C33- Brief Calmness (1)

Clank! Clank! Clank!

"Wake up, kids! It's time to move."

Noah and Corvin half-heartedly got up.

"Ugh... Do you have to make that much noise, dad?"

"Of course! You lazy kids won't wake up otherwise."

"We are in our growing age, we need our sleep."

"All you need is exercise and you will get bigger. Also, we need to return to Celati as fast as possible. We shouldn't make Corvin's girlfriend wait long."

"Huh?! She isn't my girlfriend!"

"She isn't? Then that's your fault! How did you manage to seduce that emotionless girl and not realize it? She literally shows emotions only when it's about you, you dense disciple!"

At Felyp's joke, Corvin's face got red. Noah knew why she was like that, but decided not to explain it and let Corvin be the one embarassed because of this topic for once. He didn't want to be the only one being teased about a girl all the time.

"Well, enough joking, get to work. We are going to walk all the way to Celati."

"Yaay..."

After an unenthusiastic celebration, the three started walking towards the south.

"Uhmm, how are we sure we won't be lost?"

"Compass, forgot it?", said his father.

"Oh, right... No! Do you know where we are?"

"Well... I remember the angle we came from, so it should be fine.", answered Corvin.

'Is it really going to be fine?', Noah wondered, but didn't voice his question and decided to trust his father and friend.

*****

In the following days, the three walked towards Celati almost non-stop and finally reached Celati just before the sun disappeared from the sky.

After confirming their identities at the gates, Norman called Felyp to the town hall to thank them and talk about something important. Noah and Corvin went back to the inn to meet with Amy and also pack their bags to return to the Institute.

"From what I see, the kids were succesful, right?"

"Yeah, unfortunately, before the colossus died, it created that blue light which caused the disaster."

"Well, it wasn't predictable, just like any other colossus. If left alone, it would have turned into a much greater threat. So we need to thank the kids."

"I will convey your thanks to them."

"I would like to publicly celebrate the two, but I guess gaining fame isn't ideal for them right now?"

"Yes, I think they need to finish their education first."

"I thought so too. And, what will you do with Amy?"

"Well, she is seventeen years old, so she can be a student of the Institute with my backing. And I plan to do that, since she is already a capable employee for my son."

"Only caring about business side of things?"

"Heh, no. I just have a hunch that she might become my daughter-in-law."

"Doesn't Noah already have a fiancee?"

"Oh, I am talking about Corvin."

"Oh... I see, so you see him like that, huh?"

"Yes. Is something wrong with that?"

"No, no. Actually, that gives me relief."

"Huh? Why?"

"It means you are a good noble. You see, Piscea is in complete turmoil right now. We need protection but we don't have much funds left after the waves of monsters. We don't have much time to heal, just like most other city states. So I was thinking of a proposal."

"What is it?"

"Well, as the elected leader of Celati, I have the responsibilty of protecting the citizens, but currently, I can't do that. That's why I was thinking of asking Mr. Vyolor to incorporate the city to your lands in some way."

"What? Is it that bad?"

"We aren't too desperate but it still doesn't look good either, you see."

"Hmm... Sorry, but I refuse."

Certainly, it was a good proposal as Celati was one of the most important Piscin cities because of it's location and population. But Felyp had a different idea.

"Oh. I understand, I guess it must be bother to fix a city like this."

"Actually, I was going to recommend someone else for this proposal."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Do you know Count Flarum?"

"Do you mean Viscount Flarum?"

"Haha, no. He was raised to a Count recently. Maybe you didn't hear it because of the workload the plague caused."

"Probably."

"The thing is, he will rise more. There will be a lot of new developments coming out of the Flarums, with our support as well."

"Is it because of the kids?"

"It is because of the kids. They are working on a lot of things never seen before, but the Flarum's need more land and resources to do it comfortably. That's why, I suggest proposing this to Count Flarum. He will rule this city much better than me, since his land is closer to here. And, when the old men leave the power to the younglings, they will be married, so it helps us as well."

"I understand. I will write a letter to Count Flarum. Thank you for your time, and also for ending this plague."

