"Master Michaelis, we're done with the storage!" Both Aka and Ao yelled.
The morning scenery at the shrine was the same picture as before. I would sat on the porch and watch Michaelis roam around the place as he clean. I have managed to recover from yesterday's strain thanks to Michaelis. He had given me a mysterious medicine called sea pearl to help me from my recovery. And yes, the medicine indeed looks like a real sea pearl. Although it is not white or black, it's blue, like the color of the ocean. I was really anxious about swallowing it. I mean swallowing a real pearl would be like swallowing a pebble, and I have no guts to do such a thing. So we ended up arguing again, to the point that he forced me to swallow it. He literally grabbed my face and shove the medicine inside my mouth. But to my surprise, the pearl dissolved like water on my tongue. And at the very least, it's not bitter unlike any other medicine would taste.
"Nina, are you feeling okay, now?" Michaelis asked.
"Yeah. The medicine is very effective. It instantly boost my system," I said.
"If that's the case, then I want you to come with me," he said.
"Where to?" I asked.
"Just hurry up and let's go," he impatiently said as he grabbed my hand.
I instantly blushed and the words he said to me yesterday came rushing back to me. The kiss. The contract. Sharing the same fate. It all came back like an instant reverse in time. And I remember it all clearly. I remember the exact words that he said.
"You've grown stronger."
A voice spoke up. I instantly looked at Michaelis and found him having his back turned at me. The voice sounded distant. However, I recognized it. It was the same voice that I heard back at our class. The same gentle voice that whispers in my mind.
I remained quiet and focused my mind, waiting for it to speak again. But to my dismay, the voice never came. It was like a blissful moment. I would pass through me like lightning-fast then it was gone.
"Hey, stop spacing out."
I suddenly flinched at the contact of his finger on my forehead. He flicked my forehead hard enough, alright. I pouted and touched my forehead, as I look at him disapprovingly.
"Don't give me that face. I told you, you look like a fish with lips being drawn out like that," he said as he turned around, his back on me.
"You should appreciate the art of pouting, Michaelis," I said as I walked beside him.
"And why should I do that?" He asked.
"Because it makes girls like me to look cute, not fish," I said.
He laughed and stopped at his tracks. He scanned me from head to toe with his eyes before humphing. Hey, that stare just insulted me.
"You have the pure absence of beauty, yet to say such things, you sure are gutsy." He sang.
This time, it was my turn to humph. Now, he annoys me. He just doesn't know how to appreciate a beauty like myself. His eyes are probably blind. I remained quite the whole trip, while he was silently laughing at my sulking.
I don't know where we are going. We were walking inside a forest for I think an hour already. It's not that I'm complaining, but I just find it suspicious. Why would we march early in the morning into the forest? This is actually the forest that surrounds the shrine. I've never been here, so this is the first time I've seen it. And as any forest would look like, it was all green. It's not that thick of a forest also, since there is enough sunlight to penetrate, lighting some part of the place. The only difference I've seen so far is that the deeper we go into the forest, I'm starting to see some dead trees, grass, and a few dead flowers on the way. It doesn't look like it's from a forest fire since it doesn't looks like it's burnt. It just simply looks dead, like decaying.
"Micahelis, did something happened here?" I asked.
"The miasma destroyed it," he simply said.
He suddenly walked ahead of me, and I automatically followed behind him. He stopped in front of a wide bush. I watched as his hand reached out and pulled the bush out. An entrance appeared. My eyes widened. Inside the entrance is a golden scenery. My eyes twinkled in awe.
"Let's go."
He pulled me by the hand and we entered the entrance. Sunlight hit my eyes making everything looks blurry in my sight. Ah, it's an open area. As soon as my sight became clear, instead of seeing what of a golden scenery a while ago, what welcomed me was a wide area of dead flowers. My eyes widened. The miasma could do this much damage. No wonder they didn't want it to reach the town. This is the real reason behind it.
"This is used to be a beautiful place. But now, it's all decaying and the land is almost barren. " Michaelis voiced out.
I don't know what to say, so I remained quiet as I watch the place. It's sad that I couldn't be here on the right time to witness its beauty.
"Well, let's not be sad. I'm sure you'll be able to bring it back to its formal glory," he said as he patted my head.
"What? Why me?" I instantly asked.
"Well, you're a land god. Anything on this land is yours to protect," he said as if it's an obvious fact.
"Could you please stop being vague just this time? I'm completely sad about this, you know," I complained.
"It means, if anything happens on things or places on the land, as long as it's on the land, you'll be able to bring it back," he stated.
My eyes widened. Could I really do that?
"Come on, try it. I promise it won't strain you." He urged.
"How am I suppose to do that?" I asked.
"Just picture yourself being one with what you want to restore, with nature. And the try thinking of sending your divine powers to it. It's like a mother's embrace on her child."
