5

                             V

“See? It is a hat! Leaf girl wears a hat! I asserted this very fact with a completely logical-”

“Saridus - Saridus…I concede, okay?”

“...it is rather odd, getting used to such boundless wisdom…”

Mikota stopped, kneeling down to run his fingers through the cool rivulets of olive grass - the little spokes ticking his palm as he brushed off them. It was - as he found out on his first day of dueling - a rather soothing remedy for when his hands felt too warm.

He squinted, a vision of Ried rolling around down the grassy slopes flitting by - a 'rolly-polly' as the tumbling, giggling guy had put it then. Mikota had played it off as though he just wasn't sure it was worth getting dirtied up for, but mostly, he was just too scared of rolly-pollying off the mountain.

That's why he wears black?

Then looking up ahead, he spotted the red hatted figure more clearly - she was facing towards the forest with her back turned, sitting on one of the logs Mikota had slashed over while practicing with his saber. Forcing an exhale, he resumed his amble towards her.

The dark garnet shroud of the forest hastened past the milky veil he’d peered it through from atop the mountain - the girl's figure shaping distinctly from the red-brown mush he’d first made out. His feet were leaning downwards now as he trotted on, the ground beginning to curve more feelably as he neared the skirt of woods around crowned over the peak.

What to say…still wearing her cloak…wait…she wears her hat under the cloak hood? Seems a little…oh, it’s alright

“But still, red hair would’ve been rather…interesting look-wise, right?”

“Hmm…I agree! But what’s right’s right, right?”

“...uh - yes, that’s correct”

“Hah - we live in a simple world, Mikota! Say it with me now: everything the demon Saridus says can be 100% confirmed to be true with absolutely zero consequences for friends and family later on”

Using Ried's say-it-with-me’s now, Saridus?

“...well, I don’t know if that’s-”

“Ancient saying, my boy”

“...really?”

“Of course. I’m ancient, and I said that”

…checks out - should I call when I’m right behind her…but that would-

“YO - LEAF GIRL! ALIGN YOUR HUMBLE GAZE SOUTHWARD!”

SARIDUS WHAT ARE YOU-

The girl shrieked from up ahead, flinching her spine erect, hands quickly tugging on the rim of her hat as she pulled it over tighter.

“Oh god…that was so mean…”

“Relax, buddy - just taking a little initiative. Besides, I doubt she actually heard my grand declaration. Pity”

A little too much initiative if you ask me, but…

Mikota’s eyes flicked over to his medallion, glimpsing Saridus smearing his face against the bulge of the locket’s mirror - wide eyed, mouth twisted hideously in a grin.

A chuckle hissing out from his nose, his own smile curled in as he looked back up, waving to the girl - she’d turned back now.

“...I suppose it’s still your second time seeing outside Ried’s room, right?”

“3rd, technically - I was offered every angle to take in yesterday’s light show, when Evaine opened all the mirrors temporarily”

“Oh - right, forgot about that bit”

“That said, any amount of time away from that room is succinctly invigorating, I assure you. Fifty years, remember?”

“Can’t argue with that”

Okay, I think we’re close enough to…that face…she…hates me, doesn’t she? In that case-

Mikota snapped his back forward, bending low.

“I sincerely apologise for knocking you out in the forest a few days prior without your permission or understanding!”

And-

“I would also like to take this opportunity to take full responsibility for any unsavoury things you may have heard me say from a distance - if in case you did, that is…”

….she’s…not saying anything…oh!

“And I think your hat looks lovely - I will defend your choice of wearing it under your cloak from here on out - please forgive me for…ascertaining it a slight absurdity on my first recognition of it…”

“Mik, you’re either getting all the ladies, or none of them…I like that!”

Quiet, Saridus! I will do anything…please forgive-

“N-no need to bow…it’s okay…I couldn’t really hear you…from up there, you know - not that you would say anything too hurtful anyway is what I mean…”

Feeble, yet full…mellow - it’s serenity sprinkling in the hesitant surges with which it spilled into his ears.

“What’d I say? Utter sheep, this one”

Saridus - I’m begging you…please…

Straightening his spine, he looked at her carefully - she’d stood up now.

Her sepia cloak wrapped over her body, long blond curls falling over at the collar.

