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The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage
Chapter 17: Treasure Hunting
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"Sachiko it's gonna be the princess!"
The five-year-old little girl raises her eyes at the exclamation, surprised to even hear her classmates making it. She had been sitting under the shadow of a tree, boringly watching as the others run and play around, while she can do nothing but stay put, and all because of the sling on her right arm.
The doctor said she could get rid of it in a few more weeks, but it's been three weeks, and besides changing the heavy plaster cast and thus having a little more of liberty in her movements, she is as helpless as she was then. Her mama doesn't even let her go to the bathroom alone, and it makes her sad because it's been only a small time since she could do it by herself. She was so excited too.
Her classmates don't play with her anymore, it's difficult since the teachers told them very clearly they had to let her rest so her arm can get better sooner, but it's been lonely for her. Almost no one stays with her the whole recess, and she can't paint with her fingers or run or play or climb trees; which is how she ended up like this: falling off a tree during a race to the top with her friends. She landed on her arm and afterwards it was only pain and hospitals and her mama crying.
Hiroshi, the boy who said that, approaches her and grabs her left hand, urging her to stand up and go with him. "Come on Sachiko, we need a princess!"
"Why is Sachiko the princess? I want to be the princess!" Rika, another classmate with short dark brown hair, complains. She's boisterous and is the only girl who passes so much time with the boys. She's also Sachiko's best friend.
Hiroshi shakes his head, dragging Sachiko who's following him reflexively. "Princesses have to be nice and quiet. Rika it's always trying to fight with us."
"That's true!" Kou, another boy from the same class, taunts the poor girl, who immediately hits him on the arm with her tiny fist. "Ouch! See? You can't be the princess" he says, kneading his injured arm. Rika huffs and crosses her arms, just at the same time that Sachiko arrives with Hiroshi.
"So, we're going to do it like this: Sachiko it's the princess, and she will be waiting right there" he points at the playground, to the swings, "Kou it's going to be the dragon guarding her, and Rika the mean witch who is envious of the pr-ouch!"
"I am not a witch!"
"Fine! The powerful wizard that controls the dragon!"
"I don't want to be controlled by Rika!"
"Too bad for you" the girl sticks out her tongue at him, causing Sachiko to laugh, a small hand over her mouth. Hiroshi continues explaining the game, and in no time all the children are in their positions. Sachiko sits on the swing and rocks a little with her feet, all the while watching the others mock fighting with sticks. She knows what the role of the princess is. It's not the first time she's playing the part. And it's not the first time she wants to stand up and fight too.
There was one time when she did that, exchanged roles with Rika and became the knight. Everybody complained and refused to keep playing, and Rika got angry with her for ruining the game, but mostly because everybody preferred her to be the princess. When she told her mama that, she simply said she should be happy everyone thinks of her as a princess. That it means they all think she's someone worth protecting. For Sachiko, it felt more like they didn't believe she could live up to the expectations of being a knight.
It was a shame; really, that the first and only time she tried to show others she wasn't some delicate princess was the time she broke her arm. Rika didn't even complain like she usually does about not being chosen as the princess again. Everyone seems to be taking extra care of her, and although it's nice, it's also frustrating.
"You have to learn to let others help you" it's what her mama told her when she complained.
Maybe she's the only one who cares. Nobody else seems to make such a big deal out of it. Maybe it's normal to let others pamper her and treat her like she's something delicate; something that has to be handled with care. She doesn't feel like she needs to be taken care of so much, but if everyone says so it must be true, right?
She kicks off the soil at her feet and rocks again, waiting for the game to be over. At least she's helping, even if she's not actively doing anything. She looks up again, watching Hiroshi battling with Rika, who's using a bunch of fallen leaves as some sort of magical attack. Kou is right behind her, flexing his arms and roaring. She smiles, standing up. She knows what she's supposed to do now.
"Oh, handsome knight, please help me!" she exclaims, trying to hold back her giggles. Hiroshi blushes and yells at her not to distract him, only to accidentally hit Rika with the stick with enough force to knock her to the ground. Rika doesn't take it very lightly and quickly jumps at him, forgetting about the game and throwing hits at him while the rest of the boys laugh at them.
The teacher doesn't take long to interrupt, separating Rika and Hiroshi and chiding Rika because 'that's not how a girl should behave'. She's surprised Sachiko it's with them, and she's briskly dragged away and told to stay within her sight. She mutters something about keeping an eye on her so as to avoid dangerous situations. She's not allowed to go out again for the rest of the day.
When everybody is starting to gather their things at the end of the day, Rika approaches her and roughly puts a candy on her open palm.
"Hiroshi likes you" it's what she says as Sachiko maneuvers to unwrap the candy with one hand. She freezes momentarily, watching Rika as she huffs and crosses her arms with a pout.
"What are you saying?" she asks with a small laugh and a tiny blush. Rika rolls her eyes with all the bratty impatience that can only come with a five-year-old.
"That's why he always wants you to be the princess. He wants you to give him a kiss for rescuing you" Sachiko looks to the side, where Hiroshi is talking with Kou and another boy. He doesn't look too interested in her, in her opinion.
She looks back towards Rika, and something clicks in her mind. "Do you like Hiroshi?"
The blush on the other girl's face it's enough of an answer. "As if. He's not even cute."
"If it makes you feel better, I think Kou likes you."
"Ugh, don't say something so disgusting!" Rika shudders as she wraps her arms around herself protectively. Sachiko only laughs, covering her mouth with her hand. Rika squints at this gesture. "It's because you behave like this that nobody wants to let you do anything."
Sachiko stops laughing, blinking in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"You're so dainty. Makes people want to protect you."
"Mama says I always have to cover my mouth when I laugh; and that people wanting to protect me it's a good thing" Sachiko defends with a frown. Rika shrugs.
"I don't know if you should do what your mama says. I heard my mama saying the other day that your mama it's not a good influence."