Although, I'm not sure I get what he said, I still did it nonetheless. I closed my eyes sincerely. Feeling the soft touched of the dead grass. Be one with nature. How am I supposed to do that? I tried picturing myself out in a wide flower area, but everytime I tried thinking about sending my divine powers, the scenery in my mind would glitch and disappear.
How am I supposed to do this? It feels like I'm doing it wrong. Like a mother's embrace. How should I know a mother's embrace feels like? I've never had a mother. Or to be precise, I never get to meet her. The image of the boy from yesterday flashed in mind. His mother was embracing him with such tenderness. I somehow understand the feeling of warmth. Not the kind of warmth you feel under the sun, but the kind of warmth that hugs your heart. The kind of warmth that assures you security, care, and love. A hand came in contact with my hands and felt something electrifying me, like a surge of power. Feeling something blossomed inside me, a tingling sensation traveled from my stomach towards my hands. It was warm. And I somehow felt satisfy.
I slowly opened my eyes to take a peak, but was instantly surprise. From my place where I was standing, green traveled throughout the place, kissing every dead plants with life. I watched as the flowers blossomed with life, the refreshing green returning back into their leaves. I watched in awe as the whole place brim with life. The place is full of variegated flowers. And the smell of satisfaction filled the air.
"It came back," I faintly mumbled.
"Michaelis, it came back!" I exclaimed as if wanting to jump in joy.
Michaelis laughed at my reaction as he let go of hand. I ran around the place, my hands touching every flowers I could reach. I can't believe it came back. My joy right now could possibly reach the heavens. I am so happy. I did it. I was able to help. I was able to make it alive again. And I was able to see this beautiful place togther with Michaelis. Due to too much happiness, I collapsed on the grassy filled. My eyes focused on the clear azure sky. Ah, this is so satisfying.
Michaelis face came into view.
"You sure are happy," he laughed.
He sat beside me as he scanned the place. I sat up and looked at him. He has his eyes looking so nostalgic. Perhaps he's thinking of his past memories on this place.
"But this is much more beautiful than the last time I saw it," he started.
"Before, this just looks like a beautiful flower field. But now, it's brimming with life, with hope for tomorrow."
He spoke ever so softly as if the words were to broke if he said it without care. He must have love this place. Ah, he must be getting nostalgic. The wind blows, almost as if congratulating me from my deeds.
"And so, here we go."
I was instantly taken aback at Michaelis' sudden cheerful voice. I looked at him and found him arranging a picnic blanket on the grassy field beside me. My jaw dropped. Where did he get that thing? He wasn't bringing anything with him just a while ago.
"Come sit here, Nina," he called out.
I stood up and went towards him, sitting myself shyly. Why is he bringing a picnic blanket all of a sudden? This felt like a date. I looked at him properly, scanning his face with my eyes. Maybe he's on fever, causing him not to think properly. The familiar Michaelis would never do such a thing. The normal Michaelis would have called me home after this, or tell me to make some talisman.
"Why are looking at me like that?" He asked. "I thought you would like this."
"What?"
My brows instantly furrowed. I think I heard it wrong. Did he just asked me if I like this? This sitting on a picnic blanket with him that feels like a date?
"I was told that girls like you like being treated to a picnic. Since, you've went through so much yesterday, I was thinking to give you a day off. Or would rather have us spend it on your room?" He asked, with the lace of nonchalance in his words.
After hearing his words, my face went even hotter than before, if that is possible. I feel like I'm a boiling keetle. Is this for real? Wait. My room? Why would we spend it in my room? My heart went into a rapid berserk at the thought.
"I mean, we could play house in your room. It's a suitable game for girls, I heard." He said.
Play house? Like mother and father? My mind screamed and I was instantly thrown into a wild mix of emotions. I know I am hearing it right, but why do I feel like I understood it differently? My hand went to clutch my chest. Ah, it's beating so loudly. I'm afraid he would hear it. He looked at me with curious eyes.
"Nina?"
I watched him spoke my name. The sound of it coming out from him is just so right. I instantly stiffened when he leaned forward, his foreheaf touching mine.
"Are you in fever? Your skin feels hot," he said.
I watched him in a complete daze. His white hair lay motionless on the grassy field beside us. He shines. He's shinning in my eyes. And just like the flower field, he's beautiful. His blue eyes were deeper than usual as he looked at me in my amber orbs. I held his gaze without blinking. Ah, I don't want this moment to end. His hands reached up to both of my cheeks, pushing away a few strands back at my right ear. His hands are warm. I could stay in this position forever.
We stared at each other like that for a long time. It feels like being like that makes everything disappear and it's just the two of us in the world.
My heart swelled at the thought, and for once, I realized something very important.
I have fallen for Michaelis.
I'm in love with him.