…purple eyes

Her hat…up close, it was far more complex than the simple sack: peaking in the crown of her head in a gold button - from which thin aurate strips radially streaking down to the tips; a thin grey shroud frocking from the rim of the red velvet body tucking in her ears.

“...uh, sorry for staring - I was just...it’s a really nice hat! Where did you get it?”

The girl lowered her violet eyes, tugging at the thing again.

She does that a lot…and I…

“Again, I’m sorry if that…you don’t-”

“N-no…it’s…”

Her lips flinched into a hesitant curl, as she turned her chin up, long blond curls shifting back as her glance dithered around, before falling into his eyes.

“Well, it’s the first time someone hasn’t called it gaudy, or excessive - w-which is true of course…when you’re an adventurer and all…”

Mikota smiled back, folding his hands as his gaze flitted away up, wallowing into the forest.

“But it means enough to you to still carry it, right? I don’t think anything else should matter then - whether it helps you keep something with yourself…or whether it allows you to live the way you want”

“...you…are you an adventurer?”

“I hope to be one, when I can leave this mountain. I had a similar treatment to your friend - Celia, wasn’t it? Oh, and before I forget - can I have your name?”

“A-ah, yes…I forgot to…my name…”

Mikota turned back to her, offering her his hand…Chanelle had done it like this earlier, right?

“I’m Mikota…Mikota Frost”

The girl placed her palms against his - cool and plush against his.

“...I’m Limani…the former party leader of our group, Black Pith. Nice to finally meet you like this, Mikota”

“...you’re the party leader?”

“Doesn’t look like it one bit, does it? Chanelle’s far more…leaderie…is that a word?”

Mikota’s smile widened into a grin.

“I think it’s a good one. It should be, if it isn’t. Oh, we forgot the shaking bit!”

“R-right! Okay, here we go - do you want to take the lead or should I…?”

So we’re both equally unused to this?

“Go ahead”

“...t-then, here goes-”

The girl shook their hands twice, before quickly slipping her palm away from his as she pulled it over her mouth.

“By the way, Mikota…it isn’t exactly a hat”

…Fascinating!

“So just to be clear, Limani-”

Mikota grinned, deftly tapping his locket.

“It is in no way a hat, is it?”

“...yeah, it’s more of a…cap, I suppose”

“Mikota, she supposes - hey-hey, what’re you…?”

Mikota flipped the medallion, gazing deeply into its mirror as he arched his eyebrows. Saridus flinged a finger at him - lips quivering as he tried to speak.

“L-listen, humans are-”

“You know, Limani, I know someone who was certain to the very core of his essence that what you wore was indeed a hat….how curious, isn’t it?”

“O-oh? Well…I can understand that, I mean”

“You’re slipping off my ‘I’ll tolerate you’ list, Mik…careful now”

“Then stop grinning about it”

“I’m not grinning!”

“U-uh...M-Mikota?”

Crap! I said that out lou-

“O-oh, I…bad habit of mine - sorry…I was thinking about something else just now…”

“N-no, no…that makes sense…by the way - if you don’t mind, I-I mean…that locket…what is it?”

Mikota let the locket slip between his fingers, softly thumping against his chest.

“...It’s perhaps the most precious thing I will ever have”

“Okay - climbing up the list - good to see your sanity’s back on track, Mik! I was getting a little worried there”

“So…after your month-long suspension, you’ll be back to adventuring?”

“Well, we have to take the exam again…starting from zero again - our party technically got dissolved”

It did?

“But since you have the experience of working in a party, it shouldn’t be too hard climbing back up, right?”

Limani shook her head, gently lifting her cloak up as she sat back down on the log.

“If last time proved anything, it’s that we clearly don’t have what it takes. I don’t…I don’t know what to do anymore right now”

“...Mikota…ahem”

Then…can I?

“...How opposed are you to the idea of me joining your party?”

Limani looked up, smiling feebly.

“I’d be really happy if you were, Mik - but my opinion isn’t enough…and besides…you’re probably better of joining literally anyone else’s party if you want to be a decent adventurer”

“That’s not true. You just need a bit of training to understand what works, and what doesn’t. We have a month, don’t we? How about…just for a few days, we just…try it out? If it really doesn’t work out, then…well, it’ll work for sure - it just needs the right method. And if I can help with that…”

“Mikota, you’ve already done so much for us - I can’t ask you to shoulder training us on top of…well, everything”

“Good to know this particularly delightful triad shows some awareness of free-loading my tower”

“You don’t need to…how about let’s all do this…for us? I can talk with the others - see what they think…”

“...so you want us to form a new party when we register again, with you in it?”

