Part Four
story concept: LAREINE
photos by: Hideaki Imamoto
written by: Fuzuki Watanabe
translated by: Bronny
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This guiding fairy who had separated Lillie from her origins went off in search of another. This spirit seemed to pride itself on the speed with which it worked, for shortly thereafter it headed towards the second person whom it had located, and descended with great vigour.
"Yo, are you Jérémie?"
The young man who had stepped back in the same way that Lillie had was, of course, Jérémie. He was at the entrance to the forest, which had taken on the light crimson colour of the twilight sky.
"Oi~, were you listening when I asked if you were Jérémie florence de Jarger??"
"........"
Jérémie did not open his mouth. It was not because he was afraid and lost. He objected to the rude manner of this creature, but as an experiment he answered in his heart.
Even with just that the spirit nodded, "Ok." It could read his mind. Jérémie could not conceal his astonishment at the outcome of the experiment.
The spirit saw straight through this and laughed, "Fufun!"; it then raised its tail and questioned Jérémie.
"Well then, answer this. Of happiness and sadness, which is unnecessary?"
Jérémie let out a breath and looked up at the heavens. The sky was tinged with blue, and the white tips of a few stars had appeared.
"The people who feel happiness are the people who know sadness. The people who feel sadness are the ones who know happiness. Even at the times when you have hope, and despair seems unlikely, both are essential; you cannot compare the two."
This time when he spoke out and clearly answered the question, the spirit raised an eyebrow in shock, but again laughed at him sarcastically.
"Hmm. Well, you seem to know and need both, so does that mean they're precious to you?"
"....what?"
Surely, for Jérémie, who was now in the vortex of sadness, obtaining this happiness which would wipe sadness away was 'precious' to him, but before that, meeting with Lillie again had been the only thing of great importance. He had never before thought about what sort of things true "happiness", and "sadness" were, nor whether he himself actually 'knew' them. In regard to sadness, he was burdened with a tolerable amount, but it was doubtful whether happiness lay in this sadness. A happiness that would enhance his heart and dazzle his eyes was something that he would once have relished.
Jérémie felt himself choke up. Even if he was bitter about the cynical nature of fate, the anguish and the impatience which he now felt after Lillie had vanished were not two things which could be compared. Every single one of Jérémie's innermost feelings became directed towards Lillie. Happiness and sadness, the anger at himself - born from regret, hatred; everything became connected and entwined with this one being, Lillie.
Just a single figure - one girl, had caused Jérémie to realise so much......
"Well, take your time worrying about which path to take, won't you? It'll still be a while before you reach your objective."
And with that, the guiding spirit turned itself around, spread out its wings, and flew off in the direction of the forest. When Jérémie next looked, another spirit was flying by, this one with hair and clothes of a different color than the one who had just spoken to him. Jérémie had thought he was hallucinating by simply seeing one spirit, but now having seen two actual spirits threw him into confusion.
Seeing this bizarre spectacle brought out in Jérémie a strange sense of nostalgia as he entered the forest. Lillie's frangrance only just remained. This was not only owing to the direction of the wind, but also to the "Messenger of Emotions", who had caused Jérémie's scream to reach Lillie.
When he looked up at the sky, the number of stars had increased since the time when he had spoken with the spirit, and the glimmer of them could now been seen. It was like the twinkling of the stars was pushing him onwards, and so Jérémie continued stamping out the gloomy path.
On the other hand, Lillie, on the same path which Jérémie was hurrying along, had stopped.
"......nothing. The Lake of Reminiscence isn't here?"
No one answered her question.
"Well, I don't know... What was it that I came here believing in? What on earth should I do now? I don't know......"
As tears welled up, Lillie felt all her strength leave her. Her resolve, on which she had risked everything, and the troubles in this battle that plagued her incessantly; it all became meaningless. As her tears overflowed and ran down her face, from above her head a softly echoing voice came down to her.
"There is nothing for you to be disconcerted about. Pull yourself together, and ascertain your feelings."