"I also thank you for letting those two to come here. Both of them grew stronger thanks to you."

Felyp left the town hall and met up with his men.

*****

While Felyp and Norman were talking, Noah and Corvin were walking towards the inn.

"Corvin, do you think she thought we died?"

"Hmm... I hope not."

"Why?"

"Doesn't that mean she thought of us as weak?"

"Oh? You want to look strong in front of her? Did you already fall for her? I didn't knew you liked the cold type of girl."

"No, I didn't. I just want my employee and friend to trust me, okay?", said Corvin with a straight face.

"Tch. At least blush or stutter a little bit. Teasing you about this isn't fun anymore. What happened since the last time we talked about it that you lost all embarrasment."

"It's because it was Master that said that, I took it seriously for a second. I am not a child who gets embarrassed over love, like you."

"You-"

"Shut up, look we are already here."

Knock Knock

"Who is it?"

Amy asked from inside the room.

"Amy! Can we enter?"

"Oh, you two came back.", she said as she opened the door.

"What do you mean 'Oh', can't you be a bit more happy that we came back alive and in one piece?", asked Noah.

"You know why I didn't. So, what happened?"

Noah and Corvin walked inside the room and the three sat facing each other.

"We de-"

"No, actually, wait a second. You being here means the plague is gone, so I want to take this first."

She said as she took out a cream coloured pill from the table.

"What's that?"

"This is... Well, basically it will stop the other drug I am taking."

"The other one?", asked Corvin.

"You dense monkey. You never realized she didn't have any emotion at all, did you?"

"What do you mean? Wasn't that just a joke Master told?"

"No! She-"

"Can I tell him?", asked Amy, cutting Noah's words.

"Sure. Actually, you already should have done that."

"Right. I just couldn't find the time to."

Amy told Corvin about what happened to her after this plague started. Corvin could understand the amount of her sadness that cornered her until she had to get rid of her emotions. While Corvin had many swirling thoughts inside of his mind, Amy spoke with resolution.

"So, I want to listen once I get them back, my emotions."

"And that pill is for that?"

"Yes. So, can you wait for it to do it's job? I will get my emotions back now."

"Okay."

She took the pill and they waited for about ten minutes. Corvin and Noah organized their thoughts and prepared what to tell her and what not to.

"I-I think I am ready.", she said.

The two snapped out of their thinking. The voice that came from Amy was much different now that her emotions are mostly back.

She looked much more vulnerable and weak. Her head was lowered as she looked at the floor, her voice was jittering and she looked smaller, somehow.

Corvin forgot what he wanted to say, so he cut to the chase.

"We ended the plague."

Amy trembled. In a low voice, she asked.

"A-are you sure?"

"Yes. Definitely, the source of the plague is gone, and most of the patients as well, unfortunately. That probably includes... your parents as well... I'm sorry."

Amy started sobbing and she quickly covered her face with her hands.

"No... Thank you... Thank you, I don't know how I will repay you, but thank you."

As her sobbing got louder, she also started to look smaller and weaker in Corvin's eyes. Corvin got up, but didn't know what to do, so he just stood there, watching Amy cry as he hesitated.

'Well, maybe you still need my help, Corvin.', thought Noah, and got up.

He pushed Corvin towards Amy and Corvin instinctively embraced her in a hug. Noah whispered "I am leaving you two alone." in Corvin's ears and left the room.

Corvin looked at the crying girl in his arms. She held Corvin's chest while crying without realizing it. She found comfort in his hug, as she desperately needed someone to rely on.

But while she was finding comfort in his hug, Corvin was conflicted. He was thinking about the reason he hesitated.

'I don't want to see her sad, to see her cry. I want her to be happy. More than I would normally wish happiness for a friend. But, do I really feel that towards her? Are my emotions towards her, or are they towards the woman she looks like? Is it okay to do this with these uncertain emotions? Is it not incredibly cruel to her if these emotions are a misunderstanding?'

He had a lot of questions, and no answers. For now, he decided to lie if the lie was going to help her. He wished that if they were a lie, the day this lie breaks her heart would never come.