Chapter 271 - An Indigo Heart Reflected in the Water Mirror
When I opened the door, I was greeted by a doll.
Well, not a doll, more like… what do you call it, a torso? The kind of mannequin used to display clothing was sitting silently in the chair where the room's owner usually sat.
What is this? It's kind of creepy.
"Uh… Nia-chan?"
I had followed procedure, knocking and waiting for a "come in" before entering, but… it seemed things were even stranger than I'd anticipated.
Not knowing what else to do, I cautiously called out to the headless mannequin—
"G-Good evening."
"………………"
The glitchy reply came from somewhere below. It seemed she was under the desk, but since it was the type with a panel in front, I couldn't see her.
Seriously, what is going on? What's the right way to handle this?
"Umm… Right… Are you mad about something?"
"N-No… that's not it, but…!"
"Then, is there some reason you don't want to see me…?"
"…Th-That's not it either………… it's not like that…!"
Okay, I have no idea. But in not knowing, I understood.
Understood what? That if I kept up this bizarre exchange, this bizarre situation wasn't going to change.
"—Can I come over there?"
"Y-You can't."
"I see—well, if you really, truly, from the bottom of your heart, absolutely can't, then say it again within five seconds. Okay, one… two… three…"
"Wh-Huh… What, wait—?!"
In the first place, I was the one who'd been summoned.
I had no reason to be welcomed in only to be rejected, and if she had some serious reason, she wouldn't be panicking like this.
I'm aware it's a strange way to place my trust in someone, but I'm confident.
Counting to five, I made my way around the desk—
"Yo. Good evening."
"—Hk………… …G-Good evening…"
The indigo-haired girl, who had been curled up like a cat in the space under the desk, quickly averted her gaze and shrank even further into the back.
More than a cat, her movements were exactly those of a small, wary animal. As amusing as it would be to just watch her—
"Come on out."
"Uuu…"
"None of that 'uuu.' Come on, hurry up."
"I-I got it… I'm coming…!"
She slapped away my outstretched hand—but when I pressed her without leaving room for argument, Nia finally crawled out. She still wouldn't meet my eyes, but it was a step forward.
I stepped back to watch as she unceremoniously tossed the torso that had been sitting on the chair onto the sofa… and the mistress of the atelier, now settled in her usual seat, puffed out her cheeks and looked away to hide her awkwardness.
Hmm… I think I've got a vague idea of why she's acting so strange, but what should I do?
In short, isn't this the same situation as before?
Just like the first time I visited after getting ranked, she's probably at a loss for how to deal with me after I went and pulled off something insane again.
If that's the case, I can understand how she feels, and I'm hesitant to poke at it. That leaves me with only one option: act like nothing's wrong and behave as I always do.
"Nia."
"—Hk, hagun?!"
"Hagun?"
"I-It's nothing…! What is it?!"
Having her be that sensitive is a bit of a problem… but no, I'll ignore it.
Swallowing a wry smile, I took out a single gemstone from my inventory—or rather, the remains of one, the last vestiges of an aquamarine.
It was a fragment of the [Agaphanthus Amulet] that had saved me at the very end of my fight with Iris.
"You were watching at the end, right?"
"…Yeah, I saw, but…"
"Then you must have noticed, right? It worked perfectly—your 'good luck charm.'"
It's a fact that I managed a draw with Iris thanks to Nia.
Of course, she wasn't the only reason, but there was no doubt she had been the indispensable final piece of the puzzle.
And it wasn't just that. As I'd told her before, this indigo color that was always in my line of sight had encouraged me time and time again.
As a piece of equipment, it was a single-use item. But as a good luck charm—an amulet—it was a precious item that had silently continued to fulfill its duty.
"So, thank you. …Haha, looks like I owe you again!"
At this point, it's a debt so large I'll never be able to repay it.
The list of people I owe a debt of gratitude to just keeps growing, starting with Nia. I felt my smile was a bit pathetic, but… this feeling of connection wasn't a bad one.
—And as I looked up from the amulet fragment in my palm, I noticed.
At some point, her indigo eyes had turned to me.
They were filled with some emotion, colored with an impatient hue.
The tiny light dwelling within them flickered, ephemeral and fragile.
◇◆◇◆◇
"—Let me see it."
"Huh…? Oh, sure…"
I tried to stay calm as I took the 'fragment' he was holding so carefully in his hand.
I ignored the searing heat I imagined I felt on my fingertips where we briefly touched.
Honestly…—you don't have to make a face like that. As long as the 'core' remains, I can bring it back as many times as I want.
"…Um, Nia-san?"
"Be quiet."
That said, this isn't like simple Mako, so I can't afford to be too relaxed.
I silence the sly, cowardly, and completely hopeless boy—
The [Milmarinus] opens her "eyes."
"—'Reflect in my eyes, reflect on the water's surface, I imbue this blue gem with my wish.'"
I whisper a wish to the other half of my soul.
Activating my Anima—[Celestial Aquamarine, Shimmering Blue Jade Twin Stars].
The magic eye-type Anima, of which only a handful exist in Arcadia, cast a fantastical light from within the girl's eyes.
Next came the incantation, the melody for the magic to be woven.
"'I wish for water's blessing in this hand, to sweep away shackles, to exorcise evil.'"
I touch a fingertip to the indigo fragment, which has yet to lose its light.
"'Upon that person, bestow your blessing'—[Seal]."
The incantation and keyword were accepted by the world. The fragment and my right eye glowed with a brilliant light—and after it subsided, the 'amulet' in my hand was restored to its original, unbroken form.
"Hk…………"
I let out a small breath and, closing my right eye, glanced to my side….
"—………………"
There stood a young man, frozen, his mouth agape.
What is he spacing out for, so oblivious to my feelings? This all started because you—because you looked just a little sad when you saw the gift I gave you was broken.
…That expression I'd never seen before was somehow cute, and it made me happy, and it was heart-wrenching, and…
My chest ached so much that I had no choice but to try and act cool like this.
"…Can I put it on you again?"
"Hk… Y-Yeah."
Receiving a stiff nod—I stood up and took one step, then two.
I changed my position and repeated the ritual from half a month ago.
"Hey, uh… is your eye okay?"
"It's fine. It's just for a little while."
A worried voice rained down from above as I kept my right eye, now temporarily sightless, closed. I replied as if it were nothing, and almost laughed.
It wasn't a word I needed to describe with exaggerated terms like 'kind' or 'considerate'; it was just a natural, everyday sort of question.
But seeing his face again, I realized the feelings I had were getting out of control. Just that simple phrase was enough to make me feel giddy and lightheaded, and I found myself ridiculous for it.
I had to ask myself why, tilting my head in confusion.
It was surely a pile of trivial little moments… The reasons weren't dramatic like something out of a story, so much so that the lack of one almost made me anxious—
"There, all done. I can fix it anytime, so bring it to me if it breaks."
"…………Haha. I'm scared to ask how much that'll cost."
Even his childish, bashful smile seemed so unfair.
I really am in love with this person—my virtual heart was simply beating out of control.
Goodbye, brakes.