Chapter 10: A Midnight Walk (2)

Lusterless strays of moonlight that had successfully navigated through the overarching branches above, now sat scattered amid the incredibly spacious area. It was far larger than what I remembered from that day. I continued on toward the center, where I originally had awoken and decided to lie down for a few. From this angle, I could just make out a series of bright dots adorning the night sky, struggling to break through the lingering clouds, branches and translucent ceiling.

“It really has already been a month since I’ve arrived here, huh?”

It felt a bit weird saying it aloud now. A whole month in a different world. My days in Dormou had been rather eventful ever since being put under Marna’s care. From forced daily sparring sessions with the Captain, to monster exterminations every few days. From interacting with the varying but amusing townsfolk, to having Marna drag me along whenever the maids had created something delectable. A quiet day here felt like an absolute rarity—in a good way.

I wonder where I would have ended up if the Goddess’ teleport had actually gone through? Well, I can at least say that I’m incredibly thankful I was summoned to Dormou of all places. Since—

“...It really does feel oddly natural living here after all.”
“And yet, you make an unnecessary effort and choice toward wanting to depart from here. I’ll say it again; it’s a rather backwards way of thinking, is it not?”

The familiar voice from behind me was one I wasn’t expecting to hear this late into the night. My body even flinched ever so slightly after my stomach immediately associated the voice with being the exclusive perpetrator that wronged it earlier that night. Luckily, it had already settled down thanks to the walk from earlier.
The moment I began making an attempt toward adjusting my head in her direction, I could hear her footsteps making their way toward the center. She was now lingering above me at a slight angle, and while our eyes met, I could feel as if she was quite disgruntled for some reason.

“...Staying up past midnight now, are we? Don’t blame me if it starts affecting that skin of yours that you’re so proud of, Marna.”
“I won’t even need to wait until then, since you should already find yourself at fault for remaining awake and leading me up here to begin with.”

Marna declared, attaching with her words an expression that only puzzled me further.

“Wait, huh? What does me taking a midnight stroll have anything to do with you being awake and up here now? That doesn’t make any sense at all.”
“It does! On my way back from...somewhere, I caught a glimpse of both you and Amara walking around. At this late into the night?! There’s no way I’d head back to sleep after seeing that!”

I was certain now. She was definitely peeved, with pursed lips and a slight tremble in her brows. An expression that differed from her usual pout.

On her way back? What reason could she have for being out this late—ah. The restroom. Definitely the restroom.

“Sir Albel, please refrain from lingering on what I just said in musing silence...”
“S-sorry...”

I could feel her gaze thoroughly penetrate and tunnel deeply into my current thought process, completely bringing it to a logical halt. She seemingly only increased the effectiveness of her unusual, newly-styled pout after that. Looking toward her, I had realized a few things though.
She was standing over me in her pearl-colored nightgown, while her light-pinkish hair was currently a bit unkempt in a braid that rested over her right shoulder. It was surprising, since she was normally someone that cared significantly about her appearance. Well, outside of when she was eating at least.

She must have really decided to follow us without a second thought to how she looks. Well, I do think there’s a charm to how she looks currently, but I’ll keep quiet about that. Was it really that important for her to find out where we were going though?

As I remained lying down, I then gestured to my right side with a soft pat to the floor. Her expression finally changed to one that was slightly bemused now. I didn’t have any intention on getting up or going anywhere any time soon, and I didn’t think she’d want to just continue hovering over me either. Especially while she looked like that.

“Well, how about you take a seat? You came all this way after all, so might as well enjoy the night a bit with me. Besides, a lady of your status and nature shouldn’t be standing over a man while dressed like that after all.”
“Mm?”

I watched as she removed her eyes from my person, finally deciding to give herself a glance over for what seemed like the first time for the night. A bright, distinctive flush made its way to each of her pointed ears. She became flustered, as she darted to my right side and sat down in that apparent embarrassment. I couldn’t help but hold myself back from laughing as I turned away from her.

“Amara, you...! Is that what you meant...?! Why didn’t you say anything...?!”

She then began murmuring something under her breath, mentioning Amara’s name and then some. I couldn’t make out most of it, so I decided to ignore it. As we sat together for a short while, I was reminded of where we currently were.

“Marna, we met here for the first time—in this very same spot—right?”
“...We did.”

A rather meek reply, and now she had seemingly settled down and decided to remain quiet for far longer than I thought she would have. As I turned my head toward her, she had her eyes closed and arms wrapped around her knees. The bottom-half of her face was now buried in her own legs as she hugged them.

