I, Yuuma Oxblood, formally Yuuma Bashwater, am about to do something terribly stupid.
But isn't that what many do in their life? Possibly live their whole life stupidly?
I glided my palm on the tall grass of the academies wheat garden, it was quite interesting. It was practically a maze. Although the wheat is different, infused with the magic ores of nature, they grew prosperous and tall like that of bamboo shoots, they were prideful stalks of wheat. Like a warrior standing tall in the battle of....the wind.
When the wind blew the wheat all toppled over like dominos but when the breeze calmed down ever so slightly they stood right back up. It was an annoying effect and by the time I straightened my resolve on certain matters I was dizzy. Why cant the wheat just stand straight and not fall? Why must it be submissive to the element of the wind? And why must I question something that won't matter in two minutes when I walk past the annoying stalks of plants.
Butler Kenji had suggested that I take a morning walk in the early morning hours of the day. He had said it would calm and relax me after well...my agitated outburst previously. I was supposed to be checked upon by the doctors every few hours but Kenji has learned very well to give the best excuses to excuse me from the check-ups.
Somewhere along my journey of finding my way out of the wheat garden I came across a strawberry garden interloping. They are all bright hues of reds, small insects occasionally crawled along their vines and into the holes of the strawberry seeds. Disgusting. I held a hand to my mouth and turned away with a shiver. It had sort of reminded me of Sadao, who had left shortly after for an emergency.
A sense of tiredness decided to open its doors for a hug.
Even sleeping for ten years hadn't replenished an ounce of energy. With a deliberate sigh, I sat down on the grass and leaned on the stalks of wheat. The wheat cushioned my back and I rubbed my temples, I was about to lay coffin style but paused at the sight of my hand.
It was so pale and slim, the hands of someone who hasn't worked a day in their life. Now that I think of it I have yet to see my appearance. From the height of my body, I was only about half a head shorter than Sadao, definitely taller than my other world body. Yet my body remains weak like a scholar who delved more into books than in the grimy pits of labor. My hand cupped my cheek and could feel a sharp jawline accompanied by an average nose. Overall the only thing going for me in terms of appearance is perhaps my eye color. Would I have to find a partner at some point?
Somehow my thoughts drifted to that of marriage, now that I'm awake in this old-fashioned world it wouldn't be surprising if my engagement came back to life. But I am now of age and don't have to listen to the will of my parents, I am an adult. That pleased me greatly.
I decided to get comfortable, I didn't care about the plant's wellbeing as I so shamelessly used the plant as a bed. It was a sunny day but Kenji had warned that it would snow today. Even the weather of this world is different from my own.
How can it feel like an average spring day and suddenly snow? The time he had been in this particular world it was sunny and rainy.
My woes didn't stop the inevitable as I drifted between the conscious and subconscious will of sleep something cold poked my nose. My eyes lifted a fragment to catch a glimpse of the blue sky dancing with small bits of white that fell languidly silent.
It was so quiet. No wind carried the crown of my hair into a messy spiral, and not a chirp of a bird I had heard sing on my journey through the garden whispered any lullabies. Science did not apply, where was the snow coming from? The flakes of ice-chilled the thin white clothes I had opted to stay wearing on my way out for the walk, no matter the butler's worry to change. But some of the flakes that came crashing down on my skin didn't feel cold.
Cupping my palm into the air I waited, then I brought it back down for me to observe. I used my thumb to examine them but most of the ice quickly became water droplets. I squinted and allowed my thumb to pat the flaked that didn't dissolve and then finally realized what most of it was.
Ashes.
My eyes lowered into a close for a few seconds and an exhausted sigh broke the dreary silence of the environment. I slung forward, desperately wanting to go back and relax again into a restful sleep but didn't think being buried in snow & ashes would be very comfortable to rest in. As I walked like a corpse to my grave I took the same path I had come all the while my feet trudged the downpour of the snowy ashy ground.
"I told you it would snow, why didn't you come back sooner?" Kenji chastised but I simply yawned too tired to answer and flopped down on a wooden bench that lines the hallway of the academy. Although not as comfortable as the stalks of wheat, it was much warmer.
"Young master, your family should be here soon to retrieve you, do you want to bathe?" Kenji wasn't asking a question as he directly manhandled me into an unknown room that was filled with steam. Before long I was soaking in the water, a twitch of my brow showed my bubbling irritation. Ever since I've woken up it's been harder to control my emotions, I already know the most likely cause of it, unfortunately.
"I will come back in ten minutes, wash accordingly." And with that, I was left alone.
I groaned and forced my eyelids open, I must persist! If not I will surely drown! Somehow the simple bath water felt like the ocean that would swallow me up if I closed my eyes once. I have drowned before in my own bathwater, luckily someone had saved me before the incident turned for the worse.
After the bath I got into a more fancy change of clothes, I had forgotten how much I disliked clothing that stuck to my skin. I miss pajamas.
"Alright," Kenji patted my clothing and straightened the suit, paying close attention to any wrinkles that may be spotted by his hawk eyes. He continued, "The family heir is ready," Kenji sighed looking satisfied with his work.
"Kenji," I grumbled through the haze of sleepiness.
"What is it?" Kenji sensed a foreboding feeling and out of nervousness, once again tried to straighten my posture that kept turning to jelly and appeared to be about to topple over at any time.
"I've decided to take Ami's place in the war," I slurred my intentions. Kenji's hands stiffened and his eyes grew wide with mania, "I waited ten years just for you to go out to war and die?" He barked out a craze tinge to his posture. "What are you gonna do!? Huh? Stand there and get eaten by wolves? You'd be cannon fodder! You cant even survive a day without sleeping- look at you!" He gestured to my wobbly disposition.
Yes, but this is the only way for now. Sadao couldn't really help on the matter since it would cause a stir in suddenly taking my sister out from the war and giving me special treatment wasn't fair to others. Luckily I had stolen one of Sadao's badges that lay on his neck while 'choking' the favor out of him.
This is it, the terribly stupid thing I'll do. Me, someone undoubtedly less caring than most on an emotional level, is going out to war to save my sister the pain. My ancestors would surely cry at the heroic thing done with good intentions. I might as well cry with them.