Being left alone with my own thoughts could have already been an exemplary punishment. Fortunately, I was so exhausted that it didn't take long for me to fall into a deep sleep. When I woke up the next morning, Sophia was already sitting next to my bed.
«You know, you are much cuter when you sleep,» she said with a grin.
«Good morning to you too. Let me guess, is it because I'm not talking?» I asked after yawning and stretching the only arm I could move.
«I see you are aware,» she chuckled.
«I don't know if I missed this side of yours…» but I couldn't help but smile back.
I had my suspicions as to why she was behaving this way. This mischievous act was much easier for me to deal with than her pitying me. She was probably trying to make me laugh and keep the atmosphere light.
«Have you eaten yet?» I asked, as one of the healers left the tray with my breakfast on my bedside table.
«Yes, I... got up earlier than usual today,» she said, looking away.
"She didn't want to leave me alone... I really don't deserve her."
I looked down at the food on my side and then back at her.
"Can I be so greedy? After what I've done, I don't think I have the right to ask her to..."
But Sophia had already moved to take the tray.
«Sophia, are you...?»
My girlfriend sighed:
«It's written all over your face. It's alright, at least this time there's a good reason for it,» she said, slicing a sausage and jabbing it with the fork.
«Thank you, you are the best!»
«Yes, yes, now open your mouth,» she said in an annoyed tone. But I could already see her cheeks turning pink.
This was the third time she was feeding me.
"Maybe I should try to do it for her once. She'll hate it... but it'll be a lot of fun."
While I was slowly eating my breakfast with Sophia's help, I saw a head peeping through the infirmary door.
«Oh, there you are!» exclaimed Nicole as she made her entrance.
«Nicole!» I exclaimed in surprise.
From the way Celeste had talked about her, I had not expected to see her so soon, and especially not in such a good mood.
«Sorry to interrupt! You look like you're having a great time,» she said with a chuckle, looking at Sophia, whose arm was now frozen halfway between the tray and my mouth.
«S-she can't really eat well with just one hand!» she said before shoving the fork into my mouth.
"Is she trying to kill me again?!"
But I decided not to complain. Nicole giggled and sat on the edge of the bed.
«Looks like I've got nothing to worry about. You look fine already. Is it the power of love?» she asked me.
«Eh eh, I guess... but I could say the same about you. Celeste told me what happened... are you all right?»
Nicole seemed surprised by my question. After a moment she looked me straight in the eye.
«Oh... yeah, I'm fine. I just... if only I knew there was another way out.»
Looking into her light green eyes, it was clear that she was extremely sad about what had happened... how could I have thought she was all right? Had I suddenly become terrible at reading people's emotions? Or maybe Nicole was very good at hiding what she was really feeling.
«Elizabeth?» I faintly heard Sophia call out to me.
I turned to see her looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
«What's going on? You suddenly froze,» she asked.
«I... nothing. Sorry... I'm probably still tired.»
«When are you getting out, by the way?» asked Nicole, getting up from the bed.
«I… forgot to ask.»
With everything that had happened, it really went over my head.
"I hope it won't be too long..."
«I'll ask for you then!»
And she went to the back of the infirmary to see the healer.
«She's pretty chipper for someone who looked so broken yesterday,» Sophia commented, looking at her back.
«She's clearly just hiding it, can't you tell?»
«Maybe you're right...» Sophia said, still not looking very convinced.
Nicole came back a few minutes later.
«You're going to have to stay here tonight, I'm afraid. Tomorrow morning they'll break the spell that's binding your hand and you'll be free to go!»
«Oh...»
It seemed I was in for a boring day.
«Do you want me to stay here with you?» asked Sophia, noticing the darkening of my expression.
I really wanted to say yes, but...
«It's all right. It's better if you go and meet the others... you need to sort out Penny's situation,» I said reluctantly.
«I knew you would say that,» she sighed, looking at me worriedly, «I brought you some books to pass the time. Try not to think too much and stay calm. When you're out of here tomorrow, we'll talk about everything, okay?»
«Don't worry, I'll be fine!»
I gave her a big smile. I had already read the books she had put on my bedside table, but I had no intention of telling her.
«I'll just spend time thinking about you...» I muttered, looking at her back as she and Nicole left the infirmary.
Sophia gave me one last look before closing the door behind her.
