I don't Want to Lose You.
Taking the letter with reverence, I discern its significance. My curiosity intensifies upon discovering that Puck is the author of this premeditated message.
He had prior knowledge of the events that would unfold, which leads me to suspect that Beatrice is aware of the unfolding plot.
But now, in this crucial moment, I must be the sanctuary she needs. I comprehend her effort, her pain, and I know she feels forsaken, abandoned by the one she loves most.
It's in these moments of despair that an unfathomable truth is unveiled: the cherished past is, in reality, a heart-wrenching whirlwind of tragedies.
With stealthy steps, I gently open the door, anticipating a torrent of heart-wrenching tears.
My gaze falls inside the room, and my eyes capture her image, lost in her own world as she holds the necklace tenderly in front of the window.
She seems to be lost in a dark and unfamiliar abyss.
I close the door with an almost inaudible whisper. She still doesn't turn to face me, but my steps lead me toward her fragile figure. However, I feel an invisible force that stops me in my tracks, a whispering echo that makes me reflect.
"Should it be me?" I ask myself in a whirlwind of emotions as my eyes fix on her vulnerable silhouette, and my heart tears under the weight of responsibility.
It was I who caused all of this, who barged into her life and wrapped her in a whirlwind of uncertain circumstances.
I swelled with pride as I heard the words that flowed from her lips during the epic battle against Petelgeuse, but in reality, I ignored the unfathomable depths within her.
Now, she must remember everything, everything that has happened, and also the fact that we fought someone who literally killed her adoptive mother.
A person she loved, but who went mad trying to protect them.
"Why don't you come closer?" Emilia interrupts me, breaking the silence with a tone laden with sadness. Her words pierce my chest, tearing apart any glimmer of hope that might still remain.
Perhaps I should be honest with her, bare my soul to her pained gaze. But I also know that the right words can weave a more convincing deception, construct a fictitious reality that envelops us and distracts us from the bitter truth.
I wrestle between sincerity and illusion.
"Puck... broke the contract, didn't he?" My voice quivers, barely a whisper amid contained emotions. The shattered crystal is a mute witness to our misery, irrefutable evidence that their bond has been severed.
I attempt to find an escape, a justification for the pain that consumes us. In this moment, caution fades, making way for desperation.
Emilia tightly clasps her hands as she slowly makes her way to the bed, seating herself upon it. Her eyes reflect the exhaustion of a shattered soul. She hasn't shed tears, but her face is a somber canvas where desolation has been painted with invisible strokes.
My heart quickens, drowning in a blend of guilt and longing.
Have I acted rightly; I wonder?
With a forced smile that barely conceals her pain, Emilia nods, as if resigned to the fate imposed upon us.
"Everyone lies. Puck concealed the secrets of our contract and, without a word, left me stranded in the darkness of uncertainty," her words are a heart-wrenching echo, laden with disillusion.
A thread of blood snakes down her right hand, wounded by the sharp fragments of shattered glass. "Do you know? Before he vanished, he told me he loved me, that he found beauty in my process of self-discovery."
Weakly, Emilia gazes into my eyes, her look lost in an invisible horizon. In my memory lingers the recollection of my previous loop, where she sacrificed her life to save mine. It's an unfathomable reality, an act of love that transcends the boundaries of my comprehension.
"Once a promise is broken, anything can happen. The love he felt for me, his words, his actions," her anguished eyes meet mine, "How can you trust someone capable of breaking promises?"
Her words resonate deep within me, piercing my heart and leaving an open wound. The shadow of doubt looms over us, eroding the trust that was once unshakable. Emilia seeks answers, seeks a truth that will free her from this torment.
I understand her perspective. A liar can always keep lying. Her words are directed at me too, the one who concealed the truth about the miasma.
Breaking a promise involves lying about the words spoken, and the importance of promises to Emilia is deeply rooted in her being, even if she has forgotten her memories.
She looks at me without saying a word, waiting for me to continue.
"A broken promise, a lie. It all balances out. Circumstances change, and sometimes it's better to break a promise, no matter how," I respond.
