Disclaimer: I do not own Daughter of Evil, Wiegenlied of Green.
Riliane is taking a trip into Eldoh's Forest. In her hands is a pail. She is going to fetch some water from the well. There, she saw her.
Riliane stopped by the plant in the ground before her. Michaela: The one whose life Riliane had ruined due to a misunderstanding. From what Riliane had gathered from Clarith, Michaela is actually a forest spirit who gained a human body. She transfigured into a tree sapling after her supposed "death". Riliane felt hurt. She felt like Michaela would never forgive her for what she had done to her. But Clarith told Riliane that…Michaela wants to be her friend. Riliane remembered that one time when she and Clarith planted Michaela in the forest. But even so…
Riliane took a closer look at plant, "Eh? It looks a little wilted. Is it not getting enough water?"
The season has been dry lately. Without affording to waste any time, Riliane hurried over to the well. She then attached the pail to the rope and lowered it down. When she pulled it up, there is no water in the pail at all. It can't be! Is the well dried up? Riliane looked down into the well. The water is just further down...than usual. There is something else that catches her attention.
"A secret passage…?"
Riliane got a bit curious but exploring can wait. Finally getting the water, Riliane walked back to the forest. She couldn't move faster since she is carrying something heavy.
"Oh…if Chartette were here, I wouldn't have to put up with this…!" Riliane grumbled to herself and yet at the same time, laughed. Who is she kidding? Chartette Langley would do much worse even with her abnormal strength. With all her might, Riliane toddled further into the forest.
Suddenly, Riliane paused. There is someone else near the plant. Riliane couldn't make out who it is due to the dense foliage.
"Clarith? Are you there?" Riliane called out as she moved in closer. She suspects that it may be Clarith since she does take trips into the forest more often.
No. It's not Clarith. Riliane couldn't believe her eyes.
There is…a girl. She looked a little transparent. Riliane can see right through her! Looking more closely, Riliane can make out what this…person looks like. She has green hair tied up in pigtails and has lovely green eyes. Her dress blended in with white, green, and orange. Riliane shivered in fear. Is she a ghost? Frozen on the spot, Riliane dropped the pail she is carrying.
*THUMP*
The girl turned to Riliane with a surprised look on her face. Riliane flinched. Should she run away? Riliane didn't know what to do. Her legs trembled so much that it is hard to even move them. The girl stared at Riliane in wonder. Then she smiled. It is a very…warm smile.
"Hello!" the girl greeted Riliane. Riliane is still afraid. She couldn't speak.
The girl then offered her hand and said in a kind voice, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
Riliane just stood there. She didn't take a step closer. But the girl didn't move either. Her hand is still waiting, outstretched for her. Riliane is still frightened. But even so, the girl seems…nice.
Riliane started to walk. She started to walk closer to the girl. She moved very slowly. It is so slow that it can be very irritating. But the girl just continued to smile at her, waiting patiently. She is like a mother teaching her child to walk. Finally after what felt like hours but only minutes, Riliane stood near the girl. The girl's hand is still offered to Riliane. Riliane still felt fear but after seeing the girl's smile up close, she couldn't help but feel slightly comforted. Riliane, slowly but surely, reached for the girl's hand.
…Their hands didn't meet. Riliane gasped. She is a ghost. Surely she is one. Riliane now felt like running away right here, right now. But…the girl looked at her hand and gave off a little sad face. Riliane stopped. She couldn't run, not after seeing the girl's face. If Riliane were to run away now, how would the girl feel then? If she is a ghost and everybody would start running away the moment they saw her, would she be…lonely? Lonely just like…Riliane?
Riliane got the courage to speak, "Who…who are you…?"
The girl looked up at Riliane, her smile returned.
"I'm Michaela."
Riliane is speechless. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Nope. The girl called Michaela is still standing in front of her.
"…M…Michaela?"
"Yes. That is my name."
Riliane took a step back.
"Oh…my…god…" Riliane whimpered. She is about to cry.
Michaela. That is her name. I had her killed. I had Clarith's very first friend killed. Run. Run. RunRunRUNRUN!
"W, Wait!" Michaela caught Riliane's attention, just as Riliane is about to take off. Riliane froze in an instant.
"Come back, please…" Michaela pleaded. Riliane stood there…and slowly took a step forward.
"Riliane…it's not your fault. Please don't go…"
Riliane focused on Michaela's eyes. They are begging. Don't leave me. Riliane started to remember the day when she and Clarith first met. Riliane begged Clarith to not leave her even though she is a stranger. Yet at that, Clarith never left her. Riliane slowly nodded to Michaela, assuring her that she is not going anywhere. Michaela breathed out a sigh of relief.