"I'm really becoming dependent on her, I feel..."
But I didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing. Of course, if I suddenly couldn't function without her, it would have become a problem. But that wasn't the case now.
"If I can be alone now... even with the mess I have in my head, it's because I know she'll be back for me. If it wasn't for her, I'd probably have given up by now".
No matter how many mistakes I made in the future, Sophia would always be there for me. She would always scold me when I was wrong and comfort me when I was sad. The only thing that could stop that was...
"Not now... tomorrow. I'll talk to her about it," I shook my head, trying to keep my thoughts from going to that dark place.
It would be a long day, but I'd get through it.
I wasn't alone anymore.
That was the realisation that boring day brought me. And it wasn't just because of Sophia.
Celeste and Philemon came to see me twice, once at lunchtime with my girlfriend and once late in the evening, just after classes had finished. Nicole came back in the middle of the afternoon, saying she had skipped class to keep me company. It was actually the first time we had talked alone.
I felt a little guilty, thinking that she had not been affected by what had happened to her during the sacrifice trial. I could see the pain in her eyes as she told me what had happened. I did my best to comfort her. After all, as I had told Sophia in the past, it was the school's fault for putting her in such a situation.
Even Wilhelm came to visit me. There was still a little awkwardness between us, but I'm sure it would have passed in time.
"Maybe we could even be friends," I thought as he began to comment on the book I was lazily leafing through when he arrived. As it turned out, he was as much of a magic nerd as I was.
But there was something that kept nagging at me: Penny had not come to see me. At first I had felt relieved, because I really wouldn't have known what to say to her.
But as time went on, I couldn't help but worry. Seeing herself at the bottom of the rankings could have put her in a bad place mentally again.
So, when Sophia came to help me with dinner, I asked her right away:
«How's Penny?»
My girlfriend patted me on the head and ruffled my hair.
«I told you not to worry too much! She's fine, don't worry. We helped her get some points again today... she'll make it through this week.»
I felt an instant relief, but I knew it was only a momentary feeling. With so few people left alive, the points gap was now a very big problem. The limit on daily duels limited how much you could catch up in the rankings.
«But... how is she actually feeling?»
«She actually seems very calm considering the situation she is in. She really is a different person compared to a few days ago. You really had quite an influence on her,» she replied with a smile.
"I see..."
«Then why hasn't she come to see me?»
I knew I wasn't making sense. I had hoped not to see her for a while, but now I couldn't help but feel uneasy about it.
«Something has happened between you two, hasn't it? You told me you did something you regret in the dungeon... are these two things connected?» she asked, studying my expression.
She really could see right through me lately.
«I'll tell you tomorrow.»
«Of course you will. I'll pick you up in the morning. We'll skip class for your trial,» she said in a threatening tone.
She was still trying to be funny, I was sure of it. But I couldn't help feeling a little shiver down my spine again.
I looked at my fingers as I slowly flexed them.
"Good as new it seems."
With a satisfied look, the healer at my side began to remove the bandages covering my arm.
«You really need a shower...» Sophia commented with a grimace.
«That's not a nice thing to say to your girlfriend!»
But she was definetly right. I'd tried my best to wash up in the infirmary bathroom, but it was kinda hard with only one working hand.
"Maybe I should've asked her to help me with that too... That would've probably gotten me a death sentence," I thought with a chuckle.
«Try not to move it too much,» the healer warned me after he had finished freeing my arm.
I felt a little dizzy as I got out of bed, but Sophia was already at my side, ready to support me. As we walked slowly towards my room, I began to feel nervous. I knew Sophia would have forgiven me, but...
"Giving voice to the feelings I'm hiding inside me... can I really do that?"
I quickly glance at Sophia.
"I can... she's the only one who can help me."
We didn't meet anyone before we reached our destination. The others were probably having breakfast and the school was even emptier than the last time I walked its corridors.
«You know, a lot of my stuff has been locked up in your room all this time,» Sophia said after I opened the door.
«Our room, you mean,» I giggled, grabbing a clean uniform from the closet.
«Idiot... go take a shower and then it's time to talk.»
And so I did. I couldn't help but shiver as the water hit my left arm. It was probably because it had been bandaged so tightly just 5 minutes before.
"Healing magic is really incredible. I should try to study it again... maybe Celeste can give me a hand."
