"Haaah...I still don't believe the previous owner died of these injuries, this pain barely tickles me, I used to bear more pain due to soreness and cramps during my military training..."
Ethan stopped and saw his reflection on a water puddle, which reflected from a nearby lamp and then resumed his walking.
Well at least I look the same and the previous owner seemed to speak the same way as I did, Fhew... that's good, at least I don't need to pretend in front of people that I--
"Ethan!!" He heard a sweet and melodic voice call to him from front. He had somehow reached his home before he even realised.
It was Mia.
Ethan raised his head and saw a beautiful girl with light pink hair, matching irises, wearing a long-sleeved flared skirt that reached her ankles. Her eyes showed relief as she made her way to him. But as she saw his condition, bruised face and bloodied tunic, her face quickly turned in that of worry.
Ethan quickly came out of his stupor as he was staring her for too long.
"Ethan! what happened! w-why are you so injured."
Ethan could feel the genuine worry in her words as he regretted not cleaning off his wounds before coming here. He opened his mouth to speak but stuttered.
"I... uh... thats...its nothing--"
The fuck am I even saying!? Did the gruelling years in the military being single finally catch up?
He took a deep breath and started explaining the story that he had prepared beforehand. He said that he got mugged and while fighting back he was slightly injured, nothing to worry.
"Sorry... I lost my money." He scratched the back of his neck as he dropped his face down.
Mia took one of his hand and said.
"Why are you worrying over money? You should have saved yourself first you idiot!"
"Don't you know people actually get killed when being robbed? what would I do if something happened to you? you... you are my...my only—" Mia was stopped mid sentences as Ethan put his other hand over her head.
Shittt... What do I do? She looked cute worried about me and I reflexively put my hand over her head... Should I just pet her?
He started petting her as he said.
"Don't worry Mia, I am fine now aren't I?"
Mia just puffed her cheeks and swatted his hand away from over her head.
"Don't treat me like a kid! I am older than you." She turned and started going inside the house. Though she couldn't hide the faint blush over her cheeks.
"Come inside. I will wash your wounds and prepare dinner."
Ethan looked at their so called house. It was a 2-room, single-story building with a kitchen and bathroom attached, separated by a hall. 1 room had already broke apart and rest also looked dilapidated and haunted if he think from the perpective of his previous world. Still, here, such houses were fairly common, rather, having a house itself was a luxury for a commoner with the weakest bloodline.
"Well, better than sleeping in trenches I guess." He then too made his way inside.
---
Ethan made his way inside the house, the floor was made out of wood, there were some furnitures like tables and chair, a dining table too. Then an unlit campfire. 4 doors were visible, though one was blocked since it fell. One lead to one room in which Mia now resided, one to the kitchen and other to bathroom. Ethan was standing beside his bed in the hall.
"Hmmm... looks like this is the arrangement in which we are living right now... well atleast there are no bills to pay." From the washroom, he could hear Mia preparing water.
"Ethan. Everything is ready, come here, I will wash your wounds." Mia called him.
What? She will wash?
"Uh... Mia, I can wash them by myself, you don't need to worry" He spoke as he reached towards the washroom, where he saw Mia dipping a piece of cloth in water.
"What are you talking about? I am pretty sure you are even having trouble walking straight with those injuries. Don't talk tough and let your big sister handle things." She said it so fiercely that it felt no room for any argument.
Ethan obediently walked and sat down, after which Mia wiped his wound carefully as to not hurt him much. As Mia removed his shirt, it was not the thing that a girl was seeing him naked that shocked him. He was baffled to see how weak his body looked, Even though he could pass as a lean man as no particularly bones were visible, he had grown used to his rugged muscular body that he had achieved in military.
No wonder the previous owner died...
"Ethan does it hurt? it looks bad... see, you are even bleeding in your shoulder... and there too." Mia asked concerned.
"Trust me Mia, I am fine. And it doesn't hurt much when you wash them. It's bearable." Ethan gave a smile that seemed to have eased Mia mind.
After Mia cleaned all his wounds, Ethan stubbornly sent her out as he took bath. After which Mia applied some homemade remedies over his wound, since legit medicine and healer were expensive, they could not afford it. After doing a makeshift bandage over his body, Mia warmed up the food that she had brought from the restaurant's leftovers. Today was one of the lucky days in which some food was left for Mia to bring home.
"Ethan. today you go and sleep on my bed, it's softer than yours and will keep you rested." Mia said suddenly as she approched him after wahing the dishes.
"Huh? what? no. I am fine here. See, there is even the fireplace here, it will keep me warm." Ethan said as he internally debated.
Fuck, I don't dare to sleep on a cute girl's bed on my very first day of being in this world, Damn. Rather I haven't even been with a girl under the same roof in my entire life!