Chapter: 237
“I think it was because I was scared.”
As I said this to Sylvia, I recalled my parents, who were a precious existence in my life.
“I tend to give everything to the people I cherish. But usually, those I come to cherish are just like me. Just as I would do anything for them, they would do anything for me.”
I thought about my father, who sacrificed himself to protect our family.
I remembered my mother, who hid her pain and worked until she passed away, not wanting to be a burden to me.
In that way, the people who were precious to me never hesitated to sacrifice themselves for me.
Perhaps that became a shock to me and stayed with me like PTSD.
“I think that scared me. I was afraid that someone I cherished would sacrifice themselves for me. I was afraid of losing such a precious person.”
Now, Yoon Si-woo, who I’ve come to see as just as precious in this world, also seemed to have sacrificed himself for me.
“Sylvia, you have a similar personality. Maybe you were scared, too…”
I slowly began to confess the thoughts I had buried deep inside to Sylvia.
She listened quietly and then said with an unexpected expression.
“Scarlet, you’re much more of a scaredy-cat than I thought.”
“Yeah, true. Totally a coward…”
“And a complete fool, too.”
With a slight laugh, Sylvia murmured.
“If I had known I was similar to you in that way, I wouldn’t have thrown myself to save you from the start. Did you think I would just let it pass?”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course. Astra never forgets a debt.”
With a gentle smile, Sylvia continued with a confident expression.
“Besides, the feeling of cherishing someone is something you can’t suppress, no matter how hard you try. I understand Scarlet’s heart. It’s natural to be afraid of losing someone precious. But no matter how much you try to draw a line, you can’t erase that relationship. So let’s make it clear now.”
As she said this, Sylvia looked me straight in the eye.
“Scarlet, I didn’t help you expecting gratitude. And I didn’t help you because I wanted to hear an apology. I want it to be a given that I help you. Just like how you’ve always helped me without hesitation. I want us to be the kind of relationship where we can help each other without any reason.”
Hearing her words, I realized the fear that came with having someone precious to me.
The contradictory emotions that had always existed beyond that.
In the end, I was both scared and yearning at the same time.
Just as she said, I wanted a relationship where we help each other naturally, without calculation.
A relationship where we cherish each other.
Noticing that I had come to this realization, Sylvia asked me.
“Scarlet, you know you did something wrong to me today, right?”
I nodded, and Sylvia smiled as she said.
“I’ll give you a chance to be forgiven. If you tell me the words I’m longing to hear instead of an apology… I wonder if foolish Scarlet can get it right?”
At her words, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
No matter how foolish I was, I could figure that much out.
With sparkling eyes and a desperate expression, I looked at Sylvia.
“I might cause a lot of trouble because I’m a witch.”
Sylvia nodded with a refreshing face, as if it was no big deal.
“I might create a situation that will make you angry because I’m surprisingly self-centered.”
Sylvia nodded again, as if saying it didn’t matter since she would act selfishly too.
“But, if that’s okay…”
Looking at Sylvia, who was nodding like that, I said.
“What I said before. What I accepted before. What I refused before.”
That phrase.
“Will you be my friend?”
At that, Sylvia looked incredibly happy.
“Yes, I would love to!”
She nodded vigorously.
Finally, after a long time, Sylvia, who could now be called a true friend, pulled something out of her pocket and muttered.
“Wow, it took so long to return this to you.”
When I saw what she had pulled out, I couldn’t help but laugh.
What rested on her hand was a ring with a red gem, identical to the one on her left ring finger.
“Wow, you still had that?”
“What are you talking about? Since the moment I got it back from you, I haven’t parted with it for even a second. Now, give me your hand. I’ll put it on for you.”
“…It feels kind of like a proposal, so I’m embarrassed.”
“Don’t say weird things that make me embarrassed too!”
As I spoke jokingly and stretched out my left hand, Sylvia took my hand, smiling with a subtle expression that was hard to read.
“It’s nice that you became a witch. I can finally put this ring on your finger.”
Sylvia’s words reminded me of a memory.
Was it when the Demonic Beasts invaded the academy and my arm was severed?
I remembered Sylvia crying when she saw I had no arm while trying to put the ring on my hand, and I chuckled softly.
“Haha… I’m glad I won’t cry this time.”
“…Can you not bring that up?”
Sylvia’s face turned slightly red, perhaps embarrassed about the memory of crying that day, but she soon took on a serious demeanor as she placed the ring on my finger.
The ring sitting on my left ring finger.
Seeing it, Sylvia seemed to have mixed emotions, looking a bit choked up.
Not wanting to tease her and make her embarrassed again, I subtly lifted my hand to look at the ring.
On the left ring finger, the garnet symbolizing true friendship was placed.
It might have seemed like an ordinary ring, but what was inscribed inside made it incredibly special.
First, And Best Friend.
The first and the most precious friend.
My first friend, whom I made for the impure purpose of extending my life in this world, had now become an incredibly precious friend to me.
As I glanced at Sylvia, she smiled and showed me her left hand with the ring on it.
This pair of rings, which Sylvia had kept for so long without forgetting, seemed to show just how special I was to her.
Overwhelmed with emotions, I could finally forget my worries and genuinely smile.
Then,
“Ah?!”
Suddenly, a fire flared up from my body.
I instinctively knew.
That the flame erupting from my body was a fire that wouldn’t burn.
Surprised by the sudden flame, Sylvia screamed, but soon realized there was no heat coming from it and muttered with a look of wonder.
“Wait… It’s fire, but it’s not hot at all?”
As she curiously reached out to touch the flame, I smiled awkwardly and replied.
“Uh, it’s a special fire that comes out at special times.”
“Special times?”
“Yeah… It comes out when I feel really happy or joyful.”
Sylvia nodded in understanding and continued to watch the flames, but soon realized something and looked at me.
“Wait? Does that mean Scarlet is very happy and joyful right now?”
“…”
I maintained my silence in response to her remark, but,
“Really? Is Scarlet that happy to become my friend?”
It was already too late to explain.
With a playful smile, Sylvia pressed closer to me, teasingly saying, “So it’s that great, huh?” for a while, then, with a beaming smile on her face, whispered in my ear.
“I feel the same way.”
As I tried to cool down my face, which was as red as the flame, I felt the fire spreading little by little.
The light of the fire was no longer able to be hidden even by a poor shield.
Worried that perhaps the fire’s light might attract the Demonic Beasts, I thought,
“If they come, Scarlet will chase them away, right? You’re a witch, aren’t you? You can protect me at least.”
Hearing Sylvia’s words led me to a great realization, and I stepped out of the cramped hideout, setting a small fire outside and lying down.
The flames that flowed from my body caught onto the large tree trunk we had been inside.
Though it was now completely burned out and reduced to charcoal, the tree was brightly shining with fire as Sylvia, watching it beside me, murmured.
“Scarlet, there’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a child.”
“What is it?”
When I asked, Sylvia replied with a smile.
“In a fairy tale, there’s a scene where you take off on an adventure with a friend, set up a campfire at night, and watch the stars while camping. I’ve always wanted to do that at least once.”
Having said that, Sylvia gently rested her head on my shoulder and continued.
“I thought it was a dream I could never achieve in my lifetime, but thanks to you, I’m living it in this similar feeling.”
At her words, I smiled lightly and gazed at the gently flickering flames.
Stars were not visible in the night sky covered in miasma.
But perhaps because I had a matching friend by my side.
Or maybe it was because of the flame shining like a campfire.
“Something like this isn’t so bad.”
“I guess so.”
The view of the starless night sky didn’t seem too dark.
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