Sachiko's frown deepens. Her mouth twists in an angry gesture. "Why do you say that?"
"I didn't! It was my mama! And she said it's because your mama it's too young, or something like that…" she bites her lower lip, trying to remember. "That a child wouldn't know how to take proper care of another child, I think…"
"My mama it's not a child!" Sachiko complains loudly, attracting the attention of the other children. It's not the first time she has heard someone saying this. Usually it's other adults, whispering under their breaths about how young her mother is, about the age difference between her and her papa. Sachiko doesn't understand it. Her mama couldn't be her mama if she were a child. Even she knows how stupid that is.
"I'm sorry! Please don't get angry!" Rika says, raising her hands in a placating gesture. Sachiko pouts, looking away and feeling bad for yelling at Rika. Her mama would be angry at her. She always tells her to keep composure and be a nice girl even if the other person isn't nice with her.
For this reason, she sighs and turns back to Rika. "I'm sorry Rika. I didn't mean to yell at you."
Rika sighs with relief. "It's ok. I promise I won't talk about your mama again; friends?" she shows her pinky and waits. Sachiko laces her pinky with hers and smiles. "When are you taking off that thing?" she points at the sling. Sachiko looks at it before answering.
"The doctor said two weeks. Do you think I can be the knight when it's done? That way you won't have to fight with Hiroshi anymore."
"Sure, but I don't know if the teachers will let you" at this, Sachiko tilts her head in confusion.
"Why? It's only while I have this that they don't let me play with you."
Rika shakes her head, leaving Sachiko even more confused. She wants to ask, but in that moment they come for Rika, and she has to wave her friend goodbye.
She's left wondering the meaning of Rika's last expression.
Being a knight it's not as fun as I thought…
She pants, recovering her breath after the battle she has just fought. Kirche and Guiche rapidly run towards her, big grins plastered on their faces. Tabitha approaches at a slower pace.
"Good job Sachiko! Sorry we couldn't help you, it was a bit difficult with the ogres chasing after us" Guiche says happily. Kirche doesn't hesitate to hit him on the head. "Auch! What was that for?"
"It's your fault they started chasing us in the first place! Remember the plan? Lure them to a pit your mole dug and burn them? Why couldn't you just do that!" she exclaims angrily. Guiche snorts.
"As if they would just fall into the pit. The one who makes the first move wins!" he proclaims haughtily. Kirche rolls her eyes.
"It's your familiar, have a little more faith. Ah, just look at this mess!" she gestures towards the ogres' littered bodies. They are mangled and bloodied, and some even have their extremities cut off. Sachiko huffs.
"It's not like I could do much, they just wouldn't stop moving…" she cleans Derflinger with some tall grass near her, and sheathes it before looking at what she has done. She grimaces, remembering their screams and the sensation of the blade slicing through their flesh. Even if they were monsters, they were still living beings. She has never killed before, and she hopes she doesn't have to do it regularly. It made her stomach shrink in disgust.
I wonder what Hiroshi and Rika would have felt killing these monsters if they were in my place.
"Well, with that done, I guess we can finally claim our treasure, right?" Guiche asks enthusiastically. Kirche sighs, deciding it best to ignore his attitude for the time being, and takes out one of her many maps.
"It says here the treasure it's inside the temple" she points to the dilapidated building in which the ogres had been living. Its façade reminds Sachiko of a church, but its architecture is slightly different. "Beneath an altar there's a hidden chest, and within it… the gold and silver left by the priest!" she folds the map happily, walking towards the temple. The rest follow her, but Sachiko decides to stay. She feels strangely exhausted.
She sits down on the ground and sighs, looking up towards the sky and the white and puffy clouds. Today it's the tenth day since they left the academy, and the seventh place they visited in their hunting. Even though they are together in this, she can't help but feel like she's the only one doing something. Sure, Tabitha and Kirche are really good at magic; and powerful too, but their energy drains way too fast, so they can only fight for a short amount of time before having to resort to dot spells that aren't really effective unless they use them in great quantities. And she's not even going to start thinking about Guiche…
Really, using his Valkyries against a roaring pack of ogres? Those things are made of metal, sure, but still, their power isn't much, and they were easily dispatched off by the monsters before they rampaged against the three noble kids.
"It's a good thing I was at the other side…" she whispers, turning her head when she sees a figure approaching her to her left. It's Flame, Kirche's salamander. Sachiko smiles softly and pats him on the head. "And you too. Thank you for helping me out there. Lately, it seems you're the only one who does it" she sighs, before letting her body lay on the floor. She closes her eyes, trying to relax, but that soon turns out to be impossible.
Thoughts about Louis keep assaulting her mind. She wonders if he's worried about her for leaving the academy so suddenly, or if he's still mad at her for what happened with Shiro the other day. Most probably the latter she thinks grimly.
She… misses him. She's surprised at this, since just a few days ago she wasn't even sure what she actually felt about him, but being away from him for so long has made her realize she misses his presence, the little things that came with their cohabitation. Despite his character, he is clean and polite and it's easy to forget he's even there, since he leaves her enough space for herself, but without making her feel alone. Almost like a cat, even though he's likely the one who thinks of her as a pet.
A sudden yell makes her open her eyes immediately. She sits up, just to see Kirche running towards her with a rather dusty collar in her hands. Once she's in front of her, she thrusts it into her face.
"Guess what we found in the chest" she says bitterly. Sachiko winces. Another fake…
"It's so unfair! Killing monsters it's not an easy job, and the only reward we get are these rusty trinkets! Really, why are we even trying anymore?" Guiche's sitting on a stump, his familiar at his side, gesturing angrily with his hands. Kirche rolls her eyes.
"It's not like you do much."
"I told you your maps were all a fake! Look where we are now, seven places and still not finding anything!"
"And I told you there may be a real one among them. We just have to keep trying" she responds, also in the same tone. Sachiko's lying a few feet away from them, her eyes closed. Certainly, even if she hates to admit it, she has to agree with Guiche. They put so much effort into defeating beast after beast, for what? Just to find nothing but dirt or useless trash at the end. She's growing tired of it.
