"Arthur," Inera said softly, "that's a nice name. I've heard it in some stories before."
Arthur's laugh was light, but it had a hint of melancholy. "King Arthur. My parents loved those stories from the old days. But…"
His gaze wandered to his frail figure, a shadow of disappointment in his eyes. "I guess I'm not quite what they expected."
Inera remained silent for a moment. Arthur was very open for someone she had just met.
Then she shook her head. "I'm sure the Master and Mistress wouldn't think that way. They are loving people. Besides, I see them come here quite often."
Arthur nodded, acknowledging her words. "That's true. They do care for me, here, in this dark, isolated room."
His voice held a hint of resignation. "Tell me, Inera, have you ever heard of me? Did you know that my parents have a son?"
Inera's gaze dropped slightly. She really had never heard of Arthur before. Were his parents ashamed of him? Even though she had only been working here for a year, the fact that she had never heard of him was undeniable.
Slowly, she shook her head. He watched her and turned his gaze away as he received her answer, his eyes distant and thoughtful.
After a brief silence, Arthur returned to his more cheerful demeanor. "Inera is quite an unusual name," he remarked, seemingly trying to lift the somber mood.
Inera thought for a moment before playfully responding, "In ancient times, it meant Princess of the Sun."
Arthur's eyes widened in amazement. "Is that true?" he asked, genuinely interested.
Suppressing a light giggle, Inera covered her mouth with her hand. "No," she finally confessed, "I was just joking, but I wanted to say something special too."
Arthur's face turned into a playful pout.
"My parents just have a strange sense of naming," added Inera, still fighting back laughter.
When Arthur, somewhat sulking, said, "I really believed that," Inera could no longer contain her amusement and broke into a pleasant laugh. Arthur watched her for a moment before he, too, began to laugh.
"Thank you," Arthur said as their laughter subsided.
"For what?" Inera asked, her smile still present.
"For laughing with me," Arthur replied, his smile tinged with a hint of sadness. Inera's smile gradually faded, replaced by a look of empathy.
"You don't often get the chance to laugh, do you?" she asked softly.
Arthur began tracing the skin on his forearm with his finger. "It's always serious when it's about me. And believe me, when my parents are here, it's always about me. Mostly about my condition, how I'm feeling, if I've had any strange visions, if I can still feel my legs… Blah blah blah. I can't remember the last time I had a normal conversation with them, let alone shared a meal."
Inera remained silent, unsure how to respond to such openness. Talking with Arthur was very pleasant, but she hadn't expected such a confession in the first five minutes of meeting him.
Maybe he simply didn't meet enough people to be able to afford being reserved.
Nevertheless, she decided to remain kind and open as well. Partly because Arthur was her young master, but also because she herself was enjoying the conversation.
"That's why I'm grateful to be able to talk to you, Inera," Arthur continued, breaking the silence.
Inera gathered her thoughts before asking, "When did it all start?" Her voice was gentle, filled with genuine interest in Arthur's… strange condition.
Arthur shrugged. "About four years ago, I started feeling dizzy after being outside for too long. Then my skin began burning under the sun. Eventually, I was confined to this room, and it has only gotten worse. Now, I can't even stand or walk without complete darkness and a good night's rest. The last time I went around the house was a bit more than a year ago… but even that is too difficult for me now."
Inera responded consolingly, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"It shouldn't. It's simply what God has planned for me," said Arthur with a hint of acceptance in his voice.
Inera raised her eyebrows. "You believe in God?"
The idea of believing in something as old as the concept of God was strange. Not as strange as Arthur's condition, but still something rarely encountered today.
"Believe in God?" Arthur's sudden burst of energy was evident as he animatedly pointed to the bookshelf. "I know everything there is to know about our religions."
Inera's eyes widened in surprise. "All these books are about religion and God?"
Arthur chuckled, a light sound that filled Inera's ears, contrasting with the seriousness of their conversation. "No, oh God, no. About half of them are. The rest are about all sorts of sciences—chemicals, biology, electrical circuits, machinery. I even have some records about the demons there."
Inera stepped closer to the bookshelf, her gaze now filled with a new curiosity and wonder. She was about to open a book when she suddenly paused.
"Go on, read a bit," encouraged Arthur.
"Really?" she exclaimed, but then hesitated, remembering her duties. "No, no, I can't. My job—"
Arthur interrupted her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "If knowledge is to belong only to the privileged, then it deserves to be consumed by flames. Please, read."
Inera hesitated for a moment, torn between her responsibilities and the tempting wealth of knowledge before her. But the temptation was too great. Quickly, she turned to the bookshelf, afraid Arthur might change his mind.