"Puck must have his reasons for doing it. He has shown you all this time how much he loves you," I murmur with a quivering voice, attempting to find solace in my own words.
In my attempt to alleviate her pain, Emilia erupts in a heart-rending scream, her face unblemished by tears.
"IF HE REALLY LOVED ME!" Her voice breaks, unbearable agony concealed behind her forced smile. "He wouldn't have abandoned me."
I try to approach, but I stop halfway, separated only by the abyss of our shared suffering. Nevertheless, something holds me back, an inner voice clamoring for the truth.
"Should it be me?" I think as I gaze upon her with eyes laden with longing and guilt.
I am aware that I have been the cause of all this, imposing upon her an uncertain and painful destiny. A sense of powerlessness and remorse engulfs me.
The silence prevails, a mute witness to our anguish. Without uttering a word, I place my hand on my jacket, contemplating if it is the right moment to reveal the letter. Emilia continues to gaze at me, her eyes lost in an unfamiliar landscape.
She cradles the necklace in her hands, like a last connection to a past fading into tragedy. My heart wrestles between the need to console her and the fear of inflicting further harm.
How can I be the person she needs in this moment of desolation and abandonment?
Her effort, her pain, demand a response, a presence that shows her she is not alone in this heart-wrenching reality.
To be me or to be what she needs.
My words remain stuck in my throat, incapable of alleviating her suffering. I approach slowly, yearning to embrace her and dissipate the storm that consumes her.
But something holds me back, the fear of hurting her even more, the fear of being the cause of her pain once again.
We find ourselves in an emotional abyss, trapped between broken promises and shattered hearts. Destiny has charted a dark path for us, but in some corner of my being, a spark of hope burns.
Hope for redemption, for finding the path to healing and reconciliation.
"You already know the reason he left; you have to know it. If not..." I draw closer to Emilia, standing in front of her. "Why do you seem to hold all that pain in, to appear strong? Is it because Puck said he was proud of you?"
The past that was so concealed now reveals itself as a whirlwind of tragedies. Broken promises and intertwined lies form an incomprehensible chaos. I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, the need to find the strength to face what lies ahead.
Emotion overwhelms me, a mixture of sadness and desperation takes hold of my being.
My voice gets lost in a barely audible whisper:
"Emilia... what can I do to heal your wounds and console your shattered soul?"
Tears flow uncontrollably from her, the pain she had contained spills down her cheeks. She looks directly into my eyes, and in her gaze, I find the fragility of her being, the vulnerability she had tried to hide.
"She left me!" Emilia emphasizes with a broken voice, her tightly sealed lips reflecting the pain consuming her.
I sit beside her, seeking to comfort her, and I take her trembling hand as her tears continue to flow incessantly. Another mistake on my part, I naively thought that now she wouldn't want to appear weak, but I was wrong.
I thought I had made my intentions clear, but the gap between us persists.
"Emilia, promises are not eternal; sooner or later, they will be broken," I look into her eyes, her gaze filled with pain and confusion. She tries to say something, but I stop her, I need her to hear my words. "Sometimes in life, we are forced to make difficult decisions, to break our words for the sake of someone else, to hide secrets for the well-being of others."
I raise my hand and tenderly caress her arm, trying to convey my support amidst her heart-wrenching silence. She remains quiet, patiently waiting for me to finish expressing my thoughts.
"There are moments when we must wound someone for their own good, times when breaking a promise becomes an unavoidable necessity. People change, circumstances evolve. Forcing someone to keep a promise at any cost is unjust and ruthless," I say.
Emilia opens her eyes in surprise, her lips tightly pressed, and unable to contain herself, her voice tears into a distressed cry:
"Then!" Emilia frantically shakes her head, letting her tears flow until they touch my hand. "Why make a promise in the first place?" Her gaze burns with anger as she abruptly pulls her hand away from mine, glaring at me. "Why lie? Why create a promise if we know that, sooner or later, it will fade into nothingness?"
