Chapter 1 - Butterflies of Yokmir Forest
Spring 3, 1612
Xiao Pai begins her day as usual. Though she gets up a little later than usual, she and her mother are thankfully able to get the hotel ready to accept guests by opening time. Noticeably, the hotel is seeing a handful more guests than expected, which, while good for sales, also means Xiao Pai has more opportunities to goof up in front of the residents, which she unfortunately does. "Great… It seems I'll be breaking my broken plates record this year again…" she utters to herself, drowning in a sea of broken dinnerware shards. Embarrassed, Xiao Pai heads out to get some fresh air.
Just outside the hotel, Xiao Pai notices Forte and Kiel discussing something, which she presumes is Lest's moving in. Xiao Pai goes over to the sister-brother duo to see what they are talking about. "Morning!" she greets them with.
"Oh, good morning, Xiao Pai!" Forte greets back. "Aren't you supposed to be working at the hotel right now, though?"
"Well, it seems I had another one of my accidents again, so Mama let me go out for a bit to catch some air," Xiao Pai explains. "How are things for you and Kiel, yes?"
"Well… Interesting would be one way to put it," Forte tells her.
"Hmm? What do you mean by interesting, yes?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Oh, that… Err…" Forte struggles to answer.
"The vacant house next door finally got moved into," Kiel explains for his older sister. "A travelling swordfighter came in to check out Selphia."
"Actually, our new neighbor told us he was looking for someone. A 'Maiden of the Bell', as he put it. I don't know exactly what he's talking about, but if I had to guess, I think he's looking for someone from your Bell Hotel," Forte tells Xiao Pai.
"Is he? It seems he should have gotten a room there if he was looking for one of us, yes?" Xiao Pai wonders out loud.
"I don't understand it either, but if you are curious, I… guess you can ask him yourself," Forte warily remarks. "I'd approach him with caution if I were you, though… That man gives off a rather sinister and nerve-wracking vibe to me, being shrouded in darkness the way he is. I'll be outside to watch you if he tries anything, though."
"Shrouded in darkness…? It seems you think he is a ghost, yes?" Xiao Pai asks. In about a split-second, though, Forte draws her sword and hangs it above Xiao Pai's throat. Though she gives off the same threatening vibe she described her neighbor as having, upon closer inspection, one can tell that she is actually terrified and reacting on instinct.
"NO. DO NOT MAKE SUCH WILD CLAIMS. I REFUSE TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO A GHOST," Forte retaliates, barely keeping her outward composure intact.
"Wah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It seems I was only joking, yes?" Xiao Pai sheepishly apologizes.
"Oh, were you now?" Forte asks. She withdrawals her sword from Xiao Pai and sheathes it back, breathing a sigh of relief. "Well, don't joke around like that… You almost gave me a heart attack…!"
"Honestly, Xiao Pai, you should know by now how easily Forte scares from ghosts." Kiel comments.
"I- I wasn't scared!" Forte angrily refutes. "I just… got surprised by that. Having a g-ghost for a neighbor isn't exactly a common occurrence, is it?"
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Kiel tells his sister, giving a playful wink towards her.
"Anyways, it seems I will be checking out who this person is, yes? He probably overheard us talking about him from outside," Xiao Pai says.
"Okay then. Let me know if he tries anything on you," Forte tells her.
Somewhat nervous from Forte's earlier description, Xiao Pai enters the recently moved in residence. Inside, she notices a sinister-looking figure writing something in a novel of his. The man is covered in black for the most part, with his hair, glasses, leather jacket, and shoes being shrouded in the color of darkness. Alongside his blatant fondness for the color, he also has on him some long blue jeans and a grey scarf covering his mouth and nose. Hearing his door opening, the man looks up from his book to see who has come to visit him. After getting a good look at his visitor, the man lets out a small question: "Are you the daughter of the Bell Hotel's owner?"
"Why, yes… That… That would be me. It- It seems you are... looking for me, yes?" Xiao Pai answers him.
"Ah, that's perfect!" the man delightfully says. "I've been expecting you, Maiden of the Bell. Welcome to the Sable Room."
"S-Sable Room?" Xiao Pai asks the man in black. "W-who are you…?"
"My name is Suzuki. I'm delighted to make your acquaintance," the dark man answers back.
"Suzuki? It seems that sounds like a name from back where I was born, yes?" Xiao Pai comments. "Do I know you?"
"I don't believe you do. I had only just gotten here, so that doesn't leave a lot of time for you or the others to get all that acquainted with me," Suzuki answers. "That said, I have heard quite a bit about you and your workplace. You're Xiao Pai, if I'm not mistaken?"
"Yes, it seems that would be me. Why do you wish to have my presence?" asks Xiao Pai.
"Well, let's just say I'm rather… How shall I put this? …Curious about you," Suzuki respods. "It seems you have quite the interesting fate, yes?"
"Interesting fate…? I do not know what you are talking about…?" Xiao Pai says, unimpressed with Suzuki copying her manner of speech.
"Well, I heard about your chance encounter with the mysterious prince a few nights ago. To be fair, he did stop by my new street yesterday to speak with Kiel and the town doctors, but you seem to have had a more special meeting with him before that, from what Forte told me," Suzuki explains. "Looks like you're also starting to get acquainted with this town's patron saint as well, no?"
"Oh… Has the news already spread that far…?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Well, I wouldn't say it's spread far, per se. From what I understand, only the people of this town seem to be aware of your little run-in," Suzuki says. "Say, are you hungry?"
