Making matters worse was the fact that Sophie wasn’t good with conversations that weren’t presentations or negotiations. It didn’t help that it was also her first time trying to be considerate and asking someone if there was something bothering them. How was she supposed to bring it up? How was she supposed to make sure she didn’t hurt Lunetta’s feelings? More importantly, was this even something she should have been trying to do? Just how does everybody else do this?
“I just got a little w-worried thinking that there might be something b-bothering you, so...”
As a result of all her worrying, the words that came out of Sophie’s mouth weren’t carefully padded at all—instead, she’d shot her question out so straight that it seemed to tear through the air. Kill me now.
Ha ha, just look! Lunetta’s all frozen up! Of course she is! Urgh...
“I-I’m sorry, that was terribly ill-mannered of me, wasn’t it? Um...”
“No, it’s, uh...” Lunetta fumbled for her words. “It just sounded like you were concerned for me. I was just a little taken aback, that’s all. I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
“You don’t need to apologize for that. Hope I didn’t make you worry on my behalf,” Sophie replied. “I’m sorry.”
“No, no, I’m the one who’s not used to, well, this sort of thing, so I’m, uh...really sorry.”
“No, not at all! I’m the one who—”
“No, it’s my fault for—”
The two girls fell silent.
Realizing that they were deadlocked in an apology battle, the same thought occurred to them.
There’s no end to this.
After having a full conversation merely by looking at each other, the two blinked. Lunetta dropped her eyes to the floor as Sophie laughed. “It’s the first time I’ve ever tried talking to someone about something like this, so I’m not used to it either. So I really am sorry if I upset you.” She paused, turning frank. “Hey, Lunetta? Are you okay? All that stuff just happened, and I don’t think you could be fine after all that, but...”
Lunetta blinked in surprise and turned her head to the side. “All that stuff?” Her bangs swayed across her face. “Oh, no. That’s all okay. I destroyed the castle and felt a lot better, so I think I’m all fine now.”
You think you’re “all fine now”? Was it really okay for her to just sweep it all away like that?
Sophie was just a little—no, rather—quite surprised.
“In the end, sealing away our lives and deaths was the right choice, but now no more witches will be sealed away there ever again. So, I think that all worked out for the best. It’s like, oh—how do you describe it? Like how it feels when the weather’s nice.”
Lunetta seemed completely unbothered as she twisted her head to the side in thought. Sophie wanted to say, You’ve got to be joking! But instead, she swallowed her words and smiled.
“Refreshing?” Sophie suggested.
“That’s it. I feel better now.”
In Sophie’s lowly opinion, however, all that trouble wasn’t something that could just be swept away like that.
I mean, it was sixteen whole years!
It was sixteen years that Lunetta had been there without being treated with any semblance of kindness. So many of her ancestors had suffered in the same way. Those around them had been terrified of the witches, blaming them for everything—claiming it was their fault, that they were a curse. But standing at the top of it all was the royal family, the true cause of everything. Hmm? What’s this now? Just thinking back on it is enough to make me so boiling angry I feel like I could topple over.
But that was all fine for Lunetta herself, and everything from here on out was bound to put a twinkle in Vyce’s eye. In light of that, there was hardly much left for Sophie to say.
“Really? Well, I suppose that’s a good thing.”
Was it really a good thing? Sophie didn’t know, but since Lunetta was nodding, it must’ve been. Sophie took a sip of the warm tea. The feeling was complicated and hard to describe, but Sophie swallowed it down along with the tea.
“Well...was there something else bothering you then, Lunetta?” Sophie asked, despite wondering if it was really okay for her to ask at all. Vyce had entrusted her with this responsibility, so now she had to fulfill it. With her own concern and Vyce’s words in her heart, Sophie mustered all her courage.
Traversing into the inner world of another was a terrifying matter for Sophie. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest.
It went without saying that the pounding wasn’t the saccharine beating of a lovestruck heart. It was the pessimistic, terror-driven sort of pounding—the sort that made her wonder just what she’d do if she made Lunetta uncomfortable, if Lunetta wound up disliking her or found her annoying. Sophie clenched her fists.
Lunetta’s brow was furrowed.
Lunetta—the same Lunetta who hardly showed any expression at all—was furrowing her brow.
Did I make her that upset? Sophie’s heart pounded in her ears as an unpleasant bead of sweat slid down her back. But I’m wearing an expensive dress... Sophie thought, only to break out in a sweat again.
“I-I’m sorry, Lunetta,” Sophie stuttered, rushing to apologize. “That was really too much for me to—”
Lunetta shook her head back and forth. Watching Lunetta bite her lip, Sophie awaited Lunetta’s next words, her eyebrows falling.
“That’s...not it,” Lunetta answered. “I guess you could say this is my problem, or maybe it’s just me being selfish.”
“And that’s something I shouldn’t be asking about...?” Sophie asked.
Lunetta lifted her face. “Oh, no, that’s not, um...” Lunetta replied ambiguously, her gaze bouncing all around.
Part of Sophie was in a flustered rush to ask Lunetta if she’d asked something she shouldn’t have. Hold up, Sophie thought as those same feelings wilted away; Lunetta looked far more shaken than Sophie was. Sophie was the type to calm down whenever there was someone upset in front of her.
Sophie tilted her head. If Lunetta hadn’t wanted her to ask that, then she likely would’ve just apologized to dodge the question and distance herself. Sophie would’ve done the same.
Both Sophie and Lunetta were unaccustomed to having casual conversations with others or revealing how they felt inside. Even if Sophie had known nothing about Lunetta’s upbringing, that was the sort of thing that she just knew, even though she couldn’t quite pin down why. Birds of a feather flock together, right?
Which was exactly why, in the absence of a clear refusal, Sophie decided to resolutely call Lunetta’s name.
“Lunetta! Would you tell me what it is then? If you don’t mind, that is. I’m your, uh, that is...” Sophie felt her body grow warm.
It was a pleasant, temperate evening, but now? It’s hot! Guess that’s the wine kicking in? No, that can’t be it. Sophie summoned up her courage.
“I-I want to be friends with you, Lunetta!”
Sophie could’ve sworn she heard some sort of popping sound come from Lunetta, her cheeks flushed rose pink beneath the faint layer of rouge on them. It was a sumptuous, adorable color—without so much as a hint of aversion.
Sophie gave a relieved sigh and smiled. “I was really happy when Vyce called me your friend. I’ve never had a friend before, and if it wouldn’t bother you, Lunetta, then...”
“I-It doesn’t bother me at all!” Lunetta replied in a voice that was rather loud by her standards. She seemed to have surprised even herself, her eyes widening. Sophie couldn’t help but smile. She’s just like a little kid.
“I’m really glad to hear that,” Sophie replied. “So then, I guess, you’re my first, uh...friend, Lunetta.”
“You’re my first too... My first friend.”
Lunetta nodded as Sophie’s heart filled with warmth.
I really wish I’d met you sooner, Sophelia’s inner child said, speaking up from within as she wrapped her arms around a huge book.
If Sophelia had had a friend just a bit sooner—a friend who would have accepted her even though she wasn’t interesting or cute or charming—then she was certain she would’ve been able to like herself, even just a little bit. Even in the midst of those colorless, gray days, she was sure she would’ve been able to breathe.
No point fretting over all that now, though!
Sophie was who she was now because of those same days and because she’d found within herself the courage to cast off the depressing weight of it all. Sophie was certain that was exactly why she’d been able to do what practically amounted to confessing her feelings to Lunetta. Being able to tell someone you liked them was something you could only do when you could trust that they didn’t dislike you. Sophie knew that full well.