46 Day One of Periodicals (2)

"Videre, do you have time?" Obrecht opened the door, like a hundred times he had done so before. He had long acquired the pick-lock skill. "Do you have time, I have something to…", Obrecht trailed off, as he watched Videre scrambling to fold the parchment he had on the table.

Obrecht could have ignored the random pieces of paper and thought that Videre was simply surprised by him barging in again. But for Videre to not instinctively vie for his mask to cover his face, and instead hide those parchment? Obrecht already knew it was important to Videre, but he didn't want to ask. Judging by the tense shoulders, Videre looked reluctant to say. He wanted to pry. He wanted to know everything that was running inside of Videre's head, but he knew it wasn't the time to do so.

Of course he had known that Videre was preoccupied about something, constantly overthinking, but acting like nothing bothered him. He could feel Videre's restlessness. Though Videre may seem to have succeeded in hiding it in front of others, but not Obrecht.

"Do you have time?" Obrecht decidedly ignored Videre's previous actions.

Videre nodded, looking up at Obrecht, a bit thankful for him not asking.

"…You should really know how to knock sometimes", Videre bitterly whispered as they sat down side by side on the bed.

Obrecht laughed, before chuckling nervously. "Yeah, sorry. I have, um, something to ask you."

Videre gave him an inquiring look, head slightly tilted to one side as he studied Obrecht's chin instead of his eyes.

"You're not going to wear your mask?" Obrecht couldn't help asking a different question instead. Shyly, Videre turned his face away.

"…What's the use? You've already seen me, and so many times already." Videre paused. "…I can wear it if you want—", he said as he stood up but his wrist was caught by Obrecht.

"It's not that. Whether you wear it or not, it's all the same to me." Obrecht studied the hand he was holding, caressing the back of it, making the tips of Videre's scarlet. "I'm sorry about yesterday, during your ceremony." Obrecht didn't elaborate why he did so. Though he was actually apologizing for letting others see Videre's face, rather than having seeing it himself. Obrecht clearly didn't group himself among those other people.

Videre sighed. "…It's okay." After a bit of pondering, he asked. "Why did you do it, though?"

"I…may have been a tad bit…just a little…curious on what the rune of blessing looked like", Obrecht trailed off, his guilty eyes looking anywhere but Videre's face. He wanted to know everything there is to know about Videre.

Videre flicked his forehead. You ignored a Wraith's tradition just because of your curiosity, Videre scolded Obrecht in his heart, before resignedly saying, "…That sounds like you."

Obrecht held his forehead, aggrieved, though it didn't hurt him one bit. Videre had always been a bit weak for his childish aggrieved face. He's pouting again, Videre thought, amused. If anybody should be dissatisfied and pouting here, shouldn't it be me?

"Are you free tomorrow?" Obrecht looked like he was no longer bothered by anything, his facial expression changing as if he was changing emotions like changing masks. "I have something to show you tomorrow. I'm sure you'll love it."

Videre was silent as he walked over to his get his mask. His back was to Obrecht when he answered, "I…might be busy with Nehal starting tomorrow evening up until the end of the tournaments."

"Oh, is that so…", Obrecht said, disappointedly. "It's okay", Obrecht says, his voice suddenly sounding at ease. "I'll show it to you next time when you're free."

"…Mm", Videre hummed in agreement.

When Obrecht left and closed the door to Videre's room, his smile vanished. His hands gripped the knob hard as his eyes flashed something dangerous. It was the first time that Videre had lied to him. Videre might not have been aware, but when he lies, his shadow is just as restless as he is, rippling here and there like water.

There was a growing dissatisfaction inside of Obrecht, like how a pet you have taught and cared for, suddenly didn't want to be with you anymore; bold enough to lie to you to discard you. Pressing his lips together, Obrecht indulged in the dark, bitter feeling in his heart in the silent hallway, outside Videre's room. When he was able to regain his smiling self again, he lifted his head and walked back to his room, no one knowing what was running through his head.

On the other hand, Videre knew that Obrecht would be suspicious of him, but he couldn't help himself. He took out the pieces of parchment once again and compared them. There, near the city of Lumea was a wide lake in the same shape as the one in his dream.

He couldn't have mistaken it for something else, as he saw the same five large boulders spread out around the lake.

He thought and thought about it again and again for the whole night, unable to sleep. In the end, in the small hours of the morning, he got up and went out to go to that one room with a wide window. He stared at the thousand million crystals and the blue light that they reflected.

Come find me, wanderer.

Come find you for what, Videre asked nobody in particular.

When he went back to his room, he grabbed a bag and decidedly packed up six days' worth of food, clothing, and his pair of curved daggers.

Videre came up with the plan after giving it much thought. He wrote a letter to Odeti that he'd be out for a few days to practice outside. Obrecht was also sneaking out the first time they met, and stayed over for a night. It should not be so doubtful to have him use up the five-day time span of the annual tournaments to practice instead, since he wouldn't be joining.

He'd leave the letter after he and Obrecht leaves the house tomorrow, and then, he'll find some excuse to separate from Obrecht and the others after the last day of their periodicals.

Videre sighed as he paused to eye the bag in front of him. How does he dissuade Obrecht from coming with him? It's not like he can hide the bag from him…

Videre waved away the second thoughts in his mind. He's already decided up until this point. He might as well continue and see it through. He had always had a lot of questions as to why he was allowed inside of Inferis by the protector; why him of all the other surface-dwellers was allowed to stay in Lumea, and was it really Aovialutre that he saw? If so, why? And where was that place? Why did Aovialutre wanted him to come find her?

Dizzied by the amount of questions in his head, Videre was bound to be sleepless for another night.