I had to stop Elira’s summoning. I couldn’t let history repeat itself.
But... with my current skills, it wouldn’t be easy.
Especially since I didn’t know when she would be summoned.
’No, there is no point in using excuses.’
’I need to stop her summoning, no matter the cost.’
I did have a way. For it, I would have to visit Seris’ house in secret tonight.
My mom noticed my long silence. She mistook my silence for something else, and said,
"It’s okay, sweetheart. You can tell Seris when you’re ready."
Seris looked at me curiously.
"I... we’re leaving," I said. "Starting tomorrow, we won’t be able to meet again."
For a moment, she didn’t react, then her face twisted in confusion.
"Huh?"
She stared at me as if she hadn’t heard it correctly.
I didn’t repeat myself. I just waited for her to come to terms with the situation.
Her disbelief turned into panic.
"No," she said quietly. "You’re lying."
I shook my head.
"You can’t go," she said louder. "Why are you going? Just stay here!"
"I can’t," I said, keeping my voice calm.
Her eyes filled with tears. She stood up and shook her head, fists clenched at her sides.
"I hate you!" she yelled. "You’re just like Papa! You’re leaving me too!"
She turned and ran out of the room.
Elira sighed.
She wasn’t surprised by the news. Mom must’ve told her already we were leaving.
"She doesn’t mean to shout at you like that. I’ll talk to her," Elira said, and stood up to fllow behind her daughter.
"It’s okay. I’ll bring her back. Aunty can stay here and rest."
Elira looked surprised by my words.
"Seris is two years older than you, but you act more mature than her. I wish she could learn from you." She sighed.
My mom chuckled. "I wish he was more like her. He’s so quiet most of the time, it’s hard to believe he’s Adrian’s son."
While the two moms talked, I slipped out of the room.
I walked down the hallway and ran into Nisha, the overly serious guard who always took her job way too personally.
She was tall, with long black hair down to her waist, wearing tight jeans and an oversized white shirt.
Two twist-blade swords were strapped behind her back. It was her usual look when she wasn’t on patrol.
She folded her arms and looked down at me with a frown.
"What did you say to Seris? She ran away crying."
I stayed silent, and scrunched up my face, making it very clear that I didn’t like Nisha and didn’t want to talk to her.
She ignored my blatant dislike as always.
"I’ve told you before. You should treat her properly. She’s your childhood friend." She berated me.
My lips twitched.
’What’s with her obsession with childhood friends?’
Her annoying suggestions like this was why didn’t like her.
The two other guards were a lot easier to deal with. Nisha though... she had her own ideas about everything.
"I need to find Seris. Can you tell me where she went?" I asked, trying to move the conversation along.
"She’s in the west side garden. And take some peonies with you. Those are her favorite flowers. It might cheer her up."
"Okay," I muttered.
Internally though, I frowned.
’Why do you even know Seris’ favorite flower? How much time have you been spending with her?’
If we weren’t leaving tomorrow, I might’ve complained to Dad. Nisha really needed to spend more time doing her job.
I didn’t say anything else. I walked past her and ignored the fact that she was following me in secret.
Outside the mansion, the garden stretched wide and green.
Flowers of every kind bloomed in neatly arranged beds.
Mom took care of them personally and had made me learn their names and meanings too.
She liked to quiz me on them.
I only really paid attention to the ones I could use for something later, especially poisons.
I picked a few peonies and started searching for Seris.
She was sitting by the edge of the artificial pond, legs drawn up, sniffling quietly.
Her head was lowered, and her shoulders were trembling.
I walked over and sat next to her, setting the peonies between us.
She didn’t look at me at first.
But I saw her eyes flick toward the flowers.
After a few seconds, she picked them up and hugged them to her chest.
"Those are peonies. They’re for you."
"I know," she muttered. "Aunty told me about them. She told me about all the flowers she grows."
"She did?" I thought, a little surprised.
I didn’t think Seris paid that much attention.
She always ran around and played, but apparently, she’d been listening more than I gave her credit for.
"Thank you," she said after a pause.
Her voice was quiet.
Then she turned to me and asked, "Are you really going?"
I nodded.
"Can’t you stay here?" she looked at me with big eyes. "Please?"
I smiled a little and shook my head.
She sniffled again and looked down.
"You’re just like Papa. You don’t care about me, and are going to leave me behind. You’re a bad person. I hate you."
"I never said I wouldn’t see you again," I said gently. "Why are you crying?"
She didn’t reply.
"We’re still be friends. I’m just going to be away for a while."
She looked at me, confused.
"Huh?"
"We can talk on the phone. We can even send messages. You remember the computer we play games on, right?"
"I do." Seris nodded.
"There’s something called Yahuu. You can use it to talk to people even if they’re far away. I’m sure you know about it."
"I-I know Yahuu!"
She definitely didn’t. But I didn’t call her out on it.
"See, we can talk to each other whenever we want. And even if I’m leaving, we’ll always be friends. So don’t cry."
".... Will you come back to meet me?" she asked.
"I will."
She stared at me.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She finally smiled.
"If you’re lying, you’ll have to swallow a thousand needles!"
"Okay."
We ended up playing near the pond after that, and even entered the pond.
It wasn’t deep, and both of us knew how to swim.
I knew the staff wouldn’t say anything thanks to it.
Besides, Nisha was still watching from a distance, pretending she wasn’t, and with her assurance the staff let us play in the pond.
Seris started laughing again. It was a good sound. It felt like things were okay.
But when we came back to the house, things changed quickly.
We were wet, muddy, and had bits of grass stuck to our clothes and hair.
And standing right there at the entrance, arms crossed, was Elira.
She looked at us like a strict schoolteacher.
"M-mom." Seris tried to hide behind me.
Elira sighed.
"Come in," she said. "You both need to change."
That’s when it hit me.
I’d completely forgotten what would happen if I got wet.
"No, wait—" I started.
But it was too late.
I was dragged in by both moms. My mother and Seris’ mother didn’t give me a chance to resist.
Clothes were stripped, towels rubbed across my head, and a barrage of clean outfits were thrown at me.
My dignity was.... shattered.
After I stopped resisting, both of them decided it was the perfect time to start dressing me and Seris up in different clothes.
Cute sweaters. Ridiculous shirts with bunnies. Matching outfits.
"You two look so cute!" Elira cooed, snapping pictures.
"Oh! This one’s better! Smile!" my mom added.