Chapter 28: The Road to Recovery
I was so happy that my connection with Rugista and with that woman were properly cut, that not even Clarie being Clarie could annoy me. Of course I still firmly planted myself between her and Varil as a sort of human barrier. Keeping Clarie away from Varil was the least I could do for Pratty.
It wasn't until later that I managed to shower and make myself semi-presentable. That night the ships returned to port and after asking Master Sakuro again, he allowed me to spend the night on one of the ships since the battle had ended.
The next day all the members of PoW returned to Wystern to work on an estimate of the damage and make sure the city was stable and in no danger of collapsing before people were allowed to return.
Fortunately, Wystern still stood strong with only superficial damage. Not Parista's earthquakes and burning fury and not the grudge and anger of the sea serpents could bring down the City of Swords; it makes me proud to live there.
People have started to return little by little, but no one had moved back yet on that day, those who returned where the ones who would be working on the repairs.
It surprised me when, in a small moment when they finally let him catch a breather, Sakuro asked me, "did everything work out?"
"Yes," I'm happy about how things worked out, even if it might have not been perfect. "Pratty helped me, my official homeland is now Wystern and I have no connection with Rugista. The mayor asked me never to return and I agreed. I guess the old hag must have been really giving him a headache. Now that I think about it, it must have been hard for him having to put up with her since the village was on her side."
"Well that's not exactly a fluffy happy ending, but it's happy enough I suppose." Master Sakuro has been through a lot lately, we all have, but the craft lords were actually in the front lines. "Oh by the way, Pouso was asking about you."
"Pouso? Master Ureksa's guardian beast?" I feel my face heating up just remembering the little tattle tell. "What did he say?"
"He didn't really say much, but he asked a lot of questions." Master Sakuro really cares about the details.
"What kind of questions?" I wonder if I really want to know.
"What kind of men you liked, that sort of thing?" I shouldn't have asked.
"Um..." I feel like I'm in the wrong place, at the wrong time again... "Why would he ask such a thing?" and sinking deeper.
"It doesn't surprise me, that's why Ureksa only calls him out to battle but we needed the extra help so he had to stay here for longer than usual." Master Sakuro didn't really answer my question. "Now Pouso doesn't want to leave, he gave Ureksa the sad look and Ureksa just couldn't send him back."
"Then Pouso likes to be nosy with girls?" I know this will probably lead to an embarrassing and awkward moment that I will regret, but I can't help it if I'm curious.
"Yes, he does, he's dead set in finding a girl for Ureksa," I should have known Master Sakuro would say that.
"Really? I've never heard of a guardian beast doing that before." That's it, I have to act casual, as if this has nothing to do with me, because honestly it doesn't. I'm just another girl that Pouso spoke to, he must act the same way towards all the girls, it doesn't mean that I have any possibilities with Master Ureksa.
"It's not that rare," I should have known it wasn't. I think Master Sakuro noticed I'm started to feel awkward. "Naturally a guardian beast would want its master to be happy, it's part of what they do."
"Do you have a guardian beast, Master Sakuro?" That's it, change the subject... Oh wait, what if he thinks I want his summon creature to play matchmaker for us? Well that would be nice, but it wouldn't work anyway. The same goes for Ureksa. These men are unreachable for me, that's all there is to it and no amount of help can change it.
"Not really, maybe I will some day if I find one that can make curry with love..." I stare at him and blink, Master Sakuro is certainly unique.
"You mean that you would test all possible guardian beasts by having them make curry?" I ask and he nods to answer my question positively. "That's original," I can't help it but to be amused.
After that conversation with Master Sakuro I thought about him a lot. I also thought about Pouso and Master Ureksa. I realized that maybe I wasn't trying to replace Master Sakuro with Master Ureksa and might actually truly like him, but I don't know for sure. I think I might like Master Sakuro best, not that it matters since neither would like me back. However, if by some miracle either of them liked me back, then the one who likes me would definitely become not only the one I like best, but the only one.
Wystern was on the road to recovery and was rebuilt rather quickly. We all moved back home and Wystern was better than ever. It became not only the City of Swords but a virtually impenetrable fortress. Some were not happy with it, claiming that it looked too militaristic and the craft knights were more like artists, but personally, I think the armored city looked very majestic.
Not a lot happened for the next few months. Everyone pitched in and the economy recovered. I have improved in making drill engines and I've been training harder at the labyrinth. My friends are still my friends. Cleru and Sugar are still in love and he is no longer shy about showing it in public. Pratty and Varil are also still together, it looks like they will be together for the rest of their lives.
Amariss and Bron are slowly becoming closer, but I don't know if they'll eventually become more than friends. Kenon and Razzy are slowly progressing, slow but steady. Kouran has gained an admirer, a man who works guarding the craft lords' private room at Central Tower where they say there's a secret entrance to the labyrinth, but I don't know if there's anything between them. Sakuro is still a great cook and occasionally we all gather at his house for lunch. Kouren visits often but I have not seen them doing anything that looked like a date so they might not be together, I hope not.
Ureksa comes and goes, visiting Wystern often and going back to Vance soon after. His visits are slowly becoming longer, as if not to intrude in his sister's time with her fiance. Pouso has been stalking all the single young girls in town trying to get Ureksa a date. Luckily they're having a hard time understanding the little guy and when someone finally starts to catch on, Ureksa arrives to take Pouso away and claims that the little summon creature likes to joke and make up stories. I guess it would be a bit embarrassing for a craft lord if his summon creature had to get him a date.
As for me, Pouso has taken a liking to the sugary threats I give him. I'm not sure what Ureksa thinks about it, but I did offer to keep Pouso out of trouble. He's such a good little helper even if he's not my guardian beast. I'm glad Ureksa is letting him stay in this world. Honestly, who could say no to a little cutie like Pouso?
To be Continued
Disclaimer, I do not own Summon Night: A Swordcraft Story.
