Finecia II

Ms. Finecia glanced at me with a teasing smile before turning back to Strixx. “That’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself, okay?” she said, gently patting her head.

Strixx tilted her head, thinking hard.

 “Hmmm… okay. Strixx will.”

Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, she turned to me. “Luca, do you know about it?”

I stiffened. “N-no--absolutely not! How am I supposed to know that?!”

Strixx leaned in closer, her innocent gaze locked on me. “Luca… you’re all red again. Are you okay?”

Ms. Finecia chuckled softly at the scene, watching in amusement.

Before we knew it, the whole day had passed, and the sky outside had turned dark. Ms. Finecia lit the lanterns inside the house, their soft glow filling the room.

“Strixx, let’s go make dinner,” Ms. Finecia said, standing up. Strixx nodded and followed her, gathering the utensils we had brought in earlier for dessert.

I remained seated at the table. “Ms. Finecia, I’ll be there if you need any help.” She smiled. “No, no, Strixx and I will be just fine.”

I sat there, lost in thought, How does it feel to love someone that much? My eyes fell on the book on the table. Then I realized--Ms. Finecia is alone now . That must mean…

A sad feeling settled in my chest.  I couldn’t shake it, even as I got up and stepped outside for some fresh air. But no matter how much I tried to clear my mind, one thought stayed--Mr. Roy. What happened to him?

Some time passed, and as I stood in the cool air, Strixx came outside, calling for me. “Luca… dinner is ready. Let’s… go eat…” She reached for my hand, holding it gently. “You know, Luca… Ms. Finecia taught… Strixx a lot… in cooking today.”

As we walked back inside, the smell of warm food filled the air. A plate of fried vegetables, fresh bread, and hot soup waited at the table. Ms. Finecia looked up and smiled.“Come, Luca. Let’s eat while it’s warm.”

The food was delicious. Strixx looked proud, knowing the fried vegetables were her work. “Strixx, this is really good. You’re learning fast,” I said, truly impressed.

Ms. Finecia nodded. “You did well, Strixx.” Strixx grinned. “Hehe… Strixx happy Luca likes it.”

I glanced at Ms. Finecia, and a question weighed on my mind. She noticed right away. “What is it, Luca? You have something to say?”

I hesitated, then looked down. “It’s nothing… I just…”

She gave me a gentle smile. “You want to know what happened to Roy, don’t you?” I froze. She saw right through me. “Yes…”

Strixx sat beside her as Ms. Finecia looked up, her face soft yet far away.

“Roy passed away… during the war. Twenty years ago.”

I lowered my gaze. The war Riko had spoken about…

She took a deep breath, her voice filled with memories. “It was the day of the Flower Festival—our last festival together. We had finally confessed our feelings. We promised we would see the next Flower Festival together.

 But in the end… we never got to.”A sad smile crossed her lips. “My legs were injured that day.”

Her fingers traced the table’s surface. “During the war, my home collapsed on me after an explosion--a fireball from the battlefield. My leg was trapped under the rubble. The pain was terrible, but before I even had time to think, he was there.”

She paused, her voice shaking.  “The desperate look in his eyes… I’ll never forget it. He picked me up right away and carried me, rushing to the evacuation point. Everything was a blur—I was barely awake. But when I opened my eyes… I was resting on his lap.”

Her eyes softened. “The moment I woke up, he held me close. ‘Finecia,’ he whispered, hugging me so tightly, like he was afraid to let go. But then… he stood up.”

“I couldn’t walk anymore. I clung to him, my voice shaking. ‘Roy, please… let’s run away together. Don’t leave me behind. I don’t want to be alone… I don’t want a life without you. I love you… so please, don’t go. Let’s escape together, Roy please don’t leave me.”

“He just smiled said, ‘Dummy. I just happened to be part of the evacuation team. Don’t worry. There are still people in town who need help. We’ll go one last time to save them, then we’ll leave on the last carriage together. But I can’t let you stay here any longer, Finecia. I don’t want you to get hurt not anymore please Finecia I love you. “I held onto him, crying. Through my sobs, I pleaded, ‘Promise me… promise me you’ll come back.’”

“And then… he reached into his pocket with trembling fingers, pulled out a small, delicate ring, and knelt before me. His hands were rough, dirt-streaked from the chaos around us, but his touch was warm as he slid the ring onto my finger.

“Finecia,” he whispered, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes.

