Lefi noticed Layla's condition when they were drinking coffee together as a break after cooperating to finish their chores.
The room was quiet now that Illuna, Shii, and the army of wraith girls had gone outside to play.
As they were chatting alone, Lefi asked in a slightly serious tone of voice, "…Layla, are you feeling ill?"
"? No, nothing like that, but…"
Lefi approached Layla, who was wondering why she thought so, and put her hand on her forehead.
"…Well, you don't have a fever. But if you don't feel well, be sure to tell me. Helping you would be useless if you are overdoing things without realizing it."
"…Do I look sick right now?"
"Yes. We see each other and live together every day. I can tell if you are in good shape or not by looking at you and talking to you."
In reality, the young girls had not noticed any change in Layla's condition.
It was something Lefi was able to notice only because Layla had little change in her appearance and because she was a keen observer and surprisingly attentive to others.
Layla herself did not appear to be in bad condition.
Or rather, she did not even consider that her condition was not stable at all.
However, when Lefi said this to her, she analyzed herself and reflected, thinking, "Oh, maybe you are right."
Layla was one of the most intelligent and gifted women in the sheep-horned clan, and therefore, when her brain was directed towards a subject, she immediately comprehended it.
She knew that she was feeling lonely.
After a moment's pondering, Layla turned to Lefi.
"…My physical condition is fine. But…yes, Lefi is right, I guess I'm feeling a little different mentally than usual. I am feeling… lonely, it seems."
"Is it because there are only four of us now? Or is it because Yuki is not here?"
"…Lefi knows me better than I know myself. Maybe it's the latter."
There was no fooling around.
After analyzing her own emotions, what she understood was that Yuki's absence made her feel lonely.
This was a surprising revelation for Layla.
She had always been uninterested in other people and had always put the pursuit of knowledge first in her life, but now she was feeling lonely just because Yuki was not around, even though she knew he would be back in a few days.
The change was so drastic that she found it puzzling.
Then, for some reason, Lefi smiled happily.
"…Lefi?"
"Layla, you have been wondering if you are not emotional enough, haven't you? That your heart is more indifferent than others."
"…Lefi really looks out for everyone, I see…"
Layla chuckled, as if she were troubled, trying to smile and failing.
"Kaka, I am the strongest dragon in the world. Therefore, I am also the strongest in the world when it comes to perception. And now – I have an answer for you."
"…An answer, huh?"
Lefi replied with a gentle smile.
"Yes. It is true that you are mostly interested in the desire for knowledge. But that was never all you had. Your emotions were never dull. You have a loving and warm heart."
Suddenly, Layla felt a warm sensation in her heart.
Lefi's words permeated her heart so easily that tears almost started to fall from her eyes.
"I said earlier that you could understand me better than I would, but you know, you also suffered the same way about yourself as well. Especially when you first become aware of Yuki's presence, you were confused, as well, right?"
Layla remembered that moment.
When Lefi was also confused by her own feelings.
When she was struggling to understand and was trying to move forward.
Did it mean that she, too, had come to a point where she was struggling with her own feelings?
Layla tried to speak, but no words came out.
She tried again, but words won't come out.
Meanwhile, Lefi simply smiled and waited, not rushing her.
"…Lefi."
"Mm."
"I…I think I'll go ahead and try…"
"Mm. I will always support you."
Lefi nodded, really happy.
***
"…"
"…"
Layla's white skin flushed red, and she looked down with an embarrassed expression.
Her skin was red, not only because she was warmed up in the bathtub… probably.
"…Layla."
"Ye, yes."
"Why don't you sit down for a minute?"
"…Yes, okay…"
After taking a bath, we did not return to the living room, the true throne room, but sat side by side on the porch of the Japanese Style Inn.
The night breeze blew through the air, pleasant to the skin.
The structure of this area was purely Japanese.
Even though I had no particular attachment to Japanese houses, there was something comforting about this place.
I felt like I had already gotten used to the other world, but I guess it might be because I was formerly Japanese at heart that I like places like this.
A little nervously, I extended my arm out hesitantly and reached for Layla's hand, who was sitting next to me.
Layla reacted with a jerk, then quickly intertwined her fingers with mine.
Our palms overlapped.
She held my hand carefully in both of hers and placed it on her cheek, rubbing her cheek like a cat.
Layla was usually carefree, yet a cool and beautiful woman.
The movements she showed me, which clearly showed her affection for me, brought up uncontrollable feelings in my heart.
"Well…what is it? I always have a hard time finding the right words at times like this…"
"…but I understand what you want to say. I'm probably thinking the same thing…"
Layla chuckled and slowly laid her body down and rested her head on my lap.
"I…it seems that I have found the answer. How easy it was once I understood and became aware of it. I feel like a fool for worrying so much about it."
Answers, as Layla mentioned in the village of the Sheep Horn Clan.
"We are living beings. As long as we live, we will continue to be driven by our emotions until the day we die."
"…It's difficult, really, isn't it?"
"Yes, it really is."
At that moment, a saying came to my mind.
"Live life to the fullest, celebrate life. It is the duty of every being with a life."
"Who said that?"
"Oh, it's the words of a God that I have decided to worship from now on. I guess you could say that those words give meaning to what it was like to live."
Emotional engagement.
Laugh, cry, get angry, be happy.
Living life to the fullest and celebrating life.
I am alive right now.
I am living life to the fullest and celebrating life.
"Layla."
"Yes."
"Live with me until the day you give up your life."
"–Yes, until this life of mine is over, I will live with you."
Layla was on my lap, looking up at me.
Tears like jewels started to drip from her eyes.
I wiped them away with my fingertips, and Layla stretched her arms toward me.
As if guided by her arms, I brought my face close to hers as she embraced me.
–and then we kissed…