Did she end up falling asleep or something already? Have to hand it to this Princess, being able to just fall asleep like that and all. Geez.

Like always, Marna had an unalterable habit of moving at her own pace and doing things however she saw fit. Evidently, that included an immediate plunge into a state of drowse under a star-spangled sky even after coming this far from her room.
This was the same person where—any and all maters regarding the city of Dormou—had to be put through her first. That was because she was the face of the Elven royal family due to their traditions. I came to find that difference between the two sides of Marna quite mesmerizing, honestly. One that held attentive control and responsibility over the safety of her city and people, and the other, that now sat quietly near me—seemingly absent-minded and strictly bound by her transient desires.

I guess it wouldn’t hurt to just let her remain like that for a while longer, right?

My line of sight returned back to the clear ceiling above, and I could feel the sudden urge to shut my eyes too. The moment I did though, a rather soft—yet heavy—voice took claim over the silence from my right side.

“...Sir Albel, there’s something that I’ve been curious in knowing about for some time now, but I...”

With a sudden inhale, it felt as if she had caught her own words from escaping her throat. Her exhale was telling, as it came forth with a slight quiver.

“No, instead...as that chaotic era approaches—as an Effigy—are you really okay with being forced into the kernel of the world’s change? To be amongst those similar to harbingers that may bring about a plague upon Aerith?”
“That’s...quite the sudden and loaded question you’ve decided to ask, Marna. I didn’t know you had a habit of sleep-talking—”
“Please. Just please answer it...”

Her voice was saturated in a solemn tone now, differing from her usual Princess mode that I had come to know. That voice and her words were seemingly a clear indicator that she’d only want to hear a serious response and nothing else. This had been the first time I had ever seen her this way.
Even so, I didn’t have any immediate and convenient answer to give her. I still understood far too little about what the badge of Effigy entailed in this world. Not only that, my only goal from the start was to “interact with the world” as the Goddess, Eve, requested. And yet, the Goddess’ request was also far too vague with no other hints either.

And...that deal was based on being teleported. I was summoned, wasn’t I? And after all this time, I haven’t asked Marna either. About what exactly does she expect from me to begin with—as her summoned Effigy.

We had discussed a variety of matters over the course of an entire month, but I never forcibly approached the topic of the real reason the Elven had summoned me. I simply continued to assume it was centered around the chaotic era. I would leave the details for when Marna decided to finally bring it up. And yet, she never did.

“Before I even try and answer that, Marna. I also have a question for you. What is that you want me to do, as your Effigy?”
“I...”

I could see her body jolt slightly at my question, seemingly unable to give a response as her head remained buried between her legs still. I decided to continue over that deadlock silence.

“You once told me that the Effigies were summoned for a reason given by their summoner, right? Regardless—whether for petty reasons or personal gains—the world didn’t care about that why and just accepted the ritual with no questions asked. Yet, of course we as the Effigies do care—or at the very least, I do. With that being said, what does my primary summoner expect from me as this so-called chaotic era approached, hm, Marna?”
“...”

She once again remained with a withheld tongue. I had no intention on seeing Marna any differently regardless of what she’d expect from me. That’s because, just as she trusted in me, I trusted in her as well. I once believed that I could end up going to war against my own kind—humans—and yet, she immediately refuted that worry. My time spent in Dormou further proved her words and her nestling compassion as truthful.
Even so, I knew to an extent that her reasoning would pertain to that same chaotic era ahead of us. As I always had. Marna didn’t seem like the kind of person that would perform such a ritual simply for personal gain after all. And most of all, I felt indebted to her.

I died and ended up in this world. All alone. Yet, the place I found myself has felt more like a home than anywhere else I’ve ever been previously. And that’s all thanks to you. I don’t intend to force an answer out of you either, Marna.

My eyes lingered on her motionless figure. If there was a reason on why she had been avoiding any discussion about her motives, I would also understand and refrain from asking any further.

“Ah, well...if you don’t wish to answer for now, that’s also fine—”
“I want you to stay...”
“Marna...?”
“...As the bearer of the Divine Elder title, I am given the ability to foresee far and wide, but...I’m unable to do or say anything directly...”

Her trembling reveal entailed a layer of weighty burdens that accompanied her authority—her position. One that I had a certain speculation about, but only in this current moment did it really occur to me on what that had implied.

“...So, you’ve seen what’s to come, is that it?”
“...”
“I see. And what you want from me as my primary summoner is...”
“I want you...to stay here...”