In the back of my mind I could feel the bad thoughts stirring, as if they were itching to be unleashed into words. But I did my best to ignore them.
When I came out of the bathroom, feeling very refreshed, I found Sophia waiting for me, sitting at the table. Her fingers were joined just below her eyes.
"This almost feels like a real trial..."
«Sit down.»
«Yes... Your Honour.»
I took a seat right in front of her. Part of me wanted to ask her if we could get into bed, as I had really missed cuddling with her during my stay in the infirmary. But I knew this was going to be a serious conversation, I had to put my neediness aside. Sophia, as usual, probably guessed what was going through my mind. She reached out an arm and put her hand over mine.
I intertwined my fingers with hers and gave her a grateful look.
«So... tell me everything.» Sophia said, looking me straight in the eye.
I had tried not to think about this moment of truth so much that I had no real idea how to begin. There were 3 lies I had to come clean about. Of these, even those it was probably the most important, the easier want to talk about was:
«You know what I said about how I beat your copy... that was a lie. I wanted to talk to you about it because it's also connected to what Skylark wanted from me.»
«I see. What really happened in there?»
«I'm... still not sure how I managed it. When I was about to be killed... I felt something inside me. Like a fire trying desperately to get out. At that moment, I shot a beam of light from my hand. It vaporised half the room along with the mimic. It was insane but somehow it really just felt like something natural to me.»
«Innate, perhaps?» asked Sophia, raising an eyebrow.
«That's what I thought at first. But the strange thing is that it looked identical to the spell Aldric used during the battle. And then... Skylark told me what it actually was...»
I paused for a moment. I could see that Sophia really wanted me to hurry up and not leave her hanging, but she didn't speak out.
«It was my mana, he said. My pure, raw mana. I couldn't believe it when he told me... that mana could cause so much destruction. But I think he was telling the truth.»
«I don't really trust Skylark, but if you say so... why did you hide it yeasterday though? It sounds like something that could help us get out of here,» she asked.
«Do you remember what happened with Chloe? The effects of mana loss on humans?» I asked.
I was talking about it in such a roundabout way. It was just that saying it directly would've made everything so much scarier.
«Of course I do... wait... you don't mean...!?»
I could immediately see concern appear on Sophia's face.
«The mana I shot out is apparently never coming back. So if I keep using this power... I'll end up disappearing just like Mary Stillwater and Frank Boyle...»
Sophia jumped to her feet and rushed to my side. She put her hands on my shoulders, as if to make sure I was still there.
«Are you alright?! Did your mana already…?»
«I'm fine, don't worry,» I reassured her, «I have so much mana that using it once barely made a dent in it, from what Skylark said.»
«I... see...» Sophia said, returning to her seat.
«You made the right decision not to tell the others... this is something we need to tread carefully. Are you sure Skylark was telling the truth? Maybe he's afraid of you now.»
«I thought the same thing, but he didn't seem intimidated at all... of course he could be bluffing, but... again, I think he was telling the truth.»
Sophia nodded and was silent for a few moments. Then she looked at me intensely and said:
«Alright. Elizabeth... promise me you'll never use this power again.»
"I should have known she'd react like this."
«Even if it could help us escape? I have so much mana that using it a few times shouldn't put me in any danger. If I can master it, I might be able to-»
«No, it's too risky. You might lose control and end up losing all your mana at once. You won't use it, okay? And you won't tell Celeste about it. I don't want her trying to make plans around it,»Sophia cut me off in a stern tone.
"She's being unreasonable, Celeste wouldn't want me to die... of course I would prefer not to risk it either, but..."
«What if I'm about to die anyway? In that case, this power could save me!»
«That's...»
Sophia averted her eyes. It was clear that she couldn't find a logical answer to that. This time it was me who reached out to cover her hand with mine.
«I don't want to leave you alone Sophia, but this could be our trump card to turn the situation around!»
«NO!» yelled Sophia, jumping to her feet again. But then she seemed to calm down immediately.
«Sorry. I told you that I would listen to you and help you... now it seems like the opposite is happening...»
«It's okay! I'm glad you care enough about me to even look away from a chance to escape,» I said, trying to give her a reassuring smile.
«Of course I want to get out... but I want to get out with you. Freedom doesn't mean anything to me if I have to lose you to get it!» she exclaimed, clenching her fists.
