Sophia stood silently outside Eilis’s room for one hour. She hadn’t intended to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two girls inside.
She certainly knew how Nino felt about Eilis.
However, she currently had a more important matter weighning on her heart, something she couldn’t bring herself to say to the two inside just yet.
She didn’t want to travel to a distant land and grow apart from Eilis.
But it wasn’t just Eilis; she, too, had received guidance from her mother in a dream.
“Good child, the second continent, Tisomde, needs you… A brief parting is for a better reunion later…”
“May Goddess Phebilia and Goddess Althea protect the children of Omnia…”
Furthermore, Master Black had mentioned that he needed to return to the second continent recently. An emergency in the Dwarf Kingdom required his immediate return, and there were also important matters to discuss with the Elven Kingdom, as the dwarves and elves were allies.
Black had already finished preparing the new weapons and equipment for the Resistance, so he had successfully fulfilled the task the Resistance leader had paid him for.
Sophia estimated that once the incident at the Tanatzke Mine was over, she would embark on the journey to the second continent with Black.
To better protect the people she held dear, she had to work hard to become stronger. She even aimed to surpass Eilis so she could shield her from the wind and rain. This was simply her nature.
Sophia pushed the door open, choosing not to wait any longer.
The two inside didn’t notice the quiet, approaching footsteps.
True to her usual self, Sophia loved to play pranks and act mischievous. She didn’t let any of her inner turmoil show.
She launched a surprise attack on Eilis and Nino, scaring Nino so much that the girl’s hair nearly stood on end.
Sophia tilted her head and said in a teasing tone, “Oh, it seems I’ve come at a very bad time~ I’m sorry for disturbing you two.”
How was Eilis supposed to respond? She couldn’t exactly say, “You’ve come at just the right time!”
“Y-You jerk! Why would you suddenly jump out and scare people like that!” The embarrassed and flustered Nino was the first to speak.
“Oh my~ Little Nino is so cute. Every time I tease her just a little, her reaction makes me want to dote on her even more~” Sophia said with a smile, resting her chin on one hand while the other was tucked across her chest.
“Oh! I knew it! You mean Sister Sophia! You’ve been eavesdropping on us outside the door since the moment I entered Lady Eilis’s room, haven’t you!”
“That’s right~ You two were being so intimate that I really didn’t want to cause an awkward moment~” As soon as Nino finished her sentence, Sophia jumped on the opportunity to tease her further.
“W-What? Sophia, if you keep talking nonsense, I’m going to hit you! If you really don’t have anything to do, can you just leave!” Hearing Sophia talk about them being an “intimate couple” made Eilis start to lose her composure.
“Alright, alright~ I’ll leave tonight to Little Nino. I fought that murderer during the day, so my mind and body are exhausted. I just want to go rest. I hope I don’t run into anyone that disgusting again anytime soon.”
Sophia looked at Eilis with a meaningful smile. Then, with her high-heeled boots tapping lightly on the floor, she slowly closed the door.
Hearing Sophia’s footsteps gradually fade away, Eilis felt a bit of regret. Had she been too harsh just now?
However, if she hadn’t forced her out, the night would have ended with the three of them sleeping together…
At the thought of this, steam began to rise from the silver-haired girl’s head.
Forget it, she wouldn’t think about that. That dummy Sophia didn’t need to be clingy every single day!
Turning off the lights, the two girls prepared to sleep.
Eilis turned her head and looked at Nino’s slightly red face, which wore a satisfied smile. Soon, both of them drifted off to sleep.
***
Back in her own room, Sophia remained awake for a long time. Her earlier actions had been a complete act.
She used her thumb to stroke the sky-blue glass bead bracelet she had bought with Eilis in Sunderland. The color of the bracelet matched the sisters’ eye color, and they had one each.
The cool sensation from her fingertips couldn’t suppress the heat overflowing in her heart.
Her mother’s guidance and her desperate resolve to become stronger felt like a tightening noose, weighing heavily on her chest.
Sophia wanted to keep Eilis under her wing and shield her from the storms of the world.
She knew that once she left, her return date would be uncertain. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to say it and deliberately chose to hide it.
There should have been a better way to say it, shouldn’t there?
She could have told Eilis everything directly: ‘I’m going to a distant land,’ ‘I’m doing this to get stronger so I won’t be left behind by you,’ or ‘I’m a martial arts fanatic, after all. I’m not that interested in magic, and that Elven Valkyrie can teach me more.’
***
But why? Why couldn’t she just say those words honestly?
She felt that as long as Nino was by Eilis’s side, things would be fine.
At least Eilis wouldn’t have to worry about not having a hot meal, and she wouldn’t have to worry about not having anyone to talk to.
Aunt Rachel was here, and even the clergy at this Resistance headquarters were old acquaintances from her mother’s temple. They could all give Eilis the warmth she needed.
Perhaps Nino could accompany her through the changing seasons and hold her when she was sad.
***
In truth, she was also afraid. She feared that if she spoke too soon, Eilis would follow her to the second continent and abandon everything here.
Because of that, Sophia felt truly useless. She didn’t even have the courage to say a simple goodbye.
So be it. It wasn’t as if they would never see each other again. The Eilis of her past life, who always talked about manliness, wouldn’t be sad or hurt because of her sudden departure.
There were people here who needed Eilis, and she had a mission she had to complete.
Sophia turned off the light and slowly fell asleep. However, only she knew that tears would wet her pillowcase.
—
When the next morning arrived, Rachel gathered the three of them. It was, perhaps, the second meeting for the “Witch Operation”?
“Lady Eilis, Lady Sophia, I presume you have some idea of what’s going on. Inside the Tanatzke Mine, there may be a group researching large-scale necromancy.”
Aunt Rachel got straight to the point with a serious expression.
“Aunt Rachel, the miners who went missing from the nearby villages should still be in the mine, right? We just killed Sean in Sindar, so we probably shouldn’t go back to any towns for a while. Sophia and I were thinking that the three of us could go down into the mine in disguise first. We won’t explore too deeply.”
“Of course, we can’t just rush in. We still need a unit in civilian clothes or hidden nearby to protect us from the shadows. That would be more appropriate,” Eilis added immediately after her initial suggestion.
“Nino will go with you, so please rest easy. I will send out a scout squad to protect you around the clock,” Rachel nodded in agreement with Eilis’s proposal and laid out the deployment plan.
“The scout squad reported last time that they found many surviving miners trapped in the shafts. Perhaps it’s time we save them.”