Chương 65: Bad Mood

I suddenly felt a desperate urge to see the sea. I grabbed a random person on the street and asked for the path to the coast. They told me there was a trail to the west leading to a bay. They also warned me that this wasn't the season for seafaring—that any boat attempting to set sail now would be committing suicide. The path was a long trail under a canopy of trees. There wasn't much overgrowth; it seemed to be used frequently. Unlike the jog from the neighboring city, the wildlife here was vibrant.

I could hear birds and see squirrels scurrying among the branches. After about thirty minutes, the earth beneath my feet turned to white sand, the vegetation shifted, and the wind grew salty. I could see the brilliant blue water in the distance. A few small boats lay on the beach, looking like they hadn't been used in a long time. In Averula, the sea is considered to be under the rule of a deity other than Halunar, so Averulans are not blessed when they venture far out.

Only a few waters are deemed safe for year-round fishing, and this bay clearly wasn't one of them. Nevertheless, the distant water looked remarkably calm. Small waves lapped at the shore; there was no sign that the blue expanse held a deadly threat. Not that I intended to test it. I found some shade and sat down, trying to enjoy the peace brought by the familiar sensation. Yet, the thoughts in my head continued to dance chaotically, refusing to give me a moment's rest. Maybe I need to find a replacement for Lealia.

But who? Everyone with healing-related skills was already here. The only one I hadn't considered was Edgar, but from my observations, he wasn't sharp enough. And he seemed to be developing feelings for Iris. Nathan was completely out of the question. He couldn't heal, and the rest of the Hero party didn't need someone who could read their minds at all times. Or perhaps I should just stick with Iris. She was two-faced, fake, and treacherous, but her skills were genuinely good. No, what am I thinking? Not Iris again.

She was a narcissist who cared for nothing but herself. In the old party, where everyone was arrogant, selfish, and cold, she had been forced to be submissive because her manipulation tactics were useless against them. But if I wanted to build a new party of moral and responsible people, the presence of someone who insisted on being the center of the universe would ruin everything. Thinking it over, the most suitable person was still clearly Lealia. She was kind and capable.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. And here I was, thinking about kicking her out of the plan I dragged her into just because she made a decision I didn't like. Nathan had hit the nail on the head: I was feeling betrayed. The moment Lealia contradicted me in front of the crowd, it felt like a hammer blow to my gut. Because, combined with what Iris had said earlier, Lealia's denial felt like a confirmation that I was just an errand boy and nothing more.

I have to admit, it felt like salt in the wounds of the ego that had been trampled when I was sixteen. If I truly viewed Lealia and the others as tools, I shouldn't feel this way. As Nathan said, when injured by a tool, one thinks they used it wrong, they don't feel "betrayed." The problem wasn't Lealia. The problem was me. I needed to stop letting emotions dictate important decisions. My goal wasn't to make my life in Averula happy or fun; my goal was to get out of here as fast as possible.

I flopped down onto the ground, ignoring the sand sticking to my skin, and decided to let a short nap wash away this unnecessary annoyance. When I woke up, I would start calculating the next steps with a completely clear head. When I returned to the inn in the early afternoon, I found only a plate of grilled meat and a few pieces of dry, crusty bread left on the table for lunch. Lealia was sitting there as if she had been waiting for my return.

Upon seeing me, she stood up with a speed that was a bit faster than usual.

"Asher! You... um, where did you just go?" I sat down across from her, picked up a piece of bread, and began tearing it into small pieces to eat.

"How are you guys handling the drinking water situation for the next few days?" Lealia answered awkwardly, "For now, people have to make do with boiled well water... If anyone is too worried, I add a few herbs to their supply. But the Mayor said the first batch of clean water will arrive this afternoon, and that will be used for drinking and cooking." I kept a piece of bread in my mouth for a long time, letting it soften as I searched for a hint of sweetness from the starch.

However, the bread was bone-dry; the more I ate, the thirstier I became. I stood up and ladled a glass of water from a barrel of boiled water that had been left to cool near the stove. Lealia followed my every move, looking as though she wanted to say something but repeatedly held back. Clearly, she knew she had provoked my anger. A person plagued by guilt is the easiest person to manipulate.

If I were to exploit that right now, I could likely ensure that Lealia never offered a dissenting opinion again for the foreseeable future. But I wasn't Iris. A nap on the beach hadn't been enough to erase the discomfort in my heart, but it was enough to stop it from overriding my reason. I knew my current spite would fade quickly, so I would wait for it to pass entirely before saying anything harsh that might damage my relationship with Lealia forever. I was calculating, yet I wasn't cold or cruel enough.

That was exactly why I had such a headache.

"Aren't you going to check on the patients this afternoon?"

"Oh, yes. But Iris and Edgar said they've recovered a bit of mana, so I can take my time for a moment." I sighed. As expected, this girl had no awareness that the current situation was the perfect time to promote her own image.

"You should go now. I'm going to head up the northeast mountain to find that spring."

"You're going alone? It's dangerous."

"You can leave one of the soldiers with me, and I'll find a local to act as a guide."

"... Alright, then be careful. I'll... head into town now." As I watched Lealia's figure retreat, I couldn't help but sigh. No matter how hard I tried to act normal, a crack had formed in our relationship.