Snow

....

"Suburu? What are you doing in here?" Emila quietly questioned before awakening me with a slight nudge.

Feeling the nudge, I let out a yawn and rubbed my eyes before sitting up and removing my head from her bed side. Looking around at the room we are in, I let out a smirk noticing the lack of destruction.

"Why am I sleeping here? Isn't this your room?" Emilia asked with confusion present on her face.

"Because your room was thrashed." I said casually before getting up from my chair and putting it under a desk present. "And I'm still a bit tired from dealing with Sloth and The White Whale. So I just made it simple and let you sleep in here."

"Oh, I see....." Emila said before putting her head down. "Sorry to bother you..."

Sighing, I walked towards her before patting her on the back. "I don't want to hear a sorry, all I want to hear is a simple thank you."

"...." Hearing me, Emilia raised her head and stared at me in silence earning a simple smile in response. Seeing me smile, she came to a realization and let out a breath before forcing a smile.

"Thank you Suburu."

"You don't have to try so hard." I replied with a snort causing her to chuckle. Noticing her laughter, I looked at her with a look of confusion. "Something on my face?"

"No...." she denied as she collected herself before wiping her eyes of their wetness. "Nothing like that....."

"Then what is it?"

Pausing, she looked up at me before letting out a genuine smile of gratitude. "Thank you again Suburu?"

"What are you thanking me for? Haven't you already done so?"

"It's nothing." She said while waving her hand. Then with a small smile, she closed her eyes and brought her hands over her breasts. "It's not something you would get."

*knock*

*knock*

*knock*

"Coming!" I yelled out before going towards the door and placing my hand on the nob. Twisting it, I opened it only to see 'Ryuzu' standing there.

She then mouthed out the word 'snow' before pointing towards the main door of her cabin.

Seeing this, I let out a frown towards her before turning towards Emilia with a curious expression. "Emilia, I have a question."

"What is it?" She said with a curiosity expression before leaning to try and see who was in front of me. "Also who is it at the door?"

Immediately turning towards Ryuzu, I coldly stared at her before moving my eyes to the left. Seeing this, she nodded before leaving with muffled steps.

"Nobody was at the door." I said with a sigh before closing it. "Must have been the sound of the cabin settling."

"That's weird...." she whispered before laying down. Once on her back, she raised her head and looked at me. "Are you positive? I swore I heard somebody earlier."

Nodding towards her, I walked towards the desk before letting out a sigh. Looking though the window of the cabin, I could see that it had indeed started to snow.

"Emilia did you pass?" I said flatly while staring out of the window. "And I'm talking about the trial."

"....."

Hearing her silence, I let out a frown before turning over to look at her. But once I laid my eyes on her face, I knew something had changed.

"Yes..." she said with a sort of melancholy present on her face. "Yes I did..."

Walking towards the side of her bed, I raised my hand towards her.

*pat*

"Well done Emilia."

And with a quick rub of her hair, I put my hand down before walking towards the door of her room and opened it.

"Thank you...."

.....

Walking out do the door, I saw Garfiel sitting on the couch with a complicated. Seeing him like this, I calmly took a seat next to him.

"Did t'half-elf pass?" Garfiel suddenly asked with a hint of worry inside of his voice.

"Yes, 'Emilia' passed the trial." I said calmly as I moved my head towards him. "She has successfully overcome the past."

"I see..." Garfiel said quietly before taking a shaky breath. "She passed...."

"I passed also." I said calmly before letting out a yawn and pointing towards him. "But both of our pasts put together isn't nearly as tragic as hers."

Freezing up, he looked towards me in shock.

"What did y'say?"

"Her past is tragic?" I said with a confused expression.

"Before that y'bastard!" He yelled before grasping my shoulders. "Repeat what y'just said!"

"She passed?"

"Y'passed too?" He questioned while grinding his teeth. "Y'could have taken t'trails in her stead!"

Immediately, my expression turned cold causing him to flinch.

"Get your hands off me and quiet down."

Taking his hands off and going quiet. I immediately changed my expression into a bright smile.

"Thank you."

"W-Why?" He said with a stutter. "Did y'not do it in her stead?"

Hearing this question, I just let out a sigh before staring at him with a bored expression.

"Because I didn't want to."

And that witch would just love to dig deeper into my head. So I'd rather avoid doing anymore of her trails.

"That's no good reason." He said with a extreme venom. "That's no good reason at all....."

"But you can also take the trials also?" I said coldly. "Why don't you take them then?"

"Or is the protector of the Sanctuary afraid of his past?"

"...."

Going silent, he almost looked as if he was going to jump at me but jumped in pain before grabbing his side. After that, he let out a tsk before getting up and walked towards the door.

But as he opened the door to step outside, he suddenly stopped.

"Is what y'said about m'mother true?"

"Yes."

"...."

*slam*

Hearing him slam the door, I let out a sigh before reaching into my pocket. Pulling out a stone fragment, I proceeded to think of Ryuzu.

"You needed me?"

Hearing her, I let out an intrigued expression before looking towards the kitchen. Standing there was a Ryuzu clone.

"Where you listening in on the conversation?"

As she nodded her head, I let out a sigh before giving her a serious stare. And with a thought, the stone inside of my hand started to glow.

"Go and get Betty for me."

"Will do." She calmly replied before walking outside of the cabin's door.

Now done talking, I pocketed the stone before leaning back on the couch. The reason why Garfiel didn't question me on this stones whereabouts is because it's just a fragment.

Or better yet... a fragment of his fragment....

I just hit it really hard and it broke into different pieces. And once done, I took one of the pieces and left him with the rest.

He most definitely thinks it broke during the battle and probably doesn't even suspect me of controlling the Ryuzu clones behind his back.

But I am curious... what will his decision be? Will he take the trials along with Emilia? Or will he simply give up on his 'protector' business?

Sighing, I looked at the table in front of me and remembered the meal and drink I had the night before. Hearing my stomach rumble and throat grow dry, I got up and went towards the kitchen.

And while I'm at it, I might as well cook up something for Rem also. I've been far to busy lately to properly pay attention to her.

But after I'm done here in Sanctuary, I will without a doubt use some of my free time properly.

At least on the days I'm not training.....

Or work on the company that I pack to make using Russel's backing.....

And at the very least on days I'm not experimenting.....

"..."

Staring at the ingredients in front of me I'm silence for a moment or two, I proceeded to shrug my shoulders before getting to work.

"I'll be sure to make time."

....