"Because, though we may strive, none of us is perfect. We make promises with the intention of keeping them, with the deep conviction to honor them, but no one can predict the future," I look at her firmly, trying to convey the seriousness of my words. "Promises are forged with the intention to keep them, but it's not always possible. I can promise you in this moment that I will be by your side forever, but if the next day I'm taken by death, my hands will be tied, and I won't be able to fulfill that promise."
Emilia widens her eyes, understanding that my words hold an unfathomable truth. Her mother, Fortuna, whispered similar words to her before being tragically and cruelly torn from her life.
"Promises, sooner or later, come to an end, but that doesn't justify everything," I say seriously, while her tears continue to flow incessantly. "Promises must be broken when they cause harm, when they become unavoidable. Puck broke his promise to help you, although I'm not exactly sure what he meant, I'm sure that the love Puck feels for you knows no bounds. The promise itself is not the most important, but the feelings entwined within it."
Emilia looks at me with overwhelming strength, her eyes challenging every one of my words. I am challenging everything she has fervently believed in.
Her concept of promises is something I still can't fully comprehend because, for her, a promise is as sacred as the contract that Beatrice once upheld.
"Promises are everything! A liar like you shouldn't utter empty words!" She pushes me with anger, her hands colliding with my chest as her gaze burns with indignation. "You're a charlatan, hiding things from me despite claiming to trust me."
Something breaks inside me, patience fades, and my focus is clouded. I can't think clearly; so many situations and emotions overwhelm me, threatening to shatter me into a thousand pieces.
"Stop talking nonsense!" I look at her with growing annoyance. "There are things that can and cannot be said. Empty words?" I approach her determinedly, gripping her shoulders firmly.
She averts her gaze, but I shout with force, displaying my emotions:
"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Emilia immediately looks towards me, surprised by my attitude.
"Your perspective is so extremist that it hinders you from seeing beyond. Stop seeing everything in black and white; Puck's actions have an explanation." My voice trembles slightly, unable to conceal the frustration and confusion that envelop me.
Nevertheless, my goal remains clear: to try to help her find a broader and more balanced understanding amidst the emotional chaos that surrounds us.
She looks away disdainfully, her tone arrogant and filled with hatred as she rebuts my words, "These are mere fallacies of a liar, you and Puck. His words are empty if you can weave lies." Emilia lets out a scornful laugh, "He claims to love me, but that's inconceivable for a wretch like me, a monster whose mere presence brings death. Did you see it, didn't you? Just my existence caused the massacre in those villages and the death of people I thought I would see for longer."
SLAP!
The impact of my slap resonates in the air as my fingers meet her cheek.
Emilia looks at me with surprise, her hand gripping her sore cheek. I, on the other hand, observe her with overflowing anger; my inner turmoil is a whirlwind of chaos, but I can't tolerate what she's uttering.
"I won't allow you to utter those words again!" I shout with fervor, fixing my annoyed gaze on hers. "Don't you dare proclaim yourself a monster." I firmly hold her shoulders and push her onto the bed. "Don't you dare defile Puck's love!"
With my final shout, Emilia contorts her face in unbridled fury.
"For you, it's simple! Everything always goes your way! Your decisions lead to a brighter future for all; you're capable of rescuing and enduring any adversity," Emilia cries out at the top of her lungs.
She gasps for air, tears welling up as she tries to catch her breath. And then, with a burst of strength, she continues.
"I'm worthless! No matter how hard I try, my mere existence leads to the death of human beings," Emilia's voice breaks, her sadness seems to reach its zenith. "I wanted to stay strong, to manifest hope, but the memories of my past emerge, undoing all strength within me."
With her emotions at the limit, Emilia's gaze clouds. She places her hands on my chest while I remain over her.
"Do you know what it's like to witness the loss of your loved ones before your eyes?" Emilia begins to pound my chest. "Do you know what it's like to watch, because of breaking a promise, all those around you die? How your mere existence condemns others to suffering?"
"I know exactly how it feels!" I shout fervently, locking my gaze with her eyes. "Losing your mother before your eyes, being forced to make choices that cause the death of all your loved ones." My anger is reflected in my gaze. "Watching everyone you love die."
