💎💎💎
THAT night, already changed for bed, Olivia sat in a chair by her window as she looked outside.
“My own shop…”
Gordon’s Magic Appliances had a system of helping long-term employees set up a sort of franchise shop. It already operated several branches and sister stores both within and outside the capital. The system was beneficial to both sides as it allowed for bulk purchasing of stock as well as increased product variety.
Olivia had visited one of the sister stores in the capital that specialized in repairs. It seemed like they were operating however they pleased, so it didn’t look like there were any particular restrictions, and Gordon’s shop even provided the initial investment.
She couldn’t think of a single negative. It was honestly a shockingly good proposition.
The one thing that was sticking in Olivia’s mind was what Gordon mentioned at the end: “And I’d just like to get you a shop here.”
She acted like she hadn’t heard it, but she was confident that’s what he said. Olivia wondered if Gordon was still worried about how her father’s shop had been taken over.
But it’s not Gordon’s fault. I wasn’t strong enough.
Nevertheless, Gordon was a man of responsibility. He might not ever admit it, but Olivia thought he might regret the fact that he couldn’t do anything about what had happened to her.
Honestly, Olivia had been thinking she wanted to keep working at Gordon’s Magic Appliances. But Gordon was right. It was very likely that, sooner or later, they’d have to break apart.
Olivia also wanted to live up to Gordon’s expectations of her because she owed him so much, and part of her also wanted to try making a shop as wonderful as Sally’s. She was a little worried about selling enough, but she thought she might be able to scrape by with the quality of her magic jewelry.
The factors and situation made “opening her own shop” the winning option, but she still couldn’t make herself commit.
It’s all a mess in my head…
She sighed and looked down out the window, watching the people walk across the lamplit cobblestones as she thought about why she couldn’t sort it out, knowing what it was and sighing several times.
After some time, though, she noticed something.
Hey, is that Elliot?
She squinted at the familiar-looking person who’d appeared within sight, that same flat cap and tinted glasses visible in the illuminated street.
He must have noticed her staring because he suddenly looked up.
It is Elliot!
Olivia leaned out the window and waved vigorously. Elliot stopped and slowly waved back.
It’s been so long. I want to talk to him.
She shouted, “Wait there!” out the window and quickly changed. Pulling on a blouse, navy skirt, and a light jacket, Olivia descended the fire escape to where Elliot’s tall figure stood in his coat and scarf, his handsome features visible beneath the soft lamplight even behind his tinted glasses.
Seeing him then, Olivia couldn’t help thinking how refined a person he was. She ran over to him and looked up happily. “Long time no see,” she greeted.
Elliot smiled softly. “What has it been, two months?”
Olivia had been so busy that she hadn’t realized that much time had gone by. “What are you doing around here?”
“Simply out for a walk after finishing work. And I wanted to see your face,” he answered, though the last part was so quiet she didn’t hear. Olivia was about to ask him to say that again, but he smiled and proposed, “Wouldn’t you prefer to sit and chat than stand around? We could head to a park nearby. I’ll walk you back too.”
“A night stroll sounds nice. I was just needing something to shake me out of a rut anyway.”
They walked side by side down the night street. Olivia huddled against the cool breeze; the nights were still chilly, even though it was spring. Elliot pulled his charcoal gray scarf from his neck and handed it to her.
“Here,” he offered.
“Thank you, but won’t you be cold?”
“I’ll be fine. I was actually feeling a little warm.” He wound the scarf around her bare neck. It still held his warmth and smelled faintly of cologne.
It is warm. This is nice material.
She thanked him and touched the scarf as she decided she’d buy herself a good scarf for next winter.
They arrived at the park, bought warm drinks from a stall, and sat on a bench.
“How have you been?” asked Elliot.
“Busy. Things are going well with Sally.”
“It seems like it. Do you remember her fiancé?”
“Yes. Nicca, your friend, right?”
“He’s been complaining that she is so absorbed in her work that she doesn’t even notice him.”
Olivia laughed as she remembered the quiet man at Sally’s beck and call. She and Elliot had so much to talk about: their own work, magic items, and Sally.
Then, out of nowhere, Elliot asked, “You don’t seem yourself. Did something happen?”
“You can tell?”
“I’ve known you for nearly a year.” He smiled gently.
She cast her eyes down, warming her hands on the no longer piping hot drink. “Something surprising happened today.”