"H-Hungry?" Xiao Pai asks. Now that Suzuki has mentioned it, Xiao Pai realizes that she hasn't eaten yet. "Well, it seems my tummy is grumbling a little, yes?"
"Then here, why don't you snack on this for a bit?" Suzuki walks over to his trunk and pulls out a gardening hoe. He tosses it to Xiao Pai, who tries grabbing it from his direction. Though Xiao Pai is able to catch it, the knock back from Suzuki's toss sends her tumbling onto her backside, embarrassing her. "You want some water to go with that?" Suzuki asks, chuckling a little at his gag while bringing a watering can over to the fallen girl. "You're just as wobbly as they say you are…"
Xiao Pai, on the other hand, is very unamused at Suzuki's attempt at slapstick. She glares at him from the floor as she gets up from Suzuki's mocking gesture.
Getting the message, Suzuki quickly apologizes for his gag. "Alright, alright. Sorry about that. Here's some real food," Digging into his bag, Suzuki gets out a paper bag with a few pieces of toast. "It's not much, but it should last you for a bit." His gag victim is somewhat suspicious of him after what just happened, but after a bit, Xiao Pai gets up and accepts Suzuki's gift.
"Anyways, back to business," Suzuki starts back. "You and Prince… Ummm…"
"Lest," Xiao Pai clarifies.
"Right. Prince Lest. You two seem to have a bit of a connection with one another," Suzuki says.
"Well, it seems our connection isn't as strong as you think it is, yes?" Xiao Pai says. "In fact, it seems Lest has a case of amnesia after being pursued by some enemy soldiers…"
"E-enemy soldiers, you say…?" Suzuki asks. He pauses for a moment to think for a bit, then speaks up again. "And you're saying the prince has amnesia?"
"Yes…" Xiao Pai confirms. "And it seems I want to help him…" she starts, but something in her convinces her to change her wording. "No, I absolutely must help him find out who he really is!"
"…Hmmm… Very well. I see your resolve within you," Suzuki comments.
"Unfortunately, I don't have anything I can think of that would directly help you regarding Lest, but from what I researched prior to coming here, I think I know of something that might help you bond with Ventuswill," Suzuki says.
"Hmmm? And what would that be, yes?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Well, before I came here, I did some research and learned about four special places in Selphia called Rune Spots," Suzuki explains. "These four areas are sacred places where runes gather aplenty and nourish the life in this world. I presume you know what these four locations are?"
"Yes, I believe so," Xiao Pai says. "Yokmir Forest, Water Ruins, Obsidian Mansion, and Leon Karnak, it seems they are, yes?"
"Yup. That's what my research told me. Apparently, there's been some strange happenings going on in these four places, so helping Ventuswill clear out what is occurring in these areas could set you in the right direction to solving Lest's mystery," Suzuki says.
"Is that so? I'll look into that. Maybe I can go check one of those places out now, yes?" says Xiao Pai.
"Sounds like a plan. Now, which of the four do you want to tackle first?" Suzuki asks.
"Well, it seems Water Ruins and Leon Karnak are pretty far from here, so I can't get to those two just yet. Obsidian Mansion is just past the beach, but it seems the bridge leading to there is not available for crossing," Xiao Pai details. "It seems that just leaves me with Yokmir Forest, then, yes?"
"Yokmir Forest it is, then? That place is fairly close, so you shouldn't have much trouble getting there," says Suzuki. "I hear that place has been having something of a butterfly infestation, for as weird as that sounds. Whatever the case, this looks like a good first step to solving the Wind Dragon's problems."
"Alright. In that case, it seems I'll go out to Yokmir Forest and see what is going on out there. See you, Suzuki!" Xiao Pai says. She is about to make her way out Suzuki's door, but he interrupts her before she can take a step.
"Oh, one thing before you head out, though," Suzuki stops Xiao Pai. "How confident would you say you are in your own skills?"
"How confident am I?" Xiao Pai asks. After giving it some thought, she gives Suzuki her answer. "It seems I am become death, the destroyer of worlds, yes!?"
"W-wow… That confident, huh…?" Suzuki comments in surprise. "Are you… sure you're up for this…?"
Though Xiao Pai tries to keep up her proud facade, it becomes clear to her that Suzuki is seeing right through her. Defeated, Xiao Pai sighs and admits to her overconfidence. "Well, it seems it's more like 'I am become dead, destroyed by the world', yes?"
"Yeah, I figured…" says Suzuki. "Could you give me a more honest answer, please?"
"Honestly, I'm decent-ish. It seems I can use an axe somewhat fine, but not much else," Xiao Pai tells him.
"That's about more or less what I expected. Not to put you down or anything, but overconfidence can bite you back hard if you're not careful," Suzuki warns.
"If things look rough for you, I overheard something from my neighbor that could help you out. I believe it was 'When the enemy's strength overwhelms you, gaze upon the trophy in the castle basement,' or something along those lines," Suzuki explains. "Though, frankly, unless you get a free pass from Ventuswill or the new prince, I doubt you'll even be able to get into the castle in the first place."
"It seems that won't be a problem for me, at least. Lest might be able to arrange something if I speak with him." Xiao Pai responds.
"That's good to hear. In any case, I'd spend the rest of today getting ready for the journey so that you're able to take on whatever is in there," Suzuki suggests. "Good luck, Xiao Pai!"