An intense whirlwind churns my stomach, memories flood my mind, nausea sets in, and I press my hand against my mouth to contain it. I breathe with difficulty as Emilia stares directly into my eyes.
"You... how do you endure that?" Emilia asks, covering her face with her arms. "I can't, I don't possess that much strength."
"To be alive is a gift bestowed upon me by them. I must move forward, be resilient, endure any obstacle that crosses my path." I delicately withdraw from Emilia's embrace, allowing myself to behold her. "You must do the same, accept that those memories are a part of who you were. Find the strength within."
Emilia averts her gaze, still unable to accept such a truth. I understand that she's only just reliving these memories; I, too, suffered greatly because of them, but now time is of the essence.
Choices are looming, and Emilia must be prepared.
"I can't, especially now that I am completely alone," Emilia whispers, her voice breaking as she tries to keep her tears at bay.
Taking her chin in my fingers, I compel her to meet my eyes, holding that contact without speaking for a few moments. Her beautiful eyes look at me with a mist in them, a deep violet, searching for a glimmer of hope.
"Look into my eyes. Here I am!" She looks at me as her tears continue their course. "I've told you countless times, I'm here for you. It's clear that you face countless difficulties, you yearn to show strength to earn the respect of others."
She nods, all her efforts focused on achieving that goal. Now that her memories have resurfaced, she sought to show fortitude and conceal everything to get closer to her objective.
She did it exceptionally well during her battle; she did it flawlessly when she arrived at the village.
We all deserve a respite.
"With me, you have the freedom to be whoever you wish, to express whatever you want, to show your vulnerability without constraints." I offer her a gentle smile as I gently wipe the tears from her cheeks to better contemplate the depth of her eyes. "You are more than amazing, you possess indomitable strength, and you could never be considered useless."
I settle on the bed and extract the letter that Puck wrote from my jacket. Emilia looks at me in surprise, while she herself sits expectantly at what I'm about to reveal. I clear my throat, open the letter, and slide a single sheet between my fingers.
On that sheet, I glimpse Beatrice's handwriting, confirming her involvement in this. I offer a faint smile and, in a calm tone, begin the reading.
"For the person I love above all in this existence..."
Emilia opens her eyes wide, places her trembling hands on her chest, and begins to sob, watching me with a mixture of disbelief and longing.
I continue reading, not losing my composure in the wave of emotions that envelops us.
"If these words reach your eyes, it's because I am no longer by your side. Oh, how I regret breaking our promise without prior notice! Haha."
Puck's tone remains unchanged, despite the gravity of the moment. Emilia looks at me seriously, but I notice that her lips try to form a smile amidst the traces of her tears.
"I'm not skilled in writing. I begged Beatrice to help me pen something more poignant, but she refused. Can you believe it? I'm sure Marco is spoiling her."
Emilia lets out a brief, choked laugh, though she soon composes herself. It comforts me to know that I have the ability to tease Beatrice when I next encounter her.
"Undoubtedly, as you read this, countless questions assail you about what transpires, about your thoughts regarding me, your past, and the very essence of your being. I'm always watching you, and that I know."
Emilia clutches the remnants of the necklace between her fingers, a tangible symbol of a broken promise.
"I, too, hold few memories of my past. There are episodes that have faded into the mists of oblivion, and others I wish to erase from my existence. For a long time, I longed to vanish, wished to evade my own duty."
Sadness floods the air, enveloping us in its weight, as our souls seem to dance to the rhythm of a shared lament.
Emilia, her gaze lost on the horizon, releases intermittent sighs and intensifying sobs, reflecting the deep pain she's beginning to comprehend.
"Yet, knowing you has been the most precious treasure of my life," I whisper with a quavering voice, letting the words slide through the air with an unfathomable emotional weight.
Emilia nods, whispering her name to herself, each word laden with the grandeur of her feelings.
"I broke the promise that bound us because I wanted you to grow, because that promise stood in your way, blocking your memories, your past, confining you in a gilded cage. I believed it was the right thing, what I had to do. But in these past few months, I've understood my mistake. I've seen you consumed by self-destruction, drowned in the torrent of your own suffering as you longed to move forward."
