“I guess I was just scared.”
As I told Sylvia that I was scared, I recalled my parents, who had been invaluable to throughout my life.
“I have a habit of giving everything to those I hold dear. However, the people I end up cherishing are usually just like . Just as I would do anything for them, they would also go to great lengths for .”
I thought of my father, who sacrificed his own well-being to protect our family.
I rembered my mother, who worked hard and concealed her suffering just so she wouldn’t be a burden to before she passed away.
In that way, the people who were precious to didn’t hesitate to sacrifice themselves for .
Perhaps that was a shock to , sothing akin to PTSD.
“I guess I was scared of that. I was afraid that soone I cherished would sacrifice themselves for . I was afraid of losing soone that important.”
Yoon Si-woo, who I had also co to treasure in this world, had done the sa for .
“Sylvia, you’re the sa. You might be afraid that you could end up like that…”
I slowly opened up the words I had kept deep inside to Sylvia.
Then, Sylvia, who had been quietly listening, responded with an unexpected look.
“You’re even more of a coward than I thought, Scarlet.”
“Yeah, I guess so. I’m such a coward…”
“And pretty foolish too.”
Sylvia muttered with a slight smile.
“If I had known I was similar to you in that regard, I wouldn’t have thrown myself into danger to save you in the first place. Did you think I would just overlook it?”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course. The Aegis never forgets a debt.”
With a faint smile, Sylvia boldly continued.
“Moreover, the feelings of cherishing soone cannot easily be ignored or stopped. I understand how you feel, Scarlet. It’s natural to fear losing soone precious. But even if you try to draw a line, you can’t make the relationship nonexistent. So let’s clarify this.”
As she said this, Sylvia looked straight into my eyes.
“Scarlet, when I help you, I’m not doing it out of expectation for gratitude. And I definitely don’t help to hear a ‘thank you’ from you. I want it to feel like a natural act for to help you, just as you’ve always helped without a second thought. I want a relationship where we help each other without any reason.”
Her words made realize sothing.
The fear of losing soone precious after they enter my life.
The contradictory feelings that had always lingered beyond that.
In the end, even while feeling afraid, I had yearned for it at the sa ti.
Just like she said, I longed for a relationship where we could help each other without any strings attached.
A relationship where we truly cherish one another.
Sylvia then asked a question that hit ho.
“Scarlet, you know you did sothing wrong to today, right?”
I nodded, and Sylvia smiled as she continued.
“I’ll give you a chance to be forgiven. Instead of an apology, tell what I want to hear right now… I wonder if foolish Scarlet can figure it out?”
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at her words.
No matter how foolish I was, I could grasp that much.
With my eyes shining and a hopeful expression on my face, I looked into her eyes and said.
“I might get into a lot of trouble because I’m a witch.”
Sylvia nodded as if it didn’t bother her.
“I might create issues because I’m surprisingly selfish.”
She nodded again with a refreshing expression, as if to indicate that was fine.
“But, if that’s okay…”
As I faced Sylvia, I spoke.
It was sothing I had said long ago.
Sothing I accepted once.
Sothing I had refused before.
That phrase.
“Will you be my friend?”
At those words, Sylvia’s face lit up with joy.
“Yes, gladly!”
She nodded vigorously.
Finally, we had beco true friends, and with a bright smile, Sylvia pulled sothing out from her pocket and murmured.
“It really took a long ti to return this to the owner.”
Seeing what she pulled out, I couldn’t help but laugh.
Resting on her palm was a ring adorned with a red gem, just like the one on her left-hand finger.
“You still had that?”
“What are you saying? Ever since I took it back from you, I haven’t taken it off for even a mont. Now, give your hand. I’ll put it on for you.”
“…It feels a bit like a proposal, and that’s embarrassing.”
“Could you not say sothing so weird? It makes embarrassed too.”
As I playfully stretched out my left hand, Sylvia took my hand and, with a sowhat ambiguous smile, said.
