Chapter 127 - Spirit of the Guardian Tree (6)

Sion and I watched the setting sun at the Eternia River dock.

Getting our fortunes told hadn't been the best choice.

The remnants of my exploded emotions still disturbed my mind. Perhaps I could count it as worthwhile, having realized how immature my emotions still were.

I didn't want to think deeply about the old man's prophecy. It had shaken me more than necessary, and having lost my composure, I needed time to sort out my feelings.

Suddenly, I missed Silveryn. I thought I should pick up the Stitch I'd left for repairs on my way back.

Sion, sitting quietly beside me with an expressionless face, spoke, "Seems that fortune teller hit the mark."

"Well, somewhat."

"Then... is it true you were an orphan?"

Being raised as an orphan wasn't something to broadcast, but it wasn’t something to forcibly hide either.

"Yes."

"...Now I understand a bit better."

"What?"

"What Master said. That people who grew up privileged don't feel the need to become strong."

"What do you mean?"

"He said that no matter how excellent one's talent, those with adequate wealth and status prefer to settle there. That's why only those who've experienced hell can truly become strong."

Becoming strong, huh? My only wish was to have enough power to protect those I love. Somehow that goal felt so distant now.

"I realized today. You haven't lived an ordinary life either."

The old man's words contained information revealing my past. So she could guess at my history without needing detailed explanations.

Sion gazed indifferently at the sunset-tinted river. Then casually dropped her words, "I'm an orphan too. Maybe that's why Master took me in."

Those words meant Sion had experienced her own trials, and that she'd acknowledged me with an open heart.

"...Do you still want to fight me?"

"No, not at all."

She seemed to have lost interest now.

We killed time silently for a while. The wind blew and the river rippled.

When the sun finally set completely and the dim moon rose, we stood up as if by agreement.

While brushing gravel off my pants, someone called out to me, "...Candy?"

Sion and I turned around simultaneously.

Cecil and Martha stood about ten paces away.

An unexpected encounter. Come to think of it, they'd said they were coming for fortune-telling too.

But something was off about Cecil's manner. She muttered quietly while looking at us, "It really is Candy..."

She glanced at Sion before glaring at me again. After assessing the situation, she pressed her lips together as if angry.

Cecil stood there frozen, then suddenly turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Martha belatedly chased after Cecil.

"Huh? Hey, hey! Where are you going!"

Watching this, Sion yawned tiredly and said, "I'm going too."

Then she left suddenly without any farewell. 

Truly a girl like the wind.

Troubled by Cecil's attitude, I followed in the direction she'd gone, but couldn't meet her again.

Finally, I retrieved Silveryn's Stitch that I'd left for repairs. Though cracked everywhere like broken glass from being shattered once, the repair shop said it would function fine.

With that done, I returned home.

It had been a long day.

The mansion was quiet since Trisha had already left for Thorn Garden. Just in case, I lifted my bed covers. As expected, she wasn't there.

When she was here, the room always felt cluttered, but now that she was gone, it felt empty.

After a long while, I wrote a letter to Silveryn.

New friends. What happened in the circulatory system, and achieving top marks in practice. I hope it brought Silveryn even a little bit of joy.

As I was about to write about today's events, I paused my pen and recalled the fortune teller's words.

Could Silveryn give me answers? After considering it for a while, I didn't write about the fortune. I needed to learn to stand alone and shouldn't seek life's answers from her.

After sending off the letter describing my daily life at Eternia, I went to bed.

And that night, I dreamed.

Everything was hazy, leaving no particular impression. I faced something blurry, someone was behind me, and we were on a cliff.

That was all. The closest memory to this was when Lisa and I sought out Benemaril.

It probably surfaced unexpectedly from having my past memories stirred. 

***

Early morning, I sent a Stitch to Cecil at Eternia’s campus.

Her expression from yesterday bothered me, and I also needed someone to appraise the crystal obtained from the wingless dragon.

But no reply came until past lunch.

Unable to wait longer, I put on my mask and headed to the library.

I found Cecil easily in the archives. When I approached her side, she turned away abruptly and moved away.