"Alright! See ya!" Xiao Pai says. She turns towards Suzuki's door, but trips after taking only one step. Embarrassed, she lets out another sigh while Suzuki walks over to help her up. After that, Xiao Pai returns to the Bell Hotel to finish work for the day.
Spring 4, 1612
The next day, Xiao Pai goes about business as per usual for a while before departing for the plains just outside Sephia.
("Alright! It seems this will be my first big day in making things right in this town!") Xiao Pai excitedly thinks to herself. ("Now, it is time for me to set out and go on my grand adventure, yes!?") With that, Xiao Pai sets out past the town entrance and begins her journey.
To her surprise, however, upon leaving Selphia, Xiao Pai spots several large tree trunks blocking the way to most of the outside world.
"W-Where did these tree trunks come from…!?" she wonders aloud.
"You tell me. These weren't here when I moved in a while back," says a familiar voice.
Looking back, Xiao Pai notices Suzuki approaching her and the trunks from behind.
"Well… This is a sticky situation if I've ever seen one," Suzuki says, looking up at the obstacles.
"Not too much." Xiao Pai says. "It seems I can still get to the forest from here, yes?"
"Yeah, but that does still leave the other Rune Spots inaccessible from here…" Suzuki laments. He tries using a Fire spell on the trunks, but unfortunately, his attack only barely scratches the obstacle in front of him and Xiao Pai. Suzuki sighs. "Man… Getting rid of this thing is going to be tougher than I thought…"
"Well, we can worry about this later, yes? It seems we should focus on clearing out the forest right now. Let's go, Suzuki," Xiao Pai motions.
"Actually, no. I'm sorry, but I can't come with you right now," Suzuki rebutts.
"Hmm? It seems you are having a reason for not coming with me to the forest?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Yeah… I've got some things of my own I need to get worked out. Looks like you'll be on your own for this one," Suzuki disappointingly remarks. "That said, I will try to get this whole tree trunk mess taken care of while I'm at it. With this in the way, there's a lot of places we won't be able to get to from here."
"Oh… Well, it seems I hope you have success in whatever you are trying to accomplish, yes?" Xiao Pai responds.
"Don't worry about me. I'm not doing anything particularly dangerous right now," Suzuki reassures her. "Regardless, best of luck with your exploration."
With that said, Suzuki continues trying to work out the tree trunks while Xiao Pai heads east in the direction of Yokmir Forest.
Right in front of the forest lies a wooden sign to the left and a golden stand with a green book floating in midair to the right. Xiao Pai examines the sign.
"-Yokmir Forest Ahead-" reads the sign. "Recommended level: 2" was written right below it.
("Only level 2?") Xiao Pai wonders to herself. ("Ha! This place should be a cakewalk!)
Though there are other details on the sign, they mostly just consist of what enemies lurk in the area and what items can be procured from within. Having all the info she needs, Xiao Pai makes her way into Yokmir Forest.
Upon entering the forest, Xiao Pai notes a strange atmosphere around it. In front of her is a cluster of colorful butterflies that disappear within the forest. Xiao Pai attempts to follow along, but a mild lightning strike from above summons an orc monster out of the blue.
"Ack! It's a monster!" she shouts as she readies her weapon. Xiao Pai is initially nervous around the monster, but luckily, she is able to fend off the singular enemy without much trouble. A treasure chest pops up following the enemy's defeat, containing a simple shield. Xiao Pai picks it up and equips it, feeling more confident with the added defense. Victorious, she proceeds onward.
The second area of the forest is nothing special aside from a nearby cliff. Though there are a few more enemies for Xiao Pai to face, they do not pose any difficulty. Rather, Xiao Pai directs the brunt of her attention to a nearby treasure chest containing some lime-colored potions.
"It seems there's a nice Recover Potion inside. Lots of them, yes?" Xiao Pai notes. "It's easier to take them all as a stack rather than to pick and choose, but can I actually carry them?" Xiao Pai attempts to pick up and sort them, but has trouble carrying them all at once. She ends up tripping and falling trying to carry them all, though luckily, the containers do not break as a result.
Though thankful that her findings have not been wasted, Xiao Pai ponders for a moment on how to get them contained. "It seems if I pick them apart one by one and re-assemble the stack in my bag…" With her idea set, Xiao Pai follows through and sorts her findings away into her bag, safe and ready for use.
The third area contains a wave of energy blocking the path ahead, as well as a portal-like gate to spawn monsters out of. There is also an increased volume of orcs in the area, some wielding bows. This part ends up giving Xiao Pai more trouble than the previous two, particularly with the ranged Orc Archers, but she manages to break through and close off the gate, stopping more monsters from spawning. After finishing off the remaining orcs, the energy blockade subsides. "It seems that if I defeat the monsters, I can proceed onward, yes?" Xiao Pai notes. She uses one of her Recovery Potions and proceeds to the next part.
The fourth section has another, larger, cluster of butterflies just like the ones at the entrance. They fly away just as before, leaving Xiao Pai curious as to why they are here. "I wonder what's out there…?" she thinks aloud.
The path splits into two, directly forward or to the right from Xiao Pai's perspective. To the right is just a handful of crates and a small lake, which seem unimportant to Xiao Pai, so after clearing out some ant monsters, she proceeds forward.
The following two sections are just more insect enemies for Xiao Pai to take out. After clearing out the cluster in the latter section, a few groups of butterflies appear in front of her at the end of the area, surprising Xiao Pai. The butterflies delve into the end of the forest, appearing to gather at a central location. A sense of foreboding strikes Xiao Pai, driving her attention towards another floating book pedestal like at the entrance.
