Threads of Fate
"...Yeah. Let's go."
"R-Really?"
"You think I'd say it if it wasn't?"
Jenella broke into a beaming smile at my words.
That good, huh?
Honestly, the whole situation didn't make much sense to me. Ashy clearly had feelings for me.
So why was she okay sending me off alone with Jenella, who felt the same way?
...Whatever. Who cares.
The kid's so thrilled about it.
"Uh, where should we go?"
"Anywhere you wanna?"
"Anywhere with you is..."
No, don't spit out lines that romantic. You're pricking my conscience here.
Like I said, I had no intention of reciprocating Jenella's feelings.
No.
More precisely, I couldn't. I felt absolutely nothing romantic toward her.
No matter how much she clung to me...
Where there's a meeting, there's a parting. Things might feel good now, but later, this relationship could crumble.
...She'll get over it eventually.
Bzzz.
My sword hummed in my pocket, as if mocking me with a 'You sure about that?' I smacked the hilt out of spite.
Contrary to my expectations of her being all shy and embarrassed, Jenella was surprisingly bold today.
"Here."
"?"
She handed me a sheet of paper.
A densely packed itinerary.
"This is our route for today. I planned it with Adria while wandering around this morning."
"..."
You two were doing that?
Jenella gripped my hand tightly, her face set like a soldier heading into battle.
Hey, hey. That hurts. Grip gentler.
"Let's go!"
No, you're just brave and everything else is a mess?
Jenella's shyness was obvious.
From the way her hand tensed around mine to how she couldn't naturally take the lead—it was all awkward.
"Uh, Jenella."
"Yeah?"
"Did Adria teach you to do it like this?"
"...No?"
That ending tone's off.
I stared straight at Jenella. She avoided my eyes, slyly turning her head, then stiffened and tried to meet them before dropping her gaze again.
...What the hell are you doing?
"What'd Adria teach you?"
"...She didn't teach me anything."
"Really? I hate liars, you know."
"...She gave me just a tiny bit of advice."
Yeah, I figured.
Tiny bit my ass.
That route? Course? Probably Adria's influence too.
She's really going all out.
Anyone'd think it was her love life.
"...Whatever. Let's just have fun without a plan. Getting tied down to this crap ruins everything."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah. I like no plans."
Not what I originally intended, but whatever.
Water under the bridge now.
I held out my hand to Jenella.
"C'mon. We going or not?"
"...Yeah! Let's go!"
She nodded vigorously at my words.
You crying?
Your eyes look a little misty...
Jenella was overflowing with enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm alone.
Everything else? Nada. Was there? Nope. Never was.
Buying theater tickets, entering a cafe, browsing clothes—it was all awkward as hell.
"Th- two tickets for the play..."
"Sure~ What play would you like?"
"Th- that first one..."
"Grand Prix, right?"
"Y- yes..."
Fuck, this is frustrating!
I'm gonna explode first!
In the end, I stepped up and paid.
"Your girlfriend's so proactive~ How long you two been together?"
"She's not my girlfriend."
"Huh?"
"Not my girlfriend."
"Your girlfriend's super shy, huh?"
"You don't believe shit, do you?"
"...?"
Good thing I used voice modulation magic.
Otherwise, I'd have to order in a gruff voice while looking like a girl.
Finally, with popcorn in hand, we entered the theater, and Jenella hung her head.
"What's up?"
"Nothing... I should've handled this stuff."
"It's fine. Let the more skilled one do it."
"?!"
What? Why the shock?
"...You're not a virgin, are you?"
"I am."
"Then how're you so smooth...?"
Oh.
"Learned it all from getting dragged around by you girls."
"Ah."
Her expression relaxed in an instant.
Damn, what a mood swing...
I started to say more but just sat down.
"Welcome to the theater, everyone~"
Students in masks came out and handled it smoothly.
Whoa, even some nobles mixed in.
As time passed, commoners and nobles—who were like oil and water—began blending bit by bit.
That's why plays like this bridged class gaps so smoothly.
"What the hell! It's a commoner? You kidding me?"
...Though assholes like that still existed.
A kid who looked barely elementary-school age scowled fiercely.
Hm, noble? Not high-ranking. Real nobles don't act like that.
It's always these mid-tier punks causing trouble. Nearby nobles were frowning in annoyance too.
"This sucks! You think I paid good money to see this crap? I'm outta..."
