Asher was on a tightrope, right now. With a groan he stood up from the chair, he had slept for almost half a day.


    Looking at his small room he felt weird, for almost a month he had been living in Cozy Inn but now he couldn''t anymore after last night''s events.


    "Not like I can blame anyone,afterall I was the one who did this."


    "Franz healed me quite well," I mumbled while changing into my usual clothes, consisting of a white long-sleeve shirt and black pants.


    Taking a deep breath, I looked outside the window. It was the Second floor of a safe house, not far from the Temple. This place being near Temple could now be considered a market district with a lot of noise happening around.


    "I still have some... time left," I said looking at the clear sky, no signs of clouds could be seen. The afternoon sunlight was blinding.


    I almost felt lazy by how warm it had suddenly gotten, but I can’t slack off now.


    "So busy" Asher muttered in a playful tone, no sign of weariness could be felt in his voice.


    The market was bustling with life, merchants shouted their prices, children chased each other with laughter echoing through the cobblestone streets, and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted from the nearby bakery.


    It was easy to get lost in the mundane yet vibrant scene. Asher stepped out of the safe house, feeling the cool stone beneath his boots, and descended the stairs into the heart of the market. He had a destination in mind, one that was not too far from here.


    He was going to the hospital, especially to meet Elda.


    There were several reasons behind this, but the most important one was to inform her about last night''s incident.


    Taking a left turn on the streets and after a ten-minute walk Asher finally reached his destination.


    Looking at the hospital, I couldn''t help nut feel a sense of nostalgia even though I haven''t come here more than once.


    With a small smile playing on my lips over such thoughts I entered the hospital. This time I didn''t need to ask for directions, without any hurry I walked through the hallway reaching the room where I knew Elda would be.


    Opening the door, I saw her quietly sitting on the bed with a bored look on her face. Hearing the door opening, she turned her head to look at Asher who casually took a seat on the chair beside her.


    She frowned at the sudden visit and asked in a soft voice. "I didn''t know you would continue to give me visits."


    Her tone was sarcastic but the boredom in her eyes was clear, she was tired of lying down all day.


    "I also didn''t know I would, but here I am."


    Asher chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Elda''s frown deepened, but she didn''t protest. She knew he was only trying to help.


    "So, are you sure you don''t have crush on me after a single meeting?" She asked in a playful tone, trying to tease Asher but to her disappointment forget about being flustered his face made her lose her composer.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Asher looked bewildered by her sudden words, his face seemed to be screaming ''What the heck is she talking about?'' but his mouth remained shut. It took a second for his brain to catch up with the conversation.


    He blinked twice and said, "What? No, why would you think that?"


    Elda rolled her eyes. "You''re always so serious. Can''t you take a joke?"


    ''Just last night I was called insane by a literal psycho, now I am being called serious. Is there something wrong with my face?''


    Asher thought to himself as he touched his face in doubt.


    Seeing this now it was Elda''s turn to be bewildered.


    ''What is wrong with this guy? Are some of his screws loose or something.'' She thought to herself, but she kept her thoughts to herself.


    "Are you thinking something rude about me?" I asked after seeing her ridiculous face.


    Elda raised an eyebrow. "Well, are you?" she retorted, a hint of amusement in her eyes.


    "I am."


    Her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment she was at a loss for words. "Well, I''m not sure if I should be flattered or concerned."


    "I couldn''t care less." I shrugged and added before she could retort. "Anyway, I have come to inform you about something."


    Her expression shifted from teasing to curious as she leaned in slightly, waiting for me to continue.


    "The people responsible behind your..." I hesitated for a moment, as I looked at her severed leg and pale face.


    "My misfortune?" She finished for me, a smirk playing on her lips.


    "Not misfortune, but evil," I replied.


    Her smirk faded as she studied me, her eyes searching for any signs of deceit or pity. She found none.


    "Let me continue first, then you can decide, it is… good news for you."


    Elda''s curiosity piqued, and she leaned back into her bed, waiting for Asher to spill the beans.


    "I caught those who did this to you last night, the whole gang I mean."


    Elda''s eyes widened, and the sudden seriousness in Asher''s voice grabbed her full attention. "What? Did you catch them? How?"


    "The man I saved you from gave quite interesting information, but it looks like you didn''t hear anything properly at that time."


    Elda''s eyes narrowed slightly, "You mean, you knew who they were?"


    "Yes... do you want to know what happened to them?" I asked in a calm voice, my face showing no emotions this time.


    Elda studied me, her curiosity turning into something more intense. "I do," she said, her voice firm.


    She still remembers how she stabbed her perpetrator''s throat because Asher didn''t want to kill at that time. ''Knowing him he must have handed them over to Temple after giving them some beating.''


    Knowing they were still alive somewhere pained her deeply, filling her with a sense of disgust and hatred towards them. But she was satisfied and would be satisfied now by knowing that someone kicked their butts.


    Asher looked at Elda with a little awkward face, rubbing his neck he casually said. "I killed them–all of them."


    The room suddenly fell silent, even the noise from the outside market felt muffled. Elda stared at him, her eyes wide with shock.


    "You... you killed them?" she repeated her voice barely a whisper.


    Asher nodded solemnly. "Yes, I did."


    Elda took a deep breath, trying to process this new information. "Why?" she finally managed to ask, her voice shaking slightly.


    She wanted to ask if it was because of her words, about how she hated the fact he left them alive but before she could say it Asher said with a sigh.


    "It''s not because of you... I did it simply because I wanted to." I took a deep breath and added. "So I slaughtered them."


    The room was silent for a while, Elda''s heart was racing faster than it ever had. The revelation was shocking but it also brought a strange sense of relief.


    "Why tell me this?" She asked, trying to keep her voice steady.


    "Because maybe we were a bit similar... you lost your life while I lost my trust."


    Asher''s words hung in the air, and Elda felt a sudden understanding wash over her. She knew he wasn''t referring to their physical states but rather the pain of betrayal and loss of innocence.


    "Thank you.. for telling me this."


    Elda''s voice was softer now, filled with a newfound respect for the young man in front of her.


    "You sure owe me too many thank you''s ."


    Asher said, trying to lighten the atmosphere again with a small smile.


    "I do."


    She smiled happily, she liked this debt she had right now. She would cherish this debt all her life no matter how small and insignificant her life may be in the future.