("It seems I can update my diary here. I should do that now, yes?") she thinks to herself. After making a record of her little journey so far, Xiao Pai takes a deep breath, steels herself for what lies ahead, charges through…
…and trips. Embarrassed, Xiao Pai gets back up and tries again, making her way slowly into the next area.
At the final part of the dungeon, the butterflies gather into one huge cluster and fly towards a giant green pupa hanging onto a flower with thorns all over its stem. The butterflies dissipate, and the pupa lets out a war cry.
Xiao Pai shouts "It's moving…!" as the monster takes on a hostile stance. Xiao Pai gets out her axe to take the enemy down. The pupa lets out a white gas that makes Xiao Pai drowsy, allowing it to get a few hits in on her. Weakened, Xiao Pai retreats from the enemy and gets out another Recovery Potion to patch herself up. She notes a pattern with the monster's gas attack, and manages to alternate between both attacking the pupa, and retreating from its move.
After landing enough hits on the monster, the pupa begins to shrink. While Xiao Pai thinks for a second that she has won, this does not end up being the case as the pupa morphs into a butterfly monster girl with dark green hair and purple wings.
This new form begins flying all across the area. Xiao Pai attempts to get up close to the enemy, but is greeted with a kick to her face instead, knocking her down. She takes this as an initiative to keep her distance as before, but then the monster starts launching several of the butterflies that had roamed the forest at her. Some manage to hit Xiao Pai and latch onto her. Xiao Pai attempts to shake them off, but finds that they end up severely impeding the movement of even a klutz like her.
Cornered, Xiao Pai tries to look for ways around the monster's attacks, and after a few rounds, notices that the monster leaves herself open from the sides when sending out her butterflies. Using this to her advantage, Xiao Pai runs around the enemy and strikes her from where the butterflies can't get to Xiao Pai. This leads to the monster getting aggravated at being weakened, and it begins to emit a yellow-orange circle of powder around itself. Xiao Pai hurries away from the attack, and prepares to strike a decisive blow. With the monster's attention deprived, Xiao Pai jumps from behind and swings her axe into the enemy's back, knocking it out.
After an intense fight, the butterfly monster falls to her knees and begins to dissipate. Instead of returning to the Forest of Beginnings like most monsters, however, it instead transforms into a green-haired young woman with pink antennae and a green dress.
"Huh…?" Xiao Pai says, surprised at the monster's transformation.
("It seems that monster just turned into…a girl…?) she wonders.
"Oogh…" the monster finally speaks.
Xiao Pai rushes over to the girl to check up on her. "Are you okay!?" she asks, not caring about the irony of her statement.
"Mmm…" the girl weakly utters.
"Are you having pain…?" Xiao Pai asks.
The girl tries to speak to Xiao Pai a little. "Uh…"
"What's wrong?" Xiao Pai asks.
"...You have...a funny face…" the monster girl tells Xiao Pai with a cheerful smile. Afterwards, she passes out.
Xiao Pai wonders what she has just witnessed, somewhat surprised at the girl in front of her. "Hello? Can you hear me, yes?" she asks the now unconscious girl.
Xiao Pai pauses for a moment. "It seems it is odd for a butterfly to suddenly turn into a girl, yes…?"
In that moment, Lest and Doug enter the clearing where Xiao Pai fought the butterfly monster. "What's wrong?" Lest asks.
"Lest? Doug? Why are you two here?" Xiao Pai asks.
"I was told someone had gone out to this forest, so I came here to make sure everything was alright," Lest responds.
"As for me, I was just walking by. I saw Lest was exploring this place and decided to tag along with him," Doug adds. "But forget about him and I for a sec…"
The two of them glance at the unconscious girl in front of Xiao Pai.
"Who's this?" Doug asks.
"I have no idea." Lest says.
"Well, it seems a monster I was fighting suddenly turned into a girl, yes…?" Xiao Pai explains. "Assuming I am not having a dream of the whole thing, anyway…"
"Monsters turning into humans? I've never heard of such a thing," says Doug.
"Yeah, I don't get it either," Lest says.
"It seems I am wondering what is going on here…" Xiao Pai questions.
"Well, she doesn't seem to be injured, at least. Not on the outside, anyway," Doug notes.
"Should I take her back to town?" Xiao Pai asks.
"I guess so," Doug says.
"We should have Dr. Jones look after her," Lest suggests.
At the Tiny Bandage Clinic, Dr. Jones and his wife Nancy are treating the girl while Lest looks after her. Xiao Pai goes over to Jones to speak with him.
"What do you think?" Xiao Pai asks the doctor.
"She's a bit debilitated, but nothing critical," Jones responds. "She should wake up in a bit."
"I see," Xiao Pai says. "It seems that is a good thing to hear."
"She…was a monster, you say?" Jones asks. Xiao Pai confirms his query. "Why did a monster…?" the doctor trails off.
"Well, I suppose if I start asking questions now, I'll never stop," Jones stops himself. "And it won't do any good anyway. Let's wait for her to wake up, then see what she has to say."
"That sounds good, yeah," Lest chimes in.
"Have you told Lady Ventuswill about this?" Jones asks.
"Not yet," Lest answers.
"Could you go and tell her now?" Jones asks again. "We need to continue monitoring her, at least for a little while."
"Understood. We'll go right now. Let's go, Xiao Pai," Lest speaks.
