Walking down to the lower part of the town, the sound of gushing waves felt pleasant and the almost see-through color of the turquoise sea looked astonishing.
"White, over there," Sean called out to me, pointing to an open restaurant near the side of the beach. There, Sitri, who is wearing a thin white long-sleeved cardigan covering her black bikini and a sun hat with a black ribbon, was happily eating a sundae.
"Your sister has style," I commented," but is it okay for her to wear something like that?" Her outfit complemented her natural beauty and pink hair, but I asked anyway since she is still a noble after all.
"Don't sweat the small stuff," Sean snickered before walking towards Sitri. Despite the ogling eyes that seem to have been enchanted by her beauty, Sitri remained indifferent and just ate her fill.
"Why are you having desserts first?" Sean asked after closing in on Sitri. It didn't seem like she was aware of her surroundings as she jolted up when she was called. "I was only tired of waiting, that's all," She replied poutingly.
"So, did you find what you were looking for?" Sean giggled at the flushed Sitri before asking. "Nope. There weren't any books about otherworlds here," as if she remembered something bad, her expression deflated and her head slumped at the table.
I thought that the disappointed Sitri looked new since my impression towards her was a mature beauty with a wild hidden personality, and it honestly looked fresh.
"By the way, where's Sophia?" I asked. From what I heard, she should have been with Sitri, but it was only Sitri who was here. "She's right over there near the hero's statue," Sitri pointed out with her head still slumped.
Yesterday when we arrived here, the Hero's statue caught Sitri's attention and it seems like she was having a familiar feeling with it. I promised her that we would see it again today since it was already dark when came here, but it looks like she already took the opportunity to observe it whilst waiting for me and Sean.
"I'll go get her. you guys can order first." Sean simply nodded at my words and Sitri went back to her sundae.
"Sophia," I called out. "White? are you guys done eating? Sophia turned her attention in my direction. Sophia denied any possibility of having remembered anything and it looks like what she said is true and doubtless.
However, if she does feel familiarity, then it's possible that she had memories and that she just lost them. Although I'm curious about that as well, I wouldn't put my wishes first before her's.
If she doesn't want to remember, then I wouldn't force her. If she did, then I would help her, simple as that. If that's the case, then I should at least know what she wants first.
"Nope, not yet. We're just waiting for you," I responded to Sophia. I turned my gaze to the statue of the hero, the original White's father, and like before, I didn't feel anything towards him.
There wasn't any feeling of admiration or sadness, it was just like I was looking at a statue of someone I don't know of. From the original White's side, there wasn't anything either.
"He looks amazing," I commented on the statue. Sophia remained silent so I just asked again, "does he feel familiar?"
"I don't know," Sophia shook her head, "He just seems..." Sophia trailed off as if she wasn't able to understand what she was feeling. Lately, she's been acting so human that I forget she actually isn't.
After thinking for a while, Sophia eventually gave up and just looked back up to the statue. "Do you want to recover your memories? It may be hard, but we can probably find a way," I asked.
It's not like I was trying to be forceful, but this would be of concern to Sophia's wishes, So I figured I have to ask this now. Sophia simply shook her head and smiled, "It's fine. All I need now is you."
Although I thought that the 'all I need is you' feels it may lead to misunderstandings, it does feel pleasant knowing someone cares for you. "They're probably waiting for us. Let's go," I pointed in the twin's direction.
It seems like Sean is shouting that the food is already there, so I gently grabbed Sophia's hand and led her with me. "What took you guys so long?" the twins were already eating up when we arrived. Sophia and I sat first before I responded, "just admiring the place."
While eating our meal, we decide to look around the town after finishing our meals, then go to the beach later in the afternoon. Sitri was probably jealous of me and Sean for visiting the shops and stalls, so she decided on that.
Although I expected someone who has sensible fashion like her to go and look for clothes, she was more focused on buying food from one stall to the other and used the excuse of "stress eating," whatever that means, because she wasn't able to find what she was looking for.
Time flew by so fast, and before we knew it...
"Beach!" with a look of excitement, Sean ran and jumped into the ocean. "You're too loud. How about you act behave sometimes?" Sitri commented on Sean.
Sean's excitement was a given since even I can't help but want to dive in that clear turquoise sea, but the stares from the surrounding seem to have put on Sitri's dignified self in the front. Well, at least she's trying to since I can see the excitement from Sitri's quivering lips.
"What are you guy's waiting for? White, let's go!" Although I'm in a body of a child, it does feel weird that I feel more mature than him. Taking my top off, I was preparing to go and dive in myself, but Sitri stopped me.
"Hm? Where did you get those marks, White?" She asks, eying the dark marks on my skin. These marks came from the Hydrangaea I previously fought. Although it didn't feel bad at first, when I looked at it myself after removing the herbs, it looked nasty.
Luckily, it seems to have started healing already, thus the black marks. "I just came across some wild beasts before. It's no big deal," I replied to Sitri with a shrug. "Anyways, let's go!"
"Hey weren't you-"
Saying so, I let myself run wild and dove straight into the sea, ignoring what Sitri was going to say. The water was cool and clear, which made me forget I didn't know how to swim. Crap.
Letting my mana surge through my lower body, I simply kicked myself out of the water Creating a huge splash in the surroundings and drenching SItri who was near. "Let me guess. You forgot?" it was a simple comment, but it actually felt prickling.
"S-sorry," I apologized. Looking at Sitri, I felt kind of guilt since her thin white cardigan got soaked and I figured those aren't supposed to be for swimming. "I'm going to buy some towels, you guys can go swim first."
We didn't really bring any towels since we were busy market venturing and forgot to get what we need, so I figured I should get some now as also a way to apologize. "Okay. Ahh, can you also get some of those watermelon shakes?"
"Sure," I responded. We have been eating mostly this afternoon and I thought that it was kind of overkill to eat even whilst on the beach, but I still felt guilty drenching her clothes, so I just agreed.
"Do you need help, White?" Sophia asked. She is currently fixing our stuff and laying the mats and umbrella, so I simply shook my head and told her "it's fine."
Although the town is pretty big, it was easier to navigate me back to the market district to grab our needs since we have already explored the place earlier. Just when I was finally heading back, the world suddenly darkened.
No, it didn't darken. There was simply an enormous shadow cast from the sky. Looking up, there, high above the sky, was a humongous winged black beast. Its wings spread wide and its long and scaly body exuded pressure to the point that I might have panicked if it wasn't from my training.
Not only that, but its aura felt indomitable. If we're talking about output alone, it felt stronger than when Velxia weaponized his feathers. This winged creature, at least as tall as an 80 story building, was without a doubt a dragon.
"Galaxia... Damn it..!"
A fragile voice, drowned in fear and disbelief, caught my attention. My gaze followed the voice which came from my side and saw the same girl from earlier who is also looking high above the sky beneath her dark cloak with an expression of frustration.
I didn't notice it myself, but everyone was already running and panicking and the two of us were the only ones looking at the creature. After a few moments which felt like a long time, the dragon flew away as if it was just taking a stroll.
"Do you... know what that is?" I asked the girl. It didn't seem like she knew she was being heard as she looked at me with surprise. I thought of apologizing for possibly surprising her, but before I could, her body limped as blood started to flow down her leg which opened up small wounds.
I didn't have time to even ask her if she's okay as she went unconscious. Instead, I decided to just carry her and bring her somewhere to tend her wounds.