“What?” Rhema asked.
“The cause that endangers the egg,” Ofeq replied.
Rhema’s face stiffened. He said sternly. “I told you I’ll take care of the problem relating to Azriel Esthera.”
“So, when are you going to settle it? You said you were going to leave after taking care of her a little. Are you even going to leave at all? She is staying with you, not having a clue!” Ofeq yelled.
Rhema shut his mouth and said quietly, lowering his eyes. “She’s finding out more and more.”
“So, do you think the situation will change if she learns everything? Oh, something might change. She might leave you on her own. Rhema Reshith, don’t say you will stop her when she leaves on her own!” Ofeq said irritably.
“There’s no guarantee that will be the case,” Rhema said.
“What? You don’t say that you are genuinely trusting in what the girl said, who doesn’t even know who you are and what your duty is!” the bird burst into laughter frantically. “She’ll neither die in your hands nor become miserable by your side? And she will stay by your side? Do you trust that?”
“…”
“When she was young, she could swear because most of her world is you, but she’s not a child now. She’s become very pretty.”
“…”
“People around her will increase as time goes by unless you lock her in. And she might fall in love with someone, too.”
Rhema involuntarily grasped his hands. Ofeq whispered mildly. “You know it, right? People get blinded when they fall in love. Will she choose you, regardless of what happens to the people around her?”
“I won’t make a situation where she has to make such a decision. I want to cherish the people she cherishes.”
“You don’t genuinely believe that’s possible, do you? You think you can love the person she loves…,” the bird snapped as if he was dumbfounded and stopped talking all of a sudden. He looked up at his master’s dry face and looked back at the cracked egg.
‘His emotion has no clear form yet. Let’s not stir up a hornet’s nest,’ Ofeq concluded that way and poured out other words. “Hey, she’s already gotten so close to the seed that she wants to help it. She even asked about the cure. Do you think she can smile in front of you like before if you pluck that seed out? You do remember what happened in that village, don’t you?”
“I do. So, I’m trying not to make that happen again…”
“You stupid, whether you try or not, the same thing will happen unless you’re going to abandon your duty. You tried to leave her because you know that too!”
Rhema looked down at the bird with vacant eyes. Ofeq made clicking sounds with his beak. “So, I told you to break and lock her in and raise like a pet if you don’t want to kill her. Then, she won’t get attached to the wrong people.”
“…I can’t do that.”
“You don’t like this or that. There’s no answer. Do whatever you like. You can fall to ruin romantically together,” Ofeq irritably retorted and shut his beak.
Rhema stayed silent for a while and said like he was tossing some words. “I will be in the lab for a while. Protect it well.”
[Craw,] the bird apathetically cried and buried his head in his wings.
Rhema murmured before turning around. “And… I will take care of that seed before Azriel gets too attached to it.”
The bird did not respond. Rhema turned around and headed to the lab in the basement.
*
Azriel shut herself up in the underground tower for several days, occasionally letting out Marthi, who had been bored, after casting an invisibility spell. Then, she drew a conclusion on her own.
“Sophie,” she called.
“Yes?” Sophie answered.
Every afternoon, Azriel had tea time with Sophinea. Edith, who was staying in the mansion of the Duke of Rudimna, occasionally joined. But there was only Sophinea who was sharing tea with Azriel today.
“I can’t be certain, but there’s something I have in mind. Do you want to try?” Azriel asked.
“What, is it?” Sophinea asked.
“I want to name your mana,” Azriel said.
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