Chapter 173 Oda Nobuzan (3)
The night fell once more in Cerza, draping the quaint inn under a canopy of stars that sparkled like shimmering silver ink spilled across the heavens. Fragrant candles flickered softly, their warm glow casting gentle shadows in the corners of a room steeped in sweet memories, lingering unanswered questions, and a palpable honesty hanging in the still air.
Rinoa perched on the edge of the bed, her hair cascading like a waterfall of shadows, unhindered and free. From the bathroom emerged Fitran, still damp from his shower, with droplets clinging to his skin and his shirt half slipping off one shoulder, a careless hint of vulnerability. He paused, searching for words that danced on the tip of his tongue, but Rinoa, with an urgency born of unspoken emotions, broke the silence first.
"So," she began, her voice soft yet resonant, cutting through the atmosphere like an arrow from a heart-wrenching violin, "do you see me in your heart?"
Fitran lowered his gaze in contemplation, taking slow, deliberate steps towards her. He settled down on the floor before her, fingers gripping the edge of Rinoa's robe as if it were a lifeline.
"Yes," he responded quietly, the weight of his words hanging between them. "Not as a sorceress. Not as a warrior. But simply as Rinoa... the first person to call me out in anger when I forgot to nourish myself."
A soft laugh escaped Rinoa's lips, her eyes twinkling like the stars above.
"Fool," she teased gently, playfully nudging his shoulder. "You know, I used to fear falling in love. Because... I knew I didn't have much to offer. My past is not flawless. My body is not unbreakable. My memories are still riddled with gaps.
As the hunt in the Sacred Forest of Hoshin no Mori commenced, they ventured into the enigmatic darkness where towering trees rose like ancient sentinels, their gnarled branches stretching upward as if reaching for the stars. The rustling leaves whispered secrets to the night, while the cool wind wove through the air like a soft caress, creating a haunting symphony as if an unseen guardian was ever-vigilant. Shadows flitted nimbly between the trunks, swirling and darting in a lively dance that echoed the spirit of the forest, which pulsed with a life of its own.
Fitran and Rinoa strode side by side, enveloped by the vibrant aura of magic that clung to them like a second skin. The night sky above shimmered with a blanket of twinkling stars, casting a soft luminescence that bathed their path in an ethereal glow. This celestial light unraveled like delicate threads, intricately intertwining beauty and danger, making each step they took resonate with an air of profound mystery. A shiver ran down Rinoa's spine, not solely from the chill of the evening air but also from the pulsating energy that coursed around her; ancient spells danced in the atmosphere, shimmering like a dream in soft waves of light drifting gracefully among the trees.
Fitran lifted his face to her, his gaze locking onto Rinoa's eyes, which sparkled with the warm glow of candlelight and deep-seated emotion.
"But that's precisely why I fell for you. In your softness that remained steadfast amidst all imperfections. In your courage to choose me... even when everything could lead you away."