After letting the girl rest at Jones and Nancy's hospital, Xiao Pai and Lest go over to Ventuswill to explain what had happened in the forest.
"Venti?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Oh, Lest, Xiao Pai. Is something the matter?" Ventuswill asks back.
"Uh, I don't know where to start, exactly…" Lest begins. "Xiao Pai was in Yokmir Forest just now."
"Yokmir Forest!?" the dragon shouts in surprise.
"W-Why are you having surprise already? It seems that's not the most surprising part, yes!?" Xiao Pai asks Ventuswill.
"O-Oh yeah, I suppose not…" Venti says.
"Anyways, I went to Yokmir Forest, and I was attacked by a butterfly monster there, yes?" Xiao Pai explains. "So I fought back, but when I defeated it, it seems it turned into what looks to be a human girl…"
"What!? Are you serious!?" Ventuswill shouts, once again surprised at Xiao Pai's explanation. This, in turn, surprises Lest and Xiao Pai back. "Tell me, where is she!?"
"W-Wait, Venti. Calm down! She's sleeping at the clinic," Lest tells the dragon.
"I-I see…" says Venti. "Then, could you be…?" she utters to herself. Xiao Pai barely catches Venti's words, and questions what she says, but the dragon dismisses her notice.
Xiao Pai is not fooled by Venti's dismissal, though, and further presses her. "Venti, it seems you know something, yes?"
"…I, er…" Ventuswill utters, not wanting to reveal what she knows. Out of options, though, she relents and explains the situation. "Well, fine. I was actually planning on having Lest go to Yokmir Forest. I sensed something dark from that area, so I was going to ask him to check it out once he had gotten used to his Prince duties."
"...Me? Why?" Lest asks.
"Well, it is actually best that I undergo such tasks myself, but… I fear I'm…" Ventuswill begins before trailing off. This catches Lest and Xiao Pai's attention, but neither of them speak up.
"Well, at any rate, Xiao Pai seems to have been able to pull off the task just fine," Ventuswill comments before turning to the girl she is talking about. "I understand you're not exactly the luckiest or most successful person in the world, but I do still see talent within you. I can see it… I can feel it."
"Talent…? What talent is there in a goof-up like me…?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Well… It doesn't matter. Even if it wasn't who I wanted to send, the task was still fulfilled. The end result was the same," says Ventuswill.
After Venti's remark, a silence fills the air for a few seconds before Lest breaks it. "Um, Venti. Are you sure you don't know anything about me?" This catches Ventuswill's interest. "To be honest, I'm worried. Without my memories… I have so many questions," Lest continues. "So, if you know anything - anything at all - please, tell me, okay?"
Ventuswill pauses for a moment before speaking again. "…Unfortunately, I really don't know anything about you." This worsens Lest's mood, though Xiao Pai tries to comfort him. After a moment, Ventuswill directs herself to the girl. "Actually, regarding the girl Xiao Pai saved, I do have a question for her."
"Hmm? It seems you want to ask me something, yes?" Xiao Pai says.
"Would… Would you happen to be an Earthmate, Xiao Pai?" asks Venti. "I believe the power of the Earthmates is responsible for what transpired."
"Earthmates? It seems I do not know what these Earthmates you speak of are, yes?" is Xiao Pai's response.
"It's a name given to people with a very rare talent," Ventuswill explains. "It's also the reason I thought Lest belonged to the royal family."
"I had no idea a power like that even existed… Do I really have this kind of power within me…?" Lest questions.
"I'm fairly certain you do, Lest. I've been asking for your help because of that gift of yours," Ventuswill reassures. "Though, Xiao Pai being able to fix the problem in the forest does raise some questions…"
Though unintentionally, Ventuswill's last remark hurts Xiao Pai and makes her feel guilty over what transpired. "...I …I didn't put myself where I shouldn't have, yes…?"
"What? Nonononono! You're fine, Xiao Pai! I'm just… curious about some things now," Venti says, trying to console the girl. "Actually, I think you could be of great help for Lest."
"R-really…?" Xiao Pai asks, still not completely uplifted. "What help could he gain from a failure like me, yes?"
"Don't worry, Xiao Pai. I can use all the help I can get," Lest reassures her. "Being attacked by a mysterious enemy force… and apparently bearing the power of an Earthmate… To be honest, it's all so surreal. Like I'm a stranger to myself. I'm sure you feel the same way as well, getting attacked by strange people in the form of monsters like that…"
This heals Xiao Pai a decent amount, but Ventuswill joins in on the conversation before she or Lest can get a word in. "I wish I could shed some light on the mystery, but there is one thing I can say with any certainty. That is… that you two are who you are. I haven't known you, Lest, for very long, and I've only just started to get close to Xiao Pai, but I already have a firm sense of what you two represent. Lest has managed to handle a good amount of requests and tasks as a model Prince, and Xiao Pai has shown her potential as a valuable ally to Selphia, even if she does not yet realize it. You two are kind people. I don't think you're even aware of the trust that you engender. Even amnesia and clumsiness can't change hearts as pure as yours."
"Venti…" Lest weakly says. Though he and Xiao Pai understand what she is trying to do, they still feel very concerned and down over recent events, which the wind dragon notices.
"I'm sorry. I'm… not good at this sort of thing. I wish I could word it all a little better," says Ventuswill.
"No, it's quite alright. Having no memories is a little scary… but your words have definitely made me feel a lot better. So thank you," Lest reassures her.
"Glad to hear it," Venti thanks, blushing a bit.
