*
"In the end... We headed back to our room..." (Arin)
"Ah..." (Yggdrasil)
"It's alright... I sent them a text as soon as we started turning around..." (Sariel)
"Thanks..." (Arin)
With Arin sat in the centre of the hotel bed, she was sandwiched with unbearable warmth from both sides... At the same time, it's that skin contact that made her feel truly alive, and thankful for it. What has she been through? Why does she feel undeserving of affection? These burning question bore a pit in Sariel's core, driving an intense curiosity for more. Arin as the only suspicious party and the only person informed of both magic's existence and Lastia's actual past...
It's no coincidence that she's the prime suspect behind the curse on Lastia's memories. Yet, Lastia could never conjure any amount of displeasure towards her, throwing her faith and hope wholeheartedly into her... Sariel was beginning to see why, after spending this much time with them. Who cares if Arin kept a secret or two? So what if she had some secret important identity? First and foremost... She was their precious friend and magical girl comrade.
Since Arin had always been a magical girl, or at least pretended to have awakened some time before Lastia and after Sariel... She would have noticed the curse immediately, or at least suspected it. She was the closest to Lastia, the first day of the curse would have hit her the hardest... For some reason though, she had this resigned look to her expressions. 'I want to help her, I want go give her hope, I don't want her to keep maintaining that defeated face.', these thoughts only burn deeper into Sariel's heart.
"Is... Is it something impossible to talk about?" (Sariel)
"... Yeah, it is. Think about it, Lastia was afflicted with a curse that erased her memories everytime it hit midnight.
Surely, I'll be hit with something worse. When that time comes, I don't want you to save me. In your best interest, to keep yourself safe... " (Arin)
The ways of the arcane worked strangely. Arin's magic skill was about trading off things of equal value, the catch being that she must give something she personally values in order to receive something in return. For less sophisticated magic, she can rip her nail or skin off, maybe even hair follicles. It did not have to be in her possession, she could simply store these properties in her home and her magic would whisk it away into who knows where. There's no shortage of clothing or articles in her home, bought expressly to supply her magic.
There must be some sort of restriction, which was the conclusion Yggdrasil came up with. For revealing the nature or purpose of the curse, she has to give up something she cherished. Perhaps it was the price of the curse, or something else held her back, whatever it was it may have been paid in installments. The next payment would be devastating, that she could be sure of.
Conversely what was wrong with maintaining silence? They would lose nothing, what had they been fighting so hard for anyway? It wasn't anything grand like the extinction of Traces or world peace. It was for their simple survival and the idyllic days that awaited them. Unable to take it anymore, she spoke up. There was no hesitation in her words, reflecting her vibrant robust heart.
"That's enough. Pushing this matter will not bring us anywhere, anyway we're suppose to be enjoying this trip! Not mopping for some reasoning beyond us!" (Yggdrasil)
Sorry, Sariel. I'll have to keep deceiving you. Yggdrasil kept in her heart. To maintain this facade, she had gotten quite skilled at acting as Lastia. It all came out naturally now, there wasn't much personality to the original who was always suffering from amnesia, so it was just right for an artificial intelligence like Yggdrasil to imitate. Her disposition as an AI was somewhat similar to Lastia's anyway, which was strange, but she chalked it up to her being Lastia's creation.
"... How about we play some board games? Usually we'd come back too late and tired, but I did bring some playing cards if you guys are interested..." (Arin)
"For the board games itself, the hotel should have some that we're free to borrow. This hotel sees frequent field trips from schools after all." (Sariel)
"Then it's decided! We'll just have fun here until we get tired!" (Yggdrasil)
"Speaking of which, did you guys have curfew back at home? Ah-! " (Sariel)
Did she mistakenly step on a landmine of a topic? Between the three, Sariel lives the most ordinary life uncontested. Her parents lived together with her, and before the school trip they would see each other everyday. The other two...
When was the last time they saw a family member? As far back as Yggdrasil remembered, she had never once seen Lastia's relatives... She didn't know about Arin's situation, but when asked she would always reply that she had the same ambiguous situation as Lastia. The same 'they're working in another commercial zone' excuse... The only proof of this was the monthly income they were getting despite going to school, but this was the age of abundance...
There was a minimal income that everyone received from the government, even if they were students and weren't working any jobs. Naturally, the amount they were receiving was more than what the financial handguides have stated. They possessed a higher income than what was litigiously promised. Isn't that enough proof?
The topic was getting a little too uncomfortable. Gratefully, Yggdrasil understood that time was something she had in excess, if she wanted to investigate she didn't have to rush it now and sour the mood anymore than it had been done. Arin, did we really have parents? She couldn't squeeze that sentence out of her throat if she tried, as if something invisible was gripping her neck and holding her back.
"hmm... As far as I'm concerned, I do try to keep to a curfew. They say the sleep hours around midnight are most vital for one's health and beauty..." (Yggdrasil)
"Haa~? Since when were you concerned with beauty?! Could you tell me?
We can head out and grab some products right away! I never broached it, but I do have an interest in cosmetics!" (Arin)
She abruptly clasped Yggdrasil's hands together, causing her to jump immediately in nervous reaction. Trying her hardest, she resisted giving recommendations right away. Sariel observed the scene in blissful silence, her expression was as if she had finished a full and delicious meal.