Pururi purara~｡ﾟ✯ °☆

To protect? To protect…

“Can you make me a promise?” These were Kodama’s words when I crouched down next to him.

      I wondered what promise the main AI of Amahara Corporation possibly wanted me to make. Nonetheless, I blinked at him in a wait for a more precise request.

“You are aiming to marry the director. This means, you will remain by his side. Is that statement correct?”

     I nodded.

     For a fleeting moment, he said nothing.

“I am Kodama. I am a Kodama. This is my name, this is what I am. Do you know what is a Kodama?” He paused. “A spirit inhabiting a tree. A spirit protecting what nature holds as dear to its core. I am the protector of Amahara Corporation. But all I can do is to control the security system. All I can do, as I’ve been made a part of Amahara Corporation, is to make suggestions. I can’t protect the director from himself. Mr Leafeyorb is a part of Amahara… Please, human girl, can you promise me to protect him?”

“…”

     My lips unsealed, I considered the little creature with puzzlement. A spirit? Another legend… It reminded me of the one the director told me about.

     The words of the AI were the most peculiar I had ever heard. I wished he would tell me more about this place. I wished I could learn about the secrets that lay within the garden of Amahara. Though… Something told me deep inside that if I asked for more, Kodama would vanish.

“Protect… the director?” I repeated, as if to weigh these words.

     As his future wife, I supposed this was something I could do. That seemed natural. Simply an idea I wasn’t against.

“I promise.”

     After a moment of pondering, I gave my word to Kodama.

     I wasn’t sure what I entangled myself into, but I promised. Whatever would happen, I should protect Marygold Leafeyorb from himself.

     Because a promise is a promise, it can’t be broken. Else, what would be the meaning of making one?

     Before disappearing again, the little creature said a few more words to me.

“‘And I wished I could hold you a moment longer in my arms.’ This is what the director said when you fell asleep in front of his office.”

     The confession he made to me sounded as a token of appreciation for my willingness to help him.

     Now that I remember that, I can’t help but feel my faint smile widening.

***

My fingers pressed along the hem of the elastic fabric, my thumbs holding it in place slide against my skin as I pull up a long white sock.

     Once it almost reaches the hem of my short jumpsuit, I stand up from the edge of my bed and take a brief look at the mirror reflection. Final adjustments to my bun, and soon I am done.

     I have never done it before, though it is easier than I thought. Putting on this outfit is enough to take any registered appearance. Of course, only fictional ones are legal and available.

     Leaving my room, I press a finger against my wrist while heading to the leaving room. A flicker then runs through the outfit and the digital fabric takes shape and colours.

     Soon enough, I cross the threshold of the door. Marygold is standing by the window, beholding the snowfall. He doesn’t seem to notice me.

     I make a few steps towards him, too light to be heard, and take a breath.

“Senpai.”

     At the sound of my voice, Mr Leafeyorb frowns and turns on his feet.

     The reaction he has at the moment is another one I would need to have later a second thought about it so I may be somehow able to interpret.

     Frowning even more as he takes sight of me, he then widens his eyes before muttering.

“Huh-”

     Wearing cream suspender pants along with a light blue shirt, a biscuit and fudge striped newsboy cap covers my seemingly short green hair. My round glasses reveal the sparkle of two eyes same as unripe apples.

     Under this image, nothing but my voice betrays me being a girl.

     A long silence follows.

“…”

“…”

     Neither of us says a thing.

     Once he recovered from his surprise, Marygold finally speaks.

“May I know what you are trying to do?”

     Despite his question, his half-amused half-perplexed smile clearly conveys the feeling that he already guessed.

     I have decided to take on Fumiko’s regular outfit. Though, I cannot tell if Marygold is under the charm of his wai… husbando?

“Does it not please you to see me like this?” I wonder mid-closing my eyes, softly rubbing the back of my neck the way the character I cosplay usually does.

     He coughs.

“Well well, how did you even expect me to react? I know it’s you, so…”

     Though I do not let him time to react further.

“Maybe … you prefer seeing me like this?”

     And acts following my words I reach for two golden bracelets placed in my pocket, putting them on one after another.

     The director stares at me.

“Don’t-”

“Pururi purara~｡ﾟ✯ °☆” I cast the magic spell, making my bracelets click together. “Let me become who I truly am.”

     I raise my hands above my head, turning the latter to the side before lowering gradually my wrists while describing a series of cute arabesques.

     Meanwhile my silhouette glistens, lit up by reflections of the cosplay jumpsuit. It metamorphoses into the one of the magical girl which I studied last night by watching ‘Magical Memories’.

     A hus- waibando?

     Long green hair gathered in two thick braids, adorned by violet ribbons that shape as the digital fabric adjusts its appearance, blooming as well into a lilac puffy dress.

     The back of his hand covering his mouth, Marygold Leafeyorb giggles.

     Regrettable… why does he hide his amused smile?

“Cute.” He whispers under his breath, his shoulders shivering.

     Without letting him time to recover from his irrepressible laughter, I approach Marygold with steady steps.

     Once I am close enough so that the sound of his amusement doesn’t cover my voice, I place a hand over his heart and repeat Fumiko’s words with the hope to resemble her enough to charm him.

“I wish to protect you as much as I wish to protect the world.”

     But also because I share the will behind these words.

     As expected, the director’s laughter dissipates and his eyes lock on mine. He doesn’t reply immediately, a wide smile creeping onto his face.

“Is that so?”

     With one hand he covers mine, holding it against his heart. He raises the other one to my face, pinching my glasses between his fingers to remove them.

“Let me see your eyes.”

     The latters, merely made out of digital matter, can’t keep the coherence of their structure. When pulled away from me they dissolve into the air, my eyes back to their golden glitter.

     Locking with his silvery ones, I can’t help but hope for some peculiar reason that Marygold will hold my gaze for one more moment, just one more…

“Damned maid!! Don’t even approach me for an inch more!!” A voice surges from the corridor and in a rustle of feathers Niji passes us.

     We instantly freeze.

     Jaana appears in turn, holding a sharp knife.

“Aurora!! She’s crazy! She wants to cook me!”

     Having reached the window he clings to the curtains, his feathers all ruffled.

     I can’t help but turn a lost gaze towards Jaana, blinking.

“No. I simply suggested you gave a lot of yourself to help me since you find fault with the way I cook.” Jaana corrects in a neutral tone.

“Vade retro!!”

     For a while, she sharpens her gaze, staring at Niji. Then… She leaves.

     I am still disoriented when I hear Marygold’s voice calling me.

“Aurora. Look at me.”

     Grasping one of Niji’s feathers floating all around, he brings it closer to my lips, brushing them with its delicate surface.

     As I refocus my attention on him, slightly widening my eyes at the tickle, Marygold leans in closer in a movement as gentle as the feather he holds. And he presses his lips upon it.

     How could it be… That their caress is even softer?