Riliane looked all over Michaela, "…Y…You look so…beautiful…"
Michaela blushed, "Oh…Thank you for that lovely prayer you gave me the other day."
Riliane paused again. Michaela…actually heard her? On that day when she planted the tree sapling?
"O…Oh! Um…I'm not much of the praying type…"
Michaela smiled warmly, "No…even so, you have put your feelings into it."
Riliane couldn't bear Michaela's smile anymore. It pained her.
"B…But…Don't you hate me? I ruined your life…"
"No…I am forever living. After all, I am a forest spirit!"
Michaela then gave off a silly grin. It is rather inappropriate since Riliane is feeling rather uncomfortable.
"Oh sorry. I didn't mean that," Michaela then walked over to a large tree root and sat there, "Would you like to talk with me?"
Riliane stared. Just when Riliane is about to answer back…
*CRUNCH*
"AAAHH!"
Suddenly, Michaela felt a twinge of pain. Riliane looked down at what she had stepped in: It is the tree sapling. Roots are ripped out.
"A…awa…awawawawa…! I'm sorry! I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT!"
"I…I'm okay…!"
Michaela did not look okay. Her face winced in agony.
"I…L, LET ME HELP YOU!" Riliane panicked. She quickly got down and gently planted the tree sapling again. "I…I'm sorry…!"
Michaela looked pale, "It's…alright. Thank you…"
Riliane felt bad. All that Riliane had ever done to her is cause pain to her. But even so, why does Michaela continue to smile like that? What makes her smile? After a couple of gentle pats on the soil, Riliane looked over to the pail of water that is sitting there the entire time.
"M, Michaela, can I give you some water?" Riliane asked nervously.
"That will be nice."
Riliane then hurried over to the pail and dragged it over to the plant. There, Riliane slowly watered the soil around the plant. Michaela felt replenished.
"Thank you so much, Riliane."
"I…don't think I deserve congratulations…"
"Why not? You cared for me. I think that deserves my praise!" Michaela then patted on the root she is sitting on. Feeling a bit guilty but couldn't reject Michaela's invitation, Riliane sat down next to her.
"But I have done nothing that I feel proud of…" Riliane looked down, "I murdered a lot of people. I killed Leonhart, you…"
"No you didn't," Michaela interrupted, "Like I said before, I am forever living."
Riliane slowly made eye contact, "H…How did you become human?"
Michaela looked up into the sky. Only a single ray of sunlight managed to penetrate the forest and shine on Michaela and Riliane.
"Oh well, it is a long story. I was brought into the human world by a sorceress named Elluka…"
"Elluka Clockworker?"
"…You know her?"
"Well, we didn't get along very well…" Riliane remembered the last argument that Riliane and Elluka had.
"If the forest gets in the way, burn it with fire, ah!"
"…E-Ehem. I want to point out a little something to you guys. Do you know what you're saying? Burn the forest? But there's a God in the Thousand-Year Tree! Do you know that burning would only provoke some sort of disaster…? And above all, exterminate a whole country because of sheer envy? Don't be silly! Sure, we and your parents have captured a lot of countries and killed many people, but those were by no means out of selfish enmities! We have our respective causes, but they're personal, and it's to protect anyone else from war!"
"Ch… chop this rude person's head."
"Now that you said that you want to cut my head, I can't stand it; please allow me to resign. If you want to kill me, send someone to look for me or whatever. That is, if you really want to kill me."
"Allen! What are you standing there for! Catch up with Elluka and kill her!"
"…That's what Elluka really said?" Michaela asked, "I thought she was a rude person."
"Yeah…" Riliane felt depressed, "…Wait, what do you mean 'rude'?"
"Well, Elluka did refer to Eldoh as a smelly old man…"
"…"
"Oh right, so anyway, one of the reasons that I came into the human world is because of Clarith."
"Clarith?"
"Yes. She seemed so lonely. I wanted to know why Clarith is so sad, why she is crying…" Michaela looked over to where the tree sapling is, "One day, she paid a visit to the forest and she prayed for at least one friend in her life. I guess in a sense, we were a couple of outsiders."
Riliane listened to Michaela attentively. She didn't learn this side of Clarith before.
"Michaela, I want to know something. Do you love…Kyle Marlon?"
"Eh?"
"Michaela, I must know…" Riliane looked at Michaela with determined eyes.
Michaela sighed and said, "I thought we were just friends. However, he got…aggressive, if you will."
Riliane's heart sank. It really is a misunderstanding.
Michaela decided to change the mood, "Oh that's right! I did meet a cute foreign boy in Aceid."
"…Cute foreign boy?"
