"Are you jealous?" Enix's eyes fluttered, his head turned toward Houre calmly staring forward after directing a question.
She never, rarely, initiated a conversation. But today, staring at the pests flocking around Fria and downing her in praises, flattery, and proposals. Something seemed to have lit inside her.
"Yes." Enix sighed, his face pale. Duke Ululus, after staying for half an hour after the incident, had just departed.
While the crowd around Fria had yet to wane. Juggu was forced to be grounded and listen to the double-meaning conversations many of his guests were starting with him about their daughters.
He had been completely shunned, forgotten like the moon in the eclipse.
"You must want to be like her... powerful, talented... a genius."
Enix hummed, and sitting on the rectangular table arranged at a corner, with his legs dangling, started to kick his feet.
"Though the irony is... you are a genius too." Houre chuckled, "A genius far beyond her!" Her eyes, strange and thinned, moved toward Enix.
And as he dwelled into her eyes, lost and conflicted about what they wished to convene, he felt something hot and molten pour down his throat and ignite his tummy.
"I will... I will become like her. I won't live as Enix... I will live as Fero!" Enix's hand rounded, and, in the night alone with Fria by his side tightly clenching his hand, he felt new horizons broaden in front of him.
As he fell asleep, much more tired and happier than he ever did, he encompassed himself in the usual pink color that had started appearing in front of him after his last color— green.
***
"Is father not coming?" Fria asked, puckering her lips.
The rattling wheels of the Wheelie struck in Enix's ears. He could hear the occasional groans of the jwargers as Gruis whipped them or if they saw some person.
Mugam's face grew somewhat darker as she heard Fria's question, "Do you not like it with your brother and me, dear?"
"Aw? No, no," She shook her head, "That's not what I meant."
As the atmosphere started to turn cold and slightly harsh, Enix felt his heart flutter.
'I vowed to myself... with the passing of my third birthday I won't live as I did. Hence, as Fria has always been, I will be a shield to her. I-I will change the mood.' His fists tightened.
"Uh—" As his mouth opened and his heart began some background music in his ears to mark the occasion of change, Enix's eyes scurried around.
His sight drifted past Mugam and Fria sitting beside him before, for some reason, he found himself staring outside the window.
He felt something icy coil around his feet and his cheeks get squeezed between hot frying pans.
'W-What can I even say that will better the situation?' His tongue seemed to get glued to his mouth's roof, and his exceptionally dry throat beckoned more and more saliva to be pushed down.
After a while, as his fingers fiddled together and sweat covered his forehead, the gentle tweaking of his legs paused, and his body limply fell back and he stared outside at the mansions passing by, 'I-It's rather silent now... I don't believe it's necessary to intervene now.'
Fria, leaning forward and peeking at Enix, sitting on the other side of her mother, muttered aloud, "You good, Enix?"
His body jerked and his head shuffled toward her, "Y-Yes, why?"
"You appear upset. Perhaps last night is bothering you?" Fria mulled loudly.
"N-no, that's not it." Enix shook his head, "I-I am just glad everything was fine this morning."
Fria nodded, sulky, "Indeed, I was also worried if father would say anything to you... Or comment on the decision I made last night... Uncle also didn't leave without having me commemorating the engagement with a ring to his daughter, that Mirra... so I was surprised and worried that he wasn't even at home."
"...He left murmuring of a headache." Mugam heaved a sigh, breaking the locks in her brows.
Fria stared at Mugam as she sat upright, peering straight ahead through the glass screen, with a troubled face.
The air stuffed into chokes and started to tie around the mother and daughter.
Seeing this, Enix felt his heart stir again, "I-I guess he wouldn't miss this grand ceremony or whatever for no reason."
Mugan, with her brows hooked up, stared at Enix as he gazed at Fria, her heart fluttering at his cracking voice, 'What am I? Is this what I should be doing to my children?'
"Are you excited about or worried at the ceremony? It's your first big thing in life after all."
She gently patted Fria's and Enix's head.
"Haha! It's more of a mix. Uncertainty in excitement... that's what I feel." Fria scratched her head sheepishly, "Though its mostly because I don't know much about the happenings to be."
Enix reclined back, his hand covering his eyes, 'That was... terrifying.' The terrible itch at his back seemed to subside. And a sense of relief eased his rampant heart.
He let loose a sigh, and felt his body get swallowed into the seat, the rattling wheels and the garrulous chatter of the mother and daughter continued without signs of stop.
The Wheelie came to a halt. While Grius's voice came through the trap door.
"We are here, madam."
The door was opened and followed by Fria, Mugam and Enix moved out.
Their curious prying eyes turned to the large piercing projections coming out of three round domes, with the middle one taking the lead.
"This is the Saint Union Sanctuary. The gods of this world reside here in their towering statues and bless the young blood of the years throughout." Mugam spoke, her tone lacking the mystique one usually held when speaking in reverence.
'She made it sound pretentious.' Giving her a sneaky glance, Enix moved in alongside the three and a saw a lanky man with his eyes drapped behind the shade of the hood of his red and violet dalmatic.
He spread his left hand, and leaned back slightly, "Blessings be upon you."
'What's that pose?' Enix and Fria, at once, tittered. Receiving quick knocks on their heads.
Mugam sighed, as if expecting it, and nodded, "Thank you for receiving us, Veench."
"Veench?" Enix and Fria questioned aloud.
Gruis, knowing the rules more than the two, responded as Mugam couldn't until Veench had replied, "Veench is the title of a Sanctuary master, if he speaks to you, and you reply. Do not speak until he has replied to you. That's the rule."
"It's an honour to be receiving a Duchess at my honourable scantuary." He nodded and stared at Enix and Fria, "These are the two whippersnappers?"
Enix could see a small, kind smile near the edge of his lips.
Mugam nodded, "Yes, Veench."
"Whom of you would like to come first? To be showered by the divines in their love?" He squatted, and stared through the impeding cloth.
Fria trembled forward and stared with deep crevices on her forehead, "I-I will be first."
Enix could read the, 'I need to make sure everything's fine before Enix goes in', on her resolved face and couldn't help but shake. 'I want to be like her too... to be a shield for her too.' He bit his lips.
But despite all his flinching force, he failed to utter anything to the odd man as he took away Fria without a word.