After sensing the danger, Rita didn't immediately retreat. Instead, she stubbornly moved closer to the alchemy shop, seeking one answer.
Now, she had gotten the answer she wanted.
Even if she couldn't see Apache for a while, and even if she noticed moments of regret flickering in Apache's emotions from time to time, Rita felt a sense of joy.
She didn't dwell on whether that regret was for teaching her or for not leaving a way for them to communicate at any time.
She didn't analyze it because worry and sadness had never disappeared.
When the clock in the alchemy shop struck the hour, the Minotaur clock on the wall rang, and once again, it began telling its usual bad jokes.
It was a gift from Kayden after he fixed it, and Apache hadn't objected.
The jokes were awful, but Rita still found herself chuckling.
That was enough. That was all she needed.
What she wanted had never been much.