“I would want nothing else…but if you don’t want me-”

“N-no I didn’t mean it like that! I just…well…I don’t know…it’s been really…difficult thinking about what we’ll end up doing now…and suddenly you just came…and said that. I do want to give it a shot…”

“But you’re not sure if it’ll work out? I know. But if you just go with it, you’ll be better off than not trying at all. As my friend would like to put it: The present is more valuable than possibility, for it can yield its entirety”

“Your friend is currently in ecstasy…to be quoted without scorn, or plea for mercy? Oh! The tears…they’re coming…”

“...Sounds like a wise friend”

“And you are a wise girl, Lamie”

“Oh, he is…despite a lot of things”

“Yes, he is indeed…hey-hey-hey - what was that ‘despite’-?”

“He must be a wonderful friend…well, Mikota, if you’ll have us, I would be very much inclined to form a party with you”

Beaming, Mikota flashed her a thumbs up.

“The honour is mine, Limani. By the way, what were you doing here? Have you eaten anything yet?”

“I…just prefer places like this…near trees and all - I haven’t been able to eat anything since yesterday, so…”

“I see…while personally I have nothing against forest - in all honesty it’s quite nice being in one - every time I’ve entered one, my life is either greatly imperilled, or walks in already on the brink of death-”

“The former blossoming from your own actions - let’s not forget that now, shall we?”

“...Mikota…how opposed are you to being the leader of our party?”

“W-what? Me? I’m not..eheh..really…leaderie either…”

The girl pushed her hands in her cloak pockets, drawing a leaf from one and poising it vertically in two fingers

“Can you guess what this is?”

“I…uh…well, I don’t really know-”

“I’ll tell you...this leaf…it’s from the Jaferdillie, found deep in the Elf forest - extremely rare, and really obscure around these parts. It can temporarily sort of block one’s sense of pain when exposed to the open wound - and this morning, I found your arm covered with them - how did you know when to apply them? Not only that, I’m certain that Celia died, and that you without hesitation put yourself in harm's way to bring her back - I heard from Ms. Evaine just how risky it was what you did - although she did withhold what exactly you did”

“Oh yeah, forgot to ask - what’s Jafferdillie doing in the human continent? I’m certain they stopped trading, even after the Great War…”

Why do you know that, Saridus?

“...look, I…I’m not exactly sure why I did it either…maybe it was because I couldn’t leave her, if I knew she didn’t need to lose everything - but maybe I just did out of the blue for…Lamani?”

She was holding his hand, smiling gently.

“...I don’t need to understand how you did what you did…as a party leader, doing the act at all is more important…making you more competent as one than I ever could be…and by the way, you came here all the way from the tower…to talk to me?”

“One of the things, yeah. I actually practice with my saber right about now in the day”

“O-oh, right - Chanelle mentioned you were pretty good with it…makes sense, yeah…”

“Well then I’ll just…go and practice…that. We can go up together when I’m done?”

“How long would that take?”

“Around three hours”

“T-three hours!? That’s…you’re practically an adventurer already…”

“Oh, that’s nothing. Ried does eight”

~

Mikota Frost. For hours, she’d watched him jumping five feet in the air, balance on two fingers upside down, swirl and jab his blade fast enough to sprout wuthering gusts that blew open her cloak, and cut logs clean in half. With a wooden saber.

He was…he wasn’t handsome, really.

Chin and jaws curved softly from his pearl-washed caramel…bright pink eyes darting quickly as he spun and flicked…full, puce lips pulling tight when he strained his focus. The gentle pendulum of curly tar-shy tresses trailing down from his head, as they coiled down to his neck, wrapped back with a clip - light glistening them midnight as it poured from the Sun.

He was…

Beautiful…he’s beautiful

And then he removed his shirt.

Limani flushed as his glistening bare-figure rippled out - not well-built at all - nigh gaunt, in all honesty, his flabless stomach pulling taut as Mikota stretched his arm, notching his saber out-

She tore her gaze away, pinning it down to the garnet earth…if she looked anymore…something would…something she couldn’t hide from.