Lest rerails the conversation back on topic not long after, though. "So, about the girl…"
"She hasn't woken up yet, has she?" Ventuswill asks.
"No. It seems Jones told me she will have awakening fairly soon, though," Xiao Pai answers.
"Then I guess we'll just have to wait until she does," Ventuswill says.
"Yeah," Xiao Pai laments. "But, what will you do then?"
"Don't worry, Xiao Pai. I told you before, right? The people of this town are warm and caring," Ventuswill reassures. "They'll welcome her, no matter what."
Xiao Pai and Lest are both lost in thought at that moment.
"What's wrong? Are you still worried about something?" Ventuswill asks.
"No. I was just marvelling at your optimism." Lest answers, baffling the Wind Dragon.
"It's not optimism, it's faith! Pure, unwavering faith in the people of Selphia!" Venti shouts back.
"I can understand it, too. It seems the people of this town are completely trustworthy!" Xiao Pai adds. "I should know this, given how long I've lived here, yes?"
Hearing Xiao Pai's last comment appears to concern Lest, however. "You know, you're lucky that you can live with all these people, Xiao Pai. You're a lot more familiar with them than an outsider like me."
"What are you saying, Lest?" Ventuswill asks. "You're a member of our town, just like anyone else here." Lest pauses for a moment, worrying the dragon. "Unless… You don't want to be…?" she asks Lest.
"Wha…? No, no, of course I do!" Lest clarifies. "I just…might have to leave once my memory comes back…"
Xiao Pai decides to chime in to cheer the prince up. "Even then, you'll still be a member of this community. You're family with us now, yes?"
"Xiao Pai is right. Think of Selphia as your second hometown, and know that you're always welcome here," Ventuswill reassures.
"…Okay. Thanks, both of you," Lest says.
"I'm the one who should thank you for helping me," Venti reassures.
Noticing where the time has gone, Ventuswill dismisses her two visitors. "Anyway, you two must be awfully tired today. Get some good rest, okay?"
"Alright, Venti. Good night," Lest tells her. "By the way, Happy Birthday, Venti. Sorry I couldn't get you anything, but I hope you had a good day."
"Don't worry about it, Lest. You did just get here after all," Ventuswill says back.
"See you, Venti!" says Xiao Pai. With that, she, Ventuswill, and Lest part ways.
While Lest checks up on the castle farm for the remainder of the day before heading to bed, Xiao Pai does not return to the Bell Hotel immediately. After all, there is someone else she needs to speak to in order to answer her questions. Heading just past Bado's blacksmith, Xiao Pai returns to Suzuki's house.
"Ah, Xiao Pai! You're back! So, how did your expedition go?" Suzuki asks upon Xiao Pai opening his door.
"Suzuki… It seems I have… many questions for you, yes?" she responds.
"Oh? Did something happen while you were out? Is it about that girl that was admitted to the hospital?" Suzuki asks.
"Well, sort of. After finding her in the forest, Prince Lest and I went to speak with Ventuswill," Xiao Pai explains to him.
"And? Did she tell you something you didn't like?" Suzuki questions.
"Umm… Suzuki… Am I an Earthmate?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Wait, what? An Earthmate?" says a confused Suzuki. "H-How would you expect me to know something like that?"
"Well, it seems you know stuff about me that not even I know, yes?" Xiao Pai responds. "Forte told me it seems you have a particular interest in me."
"Well, uhhh… I guess I do… but even that's not something I could just ask about or look up in an archive. Most of what I know about you came from word of mouth, after all. Believe me, you're more well known than you think you are," Suzuki explains. Under his breath, he utters something barely audible. "...At least more well known than I am, that's for sure…"
"Hmm…? Did you say something?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Wha-? Oh, no, no. I was just thinking to myself about something," Suzuki responds.
"You were, yes?" Xiao Pai asks. Though not completely convinced of Suzuki's claim, she decides to set it aside for now.
"Actually, it seems I am curious how you even know about Earthmates to begin with, yes?" Xiao Pai questions Suzuki.
"How I know about them?" Suzuki asks back. "What makes you think me knowing about them is important?"
"It seems Lest might be an Earthmate as well, but he didn't know about them when he came here," Xiao Pai explains.
"I mean, he does have amnesia, right? He probably lost his knowledge of them alongside his other memories," Suzuki tells her.
"Maybe, but it seems I didn't know about them either, even though Ventuswill thinks I'm one myself, yes?" Xiao Pai points out.
Suzuki thinks for a moment, and then speaks up when he comes up with a response. "Then I guess the existence of these isn't something just everyone knows about off the back of their head," he explains. "In any case, I know about them because I did some research on them before coming to Selphia. Despite what I said earlier, I'm not the only person familiar with Earthmates in this land."
Despites his efforts, however, this does not clear Suzuki of suspicion in Xiao Pai's eyes. "Suzuki," she responds. "It seems you are hiding something."
"Aren't we all?" Suzuki dodges her accusation with. "I'll admit, there are some things I want to keep to myself for now, but I'm sure it's nothing as grave as you're claiming it is."
Realizing she is not going to get anything more out of the mystery man, Xiao Pai decides to drop the subject for now. "Okay, then. It seems you don't want to talk about what it is you are hiding."
With the day turned to nighttime, Suzuki decides to dismiss Xiao Pai until later. "Anyways, it's getting awfully late. Your mother's probably worried about you. You should probably head back home now. If you still have anything you need to tell me, you can get in touch with me tomorrow."
