95 – Shadow (18)
Trisha’s proposal for a group has been put on hold for a while. I know it’s an uncomfortable relationship with the same group members, but from Cecil and her friends’ point of view, I’m a complete stranger. It wasn’t a very good idea for me to go in without the people who were originally aligned. Apart from me and Trisha, if something special happened and there was a gap in the group, I would join, but if I had to take someone out to join me, it was a refusal.
When I arrived at her mansion, Lilia suddenly jumped out from the front door to greet me.
“Damian!”
An urgent voice. A small paper bag fluttered in her hand.
The one she shouted instead of her greeting made my heart sink.
“Sylverin’s letter has arrived!”
It seems that the reply to the letter I sent the other day has finally arrived. The time has finally come.
From noble mtl dot com
I held my breath for a moment after receiving the letter.
Lyria opened her eyes wide, and she looked me in the eye before slipping away.
“I’m going to warm up the bath water!”
Tricia moved subtly into the hallway leading to my room, but she stopped. Then she turns to me with puzzled eyes.
What is this? It feels unfamiliar because the hiatus was quite long. I broke the seal and read the first line of the letter.
Fortunately, Sylverin’s warm regards were written on it.
[I was very worried because the letter didn’t arrive. I’m so glad it didn’t happen.]
[…] It’s a pity that the entrance ceremony wasn’t fun because the stitches were broken in an accidental accident and the teacher couldn’t be with them. I am of the same mind.]
[There are many children who had to grow up without a father because of frequent wars in the North. Maybe that’s why parents in the north consider it a blessing to watch their children grow up from the side. I can understand the feelings of those northerners a little. ]
[Sorry, there is a high possibility that we will not be able to be together for important events and anniversaries in the future. There are still too many people in the world who need your strength. But don’t be too disappointed. I promise you one thing. The teacher will be by your side at your coming-of-age ceremony someday. Even if the world perishes. That’s all I can say.]
Fortunately, it’s a calm style that’s no different from the usual Silverine. In the corner of her heart, there was a concern that she might be angry because she couldn’t keep her promise to send a letter every day, but Silverine wasn’t the kind of person to be so angry that a letter was a little late.
Just… For some reason, some sentences, including the word coming-of-age ceremony, are written with great strength. Did he write it on a rocking wagon? Other than that, the overall mood of the writing is calm.
[…] It’s a good choice to join the art department. Professor Georgia is a bit picky, but she has a great personality who truly cares about her students. And he said that he draws an important person first? It’s a secret who it is, but I’ll like it if I see it. I really don’t know who. Well, I’ll be looking forward to it anyway.]
[Stitch, go see a magic engineer named Pyto in the center of the rig bed, he should be able to fix it. And while it’s being repaired, send a letter through Ella.]
I wonder if it’s possible to restore a broken stitch rather than a simple breakdown… I’ll have to visit soon
And in the signature line on the last line of the letter… Instead of a signature, there was a red lip print.
Did they think that the identity of the sender would be proven even if only that was left?
What… At least that’s a sure sign for me. Because I know what shades Silverine uses.
Something from the past comes up from the bottom of the memory when you are careless. At the same time, anguish strikes.
While her eyes were tightly closed for a moment, Trisha crouched next to her with her hands behind her back and said.
“Why are you watching so hard alone?”
“Teacher’s letter.”
“I want to see it too.”
“No.”
Then, as she subtly pushed her head, I hurriedly folded her letter so that she wouldn’t see it.
Trisha glared at my face with a blank expression before asking.
“Do you often send and receive personal letters? How close are you to the teacher?”
The time we were together was only 6 months, but during that period, except for the entrance exam, we were almost always together. Meals, training, rest, picnics, etc. We did everything together.
“I am very special. And at least letters are exchanged when it comes to teacher-teacher relationships.”
“I hope. There was someone who taught me where I used to live. It didn’t fit me very well. I hate to call them teachers.”
“People?”
How many times has the teacher changed?
“Yes, there were 21 people who taught me.”
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
“Has it changed twenty-one times?”
“No. Twenty-one people taught me at the same time.”
“… What were people trying to teach you by gathering one unit at a time?”