The moment he yelled and ruined the mood, a shadow fell over his head.
"Huh? Wha— mmph?!"
"You've caused a disturbance, so we'll escort you out."
A man appeared out of nowhere, clamped the kid's mouth, and vanished smoothly.
Hm, that outfit looks like some ParX Rain thing?
I wasn't the only one who thought so—a kid shouted at the man.
"Woooah! It's a hero!"
"...Pfft!"
Cute kid, so pure. Someone burst out laughing at the innocence.
The tense atmosphere eased right away.
The student host laughed smoothly and defused it completely.
"Alright~ A villain popped in for a sec, but the hero took care of him! No worries, everyone! Now, shall we focus on our story today?"
Come to think of it, lots of little kids here.
Aww, so cute.
...Scattered here and there were some big kids my size, but still cute.
Wish I could grow up like them.
Slide.
"?"
Something landed on the back of my hand.
Glancing over, Jenella was pretending not to notice, mumbling with pursed lips. When our eyes met, her face flushed red and she bowed her head.
"..."
Should I shake it off?
Holding hands in this vibe was basically an OK sign for something like a fling—or more.
I tried to pull away subtly, but she gripped tighter first. Through her hand, I felt her pounding heart and faint tremble.
"..."
Ashy and Jenella had a few things in common.
Feelings beyond friendship for me... and this inexplicable desperation.
That made it hard to push either away. Especially Ashy—she knew things I didn't.
...That dream.
The woman who hugged me, sobbing desperately.
Was she really Ash Blue?
Or just someone who looked like her?
And what was our connection in my past life?
If it was her? If that woman regressed to become the current Ashy?
Then this sporadic desperation made sense.
That's why rejecting her advances felt off. She never confessed outright, of course.
She said it at the festival in front of everyone, but that was half-joke, half-trolling. No direct confession.
...Jenella too.
No such past, but a friend with feelings for me in the present.
I didn't want more than friends, but she did.
And that desperation was palpable. Maybe her first time feeling this... or because of that blessing/curse weighing on her.
Weaker than Ashy's, maybe... or just as strong.
I'm losing my mind.
How'd it come to this?
Shiver...
She trembled faintly, scared I'd pull away.
Ah, fuck.
How am I supposed to shake her off now?
"...And that's it! Everyone together for the finale!"
"Aaaaaah~!"
In the end, I couldn't pull away till the finish.
Fucking hell.
Jenella let out a quiet sigh of relief beside me.
Better this way? Would've hurt her if I did?
"Fun?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. It was fun."
Liar. I felt you peeking at me the whole time.
But I just smiled and nodded.
Jenella blushed on both cheeks and nodded obediently.
"Where next?"
"...You?"
"I asked first."
Hm, getting hungry anyway.
"Grab some food?"
"...Yeah. Sure? S-Since I'm the guy today, I'll lead."
"Say that now and you get canceled."
"?"
We entered a decent-looking spot and ordered.
The student server tried couple's discount; I freaked and refused.
"Not a couple. Just friends."
"...Really?"
She eyed me weird for turning down the savings.
But I had to make it clear.
If I accepted here, Jenella'd get the wrong idea for sure.
"..."
She looked hurt for some reason, but no helping it.
I glanced away; she schooled her expression like nothing happened. Felt too guilty.
But no choice.
"Good?"
"Yeah. Decent. ...Though the staff kept giving us weird looks."
"Can't be helped. From their view, we're a couple with some weird concept... or loaded idiots."
"...Yeah?"
Her mood lifted at "couple" again. Made mine weird.
...She likes me that much?
What for? No clue.
"Huh? Look over there. Was that there before?"
"?"
Jenella pointed somewhere.
The street we passed earlier.
But a new booth was set up where there wasn't one.
[Couple Compatibility *** Tarot]
Tarot? They have that here too?
Jenella's eyes sparkled beside me.
Reacting to "couple compatibility," huh? Typical scam bait.
Eh, for fun...
Not doing the couple one, obviously.
"Wanna check it out?"
"Really?!"
"Why not? Let's go in."
We entered the booth. Usually draped in red fabrics, but this was different.
Mostly greens.
Nature scents wafted inside. A robed figure smiled at us.
"What can I read for you?"
"Couple compatibility!"
Jenella blurted before I could speak, then glanced at me sheepishly.
No, saying it like that...
But denying it now felt awkward. I just nodded.
"...Yeah. Couple compatibility."
