The fishes swam and Kaori watched. Leonara was sitting by the pond, her feet in the water.
"I admire them, the fishes... or any other animals." Leonara said as she looked at him.
"If you give them what they need, they'll be grateful of your act. Save them, they'll thank you in a way that they can ensure your life is in good hands." She continued with a smile and proceeds with a frown.
"Human's however, are smarter than them. Somehow, humans wont thank you for your kinds deeds. They will praise you for a second, turn their back on you and gossip." She paused and looked at the fishes swimming around her feet.
"I once cared for humans like they were children. Every season we would host festivals and sing songs. Sometimes, the God of Music would come... Such wonderful... memories."
Kaori watched her as the wind went through her hair. Her ginger hair glowed golden in the sunlight, her dress matched the flowers around the pond.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
"You hate humans, correct?" Leonara replied with a smile.
"How do you-" he paused.
Her statement, was true... but it also implied that she knows about him. She knew he was never human in the first place. Kaori held his ball jointed wrist and took a deep breath.
"What?" as he spoke, it was obvious he was nervous.
"Ah... are you not comfortable?" she said as she stood up.
She slowly stood up and brushed the dirt off her dress, looking at him and helping him stand up. They both walked around the empty village and he listened to her stories, until he finally gathered enough courage to ask her.
"How do you know I'm not human?" They both paused walking as he asked that.
Kaori was expecting to be attacked at this point. He expected her to react like how Apollon did, but he wanted his expectations to be wrong. Then she looked at him and smiled, looking forward and continued to walk.
"That's not an answer." Kaori said, still in place.
"It's just because I know it, do I need a reason?" Leonara was calm, no hostile reaction whatsoever.
His eyes widened in surprise. No reaction, nothing at all. Could she have seen his joints? What will she do now, will she hunt him down? In his sleeve, he held tightly on the necklace, as he remembered his past experience in Aernas.
"I know everything about you, I've read you like a book." replied Leonara.
She isn't human too, he knows. This girl... has no trace of food source. Everything has never been touched in this land. How did he know? The thick dust layer on everything explains it all. The whole land was overgrown and messy, no human could've stand living in this state.
Leonara led him to the far end of the town, there was a bunch of willow trees and a small building with lots of windows... how unusual.
In the building was a grand piano covered with a giant cloth, she approached it and took it off. Leonara gestured him to sit on the stool, and so he did. He felt the white keys on his fingers, he looked at the inside and it seemed as if it was new.
"I always took care of this piano..." Leonara said as she returned with a violin in her hands. She smiled at him and approached him.
"Do you know how to play?"
"A little." Kaori replied, knowing well he doesn't... but who is he to erase the smile on her face? Maybe he knows some keys or so.
Leonara walked into position and closed her eyes. Kaori looked at the keys and position his fingers.
She played a song, he played along. Surprisingly, he knew the song. Leonara was getting carried away, her smile grew and she started to play the song louder. Kaori sat there as she played, the moonlight pouring onto her as she played... how he loved that sight.
In Leonara's mind, she was playing with the love of her life. He played the piano so nicely... Oh the memory of playing a duet under the willow trees. The golden sunlight pouring into the piano and violin.
The God of Slavery, that was him.
As the song ended, the golden sunlight turned into the cool moonlight and as she turned around she saw... Kaori.
"How are you?" Kaori said, his arms were crossed.
"Did I get carried away?" She chuckled and closed the grand piano and placed the violin on top.
"That's it? We're-" Leonara pulled him out the building though he wasn't finished talking.
As she pulled him, he looked at his hands. How did he play that simple tune? The song wasn't even familiar... moreover, how does he know what went through her head? When she was playing that song aloud, he could feel it. He could feel her memories flowing in the room, he could feel the warmth of her emotions. Her hands were shaking and cold. Kaori was somehow... concerned.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"I am- I am fine!" Leonara said as the stopped walking.
"It's just that... I can feel him." The building was silver under the moonlight as Leonara looked back at it.
She stared at the piano, she stared at it for a good moment before letting go of his hand and walking away.
"Hey, at least tell me why you feel scared or- whatever you're feeling!"
She kept walking and he kept following. Leonara was in tears now, she was frustrated. Meanwhile back there in the building when Kaori looked back, there he was... The God of Slavery. He wasn't looking at him, he was staring at her. It was as if, his soul was lingering in the area.
Leonara was now staring at the pond, she was lost in thoughts. She was always told one thing, and that sentence goes:
"Dear Goddess of Memories, fear not of who you are... for I am here with you, always."