Sighing shakily, Limani tucked her legs in, locking her arms around her knees.

…a little bit won’t hurt

Limani peeked up again, catching him standing still - breathing heavily as he kept his palms open, legs wide - chin up, lips thinly ajar as his eyes stayed on the sky. And that large, gold medallion, dangling over his chest…his most precious thing.

…is it really just a picture of someone?

“Limani?”

“H-huh?”

He was looking at her, smiling softly.

“I think I’ve finished my quota for today. Let’s go?”

“...Y-yes…we should, right?”

Nodding, he looked up at the sheer of the peak…and scratched his head, turning back.

“...It’s a bit steep, and if you haven’t eaten in a while…Oh! I can just hold your hand on the way up!”

Hah!?

“N-no-no…Y-you don’t need to bother with- I can walk up…on my own…it’s alright…”

His eyes glinted, downing purple as a shade fell overhead.

“...Okay, but at least walk in front of me. I’d rather not take a chance with this”

…he really isn’t…haven’t stood in a while, so he might be right-

She pushed herself off the log, thudding gently against the grass.

…okay, it’s alright

One step.

Two.

…it’s a bit shaky…it’s fine

Mikota gestured her to lead, lithely sheathing his saber. She looked up, gazing at the sheer of the mountain.

…I walked down that? That’s way too steep! Oh no…oh dear…no - it’s fine, it’s completely-

“....umm…Limani…how about I help you a bit until we get over this bit? You should be fine from there…not imposing or anything - you just seem a little…even your face is- is it that you’re ill as well?”

You…you’re going to be torn apart at the guild, aren’t you?

“...e-eh…w-well, if you don’t mind…”

His lips softening into a smile, he offered his hand.

“I would never”

~

“By the way, Mikota…”

“Hmm?”

“Why do you want to be an adventurer? I-I mean, I’m just a little curious is all - if it’s too much, then…”

Mikota clutched her hand gently, hauling the two of them over the last jump.

“I want to see everything there is to see…what kind of places exist? What are the phenomena of this world? I…know it’s dangerous out there…but that’s why I’ve become stronger. Adventurers can go wherever they want - all they have to do is complete quests to fuel a lifestyle so free…”

“...but only the high classes are allowed that much freedom…for reference - I know we’re probably one of the worst examples, but…we’ve been at rank F for a year now, but they’re plenty of parties that’ve been at there for much longer…how are you so sure we wouldn’t dangle there forever?”

“Ried said you could take the exam for any rank…so I’m aiming for A, at least-”

“A!? Aren’t you being a bit too…optimistic?”

“Hah! You said it, girl! Mik…?”

Mikota sighed, lips swiping against each other.

“That’s the minimum rank for leaving the Valley - and so to me, not negotiable”

“...I feel like you’re glazing over the ‘too optimistic’ part I highlighted there…oh dear…looks like walk’s over…back to the…ughh”

Hang on, Saridus…we’re close…closer than ever before

“We’re here…what’s that smell? Ms. Evaine’s never prepared any meals before…”

“...yeah…but Chanelle’s never really cooked either…”

Okay, officially back

He tapped the dark mahogany door twice, grazing his palm against the cool, obsidian bars that bowered back the smooth, swirl riddled wood beneath.

Exhaling softly, his hand fell over the weathered, cinnamon knob - tightening over the quadruply segmented cylinder, dark insignias periodically riveted into its length and curves.

Okay…Horse, Swan, Road, Sky

He turned the segments in the order, rotating each dial until the fashioned cavities matched his memory. Turning the last one to ‘sky’, the aureate light billowed gently from symbols, as the nineteen mullions of the door slid back into its frame in short, cutting hisses.

…I love magic

Swinging the door open, he found Chanelle standing in the kitchen, her hair tied up in a little bun. She flinched her head around, twirling a spoon in her fingers, before turning around to face them.

Looks like she made something

“Hey guys - I got started on breakfa…”

The spoon clattered to the floor.

Mikota frowned, fingers snapping to his hilt.

What’s wrong? I can’t sense anything…

“M-Mikota, your shirt…you’re holding hands…oh my god…Limani, you…how could you!? I left you two alone for a bit and you already…oh-god…”

“W-wait! Chanelle it’s not what you - I-I can expl-”

“E-explain What? How you…you…”

Isn’t she taking this a little…o-oh!