Though she clearly saw me, she pretended not to. The coldness in her actions. She was clearly disappointed or hurt by something about me.

I followed Cecil at a distance. Noticing my pursuit, she walked faster trying to shake me off.

When Cecil sat at a reading room desk, I casually approached and took a seat opposite her.

"Can we talk?"

"..."

Cecil opened a book and hid her face without responding. A signal she didn't even want to meet my eyes.

I quickly reviewed what I might have done wrong yesterday, but found nothing to make Cecil angry.

"Did you receive Stitch?"

"..."

Cecil gathered her books and moved to another desk.

Not good. She seems very mad.

If I pretended not to notice here, my relationship with Cecil might end forever. I had to keep following and find out why she was angry.

I brazenly followed Cecil and sat across from her at the same desk.

"I brought something you might find interesting, aren't you curious?"

Cecil spoke from behind her book, "Not interested. Go away."

Her tone was cold, similar to when she talked to me as Damian.

"Let's talk."

"No."

I smoothly pulled out one of the books she'd brought and skimmed it.

"I'll keep following until you talk."

It was a novel about a murderous ghost punishing unfaithful men. I frowned at the horrible illustrations throughout. I hadn't seen this side of—what strange taste.

Cecil spoke while still hiding her face, "I'll report you for harassment."

"I'm a ghost student, so reports won't catch me."

"I'll call my seniors to exorcise you."

"I'm hurt. Using seniors to ostracize a friend."

"...Hurt?"

"Yes."

"Huuuurt???"

As the atmosphere worsened, I quickly changed the subject.

"Seems you're upset about something."

"Hmph..."

"Why did you just leave when you saw me yesterday?"

"Why would unwanted guests interrupt your enjoyable date?"

"It wasn't a date."

"Ah, really? Secretly meeting in Rigbed and quietly enjoying the sunset together isn’t a date? Who asked who first?"

"..."

"How is it, dating only the top seats one by one? Enjoying it? When's your date with Iris?"

Ah, this is bad. She's really got the wrong idea. How do I clear up this misunderstanding about only seeing top seats?

"Meeting Sion wasn't by choice."

"Ah, so you have separate friends for dating and others you just use when needed. Was I too presumptuous acting friendly?"

Every word is thorny. She's quite scary when she’s mad.

"Sion keeps trying to fight me, so I met her separately to settle things because it was troublesome for my friends around me."

"Ah, I see. Must have been so important you had to meet somewhere romantic instead of at school. You've never done that with other friends."

"..."

"Ah, someone might think I'm saying this because I like you. I'm just expressing disappointment as a 'friend' who cares about you."

My head throbbed. 

How should I soothe her with words? I can't request anything in this state. I would have brought a bribe if I'd known it’d be like this.

Cecil lowered her book. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot.

"..."

Was she crying? No? I don't believe it. Even if she’s upset, would she cry over this?

...Must be from reading too long.

"Be honest. Are you only seeing top seats? Why are you friends with me?"

"Well, you're—"

Cecil cut me off mid-sentence.

"Because I'm pretty, have a good figure, that's all fine. I could even forgive a pervert's reason like 'Because you have big breasts.' But if you became friends because I'm the top seat of the Magic Engineering Department, I don't think I can forgive that."

This is trouble. That is exactly why—because she's the top seat of the the Magic Engineering Department. I think it's better to look at achievements rather than innate qualities. People usually find it more problematic to judge by appearance than ability, but she's the opposite.

"Because... I thought it would be fun to hang out with you."

Wonder if that’s a good enough answer.

Cecil hid her face behind the book again and replied, "That answer gets 7 points."

"Out of how many?"

"A thousand."

"..."

Though she said that, her hurt feelings seemed to have eased a bit.

"If you think it'd be fun to hang out, why haven't you ever suggested it?"

"I'd call when something fun comes up."

"...Then will you come if I call?"

Having said that, I couldn't refuse.

"Of course."

Cecil lowered her book just enough to show her eyes and said.

"...Then come to the Guardian Tree tonight."

"Isn't that area still off-limits?"

"Do you know why it's off-limits?"

"...No."

"Because there's a Spirit of the Guardian Tree. So come help me catch it."