Book 10: Chapter 48
It was very quiet inside the tent, not because there was nobody inside, though, as there were four people inside, four very serious people.
I originally planned to have the three of them sit down together during the day, but Tanya and Shusia came up with excuses to leave, so I had to resort to infiltration to have the three meet at night.
Shusia had become very haggard recently. Her eyes never focussed on anything, always looking around. Her pretty smile vanished. Philes’ sacrifice was a big blow to her, and she had to guard me in his place now, so she didn’t get a break. I really wanted for her to have a rest, but I didn’t think she’d know what to do even if I did give her a vacation, since she was once a Valkyrie. Moreover, the situation on the frontlines was tense, so I needed everybody present.
Shusia’s grudge for the anthropoids ran bone deep after Philes passed away. She wanted to shred the head of every anthropoid she came across, especially the heads of those huge birds. I saw the way she stared intently at the huge birds. She wanted to kill them, but there was nothing she could do. That gaze of hers was terrifying. It was a gaze seething with anger, showing she wanted to squash them to pieces and gobble them. Those birds should’ve celebrated the fact that Shusia didn’t have wings.
Tanya was basically born to hate them. They were the executioners who killed her family. Her anger for them could never be erased. She went through so much and gave up so much all of these years to sharpen her blade, so that she could behead the anthropoids. Subsequently, there was no way she could forego her resentment for the anthropoids and be close to Ling Yue. Her not going after Ling Yue was good enough.
The four of us sat around a small square table. On the table was a bottle of fruit juice. I didn’t choose wine, because I took Tanya’s age into consideration. My initial intention was to reduce the tension between the three. I would say that the three of them were calm, but they were definitely not friendly with each other, as the two of them didn’t spare Ling Yue a look, causing Ling Yue to appear as though she did something wrong.
I cleared my throat and smiled. I asked, “You don’t need to be so cautious. Ladies, are you not going to drink for our victory?”
Shusia looked at me and smiled. She raised her cup and Tanya obediently followed along. Ling Yue looked at us, and then raised her cup, as well. We clinked our wine cups filled with fruit juice and then finished them in one go. Then we fell back into silence.
The two of them don’t have a trace of a positive feeling for Ling Yue. In fact, there were no signs they had warmed up to her. Tanya may not have known know my intent, but Shusia should’ve! They were now both my personal attendants and Ling Yue was with me, so they were responsible for protecting Ling Yue, as well as me. Ling Yue wouldn’t have anyone to protect her if I didn’t speak up. I have to avoid letting that happen.