Pursing her lips, she turns her head in the direction where she knows Shiro is. Sure enough, she can see him working with his hands with what looks to be today's dinner. Casting a last glance towards the other three, and making sure Guiche and Kirche are still arguing, and Tabitha is as indifferently reading as always, she stands up and makes her way towards him.
She probably shouldn't be doing this. They had been making good work of not touching the subject that seems to hang above their heads like a sword from a thin thread. She's still not sure how they had gone ten days without clarifying things between them, but she's grateful, because she can't still make sense of this feeling in her gut that tells her to wait because if she rushes into a relationship with Shiro, she might regret it.
This doesn't mean she doesn't like Shiro, because she does, and quite badly. Her feelings might not be love per se, but she thinks they're strong enough to pursue a relationship. Heck, she has seen a lot of her female classmates going out with boys feeling less. So why is she so reluctant? She's pretty sure Shiro likes her, but maybe that's the problem in the first place.
No one has ever liked her, not really. She doesn't know how to behave when it comes to this. She ruined it with Hiroshi, despite knowing a puppy crush in kindergarten isn't enough of a foundation to base her future relationships. She's scared she's going to ruin it with Shiro. But maybe she should give herself more credit. She's seventeen already, and to this point she feels she has made quite a good job at keeping Shiro's interest in her brimming.
But even with this explanation, she can still feel the discomfort rolling in her gut, painting its walls with slow and deliberate strokes. Shaking her head, she puts the disconcerting thoughts aside and promptly arrives at Shiro's side.
"What are you doing?" she asks lightly, smiling. Shiro raises an eyebrow at her, looking at her as if she's stupid, and she gulps. Ok, maybe another reason they have yet to talk it's because every time he tries to bring up the subject when they're alone, she runs away or conveniently has to speak with someone else or fetch something or… well.
"I'm cooking dinner" he gives the obvious answer before turning back to what he's doing. Sachiko can see him skinning a few rabbits, and she has to press her lips to keep the nausea from going up her throat. She bites one of her lips and sits down next to him.
"I meant, what are you preparing?"
"Yosenabe" he says without missing a beat and without caring to explain what exactly it is. If not because Sachiko already knows the dish, she would be offended. As it is, she can only look at the ground, once again confirming in her mind that Shiro is indeed a descendant of someone from her world, and not any someone, but someone from her own country.
She ponders her next question before opening her mouth. "I see. Is it a traditional dish from your village?"
"It is."
"Did you learn it from your great-grandfather?"
"My grandfather, actually, but he learned it from his father" he frowns, suddenly realizing something. "How do you know all that?"
"Oh, well… it's not a pretty common name for a dish, don't you think?" she says, shrugging, trying to act noncommittal. Shiro stares at her for a few seconds more, pursing his lips, before finally returning to the rabbits.
"I guess you're right. It's pretty obvious even if I don't say anything, right?"
"Mmm…" she twirls her thumbs, trying not to give herself away. She doesn't know if she should tell Shiro what she suspects. She could just omit the part of her coming from a different world, but she thinks he deserves to know at least that his great-grandfather was indeed from a land very, very far away. Deciding that she can at least share that part with him, she opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, he interrupts.
"Miss Sachiko" she tenses, knowing that tone of voice. He wants to talk about the kiss. Swallowing, she gives herself courage, deciding she won't run away anymore. She turns to look at him, finding that he's already staring at her, his eyes deep and serious.
"W-What is it?" she can't help but stutter. Shiro's right eyebrow twitches, and he huffs, shaking his head.
"Nothing, I'm about to finish with the rabbits, so I was wondering if you could help me making a fire, so I could start cooking the vegetables."
Sachiko's eyebrows rose in surprise. What was that? Did he not want to discuss the kiss with her anymore? She feels a sudden stab in her heart, but she quickly chides herself, telling it's what she deserves for avoiding the subject for so long. He's probably already tired of her. Biting her lips, she looks at a recipient a little farther away, where she can see a variety of vegetables and roots, already washed, waiting.
She nods as she stands up. "Ok… um, I actually don't know how to make a fire" she confesses with embarrassment. Shiro raises an eyebrow but thankfully doesn't say anything, instead sighing.
"Ok" it's all he says, making her feel incredibly useless.
"I can ask Kirche if you want. She's a fire mage, I bet she can do it in an instant" she turns her body in the direction she left the other three, but Shiro shakes his head again.
"Leave it. I rather not ask a noble to do my work for me. Besides, a natural fire it's best for this kind of thing. If I know anything about fire mages, she will make it too strong" he explains, leaving Sachiko once again with nothing. She kneels next to him again, because she doesn't feel she should argue with him about Kirche, and takes to stare at him.
He's good with his hands. Fast. Efficient. These past days, they had been eating like royalty. She would have never guessed a man could cook the way Shiro cooks. Her father burns the water, her uncle's abilities extended to reheating last night's dinner in the microwave, and the one time she saw Hiroshi trying to cook something for Rika, it was nothing but plain turkey sandwiches. The only thing he did was wash the lettuce and cut the tomatoes. Even she can do that.
But Shiro it's at a complete different level. She wonders if he learned in the academy or by necessity. Especially this thing with the rabbits. It's not the first time he hunts something on his own, using a simple trap to capture small animals or birds.
"Is this something you learned in your time in the military?" she can't help but ask. Shiro stops what he's doing, turning to look at her with an indecipherable expression. She feels flustered under his intense stare. "I mean, you know what roots and plants are edible just by looking at them, and you can set up traps and…" she gestures at his hands, implying how he can so easily skin and dispose the rabbits. Shiro looks at his hands again, before turning back to her.