“It was their job to take turns telling each other what not to do. Trisha, you shouldn’t be like this. That doesn’t work either. Trisha. Neither this nor that. There must be over a thousand lists of no-go items.”
“What is your true identity to be managed like that?”
“….”
Trisha shuts her mouth for a moment and looks into my eyes.
Then, with a determined look on her face, she spoke up.
“Can I tell you? It’s a secret, but I can tell you….”
“… ?”
“But it seems unfair to say only me, so let’s exchange the past with me. If you tell me how I lived before I came to Eternia, tell me too. How is it?”
Her eyes are quite serious. The innocence that always lingered in her eyes is gone.
This does not mean that we should simply disclose our past careers to each other. Tricia was sure she wanted a deeper story than that.
I averted his gaze. I’m sorry, but I can’t tell Trisha about my past. That’s something she didn’t even tell Silverin about.
I have to carry my past on my own. Sharing pain doesn’t make it better. I don’t even think I can find a special meaning in the act of sharing and sharing the past.
“I….”
Tricia watches her reaction when she suddenly covers my mouth with her hand.
“Wait, it doesn’t have to be today. Just remember it and talk about it when you feel like it someday! I can wait.”
“….”
“Then go wash up first!”
Then it disappeared into the hallway toward my room.
***
I entered my room late.
And the place was littered with Trisha’s clothes. It felt like they had marked their territory in advance before chasing them off.
Looking back on my memories at the orphanage, throwing off clothes like this was a characteristic I saw in young children. Most of them disappear as they mature… Tricia is like a child at times.
At least he must be a year or two younger than me.
I took her basket and picked up Trisha’s skins one by one.
Looking at the lack of underwear… It looked like he was washing his hands again.
When I think of Trisha’s wild animal-like habits, I wonder what kind of life she lived in the past.
And if you think about it the other way around… She must have questioned her as she saw me with a completely different disposition from her own.
The proposal she gave me lingers in my head.
‘Let’s exchange the past?’
I put down the basket and sat down in front of the table on the terrace. The moon was already up because it was the beginning of the year and the days were short.
And under the moonlight, I looked back at old memories for a while.
I could understand Trisha’s feelings when she asked about her past with a serious attitude.
Looking back, it was always the other person, not me, who reached out to develop a relationship with Sylveryne or Trisha.
Wouldn’t it have been frustrating? Outwardly, we say we are friends, but we knew very little about each other.
For a very long time, I forgot how to reach out to others.
***
The next morning, I stopped the wagon at the front gate of Eternia. Then, after getting off first, I told Trisha.
“Tricia, go back to the mansion alone tonight.”
Trisha stopped combing her white hair to express her doubts.
“… Why? What are you going to do by remaining on Eternia?”
“Yes. I have other things to do.”
“Why don’t you tell me what it is?”
“I have to practice drawing. I’ll draw until dawn and rest in the dormitory.”
“… It’s a lie.”
The shoulders droop slightly and the expression darkens. It seems that sadness is gradually accumulating in Trisha’s heart.
Shouldn’t it be better to share all the secrets and stick together 24 hours a day? In Trisha’s appearance, the image of Liza as a child overlaps again. She always tried to stick together, and she would sulk even if she was away for a moment.
Are all women like this? Or do white-silver hairs have a genetically peculiar attachment disease?
“Let me keep at least one secret. Don’t be too sad Instead of not being able to play together, tomorrow…… I’ll make you a Sancrotis-style apple pie myself.”
Trisha crosses her arms and looks away from her with a sullen expression.
“….”
“If you don’t like it, eat by yourself.”
“…… I will eat too.”
I could clearly see that my sadness was relieved at the word that they would make me something to eat. He complains about insignificant things, but also feels relieved about insignificant things. That was fortunate.
“Yes. You prepare all the ingredients. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“What? Why do I… !”
Before I could finish Tricia’s words, I shut her door and slammed her hand twice to set her carriage off.
That’s right, if you do it without paying, you’ll get into a bad habit. If you were an adult, I would do it for free, but that’s not it.
Trisha slammed her forehead into the back window on the departing carriage.
“Hey! I don’t know that!!”