SOME time after she and Lyle went their separate ways…
“Where am I…?”
…Yuffie had tears in her eyes again. She was supposed to be heading to the dorms, but she’d gotten completely lost. The campus was huge. Really huge. So huge that her entire village could probably fit inside it. Yuffie had such a terrible sense of direction that she would sometimes get lost even in Millil, so it was extremely challenging for her to navigate the school grounds, a place she was visiting for the first time.
“In that case…”
The only thing she could do was ask someone. Fortunately, or unfortunately for a timid girl like her, lots of people were walking around. She could call out to them and ask them where the dorms were. Problem solved. However…
“No way, no way, no way! I can’t, I can’t, I can’t!”
To Yuffie, talking to someone on her own was as difficult as a baby confronting a Black Wolf. Just thinking about it made her stomach turn. She wanted to avoid it at all costs. But at this rate, she’d never make it to the dorms. Turning into a skeleton before a Saint would be a massive disgrace to her family.
“Nnngh… What should I do…?” she groaned.
“Would you like some help?” The voice tinkled like a bell. She turned around as if lured by it…
“Wow…”
…and discovered an incredible beauty. Wide, clear eyes. A small but perfectly slanted nose. Every feature was neatly positioned. A svelte figure, skin as white and smooth as porcelain, and silver hair cascaded down her back like silk threads. Though the girl wore the same uniform, her overpowering elegance made her stand out.
She was the kind of young woman who made you think that the word “beautiful” was created specifically for her. And what caught Yuffie’s eye most of all was her calm, compassionate expression that seemed to envelop all the sorrow and suffering of the world. Suddenly, she remembered a woman she had seen a long time ago with a similar aura. The Saint who came to the village nine years ago…
“Why…are you hiding?” the girl asked.
“I’m sorry, you’re just so bright…”
Like with Lyle, Yuffie couldn’t bear the overwhelming aura of light the girl emanated, so she hid behind her backpack.
“Really? But it’s already sunset,” she noted with a puzzled look, apparently interpreting Yuffie’s words literally.
She couldn’t stay hidden forever, so Yuffie popped her head out from behind her backpack.
“Meow!” At the same time, Friend popped his head out from her hold.
“Gah! Friend!”
“Oh, my!” The young lady, quiet until just now, lit up. “Oh my my my, how adorable! Is she your familiar?”
“Ah, no… No, he isn’t. Ahem.”
✦ ✦ ✦
The girl moved to stand in front of Yuffie and started petting Friend. Meanwhile, Yuffie stumbled over her words as she answered.
“So, you’re friends, then. I think that’s lovely. What’s his name?”
“Friend.”
“…? Yes, I can see you’re good friends. I’m asking his name?”
“Um… Friend…”
“Oh… Oh, I see! It’s quite a unique name, so I misunderstood. I’m sure you want to deepen your bond with him as much as you would with a human friend… At least I’m assuming that’s what inspired you to name him ‘Friend?’”
“Aha… Ha ha… You could…say that.”
I can’t tell her I call him ‘Friend’ because he’s my only friend in the world… Yuffie studiously avoided the other girl’s gaze.
“Have you been friends for a long time?”
“N-No. We only met a little while ago.”
“Well, isn’t that marvelous! I’m jealous of how quickly you two became friends. I should have brought my own Black Hole Seraphim and Demon Overlord God Phoenix from home too.”
“B-B-B…?”
Maybe she has an evil god as a pet…? At this point, Yuffie started to get the impression that the young woman might be a bit odd…
“Um… Is it normal to bring animals to school?” Yuffie asked.
“Many nobles bring familiars to use magic, or their pet dogs and cats. Students are allowed to keep animals in the dorms at their own risk.”
“I-I see…” Yuffie finally understood why the gatekeeper hadn’t asked her any questions about the cat.
Oooh, this is my chance!
She made up her mind and spoke up. “Um! I-I’m actually trying to find the dorms, but I got lost…”
“Oh, you poor thing. Why didn’t you say so? Let’s see, the best way to get you there…” The young lady gave her careful directions on how to reach the dorms. She didn’t look irritated at all, as if helping someone in trouble was as easy as breathing.
“Th-Thank you so much! Really, you’re a lifesaver!” Yuffie bowed and thanked her again and again.
“You’re welcome. And you don’t have to be so over the top. It was just a little thing.”
The girl seemed a bit taken aback by Yuffie’s dramatic display of gratitude. But then she flashed a perfect, genuine smile.
It was at that moment that several female students came running over to them.
“Lady Erina!”
“So, this is where you were! We’ve been looking for you for ages!”
When she saw them, the lovely girl frowned in disappointment and murmured, “Darn. They found me. I only managed to carve out a little time for myself… Oh?”
Before she knew it, Yuffie had vanished without a trace. Erina looked around and saw her sprinting away toward the dorms, shouldering the enormous backpack.
“Perhaps she remembered something urgent she has to do,” she muttered in a thoughtful tone. Then she murmured, “I’ve apparently forgotten to ask her name.”
💠🌸💠