not like little punches will change anything you know…"

"I know, but at least I get the satisfaction of punching you." I say, looking up with a crooked smile, only for my silver eyes to meet his golden ones and immediately make him lean down for a kiss.

But this time, as our lips meet, it wasn't full of hunger nor passion, but instead somewhat… comforting, more… familiar, warm.

When our lips part I bury my face on the crook of his neck, and without containing myself I take a deep breath of his musky smell, and pass my arms over his waist as I say:

"Is just stupid, you know? I understand our plan, on how we can keep Cain away and safely rescue my brother, but at the same time that I'm desperate to take him out of there I… I don't want you to go. Hell, you are the only one I trust with the important mission of rescuing my brother, but the mere thought of something going wrong, of me- of losing you both-I, is suffocating to even think about it."

"And-and my mind just keeps going in circles, you know, of how I don't want you to go, of how I need you to go, so much that I… I don't know anymore…" At that I stop talking, hardening my grip on him and burring my head on his chest, wanting that this calmness, this moment could last forever.

We stay like this for a while, his big hands patting my back and adding to the warmth, and even though my face was hidden in his embrace I still I could hear him clearly since my ears were on top of my head.

"Have some faith, my little hound. I won't have you mourning for me nor your brother in this lifetime. I swear."

"… That's not a light promise you know?"

"I know."

"If you die I'm going to kill you."

"Uhum."

"And revive you again only to kill you again."

"Uhum."

"… Be careful."

"I will, always. You too, facing that demon King."

"Cain? I will be chewing him for dinner by the time you are back."

He chuckles. "I bet you will, but for now let's recover our strength, ease our minds, and prepare for the big day tomorrow, alright?"

"Sure."

In the end he guides me around once more, this time to his guest room and, well, what to expect of a room without owner that was supposed to be as neutral as possible only for guests to stay from time to time?

Of course not an ornamented room with a door only at the entrance and arches to separate the many chambers, nor plants growing over one of the walls and making it all green and flush, giving a good room temperature, plus a soft humid smell too it.

Beyond that there are some banners around with a white tree sewed on, well crafter furniture, and a bed at the end with white cloth falling in waves and looking like butterfly wings, all to hide a very fluff big mattress full of pillows, the type that asks you to bury inside and never leave.

…Is funny how elves are all humble when it comes to taking things from nature, the harvest and intake of food and objects, but when it comes to doing the best with that they have they always go all out, perhaps for the fact that they did not turn consuming goods into something pleasurable like humans did but instead harmful, so they choose the appreciation of arts, crafts and overall culture in place.

Well, that explains why they think so low of other humanoids then, especially humans, I think, recalling the junkyards their villages were, and the opulence the big cities have in contrast.

Hm… I have to start taking notes on these things, after all I want to build a city too, so might as well learn what to do and what not, though it will be more of a sanctuary for magical beasts than I proper society, so it is hard to compare.

Yeah, a safe haven… that dream seemed so far away now…

"Thilgon…" Leonel says behind me. "You can feel at home here, use the bed and bathroom over there and-"

"Wait, are you leaving?" I didn't want to sound needy but asked anyway before I could think otherwise and control my tone of voice. He looks at me, golden eyes shining as his hand brushes the side of my face, making me lean on his touch.

"Don't worry, I will be back with dinner, I just want to make sure the preparations for tomorrow are going well, will be back before you notice. Rest up." At that he kisses my forehead and turns around to leave.

I protest, wanting to participate; after all I was one most interested that things go as planned tomorrow, but in the end he goes alone anyway, saying that I would already play the biggest part by ending the Demon King; and for that I should get rested and in a good mindset to fight him to death, his death of course.

Plus it was all a bunch of elven business and not really interesting he ends up saying. And I could not deny that I was, indeed, tired, so I end up throwing myself on that spacious bed after a warm bath and to take a long-deserved nap to ease the stress away and have a good rest.

But… of course that that long nap was cut short by a knock on the door.