Chapter 139 - An Unsettled Agreement

Her first familiar spirit quickly read his master’s intention. He immediately took off and went back to his original form. Azriel grabbed his feathers and climbed up on the lion’s back. Marthi flapped his wings greatly and soared. In an instant, Rhema’s figure became small like a doll. He was looking up at her, not moving a bit. She could not see his expression because she was getting farther away. She took her eyes off of him and buried her face in the back of Marthi’s neck. “Let’s go.”

Although it was a small whisper, he clearly understood her. Marthicoras crossed the cypress woods and flew towards the Aurora Society.

Act 7 : Heart and Emotion

Azriel could not sleep all night. As soon as it became morning, she headed to Sophinea’s room. Sophinea smiled naively, not having any idea about what happened over night, and slipped something into Azriel’s hand.

“It’s a gift, master,” Sophinea said.

Sophie had been calling Azriel ‘master’ after Azriel made her spell. Not feeling easy about her title, Azriel asked to just call her ‘sister,’ but Sophie did not budge.

“What’s this?” Azriel asked.

“I, I made, made it,” Sophie stammeringly said.

It was a tiny teddy about the size of a palm. There was a red bow made out of a red thread tied on its neck. It was similar to the teddy that caught fire while Sophie was holding it. There was a ring attached, so that it could be used as a decoration.

“I made it, s-small, because I thought, you wouldn’t need a doll, since you are, an a-adult, master,” Sophie added.

Her stammering had been reduced since she began talking. Her split voice also turned into a child’s clean tone. Her expression had changed the most dramatically. Sophinea’s face turned much brighter now.

“Did you make it yourself? For me?” Azriel asked.

“Yes. I, I like, making, dolls. It’s my, only, skill,” Sophinea said and explained it hard. It turned out that she had made the dolls all over her room herself. Sophinea was raised in a separate building because she hurt her mother with her first cry when she was born, with cushions, carpets, and dolls that were not dangerous even if they were damaged. She said that she began making dolls while spending time there. She added. “I didn’t like, drawings, or, books, because they kept, making me, want to, go outside. Making dolls, was the most fun.”

“…I see,” Azriel replied.

It was a hobby that did not require speaking, associating with somebody, and stirring one’s emotions. Dolls would have piled up as much as the extent of her loneliness. Azriel looked around the dolls in Sophie’s room. The dolls either did not have a mouth or facial expressions. However, the teddy in her hand had a smile on. Azriel quietly grasped it. “Thank you so much. I will take care of it well.”

Sophinea smiled shyly and very happily. Then she said in a dreamy voice. “When, I’m done, with my training, can I, go for a walk, freely? And, talk to, other people, too?”

“…Yes, you probably can,” Azriel answered.

“I, will work hard. Really, hard. So, can’t I, train everyday if, master is, not busy? It’s, not, hard for me.”

“You can’t do that. What if you get hurt?”

“I, can, get hurt. I’ve, been, hurt a lot, so it’s, okay, to get hurt.”

“There’s no one around the world who is okay to get hurt, Sophie.”

“But, I’m happy with anything, to think, that I’m being cured,” the girl said with an extremely joyful face. Her face was flushed with thrill.

“I won’t kill that girl”

“For the meantime… I’ll postpone it to the hilt.”

Rhema’s words overlapped over Sophinea. Azriel barely put on a smile and said. “If you overdo it, it might get delayed. You’re continuously getting better, so don’t be anxious.”

“Okay… I’m, sorry, master.”

“Oh, you’re fine. Let’s do it together, slowly,” Azriel patted the girl’s hair. Sophinea’s bright smile pricked the inner part of Azriel’s heart sharply.