Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact]

Chapter 21. Good Night

Chapter 21
Good Night

Ayaka hurried down the hall towards the stairs, quickly descending each step with her eyes fixed on the road. Her mind, however, wandered a bit to the room she had just left, and specifically to one of her guests.

She didn't like the thoughts that were going through her head at the moment, but she didn't make much effort to put them aside either.

Why was Kazuha so insistent on wanting to leave as soon as possible? In fact, if it wasn't for his friend's intervention, he probably wouldn't even have gone there with them. Was he really doing it out of concern and not to be an annoyance? Or was he just insisting with the same excuse because the reality was that he didn't want to be near her? Was her company so horrible to him...?

Or, maybe she had pushed him too hard? She thought he would be as excited to see her again as she was, but clearly, he wasn't. His escape the day before must have made that clear to her.

That made her start to feel a little silly. After all, they weren't the same kids they were eight years ago, especially him. He had traveled, met many people, and lived many experiences... Why would he want to spend time with a girl who had never taken more than a few steps outside her house? Surely to him now, she was just a stuffy, boring, and bland noble girl who perhaps brought him here just to rub her position in his face...

"My lady, wait," Thoma's voice spoke from behind her. "Slower..."

Ayaka stopped in her tracks, realizing that she was feeling a little agitated. Was it because of the thoughts she was having? Or because she had been almost running without realizing it?

She turned slowly, noticing Thoma a few feet away from her, catching his breath a bit.

"I'm sorry, Thoma," she murmured, shamed. "I was a little distracted."

"Are you okay?" asked the servant, already recovered. "Are you... upset?"

"No, not at all," she replied without hesitation, even smiling at him with apparent normality. "Why are you saying that?"

Her smile might seem sincere, but Thoma knew her well enough to know that other kinds of emotions were behind it. And equally, he knew that they were not his concern to question.

"No, nothing," he murmured slowly, looking away. "It's in this room. That's where we put him."

Ayaka then turned to her right, realizing they were already a few steps from the door.

"Let's go in then," she said calmly, approaching the door to carefully slide it open and peek inside.

Inside, Ouji was lying on a futon while one of the waitresses watched him at his side. Noticing the presence of her mistress, the young woman stepped aside to let her pass. Ayaka approached the futon. Ouji still had his eyes closed, but he was fidgeting a bit, seemingly slowly coming out of the drowsiness expected after being unconscious for so long. His sword rested on the floor beside him.

"Mr. Ouji?" The Heron Princess murmured slowly, sitting down beside him. "Can you hear me?"

The samurai did seem to hear her. He turned his face in her direction and slowly opened his eyes. It took a while for his vision to be able to see Miss Kamisato's smile clearly. His reaction, however, was actually one of some disgust. He quickly sat down on the futon and backed away from Ayaka. His face reflected confusion and perhaps a little fear.