«Sophia...»
I took her hands in mine.
«Alright. Let's do it like this... I'll keep it hidden from everyone else... but you'll help me look into it and understand how it works. I swear I'll only use it as a last resort, okay?»
Sophia stood there for a second, her lips trembling. But finally she nodded:
«All right. But as soon as I feel it's getting dangerous, you'll stop, okay?»
«Of course. I'm not too keen on learning how to use it either... I got really nervous when Skylark told me. That's why I wanted to talk to you about it!»
«And I probably just made things worse,» Sophia sighed, «see? you just make things so complicated! You already knew what the best thing to do was!»
«That's only because talking to you helps me calm down and see things clearly... Your Honour,» I tried to lighten the mood.
«Well, if this was supposed to be your first crime, I think you are acquitted,» she said with a smile.
"This part wasn't the one I was worried about..."
«So you have more to tell me, right?»
«I... this was not the only lie I told about what happened in the dungeon. I also lied about the last trial.»
«You're about to tell me the reason why things are not good between you and Penny, right?»
«Yes...»
I wavered but Sophia urged me on:
«Go on, Elizabeth... it'll feel better if you tell me.»
«I... know. It's just hard... you see, I really wanted to get back to you. I think that's why I was able to manifest that power, but... in the last trial... Penny wanted to sacrifice herself for me. But before she could do that... my body moved on its own.»
«Typical...» Sophia sighed, «do you think I'd get angry about that? I told you before, I don't like how much you make me worry. But I still can't hate the part of you that's willing to do anything to save the people you care about.»
But I shook my head.
«It's not that, Sophia. I wasn't thinking about saving Penny. I was... thinking about Amy.»
Sophia's smile faded.
«Amy... oh Elizabeth...»
Sophia came to my side again. This time she took me in her arms.
«Isn't this a breach of court protocol?» I said as I felt tears well up in my eyes.
«Don't try to joke and avoid the subject. How long have you been bottling things up? You're still feeling guilty, aren't you?»
I couldn't resist anymore. I grabbed her shirt and started to sob.
«I-I can't Sophia... I still see it... the moment she was killed. That smile just haunts me. I know Amy would hate me thinking this stuff... but it's just too much. I know I couldn't do anything, but... I can't.»
«I know, I'm sorry. I really am. I shouldn't have left you alone with these thoughts. I should have continued to talk to you about her after that day,» she said, stroking my hair.
«I'm just an idiot... I know nothing will bring her back, but I still almost lost my life for nothing... I almost left you alone.»
«What do you mean, for nothing?" asked Sophia confused, «you would've saved Penny's life!»
«Penny... wanted to stay with me... even though she could leave,» I said, sniffing.
«So that's why...»
«I completely lost my mind, Sophia. I told her I didn't care if she died. I feel so ashamed of how I behaved... But she almost made me throw my life away... can you imagine if I really died?»
«But you are alive now,» Sophia said, pulling away from me and wiping a tear from my cheek.
«But...»
«No buts. You clearly care for her, Elizabeth. And since you're not dead, you can go and try to make up. And even if you don't want to talk to her anymore, it will at least give you some peace of mind. I refuse to believe that you only jumped in because of Amy. I know what kind of heroic idiot you can be.»
«I… okay.»
She was right. I couldn't simply leave things as they were now.
«About Amy...This Academy has made death feel far too cheap, so much so that we may forget that grief is a normal human emotion. But you can't let it destroy you from the inside.
I can't really do much for you... I'm just your stupid girlfriend. This is such a big deal, I really don't know how to deal with it. What I do know though... is that you are keeping things bottled up inside you. You need to stop, or you'll explode like you did in the dungeon. Just talk to me about it, Elizabeth. They will not be pleasant conversations... but we must have them.»
Again, she was right. After the big breakdown I had in this room, I had never really mentioned the pain and guilt I was feeling.
"But now I know... not looking at them doesn't make those bad feelings go away. They will resurface at the worst possible moment and threaten to eat you alive."
So it was time. I had to tell her. I could tell that I was already feeling a little better by letting things out.
So now I had to look into the eyes of the big monster that was hiding inside me.
«Sophia... I'm not well.»
«I can see that... again, I'm sorry. I should've asked you how you were feeling,» she said, pulling me into another hug.
