The silence was unbearable. Every second made me feel like I was being judged for my defeat, like a postcard of failure. Finally, my master broke the silence.
"You failed. It's a shame."
I looked at her, not recognizing the sad gleam in her blue eyes. Her usual smile now resembled a grimace of pity. It was as if I were looking at a terminally ill patient.
"I did the best I could. That thing is very strong."
"I know. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it now."
I was worried she'd say it as if the world were about to be destroyed. In my opinion, losing that battle couldn't be that bad. I mean, I suppose I could try again.
"Next time... I'll make sure it's worth it."
"What do you mean? Huh?"
A strong wind forced me to close my eyes, and when I opened them, she had disappeared. I stared into empty space. She really had left without explanation.
"Damn..."
Bewildered, I had no better idea than to return home to rest and think about what to do next. I felt a deep bitterness for letting Pandora down and embarrassing myself.
"What the hell did she mean?" I wondered as I walked into my home, noticing the presence of another person in the room.
There was my wife, looking at me with her deep black eyes, the same color as her hair. It hadn't been long since I'd left her waiting for my return, but it was a relief to see her again.
I hugged her tightly, seeking refuge in the warmth of her body, in the tranquility her scent inspired. She was surprised by my return, especially by the effusiveness with which I approached her.
"Are you okay? You didn't do anything stupid out there, did you?" Sighing, she pulled my head away from her breasts and forced me to make eye contact, using a scolding tone.
"I promise I behaved myself." I looked around. "Where's Meili?"
"She left a little while ago." She led me to the kitchen. "Come on, I made you something delicious."
"Oh, I'm not going to fall for that. It's too early to play with knives."
I flatly refused, knowing that my wife wanted to take advantage of my regenerative ability to unleash her sadism on me.
"Don't be mean. I'll let you do whatever you want to me when I'm done."
"That's a good offer, but I'm not in the mood right now."
Elsa smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing her body against mine.
"Are you sure?" She whispered, nibbling on my earlobe. Her hands gripped my butt tightly.
"Hey, I'm the one who should be doing that, not you." I complained. "But I could get used to it."
Suddenly, Elsa loosened her grip and dropped her head onto my shoulder, a gesture far too romantic for her.
"What's with this change of attitude?" I smiled. "This isn't very typical of you."
She didn't respond. After a few seconds, I asked her again what was wrong, this time more concerned.
"Hey, seriously." I gently pulled her away to look at her. "Huh?"
Her face was expressionless, her eyes dull, and she wasn't breathing. A trickle of blood trickled from her lips.
She was dead.