Her hand gently traced the spines of the books. "Wow," she murmured in awe. The sight of real books was probably a rarity for anyone in Tarus, found only in the few libraries there were.
"These are all such high-quality volumes! And you were right, here's 'The Anatomy of a Skull-Demon' and 'The Complex Mechanics of a Futuristic Intergalactic Electron Accelerator Cannon.' This is amazing!"
"Thank you," replied Arthur, a hint of pride in his voice. "Reading is pretty much the only thing I can do to pass the time. And a display only serves to strain my eyes in this darkness, so I prefer real books."
Inera's eyes continued to roam over the book titles. When she came across one titled 'The Lord has not Abandoned Us,' she paused, her voice losing some of its earlier enthusiasm.
"Why do you believe in God, Arthur?" she asked, now more reflective.
Arthur seemed to consider her question carefully. "It helps me get through all this, I guess," he answered solemnly.
"But," Inera pressed, "if God really exists and has a plan for you, how could he allow something so cruel to happen to you?"
Arthur fell silent, his expression turning contemplative. "I don't know, Inera. At first, I wanted to believe it was a test, but now... I don't know anymore. The demons are out there somewhere as well, but for some reason, God has allowed that. We can't hope to truly understand divine intentions. But if we don't believe in God, what else is there to believe in?"
Inera paused, contemplating Arthur's challenging question. She had never believed in a higher power, yet the existence of demons and the horrors outside the walls of Tarus seemed to defy a simple explanation.
"You could believe in humanity."
Arthur scoffed at her words, but his initial reaction was quickly followed by an apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mock your opinion. It's just… consider the state of humanity. We're confined behind walls, living in fear of what lurks beyond. Look at me—I'm practically a metaphor for humanity's current plight. Chained to this room, my own golden cage. Why should I believe in a humanity that seems so trapped?"
"Because without humanity, there's nothing left," Inera countered, "no stories of great adventures, no groundbreaking inventions, no families, no love. Even your belief in God stands on humanity's existence."
Arthur fell silent, digesting her words. After a moment, he asked, "Why are you so optimistic?"
Inera hesitated, unsure if she fully believed her own answer. "What's the point in lamenting our situation? There may have been a time when people roamed freely, but that shouldn't stop us from exploring and appreciating the world as it is now. At least, it won't stop me."
"And what about me? Could you stay optimistic if you were in my shoes?" Arthur asked, his gaze turning away from Inera.
Inera looked at him thoughtfully. His condition was indeed dire, a situation hard to fully comprehend. But she sensed that Arthur wasn't seeking pity, but rather a genuine conversation.
"I'm... I'm not sure," she admitted honestly. "Your situation seems terrible, but that's no reason to lose hope in all of humanity. Admittedly, I'm not exactly an enthusiast when it comes to people – but the events and wonders of the world are often created by humans."
She took a deep breath and continued, "That's why I believe that your situation also offers a chance for a miracle, something special. If you ever manage to live normally again, your life would be so much more colorful than mine could ever be."
Then Inera glanced over at the apparatus on the side of the room. "And from what I can see, your parents are also working on a solution. They seem to love you very much. If you can't believe in humanity, why not just in yourself and them?"
She turned back to the bookshelf. This bookshelf, filled with valuable, rare books, stood in this single dark room—just for the beloved son who loved to read.
"Have you tried talking to them about your interests?"
Arthur shook his head. "I don't really get the chance."
"That sounds like an excuse," Inera said, but then flinched as she realized what she had said in the heat of the discussion. "Sorry, young master! I didn't mean to—"
"Please, Inera," Arthur interrupted her calmly, "you've already called me Arthur. Let's stick with that. And," he hesitated for a moment before sighing loudly, "you're probably right."
Inera waited briefly and counted to five to calm herself. She had made a mistake, but fortunately, Arthur was very forgiving. She wanted to repay his kindness—there was no reason to be overly polite if he didn't want that.
"You managed it with me, even though you barely know me," she said with a laugh. "I think your parents would be relieved to see you engaged in life, with things that excite you. They need to see that you're still alive and not just a talking... corpse."
Arthur opened his mouth as if to argue, but then closed it again and reconsidered her words. After a thoughtful pause, he remarked with a genuine smile, "You are as brutally honest as you are beautiful, you know that?"
Inera returned his smile, feeling a genuine connection forming. "I'll visit you, okay? Then you can talk to me about your interests."
She stepped up to him and extended her hand. "We can be friends," she offered warmly.
Arthur seemed to tremble a little. Then he firmly grasped her hand, surprising Inera with the strength he was able to muster despite his slender body.
"Friends," he said, smiling.