After resting for an hour longer, Celes decided to head back to their home. She signed out in the official entry logbook at the reception, but her hand paused as she saw three familiar names written.
Szarina and Reign.
With Andros.
For a moment, she just stood there, unmoving. Her heart clenched, a mixture of anger and pain welling up inside her. But she clamped down on the emotions, wrote her name, and left without a word.
As she walked back to their residence, the moonlight cast long shadows across the forest path, and an eerie stillness hung in the air. The silence was almost oppressive, pressing down on her as she made her way through the familiar yet unsettling darkness.
That night, Celes prepared a simple meal for herself and drank the herbal remedy that Old Sage had prescribed. The herbs were meant to help her heal, but their bitter taste only reminded her of her isolation and pain.
When Andros finally returned home late in the evening, Celes was already asleep. She stirred awake when she felt a kiss on her lips. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw her husband's face inches from hers.
"I'm hungry," he said, his tone almost pleading. "There's no food."