The Witches’ Future
“You’re really going, then… I’m going to miss you terribly.”
At the guild counter wrapped in its usual noise, Becky let her voice drop just slightly.
“Don’t say that. A year at most. When it’s over we’ll be back.”
“That’s easy to say, but — you two always make me worry somehow.”
I watched Becky’s drooping shoulders and Selene talking to her with her eyebrows drawn down in concern, and looked out over the guild.
It was always noisy here and never quite my favourite place, but knowing I wouldn’t see this view for a while left something wistful behind. No regrets, though. This guild will keep going just fine without us for a while.
“Becky, you’ve taken such good care of us.”
“We’ll bring back lots of souvenirs.”
I smiled as I said it, and Becky’s eyes went wide.
“Sion, you’ve changed. Your smile has become so much more beautiful.”
She murmured it with a deeply moved look, like a mother watching a child, and the edges of my vision blurred slightly.
We weren’t that far apart in age to be parent and child, but Becky had been watching over us like a mother — and knowing I wouldn’t see her for a while made my chest ache.
“Sion has always been lovely. Sorry, we have to go soon.”
“…Yes. Just come back safely — that’s all I need.”
“And no fighting, you two.”
Waving to Becky and the guild receptionists who sent us off brightly to the last, I pushed open the great door. The day I pushed this door open alone, it felt much heavier.
Some time has passed since the founding festival, but the truth about my condition is still unknown. Even so, apparently word came through Verna that an old acquaintance of hers would like to meet the two of us.
The destination is a snow country, apparently far away from here — but I had no reason to refuse, and answered yes without a second thought. A long journey, I think I can enjoy it with Selene beside me.
If there’s anything I’m leaving behind, it’s the thought of not seeing Rizett and Kiaran and the others for a while. But it’s only a year at most, and I think I can manage that.
Yesterday was hard work, soothing a Rizett who would not stop weeping and wailing — but Kiaran and Uno said they would look after her, so I decided to trust them with her.
We seem to be surrounded by rather wonderful friends.
“No more regrets? No forgotten things?”
Selene spoke, her eyes turned toward the main street. She too might be feeling the reluctance to leave this view behind.
“Yes. I think I’m fine… probably.”
“I wonder what it’ll be like there — I’m looking forward to it!”
Even though this might be a difficult journey, the voice I turned toward Selene was oddly buoyant. It’s not a pleasure trip. I might be getting a little too giddy.
“Yes. Going somewhere far with Sion — it’s been since we came here, hasn’t it.”
“I’m looking forward to it too.”
Seeing that bloom-smile, I nearly stopped walking before I caught myself.
If we’d been somewhere with no one around, I would probably have been drawn to her lips. I’d had my difficulties with Selene’s excessive love, but perhaps I’m not one to talk about others.
Sighing at a self that apparently had no self-restraint, I resettled the bag crammed full of luggage on my back.
I’m happy. Right now, I feel genuinely happy.
There might be no answers at the end of this journey. I think that’s all right.
This condition I thought was a curse — it might be the fate that binds me and Selene together. If I think of it that way, even a journey that finds no answers won’t have been wasted.
Whether it’s a happy ending or a bad ending — I don’t care anymore. As long as Selene is beside me, that’s already more than enough.
I reached out and took a strand of silver hair brushing my cheek in my hand, and turned my eyes toward her.
“Let’s go. Don’t let go of my hand.”
The capital before noon is noisy as ever today. Crowds of people moving through it, and in the distance the eyes of fans who came hoping to see the Witches.
In that capital, across cobblestones laid with brick, two pairs of footsteps rang out, bright and bouncing.