"No… I learned all of this back in my village. We have to know these kinds of things because it's what we live from, we don't have other people to do the job for us" he says, referring to the nobles in the academy. Sachiko nods, feeling like she has offended him somehow, but he continues before she can apologize. "Everyone knows how to cook in my family. My grandfather taught me most of what I know. To be honest, I'm not as good as him yet" he says in an embarrassed tone, laughing lightly. Sachiko is intrigued. If Shiro's grandfather is better in the kitchen than him, she wants to meet him. Now.
"That's nice. My mother wanted to teach me how to cook once, but I gave up after failing the first time. She insisted that I learned, but I never paid much attention to that" she says, recalling the past. Although she wanted her tone to be light, even to her ears the melancholy it's pretty obvious in her words. There are many things she should have done. She will make sure to make all of them when she goes back to her world.
"That's not a good attitude. Failing is normal the first times if you don't know how to do something" Sachiko nods, not able to do anything else. Shiro bites his lip, affected by her gloomy visage. "If you want, I can teach you how to cook."
At this, Sachiko immediately perks up. "Oh, you don't need to…"
"It wouldn't be a problem for me, just as long as you promise to give it a try" his tone is teasing, making her blush. Sachiko nods enthusiastically.
"Ok! I promise!" with the air around them light once again, Shiro finally goes back to the rabbit that's taking him more time than usual to skin, while Sachiko looks at him, a few questions popping up in her mind after their little talk. She wonders if it would be alright to ask him, before shrugging. He looks in a good mood now, and besides, I'm curious. She decides to ask him. "Why did you leave the military?"
He tenses. It's almost imperceptible, just a small twitch in his shoulders and barely anything else, with his face and eyes remaining deceptively carefree. He hums, his eyes staying on the rabbit, his hands quickly and expertly making work of the skin and tendons. Sachiko isn't so sure about her question anymore, but it's too late to take it back.
"It's not like I wanted to be part of it in the first place. Besides, the academy pays its employees fairly well, without the constant pressure of fearing the next time you'll be deployed for battle."
Sachiko bites her lips, seeing as he tears off the meat of the rabbits from the bones, leaving the former in a recipient and the latter on the ground, next to the rock he's using as table. This is not an answer to her question. He's just diverting her attention, but she doesn't know if it would be polite to insist. Luckily for her, Shiro stops what he's doing and sighs, leaning with his hands a little forward, his bangs covering his eyes. Sachiko waits with bated breath.
"It simply wasn't my cup of tea, if you want an honest answer" he shakes his head, turning his face just slightly so his eyes can connect with Sachiko's. The way he looks at her from the corner of his eyes, with his hair falling just so over them, makes Sachiko's heart thump with force in her chest. Why does he have to look so attractive?
"If you didn't like it, then why work in it in the first place?" she manages to say after giving herself a few seconds to admire his beautiful countenance. Shiro shrugs, looking back at the rabbits but not moving his hands.
"It was seven years ago, Tristain was once again suffering from internal political struggles, nobles against nobles, the crown deciding not to interfere, just the usual stuff" Sachiko nods, even though she has no idea what he's referring about with the usual stuff. "The region of Tarbes was part of the conflict; and according to the seventy-sixth regulation of internal warfare, at least one male member of each family had to enroll in the fronts. My grandfather was too old, and my father had to be there for all of my younger siblings, so it was up to me, as the eldest, to take responsibility."
"Oh" she thinks for a little bit, a small frown between her brows as she makes counts in her head. "Wait, if it was seven years ago… how old were you?"
"I had just turned fifteen a few days before that."
Her mouth falls open. "T-That's…! You were just a child!" she exclaims, stunned. Shiro only frowns at her tone and surprise.
"Thirteen it's the minimal age required to join the military forces, for both commoners and nobles. At fifteen, I had enough age for society to expect me to make my own decisions and stick to them."
"Still…"
"How old does one have to be in your country to be considered an adult?" he asks with real curiosity, remembering Sachiko comes from a very different culture from his own.
"You need to be twenty to do the majority of things."
"Um" he considers this for a second, before shrugging. "I guess it's the same here in Halkeginia. The line between what makes a child and an adult it's not very clear, so it depends on every individual's perception. Generally speaking though, fifteen it's enough age for anyone to be considered old enough for the 'majority of things', as you said."
"I see" she bites her lips, realizing he diverted her attention from the topic again. "How did you reach the rank of Lieutenant?"
He makes a face. Sachiko is surprised he looks so unwilling to tell her this about him, since he's always so open with her. She would drop the subject, but it's already too late for that. She's curious, and if he doesn't ask her to stop questioning him, she won't. After a few more seconds, he sighs, getting back to work.
"It… was a little more complicated than just a clash of interests, in the end. Turns out one of the nobles was allied with Germanian forces. Long story short, what appeared to be nothing but a normal scuffle between nobles turned out to be much bigger than what any of us thought in the beginning. I somehow ended in the same team as this idiot who was desperate to get the attention from the king and…" he sighs. "He got his attention, but not before dragging me in as well. We both got higher ranks and the chance to meet King Henry" he snorts. "For what the experience was worth, I guess."
"King Henry?"
"He's Princess Henrietta's father… was Princess Henrietta's father."
"Ah" she looks at Shiro with big, curious eyes. Despite not elaborating in anything, the story sounds like an exciting one. She wants him to tell her about it in detail, but she has a feeling he kept things simple in purpose because he doesn't want to dwell on it more than he has to. While she's debating whether she should push his comfort zone a little more to sate her own curiosity, she hears Kirche calling her. Giving a frustrated sigh, she looks at Shiro apologetically.
"Go, I'm going to start cooking now, that won't take much longer" he finally discards the last rabbit's carcass and stands up. Sachiko pouts, seeing that he looks kinda relieved he doesn't have to keep telling her about his days in the military. She curses in her mind and stands up to go towards Kirche. She's kneeling on the ground, looking at a map and lightly biting her bottom lip in thought. Guiche looks bored at what she's doing, a leg crossed over the other. It looks like they finally stopped fighting.