 “I promise you--next year, we’ll watch the festival together. I’ll make it back. I’ll survive this… and we’ll--”

“Then, suddenly--an explosion shook the town. Another fireball attack. People in the carriages screamed. A volunteer ran toward Roy. ‘Roy! We need to hurry! This is the last round of evacuation!’”

 “He looked at me one last time, then let go of my hand. ‘Alright then… see you later, Finecia.’”

Then he called out to his friend Henry, the driver. ‘Henry, I’m leaving everyone in your hands.’”

She smiled weakly. “Henry just grinned and said, ‘Leave it to me, buddy.’ And then… we started moving, leaving Vaeliris Town behind.”

Her shoulders shook. “I reached out to him… but all I heard was his voice—‘Finecia! See you later, okay? I’ll see you in a bit. I’ll keep my promise, no matter what!’”

 “That was the last time… I ever saw him.” Silence filled the room.

Strixx gently held Ms. Finecia’s hand. “Ms. Finecia…” I looked down. “I’m sorry…” Strixx hugged Ms. Finecia as she wiped her tears away.

Ms. Finecia smiled gently. “It’s okay, Strixx. I’m fine..

She glanced down at the ring on her finger. “He did it for me.

He wanted me to keep living… so I will. Just as I have all these years.”

Then, she looked at both of us with a small, nostalgic smile.

“Come on now, it’s nothing to feel bad about now. He was the same noisy, reckless, and straightforward person --always acting cool, yet always so kind to everyone, always helping everyone.

 The same person I loved the most… until the very end.”

Her fingers brushed the ring on her finger as she let out a soft, almost teasing sigh. “He wanted me to live on… because he loved me.

And I’m still living on for all these year her voice turning even softer. “… because I love him too. No, I love him the most.” She smiled to herself, eyes shimmering with warmth.

“As long as I’m alive, he’ll always be here… right in my heart.”

She let out a soft chuckle. Then, almost in a whisper – ‘He was an idiot.’” She then smiled, a quiet, gentle smile full of warmth—like she was seeing him in that moment, just as he always was.

“My idiot.” Taking a deep breath, she looked at us again, her expression full of quiet strength.

“I’m still here… still breathing… still living on, just like he wanted.”

Strixx tightened her hug, and Ms. Finecia patted her head before looking my way. “Now, come on. The food’s getting cold.”

As we sat down to eat, the warmth in the room slowly returned.

Ms. Finecia smiled.  “Just a few more days until this year’s Flower Festival.

 I’m sure you two will love it.”

She looked at us kindly, and I could only nod. After dinner, we helped her clean up before heading to our room. Ms. Finecia walked us there, stopping at the door.

“Good night, Luca. Good night, Strixx.”

Strixx sat on her bedding, then murmured to herself, “Luca… why do… people fight? Why… is war everywhere?”

I looked at her. “War… takes things away. It destroys, it kills… that’s just how the world is.” Strixx lowered her gaze. “Ms. Finecia… she is a very, very good person. She and Luca… are the only humans who have seen Strixx… and know Strixx is a demon… yet treat me… better than anyone.”

I reached out and patted her head. “I told you before… no, we told you—you’re not just a demon. You’re Strixx, a kind girl who loves to help others.”

Strixx thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up. “Strixx knows! We need to do something for Ms. Finecia too!”

She leaned closer, whispering her idea. I listened, then smiled.

 “Ah, I see. That’s a great idea. It’s the least we can do for her after everything she’s done for us.”

With that settled, we finally lay down to rest. As I lay there, unable to sleep, I got up and opened the window. The night breeze was cool, and the moonlight bathed the room in silver.

Strixx walked over and stood beside me. “The moon ..is beautiful… isn’t it, Luca?”

I looked at her and asked, “Aren’t you sleepy yet, Strixx?” She looked at me with a small pout.

“Hmph… Luca… answer strixc first.” I looked at her with a smile. “Yeah… it really is.”

For a while, we just stood there, lost in the quiet night.

Then, I sighed. “Strixx, we should sleep. We have more days ahead to help Ms. Finecia as much as we can. We need to give back what she’s done for us.”

Strixx nodded with a small smile. “Alright.” Finally, we both lay down to sleep, As I drifted off, I thought to myself-- Mr. Roy was such a good person...

I turned my head slightly, glancing at Strixx. She was already fast asleep.

She’s the only one I have left. I will be there for you, too.

After all, you were the one who pulled me out of the darkness.

With that final thought, I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.