Mikota shook his head, smiling. Something so simple like this…but sometimes, perhaps people were just like this.

“Don’t worry, Chanelle - I’ll do it for you as well”

“M-mikota, wait I don’t think you-”

“H-huh!? As if I care w-who you…”

“Chanelle, I promise. I’ll do it for you, right now”

“D-don’t push it! I d-don’t even…y-you will?”

“I will. I’ll take the lead this time”

“You know, I will say - the girl’s face is rather entertaining…so many colours-”

“T-then…be gentle…o-okay?”

“Of course. Do you want to do it outside or-”

“B-BOTH OF YOU!! M-mikota…could you just…wait outside for a bit? I need a word with her. In private”

“But-”

“Please, Mikota. Just this once”

“O-okay…if something’s bothering you, don’t hesitate to…well, I’ll…just get some air then”

Mikota stepped back outside, shutting the door behind him.

Her face…what did I do wrong this time?

“So…what do you think that was about?”

“Preview to our rainbow, obviously - I think the world’s gunning for our glorious conquest. Besides that...no idea - what do you think?”

“...I’m blank…are rainbows that red?”

Saridus scoffed.

“Two-bit-disco is, and always will be a budget version of anything.

Name demotion…was it heavy on your tongue after all?

Then humming softly

“...but if it is…we oughta find someone to sue as soon as possible”

“Sue?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll explain on the fly as we deconstruct some particularly delicate psyches!"

“...I don’t know if-”

“Nonsense! Such screams are to die for…by the way…I am curious about something. And now we finally get to talk about it”

Mikota clutched the locket, turning it around as he faced Saridus.

“What did you want to…Woah!”

Saridus lifted his eye brows, sneer curling wider as he leaned in.

“Like what you see?”

He’d changed his appearance. Completely.

While he still shared his face, he now wore his hair completely loose, his eyelids painted with a light shade of purple. Mikota flicked his glance over to Saridus’s fingers that slid down his ear - three gold threads trailing from his exposed rim above his lobe, ending in small, sapphire spheres at the end.

“The Rimondian Empire - Hate the people, love the fashion!”

“...you…you look…Amazing!”

Softening his sneer, Saridus closed his eyes, leaning back on folded hands.

“It’s your face, Mikota. Now, tell me: Why did you save the girl?”

Mikota sighed, holding his head.

Why?

I couldn’t leave her…not like that…not when I could….

…why?

…what…is my answer? If I didn’t have one…why did I…

“...I’d be lying if I had any other answer…other than...impulse”

“...Very good. Countless people rationalise their instinct as anything but. Don’t you ever forget that it’s just that. Instinct. There is nothing right nor wrong about it - sometimes, following it helps you further your goal, and sometimes…you must learn to suppress it no matter what. Mik…I want you to remember that”

Our second heart-to-heart…no…not even close…

He nodded his head slowly.

“...I will…heh…I think there’s a word for you…”

“Is there now?”

“Yeah…godsend”

“Hah! God - if that miserable fool even exists - can only guide you to the realistically flimsy path of pathetic austerity - I, on the other hand, shall pour you readily onto to the path of your heart - carpeted velvet, brimming with gold and jewels from all the Sundry of existence, walk you through it’s pleasuring length till you brim full with the joys of all the world around! Calm your applause, Mik, but all the same - Give it up for I, SAAARIDUUUS!!”

Talking to you is the best thing I can ever…ever ask for

“...Saridus…I’ve been thinking about this morning - you know, with Ms. Evaine”

“Ah yes… I will never forget the one time someone rightfully pointed out the true author of any of my spectacles…well? What have you thought?”

“...well…how opposed are you to me being a mage?”

“Under Evaine?”

“...yeah”

Saridus sighed, Mikota exhaling in tandem. His eyes flicked up, squinting as the Sun tore open the pallor sky in yellow yowls.

Noon once more…

“...well, it’s still true enough - everything I said when we first met, Mik. It’s something you can’t back from. And again, Evaine is…genuinely doing something pretty different. But when you learn magic - any magic - eventually, you meet mages. And when you meet mages, ninety-nine percent of the time, things go to shit pretty quick. It’s the kind of lifestyle that…it’s something I hope you’ll never have to see”

“...losing the value of life, huh?”

“...yes”

“I see…what should I do then?”