"What is it?" she asks, sitting next to Guiche.
"Although I'm happy to promote young love whenever there's a chance, right now there's something important we need to discuss, so can you try keeping the flirting down for a little while?"
Sachiko blushes, both from embarrassment and anger.
"I wasn't flirting!"
"Yeah, yeah, my point is, while we're all here, why don't we decide the next place we should go?"
Guiche gives an exasperated sigh. "Again? We've gotten nothing until now, why don't we just get back to the academy? I'm getting tired of all this" he says, scowling. Sachiko nods.
"I hate to say this, but Guiche's right. We should probably just give up." Kirche looks at them with a frown and stands up, hands on her hips.
"Really? You're giving up? Come on, I told you we might find something real if we just keep-"
"Kirche, we're tired, and besides, I'm sure the more we lose our time here, the worst our punishment will be when we get back to the academy. Just… let's drop this, ok?" Guiche says; his voice more weary now. Upon hearing him talk like that, she sighs and sits down again.
"I understand what you're saying. Alright, let's go back, but after just this one more map, ok? The last time's the charm."
"Wasn't it the third?"
"Whatever, so, are you in?" she asks, holding up the map. Guiche and Sachiko exchange indecisive glances, before the latter sighs in resignation.
"Alright, but this is the last, right?"
"Yes, I promise" she extends the map on the ground, and reads it with narrowed eyes. "This one looks interesting. The next treasure is supposedly in a little town called Tarbes. It is called 'The Dragon's Ra-"
"The Dragon's Raiment?" Sachiko interrupts her, much to everyone's surprise.
Kirche stares at her dumbfounded. "Do you know about it?"
"Well…" she looks sheepishly in Shiro's direction. "Shiro is from Tarbes. He… told me once about this 'Dragon's Raiment'" she confesses. Guiche blinks, looking at the man too, who is preparing a fire to start cooking dinner, while Kirche has a big smile on her face.
"Then that means this map it's not a hoax! Alright, we're going to Tarbes first thing tomorrow!" she says enthusiastically.
"Would it be a good idea? I mean" Guiche leans back, his hands resting on the edges of the stump behind him; "don't you want to consult with that servant first? It's a treasure from his hometown. He surely has information about it, and if it's worth going all the way there to retrieve it or not."
"I actually would like to go to Tarbes" Sachiko says, scratching the back of her neck. "How do I say it? I've been interested in this Dragon's Raiment ever since Shiro told me about it" ever since Colbert told her about it, but they don't need to know that. "I'll talk with Shiro after dinner, or maybe during. He could at least agree to show it to us; after all, it belonged to his great-grandfather."
"If it's a family heirloom our chances of taking it home with us are a lot lower" Kirche comments, her mood souring; "in that case, let's go see something else, and you can ask your boyfriend to show it to you later. Let's not waste our last try with something we cannot keep."
"I want to go" Sachiko says a little more firmly. Sure, she was hoping to go with Colbert, since he's the one with the information, besides, his presence would be reassuring, but if she has the chance to do it she won't pass it up. She's lost enough time as it is, and getting treasure wasn't her primary motivation when coming to this journey, anyway.
Kirche huffs, clearly unhappy, but says nothing when Sachiko doesn't back off. "Fine, to Tarbes it is. Tell your boyfriend we'll be visiting his hometown, I'm sure he'll like to know that."
"He's not my boyfriend…"
"And whose fault that is?" Sachiko purses her lips, unable to come up with a retort. She decides to keep quiet and wait for dinner to be ready, while her mind runs itself ragged with Kirche's words. She will do something about it, and she will also find the source of her discomfort.
"So basically your great-grandfather was crazy, right?"
Sachiko winces at the bluntness of Kirche's question. They're on their way to Tarbes, atop Sylphid. Las night, when Sachiko commented the next place they were going treasure hunting was Tarbes, Shiro had been really surprised. She thought for a moment he might get offended his great-grandfather's treasure was being promoted in a map for adventurers to try and get, but he had been simply curious, if not a little astounded there were people outside his village that knew of it.
Kirche and Guiche asked a few questions, and Shiro roughly described the form and size of the dragon's raiment, and its purpose. Needless to say, if they had not been excited about going to Tarbes before, they were even less after what Shiro told them. Regardless, the journey was still for Sachiko's benefit, and she wanted to go, so go they did.
It was just half an hour after mounting Sylphid that Kirche, displaying an amount of curiosity that could rival Sachiko's, asked for more details about Shiro's great-grandfather and how he ever came to possess this thing they were going to see. Cue the question above.
"Kirche, don't be so rude" Sachiko chides the redhead, turning to look at her with a pointed gaze. The other girl shrugs, showing with this gesture that she doesn't understand what the big deal is.
"I am not being rude. I am just curious. How come he can say he comes from a different world? If the man wanted to lie about where he came from, he could have chosen a million different, more feasible options, that's all I'm saying."
"Kirche…"
"It's alright Sachiko, is difficult not to think like that when you listen to this kind of thing. But regardless of what he claimed, he was a really good man, loved by everyone. A few lapses in rationality didn't take that away from him."
Sachiko presses her lips in a thin line, surprised Shiro seems so nonchalant about it. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago he got angry at her for playfully saying her grandfather was weird? And here was Kirche outright being rude and he didn't seem to care. Why the difference? She thinks with a frown, looking at the two of them interact. Is it because Kirche is more beautiful? A jab of jealousy stabs her in the chest, along with insecurity. She glances down to her lap, wriggling her thumbs.
"I can already see the village!" Guiche exclaims, leaning forward and pointing with his finger to the distance. Sachiko raises her eyes and moves her head to the side so she can see it too.
From the distance, Tarbes doesn't look very big or splendorous. Sachiko has never been in a small town, always travelling to big cities, but she can tell the name village might be a little underrated for what she sees. There's a central street that divides the whole town, starting from the entrance and finishing in a round plaza that gives way to a church. Around this plaza, many small businesses with their awnings mark what looks like a miniature market.
