We are going to replenish our supplies after a clerk at a clothing store showed us the way.
We were heading towards the market as we were told, but there was one thing that was bothering me. Nina, who was usually very noisy, was unusually quiet.
“Hey Nina, are you okay?”
She looked up as if startled by my call.
“I-It’s nothing,” she replied.
“You don’t look like nothing. Are you worried about Philiana?”
Nina’s expression showed that I had hit the nail on the head.
“No, it’s not like that! I’m just a little worried…”
She seemed to regret that she had caused an injury because she had pushed herself too hard. I knew she was wrong, given her personality, but she probably couldn’t apologize honestly.
“What is it? I know! It’s because of me! It’s because I was selfish! You must be disappointed that I can’t even stand guard properly.”
“I never said anything like that.”
Nina interrupted my words and continued.
“Ah, I always end up like this! I always know what I want to say, so why is it like this?! Because of me, everyone around me always gets into trouble!”
After waiting for her to finish, I calmly replied.
“If you know what you want to say, then just say it.”
“If I could say it, I wouldn’t be struggling like this! Besides, Philiana must think I’m an awful person too.”
“Just say ‘I’m sorry’,” Pauline replied with a smile from behind me.
“Yes, what Pauline says is true. Philiana wouldn’t come to dislike someone over something like this.”
Sharin nodded in agreement.
“…Do you really think so?”
“Ah, she’s alone in the hut right now. Go on.”
Nina returned to the hut alone, looking anxious.
“Hiro, is Nina going to be okay?”
“She’s a good person at heart, so she’ll be fine.”
We started walking towards the market again.