"Great. Please sit here."
She sat us down and pulled out a weird crystal orb.
Our eyes met through her hood.
Green eyes. Unusual, but not rare.
Bulria Arishion had green eyes too. But hers felt off. Hard to pin, but weird.
...Priestess.
The thought hit, and info flooded my mind.
The god worshipped by elves dwelling solely in the massive forest splitting the continent.
Followers of Wigdrasil are purely elves.
More precisely, Wigdrasil accepts only elves as priests.
The Forest God embraces none but elves.
...This woman's an elf?
Looking closer, magic cloaked her entirely.
Something felt fishy.
Elves were seen as peaceful, but reality differed.
Superior innate forest hunters and guardians.
Better physical prowess and mana control than humans—that's elves.
Slaves? Elves enslaving humans, maybe. Humans enslaving elves? Never happens.
"Hmm, shall we check your compatibility?"
She looked away from me, cupping the orb with both hands.
It glowed strangely.
Gazing into it, she smiled intriguingly, lips curving softly.
"A fated encounter that wouldn't have happened normally... Very rare. Precious bond. A red thread between you... faint, but there. But... the end... hmm, slightly severed."
"S-Severed?"
"No worries. Fixable with effort. Even if not, you'll stay good friends. Turning a 'missed' fate into reality is rare and precious."
The glow faded. She smiled, covering the orb with a cloth.
"Wonderful bond. Truly rare... Someone worked hard for this."
"Someone...?"
"Maybe it's destiny."
She muttered cryptically, pulling something from her bosom.
A leaf?
Super fresh, like it'd make a killer wrap.
"I should pay you. Too precious a reading. No cash now... take this instead?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Go on."
Her voice carried odd compulsion.
Jenella reached out, entranced.
But I stopped her.
"Don't take it."
"Oh my. Girlfriend's got backbone. Jealous?"
I ignored her, turning to Jenella.
"Jenella. Wait outside."
"Huh? B-But..."
"Now."
I infused command; she nodded and stood.
Once she left, I eyed the woman warily, hand to my sword.
Ready to swing if shit hit the fan.
"Who the hell are..."
"Arcana."
"!"
She flung back her hood.
Pointed ears, pale green hair cascading. Not pale skin like typical elves—dark, brazenly bronzed.
Her eyes lost the weird vibe, now etched with strange patterns.
What the...?
"...You're no ordinary elf."
"Curious about me? Don't worry. You'll know soon enough."
She exhaled hotly, grinning wide.
"Hope it's on a bed or some secret spot, just us... Wonder what your body's like, what face you'll make... Ngh! So curious!"
Crazy bitch.
I backed away instinctively.
Those eyes, that face... Fuck, total pervert!
Poof.
Green light enveloped her, and she vanished.
I scanned the spot—nothing left.
Not even the nature scent filling the booth.
"...What the fuck?"
Why's an elf here?
No, more than that.
Her gaze, aura, eyes—gave me the creeps.
Like being targeted by a blatant creep... Ugh, hate it.
Elves weren't drastically different from humans in faith.
Like humans worshipped the God of Light, Arcti, elves revered the Forest God, Wigdrasil.
But exceptions exist everywhere.
Elpiona Ha Wigdrasil.
Centuries ago, one elf worshipped not the Forest God, but its incarnation and proxy—the World Tree. Her faith earned even the Forest God's approval, making her the sole priestess of the World Tree.
Poof.
Returning home via holy magic, Elpiona dragged her uncontrollable body to the mirror.
Hot. No, scorching.
Her clothes felt like they'd melt.
"Hnnngh..."
She shed her robe, cheeks flushed crimson, face lost in ecstasy, hugging herself tight.
"Haaa... That gaze... so thrilling..."
Never thought she'd meet one there, on a whim!
Priest of the War God.
Definitely. The heartbeat and heat she felt only for him and the World Tree surged the moment she saw her!
And that wary stare—like electricity through her body. Eyes only a War God's priest could give.
"Aaaah... Diel..."
Her first love, who turned her genderless self into a woman.
Diel Minoras, saint of the previous War God.
Thought she'd never see another War God's priest after his death.
"Huuuh..."
Heart burning. Body burning.
Wanted to go back and pounce.
It reminded her of their first meeting.
"Aaaah..."
She caressed her cheek, staring into the mirror.
It reflected an unforgettable memory—a past she could never forget.