Little Moments of Happiness (Part 2)

"That's true... I'm getting a little embarrassed just saying that."

Galan scratched his head sheepishly, feeling a strange sense of awe that he had never actually been encouraged by Lia.

I wonder if she'll still have these thoughts now when she sees what she looks like in the future...

The two of them turned over in unison and lay side by side on the bed, without saying a word or doing anything else.

I simply held my right hand with my left, closed my eyes, and felt the whistling wind outside the window.

The snow was exceptionally heavy this morning, so heavy that there were hardly any pedestrians on the streets. Even the boss never closes for a day, didn't open the shop because he thought there wouldn't be any business this morning. Therefore, Fitz didn't come to wake him up this morning either.

This gave Galan a rare moment of free time, allowing him to relax in the Inn and unwind with Lia.

Life is a constant journey, pushed along by various events. Sometimes it's not that we don't want to stop and rest, but rather that we carry too many burdens. Once we choose to stop and rest somewhere, we may never be able to continue.

"It's rare to have a break like this, and I actually feel a little guilty... I'm really cut out to be a beast of burden..."

Feeling the subtle psychological changes brought about by a completely different daily routine, Galan murmured to himself.

Upon hearing the unfamiliar term, Lia asked curiously, "Galan, what are cows and horses? Are they some kind of monsters?"

"Uh... no, calling them monsters is a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, these people live even more miserable lives than monsters; they are arguably the most tragic species in the world."

As Galan reminisced about the hardships of the past, he explained to Lia what it meant to be a beast of burden.

"Hey, do such pitiful creatures really exist in the world?"

After hearing this, Lia opened her eyes wide in disbelief, thinking that Galan was lying to her.

But after seeing the weariness in the other person's eyes that didn't seem like a performance, they couldn't help but believe what the other person said.

"So cattle and horses really do exist...? I've lived for almost three hundred years and never encountered one..."

"Then you've seen it now."

Galan chuckled and patted her head, making her think he was just joking.

However, Galan himself was quite serious when he said it.

Lia muttered to herself, her brows furrowed, as if trying to recall the knowledge she had received from her parents and priests, wondering if she had missed any important points. After all, she wasn't the type to enjoy studying before, so perhaps they had taught her something but she had overlooked it.

Seeing Lia so intently pondering the meaning of "ox and horse," Galan couldn't help but burst out laughing.

I never imagined that a casual complaint I made would bring such a big challenge to Lia.

"Huh? Why are you laughing?"

Because I find it cute when you're serious.

"Galan, are you... making fun of me?"

Although that's what Galan said, Lia still sensed something different in his emotions. She immediately glared at him, turned her head away, and pouted, somewhat displeased.

"No, no, I swear! If I was laughing at you just now, I'll work for Fitz for the rest of my life!"

Seeing that the girl was putting on an angry face, Galan knew that although she might just be faking it, he still had to show some sincerity, otherwise he might really hurt her feelings.

"Real?"

"Really, really! I'd be a dog if I'm lying."

Turning over and seeing Galan's serious expression, Lia's gloom vanished, and she rarely showed a smile, feeling quite pleased with herself for turning the tables on him.

When Galan saw that his oath was effective, he couldn't help but relax.

Compared to when they first met, Lia's expressions were much more varied.

Sometimes, Galan even felt that she wasn't much different from an ordinary human girl.

However, deep down he was well aware that Lia was, after all, Elf, and there was a significant difference in their understanding of many things.

There are many things I need to guide her through and help her understand... I just don't know if I'll have that much time...

Galan lay in bed until almost the afternoon before groggily opening his eyes, pulling one hand away from Lia's "strangulation".

He glanced at the windowpane, now bathed in the red glow of the setting sun, and at the snow that had long since stopped falling; he knew it was time to go outside for some fresh air.

Staying cooped up in their room all day like this isn't good for their health, especially since they haven't eaten much and their stomachs are growling.

Galan turned to look at Lia, who was half-lying on him, and couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

The way the other person was murmuring and hugging him tightly right now really resembled a sloth, but even if he really was a sloth, he couldn't go back to sleep at this hour.

"You're awake."

Hmm.

Galan gently nudged Lia's body a few times. Fortunately, Leah didn't have the gene for excessive sleepiness. After being called a few times, she groggily sat up, but you could still tell from her dazed eyes that she wasn't fully awake.

After getting up, the two leisurely tidied their clothes, washed their faces, and extinguished the fire in the fireplace, leaving only a small ember underneath.

Although the snow outside has stopped, the North is still exceptionally cold as winter truly arrives.

The streets were bathed in the colors of the afterglow, like a crimson river, creating a breathtaking scene on the empty road.

Galan slowly pushed open the Inn door, and his breath quickly turned into a white mist and dissipated into the air.

Only after confirming that my clothes were suitable for the outside temperature did I leave the Inn.

Lia clutched the collar of her coat, hunched her shoulders, and carefully followed Galan out.

At this time, the streets were still not very crowded, but it was much better than when they were deserted in the morning.

Galan rubbed his hands together and looked across the street. He noticed that the shop the boss hadn't opened all day; the door was tightly shut. It seemed the weather had kept him from going out.

That makes sense; in weather like this, aside from a very small number of adventurers, no one would typically choose to take on a quest under such harsh conditions.

A shop like the one owned by the boss, which caters specifically to adventurers, naturally won't have much business.