On the sides, many lateral, smaller streets part, with houses with roofs of soft red. A few other buildings stand up because of their special markings. She thinks she can see a clinic and even a school a little farther away from midtown. Outside the town, there are more houses, along with their respective barns, further separated from each other and fields of wheat and barley. All in all, Sachiko thinks Tarbes has a certain charm she wouldn't mind to enjoy more thoroughly.
"So cute!" Kirche exclaims, leaning her weight on top of Sachiko, making her yelp at the sudden pressure on her back. "Small town with a very light touch of urbanization, but once you get past that it looks kinda boring. No wonder you left it in the first place" she grins at Shiro, who simply shrugs, once again giving Sachiko that sense of inadequacy.
The moment they land, the townspeople are justifiable scared, but that changes to shock when they see Shiro descend from the dragon and presenting his companions as nobles from the academy. Sachiko is lost for a moment, watching him interact with the villagers and exchanging greetings. It's nice seeing him in a more familial ambiance, without the presence of students or the pressure of work on his shoulders.
Despite the villagers' excitement at having noble guests in their village, Shiro manages to give a quick explanation and directly guides them out of town, towards a small shed in the outskirts, relatively close to his own house, he explains. Sachiko gulps, knowing the time has come to confirm her suspicions. When Shiro opens the doors to the shed, she lets him and the other three enter first, before taking a big breath and following inside.
She knew what was coming, but nothing could have prepared her for what she found on the other side.
"What is this thing?" Kirche steps closer, examining the weird machinery with curious eyes. Guiche follows her, putting a hand on the carcass.
"It is made of metal. I don't know which one exactly, probably an alloy, considering I can detect different substances, but I can't be sure. This thing's really weird…" he says, furrowing his brow in thought.
Meanwhile, Sachiko is simply staring at the object with wide eyes, her heart beating so fast she can hear it in her ears. She slowly approaches the Dragon's Raiment… the airplane, and delicately puts a hand on it. The runes in her left hand glow; accompanied by the swelling of her chest and throat, and she closes her eyes, feeling how information floods her mind. She can't even think of how strange of a sensation it is. She's feeling too much at the moment. "A Zero Fighter" she murmurs. Everyone around her perk their ears at the sound of her voice. "An aircraft used in my country in the past…" tears fall from her eyes, but she doesn't even realize it. Shiro puts a hand on her shoulder, and she immediately snaps back to reality. She turns to him.
"Miss Sachiko, why are you crying? If I did something to bother you, just t-"
"No" she says briskly, shaking her head. "Not at all, just… you see…" she dries her eyes, suddenly feeling silly for letting her emotions show so easily, "I feel so nostalgic. This is an airplane" she gestures with her hand at said object. Shiro looks at it immediately, and Sachiko addresses the rest of the people on the shed. "It's used in my country to travel to faraway places. Your great-grandfather, he… he came from the same country as me" she explains, making Shiro's eyes open like saucers. Even Tabitha looks slightly surprised.
Guiche raises an eyebrow and speaks as soon as she finishes talking. "Heh, see? He wasn't from a different world after all" he clicks his tongue and looks back to the airplane. "So this thing really flies? How? It's so heavy, and the wings can't even move" he frowns; "for me it looks more like some sort of canoe" he declares, folding his arms. It's obvious he doesn't believe Sachiko one bit.
Sachiko pays him no mind, and instead, looks at Shiro with a determined face. "Did your great-grandfather leave anything else?" she asks, serious.
"Well…" the boy thinks for a moment "a few of his belongings, and his grave, but nothing too important."
"Can you show them to me?" she asks politely. Shiro nods, and guides her to the graveyard, leaving Guiche, Kirche and Tabitha behind to deal with the curious villagers. Among pure white tombstones a single black stands up even from afar. Sachiko kneels in front of it, and is surprised to see the inscription it's written in her native tongue.
"My great-grandfather made this tombstone himself. He wrote it in his country's language, so nobody has been able to read it. Perhaps… I mean; maybe you could…"
"It says: 'Navy ensign Sasaki Takeo; rests in another world'" she reads out loud. Shiro blinks.
"You… so my great-grandfather really…" he's shocked, as if he is just now believing what Sachiko told him before. He looks at her again, piecing the pieces of the puzzle, and Sachiko can see the question in his eyes without him saying it out loud: Was my grandfather really from Rub' al Khali, just like you? She stands up, heaving a deep sigh.
"You know, you always gave me this feeling… this nostalgic feeling, and I can see now why. Your hair, your features… are like your grandfather's, right?" she looks at him feverishly, making him blush.
"Y-yes" he gazes away "people always tell me I have his look…"
Sachiko nods. She can't believe she hasn't seen it before. Shiro. That's a Japanese name. Sasaki Shiro. She suddenly feels like crying, so many emotions running through her, but she doesn't let them take control of her. She closes her eyes, trying to calm herself, and then turns to Shiro.
"I still want to see what else he left, if you don't mind" she whispers with a controlled smile.
Despite arriving very early in the morning, they decided to rest and spend the night in the village. Shiro's family received them warmly in their house, preparing especial rooms for the nobles. Because it was rare for mages to visit their village, a lot of people congregated outside the house, and even the town chief came to greet them. Shiro presented Sachiko to his family, and all of them seemed to like her a lot, for which she was glad.
She steps outside once dinner it's over. She needs fresh air after being trapped for so long in that house full of people. Shiro is the eldest from eight siblings, and along with his parents, that makes them a family of ten, all living in the same house, now housing four more people. Sachiko had never seen a family so big.
