I congratulated Saé, the warmth of my gratitude manifesting itself in a sincere smile. With a natural gesture, my hand came to rest on her shoulder, a habit that symbolized our connection in this enigmatic world.
"Saé, we're writing our own story in this movie that's come to life," I remarked, letting a hint of excitement show in my words.
Saé smiled in response, her gratitude evident in her eyes. However, she revealed a clear intention as she replied, "I don't want to follow the 'love interest' pattern in stories. You know, the secondary character who arouses love interest in the protagonist."
A laugh naturally escaped me at his comment. "You mean me when you say protagonist?" joked I, seeking to play down the situation while savoring the light tone of our exchange. This bantering dialogue, tinged with a budding complicity, seemed set to become a memorable page in the story of our adventure come true.
Saé replied with a teasing smile, "That may well be the case."
A strange revelation began to form in the meandering recesses of my mind. A flash of understanding crossed my mind, and I realized something essential.
As my thoughts were lost in the ramifications of this discovery, my gaze drifted to Saé's shoulder, where my hand had found refuge. It was then that I noticed a significant change. His mark, once bearing the number "CXXXVI", had diminished to "CXVI". A mystery was unfolding, and the impact of this transformation captivated my attention, casting a new perspective on the nature of this mark.
I pretended nothing had happened, and set about the task of picking up the corpses of the monsters Saé had eliminated. The scene still exuded an aura of combat, but I chose to concentrate on this new occupation, seeking to give a semblance of normalcy to the unusual.
While my hands were busy, Saé questioned me, her voice tinged with genuine curiosity. She wanted to know if I had understood what had happened to her. She mentioned the inaudible voice she seemed to perceive, echoing the mysterious presence I had also heard.
As she noticed my actions, she interrupted her question to ask in a puzzled tone, "Why are you picking up the corpses of the monsters, Bun?" A question that, for the moment, hung in the air, inviting me to share my thoughts on this strange post-fight.
I told her that everything would become clearer with time, and regarding her strange experience, it was as if she had unlocked a special power. Saé, eager for answers, peppered me with questions, but I promised her I'd answer in due course.
Meanwhile, I retrieved a bag from a corpse to hold the pieces of the monsters I'd collected. Admittedly, the bag had probably belonged to someone, but in the macabre irony of the situation, its owner would never use it again. The ethical question of theft lost its sharpness in the cruelty of reality.
Having completed this task, Saé and I returned to Edano's side in front of the Nippara limestone cave, ready to face the next stage of our adventure, tinged with mystery and unexpected discoveries.
We joined Edano in front of the cave, and he questioned us, asking where we'd been. I took it upon myself to explain all our adventures, describing the intense battle we'd waged against the monsters and emphasizing Saé's mysterious power that had emerged.
Edano apologized for not being at our side, saying that he hadn't seen us, and that otherwise he would have come to help us. His words seemed tinged with feigned concern, a kind of false regret that I could discern without really being able to express. Nevertheless, without revealing this intuition, we continued our conversation, ready to tackle the next stage of our adventure in this strange world.
Just as I was about to enter, Edano mockingly pointed out that this was impossible, as my beloved protagonist was blocking the entrance. Stung by his sarcasm, I approached to observe the scene. Ishikawa seemed to be trying hard to convince Ryo to change his mind, but tension was growing within the group.
The others were becoming increasingly annoyed at Ryo's reluctance. The atmosphere was getting heavier, with everyone reacting in their own way to Ryo Kanjo's sharp retorts.
Ishikawa, aware of the crucial stakes, tried to reason with Ryo so that he would allow the group to enter the cave, to find shelter and protection.
"We don't know what awaits us inside, but staying outside can't be the answer. There could be far greater dangers here than there. At least let us get to safety," Ishikawa pleaded in a tone imbued with common sense.
Ryo, arms crossed, remained adamant. "I can't just let everyone in like that. We don't know anything about this cave, and there may be a reason why we should solve this riddle on our own," he replied, cleverly concealing his true motivations.
The other members of the group, growing increasingly impatient, began to express their frustration at Ryo's obstinacy. "We don't need your two-bit morals right now! We need security," cried one of them, capturing the general feeling of annoyance rising among them.
Tension mounted, creating a tense atmosphere where arguments and emotions mingled. Ishikawa, despite Ryo's resistance, persisted in his efforts to reconcile the differences within the group.
A man stepped forward, momentarily breaking the status quo, to whisper something in Ryo's ear. He revealed the risks of playing hardball, pointing out that if he continued to oppose the group, he'd end up alienating everyone, precipitating his own downfall.
Taking a more direct approach, the man then tried to blackmail Ryo. "If you persist in this mentality, some of us won't hesitate to betray you. A knife in the back when you least expect it, it can happen..." he said in a cold voice, amplifying the already palpable pressure.
Faced with this veiled threat, Ryo finally gave in. The prospect of being isolated and vulnerable in this hostile world seemed to have weighed heavily on his decision. He reluctantly agreed, perhaps realizing that his stubbornness risked leaving him alone, unsupported and unprotected.
At last, access to the cave was granted. The atmosphere eased noticeably, a collective sigh of relief escaping from the group members. Finding shelter seemed to be the long-awaited solution to the riddle that had kept them at bay outside.
In this new-found calm, I seized the opportunity to explain to Saé what had happened to her a few minutes earlier. We moved slightly away from the group, taking advantage of the lull to exchange explanations about the mysterious events that had marked our adventure. The place of refuge, despite the mystery that surrounded it, offered a welcome pause, a breath of calm after the tumult that had preceded it.
Saé, enlightened by the nature of her "spotlight", suddenly realized that she was the protagonist of her own story. Revelations seemed to follow one another, creating a complex web of understanding around her.
At her words, I also shared another revelation.
"Saé, about Ryo Kanjo... Actually... Maybe he's not the protagonist you were expecting...", I murmured.
Leaving a hint of mystery, I was about to reveal an unexpected facet of this mysterious character we'd been watching on the big screen just a few hours ago.