'....Soren, please, stop it. It's too much!'
Soren finally heard Ethea's voice and turned toward her. 'D-Don't worry. I can endure it. I was just caught off guard earlier, that's all.'
'Still!' Ethea's fingers dug into his sleeve. 'You don't have to take all of it. Let me handle some. I can-'
'No.' Soren cut her off decisively. 'I said I love you, right? That also means I don't want you to get hurt or be in any more pain. So let me handle this, ok?'
'...' Ethea wanted to say something, but seeing his firm expression and the overflowing emotions in his eyes, she swallowed them back. '...Alright.'
'Thank you.' Soren smiled and took a deep breath before closing his eyes. However, he used his right hand to gently pry her fingers from his sleeve and intertwine them with his own, holding on as if to reassure her that everything would be okay. '...And you can continue cultivating; I will tell you when it is over.'