By now, what was supposed to be my trial had turned into her comforting me.
«It's not your fault. I told you I was fine, that I wasn't afraid... and it was partly true... I didn't freeze like I used to, but still... I feel so bad right now, Sophia. I love being with you... but I can't help having so many bad thoughts, even now. They are like shadows that hide behind every happy moment.»
«Elizabeth... what's wrong? Tell me, please.»
It was surprisingly simple.
«I don't want to die, Sophia. But I can hear the clock ticking in my ears. I can feel it... it's getting closer. And I don't want to go. There are so much things I want to do with you... but I'll never get to. All my life I have searched for the place where I belong. And now I've found it, it's here between your arms. But I will be torn away from you so soon... It doesn't matter who'll be the one to die first... it'll be so painful anyway.»
«Elizabeth, there is...»
«I know what you are about to say, Sophia. That there is still hope. But I don't believe that. I didn't want to say it out loud because you seemed so determined, but I don't think Celeste's plan will work.»
«If it doesn't, I'll find another one!»
«Sophia...»
«It's okay if you don't believe me. It's perfectly reasonable. And it's normal for you to feel this way in this situation. I should've realised sooner. I'm very sorry, I'm the bad girlfriend here,» she said, pulling away a little to look me in the eyes.
«Sophia... that's not true. You can't read minds. I insisted that you shouldn't be afraid to tell me how you feel. And look what I did... I'm the one to blame.»
«Maybe you are right...» she said after thinking for a moment, «then we are both to blame. But you... you make things oh so complicated. It sounds like you really want me to put you on trial.»
«Huh?!»
«Elizabeth, I told you... what you are feeling is perfectly normal. We are in this hellscape of a school where 84 people died. How could you not feel hopeless?»
«But I hid it from you!»
«You did. Just as I have hidden things from you in the past. Elizabeth, who do you think you are?»
«What are you-»
«Just like you told me once: you're just a girl like the rest of us, not some kind of legendary hero.»
«Do you remember everything people tell you or something?»
«If it's something you said, yes. What I meant is: don't be so hard on yourself. You are going to make so many mistakes, you are going to feel weak and hopeless a lot of times. The important thing is that you are willing to try again and change. The fact that you are willing to tell me the truth means that you are already on the right track.»
«But... how can I endure this pain?»
«You've done it so far, haven't you? You are way stronger than you think, Elizabeth. Crying doesn't mean you're weak. I have learnt that now.
I, on the other hand, will do whatever I can to help you. I'm just a normal girl like you, but I'll do my best for my girlfriend. In a way, I feel a bit like you. The thought of losing you is so painful... but we can't give in. I'll find a way to ease your pain, I promise. Just give me some time. So now, please... let it all out.»
«I... what?»
«Cry! Scream if you must. I'll stay here with you, maybe even join you. Let's look at the ugliest side of each other. This way... next time you'll be able to tell me right away.»
«Sophia...»
I felt the tears start to flow again. At this rate, I would probably have turned into a shell of a human being from dehydration. But it didn't matter.
Soon, in between my sobs, I began to tell her everything.
How I wanted to go on stupid dates with her, how much I missed Amy, how much I hated Skylark, how much I cried at night when I thought about leaving her alone. Soon I turned into a bumbling mess. And so did she. She began to cry in a dignified way, but soon I could see her eyes growing swollen and red. She told me how insecure she still felt. How she wanted to do so much more with me, but didn't feel capable of it. How much she hated her parents but still wanted their approval somehow. Soon we were clinging to each other. And then, as we kissed, the streams of our tears became one.
«That was... something...» I said at the end, completely exhausted.
«It really was... but it helped me understand you a little better.»
«You're still beautiful, even when you cry. Why did you try to hide in the past?»
«Shut up,» she said, sitting on the bed.
I could feel a hint of awkwardness between us, but my head felt so much lighter than usual.
I knew those dark thoughts would come back to haunt me, but for now I was so emotionally exhausted that I had no energy to dwell on them.
I looked at Sophia. She smiled softly at me.
"She really has so much patience to put up with me... is it bad that I want her to spoil me today? I'm so greedy."
But before that...
«So... what's the verdict?»
«Verdict? Elizabeth...» Sophia sighed, «the whole trial thing was just a funny thing to get you talking, idiot. And anyway, I told you. I think you just made a big deal out of nothing.»
