Is It Wrong For An Assassin To Be In The Dungeon? V1 (Danmachi Fanfic)

Chapter 22: Forgive and Forget

"Weave in... weave out..." I slowly mutter as my hands dance a waltz with needle and thread. Binding cloth and hooking thread. The last few seams, and I'll be done mending my coat. I was never a tailor. but anyone could sew up a simple hole in their clothing, albeit without the fancy stitchwork or a nice finishing. I just need to focus and not get distracted...

"Why did I let her go?"

Not now, please. Let me focus. I press on, pushing the needle into the fabric. My palms feel wet.

"Are you not strong enough?"

Shut up. I concentrate, but the lines dance before my very eyes. I pause, momentarily. My head aches.

"Have you become one of them? A sinner? Is that what you ar-"

"SCREW OFF ALREADY!" I scream, my eyes seeing nothing but red. When I came back to my senses, my coat is on the floor, the patchwork now torn, ruined.

I sighed, picking up my worn out coat, contemplating on redoing the stitch again. But... not now, maybe. In this state I'm not in the mood of conducting... delicate activities. I need to calm myself. I should go pray, or perhaps burn some sage, or something...

"M-Marcus? Was that you?" I hear a voice calling from outside the door. "I heard a shout. Is everything alright in there?"

It's Bell. His voice is unmistakable. Thankfully, it seems that he's been blissfully unaware of what has occurred over the past few days.

Calming myself down and placing my coat on the table, I quickly open the door. A curious face greets me.

"Uh... hey Marcus. You okay?"

"Yeah, I just... uh... pricked my thumb while sewing my coat." I say as I glance back on my still damaged coat. "But, it wasn't that important."

"Oh." Bell says frantically. "Should I get a band aid? Maybe some healing ointment?"

I simply wave him off. "Like I said, it wasn't that big of an issue. Let me guess, dungeon raiding time?"

Bell nods happily. I can see he's fully dressed to go to the Dungeon. It's a bit weird that he's so eager to head back into the Dungeon after our- *ahem* I mean Lili's close brush with death. Then again, it's his job as an adventurer. As the old saying goes: Do what you love, and you won't work another day.

"You coming?" Bell asks, with a light of enthusiasm in his eyes.

I should refuse, politely of course. After all, with so much going on at the moment I doubt I'll be as effective in the Dungeon as before. But strangely, I too feel some strange anticipation of the coming raid. Maybe it will take my mind off these thoughts I've been having.

"Yeah give me a minute. Let me grab my stuff." I say as I head back inside. With that big ugly hole in my coat it won't be of any use to me. Thankfully, I went out and got another coat for myself from the marketplace the other day. It's not as high quality as my Watcher's coat, but it'll make do for now. Grabbing my gear, I head back out to meet up with Bell. I also grab two or three flasks and tie them under my belt.

"You done? Let's go!" He says happily.

Looking around, I see only Bell, but not Lili. She.. ran away, perhaps? Our conversation yesterday was not very... 'friendly', I must say.

"Where's Lili?" I ask, seeing no sign of her.

"She's at the abandoned church, gathering her equipment." Bell shrugs.

Good, it mean Lili's kept her mouth shut, for now.

Bell notices the flasks on me. "Wait a second, Marcus. Why are you bringing those bottles with you?"