Eldarya-Lance, Erika and shopping.
I stirred the content of my mug with a little spoon, and I watched carefully the people that were having breakfast in the cantine. It had been a few more than a week since my encounter with Lance, and just as Huang Hua said, he had been avoiding me as much as I had been. I didn't run on him in the alleyways, and even though he was my boss, I never showed up in the obsidian guard training.
When I finished my hot chocolate, I left the mug in the kitchen, thanked Karuto and while I was heading to my room, a voice that I knew far too well stopped me on my track.
— Erika. – Yeah, it was too good to be true. I grimaced and turned back with reluctance to face that cold eyes of his, that were carefully watching me. Instead of saying something, I waited for him to be the one starting the conversation.
— Since you rejoined the obsidian guard, you haven't come to train and you haven't done your chores either. If you keep it like this, you won't pass the evaluation. – Ah, yes, the so-called evaluation. If it hasn't changed during all these years, last time I did a pretty good job if I say so myself. But now, although I had been training with Jamon and even Mathieu, my skills couldn't be compared with the ones that used to have before going into the Crystal.
– Well, if I'm not mistaken, I'm not the only one that doesn't do the chores of her guard. Mathieu is all the time with the members of the obsidian guard and it doesn't seem like a big deal.
He raised an eyebrow, nonchalant, while I bit my lip and looked the other way. I recognize it was an awful, childish tactic, but there was no way that I was agreeing with him.
— If it helps you sleep at night, be my guest. You were the one that chose to come back instead of staying in the light guard. — "Because I didn't know that you would be my damn boss" I would have liked to answer him, but instead of saying so, I just puffed. — Follow me.
— To where?
— The market. I guess Jamón didn't finish showing you the kinds of materials and complements that you should use, so while I pick up some stuff that the guard needs, I'll finish showing you.
I puffed for a second time, and since I wasn't complaining, he began to lead the way. Even though his steps were far bigger than mine, he slowed down to match my steps, so I wouldn't be walking behind him but at his side.
— Don't you have better things to do? Guard chiefs don't usually do this stuff. You could have just sent someone.
–— Indeed, they don't usually do these tasks. Today's the day off of a lot of people, including myself, but I don't mind going down the market and picking up a few things that are needed. — Was he using his free time to do boring tasks? Wow, he definitely didn't have a lot of friends.
While we were roaming the market, he explained to me, clearly and calmly, the armor parts most suitable for me, how they were fitted, the lightest materials, their maintenance and a few other things that I had asked out of curiosity. It was very weird being with Lance this way; walking without being threatened, with a knife at my neck, watching how people approached and talked to him… Everything was so normal that it even annoyed me a bit.
— Do you want me to carry anything? — It wasn't much, but they seemed heavy and it was true that I could have helped more with my chores. He looked at me slightly surprised, and shook his head.
— No, thanks. It's not necessary.
— But it looks heavy. — He chuckled and smiled briefly.
— It's that what you're worried about, Erika? Do you think that I'm not strong enough to lift a bunch of things? — I felt the heat of my cheeks, and hit myself mentally for the stupidity that I had just said. Of course he was strong enough if he could have lifted me over a cliff with one single hand.
I didn't say much more and accompanied him to the warehouse. During all the way, we were in silence, not an awkward silence but a comfortable one. I did help him this time to set every piece in its place. That place was very unorganized, and we decided to put some order in it.
— Seriously, this place is an awful mess.
— I know. Everytime I come I try to tidy up the place, but order isn't part of the obsidian guard members' qualities. — I slipped a small smile and went to leave a helmet on a shelf. — Watch out!
Before I could react, I tripped over some shoulder pads that were on the ground, and just before falling flat on my face, Lance appeared like a ninja at my side grabbing me by the arm and pulling me up. I turned my head to take a look at his touch and then his face. When he noticed my stare and that he had touched me, he pulled back his hand abruptly.
— I… I'm sorry, are you ok?
— Yes, I'm fine. Why do you care about me? — He thought about it for a seconds before answering me.
— It's my job.
— And do you like your job? Are you happy to be the head of the Obsidian Guard again? — I sat on the top of a box and he did the same with another one that was in front of me.
— It's not about whether I like it or not. Huang Hua needed someone with experience and I was the best suited for the position, although it's weird that you're asking me that question. — I swallowed uncomfortably and hugged one of my knees, resting my chin on top of it.
- I… I don't hate you Lance. - Unable to meet his gaze, I looked at the ground as it hid the most interesting secrets of Eldarya. - I'm actually incapable of hating you.
And that was true. My blood boiled every time I thought about the last thing I saw before entering the Crystal, but the truth is that I couldn't bring myself to hate him. Especially after Valkyon had asked me to try to go easy on him. Lance was prepared to die with this world, and not only did he not achieve his goal, but he lost what little he had left.
— Before walking into the Crystal, I could see a bit of what was going on in the meantime. I saw Kero and Miiko talking about abandoning the guard, Ezarel leaving… and I also got to talk to Valkyon.
— What ... What did my brother tell you? — This time I did lift my gaze to meet his blue stare, which had abandoned its calm facade and was stained with remorse and guilt.
— Your brother doesn't hold a grudge against you, Lance. He was prepared to die, and when he sacrificed, he found peace. He just hopes that one day you can forgive yourself, and he asked me not to be too hard on you. Although as you can tell, I didn't really try.
He looked devastated, and then, more than ever, I could definitely check that it was true how much he had changed. The Lance I once knew, full of fury and passion, had disappeared. It was as if only the ashes of the great fire that had pushed him to do everything he had pulled through remained.
— I'm going. I promised the Purreks that I would help them out. If you need help to tidy up this place, let me know. - I got up and hurried out of the warehouse before he could give me an answer. It was better to give him space and time after the conversation we had had.