After setting everything in motion, Priscilla headed back to the inn near the warrior’s guild while the rest of the group simply headed upstairs to rest for the day. Elaine had awakened by that point and was having the first and worst hangover of her life.

“Goddess end me.” She was sitting on the floor against the bed with her head resting on the mattress. “I feel like dwarves are splitting my skull open with pickaxes.”

“I didn’t know you were bad with alcohol.”

Reinhardt said while getting some water from the ceramic pot they had ordered for their room.

“Me neither, otherwise I wouldn’t have drank it. Ugh…”

He passed her the ceramic cup and she took a few sips of it.

“Are you okay Elaine?”

The elf glanced at Rionara with her right eye barely open before closing it again as she sighed.

“Even Rio can hold her liquor better than me.”

Needless to say she was disappointed with herself but that just made Reinhardt chuckle.

“She did drink half a tankard though so don’t be too hard on yourself Elaine.” He was polishing his arming sword with a piece of cloth doused lightly in oil. “Besides, it’s called elven lemon for a reason.”

“Who made that, really? I find it strange how it affects elves the most.”

“I think it’s you rather than the beverage, Elaine.”

She gave him a light punch on the arm. Rionara giggled at the situation, while it was true that most of her life was pain and sadness, for the first time she was actually enjoying herself. Despite having only met the two of them a few days ago it already felt like they’ve been taking care of her for a long time. Though deep down she couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt weighing down her heart, she tucked both her legs between her arms and lowered her chin between her knees.

“What’s wrong, Rio?” Reinhardt asked. ”You seem a bit down.”

“Huh? Ah, no it’s nothing.” She looked away. “I’m just… thinking…”

He had a bittersweet smile on his face as he sat across her against the wall.

“I know what Dame Priscilla said, but you don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to.” His genuine worry made her chest feel tighter. “Though I can’t promise we’ll be back anytime soon after we depart, you have no obligation to go through with this. It was my choice after all.”

“It’s… it’s just as Priscilla said, I have nowhere else to go. Even if I were to stay here, I…”

She tightened her hands into fists, she couldn’t explain what she felt because it was the first she experienced having a choice. All purpose in her life up until that point was surviving, now with a proper roof over her head, food in her belly and clothes that kept her warm, it just didn’t feel right to just pack things up and leave. It would’ve been all too easy if they mistreated her since she was a slave, but the warmth and kindness that everyone showed her was too great of a debt to go unpaid.

“You should just do what you want to do.” Elaine said while still with her eyes closed. “Rein here had the option to just let you be back in the dungeon, but he still chose to drag you out with us nonetheless. You are by no means obligated to help us in return.”

“But…!” Her sudden change in tone made both him and the elf look at her a bit surprised. “This is what I want. I want to help you.”

Reinhardt smiled while he ruffled her silver hair a bit.

“Let’s rest up for today then, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow and if you ever change your mind you can always tell us.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He stood up before beginning to take off his armor. Elaine, despite the hangover, was able to take off her equipment and leave it beside the nightstand as she prepared to sleep. Rionara simply took off her leather boots and climbed onto the bed, she grasped the edges of her cloak and closed her eyes.

Once everyone was on the bed Reinhardt blew the candle out, leaving only the light from the full moon coming in through the window.

It was the middle of autumn, but it felt much colder at night. The window was becoming foggy from the condensation of the warm air against the cold glass. A few minutes had passed but Rionara couldn’t sleep, she was restless, turning around many times as if trying to find a more comfortable position.

The moment her eyes would close it was as if something was tugging her sense of self inside her mind towards an endless abyss of darkness. It was something akin to a primal instinct of self preservation which would keep her awake.

“...what’s wrong?”

She heard Elaine’s soft whisper coming from behind her. The elf had noticed her restlessness.

“I… can’t sleep.”

“Not tired?”

“No… it’s like something is waiting for me in my sleep.”

“Did you have a nightmare?” She noticed her head shaking ever so slightly. “Then, what is it that you’re feeling?”

“I’m… afraid. Afraid that something might happen if I close my eyes.”

She could hear Elaine’s sigh, obviously she thought the elf would be tired of the things she said, but instead she reached for her shoulder and gently turned the girl around.

“Give me your hand.”

“Huh…?”

“Just give me your hand.” Elaine placed the girl’s hand between hers. Rionara felt the warmth from her palms as she whispered. “Now, close your eyes and focus on my hand.”

She began to ever so slightly pour mana through her fingertips, it was like a soothing massage for the girl’s soul as at first she felt a tingling, a bit uncomfortable, sensation but it was soon replaced by a caressing wave of warmth, not unlike a mother’s embrace. It took a few minutes before Rionara’s eyes began to slowly close.

“Mmmmm…”

Seeing how it was a good reaction, Elaine started to hum softly as she continued gently squeezing the girl’s hands. While doing so she couldn’t help but remember about the old days in the house Lorraine, where a young Reinhardt would keep her company in the night despite being her master.

“Young master, you shouldn’t…” A younger Elaine of shorter blonde hair was being nursed in the barracks, a place where there were multiple beds beside one another for the servants, by a young man clad in gambeson armor. “What if… Lord Lorraine finds you-”

She coughed a bit under the blankets.

“You’re in no shape to be here alone, Elaine.” He had a porridge of wheat and mashed vegetables in a ceramic bowl while she carried a wooden stool to sit beside her bed. “Lord father will understand. It’s the work of nobles to keep their servants in top shape.”

He sat down and grabbed the wooden spoon to feed her but instead she grabbed the bowl.

“I can… eat by myself…” He let go of the bowl as she started to slowly munch down on the vegetable paste. She discreetly looked at him and noticed his gaze was towards his interlocked hands. “Thank you, young master.”

“You can just call me Reinhardt, Elaine.”

“But young master… wouldn’t that be disrespectful?”

“Then, I order you to call me Reinhardt from here onwards.” He had a sad smile on his face as he spoke to her. “Honestly, not having anyone to talk to despite living in one of the largest houses in Arcadia is depressing.”

She took a few sips of the porridge before asking.

“Do you feel lonely, Reinhardt?”

“Yes… despite how we look, me and my father are not on the best of terms.” He glanced at the foot of the bed where he had left his arming sword and shield. “I don’t know if I was born for this.”

His gaze then changed to his trembling hands as he forced them shut in order to stop them from shaking. She was all too familiar with that sensation, the training regimen she had to go through was enough to bring her down to her knees.

“I think the feeling of uncertainty is present in every waking moment of our life, but at least we can find solace in the small joys in life. Don’t you have anything that makes you smile, despite being a simple thing?”

“I… never thought of that.” He interlocked his fingers while hanging his head low. “After my mother passed away, my father became much stricter with our training. Not even my brother was able to keep up with him. Needless to say I didn’t have much time to myself either.”

“I’m sure you will find what you truly like someday.”

“But then what about you Elaine? What do you wish to do with your life?”

“To be free. Free of the chains I call my family. I know it is unreasonable or even outright impossible, but one can’t help but dream, right?”

“Do you dislike being a vassal?”

Her fingers circled around the bowl of porridge.

“When I was told that I would serve the youngest child of the Lorraine family, I was worried at first. But…” She looked at him with a genuine smile on her face. “I’m glad it was you, Reinhardt.”