Her voice cracked as it slowly faded against my ears and exchanged itself out for silence once more. As I tried to meet her eyes, I could only see the back of her head now as she shifted her line of sight to her empty right.

So, that’s what it was this whole time, huh?”

For the past month, with all the time we had spent together, I had noticed her treatment of me become increasingly different over time. Usually, the progression of said circumstance is that of a natural occurrence between friends. Yet, there were moments where she’d remain near me, but feel rather distant. I had been oblivious as to the why until now.
That was because I had neglected to take a single, important fact into account in regards to Divination users. The closer you become to your Divination target, the more clearly you can see them. It was no different than the way I had learned about the essential way of using Divination magic efficiently and effectively on raid bosses.

So, as her summoned Effigy, her actual request could mean that I have a rather long road ahead of me, is that it? Well, that was pretty much expected, but—how ridiculous.

“Pfft—ahaha...”

I couldn’t help but audibly chuckle slightly at our unreasonable predicament. In doing so, Marna had immediately turned back my way with a rather vexed expression and tone toward my seemingly uncalled for reaction.

“Wha...?! What exactly is humorous about any of this, Sir Albel?!”
“Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all.”
“Then why...?”
“Because sometimes, what more can we do but laugh about it, right?”

Honestly, I didn’t have any proper explanation for it other than that. Whether it was in this world, or my old one, that was one thing that had been an unshakable constant. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do about what direction your life is taken toward. You can only react and accept it.

“What do you mean by that...?”
“Marna, before I came into this world, I was anything but hero material. I was then summoned into an explanation of a dangerous era like no other on the horizon, while in a world entirely different than my own. I didn’t—and still don’t—have the slightest doubt that the path ahead of me is going to be a rough one, but—”

As I finally met her eyes, I could see that lingering worry had taken shape over her face like never before. I could only wonder how long the need for an answer had burdened her all alone.

“It was something I was chosen... No, something that I want to be able to do now.”
“...So, you’ll still go even if I pleaded for you not to?”
“Yes.”

A faint and gentle smile now adorned her face amid the swelling of tears that sat at the edges of her golden eyes.

“That’s technically opposing the will of your summoner, you know?”
“Sorry, Marna. Even if you’re my summoner, I’ll have to go against that current wish of yours. If I have the strength to potentially deal with the dire future ahead of us; I need to try. I want to be of use to those around me, and to those who would remain in the place that I’ve come to call my home now. And to do that, I need to leave here in order to find out just what exactly that future will be. Regardless of what it brings.”
“...Mm. In the end, I guess I really can’t do anything about that side of you— and about you departing from here—can’t I? Especially if you put it that way, Sir Albel...”

As I lifted myself upright, her teary eyes followed me. Her head was now resting on its side against on her knees as she began to lightly wipe away at her tears. For some reason, I immediately recalled something Amara had said to me earlier. Before I could stop it from happening, that inner thought slipped by and escaped my throat.

“...Absolute trust in me, huh?”
“Eh?!”
“Hm?!”

A sudden full body jolt came over her as I could now see her expression shifting in various ways in apparent response to my words.

“...That’s right...! Amara and you... That talk... I had forgotten about it!”
“Huh?! Were you listening to us that whole time earlier?!”

In a flustered frenzy, she then began to childishly berate me due to suddenly appearing a bit too close to Amara. In turn, I ended up bringing forth the fact of her spreading lies, slander and over exaggerating things. We ended up losing track of time while senselessly arguing about different topics—ones that were seemingly complaints about each other over the past month—at that.
It light of our previous discussion, it felt as if we were simply attempting to stall out the morning. It wasn’t until a certain someone decided to check in on us that we then realized it would probably be best for us to finally head back down.

“Lady Marna. Sir Albel. I have arrived to deliver you two a blanket and pillow. In the event you two wish to sleep here, together, until morning.”
“Sir Albel and I will head down right now, Amara...!”

Marna had somehow completely missed the important part of her maid’s declaration.

“Hold on, a pillow and blanket?! As in a single of each? Were you planning on making us share them or something?!”
“I figured it would better suit the occasion, Sir Albel. One pillow and blanket. Under the starry night sky. Very romantic and clever of you to plan this in advance.”
“S-sir A-Albel...?!”
“Please don’t take her jokes seriously, Marna...”

The three of us finally headed back down together, then split ways at the entrance of the staircase and headed back to our respective rooms. As I threw myself onto the bed, I felt a surging sense of warmth and serenity while reflecting on our night’s later discussion as I finally lost consciousness.