Watching Puck carry all of that within himself, knowing that his love for Emilia was the result of a past contract, planted a seed of disquiet within me.
"However, a glimmer of hope arose with Marco's arrival. At first, I feared you would cling to him, seeking refuge in his strength. But you've shown me how wrong I was. You've transformed, you've strived, and you've looked at yourself with new eyes. You admire Marco for his bravery, for his way of facing life. I know you hold him deep in your heart because he's that little light that shines amid the constellation, isn't he?"
Emilia is taken aback, agitating in a desperate attempt to snatch the letter from my hands, but I skillfully evade her effort. Blushing and bathed in tears, she understands the futility of her gesture and sits back, eager.
"Oh, Puck, you are a fool!" exclaims Emilia, her voice breaking with sobs, revealing the intensity of her most intimate emotions.
"You admire Marco, but I admire you. You have shown me a completely different facet of yourself. You have become more confident, stronger. You have radiated such a brilliant light that I couldn't help but yearn to see you bloom."
Amid her tears, Emilia utters Puck's name, lamenting every word dedicated to him.
"I haven't mentioned this before, but one of the conditions for breaking that contract was feeling that you were ready. Like a father, I wished for my girl to become a woman capable of shining on her own. I broke the pact so you could face yourself because now I know you are capable. You are not alone, even if I'm not by your side, Marco is with you. He cares deeply for you, and I trust that he will always provide you with support when you need it."
Emilia's gaze, shadowed and lost, turns toward her own legs, and her sobs grow more intense, like a storm unleashed within her.
"—Puck!" she exclaims, her voice broken and torn, as her tears become uncontrollable torrents. She desperately longs for her beloved to be there, by her side, to embrace and comfort her in the midst of her anguish.
"You are brave, even though you feel your soul crumbling. I have full confidence in the magnificence of your being, and that is precisely why you must carry on. Emilia, my love for you is the very essence of my existence. You are the most precious jewel that life has granted me, and I wish for you to continue growing in every possible way. Today, I have decided to release your hand so you can reach your full potential, become the person you aspire to be. This is not a goodbye, but a farewell. Allow me to watch over you from afar as you grow stronger and experience life in its fullness. I even give you my blessing to embrace love if you so desire. Just be cautious."
I admire Puck's words that emerge from the depths of his being. I am proud to have crossed paths with him, even if our encounter is fleeting. I thank him for the impact he has had on my life and Emilia's.
"Be whoever you want to be, and when you're ready, we can seal another pact, one forged for mutual benefit, where both of us can find happiness. I'll be there, waiting for your return."
Inwardly, I whisper the final words not addressed to Emilia. I read them with profound sadness. "I don't have the power to materialize, but I trust you to protect my daughter during my absence. You are an exceptional mage, superior even to that Roswaal. Your potential is overwhelming, and I can see no limit to it. Thank you for being a part of this world and allowing my daughter to have great company. Thank you for taking care of my daughter, and I hope this is only a temporary farewell. I wish to meet you again, so I urge you to take care of your life. I leave the final words in your hands."
"With love, Puck."
As she finishes reading, Emilia throws herself into my arms, clinging desperately to my chest as her tears overflow uncontrollably. Her weeping is an anguished lament, an echo of pain that pierces to the depths of my soul.
She gasps and sobs, her arms entwined around my back, seeking solace in the midst of her torment.
"I'm sorry!" Emilia exclaims amidst sobs, her voice sunk in the abyss of sorrow. "I was scared! I desperately tried to justify his departure, to avoid confronting the true reason. I regret this pain with the depth of my being!"
Emilia cries in my arms, releasing all her emotions in an overflowing, uncontrollable torrent. She becomes that vulnerable child once again, hidden behind a mask of strength.
I embrace her fervently, seeking to convey a sense of companionship in the midst of her profound desolation.
Moments pass, and I gently draw back. Her eyes and nose are red, but despite the tears shed, her countenance still radiates a heartrending beauty.
I place both hands on her cheeks and lean in subtly, directing my lips toward her. Emilia looks at me with surprise, yet she does not pull away.