“May I ask what it was?”
“Well…” Olivia explained how Gordon had asked her if she wanted her own shop. “It would be a sister shop, and it’d be located on Lamilis Street in the building that Gordon’s friend used to own.”
“Hm.” Elliot considered it. “It sounds like an amazing idea to me. The sort of incredible opportunity that doesn’t come around often.”
“Yeah,” she muttered. She thought so too, she really did. But she couldn’t decide anything because of the mess inside her head.
Elliot looked into her face as she fell silent. “I see,” he murmured. “That’s the face of someone uncertain. Is there something holding you back?”
She hung her head, not answering. He was on the mark; there was something.
It’s my father’s shop. I can’t get it out of my head.
The thing enveloping her heart and weighing it down, causing this uncertainty, was what had happened a year ago in Daregas. Olivia had worked so hard not to think about it this past year. She’d decided to stop torturing herself by thinking back to something she couldn’t do anything about, to forget it and face forward.
Thankfully, the events in Daregas had naturally receded to the background because she’d been studying large magic items, making her submission for the Magic Item Design Awards, and otherwise just being busy.
But now that they were talking about opening a shop in the capital, all she could think about was her father’s shop in her hometown.
Was this really the right decision? Did she really want to live in the capital forever? Was she all right not going back to Daregas? Who would tend her parents’ graves?
Her head was filled to bursting with all the thoughts she’d tried so hard to push away, and she couldn’t wrestle control of herself.
After some time, Olivia finally admitted, “I can’t go into the details, but it has to do with my family and my hometown.”
“I see,” said Elliot with a nod. “You’re from Daregas, aren’t you? Are you…thinking of going back?”
Olivia weakly shook her head. “I can’t,” she replied quietly. “But I think part of me wants to.”
Elliot looked at her with concern. Then, after a moment of thought, he asked, “If you were to return to Daregas, when would that be?”
“Well… Not for a while, I don’t think.”
He thought for a little longer. “I, of course, don’t know what happened with your family. But, if it were me, I think I wouldn’t worry about them and seize the opportunity in front of me. It would be a waste to let this pass you by if you’re worried about something that may happen in a year, two years, or even further in the future.”
Olivia looked down at the cup she was holding. He’s right. It would be a waste.
She did want to return, someday. Part of her also wanted to do something about her father’s shop.
But not now.
Now was for looking to the future and giving her all to becoming a better artificer.
That’s right. When I first came here, I decided to face forward, right?
Olivia gave herself an inward chuckle of annoyance. She’d gotten all mixed up because those memories had come back to her out of nowhere. Olivia didn’t know what was going to happen in the distant future, but she did know she wanted to work hard to keep her eyes on where she was going.
She gulped down the rest of her drink and looked up at Elliot with gratitude. “Thank you. It looks like I was all sorts of confused.”
“Have you sorted it out now?”
“I have, thanks to you. I was worrying myself over things I shouldn’t have been thinking about right now.”
“I’m glad you’ve found your way,” he responded with a smile and stood. “I imagine you need to be up early tomorrow. Shall I walk you back?”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She also stood with a smile. The fog clouding her judgment had parted, and she felt like a weight had lifted. “Oh, where were you working today, Elliot?”
“Near the Royal Library.”
Olivia’s eyes went round. “But that’s pretty far from here.”
It would take nearly two hours to walk here from there, but Elliot smiled. “It’s nothing. Besides, I think I made the right decision coming for a walk. I got to see your smiling face,” he replied, though the last part was so quiet again that she didn’t catch it.
They returned to Gordon’s shop, and Olivia unwound Elliot’s scarf from her neck.
“Thank you,” she expressed. “It was very warm.”
“You’re welcome.” He took the scarf and quickly slung it around his neck, then, as if remembering, told her, “By the way, I recommend you submit your business application as soon as possible. If you have any trouble, just let me know, and I’ll help.” Then he smiled at Olivia’s apparent confusion and said, “Good night, Olivia. Pleasant dreams.”
“Uh, yeah. Good night. See you later.”
She watched him fade into the city scene, then climbed up the fire escape to the fifth floor, where she picked up the lamp to light her way to her room.
“What did he mean by that last thing?” she wondered as she changed back into her pajamas. “Oh, well. It’s probably nothing.”
Feeling renewed, she fell straight to sleep.