The ground surrounding the tavern building was now covered in white sheet of snow, people living in nearby houses were peeking through windows and doors, not daring to come out as dead bodies of Micah's goons lay impaled.
Few people were pointing and calling out to a girl who was clearly injured but sat still in the snow.
Alexia felt cold sensation through her thin clothes, even though she never saw snow before, the sisters in the orphanage told her stories and myths of lands covered in cold white sand.
BOOM!
Everyone slammed their doors when the roof of tavern collapsed on itself. Thick dust cloud engulfed every house, Alexia just sat there motionless.
"Stand up. We need to go." I said in a heavy voice, not wanting show any signs of fatigue. Surprisingly, she did not acknowledge my presence. 'Is she hurt that much?'
Worried for her, I decided to examine her head injury, but as soon as I reached out to touch her, Alexia looked at me. "Why did it happen again?"
I was startled by the lifeless eyes of her. "Why does everything have to end this way?"
Instead of answering her, I clicked my tongue as I noticed the cloud fading. "Not now, grab tight." I pour a large amount mana into my legs before zooming away in a flight. I did not stop until we reached the well near our home at the centre of village.
"Huff. Huff." I almost tripped my next step as my head spun and vision refused to focus.
"Altaris!" Alexia held me and sat me against the well. "W-What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I displayed a tired smile after seeing her acting normal. "T-The thing is. Y-You are just u-unlucky, y-you know?" My chest burned and breathing became difficult but I did not stop talking. "Y-You and M-Melsier are superrr unlucky. Haha."
"Altaris! Stay with me! Look at me! Rushian! Come here!"
I forced my eyes to open when I felt an uncomfortable poking on my cheek. I jolted awoke only to find Little Kela beside me, we both were on the bed in the crooked house. Everyone appeared to be in deep sleep below, I swept my eyes over everyone to make sure.
"Stop poking me." I lightly whispered as I pulled Kela in my arms, she squeaked cutely but I quickly stopped her from making a loud noise. "Kepk!-"
"Whew." I held her high in the hair and brushed my fingers off her soft cheeks. "Looks like someone ate their fill, aye? Let's go to find my portion."
I carefully jump off the bed, trying not to bump into Irene and Kel. Slowly making my way to the black 'kitchen' corner, suddenly Kela began to squirm in my arms. "Hey! Don't do that-"
That's when I saw a rag neatly hid under a blanket where Alexia sleeps. Me and Kela started at the spot for a second before looking at eachother. "Do you know where your sister is?"
To my surprise, she let out a muffled laugh and turned towards the main door. I stepped outside of crooked house with Kela in my arms, the first thing I saw was the stallion shivering in cold while being tied to the fence.
With a smile on my face, I grabbed the substitute rag from inside and spread it on the stallion's back to keep him warm. "There you go… Hmm?"
In the distance, I spotted Alexia sitting at the edge of well, with her feet inside. As I walked closer to her, I noticed whimpers and wails, at first I thought it was Kela but she was in my arms calmly looking at the well.
"Alexia. Don't cry." I couldn't help but call her out, she immediately turned to me.
Under the moon's soft luminosity, her girl glowed in a blue hue, she was wearing nothing but an old dirty nightgown which was too big for her, probably Helen's. As she suddenly moved, it caused ripples in the well which distorted her image, making it as if a certain fair noble princess from my era was sitting by her pond. In a hurry, she wipes all of her tears.
"Hic* Altairs?" Her voice was so soft that it was barely audible.
I approached her stood right beside her, my words were calm and collected. "Why are you crying?"
Before answering me, Alexia took Kela from my arms and lovingly caressed her. "What do you think?"
With a little effort, I managed to stand on the edge of the well which was taller than me. When I dipped my feet in the cold water, it strangely was felt all over my body as it irked me.
"Too cold for you?" Alexia asked while leaning on back and looking up before flashing me a cheeky smile. Her hair lightly swaying with the wind and her exposed thighs were bit wet.
I quickly averted my gaze and looked at Kela who was eager to jump in the water. That's when Alexia actually lowered her in the well which was not dried up like last time. "Wait! What are you doing?" I raised my voice as she lower Kela into the water.
"Stop screaming hehe. Brother Mel used to do this with us all the time, actually that's how I learned to stay afloat." Alexia held Kela in between her two feet, making sure she stays floating meanwhile Kela was having a blast in the water.
"Well, Melsier is a nutjob!" I complained while reached out to Kela, but only to get rejected.
"See? She is having fun! Just stop worrying sit back for a second."
Contrary to her, I reached out once more but no result, Kela was simply busy splashing water everywhere. I slowly get away from Alexia to sit opposite of her and extend my legs too.
"What are you doing?" Alexia asks.
"Making sure, she doesn't drown."
"Pfft! Like your legs can reach that far."
I silently stare at her while she laughs and jokes about my height, her laughs and smile do not match her reddened eyes. Slowly the laughs changes to utter silence as we are just left staring at each other while Kela drifts in her own lazy 'well'.
"Back in the Tavern, you asked me why does it happen?" As soon as I spoke those words Alexia leans into her own arms and looks away from me but I knew small droplets were falling into the abundant well.
I let out a sigh knowing my next words isn't going to help either. "The answer is I don't know."
Alexia quickly took a peek at me. "I don't know why bad things happens to good people or good things happens to bad people. As you are someone from a religious background, I heard they often tell you that 'do good deeds and the good is what shall you receive.' But… But that is not the case. Not always."
"Then why is everything crumbling? Have I done something wrong? Is there something wrong with me?"
My eyes wondered where the curse supposed to be for a second, before Alexia called me out. "Tell me, Altaris! Is there something wrong with me?"
I really felt like revealing everything to her as she has very much right to know, but a dark thought, a single possibility of her lying to herself scares me. "N-No. Life is often, an unpredictable cannister of things, no one knows it's content, whether create a holy grail or a deadly poison. But the only thing which matters is where you pour it."
"Huh? What are you even saying?"
"You pour it into tormenting other for your fault or you could offer it to the needy and help others. It all depends on you. So, ask yourself. Are you pouring it to make your life better? Or your family's life any better?"