In a kiss filled with warmth, I gently place my lips upon her forehead. Emilia opens her eyes, and her face blushes intensely. She places her hands on my chest, but I linger for a moment longer.
I close my eyes to reflect on all we've been through. Now, Emilia must move forward. She has undergone a remarkable transformation, and, as Puck asserted, it is time for her to forge her own identity.
"Marco?" Emilia inquires, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
I step back and sit down, delicately taking her hand as I gaze directly into her eyes. She, in turn, does not avert her gaze. She looks at me and, with a warm, tearful smile, tightens her grip on my hand.
I'm not entirely sure what to think or what words would be perfect.
For the first time in many years, I will allow my heart to speak.
"In this vast world, some are more fortunate than others, and many lead lives laden with tragedies we know nothing about. Life itself is an unfathomable enigma, and our only mission is to carry on. If I've learned anything, it's that it all depends on how you choose to perceive it."
Emilia nods as she strengthens her hold on my hand.
"Life will be what you want it to be; it will take the shape you give it. Experiences, whether adverse or benign, will become an integral part of your being. The only thing that varies is how you choose to face them. Be happy, see life as the work of art that it is. Make each day shine with the colors that captivate you the most."
"Yes, I want to be happy. It's just that I fear change; I feel I'll be alone if I venture into it," Emilia adds, her gaze filled with sadness fixed on mine.
"That's not what truly matters," I smile. "You are you, and it's true that some people may drift away as you change. However, that change will attract many others who will approach you with greater enthusiasm."
Emilia gazes at me in astonishment, as if these words were the hidden longing she had been searching for.
"There are beings of all kinds in this vast world, and therefore, no matter how much you change, there will always be someone meant for you. Furthermore, those who appreciate your essence will love you regardless of the transformations you undergo. Trust them, for they will guide you when you need to navigate paths of beneficial change."
She nods with a smile, blinking as she tries to hold back her tears.
"I'll be by your side no matter how much you change, no matter how fragile you may appear, no matter how many masks you wear. You will always be Emilia, the lovely half-elf, beautiful and strong, whom my eyes have had the privilege to know."
I smile, causing surprise and a blush to color her cheeks.
"You possess an intrinsic strength, both subtle and awkward. You may have difficulty in communication, but you strive tirelessly to improve. You enjoy cheerful conversations, yet you extend your helping hand when you see someone in pain. No matter the experiences you've been through, there are aspects that you can never change."
I place my hand on her cheek, tenderly wiping away her tears as I caress her.
Undoubtedly, Emilia has transformed into an admirable person. The change that can happen in everyone is truly astounding.
"It's time for you to advance fearlessly, to walk with open eyes and appreciate the art that life unfolds before you. Observe everything from the perspective you wish to experience, move forward, and grow until those who underestimated you lament not being a part of your life."
I fortify my tone, showing Emilia the determination and affection in my words. With one hand on her cheek and the other in hers, I strive to show her the light she deserves, the happiness she so desperately needs.
With a strong and emotion-laden tone, I profess:
"You are Emilia, a beautiful half-elf, and you are about to embark on a new chapter. Here, starting from zero."
As I finish my words, Emilia's eyes widen. She looks at me, blushing, trying to hold back her tears. Starting from zero doesn't mean forgetting everything; it doesn't imply erasing the past from your memory.
Starting from zero means beginning from a foundation of experience, learning from what you've lived, and not allowing the shadows of the past to affect you.
Emilia continues to wipe away her tears, thanking me repeatedly. "Thank you," she repeats tirelessly, seeking to calm the torrent of emotions overwhelming her. Finally, she takes my hands and looks at me with a radiant smile on her face.
As the evening approaches, a ray of light bathes her in a magical glow of orange hues.
Emilia gazes at me intently, her eyes shining with captivating intensity, while her grip tightens with renewed strength.
A magical dance begins to unfold around her as several spirits come to her aid, their ethereal forms and dazzling lights rising in support of her new luminous essence.
Emilia, in whom a profound metamorphosis has occurred, rises as a truly admirable being.
