Torii

Aunt Zaira being silent was a natural occurrence in the Celestine Manor. But that day, it was my first time feeling such a stifling silence while being around her. Her expression remained neutral, but it was her aura that was getting rowdy for her.

A few minutes later, we reached the garden at the back of the manor. We made our way to the small island and took a seat on the pavilion at the center of it. The garden's small river was fed by the big river just outside the property, but the landscape of the estate's backyard made it part of the huge garden.

I was very curious at the events. I wasn't sure if it was because of my current age or I was just really being nosy, but I asked Aunt Zaira outright.

"Auntie," I called. "What did Miss Nina mean by your mother and you? Weren't you always the archduchess?"

"I am." she answered calmly. "But regular people will never accept a mage who never ages and never dies for the past hundred years. Right now, my identity as Zaira Chrishni von Celestine is the daughter of the heroine and the empire's first archduchess, Mira Chrishni von Celestine."

"So, Earl Chrishni really is your brother?"

"Indeed."

"Then, do you have a bad relationship with the Chrishni's?"

"You could say that." she sighed. "Frederick was the son of my father's second wife. And when he died both mother and son chased me out. I never received any support from them. Even when we were recruiting for volunteer soldiers to fight against the demons, they did not step in. Yet, when we won and established Praiji, they were the first ones to pledge their allegiance to the new emperor. And back then, Emperor Philip gave them the status of Earl because of me."

"How ungrateful." I replied when I remembered Nina's words. "Are you… are you going to see your brother?"

"Hn. He actually managed to stay alive all these years." she huffed. "I wonder how much medicine he bought from the alchemy towers and how many mages he hired just to prolong his life."

"But he's still your brother right? He's your blood relative."

"Why am I listening to the words of a ten-year-old?"

"Because it makes sense?" I told her.

"Then tell me, what should I do? I'm a little stumped on what to do about the Chrishni's."

"I bet you're planning on how to destroy them."

"How did you know?"

"I can tell. Anyway…" I said. "You should see him. Nina said he's dying and whatever purpose he has for wanting to see you, the least you can do is hear him out. At least, you can see your brother for the last time, rather than regret it later on."

Saying those words reminded me of my past. After Elthesia was arrested for a crime she never did, she was immediately pushed off to the Lake of Oblivion. I never even got to say goodbye to the last family member I had. The Lake of Oblivion wipes out one's very essence; from body, mind and even soul.

"You sound like you've been through it before."

"I… I read it from a book, somewhere."

"Fine. I'll see what he wants. You... you're coming with me."

After lunch, Aunt Zaira used a wide-area teleportation spell to transfer the two of us, and Nina and her party back to the Chrishni Earldom. She left Steve in charge during her absence.

We found ourselves in front of a two-story manor. It wasn't as big and as grand as the Celestine Manor, but it definitely screamed nobility to me. From the decorations, to the grand front yard. They must've spent quite a lot for its maintenance. The members of the party seemed very relieved that we traveled through teleportation. They were probably too exhausted and traumatized in dealing with monsters if we went by normal means.

"Lead us to Uncle Frederick." Aunt Zaira said.

Nina led us inside the house. I could hear some whispers among the members and servants of the family, but as Aunt Zaira told me, I was a Celestine, and a family with the status of archduchess, so I should always hold my head high. We made our way to the second floor and stopped in front of a set of double doors.

"I'll go in alone. Luna, you can do whatever you want."

I just nodded my head. I decided to just stay outside the room. I heard Nina scoff at my direction and left. While waiting for Aunt Zaira, I suddenly noticed a girl that was crouched at the sides.

I was very surprised when I saw her, because I did not feel her presence at all!

"Hello?" I greeted.

The girl looked up and I could see a round face. She looked a little older than me, but she was rather thin. Plus, her expressionless face looked unsettling.

"Uhm…"

"You're with the archduchess?" she asked in a monotone voice.

"Yes. And you are?"

"I'm Torii. Earl Frederick's youngest daughter."

My eyes widened at her words. From what I knew, the earl was over a hundred years old and looked like a really old man. How did he have such a young daughter?

