Making our way back to the market square, I noticed it was suspiciously empty compared to the bustling of people we t when we passed through to get to the field.
Shrugging my shoulders, I studied the open stalls in order to find the one that sold ornants.
Using [Eagle’s eye], my eyes glided from one stall to another as we slowly walked down the nearly empty path in order to find an original piece of an accessory for Laura.
Upon further inspection, I finally spotted a stall with a slightly old woman behind it who had just finished selling to a catkina golden bangle that shimred in the moonlit sky.
Nudging Laura in that direction, I trained my eyes on an earring with a small silver hoop and a single teardrop-shaped gem hanging from it, glowing faintly red.
"Good evening, madam." I greeted politely.
Placing two of her fingers on the right side of her shoulder, she answered with a calm smile, "Welco, what can I get for you?"
Noticing the gesture, I decided to ask, "Umm...no offense, but I wanted to know why you did that."
Her forehead creased in confusion as she asked with her head cocked slightly to the side—causing her orange hair to fall to her shoulder, which was covered with a dark blue dress embedded in gems that shimred faintly.
"What exactly?" she asked.
Brushing off a dead leaf that rested on my shoulder, I replied, "That hand thing you did."
She looked at strangely and answered, "That’s the greeting every person in this kingdom—except the nobles and knights—uses in addressing each other."
I nodded in understanding and picked up the earrings that caught my eye and asked, "How much is this?"
"Fifteen miras." She replied professionally.
’You like?’. I asked telepathically.
’Mhm, I love it.’ Laura responded enthusiastically.
"I’ll take it, and give this ring." I pointed.
Following the direction of my finger, she picked up a silver ring, smooth and unadorned, with only a faint glint of a small red stone tucked flush against the band, almost hidden unless the light catches it, and handed it to .
"How much?" I asked once again.
"Your total is 30 miras." She responded.
Tapping my storage ring, a few ruby-colored coins landed on the slightly elevated part on the table, and a number floated right above it with a bluish hue.
"Here’s your change, sir." The shopkeeper addressed him.
Collecting my change and exchanging a few pleasantries, Laura and I walked down the deserted roads in silence.
Breaking the silence, Laura spoke. "You’re going to be late for Kurt’s Dragon Ball ga at this rate."
Laughing softly, I responded, "I’ll only be late for ten minutes or less."
"Zynths. Laura corrected.
"What?" I asked as I turned to her in confusion.
"Zynths. That’s how the people of this world asure ti. Laura explained.
Jumping to the window of my room, I asked, "And why am I learning of this now?"
Sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, Laura pointed out, "You forget that you’ve interacted with less than ten people over your ti here."
I smiled wryly and sat next to her as I said, "I’m an introvert; what can I say?"
Scoffing, Laura continued, "That’s besides the point; lucky for you, the units are nearly identical to that of Earth, so it shouldn’t be too hard to do so simple math, and you’ll be fine."
Dropping the potential info dump, I dipped my hands in my pocket and brought out the shining earrings.
Handing them to her, I urged, "Try them on."
Smiling widely, Laura clenched the accessories in her hands before placing them on her ears.
The good thing about these earrings was that they didn’t need any piercings to be worn; they’re imbued with low-scale spatial spells that enable them to basically pass through the earlobes without causing any harm.
Placing the second earring, she slowly removed her hands, and the slim silver earrings with their small red gems made Laura look effortlessly beautiful, the subtle shine highlighting her eyes and giving her face a quiet elegance.
"You look beautiful." I muttered absentmindedly.
"Teehee, thank you." She replied while shaking her head faintly, causing the rings to move as well.
*******
[Ding!]
[Major Alert!]
[Host shall begin dissociation with guardian in ten seconds!]
Remark: ....
********
The all too familiar sensation that preceded Castilla’s arrival followed almost imdiately after the dimly lit system interface popped up.
"This is it, huh?" I muttered with a weak smile.
"I guess so." Laura answered as she held my hands tightly.
Calmly walking out of the newly created portal, Castilla stared at the both of us with a small smile before she spoke, "It’s ti to go, darling."
Nodding with tears gathering at the corner of her eyes, Laura slowly stood up and unwillingly let go of my hands as she walked to her mother.
Pulling Laura into her embrace, Castilla looked at with a gaze with respect and gratitude in her eyes.
"Thank you...for everything." She started, "I promise to bring her back to you or possibly bring you to her." Castilla added.
Clenching my fists at my sides, I bit down on my lip to cage the storm inside , forcing out a smile that surely looked awful as I whispered, "Thank you."
Castilla probably understood part of what I was feeling, due to the fact that her red dress was steadily soaked by the tears of her dear daughter.
*******
[Ding]
[Dissociation ti complete]
[The host...is advised to part from the guardian.]
[Proper goodbyes should be tendered...]
********
I stared carefully at the reluctantly blinking system, hoping for even the slightest change to the unwanted scenario—only to be t with nothing but its cold farewell ssages.
"Goodbye... Handel." Laura said amidst tears.
My chest tightened to an unbelievable degree as I heard my true na co out of Laura’s mouth.
She had always called by the na of the body I possessed—Clark Thompson—and I didn’t have any qualms about it.
But the fact that she called by my na could only an one thing....
She had acknowledged —every trembling nerve, every hidden corner of my soul.
I had been accepted completely.
Tears stread down my face as I tried to call out to her, but my voice broke, choked by sobs. When I tried to rise from the bed, my body refused to move, leaving rooted in place as the portal slowly closed.
Looking at Castilla with betrayal written all over my face, I wanted to ask why, but her gaze told everything I needed to know.
This wasn’t easy for her either. Any mother forced to strip away her daughter’s happiness, with no room for compromise, would endure one of the cruelest pains imaginable.
Biting my lips till it bled, I forced myself to burn Laura’s image into my mind— her constantly teasing voice, her entrancing red eyes, her teary expression at this mont. Everything.
I stared at the closing portal till the earrings I bought recently dissapeared from my view.
A long while passed as silence fell over the room, I stared blankly at the room which looked foreign to all of a sudden and walked to the window.
As I watched the starlight gradually fade into the depths of space, I felt sothing inside drift away with it.
As I walked back to my bed, a knock ca at the door, followed by an excited voice: "Hey, kiddo! We’re going to be late for the gas!".
’Oh....the gas....’. I thought weakly.
’Dress up and et downstairs!, I had to beg your aunty for hours before she let us go!’.
Without waiting for my response, I could already hear the rapid thudding of footsteps downwards.
I lay on the bed as a feeling of emptiness welled up within , ’Suddenly, life seems to have lost all it’s color’. I observed.
’I can’t be going all emo, but I....just..’.
Standing up weakly and putting up a purple robe that was oddly similar to that of Oliver’s — the source of my fortunes and misfortunes, I opened the door and the cold air hit my face.
Walking downstairs, I t Kurt in a brown robe carrying a mini flag with the image of a blue dragon that spewed blue flas on it.
"Are you ready?". Kurt asked as he studied my expression.
"Yeah". I replied with a forced smile.
"Good, now let’s go!". He spoke excitedly.
Maybe it was because of the excitent he got from the ga or he purposefully chose to ignore my obvious fake smile.
Either way, I was thankful that I didn’t have to explain anything to him and quietly followed him out of his ho.
Author here.....I don’t know what to say anymore 😔
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