With a radiant smile and palpable determination in her eyes, she speaks to me with confidence and contagious joy:
"Yes! I will be authentic, I will be myself, and I will keep moving forward. Thank you for coming into this world, Marco!"
Her words, filled with conviction and gratitude, resonate in the air, revealing the resurgence of her inner strength. Emilia is ready to embrace her new reality with courage and determination, unfurling her wings and letting her light illuminate the path before her.
SS-Puck
It's so Hard to Write.
I find myself in the lost library, a sacred place where we have shared moments of laughter and joy, my old acquaintance, or rather, my dear sister.
Lately, the flow of time has left its mark on all of us, unleashing profound and unexpected changes. It's astonishing how a single person can influence the lives of others so significantly.
However, I remain unchanged, immune to the transformations around me. Beatrice cradles me tenderly in her arms while she joyfully recounts moments shared with that special person.
Upon learning of her contract, a nagging unease nestles deep within me. Though I trust Marco wholeheartedly, I am aware that he harbors an unfathomable darkness hidden from everyone's eyes.
"It seems you love him deeply, hehe," I comment, trying to tease Beatrice.
She puckers her lips in an irresistible pout and, in that moment, gazes away with tenderness, whispering with a calm voice filled with affection.
"Yes, I love him, so what?" she responds in a soft murmur that caresses the air.
Perhaps I should take action. My purpose, my reason for moving in this world, my sealed memories, and those left unsealed.
Something in my existence whispers that something is amiss. Satella's memories fade into the mist, but a whirlwind of emotions consumes me at the mention of her.
There's an oddity in me, just recalling where I come from, remembering Satella, recalling all those moments, and ending up transformed into a creature beyond everything.
I ask Beatrice to write a letter for me. She doesn't refuse and agrees to do it, unaware of the content I wish to convey. As she begins, I see a doubtful expression in Beatrice's eyes, as if she doesn't fully comprehend my words.
I explain that it's necessary, that it's my desire and that, for now, it's the best course of action. Mistakenly, I thought Emilia would remain the same, that she wouldn't progress, that she would remain unchanged over time.
I assumed she would be able to face challenges without undergoing changes.
In the end, it was I who underestimated her capacity. Emilia has taken gigantic steps, and I observe her figure with regret, aware that I am the only one who remains unchanged. It was thanks to Marco's words that I began to understand part of my mistake.
I sealed her memories just as mine were sealed, making her have heart-wrenching memories of her past, pushing her further into the darkness.
There is a reason why I approached her, a contract that obliges me to stay by her side, but I no longer care.
"Are you sure? I'm not sure if she can bear it, Pucky," Beatrice inquires, showing concern for her.
"Hehe, I'm sure she can. And if not, Marco will be there for her," I reply with conviction.
Beatrice nods, instilling confidence in my words. It's truly astonishing how a single person can transform those around them. However, I'm also concerned about his mental health.
I've talked with her extensively about it, and it worries me.
I know his mind is a chaos that no one should witness. There are things he doesn't want to share, but I understand the multiple responsibilities that weigh on his shoulders.
Revealing my feelings is something I have rarely done, in fact, I don't recall ever having done it before.
Have I changed?
The enigma hovers in my mind, suspended amidst the vastness of the unknown.
Perhaps I no longer need to adhere to the role imposed upon me. Yet, there are obligations that must be fulfilled, hidden truths in this world yearning to emerge. If only there were no binding contract to restrain me.
Idrill, you are an enigmatic being.
"With remarkable potential, indeed," Beatrice jests as I conclude my words directed to him.
"Yes, he's truly astonishing. To think that his unique perspective allows him to master magic in such a way is genuinely remarkable," I proudly affirm, having been the one to instruct him.
The future remains uncertain now that I've veered from my path, now that I intend to relinquish my role. What awaits me is unknown.
However, what I do know is that she will press onward, and I earnestly hope she undergoes a transformation beyond recognition, an extraordinary version of herself.
Then, I will be able to look into her eyes and choose to change for her.
I love you, Emilia.