Chapter 62 : But He’s Gone Now

Damn you, Stacy!

Her mind had nearly been scrambled into mush, on the verge of sinking into the abyss of pleasure.

She had almost been broken, and for what? For Stacy to have her fun and then just… leave? What about her?

She looked at the ruined bed. The sheets were wrinkled, a mix of sweat and… other things. Stacy had her share in it too; it wasn’t just Milly who had lost control. The result? The sheets were so soaked they could be wrung out.

If she didn’t clean up Stacy’s mess, she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. The dampness had even seeped into the mattress below. It felt fine for now, but leaving it might lead to mold.

She went to the window. The afternoon sun was strong enough. A few hours of sunbathing should do the trick for the mattress. As for the sheets, throwing them away would be best, but this wasn’t her house. These were Tifna’s things. If Tifna asked, she couldn’t very well say that the nun who had visited and her had… done that, and in the process, ruined the sheets so badly they had to be thrown out.

She couldn’t bring herself to say it. It was a matter of her innocence.

She’d just have to wash them. If they didn’t dry, she’d borrow a new set from Tifna and say she had accidentally spilled tea.

Not wanting to cause Tifna any more trouble, Milly carried the mattress and sheets downstairs. She hung the mattress out to dry on the clothesline, then soaked the sheets in water before vigorously scrubbing them.

As she passed through the living room, Tifna was still sitting at the table, staring at the blood-stained armor fragment. She didn’t even look up as Milly walked by.

In the face of such grief, any words of comfort felt hollow. Milly decided to finish her chores first and then just sit with Tifna. Maybe that would help a little.

When the washed sheets were also on the line, Milly returned to the living room. Tifna was still staring at the fragment, as if trying to memorize every metallic line.

Milly sat quietly in the chair she had brought earlier. Tifna’s gaze didn’t waver. She hadn’t noticed her. Milly had thought of many comforting words while washing the sheets, but now, they were all stuck in her throat.

The silence remained unbroken. After a long time, Tifna finally put down the fragment and began to speak, as if to herself. “My brother was always so strong. I chased after him for so long, but I could never catch up.”

“He was hailed as the Empire’s Sword Saint, the strongest of them all. He could complete any mission with ease.”

As she spoke, a faint smile appeared on Tifna’s lips for the first time since she had heard the news of Agnes’s death. It was as if she had retreated into her memories, where her brother was still alive and well, and she was still chasing after him.

Milly listened quietly as Tifna spoke of her time with her brother. Whenever she was in danger, he would always be there, his back shielding her.

“He always told me, ‘Tifna, a true hero isn’t someone who doesn’t cry, but someone who wipes away their tears and still chooses to raise their sword against the darkness.’ But…”

Tifna’s voice choked. She suddenly hugged Milly, burying her head in her chest. The flatness of it reminded her of her brother’s embrace.

“Just for a little while, please. Let me hold on for one last time. Let me cry for one last time.”

Milly said nothing. Any comforting words were swallowed back down. If Tifna wanted to hold on, she would let her, until she was ready to let go.

She gently stroked Tifna’s back. The capable captain was now crying like a child in her arms. The tears soaked Milly’s dress, and all she could do was hold her tight, hoping to offer some small comfort.

In that moment, Tifna had made her the sole recipient of her grief, pouring out all her sorrow. A bitter feeling welled up in Milly’s heart.

She couldn’t tell her the truth. Her identity, her secrets, everything that had happened to her—she couldn’t share it with Tifna. All Tifna knew about her was a lie.

“Tifna…”

Milly whispered her name, but Stacy’s cold face flashed in her mind, her words echoing in her ears.

“You don’t really think you’re safe from exposure, do you?”

How long could she hide it? When the day came, how would she face Tifna? Just as Stacy had said, as long as she stayed with Tifna, there was a risk of being exposed. But for now, just for a moment, she wanted to be selfish. She just wanted to hold Tifna, to make the tears stop.

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that. The sunlight outside had turned a deep orange. It must be near sunset.

Tifna’s sobs gradually subsided. She took a deep breath and let go of Milly, wiping the tears from her eyes and forcing a smile that was almost normal. “I’m sorry, I lost my composure.”

“It’s okay.”

Tifna suddenly stood up and looked at the dimming light outside. “It’s getting late. I’ll go make dinner.”

Her voice sounded almost normal. But as she took her first step, she stumbled. Her subsequent steps were steady, until she disappeared into the kitchen.

Leaning back in her chair, Milly looked at the sunset. She had survived another day. But tomorrow, would it be better, or worse?

…

Late at night, Milly tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. The memory of dinner flashed in her mind…

After a long time in the kitchen, Tifna had brought out a steaming pot of mushroom soup. She was about to ladle a bowl for Milly when her hand froze in mid-air.

“I’m sorry… my brother loved this. He used to make it all the time…”

She remembered Milly’s aversion to mushroom soup. She should have made something else. But in her own kitchen, she had instinctively made this.

Even though her brother was… gone.

“Wait, I’ll make something else.”

“No need. This is fine.”

Milly took the ladle and served herself a bowl. The psychological trauma from Stacy’s cooking had to be overcome eventually.

The soup was delicious. It was a shame she had missed out on it at the camp. But beneath the rich flavor, there was a faint bitterness, as if Tifna’s sorrow had been cooked into it.

Tifna had forgotten to serve herself. She just sat there, chin in hand, watching Milly eat, just like in the old days.

Back then, her brother would also hold a bowl of soup like this. The memory overlapped with the scene before her. But Tifna shook her head, chasing the thought away.

From now on, she would take care of the sister before her, just as her brother had taken care of her.