EIITAB - Chapter 15 - Even If My Pride Is Hurt
Even If It Is Trampled And Broken
The golden pupils fluttered slightly but were obscured by the darkness that descended on the face. Aslan held his breath. He wished he could see the face.
However, he thought that there was nothing he could do even if the day did not come as soon as the day came. Aslan looked at Hestia. Even when the light became dim, she was the girl who shined alone. He had the illusion that only Hestia existed in this space. So Aslan was only looking at the girl's face.
Like a fool, he couldn't say anything. She's always had a look that takes one's breath away, but today it felt more real than any other time. Because the girl's eyes were reddish...
Did she cry?!
He hated seeing her trying to smile at him as if she was trying to hide her sadness from herself. Hestia pulled up the corner of her mouth several times and spoke her words again to Aslan.
"I'm sorry for interrupting your reading. For a moment... I'll just take a walk."
As expected, there was no answer from him, but he didn't say no in particular.
Hestia raised the tip of her lips one last time with all her might and slowly turned around. This was because it was difficult for her to control her emotions and pretend nothing was wrong anymore. She walked feebly towards the garden bridge.
Aslan looked at Hestia's back in silence and then swallowed a deep sigh. He thought about pursuing her for a while but stopped when he realized she didn't have the talent to comfort anyone. He thought that now she would be much better off just giving herself some time to herself.
Aslan swallowed her deep sigh and opened his folded book again. It was a page completely unrelated to the place she had marked with a dividing line. The stone lantern right next to the bench illuminated the book. Just like before, he couldn't see any type at all. Aslan's eyes were fixed on the book, but all his attention was already focused on Hestia.
Sabagsabag.
I can hear her feet brushing against her dress as she walks. The distance between the two people widened considerably, but catching the sound was no problem for Aslan. This place was quiet, and as long as he concentrated, there was absolutely nothing he couldn't hear.
The walking, neither fast nor slow, continued a little longer and then came to a complete stop. As always, it will be in the middle of the garden bridge. It was drawn automatically even without him having to see it with his own eyes.
Just like Aslan, Hestia was also a disciplined person. That was a fact that had already been figured out through the past few meetings. But Aslan could hardly stop worrying.
Somehow, his heart was agitated.
'What on earth is this anxiety? Is it because her face looks more dangerous today?'
Despite his decision not to disturb Hestia's time, he wanted to raise his head several times.
'Anyway, on this street, if it's this dark, you won't notice that I'm looking at you.'
In the end, Aslan could not resist his impulse and raised his gaze. It wasn't difficult to find Hestia visible through the leaves. She had her arms resting on the railing of the bridge.
Her head was slightly lowered as if there was something on the surface of the pond beneath her legs. Until then, Aslan had been busy looking at things like fish and water lilies.
Then she noticed Hestia's body slowly starting to lean forward.
"... What! "
Aslan threw the book aside and jumped up from his seat. And in that moment, plop! Hestia's body disappeared as if being sucked into a cold pond.
"Crazy...!"
A harsh curse escaped his lips. Before he could think straight, Aslan's legs were moving.
"Why!"
In his eyes, it only looked like Hestia had thrown herself. 'Probably not.' It shouldn't be.
Aslan ran quickly toward the pond. If it was a mistake caused by his tripping or momentarily losing his center of gravity.
Hestia's body should have risen to the surface in the meantime. But when Asian arrived at the pond, he could not find her.
Only her large concentric circles indicated that she was missing.
"Damn it."
Without thinking further, Aslan followed Hestia and threw his body into the pond. No matter how southern it is, winter is winter. The water temperature was quite cold. It wouldn't have been a problem at all for Aslan, but it would be a different story for that slender woman.
Aslan strengthened his limbs. Floating objects blocked his eyes. Moreover, the moon was hiding behind the clouds, so visibility was poor.
Nevertheless, Aslan looked for Hestia, flailing his arms and legs wildly and turning his head to and fro. He estimated the approximate location of the bridge and went to the exact center of the pond.......!
And he finally found Hestia. She stood upright and motionless in the water. And that too, with her eyes open. The purple eyes were empty.
From that sight, Aslan could not help but realize that Hestia had thrown her body into the water of her own volition. He jumped into the water without hesitation to save her, but Aslan did not move. No, it might be better to say that she couldn't do that.
Hestia's appearance looked divine. He never believed in God, but it seemed like she did. She hurts her pride. Hestia didn't move a single finger.
Her white clothes moved around in the current and her buoyancy. The fluttering further maximized Hestia's mysterious atmosphere. It seemed as if she had white wings stretched out behind her, flapping them gracefully like a swan, or like a spring butterfly finding a flower and dancing for joy.
Aslan, who was looking at Hestia as if fascinated, realized at some point that she was short of breath.
"... Tsk!"
He looked back at Hestia, frowning at her. Her body was sinking deeper and deeper into the water. Aslan, who came to his senses, opened his lips in a hurry and called out to Hestia.
"Princess!"
But his voice just faded away. When he realized that he couldn't speak, he became even more anxious. But strangely enough, at that moment, Hestia, who was dead and black, could be seen looking at him.
Aslan stopped breathing again. It was night and he was underwater. Of course, visibility was bound to be dark. But when Hestia raised her head, soft moonlight poured in from above her. It seemed that the moon, which had been hiding behind heavy clouds the entire time, had finally revealed itself.
Aslan felt Hestia's eyes meet him. That was never an illusion.
He got goosebumps. This was because he could not feel any fear of death in Hestia's purple eyes.
'As expected, she jumped by herself..'
When his thoughts reached that point, he gritted his teeth. Then, Hestia, who had not shown any movement the entire time, slowly stretched out her arms toward Aslan.
He felt like every situation he saw was unrealistic. He knew it wasn't a suitable expression, but even after several years, he still couldn't find a more accurate word. The sight of Hestia extending her hand towards him like that...... It was fantastic. So much so that it feels as if time is passing slowly.
Hestia opened her mouth. with her eyes focused on him.
"What are you saying?"
He narrowed his eyes to look a little more carefully and only came to his senses after seeing a round bubble bursting between Hestia's lips.
'This is not the time to be thinking.'
Aslan, feeling impatient, spread his arms wide and advanced towards Hestia. In the meantime, Aslan became short of breath again, and a few bubbles burst between his lips. He felt as if someone was pressing his neck with both hands and suffocating him, but he did not give up until the end.
A little bit more. A little bit more.
Hestia finally reached his fingertips. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. Her small body was hugged without any resistance. He got out of the pond, supporting her back and wading through the current with one arm.
Sigh!
Two faces emerged from the surface of the water. Without even having to say who went first, their lips opened at the same time and they took in the breath they lacked.
"Huh."
Clean air fills my lungs. Aslan didn't want to miss her even if she was gone, so he gave his arms around her even more strength. The skin that touched it felt like ice. Hestia seemed powerless to even lift a finger, and Aslan desperately swam to land to take her with him.
Hestia seemed to have lost all of her strength and was quietly letting him lead her. Water was dripping from her clothes. The body, which suddenly came under the influence of gravity, was heavier than in the water. Aslan's voice was low, but his harshness struck her.
"Are you crazy?... Why are you jumping into the pond? Do you want to die?"
Contrary to his harsh words, Aslan's actions were very cautious. He carried Hestia, holding her lightly, to her inner palace.
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