She inhales deeply, looking up at the sky. The moons are shining brightly again, illuminating the tall grass and trees around her, giving her surroundings an ethereal silver glow. She feels melancholic, the events of the day weighting down on her. From the moment they stepped inside the shed housing the Zero Fighter, to the dinner, where she was able to see Shiro interact with his family, play with his siblings, see them act like they belonged together, like nothing could ever separate them…
She bites her lips, blinking hard. She cannot help but think about her home, about her parents. Almost two months have passed since she arrived in this world, but she can't be sure how much it has been in her own. Time seems to pass slower here, or at least it seemed to, before she got used to the rhythm of this place. What are they doing right now? Are they thinking of her? The thought of making them worry so much makes her stomach fell all knotted.
She wants to go home, and it surprises her the intensity of the feeling in this moment. It's not the first time she has this thought. She has been drilling Louis to find a way back practically since she arrived here, but at times it feels more like routine, like knowing what she has to feel and want and so does it automatically. But this feeling, in this moment, has nothing to do with that. It's stronger, and she can't help it.
She misses her parents, she misses her school, and she even misses her part time job's intolerable boss. The city at night, its tall buildings made of crystal, reflecting the sun's rays, the crowd of people during rush hour in the train…
Almost unconsciously, tears stream down her cheeks. She sobs, feebly at first, gaining intensity the more she thinks about her home. And it hurts. It hurts so much knowing she can't be with her parents; that they must be worried sick about her and she can't do anything about it. It hurts waking up every day just to realize she's still trapped in this weird world. It hurts to know she hasn't eat her mother's food for almost two months, and that she probably won't for who knows how much longer.
She cries; her knees bucking until her shins rest on the ground, her face covered with her hands. She isn't sobbing loudly; she's trying really hard to contain herself and this sudden burst of melancholia that assaulted her. When she feels a hand resting on her left shoulder, she jumps and looks up immediately; only to see Shiro's concerned expression right next to her. She tries to hide her face, but Shiro stops her, and kneels to be at her eye level.
"Miss Sachiko, what's wrong?" he asks, lifting her chin with his fingers so she would look at him. She does it reluctantly, and blinks, the tears preventing her from seeing his face clearly. She clears her throat and gazes away bashfully.
"Nothing" she responds in a whisper. Shiro furrows his brow, knowing it isn't 'nothing', but before he can utter a word, she continues. "I was just thinking about my family back home… about how much I miss them…" she tightly closes her eyes, really hating how weak she is at that moment. She can't even think about them without crying, how pathetic…
"That's right, you haven't seen them in a long time" Shiro bites his lip thoughtfully, before taking out a little notebook from his pocket. Sachiko eyes the object curiously, still sniffling lightly. "I… wouldn't know what to do if I were in your situation. Not being able to see my family is…" he shakes his head, trying to ignore the thought. "But please don't be sad. I'm sure you'll see them again, after all, if there's a way to get here there's also a way back" he smiles softly. Sachiko sighs.
"You really think so? I was summoned here, after all, so the way back…"
"But my great-grandfather was from the same country as you, right? And he came here without being summoned, simply with his… 'airplane'" he says, opening the notebook in a determined page. Sachiko looks at him, interested, and he points to some words written in that strange language she can't read. "My grandfather didn't have a diary or journal, but he left a will. In it he says that whoever can read the inscription in his tombstone can keep the Dragon's Raiment."
"So…" Sachiko says slowly, her eyes widening. Shiro nods, a smile plastered on his face.
"So that means the airplane is yours. If we can find a way to make it fly again, then you'll be able to go back home" he says excitedly. Sachiko blinks.
"It's mine… the Dragon's Raiment…" it's almost too good to be true. Ideas about how to make it functional again start attacking her mind. She can know everything about the airplane with just a touch; she would be able to repair it if it's broken. She smiles, and in a rapid and unexpected motion, wraps her arms around Shiro's neck, hugging him with all her enthusiasm.
"Thank you, thank you so much!" she exclaims, giggling all the while. Shiro is taken aback by the sudden action, but rapidly envelopes her in a hug as well, happy to see her happy.
They remain that way for a good five minutes before they finally decide to let go. Sachiko is still smiling, excited to know there is a way she can go back home. If Shiro's great-grandfather came from the east, she will go to the east. Perhaps there is something there that would give a clue as to how he even got to this world.
"Then, Miss Sachiko-"
"Shiro, please, just call me Sachiko" she pleads, her eyes shining brightly. Shiro chuckles.
"Alright, then Sachiko, once we can make the Dragon's Raiment fly again, I was wondering…" he looks to the ground, seemingly bashful to ask what he wants to know. Sachiko eyes him expectantly, and with a sigh, he continues. "I was wondering if I could go with you. I mean, I'll… like to know the place where you and my great-grandfather were born" he looks at her timidly, making Sachiko freeze.
The place they were born? That's… a bit difficult. Firstly, because he thinks she is from Rub' al Khali when in reality her country is much, much faraway… and second because… she can't simply take him to another world, can she? That doesn't even sound plausible.
"Sachiko?" Shiro's voice wake her up from her thoughts, and she blinks, seemingly surprised. The young man is staring at her curiously. Sachiko gulps, gazing away. What should she tell him? The truth? Or should she invent something? She can't think of any believable lie to justify the fact that he can't accompany her in her trek to the east, at least not at the moment. She bits her lower lip, her mind racing, and when Shiro calls her name for a second time, she's decided. She will tell him the truth. After all, she can trust him… right?
Of course I can trust him! The problem is: will he believe me? She sighs. Well, it's not like he has never heard someone claiming to be from a different world. Maybe it will even make him happy to know his great-grandfather was telling the truth. With a determined expression, she looks at him.
"I… told you I was from Rub' al Khali, remember?" she starts, fidgeting slightly. Shiro nods, prompting her to continue. "Well, that's not true, actually, it's just a lie Louis said so nobody would… I don't know, think we were crazy or something" she shrugs. Shiro furrows his brow, confused.
"You mean you're not from Rub' al Khali? Then my great-grandfather…"
"Here is when it becomes strange, but before I tell you, you have to know that everything I'm saying is the truth. I know it sounds like a lie or that I'm messing with you, but I'm not. I wouldn't joke about something like this. Besides, you should know that your gr-"
"Sachiko, can you get to the point?" he interrupts her, not impolitely, but a bit frustrated. Sachiko blushes, scratching her neck embarrassedly.
