Chapter 12 - Confrontation with Rick

— "I didn't know you knew my friend Rick," Leandro said.

He told me they had known each other since they were kids. They had grown up together.

While the two of them talked, I could see all the gazes from young women staring at Rick and Leandro.

With their looks, the two of them drew attention easily.

I felt uneasy standing beside them, and I could feel the jealous stares aimed my way. It was easier to shrink into the background than to wonder why two people like them would want someone like me around.

I just wanted to leave quickly.

Rick told me he would pick me up that night at eight, at my place, as usual.

Leandro asked me how I knew Rick.

I explained that I had met Rick while I was in Calgara.

Rick finished the explanation for me, saying it had been under rather funny circumstances that we'd met.

He told Leandro about the pet slave trade and about our plan to free them.

After that, we each went our separate ways.

I came back home, the noise, the excitement, and the crowd had worn me out completely.

I would have loved nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep the rest of the day away. But I'd promised Rick I would be ready by eight, and letting him down wasn't something I let myself do, so I settled for a short nap instead.

Tonight, I had decided to confront Rick and ask him about Roco.

I felt like I was close enough to him now to talk about it.

I was still scared to bring it up, but I needed to know, I needed to understand why Rick had an artificial pet.

Rick was already waiting for me in front of Linden's place.

I went to him, and together we headed to a restaurant.

Rick looked particularly elegant that night, dressed in a white suit.

The restaurant Rick had chosen was unlike anything I'd seen, a boat floating on the river.

We went aboard, and the atmosphere inside was lovely, beautifully decorated.

After we sat down, we ordered.

Rick looked at me intensely, and I felt my stomach tighten, knowing I still had to bring up Roco.

— "Is everything all right, Yuli? You seem particularly tense tonight. Did something happen?"

I had originally planned to bring up Roco after we'd eaten, but I decided to address it right away.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my time with Rick at all.

I found the courage to broach the subject and said:

— "Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. It's about your pet, Roco, I know he's an artificial pet. But I couldn't quite believe it, and I told myself there had to be a reason. So why do you have an artificial pet, Rick?"

— "I didn't know you'd found out. You should have come to me sooner about it, I would have explained."

Rick explained that Roco had originally been a real animal, a gift from his parents long before he came of age.

He'd had Roco since he was twelve, and then, he told me, at fifteen, he'd had an accident.

There had been an explosion where he was, and Roco had been with him at the time.

Roco had helped him and sacrificed himself to save Rick's life.

By the time help arrived, Roco was almost dead. Rick couldn't believe it, and he couldn't accept it.

He thought of everything that might save Roco, but nothing worked.

But around that time, he heard about artificial pets powered by magic.

He went to see a specialist, who explained that he had only two options.

He could prepare himself to say goodbye to his pet,

or he could save him with artificial magic, but Roco would forget all his memories and would depend on a machine to supply his magic for the rest of his life.

At the time, Rick was too young to accept losing him, so he refused to say goodbye and had the specialist use artificial magic to save his pet.

So in the end, what Yuuki had seen was only partially right, there was artificial magic involved, but it had been used on a real animal.

— "I'm relieved to finally know the truth. I knew there had to be a reason. It was impossible to believe you could have done something illegal."

— "I'm glad you have such a good opinion of me, Yuli."

— "Since we're sharing secrets, there's something I need to tell you too, Rick. My real name isn't Yuli, it's Amaria."

— "That's okay. After the assailant who attacked you last time, I understand why you hid it."

— "Thank you for understanding, Rick."

I felt as if a great weight had lifted off my chest, I felt so relieved after telling Rick the truth.

After we finished eating, we went for a short walk through the city.

Suddenly, while we were walking, I felt a familiar presence.

I turned around and saw my grandmother, I couldn't believe she was in Olbi.

— "Grandma! What are you doing in Olbi?"

— "Sweetheart, I'm so happy to see you. When I heard you were gone, I was worried sick. But you made the right choice, Amy, I also heard about Count Berry and your foolish father."

— "But Grandma, how did you find me?"

— "I know my granddaughter. I remember you telling me, since you were eight, that you'd always wanted to go to Olbi. And by the way, may I ask who this gentleman is?"

— "Ah, sorry, Rick, let me introduce you to my grandmother. Grandma, this is Rick, a very good friend of mine."

— "Nice to meet you, dear Madam. I'm glad to meet part of Amaria's family," Rick said.

— "I'm sorry for interrupting your date, but I needed to see that my granddaughter was well. It seems I needn't have worried, she's in good hands. I'm relieved."

— "I will protect Amy. No matter what happens, I will do my best to help her," Rick said.

— "Oh, I see Amy told you her story. She must really trust you, to have shared it with you, she hardly ever talks about herself," my grandmother said.

— "I'm very flattered to hear that," Rick said with a smile.

My grandmother said she would join me later at my place, since she wanted to talk and catch up with me.

— "Please take good care of my sweetheart, Rick," my grandmother said before she left.

After we had walked a while longer with Rick, I told him:

— "You know, Rick, I know my grandmother, and I don't think she wanted to worry me, but coming all the way to Olbi to find me, wasn't just to check in. She has something important to tell me."

— "You should go see her. We can meet another day."

I thanked him and turned to leave, but I couldn't shake the way my grandmother's smile had faltered when she thought I wasn't looking. She had never once in my life crossed the country just to "take news" from me.

Whatever she had come to Olbi to tell me, some part of me already knew I wasn't going to like it.