"Alright. See ya," Xiao Pai says. She leaves Suzuki's house to return to Bell Hotel. Though she tries to get some rest, Venti and Suzuki's words about Earthmates ring in her head throughout the night. Still, she tries to get rested up the best she can to check up on the monster girl. With the current day gone, Xiao Pai awaits the next day.
Spring 5, 1612
Xiao Pai gets up earlier than usual, 5:30 AM to be precise, to get the hotel set up in advance so that she could head out before work hours. While her signature klutziness does cause a few accidents here and there, she actually manages to get things sorted out without making too much of a mess this time around.
("It seems my resolve today is helping me not mess up like usual, yes?") she thinks to herself. Eventually, 9 AM comes, so with about an hour before the hotel opens, Xiao Pai heads over to the Tiny Bandage Clinic to check up on the monster girl from the forest.
Upon arrival, Xiao Pai sees Jones just outside the hospital clinic beds expecting her to arrive.
"Oh, Xiao Pai. The girl you brought here has woken up," he reports to her.
"Really?" Xiao Pai asks. She follows Jones to the beds and is greeted by Nancy and the green-haired girl from before, the latter in a cheerful and joyous mood.
"How are you feeling?" Xiao Pai asks the girl.
"I'm okay," she says in return.
"It seems I'm glad to hear it," Xiao Pai says. "I'm Xiao Pai. What is your name, yes?"
"My name is Amber," the green-haired girl responds. Amber gets a closer look at Xiao Pai, and starts to recognize her. "…Wait… Are you the one with the funny face? So… You're the one who saved me then…"
Feeling somewhat awkward, Xiao Pai decides to just play along. "Erm… I guess?" Internally, Xiao Pai wonders about Amber saying she has a "funny face".
"Wow. Well, thank you very much," Amber chimes in.
"You're… very welcome," Xiao Pai responds. "But why were you out there?"
"Hmm… I'm not really sure," Amber says. "Really. My name is just about the only thing I can remember."
("Wha-!? So it seems this girl also has amnesia like Prince Lest, yes?") Xiao Pai thinks.
"It's probably the shock of monster attacks that's caused her to lose some of her memories as well," Dr. Jones comments.
"Oh. I feel like I'm forgetting something really important, though," Amber says. "Hmm… Oh well. If I can't remember, there's nothing I can do about it, right? So no sense dwelling on it!"
"Th-that's true, I guess…" Xiao Pai says. "So, what are you going to do now, yes?"
"Now?" Amber responds. "Well…"
Before Amber can get another word in, though, a bombastic voice barges in from the entrance to the clinic. "There's no need to worry!" To everyone's surprise, a red-haired girl with pointed ears wearing a detective's garb came in and rushed over to Amber. "What's your name?" she asks the green-haired girl.
"It's Amber," she responds.
"A pleasure to meet you, Itsamber. And may I say, that's quite an unusual name you've got!"
"Um, no, Illuminata. It seems her name is just Amber, yes?" Xiao Pai corrects the detective.
"Oh, I see. Amber, huh?" Illuminata says. "Listen, Amber. Why don't you come stay with me?"
"Ummm… It seems that's kind of sudden, yes?" Xiao Pai responds, though Amber doesn't catch on and accepts Illuminata's offer.
"Okay, I will!" she says. To Xiao Pai's surprise, Amber sprouts a pair of pink and yellow butterfly wings in her enthusiasm.
"How could I leave an interesting girl like her all alone!?" Illuminata shouts. She directs her gaze at Amber. "You, my dear, may call me Lumie." Amber recites Illuminata's nickname excitedly.
"Good. Now, I'll show you the way home. Come, follow me!" Illuminata says.
"All righty!" Amber agrees. With that, the two head over to Illuminata's place.
Once the two leave the clinic, Nancy gets a word in. "I do love this town. It's so peaceful and friendly!"
"Um… Do you think they'll be okay together, yes?" Xiao Pai asks Nancy.
"If they're both fine with this arrangement, I don't see why not," Nancy replies. "Lumie is a fine, upstanding adult, after all."
Having Amber's situation resolved for now, Xiao Pai also departs from the clinic to get the Bell Hotel ready for the day.
A few hours pass by at the hotel. Despite the increase in tourism, the hotel seems oddly quiet for the first few hours. After a bit, though, Suzuki stops by for a bit and greets Xiao Pai.
"Hey, Xiao Pai. Everything going okay at work today?" Suzuki asks.
"Well… It seems I'm doing better today than I usually do, for as much as that matters," Xiao Pai responds.
"I mean, that's still an improvement over your other days, so I'd enjoy the moment if I were you," Suzuki replies, trying to cheer her up.
"Well, it seems you have a point," Xiao Pai responds. "There was a teacher from Alvarna who was interested in this town, but it seems I made a poor impression of the hotel to him."
"Alvarna, huh? I believe that's the place with the huge academy that was constructed some odd years back?" Suzuki asks.
Xiao Pai nods in agreement. "It seems you can view some of the other cities on this continent through the viewers across Selphia. There's a few just outside the hotel if you're interested, yes?"
"Alright, then. I'll be sure to catch a glimpse when I get a chance," Suzuki responds. "In any case, I've come here to use the baths. I believe customers get their first few uses for free?"
"Yes, yes," Xiao Pai responds. "You get your first five baths for free, and then it costs 300 the first time each day, yes?"
"Ah, I see. I'll keep that in mind whenever I come here," Suzuki says.
