Chapter 210: Shocked.
Sunnie was shocked. She couldn’t believe her ears. Karl of all people was apologizing to her?
She blinked while staring intently at him "Wow..."
"Whatever..." He looked away again. "I’m just saying that just so you know I’m not a terrible person. And... I just felt bad and all..." He sighed. "Your people really seemed like terrible people, so... I guess you had it terrible as well. I was being inconsiderate and didn’t consider you, so... I’m sorry."
While Karl spoke, he suddenly paused. He stared down at Sunnie, who was just standing there staring at him with a bright smile on her face.
"What? Why are you smiling like that? What’s wrong?" He asked. "Is there something on my face or something?"
But Sunnie casually smiled as she shook her head. "No. There’s none at all. I’m just..." She sighed as she said, "Thank you."
"What? Why are you being dramatic about it? It’s nothing. I’m just saying..."
Sunnie smiled as she spread her arms. "Can I hug you? Just for a short while?"
Karl immediately shook his head as he hugged himself. "No. Don’t. Don’t come close at all." He was stepping backward.
But Sunnie didn’t bother. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Stay put for a while... It won’t hurt." She smiled, warmly hugging him.
Karl stood there as she hugged him tightly. He didn’t move and didn’t push her away. He simply stood there and allowed her to embrace him for as long as she wanted.
Sunnie held him firmly, their bodies wrapped in warmth. Karl stood there as he found himself slowly wrapping his arms around her as well without realizing it. They stayed like that for a while before Sunnie pulled away.
She stared at him with a smile. "Don’t worry about that at all. Even though it’s actually rude for you to think like that, I completely understand you. And as long as you were cute enough to apologize, I guess it’s fine." She turned and continued staring through the waters.
"Don’t worry about those people. Next time they try acting up against you like they did without shame, we’ll be there to protect you."
Sunnie smiled. "Okay, then."
"And about Eris... you should really throw a rock at his face if you want to. I think that will snap him back to reality for sure."
Sunnie smiled. "Don’t worry about me. I’m okay."
Karl scoffed. "Okay, then. Sure. Whatever you say."
The two of them smiled while staring into the distance.
Sunnie paused and stared at him. "But is it just me, or did you suddenly change? I mean... you’re all smiling and everything."
"I didn’t. I’m just my old self. Nothing changed."
Sunnie smiled. "Okay, sure. Whatever you say, then."
"Hey, what are you thinking? Don’t overthink anything. I don’t like you at all. I’m just being nice and considerate because that’s what I am."
Sunnie smiled. "Well, I didn’t say anything about liking me. You’re the one who said that, though."
"...."
"Well..." Karl cleared his throat as he stared off. "Whatever, then."
Sunnie smiled, shaking her head as they both stared into the distance, admiring the quiet, soothing scenery before them.
---
And it continued like that in the upcoming days. Aya continuously clung to Eris in every way possible, asking him questions while dragging him around to show her around.
She was being the typical annoying girl Sunnie could describe—always acting all soft and weak before Eris, expecting him to protect her at every moment. Aya was always tripping and falling into Eris’s arms while acting as though she had twisted her ankle or something.
She was always asking to feed Eris while also requesting that he feed her since her hands were too weak to even hold food.
Sunnie was getting speechless and irritated every single time Aya came up with something to pull Eris in with. She always forced a smile while rolling her eyes behind the scenes. She was getting tired of pretending and wished she could just eliminate her and get it done with already.
She was sick and tired of her and wondered how long she was going to stay. But then again, she didn’t wish to be openly rude to her.
Sunnie had thought within herself and figured that Aya was a fox from the same clan as Eris. Since Eris was being nice to her, he was happy to have a clan member around.
Sunnie understood the feeling of being isolated for long by your people. So she guessed Eris was happy to have someone from his tribe around. So considering him, she didn’t wish to drive her away.
Especially since it was already clear that Eris wasn’t showing any romantic connection with her at all. He was just being nice to her, and only Aya was the delusional soul running after Eris.
But all in all, it didn’t stop Sunnie from being completely jealous.
---
On a certain day, before Sunnie could even wake up to proceed with working, she realized that Aya had taken Eris out—or rather, dragged him out to show her around.
She rolled her eyes as she sighed. "Whatever. It’s not like I’m bothered at all." She scoffed as she carried Ronan.
Ronan was still recovering from his illness, so he needed a cool bath. Sunnie took him to the stream for a bath while the male beasts went off to catch some meat.
Sunnie was in the stream with Ronan when Eris came to stand beside her. "How are you doing? You haven’t been speaking to me enough recently."
Sunnie paused what she was doing. She looked up and stared at Eris, who smiled and came to bend down beside her. "What? It’s like you’re mad at me or something."
Sunnie smiled. "No... I’m not mad. Why would I be? I think you’re overthinking it."
Eris smiled. "Is that so?" He asked as he leaned closer to her. "Or are you perhaps... jealous?"