Chapter 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 30

PADIMATE absently stared down at the girl. She was still asleep and appeared to be in great pain. The girl slept for three days straight. Padimate assumed the burns on her chest were the cause, but he had no idea what to do about it and settled for cooling her forehead and cleaning the burns on her chest with a wet cloth.

Whenever he could find the time, Padimate would visit the highest floor of Cele’s Prison Tower and place a fresh cloth against her forehead and chest. The girl moaned and scratched at the blistered burns, so he tied her wrists and fastened them to the bed.

He placed dried fruit and wheat crumbs in an easy to spot location she could reach with her hands tied, that way she could eat something as soon as she woke up—whenever that may be... However, there were no traces of her having touched the food even once over the past three days.

She hasn’t opened her eyes since the first day we spoke. At this rate, she may very well die on us before the day of her execution. This girl will die not while being executed as a Witch but from natural causes.

Padimate closed his eyes once before opening them to look at the girl again. Her face was furrowed and twisted with a pain he could only imagine. He had continually gazed at her face over the past three days.

No, ever since that day. Ever since the day Orga planted the Licorice flower bud on her chest. Her body seems to be naturally rejecting the seal—almost as if every part of her being is desperately insisting she is not a Witch.

But Padimate knew better—there was nothing he could do for her. The girl continued to moan in agony.

At this rate, will she die before she is propped up as a sacrificial doll before the people as the Legendary Witch?

“…That might be for the best though,” Padimate muttered as he wiped away the bangs sticking to the sweat on her forehead.

***

EVERYTHING was swaying to and fro—swaying like grass in the wind. Backs were lined up next to each other—everyone Yuki knew and cared about stood with their backs to her. Yuki sat in the middle of them.

“Papa!” The familiar gray hair swayed in front of her. “Papa! Hey, I’m in a bit of a mess now. Tell me more about your world!”

The gray hair wavered and swayed. “You’re fine, Yuki. You’re my kid after all.”

“I’m not fine. I’m not fine at all, Papa! Please tell me!” she pleaded. Kaito still wouldn’t turn around to look at her.

“Mama!” Yuki shouted when she saw the back of her mother’s head.

“You’ll be fine, Yuki. You’re your Papa’s daughter after all. Grow up big and strong in that world and find yourself a good man,” her mother Nobuko said with her back to her.

“Mama! I haven’t grown up! I’m not any bigger! Hey, listen to me! I haven’t gotten any bigger!”

“You’re fine, Yuki. I mean, look at you. You’re able to challenge Luca and say what’s on your mind to him. That is real strength,” Tita said, her curly hair brushing her shoulders as it swayed.

“Nothing left for you to be scared of when you can challenge Prince Luca like that,” Ain agreed, his back to Yuki as well.

“Ahaha! You’re amazing, Little Miss!” Nasette joined in.

“That’s not true!” Yuki shouted.

That’s not true. I’m actually always afraid. I’ve always suffered from an inferiority complex. It’s no different now. I shrink back from others because I’m fed up with my own frailties and always end up sitting in solitude like this. I’ve always been waiting. Waiting for someone to save me. Waiting for someone to comfort me. Waiting for someone to need me.

“It’s okay. You’re a strong girl, Yuki,” Nobuko encouraged.

“That’s right, my Yuki is a very good girl,” Kaito agreed.

“Yuki is so amazing,” Tita praised.

“I am envious of you, Yuki,” Ain confided.

“Our Little Miss sure is reliable,” Nasette affirmed.

Stop it.

“…Don’t put it like that,” Yuki pleaded.

You’re wrong. I’m not that great. I’m more abject, more incorrigible, and even more dark, closed-off, and weak than that. There’s nothing praiseworthy about me. There’s not a single thing worth relying on me for. I’m always in pain. I’m always sad. I’m always, always desperately holding myself back from breaking down.

Swaying, wavering, to and fro. The world swayed. The place Yuki stood swayed to the point she could barely stand upright.

Swaying, wavering, to and fro. Beautiful golden locks of hair swayed like a ripple on the water’s surface.

“Luca,” she choked out his name.

Swaying, wavering, to and fro. His body was swaying. A swaying hand leisurely thrust in front of Yuki. Surely that hand—his hand—wouldn’t lie to her.

Yuki’s anxiety, her confusion, everything making her suffer—was all held tightly by that hand. Surely, that chilly hand would cool down the mess of emotions boiling inside her. She tried to stretch out her right hand to take his, but her left hand yanked her back with such force she toppled over. Her hand was connected to something she couldn’t get free from.

“No way.”

Swaying, wavering, to and fro. The hand held out to her slowly pulled away.

“No.”

Don’t go. Please, don’t go.

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“No…I don’t want this. Hey, Luca!”

The swaying and wavering head of blond hair turned back to face her—there stood a person with no face. The others all turned around one-by-one. Everyone looked down at Yuki—who had fallen on the ground—with featureless faces.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Yuki screamed, and the world crumbled into black shards before her eyes.

***

YUKI once heard there were people who wake up to the sound of their snoring. When was it that she had laughed thinking it wasn’t true? Well, now she was more likely to believe it, because she woke up to the sound of herself screaming. She was confused as to what was going on as tears rolled down her cheeks. Sobs spilled ceaselessly from her mouth. Her sobs were more of a wailing moan than a noise made by her voice.

Frightened and wanting to escape from something, she twisted her body, but her arms were fastened above her head and wouldn’t budge. She was so confused only incoherent words made it out of her mouth. No matter how much she moved around, her arms were firmly secured above her and wouldn’t loosen.

“Nooo! No! Nooooooooo!”

What am I so scared of? What am I so sad about? Where am I?

Yuki was hyperventilating; it hurt to breathe. She could barely breathe. Air whisked through her throat with a weird whistling sound. She was in so much pain more tears poured from her eyes.

“I don’t want this…”

What don’t I want? Yuki didn’t even know the answer to that question, but the words of denial refused to stop spilling from her lips.

I can’t take this anymore…

Her face was a mess from the tears and a runny nose. Her clothes were soaked from the sweat and clung uncomfortably to her skin. She repeated several shallow breaths, gradually calming.

A dream. It was a dream. A very nasty dream.

Even after she realized what she saw was a dream, her tears continued to flow without end. Only the whistling sound of her breathing as she sucked in each weary breath filled the silent room.