“Whatever you want. Just be careful about it”

Mikota chuckled, looking back into the locket

“So just do everything anyway, with you watching out for me”

Saridus forked his nose, shaking his head.

“Think you’re missing the point here, Mik”

“Saridus…you know, since this morning…I was feeling pretty odd”

“...odd?”

“Yeah. When I first came here, what was the worst that happened to me? Emaciation? Muscle strain. It couldn’t be worse than that. She used a whole jug on me…when just yesterday, I regenerated that girl’s organs from just a few drops of my very diluted Dragon blood…”

Saridus smiled, leaning in.

“Oh, do go on”

“I’ve come to a bit of an understanding…was it that she had every intention of making me her apprentice? Even if I disagreed? But she didn’t assert anything while we talked…she just showed me what magic could do…not to mention, she used so much even on Ried, before even assessing that he really didn’t have any aptitude for it…”

“Meaning?”

“She’s desperate for an apprentice for some reason, but she also can’t take an apprentice without their own consent. You told me that the Dragon blood extraction has to be slow, lest it wake or kill the Dragon under this mountain…but to show the power of magic to potential apprentices…she’s willing to use it, so they come to her of their own accord”

“And the secret of the New Age Mage comes undone! Bravo, Mikota! Bravo! See? This is why you’re my favourite!”

You seem oddly gleeful about this

“Let me guess, you were contractually obligated to keep quiet about this?”

“Yup”

“But more importantly, she’s somehow being threatened. If she’s a mage - and a really good one - as you say, then staying in a place like this, all away from the world, and more importantly other mages…something - or more likely someone is guaranteeing her isolation. And I think that condition…is to have someone willingly take an apprenticeship under her, likely under some time limit - and if that time is running out…well, that would explain her actions”

“...you just keep giving, Mik. You’d make an excellent mage, no matter how you get there. So. What shall Mikota Frost do, upon learning more or less the truth of this place?”

“...I’ll help the girls train for a month…and then…”

“Play the hero? I’m starting think you enjoy this - though you do do it rather well, I have to say”

“She showed me something beautiful, Saridus. She showed me your power, to show me the wonder of magic…but what you said…about cube-thingy. That’s completely different, isn’t it?"

“Oh, it is. It’s a whole new world, Mik - or new worlds, I should say”

“A whole new worlds…a whole world to know, to see, to feel…Saridus, I…”

“Well…then who am I to stop you? When you’re ready to see what they have to offer…go get ‘em good. For what we’re about to do…heh, we’ll need a bit of everything, trust me”

“Almost certainly, yes…I think…I know how and why to trust Ms. Evaine now - she’s given me everything - her home, her hospitality, her trust…and her name…and I-”

He sniffed, his eyes welling.

…yeah…I didn’t want her to…

“I-I didn’t want her to end up as just another…I didn’t…I just couldn’t let her be…someone so dear - what if she suddenly w-went away? Then I would just be…a-all over again…I c-couldn’t”

Calm down…calm down, Mikota…because now…

“...but now?”

Wiping his eyes, he gazed at Saridus. He was looking straight into his eyes, no sneer curling into his lips. Sighing, Mikota straightened up, locking his gaze ahead to the olive rivulets of grass.

…that’s right…because why she’s here…and why she tried so hard…

“...Now…I know. So I’m ready - ready for her to be dear to me…and if she will have it…I, her”

“Good…remember that. But all the same, don’t forget - you will meet people you can never hope to save…not in the way you want. You can’t bleed for everyone, Mikota - and if ever you should feel the need to…know what it is. Instinct. Impulse”

Placing his hand against his stomach, he felt for it.

His flesh, hard and stiff, was silent.

The power of the Dragon…

Leaning in, he pressed his palm deeper…there it was. That thrumming.

Even this can’t…?

“...you sure?”

“A thousand years of certainty, buddy. I’m pretty fucking sure-”

A rough bellow resounded, the door swerving open.

…you can be dear to me, for now I know…why I’m dear to you…that won’t chan-

“H-hey…Mikota? We’re just about…uh - done…”

Mikota flinched up, letting go of the locket.


“A-ah…Chanelle? Are you alright now?”

“E-eh? Yeah, sure; I’m-alright…anyway, you can join us for breakfast now, sorry it took so long - ahem, that’s not say it was anything too important obviously - I was fine…really”

Giving her a smile, he walked indoors after her.

