"Please, hug me."
Huh…
Elara looked up at me and requested a hug.
I was befuddled.
My mind was a loud, chaotic room full of strange ideas at her request.
Those mini-me's up in my head were running around and panicking as everything around them burned.
Despite the noise in my head, I nodded.
She did not wait.
Elara stepped forward, her emerald eyes fixed on me.
She hugged me firmly.
She was fast, giving me no time to hesitate or change my mind—not like I was going to, anyway.
Let it be known that despite me calling many other people 'huge' or 'large' or any other term that'd fit; I was by far the largest.
So when Elara, being only average size for a woman—at least for this settlement—tried to hug me, it didn't exactly go as planned.
Elara only came up to my chest.
Her arms did not reach around my back; only my sides.
It looked like someone trying to lift a hay bale or—or a wide tree.
It was a funny sight.
She spoke again, her voice quiet, and more meek.
Probably because of the proportion difference between us.
"Could…you hug me back? I need it for…"
She devolved into mumbles that I couldn't understand, but I got the main gist: hug her back.
I acceded.
My large arms closed around her.
Her skin felt soft against me.
It was nice.
Like petting a small bird.
After a moment, she backed away.
Her eyes were still puffed, and her voice was still coarse, but she seemed steady now.
"You alright now?"
"Yes…I am. Thank you, Grul. I appreciate it, very much."
"No problem—"
"How can I repay you? You, who went out of your way to help someone of no note like me. You don't seem to have anything you are in need nor want of right now. Perhaps if I aid you with my medical skills, would that suffice? No, perhaps a duration where I follow you as you journey would […]"
At this point, she began to mumble about needing to give me something in return; about finding a way to help me out, I think.
As she spoke, her hand moved up—a gesture she would usually do while pondering.
Her hand tried to find the beak of her bird mask to lightly pinch it as a sort of thinking gesture.
But, of course, the mask was not there.
It was at this moment we both had a realization.
For me: she didn't know her face was showing.
For her: her mask was off, and her status as a lowly physician could now be ousted; thus meaning that her true position as a princess would be revealed.
Her beautiful face had shifted and was now full of chagrin.
"G-Grul d-do you see my f-face?"
I nodded.
"My face…M-my actual, real face?"
I nodded again.
"I—I-Could—Please don't tell anyone about my face! Please!"
I nodded one last time.
I'm a very simple man, after all, and am very easy to talk with.
You ask me to do something, then I'll do it—on the conditions that it doesn't affect me or my people badly.
Or on the condition that it isn't much of a hassle.
Either of the two could work, really.
Embarrassment rushed over her face, shading her face with a rose petal tint.
She thanked me again in a quick mumble and quickly moved away.
"Uhm, I think that's all we have to talk for today. IwillseeyoulaterbutfornowImustexcusemyselftothelavatorysoseeyou!"
…What?
I wanted to ask her what she said, but she already scurried off before I could even register her words.
I was left alone in the small library, staring into empty space.
Did the last few minutes actually happen?
It all feels like a fever dream.
As I wondered about the reality of the situation, a system pop-up showed, sending me back to Earth—err, whatever this planet is called.
-Quest Completed-
▣The Doctor Princess's Worries▣
Instructions: Find the Elven Princess and encourage her
Rewards: ???
The message popped up in front of my eyes.
It signified the end of this fever dream-like sequence of events.
Usually, I'd get rewards right about now, but I guess they'll have to come later.
Right now, there was something else I had to do.
It was…
It was….
…
…
…Huh.
I don't remember what it was that I had to do after this.
…
…
…I guess, go to sleep?
I mean, if I forgot about it, then it means it's not that important, right?
Yeah, it's not that important.
Surely.