"Em, yes, you're right" she takes a deep breath, and without looking at him, says: "Your great-grandfather wasn't lying. He was from a different world, the same world as me. We came… well, I was summoned by Louis, that's how I arrived here, but I'm not sure how your great-grandfather did it. I guess the answer might be in the east, considering he came from there. Although I haven't heard of anyone else saying they come from a different world. Maybe there are more people like us? It would be interesting if I could actually find someone and-"
"Wait" Shiro stops her rambling, raising a hand. "Did you just… did you just say you come from a different world?" he looks at her with incredulity. Sachiko nods, starting to feel insecure about this. "And that my great-grandfather wasn't lying…" she nods again. "So, just to get this straight, when you say a different world, you're not only saying nowhere here in Halkeginia, but nowhere here in… here?" another nod. "That's just…" he looks away, frowning deeply. Sachiko can only play with her fingers as she waits; her heart in her throat. "Um…"
"I'm not lying" she says again, desperately hoping he will believe her. He looks at her, analyzing her expression, her body language, everything.
He finally sighs. "I believe you."
"R-Really?"
"Yes, I mean, I can't see a reason you would be lying, besides…" he shrugs, probably referring to his great-grandfather without saying it out loud. Sachiko lets out a laugh along with her nerves, happy he seems to believe her. "Then… it's more difficult to find a way for you to return, right?" he says softly. Sachiko nods, her expression changing to a melancholic one once again. "But I still believe what I said. If there's a way to get here there's also a way to go back. We just… have to look for it" Sachiko blinks, but after a few seconds, her expression softens. She smiles.
"Yeah, you're right."
"So, in this moment, you have to look for a way back to your world, hmm, that reminds me, there was something else written in the notebook."
"Yes?" she asks curiously.
"My great-grandfather asked that whoever got the airplane please saw to give it back to the emperor. I guess he was talking about the emperor of your country."
Sachiko nods. "Yes, of course, um…" I don't want to give back the airplane…
"So" he says again after a small pause, catching Sachiko's attention again. "Now that we are here, do you want to see the field I told you about?" he asks enthusiastically. Sachiko smiles.
"I'd love too."
The young man smiles and guides her towards the edge of the village. It's breathtaking, to say the least. The tall grass dances with the wind, thousands of flowers accompanying the movement. Under the light of the moons everything looks silver, shining faintly for various miles, ending abruptly at the feet of the forest. Sachiko gasps, her heart making flip flops at the incredible sensation it gives her.
"It's gorgeous."
"I knew you'd like it" Sachiko stares at his calm expression, as he looks out to the field. She closes a fist in front of her chest, her eyes going half-lidded. Today has been a long day, but Shiro had been there for her at the end of it, lifting her spirits and making her smile, while she has done nothing to return the feeling. She feels bad, the resolution she took the night before along with Kirche's words resonating again in her mind. She swallows, turning her body towards him.
"Shiro, I…" he looks at her after hearing his name, and his eyes on her freeze her on the spot, her mouth hanging open, useless. She gulps, taking courage again; "why didn't you get angry with Kirche when she said that about your grandfather?" and asks something completely unrelated. She wants to hit herself.
"Because I don't care what Miss Zerbst thinks of me or my family" but his answer is quick enough to make her face explode in color. Her eyes open wide, and Shiro only gives her an ironic smile. "I got angry with you because I care about what you think, but honestly, I can't care less about Miss Zerbst's thoughts."
"B-But… she's beautiful, and… I thought…"
"I think there's someone more beautiful than her" ok, she's starting to hyperventilate. Wasn't she supposed to tell Shiro she liked him? Why is she stalling like this? "Sachiko" Shiro sighs, before taking her hand, at once halting all her thought processes. She looks at Shiro like a deer in headlights. "I was talking with my father… told him about you coming from the same country as my great-grandfather… I'm not really a superstitious person or anything, but when he said it was probably destiny what brought you here, with us, to me, well… not to sound pessimistic or anything, but if you; for some reason cannot go back to your world, you can always…"
He's interrupted the moment Sachiko's lips crash with his. The kiss is clumsy and she's a little forceful, but the meaning is clear. Shiro is taken aback for a moment, but he quickly dismisses any doubt and circles her waist with his arms, bringing her closer to him. The moment he's about to kiss her back though, Sachiko suddenly pulls away from him, but luckily not from his embrace.
"I-I like you Shiro; and I'm sorry I didn't say anything during these past two weeks, but I-I…"
"Ok" he doesn't let her continue, kissing her again and effectively shutting her up. Sachiko's eyes widen for a moment, but she's rapidly soothed, resting her hands on his chest and letting him guide her, her eyes closing of their own accord.
She's not aware that, in the middle of the kiss and in the deepest part of her mind, there's a part of her that wonders what Louis would think of this.
A/N: Way to ruin the sappy ending with that last sentence, no? Have I mentioned Saito's my favorite character from FOZ? No? Well, now you know it, and don't ask me why, I don't even know myself. That first part was because I've always been annoyed the author didn't show more of Saito's past in the original novels, so I plan to include a Sachiko arc sometime in the future with the ideas I had for Saito. I'm just preparing the terrain in the meantime. It's not going to be anything out of the ordinary though, despite what it might look like at first.
With Shiro, I actually have a whole background story about him that I won't include here, maybe if I feel like it I will write it someday as a different story, I did spent a lot of time investigating about XVI's century warfare to make it. By the way, I hate writing romantic scenes. I am a romantic, I love watching and reading romance, but when I do it, it always makes me feel disgusted with myself. Did I make Sachiko too emotional in this chapter? Dind't include Louis in this one because there's going to be a lot of focus on him in the next chapter, which is, by they way, the last of this arc.
See you in the next chapter!