"Uhm… Hey Torii, it's a bit stifling inside the house. Can you show me to the garden?"

She just stared at me with dead eyes, but nodded afterwards. I guessed that she was worried about her father so at least I could make her feel better as the first person to treat me in a civilized manner.

Torii was like Aunt Zaira, a silent-type of person but I felt like there was something missing. The journey to the garden was awkwardly silent. When we reached it, I took a seat at an empty bench and she sat next to me.

"Hey Torii, how old are you?"

"Twelve."

"I see. I'm ten. So that means you're older than me!"

She only nodded and the conversation got cut off. Suddenly, three kids about her age arrived. The two boys suddenly threw something at her but a wind barrier protected her and it only bounced off. It turned out they threw rocks.

"Hey you!" shouted the girl. "You should stay away from a weirdo like her!"

"Yeah!" agreed one boy.

"She's a monster!"

"Why you-" both Rile and Sanx materialized in my hands.

"She's a knight! Run!"

I was about to go after them but Torii held me back.

"Don't go. You're not a Chrishni. You'll only get into trouble." she said in the same flat tone.

"But, they're-"

"It's fine. I'm used to it."

I studied her expressionless face and just decided to agree with her. My swords disappeared from my hands and I returned to my seat. I stared at her and all of a sudden, like some sort of hallucination, I saw a silver-haired child-like figure floating around her, but it vanished immediately.

"By the way Torii," I called to get my mind off of what I just saw. "What did they mean by calling you a monster? Was it because of the wind?"

"That's part of it." she answered. "But the reason why they call me that is mainly because I do not have emotions."

"Ha?"

"I was born without emotions." she said. "And I can't understand other people's emotions as well."

"What does that-"

"She has Alexithymia. But it doesn't seem that bad." said a familiar voice.

I turned around and saw Aunt Zaira standing behind us. She made her way to Torii.

"Torii, your father told me that you're quite special. But have you ever hurt anyone before?"

Torii only shook her head.

"That's good. Your father wants to see you." she turned to me. "You're coming as well."

We were inside the old earl's room and he was talking to Torii. Aunt Zaira introduced me a while ago as one of the children she's looking after, but the earl only laughed at that. I was standing next to her as Torii and her father talked. I took the chance to ask her.

"Auntie, about Torii… What was that term you used a while ago?"

"That? Let's see… Alexithymia. It's a personal trait characterized by the inability to identify and describe emotions experienced by one's self or others. ." she explained. "Those with this trait do not have emotional awareness, social attachment, and have struggles with interpersonal relationships."

"So that's why you asked her if she ever hurt someone?"

"Yes. But in her case, she seems more level-headed than reckless, so I suppose it's a good thing."

"I'm still a little confused." she looked at me with disbelief. "What? I'm trying to understand it, okay?"

"It means, Torii has difficulty in distinguishing and appreciating the emotions of others. When she does something that's hurtful for others, she will not feel that way because she does not understand it and she doesn't know what being hurt is."

"So, she's a little uncaring?"

"Be grateful she only lacks empathy. If it's a full-blown Alexithymia, she's someone you will want to avoid."

I continued watching Torii talking to her father, and their conversation immediately got my attention.

"Torii's going to live with us?" I asked.

"Yes. You may have noticed it already, but Torii's a little different. And she's quite gifted. Frederick's afraid his son and relatives will exploit her."

"And he will let 'you' exploit her." I commented. "I think you're more dangerous than his family."

She only shook her head in disbelief.

That night, we immediately departed from the Chrishni's. The earl's son was against us bringing Torii, but Aunt Zaira's statement made him shut up.

"If the two of us speak before the emperor regarding this matter, who do you think he'll believe? A no-named earl who lives an ignorant and arrogant life in the countryside? Or a formidable archduchess who's at the same time the most powerful mage in this country?"

The next day, the old earl died and we attended the burial which was nine days later. That day, as the earl's coffin was being placed inside the tomb, I saw Torii's eyes tear up, but she did not show any sign of sorrow.

"I don't know. These tears just won't stop flowing."

I only hugged her, even though I was a head shorter than her.