Chapter 7
Chapter 7
SPEAKING with Rifae made Yuki painfully aware of just how little she knew.
I’m naïve in my plans and thinking too. She rolled over in bed.
“It’s very late, so sleep for now,” Rifae had said, chasing her out of his room.
She returned to the room they provided her with and flopped back into bed, but her prior refreshing sleep hindered her from getting another minute of rest. Absently, she scanned the room with eyes long-accustomed to the dark. Faint light trickled in through the window. Sick of lying in bed when she wasn’t tired, Yuki got up and walked over to the window. Through it, she saw a boat-shaped moon floating in the night sky.
A lot of time has gone by since the new moon… The days passed by in a hectic and confusing blur. How many days has it been since I came to this world? I haven’t had the leisure or time to count. So much has happened.
The days she spent in Aridol weren’t as numerous as the stars, but they were full of adventure, fun, and pain. The seal burned into her flesh agonized her to such a degree she wished they would kill her instead. Never did she fathom experiencing a pain that would make her rather die than live through it. She placed a hand on her hideously burned chest, the pain as vivid to her now as it had been when the hot iron pressed against her. The teenage body Vivi crafted for her didn’t have any such wounds marring its perfect skin.
“When it comes down to it, that body is a fake,” Vivi had told Yuki. “The real you is still a kiddie. Even if you appear a little bigger physically.”
Yuki didn’t understand what she meant at the time.
But I think I have a better understanding now. I’m living peacefully right now because I’ve been blessed by meeting good person after person since arriving in this world. I’ve always been grateful for what I’ve been blessed with, but I know my gratitude will never be enough. Still, ignorance is no excuse, which is why I need to do what I can.
But what can I do? Can I save Luca? How can I break into Adolunde Castle’s dungeon? Yuki was agitated by the lack of knowledge that prevented her from even figuring out how to save Luca. I should try to regroup with Ain and the others first. I’m certain he’s already met up with Tita and the others.
“Everyone will recognize me even though I look like this, right?” she muttered, remembering Vivi’s curse.
She crawled back into bed, but morning came without sleep. Footsteps echoed in the hallway in the faint light of dawn break. Yuki slowly got out of bed.
Someone’s walking around at this time?
She quietly opened the door and peered into the hallway. The footsteps entered the living room and slipped out the front door.
“…...”
Curiosity replaced the boredom caused by sleeplessness.
I want to thank them for yesterday. If there’s something I can do to help I want to do it, Yuki made that excuse to herself and snuck outside.
Sunlight smacked her in the face when she opened the door. Squinting against the brightness, she rubbed her hands together to counter the chill of early morning caressing her cheeks and fingers. She took a deep breath, inhaling the pleasant forest air and exhaled. The cool air refreshed her fatigued mind and body.
“Oh? You’re up?”
Yuki forced her eyes to open against the bright sunlight. Hooding her eyes with her hand to block out the sun, she spotted Est standing there with a bucket.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes, thanks to you guys. You’re the one who placed that wet cloth on my forehead, right?” Est turned his face away. “Thanks.”
“N-No problem…”
Yuki couldn’t help but giggle. “Where are you going?”
“Morning work,” he replied with a broad grin and a languid tone. “Just kidding. A lot of things need to be done before I make breakfast.”
“I see…”
From the casual way he speaks about it, it sounds like he’s the one who always makes breakfast.
“…Wanna come?”
“I’ll go! Ehehe!” She giggled and lined up beside Est.
“…Just so you know, there’s nothing fun about what I do,” he remarked dubiously. She laughed again at the way he sheepishly tried to dissuade her.
***
EST went to a nearby well and washed his faced. Yuki followed suit and washed her face too. Then he filled the bucket he was carrying with water and walked a little ways to a small field where he sprinkled water on the crops. He picked some different fruits and vegetables from the field, set them aside, and removed the weeds.
Next, he went inside a small wooden shed. Two small birds lived inside. Est took the eggs they laid and gave them food. Once he was finished with all that, he returned to the well to wash the fruits and vegetables.
Along the way, Est and Yuki talked about all sorts of things. She learned his full name was Estrastant Lineau, and he was one year younger than her real age, making him seventeen. He didn’t hide his shock when she informed him she was older and he told her to stop being formal with him.
Est told her he was taken in by Rifaenotis when he was twelve and had lived with him ever since. When he first started living with Rifae, he told Est about a nearby orphanage and suggested he live there instead, but Rifae’s house was frighteningly messy and he rarely ate a proper meal, so Est stubbornly stayed with him.
Est was put in charge of making food and household chores ever since.
“Rifae can only reduce food to charcoals,” he said with resignation. His tone and attitude hinted he didn’t really mind.
“You guys are close, huh?” Yuki pointed out with a grin as she helped Est prepare breakfast.
Est, looking surprisingly dashing in an apron, skillfully chopped vegetables at a quick speed. Yuki tore the leafy vegetables into bite-sized pieces beside him. Behind them was a sunken hearth where a fire pit was dug out and a wire netting sat on top of it to cook on. A pot filled with porridge simmered on top of the wire.
“Well, we should be after living together for five years,” Est retorted. Neither of them stopped working as they chatted.
“Then you’re like family now.”
“Yeah, he’s a real troublesome family member,” he laughed.
Simmering porridge and rhythmic chopping made for the most peaceful noises Yuki had heard in a long time.