With Guy gone, the others left Zelma’s workshop, wandering the halls in silence that was occasionally broken by Katie’s sobs. Nanao did not once let go of her. Oliver stayed quietly close at hand. Ahead of them, Pete and Chela were whispering to each other.
“…He was taking it in stride.”
“Yes…he likely saw this coming the moment he took the curse on.”
Both of them had the same impression. Looking back, they were downright impressed by how little Guy had let himself waver. Yet, both knew he was struggling. Not just because Zelma had praised his wrangling skills—that alone, he’d merely have shaken off. Something else was making it hard for him to choose.
“…Ngh…”
To Oliver, the words Guy had spoken in that lava tree mold were key.
“…Fantastic,” he’d said. “I can finally fight alongside you guys.”
Even though Guy was harboring curse energy that would likely be taken from him in due time, he was thrilled to have it. There were three years of frustrations behind those words he’d spoken, and that scared Oliver more than anything.
“Avoiding infecting us is obviously important, but more than that, I feel Guy needs time to think,” Chela said. “He’s a mage at a turning point in his life—it’s only natural. All we can do is give him space and watch over him.”
She made her stance clear, and Katie nodded. The curly-haired girl said nothing but looked ready to burst into tears again.
Nanao hugged her tight. “Head high, Katie. I am by your side.”
Pete turned back and joined the embrace. “You can’t snivel forever! Throw yourself into classes, and two months will fly by.”
“…Mm. Sorry, everybody.”
Katie absorbed her friends’ words of comfort and encouragement as she tried to recover her composure, but everyone knew that was no easy task. Guy had been her biggest pillar of support, and even a temporary loss would hurt—plus, there’d been signs this might not be temporary.
Oliver, at least, had to remain calm. Telling himself that, he took a deep breath…and saw a witch standing down the hall. A seventh-year student, hair over one eye—an old friend to the Sword Roses, waiting for them.
“You all look gloomy,” she said. “I take it Zelma couldn’t remove Guy’s curse?”
“…Ms. Miligan…”
Katie gently extracted herself from the group hug, wiped her tears, and turned to face the Snake-Eyed Witch.
“I’m afraid not,” Chela said, folding her arms in concern. “If Instructor Baldia returns, she can easily manage it, but before then—no such luck. And worse, Instructor Zelma is extremely impressed with Guy’s aptitude for wrangling. Given that Instructor Baldia gave him the cursed seed…”
“I thought as much. Guy will have much to worry his head about. Still, no reason to fret about it. Every student with multiple talents goes through this once.” Miligan hunched down, putting herself on Katie’s eye level and smiling. “There is a solution to the curse itself, yes? Then watch over him, without undue concern. If I may be so bold, no matter what path he picks, it will not lead him away from his friends. Even I can be sure of that.”
The Snake-Eyed Witch’s gentle tone surprised not only Katie, but Oliver, too. He and Katie knew each other well, but this was exactly the sort of thing Miligan would not have understood when they first met. She’d had no clue why Marco had opened up to Katie and thought the only way she’d find an answer would be to open Katie’s head and examine her brain. The truth had been all too obvious to Katie’s friends, but this witch, deep into her magecraft, had been unable to make heads or tails of it.
Now, however, Miligan got it. She knew what Guy was going through, what choices he would never make—and she could use that to support her words of comfort. To Oliver, this was a marked change. Perhaps Katie had changed her. Once, Katie had sworn to paint this school her color, and three years of hard work may have paid off there.
“I’ll add that you’re not far from Guy’s dilemma yourselves,” said Miligan. “You’re fourth-years—it’s high time you firmed up your majors. Katie and Pete seem to have a clear direction, but what of the rest of you? Research seminars will be recruiting soon. You can’t keep dillydallying.”
That warning pulled Oliver out of his reverie.
True, no matter how worried they were, they could not dwell on Guy. Seminar slots were limited, and the deadlines could be harsh. The slower you were to act, the less likely you were to end up where you wanted to be.
Everyone gave Miligan looks of respect and gratitude, and Chela spoke for them all.
“Right you are. The reminder is appreciated, Ms. Miligan.”
The witch smiled back. Then Oliver remembered another concern and gingerly voiced it.
“…Um, is your debt…?”
“Cease asking me that each time we meet! I am steadily paying it off—think no more on it!”
She pursed her lips at him and stalked away. Oliver took that to mean he really need not worry. Perhaps soon, they would no longer see her hovering outside the school store with a look of longing on her face.
“Well?” Chela asked, swinging around. “Should we all make like Guy and give some thought to our futures? Perhaps consult with others from our year?”
“Yeah, good idea,” Oliver agreed. “Katie, Pete, have you picked a specific seminar yet?”
He looked around. Katie sniffed and nodded, and Pete shrugged.
“I’ve got a few candidates in mind,” he said. “Was planning on running them by you soon.”
“Hrm, I have not spared it a single thought,” Nanao grumbled, tilting her head and crossing her arms.
Katie slapped herself on the cheeks. “Yeah, I’d better get on that. If I get stuck on this, I’ll just make things worse for Guy…”
✦ ✦ ✦
✦ ✦ ✦
Muttering to herself, she set out. Seeing how obviously unsteady she was, her friends immediately gave chase. She hadn’t even mustered false cheer; there was little else they could do for her other than be by her side.