After a moment, Arin shook his head. 'Anyway, what do you think you're doing with - with -'
He glanced down at all the blood, before turning to look at the knife where he'd thrown it.
'- that.'
'Oh...' Elara also looked down at her blood-soaked clothes for a few seconds. Her somewhat blank gaze turned slowly towards the knife. Then, she looked up at Arin, and a hint of embarrassment flashed briefly across her face.
'Ah, I - I must have lost my mind!' She exclaimed with an uncomfortable-sounding laugh. 'I was just... Well, I thought I might be able to take care of things myself, since I believed we had failed. So, I was just... trying... to...'
Arin nodded, and made a gesture for her to stop. He didn't need her to spell it out.
Elara herself would rather die than keep everyone trapped in the distortion.
'Don't worry,' he said quietly. 'I'll take care of it.'
'No,' the girl agreed. 'That's why you're here, after all.'
Her expression had eased into a more natural look as she met his eyes. The moment of frenzy had passed, and her voice had also slowly returned to its usual tone and cadence.
Arin frowned lightly at nothing in particular, then let out a slow exhale through his nose.
'Do you... need anything?' he finally asked.
'Oh, no! I'm alright. My skin has already nearly mended. It seems it still won't let me die, even when I try repeatedly. Even when I'm all alone, and trying in secret,' Elara responded.
Arin glanced down. He'd already noticed that the sticky blood spread across the floor in a horrifying mess, had began receding at some point. His knees didn't feel even slightly damp anymore.
He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Elara had hurried to add, 'I know that because I've been trying. In various ways, since I first awoke this morning.'
The girl shrugged. 'I was stopped each time. My injuries would be healed, and the people who intervened would always forget everything after a few minutes.' She huffed lightly. 'So you must excuse the sight you saw earlier. You just happened to see me at the tail end of a very long, very eventful day.'
Arin swallowed. 'I shall keep that in mind,' was all he said.
Elara hadn't understood his question.
Part of him was glad for that.
'What will you do now?' the girl asked curiously. 'Is there any way for me to help?'
'No.' Arin stood up. He then reached out a hand to Elara, and helped her up when she took it. By now, the dark red color blooming across her bodice had also almost completely faded away. In just a couple more minutes, even the tears in the fabric would be mended.
And that told Arin he should really stop wasting any more time.
'There's nothing you need to do. Just... Go back to your quarters. Get some sleep, or... I don't know.'
'Oh? But I'm afraid if the method you'll be using is anything like the one that allowed you, sir Siel, and Lana to leave, I doubt I shall be getting much sleep tonight,' the girl laughed. 'In any case, I shall make myself scarce and leave you to it.'
She made for the knife, probably meaning to return it to its place. She paused midway, as though to consider for a moment, before ultimately turning away. She had probably decided the action was futile.
The dream was going to be destroyed soon, after all.
Right before she walked out of the kitchen, Elara turned back to smile at Arin. 'I'll wish for your success with all my heart, sir Rin.'
And then, she was gone.
Arin sighed. Then, without even leaving the kitchen, lest he waste any more time, he raised the silver bracelet on his wrist to level with his eyes.
Even in the dark, the dull metal tool seemed to glint softly.
It was time to get to work.