«Way to belittle my inner anguish!» I joked.
«You know that's not what I mean.»
«So... no punishment?»
«Why do you sound so unhappy?»
«I...»
Maybe I'd gone completely mad after all that crying, but I couldn't help but be a little disattisfied that she hadn't followed through on what she'd told me in the infirmary. For the third time that day, Sophia seemed to read my mind.
«You're impossible, Elizabeth... we've just had this deep emotional moment and you're already thinking perverted things...»
«What are you talking about?! Maybe you're the one with a naughty mind!»
«Oh... I see... that's how you want to put it. Well, my naughty mind just thought of the perfect punishment for you. But don't you dare tell me to stop.»
With those words, Sophia shifted on the bed and placed the pillow on the backrest. Sitting down against it, she spread her legs and tapped the space of the mattress between them.
"This is… i see…"
I laughed as I saw her blush furiously.
«Is this supposed to be a 'punishment'?» I said, sitting between her legs, «feels more like a reward to me! Besides, you're kind of bad at this... you shouldn't be so embarrassed when you're the one doing this stuff.»
«Shut up... you'll stop being cocky soon enough,» she said, pulling me towards her.
"It feels really nice to be the receiving end of this..." I thought, letting myself fall against her body.
As soon as I did, Sophia wrapped her left arm around my torso, holding me in an iron grip.
«What are you...?!»
«Caught you!»
I tried to wriggle out, but it was impossible. She was so much stronger than me that she could even hold me still with one arm.
«Don't even try to escape. You heard the healer, don't move your arm so much.»
«But... W-what are you doing?»
I couldn't help but feel nervous when I heard her ominous tone.
«Testing something...»
«Testing something?»
I didn't like the sound of that.
«You know... Celeste told me you can be surprisingly bashful when you get pushed in the right spots...»
Suddenly I felt a chill as I heard that name.
«Celeste?! Did she put you up to this?»
«Maybe... so let's see how you like this... I know where to hit, Elizabeth.»
Sophia whispered my name directly into my right ear. I couldn't help but let out a little squeal.
«So you can make those sounds too... I wonder what else you are hiding.»
As I felt her warm breath on the outside of my ear, I realised I was in real trouble.
«Sophia?! Let me go, please…»
«Oh no no no, you are the one who wanted this, remember? I also told you not to tell me to stop.»
«I...»
But I couldn't even begin to speak. I could feel Sophia's right hand move to my side. I knew what was coming.
"This is very, very, very bad!"
The worst part of the situation was that I couldn't even use my hands to cover my mouth. So when Sophia's finger slowly traced the edge of my ear, I made an extremely embarrassing noise.
«It really is your weak spot, isn't it? You sound very cute.»
"Celeste unleashed a monster on me... and I can't handle it!"
Sophia continued to enjoy torturing me for what seemed like an eternity. I was afraid I was going to have a heart attack.
«Please Sophia... no more...» I whimpered weakly.
«Alright, alright!»
I felt her grip loosen and I I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Finally... mercy!"
But I was just about to get up...
NOM
As her lips closed on my ear, I jerked so violently that I head-butted her.
«OUCH!» Sophia screamed.
«WHAT THE FUCK!?» I shouted, rolling out of bed.
We looked at each other, and after a moment of silence, burst out laughing together.
«You're not fair...» I said, after slowly coming to my senses, «you yelled at me for a tiny kiss on the neck and then you go for something like that!»
«Consider it payback for all the times you did stuff like that to me...» she grinned.
«Again, you shouldn't be so red in the face when you say things like this...»
«Excuse me?... I could literally cook on your forehead right now.»
«Bully...» I said, climbing onto the bed and curling up against her body.
«Coming for round two?»
«My ears are off limits from now on... I didn't know you had it in you to be so bold.»
«Celeste told me to start fighting back a bit, so I can get more comfortable with this sort of thing...»
«Oh... you two are having girl talk... I'm kind of jealous.»
«Idiot... Elizabeth... are you feeling a bit happier?»
«I... yeah, but... it'll come back.»
«It will... but maybe... Elizabeth?»
«Yes?»
«Talk to Penny tomorrow.»
«I will.»
«And Sunday... go out with me. It will be our first date.»