Okay - let’s shut it behind me this time…

“No problem. I mean, 20 minutes just for that would be a little too absurd after all - so: Limani explained how I’ll join your party, right?”

Chanelle faltered, turning back wide-eyed.

“...what?”

…she’s joking, right?

~

Today was the last day of their ‘break’ before their training began...and today was coming to an end - pretty goddamn quick too.

The two of them were sitting by the door of the tower, rather breathless after spending 5 minutes convincing Mikota they wouldn’t ‘wander off into the forest by accident’. Sunset’s drench of the breeze bent grass ebbed away in blue peter - the air drawing milky as dusk hastened its chill.

“...Okay, but we both know where this is going, Lamie”

“W-with what?”

“With him! I mean…look…he’s poured his heart for us, but if we take him to the guild like this…”

Limani pursed her lips.

“...it’s true…this whole place is cut off from everywhere…if he’s lived here all his life, jumping straight out in Nirote would be…really overwhelming for him. In all my three years - no, even before I came here, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone that…”

“Sweet”

Limani looked up at Chanelle, smiling softly.

“W-What!? It’s true! I-I mean, just think about the most decent guy back in the guild - do they even come close to him? He speaks full sentences - the guy hasn’t cussed once in….ever; he fucking bows! You look him in the eye once and he’ll know what you’ll want - and he’ll find a way to give it to you…but then…”

Chanelle shook her head, planting her staff into the earth.

“...just imagining the rest of those assholes pushing him around makes me…”

“You remember what all of us talked about then, right? At our first breakfast together?”

Chanelle palmed her face. That was… still the weirdest table moment of her life. Including the time when Pops had a mental breakdown eyeing her the first time she dyed her hair.

..I don’t want to see Mikota’s ‘seriously?’ face ever again…it’s painful…your fault for always being such a-

“For a team to have one leader is a critical flaw. It means the arrangement is static, and each member is stripped of autonomy. Every member has their strengths and flaws that show up in different situations - it’s every team member’s responsibility to fill in those gaps, and allow their gaps to be filled, so the best case scenario is always ensured. That is the power of fluid unity - a team of leaders”

“Great. Now you’re quoting him”

“I was paying attention, you know? Making up for you and all”

“...shut up”

“My point is, we’re just as responsible for him, as he is for us. We know his gaps - gaps he doesn’t know how to recognise, right?”

“...yeah. We got to watch out for him, I guess”

“Remember, just watching”

“Why are you emphasis- HEY! You’re s-such a…”

“I’m just putting it out there, Nell”

“...what do you think they’d pull his leg about?”

“Hmm…well, I’m actually more worried about the guys asking him-”

“Exactly! We’ve seen girls more mannish than him!”

“...mannish?”

“You know what I mean! I was almost considering…do you think we can convince him to enter as a girl?”

“W-what? Don’t joke about that - how could we do that to him?”

“No, no, hear me out - that way, it’d just be a party of girls. That ought to take a stab out of some jealous morons, right?”

“...so you want all of us to be hit on equally?”

“W-what? No - that’s not what - okay: do you have a better idea?”

“No, but cross-dressing Mikota is absolutely out of the question…and knowing you, that’s not the only reason you’re pushing for this-”

Goddamn telepath!

“H-hah! R-Ridiculous! What are you, nuts? Why w-would I want to see Mikota dressing up like a girl? It’s not like I find him c-c-cute or anything alright!?

“...Someone’s subtle. Anyway, I think we just keep a close eye on him when he gets there for the first few days. Mikota isn’t as gullible as he seems - you know that, don’t you?”

Chanelle smirked.

“How should I know? I wasn’t gawking at him for three…”

Lips faltering, she cradled her head.

…I feel worse

Limani looked back, eyebrows arcing.

“...I get the feeling you were making a point, but you got caught up with…?”

Growling, Chanelle slammed her fist on the tower.

…Story of my life-

“You broke the wall!!”

“S-shit! No - Y-you didn’t stop me first!!”

“What kind of logic is that?!”

~

Pen freezing on his notebook, Mikota froze, perking up-

“...Say, Saridus - did you hear-”

“Stop Ruining My Tower, You Little…I’m calm…I’M CALM!!”

Complete denial!!