"Thank you. It seems I want you to enjoy your bath, yes?" Xiao Pai notes. Inside, she still wants to continue her discussion about Suzuki's secrets from yesterday, but realizes that now is not a good time to bring it up. With this in mind, she lets him go about his way for now.
While Suzuki and Xiao Pai are talking, Lest arrives from outside. Suzuki and Xiao Pai both turn around in his direction.
"Ah! You must be Prince Lest," Suzuki says.
Lest turns towards Suzuki's direction, curious about the person calling him.
"You getting used to this town?" Suzuki asks as he prepares to start his bath. "…Actually, I guess it is too soon right now, I think…"
"There's no hurry, Lest. Take your time and you will find your place," Xiao Pai chimes in.
"Thank you, Xiao Pai and…" Lest starts, before realizing he does not have the black-haired man's name. "Um, by the way, may I ask your name?"
"My name? But I'm sure this isn't the first time we've met, is it?" Suzuki says. "Don't you remember? I was just outside the clinic with the others?"
"Well, yes, but it is hard to remember a name I haven't been told yet," says Lest.
"Oh. Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Stuff like this happens all the time," Suzuki says. "I mean, I don't even get my name added to starting rosters…"
"No, sir. I told you, I didn't forget…" Lest says worriedly. "I was just so busy thinking about my own problems that I forgot to ask for a proper introduction. I don't think you've properly introduced yourself. Aren't you new here as well?"
"Oh, okay. Come to think of it, I do believe it was Xiao Pai who told me your name," Suzuki comments "Eh, like I said, this happens all the time, so don't worry about it."
"Uhhhhhh…" Lest utters, dumbfounded at the enigma in front of him.
"Well, anyways, please to make your acquaintance," says Suzuki.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Nice to meet you, too," Lest responds.
A moment of silence fills the air before Xiao Pai breaks it. "Um, Suzuki, it seems you never told him your name, yes?"
"Suzuki?" Lest asks.
"Ah! Dangit, Xiao Pai! You ruined my entertainment!" Suzuki barks out, his gag ruined. Xiao Pai, meanwhile, remains unimpressed as ever at the black haired gadabout with Lest just staring bewilderedly.
"Well… Anyways, like she said, my name is Suzuki. I just moved in here recently like you and Amber. My home is right next to Forte's."
"Well, um, nice to meet you, Suzuki," Lest says.
"I'm still somewhat busy with my own things at the moment, but if you need me for any tips and tricks, I'll see if I can lend a hand," Suzuki promotes.
"Alright, thanks for the offer," Lest replies. Suzuki heads into the men's bath shortly after.
"…What an odd fellow…" Lest comments with Suzuki out of earshot. Xiao Pai nods in agreement.
More time passes as customers come and go, and a number of thoughts cross Xiao Pai's mind. After some time, Lin Fa goes to speak with her daughter about what has been occurring over the past few days.
"Hm? It seems you want to talk to me, Mama?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Oh, yeah. I was wondering about what you've been up to since Lest came here," Lin Fa says. "I heard you found a girl in Yokmir Forest yesterday?"
"It seems you are referring to Amber?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Oh, is that her name?" Lin Fa asks. "Well, hopefully she feels at home in Selphia. I hear Illuminata took her up at the flower shop."
"Yeah. It seems Amber trusts her quite lots, yes?" Xiao Pai responds.
"That's good to hear," Lin Fa comments. "Is there anything else on your mind?"
"Actually, it seems I am having a question for you as well, Mama," Xiao Pai brings up.
"Oh? What is it, Xiao?" asks Lin Fa.
"Mama… Am I an Earthmate?" Xiao Pai asks.
"Uh… Earthmate?" Lin Fa wonders. "What are you talking about, Little Xiao?"
"It seems Ventuswill thinks I might be an Earthmate because I rescued Amber yesterday, yes?" Xiao Pai explains. "I tried talking about it with Suzuki, but he didn't give me much of an answer either, yes?"
"Uhhh… Suzuki?" Lin Fa questions.
"Oh, right. It seems you haven't had encountered him yet. It seems he is an unusual person who lives next to Forte, yes?" Xiao Pai explains.
"Oh, that guy," Lin Fa remarks, perhaps a bit too bluntly. "No, I haven't spoken to him directly yet, but I'm pretty sure he was here earlier today?" Xiao Pai nods.
"I'd… be wary around him if I were you. I hear that guy's pretty shady," Lin Fa warns. Of course, Xiao Pai is already more than aware of what an enigma, not to mention a gadabout, Suzuki is right now, so this isn't anything she wasn't expecting.
"In any case, I can't say I'm too familiar with what these so-called 'Earthmates' are, but I would maybe try asking around town to see if there is someone who does," Lin Fa suggests.
("Well, it seems Mama doesn't know about the Earthmates, either. It seems the truth is going to have to come out of either Suzuki or Venti's mouth, yes?") Xiao Pai monologues internally.
"Well, regardless of what you are, know that, in the end, you are still my daughter, and I will always treasure you for that." Lin Fa reassures. "Good night, Little Xiao."
"Thanks, Mama," Xiao Pai finishes. With that, she returns to her room to get rested for tomorrow.
Perhaps as more time goes by and she helps out in more missions, the various mysteries that have popped up in front of her will be resolved. With the day at an end, Xiao Pai drifts into slumber.
Meanwhile, in the break of night, screams of terror pierce the night skies, and shadows of a dark horse spread throughout the town. Lightning strikes as the ominous figure dashes across the area.