Edited by: tommyjl7

I didn’t have the strength to even get up and return to the inn as the mental exhaustion was too high, so I just rolled away from the pool of my own vomit and tried to fall asleep, though the whole world was still spinning in my head.

Why? Why is it so much different to travel into spirit’s world on your own than with an invitation? And Aira wants me to return a few more times? Why did I even bother? That pal Johann ain’t even my friend! He is just the fiancé of Marie, who also is not my friend! What the hell is this lawful-good acting on my part!? I don’t give a damn! As soon as I would return to the inn I would just pack my things and leave!... Yeah… Right…

Nah, Gisele would have killed me. She and her heroic behaviors which would never let her leave someone in need. Especially a girl. Especially if she is able to use ME to solve the problem. Especially when she will be bragging about it later in every inn we would enter.

Wait, since when am I under her thumb?!

Somehow, this idea made me so furious that I couldn’t fall into Morpheus embrace. So for the next couple of hours, I was just laying like that. In the cellar. With a terrible headache. Angry for pretty much no reason at all. Lack of rest didn’t help to ease my irritation, so when I finally rest enough to get up and move toward the inn seeking the comfy bed, my body and mind were so tense, that I bet all the negative feelings formed a dark cloud around me. Or at least my expression was mad enough, for villagers step out of my way as soon as they saw my majestic presence – with bags under my eyes, hair in a mess and the rest of not fully digested meal on my robe.

I slammed the door to the inn open, without saying a word I started walking to a higher floor heading toward room I was renting free of cost with Gisele. I slammed this door open too.

Inside, Lanele and Gisele were having a pleasant conversation, as the first of mentioned was standing next to the bed checking on dragoness condition, and the second one was sitting in the bed as her condition was clearly improving. Few quick inspections eased my nerves regarding her state, as the miasma has almost completely left the body without traces of leaving any form of influence…

I snapped back from my sudden surge of positive feeling and focused back on being annoyed. With my stupid Gisele. And stupid Marie. And stupid Johann. And stupid furniture. Right. Fuck this chair in particular.

- “Babe, you haven’t been drinking without me, right?” Gis with a light smile commented on my state.

- “Phi.” I didn’t even try to continue the conversation.

- “Zari, what happened?” my love asked.

- “Nothing.” I shrugged my shoulders even more annoyed than before.

Woman! Just let me get mad in silence!!!

- “But I can literally see that your is !” she was really concerned. Which was both sweet and even more annoying at the same time.

- “Guess it yourself!” I pouted.

- “E-excuse me?!” now even Lana was confused

- “You would know what happened if you would care!” I suddenly burst.

- “Z-zari… I think that you started acting like a woman…”

- “I most certainly did not!” what did she just say? What did she call me!? It is OUTRAGEOUS!

- “I mean… You got mad by the most innocent words that I said…” Gis really was out of words

- “It’s not about what you say, but how you say it!...”

I froze, in my mind, I repeat the whole situation and analyze it from every possible perspective.

- “Oh my god…” I said after the moment.

She was right…

… BUT I CAN’T ADMIT IT!...

No, wait-wait-wait. This is not a path I wish to follow.

- “Hard day?” Lanele asked

I only nodded in answer. My senses were still twisted. Even now the visions of the two worlds keep blurring, overlapping one another causing even greater headaches. I had no idea if the picture I saw at one moment was reality or delusional after-vision.

- “You need some rest. Come’ere. Will snuggle all these bad things out of you.” Gis said with a flirty smile.

She was the one physically injured right now, yet at the same time she wanted to take care of me?

Don’t mind if I do!

- “O-ok. You are fine, Gis…” Lanele started “…in an hour take your medicine… I will leave you now, I will check on you two later… also…” she leaned toward dragoness “… I have quickly inspected Zari just now. His mana veins located around brain are seriously swollen, whatever he did just now, he crossed the line… again. Try not to.. stimulate… him too much.”

These were the last words that priestess said before leaving the room. As soon as she was away I started undressing before jumping into the bed.

As bits of my sanity returned back to me and I realized what I did and said in past five minutes I decided to turn my face away from Gis. Why? Reason is simple. I was feeling a bit… ashamed of myself. To be honest, even now I had no idea what happened to me.

Arms of Gisele pulled me closer to her.

- “You want attention or to be left alone?” she mocked me while chuckling.

- “Yes.” I nodded deciding to play along

- “Yes to wha… Aha. Never mind then.” And just like always Gis needed a moment or two to process information.

I finally was able to relax.

- “I don’t want to go there again.” I didn’t want to bother her with my problems. Lying there and complaining how hard my current job is was the last thing I wanted to do. Yet, somehow, the words left my mouth on their own.

- “Is it that hard?” I heard a voice near my ear

I just nodded knowing that she will see this gesture.

- “I forced you into something annoying again, didn’t I?” she sighed “… sorry.”

- “For what? I mean, you have so many things to feel sorry for, that I am not sure for which you are apologizing now…”

Another chuckled and light strike in the side – not painful, playful.

- “For acting on my own. For dragging you into a mess without hearing out your opinion first…”

- “… Go on…” I encouraged her to keep talking.

- “What do you mean by ?! I already said what I wa…” again. A moment or two for her to process information “… You little!”

Another set of playful smacks fell all over my body.

- “Zaaa-riii.” I heard once again.

Exhaustion started overtaking my body. It was all I needed. Softness of bed and warmth of Gis. I started losing my consciousness again, yet this time, it was a pleasant experience.

With a light shrug of my body I let her know that I heard her.

- “I.. We… You are trying to bring Johann back to his old self? I will help you with it. I have no idea how, but I will. We are together in this mess. Whatever would happen neither you or I are here alone, right? So… from now onward… count on me.”

I always did. Whatever would happened I knew that Gis would even ignite the ocean while trying to help me.

But somehow, hearing that said by her own made my chest pleasantly warm and heavy.

Either it was effect or her words… or she just sat on me…

I have opened one of my eyes. As I did, I noticed that she rolled me on my back and laid on me, pinning me to the bed.

So in the end, she did sit on me.

… Silly woman! I was trying to be romantic here!

and just like that, the whole mood went down to the devil.