"Yeah! Though I think he really hates the term. Ahaha!" Michaela laughed, "Anyway, he did say that he worked at the Lucifenian Royal Palace…"
"…M, Michaela!" Riliane yelped.
"Y, yes?" Michaela is caught by surprise.
"Michaela, does he look just like me?" Riliane hounded.
"I, well…" Michaela got flustered but then relaxed, "…Well, when I look at you…Yeah, he does have blonde hair and blue eyes…just like you! I, uh, think his name is…Allen."
Tears are starting to collect in Riliane's eyes, "Michaela…Allen is my brother."
"…"
"…"
"…I…see…"
"…I have done nothing that I feel proud of. I…killed Allen…in the end."
"…"
"I begged him not to sacrifice himself. I really did. But…but…!"
Michaela placed her hand on Riliane's. Naturally, Riliane can't feel it.
"Michaela…did you talk with Allen? Anything at all?"
"Oh. Well, it's not much…unless I count the one time in which he confessed his love to me."
Riliane whirled her head towards Michaela, "WHAT? WHEN?"
Michaela closed her eyes, "During…that horrible time. I don't think I should dwell more on that."
The "Green Hunting". How can anyone forget?
"Also, he confessed in the well."
"…In? Did you say in the well?"
"Riliane, when you got that water, did you see a secret passage?"
Riliane thought for a moment, "…Yes. I did."
"That is where I hid. It is also the place where my human life ended. I remember vividly how Allen held me in his arms, crying…"
Riliane's tears are starting up again.
Michaela continued, "It's sad…for me anyways. Even if I were still living, how would my life go on? I will continue to live, forever unaging while the rest of my human friends continue grow old…and rot away. I guess I'm glad that I was able to be reborn and to meet Clarith again just after my 'death'. I do feel bad that I wasn't able to say goodbye to Allen…"
"…Michaela. If I could be reborn, would I be together with Allen again?"
Michaela fell silent. Then she turned to Riliane and smiled, "I hope you do."
Riliane is amazed, "Really? I…I don't know why you are so nice to me…"
"Well, aren't we friends?"
"…"
"Oh my! Is it just my wishful thinking?" Michaela got worried.
"Eh? Oh no no! It's just…"
Riliane didn't know what to say. Michaela wants to be friends with Riliane. She wants to be friends with the one girl who destroyed her life. Why? Why does Michaela insist that she and Riliane be friends? Why? WhyWhyWhy?
"…You really want to be my friend?" Riliane sniffled.
"I do," Michaela said plainly, "I don't care what you were before. To me, you are a wonderful person."
Wonderful. No one has ever called Riliane "wonderful" before.
The tears finally fell down Riliane's face. She cried. Suddenly on whim, a gentle wind blew, wiping away Riliane's tears. Riliane looked at Michaela.
"Oh. I did that for you."
"Oh Michaela! I…I…!" Riliane sobbed.
"Shh…" Michaela shushed Riliane, "It's okay. I'm here."
Riliane felt embarrassed by the fact that Michaela is treating her like a child. But right now, Riliane needed this.
"…Michaela?"
"Yes?"
"…Thank you…for being my friend."
Riliane got up, "Well, I should be going. I don't want to keep Clarith waiting."
"Riliane. Before you go…" Michaela got up as well. She looked into Riliane's pearly eyes and said:
"…Smile for me."
"Eh?" Riliane got confused.
"You never smiled at all since I first saw you. Please…smile."
…Michaela's right. Riliane never smiled at all. But why does Michaela want her to smile?
"I…um…okay…s, see? I, I'm smiling…"
Riliane looked like she is trying so hard to smile. She felt like she doesn't deserve to smile at all. Michaela smiled back and hugged Riliane. Riliane is stunned. Riliane couldn't feel Michaela, yet…she felt so warm.
"Keep at it, Riliane. I'm sure Allen will be very happy if you smile. So keep smiling no matter what!"
Riliane fell silent. Then…she finally smiled. It is…her true smile.
"Rin! Where are you?" called a voice. It is Clarith.
"Oh! C, Clarith! I'm coming!" Riliane called back and rushed over to her pail of water. Clarith arrived first…and lo and behold.
"…M, Michaela…?" Clarith froze.
Michaela looked very happy to see Clarith again. She then beckoned Riliane to join in, "Hello again, Clarith. Riliane and I were just talking."
Clarith glanced at Riliane, "…Wait, you can see her?"
"Now I can!" Riliane cheerfully answered back.
Michaela giggled and looked at Clarith, "Riliane is a very good friend. A very precious friend."
Riliane got red, "Oh uh…I…I do hope I can talk with you again."
Michaela smiled for the final time, "I will always be there for you."