Lost Fantasy-Life After Reincarnation (Arc 1)

Chapter 42

A calm silence prevailed over Loganel and Azura as things had finally calmed down a bit for both of them. They had separated after sharing that brief episode of intimacy and were now sitting in their original spots, not too far from the other in this small bedroom of the abandoned house they had decided to use as their temporary camp. As Loganel rested his head on the stone wall with closed eyes, he listened to the outside city. All he could hear was the occasional rattling of the bones and sound of rotten flesh making contact with the floor. All in all, aside from the noises made by the Undead, it was calm.  

"You think everyone made it out alright?" Azura broke the silence with a soft whisper.
  

"I think so," Loganel opened his eyes and gazed at the empty air before him. "Whatever that wolf was, it's dangerous. I think it's that thing that was attacking the expedition team the whole time."

"..."

The silence returned, enveloping both of them in an awkward moment where drowsiness existed but has now lost the amount of power such that one does not feel a real desire to sleep immediately. That was the reason why the two of them merely sat there, waiting for the desire to for rest returns once again.

"You said earlier...about the time nine years ago," Loganel started as he looked over at Azura.

"Y-you heard that?" Azura appeared to shift a bit from her sitting position, with flushed cheeks as her face reddened from embarrassment. "You do not remember?" Azura frowned.

"I ugh...I lost my memories when I was eight, which is um...seven?--no almost eight years probably. My birthday's in a few days so..."

"You lost your memory?" Azura's eyes were opened wide as she leaned her body forward towards Loganel out of curiosity.

"Yeah," Loganel sighed. "It just sorta happened."

"T-then do you still remember our promise?" Azura stuttered as she gazed at Loganel's face, reading it while displaying a stern expression on hers.

"Sorry," Loganel apologized. "I really don't remember anything before my eight birthday."

"Well," Azura sank back down into her sitting position, "when we were seven nine years ago, my father had taken me to the frontier, in the Ainzloft territory. I was out by myself with my maids when I wandered away into the forests by accident, almost as if I was in a trance and drawn towards something. I couldn't remember much of it, but," she paused, smiling with joy as she recalled her past memories, "you were the first person I saw when I regained my consciousness. You were bruised almost everywhere on your body, with numerous cuts here and there. Even then, with all your wounds, you looked at me and smiled as if nothing had happened. I know something had happened for why else would our parents be so angry and glad at the same time?"

"I-is that all?" Loganel inquired. "You're not hiding anything from me are you?"

"That is all," Azura shook her head. "It's getting late so I'll be off to bed now," she said as she closed her eyes.

"H-hey wait," Loganel got up and reached out towards her. "You said something about a promise earlier on. What was it?"

As Loganel's hands moved closer and closer to Azura's he immediately stopped it. He was hesitant on making physical contact due to him still unsure about whether or not the she would give consent to it. Loganel had thought he was good at reading people, but maybe that only applied to men. To him, a girl's heart is like the great unknown, shrouded in a mysterious mist that just somehow could never unravel. It will never tell him where he's going, until he maybe one day stumble upon their "island".

He sighed and bitterly smiled as he watched her face. Her closed eyes and a poorly concealed smile made it obvious that she was pretending to be asleep. Loganel knew this and he also knows that no matter what he tried, she will not speak of the subject again. Therefore, with a sigh, Loganel dispelled his curiosity as best as he possibly could, and resorted to just observing her face.