“There are good things about you becoming a witch. Now, I can finally put the ring on your finger.”
Her words sparked a mory in .
Was it when I lost my arm due to the demonic beasts that invaded the academy?
I rembered how Sylvia cried uncontrollably when she saw I didn’t have an arm and tried to put a ring on my hand. I let out a soft chuckle and murmured.
“Haha… I’m just glad I won’t cry this ti.”
“…Could you please forget that?”
Sylvia’s face flushed slightly, perhaps embarrassed by her mory of crying that day. Nevertheless, she solemnly placed the ring on my finger.
The ring now rested on my left-hand finger.
Upon seeing it, Sylvia had a poignant expression on her face, as if lost in thought.
Not wanting to tease her in case she got embarrassed again, I too raised my hand and looked at the ring on my finger.
An honesty ring with a red gemstone, a garnet, symbolizing friendship adorned my left-hand finger.
It might have seed like an ordinary ring at first glance, but the engraved words made it sothing truly special.
First, And Best Friend.
My very first friend, who I made under less than pure intentions in this world to prolong my life, had now beco an invaluable friend to .
As I glanced at Sylvia, she smiled proudly, showcasing the ring on her left hand.
The pair of rings that Sylvia had cherished for so long seed to convey just how special I was to her.
With a sweet surge of emotions rising in my chest, I finally forgot my worries and smiled genuinely.
Then,
“Gah?!”
A swift gust ignited around .
Flas quietly flickered to life.
I instinctively knew.
The flas emanating from were of a kind that wouldn’t burn.
Sylvia, startled by the sudden burst of flas from , scread, but soon realized there was no heat coming from them and remarked with curiosity.
“Oh… It’s a fire, but it’s not hot at all?”
As she curiously reached out to the flas and asked, I chuckled sheepishly and replied.
“Uh, it’s just a special kind of fla that cos out at certain tis.”
“A special kind?”
“Yeah… it appears when I’m feeling really happy or joyful.”
Sylvia nodded in fascination as she continued to observe the flas, but soon as if realizing sothing, she turned to and asked.
“Wait? So does that an Scarlet is really happy right now?”
“…”
I remained silent.
“Oh? Is that so? So, Scarlet is that happy to be friends with ?”
It was already too late to make an excuse.
With a mischievous smile, Sylvia leaned in closer, teasing , and for a long ti, she playfully coaxed , after which she leaned in close and whispered in my ear.
“I am too.”
As I tried to cool off the brightest red on my face, I felt the flas spilling from my body gradually spreading around us.
The flas had beco too vibrant to be hidden behind even the most modest of shields.
I worried about whether the flas would attract any demonic beasts, but.
“If they co, you can chase them away, Scarlet. You’re a witch, right? You could protect , at least?”
After hearing Sylvia’s words, I had a mont of enlightennt and, stepping out of the narrow shelter, I simply lit a small fire outside and lay down.
The fla that flowed from my body caught onto the large trunk we had been resting against.
Despite it being just charcoal, completely burned out, that tree was glowing brilliantly with fire alongside .
Sylvia, who had been quietly watching the glowing tree, muttered.
“Scarlet, I’ve had a dream since I was little.”
“What is it?”
When I asked, Sylvia smiled and answered.
“There was a scene like that in a storybook. Going on an adventure sowhere with a friend I connect with, starting a campfire at night and camping while gazing at the stars. I’ve always wanted to experience that at least once.”
Having said that, she leaned her head against my shoulder and continued.
“Actually, I thought it would always remain a dream I couldn’t achieve, but because of you, Scarlet, I get to experience sothing akin to that.”
With Sylvia’s words, I couldn’t help but smile and took in the gentle flas flickering in my mind.
The night sky was cloaked in magic, hiding the stars from view.
But, perhaps because I had a friend beside who resonated with my heart.
Or perhaps it was because of the flas glowing like the campfire.
“This isn’t too bad.”
“Yeah, right?”
The view of the starless night sky didn’t seem too dark.
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