Happy Life
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- You see, Miss Ayano, even if we manage to resolve our personal disagreements, there are certain things in this man's actions that I can never accept, so I fear that until he reforms, it will be difficult for us to reach an understanding. Although your story carries a glimmer of hope for a miracle, it is difficult for me to believe in it for now.
- I always thought my soul was red. You know, in my time, I was very fond of fire magic, and this color pairs well with it, but I suppose you can't choose the color of your own aura? - The witch gratefully accepted the gift. - Thank you. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.
- Thank you, Miss Ayano! It will fit the color of my look perfectly!
- Thank you, - Sonata says, accepting the gift, - hmm, what does it symbolize? I've never seen one like this.
- Miss Sonata, this is the symbol of Farellia, a small country to our east. Oh... - A realization suddenly struck Phantom like a bolt of lightning. - Forgive me, you already mentioned that you are married, right?..
- Uh-huh.
- Then... Why have I been calling you "Miss" all this time?.. Please forgive me.
- Ha-ha... Please, don't give it a second thought.
Reflecting on all this, she recalls Phantom's words, repeated twice now, that the priestess herself is like a relative to him. That may be so, but who is she to this quartet then? Some distant seventh-cousin aunt, a drop in the ocean? Such a thought didn't exactly sadden her, but it sobered her slightly. Perhaps these were the remnants of doubts sown in her heart by the mitten priest—doubts that clearly wouldn't have bothered Sonata in her place—or perhaps a reluctance to cast unnecessary hardship upon people who had finally set foot on the path to finding spiritual harmony in their difficult lives, but to some extent, she felt redundant here.
Casting aside these defeatist thoughts, she says to the cat-girl:
- I'm glad you liked it. You know, Farellia is the cradle of humanity, - Ayano adds to the old man's important socio-political explanation. - And it may seem strange in our progressive age, but they have remained close to the natural order of things, without rejecting the achievements of civilization. A truly amazing place; time even flows slower there than we are used to. Although perhaps it's because the people who inhabit it don't live by a strict schedule? - she shrugs.
She tells them about the wonderful and picturesque places there, full of greenery, rivers, and rocky cliffs. She talks about the concept of gliders and her feelings while flying them. She recalls the delicious food and the vast number of kind people inhabiting that town. She mentions the mischievous bibizyankas—though without the story of her own unfortunate encounter with them. She highly recommends the local hot springs, which work wonders for both body and soul, especially in winter. She remembers a wonderful fairy-tale meeting with a kind, sweet mermaid and her brother. She concludes the narrative with a warm memory of a picnic in the company of the locals and the farewells on the day of her departure. She tries to tell all this without mentioning negative moments, such as the interaction with the churchman, and without focusing on Lord-kun's personality (as well as without mentioning his duel), so as not to trigger his elderly teacher unnecessarily or lead the narrative into irrelevant territory—especially since most of these were extremely personal moments, unfit for foreign ears and embarrassing for her herself, though she does mention his individual kind "deeds," such as the forging of the spear, his closeness to the local children, his help in organizing and social participation in gatherings with the people—to slightly elevate his image in the eyes of the elder Phantom.
- Please excuse such a long story. Bors-san and Kayasa-kocho have likely been there, but after the capital—with all its advantages—it felt like a breath of fresh air to me, - she concludes her actually not-so-long narrative—shorter than the one she gave to Naria. - I hope to return to Farellia someday. After all, I promised to bring apples grown in our soil and to catch a bucket of phantoms, - she smiles slightly sadly, but not so much that others would notice.
My sword, my trusted ally, unphased by my aspect.
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