Who’s to say if she meant her family home or her room in the dorms where Friend was waiting for her? But she felt overwhelmingly out of place, conspicuous in a world different from her own. The feeling made Yuffie want to run away.
“Now look at what you’ve done. You scared her. I’m sorry, Yuffie. Edward has always been like this.” While admonishing him, Erina stood up and walked over to her.
“Oh… Um… I’m the one who should apologize. I really don’t belong here…” Yuffie stepped back without thinking from the other girl’s overpowering aura of holiness.
Erina gently placed her palm on the back of Yuffie’s hand. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Yuffie. In fact, we’re the ones who need to apologize to you. I’m sure you were surprised at our sudden invitation.” The kindness in Erina’s voice gave Yuffie an inexpressible sense of relief. “It’s all right. Don’t worry, just relax.” She squeezed her hand as if to encourage her. A gentle warmth seeped into Yuffie from her cool fingertips.
“Erina…” Yuffie’s tense expression softened. Erina’s smile was warm, just like a Saint. The anxiety that had been swirling inside Yuffie melted away, and her stiff body relaxed just a little.
Oh, right!
Before she forgot, Yuffie took out four burdock roots from the backpack she was carrying.
“Oh, what’s this?”
“It’s burdock. A specialty of my village… For all of you…”
“How thoughtful of you…” Erina pressed a hand to her cheek. “This burdock is scrumptious, fresh, and crunchy. I have to admit it’s become a favorite snack of mine.”
Lyle, who had tried some before, added on, “Truly? Then, thank you so much.”
And with that, Erina accepted the four burdocks. She didn’t look at all displeased.
Oh, Erina, you’re so kind…
It felt like the entire student council office was being rocked in an angel’s cradle.
“Are we done with all this useless crap? Can we get to the point now?” Jack threw himself down on the sofa, his cutting tone like a bucket of cold water dousing the cheerful atmosphere. “I sacrificed my training time to come here. I don’t wanna waste a single second.”
“All right, fine. Stop being so bloody impatient, will you?” Lyle smiled wryly, then took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and spoke quietly. “I originally wanted to bring this up when the president and other upperclassmen were here. Unfortunately, they have another unavoidable commitment. So, for now, I think we should get into it with the four of us and Yuffie.” He glanced at the president’s empty seat.
Then that means…there are more people on the student council?! The thought made Yuffie tremble.
“I’ve gathered you all here for one reason: to discuss Yuffie Abisus joining the student council.”
She listened to Lyle anxiously. He saw her gaze and nodded.
“Don’t worry. I already gave them a heads-up about you in the morning, about what happened with the Flame Cerberus yesterday, and that you can use super-advanced offensive magic. Of course, whether or not you trust me is a separate issue,” he finished with a shrug.
Jack snorted derisively. “Lyle, do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
“I do, because I’m completely sane.”
“Like I believe that. I bet you hit your head in the fight with the Flame Cerberus and lost your mind, right?”
“I saw Yuffie defeat the monster in an instant with my own eyes.”
Jack clicked his tongue at Lyle’s serious expression. “I still don’t believe you. I think Edward and Erina feel the same way, right? Right?”
“I agree with Jack.” Edward crossed his arms and replied flatly. “I refuse to believe that Yuffie, a girl and a commoner, can use offensive magic. What’s more, super-advanced spells that surpass even Lyle’s? Absurd.”
Yuffie looked away awkwardly at the cold glance he sent her way.
Erina, on the other hand, smiled despite her apparent confusion. “Yuffie, I very much doubt you’re the type to lie, but this is all just a bit much, so…I can’t say I’m completely convinced. I’m sorry.”
Jack nodded, unsurprised by the others’ reactions. “It’s impossible for a woman to use attack magic, and that would be true even if the world flipped upside down.”
Yuffie’s heart sank at their remarks. Her shoulders, already slumped, hunched even more. I knew it… I mean, their reactions are normal… For a moment, she doubted herself. That maybe her ability to use offensive magic was all just her imagination, and that in reality, she couldn’t use anything…
No…that can’t be true!
Yuffie shook her head. Her spine snapped into place, ramrod straight. She wiped away the doubts that had begun to sprout and replaced them with a single-minded thought.
Okay, so I’m terrible at everything—studying, sports, talking to people… But…! She clenched her fists. The seven years I spent practicing attack magic almost every day definitely aren’t a figment of my imagination!
Some things even Yuffie could never deny. The fire magic that almost burned down the entire forest. The water magic that accidentally created a lake and nearly changed the course of a river. The lightning magic that struck the village with such force that it caused the villagers to mistake it for a sudden thunderstorm. The wind magic that blew away all the clouds in the sky, turning it into a clear, sunny day. A slight mistake in the output of her earth magic almost created the tallest mountain in the country.
All of that was real. Her eyes brimmed with force.
I have to make them understand that I can use attack magic!
Yuffie wasn’t good at speaking up in situations with more than one person, but she mustered up her courage and spoke her mind.
“Um, um…”
“Then why don’t we have her prove it?” Lyle issued the challenge, interrupting her before she could finish.
“Are you serious?” Jack retorted with a scowl.
Lyle only grinned devilishly in response.
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