To the unknown Future

Chapter 8:

When Uriel went inside with Venti in tow, some of the customers of the tavern looked in their direction and whispers could be faintly heard.

The new owner of the tavern whose called Francis looked at the two with a profound look in his eyes before serving them their orders personally.

"Oh, hi Francis! How's your wife doing?" Uriel looked at him with recognition and asked expectantly.

"Yes, She's getting better because of the medicine you delivered in a timely manner. I owe you as much, Miss Uriel," Francis smiled and left their table.

"The food and drinks in the tavern look so good! Venti, let's eat!" Uriel smiled and dig in. Venti started with the apple cider and couldn't help but stare at the girl in front of him.

He wants to know more about her, not because she was interesting, but because she's a dense person with no precaution whatsoever. Venti could guess that he was just worried over her because of her carelessness and this mysterious aura shrouding her being from time to time.

After they were done, Uriel was unusually quiet and clingy. She kept the base of her shoes next to his and he tried to move them away under the table, she kept following it.

And as for her quietness, after drinking her glass, she has gone quiet. Venti looked at her face but she was looking down, making it hard for him to see her face.

"Uriel, what did you drink?" Venti couldn't help but ask but it was met with silence.

Francis went to their table for the tab and found the lively girl so quiet.

"Francis, can I ask what drink she ordered just now?" Venti asked and Francis nodded,

"It's Dandelion wine... Hmmm... Could it be?" Francis pondered and looked at the quiet girl.

"Ahaha, Here's the payment, Francis! Thanks for the meal! Now then, Uriel, let's go," Venti said in an awkward tone as he paid their tab and left with Uriel in his arms.

When they got into a distance, Venti take back his arms to move back when Uriel suddenly dived into his chest and gave him a tight squeeze.

"Uh- U-Uriel what are you-" Venti was surprised and wanted to pull away when he felt his shirt getting wet.

"U-Uriel?! Hey, Are you okay?" He asked in a hurry, patting her back to help soothe her, but it only made her waterworks heavy.

"T-this is a bit of a dilemma, Shall we go somewhere quieter?" Venti asked her and wanted to take her out of the city when she opened her bag and activated the Serenitea pot without any warning.

Venti, who was unprepared, was in a daze while looking at Uriel who was crying all by herself while she squatted at the entrance of her home.

"This- U-Uriel, is there something wrong?" Venti couldn't help but ask her as he bent down in front of her, peeking at her weeping form.

"I... I can't tell you..." Uriel said in a whimpering tone, moving her head to look back at him and staring at her crying face.

"It's fine you can't tell me, I won't pursue it. It's okay to cry, don't hold back..." Venti paused for a bit and smile at her before saying, "I'm here for you,"

"Ngh! V-VENTI! WAAAH!" just like that, Uriel's tears started to flow more and she jumped into his waiting arms, crying over something that looks like it deeply pains her.

Venti hold her against his body, stroking her back and saying soothing words to help Uriel to take out her heavy burden.

Time passes by, it was already deep in the night, and Uriel's cries turn quieter, with a few hiccups here and there. When she shifted in his embrace, Venti let her change her position and looked back at her. He smiled gently, with his finger wiping away the traces of tears from her eyes.

"Feeling better now?" He asked her in a low tone. Uriel nodded and slowly stood up, wobbling on her own two feet and almost stumbling if not for Venti's help.

"Uhm... l-lets go inside first..." Uriel said in a soft tone, Venti knows that her throat must be parched so he helped her inside and got her a glass of water.

Sitting down the kitchen aisle with the glass of water in her hands, Uriel looked down embarrassed.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Drunk people tend to be more open, emotional, or talkative when drunk. I've seen many people like that, don't worry Uriel," Venti smiled at her but she shook her head no.

"It's embarrassing, a-and... u-unladylike,"- She said while blushing but Venti only comforted her more with words.

"Venti, thank you for tonight... Please stay here till daytime, as... as compensation for... everything..." She offered and Venti gladly took her offer.

"Then I'll take your guest room, Uriel, have a good night," Venti bid farewell to her and to the direction of the guest room that the teapot spirit pointed at.

After settling down, Venti lay on the bed and drew the lamp off. It was not even five minutes when the door of the guest room opened and quiet footsteps went towards the side of the bed. Had Venti not turned and faced the wall, he would've seen Uriel in her nightdress.

Silence...

"I cried... because I was betrayed. The reason, I cannot tell." She started and spoke in a soft, whisper-like tone.

"When I became aware of it, it was already too late, and I was helpless,"

"I tried to put a front and smiling exterior to face reality but... I'm still wounded inside..." Uriel said and there was a pause.

"Thank you, Venti, Good night," After that, she left the room.
Venti opened his eyes after a few minutes, his face was stoic and his eyes blurred with deep thoughts inside of his head.

He sighed before rubbing his face with his hand, thoughts filled with Uriel's image.

'I knew it, Uriel is really something else. She said she was betrayed and left helpless, and yet her relative Xingqui didn't seem to know about her situation. Aside from that, she has this weird behavior of staring at the sky after defeating monsters.'

'So many questions, so many things I don't know, and yet this girl, she... seems to rely on me?' Venti couldn't help but think like this and sighed, it seems that sleep was being elusive to him tonight.