Mind of Doubt (2)

Chapter 41: Episode 20 - Mind of Doubt (2)

Suddenly, I felt a spark that urged me to keep going once she finished talking.

'Was this what I needed? A wake-up call to motivate me to better myself? Her words are very wise and inspiring to hear…'

"Thank you… Miss Tennouji," I bowed my head thankfully and she gave me a small smile.

"You're welcome. Instead, I would prefer if you called me Mari," Tennouji instructed and I widened my eyes in surprise.

"Are you sure? It'd be rude for me to call an upperclassman by their first name," I responded hesitantly and she gave a small smile.

"I don't mind. It's very interesting to talk to you because… you remind me of myself when I was younger…" She replied and I returned a smile.

"If so, I'd also prefer if you can call me Keiko," I said and she nodded her head.

"Okay, Keiko. It'd be nice to get along well, not just as friends… but as rivals." Mari gave a smile as she said those words, holding out her hand to shake. I could see a spark in her honey brown eyes when she looked at me.

'She sees me not only as a friend… but as a rival? Could I even match up to her level? Although I'm an underclassman, I can see that she sees a lot of potential in me, especially for the Tennouji Mari to call me her rival.'

I felt a spark of energy rush inside me as I looked at her serious expression.

I held out my hand to shake hers and gave a satisfying expression.

"I look forward to it, Mari," I said with a serious but calm look on my face.

As we shook hands, we had forgotten that Fraise and Honey were watching us have our conversation. It'd been quite some time since Fraise and Honey said something.

"Ah, this reminds me of when Honey and I were back in the Sweets Kingdom," Fraise reminisced about those memories.

"I know. Fraise and I shook hands just like you two have. Not only had we promised to be friends, but we also promised to be rivals," Honey explained while Mari and I looked at them playing out their handshake again.

"Ah, that's right. Fraise, it's been a while since we've had a deep chat. Is it fine if I ask where you have been for the past 6 years?" Honey asked Fraise while Mari and I stared down at the sweets spirits.

"Well… as you know, I passed the exam that allowed me to go to the human world early and I found someone who I was interested in," Fraise said and Honey urged her to continue. "I was deeply fond of Keiko who was only 6-years-old at that time."

When Fraise said the age at which she found me, Honey's bright gold eyes widened in shock as she knew what this meant.

"No… don't tell me…" Honey's words fainted quietly but Mari looked at the situation in confusion.

"It's just as you suspected, Honey. It happened to me…" Fraise said faintly, a numb expression plastered on her face.

"You knew what the consequences were but you still did it anyway?" Honey slightly raised her high voice and Fraise nodded her small head.

"Yes. I still did it…" Fraise's response was short and Mari continued to look at the situation in bewilderment.

"What happened? What does this mean?" Mari asked and Honey looked back at her partner.

"When I first met you, Mari, I told you about how sweets spirits have to complete an exam before they can visit the human world, right?" Honey asked and Mari nodded her head in acknowledgment before Honey continued. "Well, during this exam, sweets spirits have to remember the rules the Queen of the Sweets Spirits put in place for us. And one of those rules is to never make a contract with a child who is younger than 13. This rule was set in place because children could easily change their minds about their dreams. But once a sweets spirit ties themselves to a child who lost sight of their dream, their spirit remains dormant along with that child's dream to become a patissiere," Honey explained as Mari followed along.

"Why does this only happen with a child that is younger than 13? Why is it better to pair up with those who are 13 or older?" Tennouji asked before Honey could respond.

"Children can easily change their minds. The youngest age the Queen allowed sweets spirits to make contracts with were kids who are 13 or older. She did this because although a child could still change their dream, they would have more awareness, unlike kids who frequently change their minds. It's riskier with those younger than 13 because sweets spirits souls could remain dormant and never be brought back while making contracts with older ones was less risky because spirits could easily break off their contracts with the child's acknowledgment."

"Hmm… if what you're explaining is right, then that means that Keiko…" Mari thought about the information for a bit, already assuming what had happened.

"Your thoughts are correct. This was what happened," I said nonchalantly and Mari and Honey's eyes widened in surprise when I confessed.

"When Keiko wanted to transfer to St. Marie Academy and become a patissiere again, my soul finally reawakened and I was finally able to meet her," Fraise said.

"It took 6 years for you to awaken? I've never heard of such a case of a sweets spirit awakening after remaining dormant..." Honey furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, pondering the situation. "But wait, weren't you with Master Sucre? Where has she been for the past 6 years? Wasn't she with a famous patissiere?"

The question that Fraise hesitated to answer appeared yet again though she seemed to have gotten used to explaining it better, now that she's answered it before.

"That's the thing. Master Sucre's partner died 6 years ago when Keiko was 8, and Master Sucre disappeared as well," Fraise explained and Honey's eyes widened in shock at the sudden confession.

"She's missing? But… how? That… can't be!" Honey's face remained in awe at Fraise's sudden words.

"If the sweets spirit you're talking about is gone, then wouldn't it only make sense that they died alongside their partner?" Mari asked and I nodded my head in agreement.

"Yeah, this question has been on my mind as well," I said in acknowledgment.

"No, us sweets spirits are much different than humans. We can't die in the human world since we're beings who are not from here in the first place, but we can die in the sweets spirit world and the queen would know who," Fraise explained and I widened my eyes at this revelation.

'In a way… they're immortal but only in the human world?' These sudden thoughts confused me even more than before but Fraise continued to explain to Honey what was going on.

"When Master Sucre went missing, I received a personal mission from the Queen to find Master Sucre and bring her back to the Sweets Kingdom since she couldn't track her herself. But when Keiko was 8 and Master Sucre's partner died, my soul quickly fell inactive before I could even start the mission… I don't know where Master Sucre is or where she could be. I don't even know if I can find her…" Fraise said hopelessly as Honey quickly came to her side to hug and comfort her.

"Cheer up, Fraise… We'll find her together and bring her back home… whatever it takes," Honey gave her a comforting smile and Fraise looked up at her friend with hope.

"Really? Do you think so?" Fraise asked hesitantly as Honey nodded her head without a falter in her words.

"Of course. But since even the Queen can't track her down… that could only mean that her staff was destroyed…"