She Returned

In pursuit of tranquility, Eve spent half a day in the secluded garden at the back.

As dusk approached, Cecil found her.

"Eve, I must bring down that brute Bryan, crush him beneath my feet, and grind him mercilessly!"

He declared, grinding his foot against the ground, teeth clenched in hatred.

Eve raised her gaze to see Cecil's bruised left cheek and a footprint on his white shirt.

Below...

"Don't worry, no harm done," she assured.

Eve was speechless.

What could she possibly be relieved about?

"You can't compete with Bryan," Cecil stated, be it in verbal sparring, fisticuffs, or the projects at the sanatorium.

"Why undermine yourself to uplift others?" Eve questioned.

"... We're in the same boat."

Sighing, Eve said, "Cecil, I want to leave the ship," not out of despair but because having a liability like him was worse than relying on herself.

"Repay me fifty thousand first."

"..."

Not to mention fifty thousand, she didn't even have five thousand.