Celes Scolds Lucia

“Grampie!”

“Dahlia!”

Dahlia jumped, clinging to Mister Giotto’s neck while he cried. The big black mushroom that had been on his head was gone. Looking around, I spotted something white and dried out on the ground nearby.

“That’s what’s left of the Fungus.” I looked up to Sir Celes, who had put his hand on top of my head, and saw that he was smiling gently.

“Sir... Celes...”

“Sorry for worrying you, but we’ll talk later. Giotto, we’ll be heading back for now. We’re at Missus Romina’s house, so we’ll see you again tomorrow.”

“Thank you!” Mister Giotto said to us, tears in his eyes. “Thank you so much... I don’t know how I could ever repay you.”

“Thank you, Lucia!”

With that, we turned to leave, and Sir Celes said, “Let’s get back. We need to talk.”

◆ ◆ ◆

“Lucia, I’m angry with you.”

“...I know.”

After walking back to Missus Romina’s house, we stepped into the shed, and Sir Celes started speaking.

“Even though Soap has worked on monsters up until now, it didn’t get rid of them, did it? It might not have attacked us, but what if it had? It’d be too late to do anything. Just like no one can replace the Sacred Maiden, no one can replace you either. You need to think more about what your powers mean!”

What he was saying was painfully true.

He continued, “Lots of people could replace me on the journey. But your magic is rare. Even if there was something that the Sacred Maiden couldn’t do on her own, we wouldn’t be able to do it in the first place. We can defeat monsters, but the only ones who can purify them are you and the Sacred Maiden.”

Reprimanding me for my thoughtlessness, he scooped up a lock of my hair.

“But, knowing you, I knew you couldn’t leave him alone... Sorry for yelling at you. I must have scared you.”

“Why...why did you do that? I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you...” I got choked up just thinking of him holding that door, defenseless. Nearly crying, I rubbed my eyes quickly. I can’t cry right now!

“Fungus infects people with their spores, so I thought to try and keep them inside the shed. I figured your magic would work. You’d defeat it, and worst case, if I got hit with the spores, your magic would probably get rid of it before it sprouted.”

So that was what he meant by believing in my magic... Finally understanding what he meant, I was so relieved.

“Thank goodness you’re alright,” I said with a great big sigh.

Sir Celes smiled at me. “I’m glad too. Glad that you’re alright. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you. Ah, hey, Lucia.”

“Yes?”

“Take more care of yourself. You’re important to a lot of people. If you don’t treat yourself well, me, the Sacred Maiden, everyone, all of your friends at the castle — we’d all be sad.”

His eyes were serious, lit by the light of a candle. I thought of Miss Maria and everyone back at home. I was embarrassed for thinking that I was alone, and that no one would be upset if I was gone. But I wasn’t alone.

“You’re right... I wasn’t thinking.”

“I guess I still haven’t said enough. Lucia, I couldn’t live if anything happened to you. Knowing that, would you still try something like that again?”

“Wha, what...?”

“And I’m talking about me, personally. Not because of my job. You’re important to me. I couldn’t bear to see you get hurt, or disappear.”

It almost sounded like a confession. Blushing, I shook my head to bring myself back to reality. He was mad at me. It wasn’t the time to think of romance.

“...You still don’t get it? I don’t know if you’re too meek, or just too stubborn...” Sir Celes scratched his head with a troubled smile. “Lucia, I know it’s kind of weird to say right now, but if the reason you act like that is because you’re lonely, I want to stop that. I don’t want to leave you alone.”

He took my hand and kissed the tips of my fingers. He’d done it before, but I still blushed. I put my other hand to my chest. My heart was beating so loud that I was afraid he’d hear. No, I shouldn’t read into it too much. There’s no way someone like this would feel that way about me... That only happens in fairy tales.

“Lucia. Look at me. Listen to me. I know you probably don’t feel the same, and I may be a bother to you, but—”

His blue eyes stared me down.

“I love you.”

My world went white.