In a World without God

Chapter 24

A boy and a girl emerged from the water, parting the moonlit surface as they escaped from the depths of sleep. Water droplets falling from their bodies left traces on the stone floor. In the silent night, there was no one around, only the occasional cry of mountain birds echoed.

"Hey, let go of me!"

Edulis exclaimed. His soaked clothes were damp and uncomfortable, and he wanted to wring the water out of them, but he couldn't because the child was clinging tightly to his chest.

"You can't die, Edulis!"

Wet, ivory-colored hair stuck to Edulis's cheek... It tickled so badly that Edulis wanted to pull it away.

"Who said anything about dying? Get away from me, Murjana, it's hot, it's wet, and it's stuffy!"

Edulis said, pushing Murjana away.

"Don't lie! I saw it. Edulis, you tried to jump into the water. You tried to kill yourself!"

Murjana clung tenaciously to Edulis. She seemed to believe that if she let go, Edulis would run to the water's edge.

"Is that so? Can't I just enjoy the view?"

"That wasn't a sightseeing expression! It was a look captured by sad thoughts. I... I know people who have died with that look."

"Sad thoughts? I've never had those! Hey, seriously, back off!"

Murjana is a descendant of Vala. So Edulis had come to think of her as a niece. It wasn't that hard to uproot her, but he wasn't sure he could do it without hurting her.

Edulis looked at Murjana's face. She was looking up at him with a furrowed brow, trying to hold back tears. Her brown eyes glistened like the moon reflected on the surface of the water as tears pooled in them.

Edulis felt a prickling sensation in his chest as if thorns were embedded within. He wasn't used to this. How many people had mourned Bosha's death? That damn fox should have died, he had been told that countless times.

Suddenly, Edulis remembered Ygraine. He wondered if Ygraine had had the same look on her face as she watched Bosha die. The thought made his heart sink.

After all, he should have been stronger. With that thought, Edulis said.

"How could I take my own life? Life is Luthea's gift to humans, and how could I throw it away?"

Then Murjana burst into tears. Edulis frowned, not knowing which part of his words triggered her.

"Edulis.... I have become the most accomplished swordsman in House Ishtar. I wanted to brag about that to you. I wanted to say it was thanks to you. But if you die, I... I..." Murjana sobbed and buried her face on Edulis's chest.

"Damn it. What is it with me and these kids? I can't seem to talk to them!" Thinking that, Edulis shouted.

"Hey, didn't you hear me? I already told you I'm not going to die!"!"

That was all Edulis could do. The fox of Kaldura doesn't know how to soothe a child.

By the time Murjana calmed down and believed Edulis' words, the moon had moved as much as a finger's breadth

***

"My father was sent here to determine the connection between the Fey family and the witches. I begged him to let me come with him. ."

Murjanaa said. There were still red marks at the corners of her eyes. Edulis wrung the moisture from his clothes and asked.

"Why?"