The Stone That Feels Like You
"Let's try asking Ingrid."
"What?"
Aidan scrunched up his face at Eli's bizarre brainwave.
"You're close with Ingrid, so maybe you know something?"
"The kid won't even listen when Quinn asks—what makes you think he'll listen if Ingrid tells him? No, wait, he won't even do things Bayul asks him to do. How exactly are we supposed to sweet-talk a kid like that?"
"Then there's only one way."
Logan's quiet voice rumbled through the conversation, heavy and steady.
"Innocent isn't the only spirit out there, you know."
"…You mean ask Shame?"
"As if that shy little thing would ever agree to it."
"I'd say there's zero chance."
"Still…… maybe it's worth bringing up?"
It was worth a try, at least. Because of his extreme shyness, actually meeting Shame face to face had taken considerable effort, but whenever Bayul needed him, Shame had appeared without fail, offering help before Bayul even asked. A presence that silently watched over him from where no one could see. Thanks to Shame, Bayul felt far more secure than he had before.
Shame, are you here? I have a favor to ask. Would you hear me out?
―……A favor?
Shame's voice came through—that rough, gravelly tone Bayul had grown fairly used to by now.
I want to meet the wind spirit. Is he somewhere near us?
―That, he is…….
Shame?
Something about his tone was oddly evasive. Shy as he was, Shame had always answered questions earnestly whenever asked. Why was he hesitating this time?
Could it be—was he actually a bad spirit, like Innocent kept saying?
―He's not bad. It's just…… he's, um…… very…… that.
Shame, who was definitely not reading Bayul's mind, scrambled to defend the wind spirit anyway, but the way his words trailed off at the end still left a prickling unease. Bayul was curious what kind of spirit this wind one could be—and worried at the same time.
―If it's about the smell, I know a place that would work well…….
"I'm sorry—a place that would work?"
Bayul's voice rose of its own accord at the unexpected offer.
"What, what is it? What did he say? Did he find the wind spirit?"
"No—Shame says he knows a better spot than this one."
"For your training, you mean?"
"Yeah. He says to follow him?"
The moment the words left Bayul's mouth, the ground in front of him swelled up into a small mound and rose. It was Shame.
"Wait, what? We were all hyped up to see a wind spirit, and now we're relocating?"
"The wind spirit seems like he'll need some time."
"Why does he need time?"
"I'm not sure myself. Let's just go where Shame's taking us. The smell keeps getting worse—by summer, I don't think I'll be able to train here anymore."
"Agreed. It's not just the smell either—it's strangely getting hotter. Feels like hot air's pushing in from somewhere. Which is ridiculous, it's the middle of the night. Isn't that hilarious?"
"We'll need somewhere we won't draw attention. Shame would know what we need, right?"
"He may not be visible right now, but he's always been by my side. He couldn't possibly not know."
With Shame, somehow, Bayul could believe in everything. Without even needing to double-check, he felt certain that wherever Shame was leading them would be far better than this place.
"Let's go."
Shame moved. Like a mole, the bulging mound of earth advanced at a swift pace.
"Isn't this the direction of the Forest of Corruption?"
"There's no way the place Shame is leading us is that, right?"
But 'no way' always had a habit of going exactly the way it dreaded. Just as they suspected, the place Shame led them to was the Forest of Corruption.
"Sh-Shame, it's dangerous deeper in here. If we run into a beast or a monster while we're on our own……."
―It's all right…… I will protect you…….
"Shame says he'll protect us?"
―I am the earth spirit…… Within the forest, I grow even stronger…….
Ah. That made sense, actually.
Innocent was at her most lively when she was in water. Shame held dominion over soil and trees and stone—over everything that grew upon the earth.
All that worrying for nothing.
"Let's go in. Shame will keep us safe."
"All of us?"
"Yeah. He says he's stronger in the forest. I can feel the confidence."
"Well, he is the earth spirit—makes sense."
Well-versed as they were in spirits, Quinn and Eli were easily convinced. Aidan and Logan, by contrast, seemed a bit reluctant—but it was already too late to turn back. Suppressing their nerves as best they could, the five of them steeled themselves and stepped into the Forest of Corruption.
―Here.
The place where Shame finally stopped was a clearing in the heart of the forest. It was a wide-open expanse, plenty large enough for a dozen people to play a game of ball—and right in the middle of it stood a small log cabin.
"An abandoned cabin out here?"
"Don't tell me someone actually lived in the Forest of Corruption?"
"No humans inside."
Innocent, who had somehow already peeked through the whole cabin, shook her head, her long hair swaying.
"Looks empty. Shall we go in and see?"
Kuooooh!
Suddenly, from somewhere unseen, came the howling roar of a beast. How dare anyone trespass upon my forest!—it sounded as if it were saying exactly that.
"Yes, let's do that first!"
Without anyone needing to go first, all five of them immediately bolted for the cabin.
"What was this place used for?"
It looked like it had been abandoned for quite some time; everything was blanketed in dust. There was an old but surprisingly sturdy-looking bed and a sofa, a small kitchen with a table and chairs, and in one corner a fireplace waiting for winter to come.
Only then did they notice books piled haphazardly on the floor beside the bed.
"Clean this place up and it'd be pretty cozy, wouldn't it?"
Whoever had lived here, they'd had everything they needed. As a training spot doubling as a hideout, this place was more than decent.
"No way the patrol would ever come all the way out here, so there's nothing to worry about. And if training wears us out, we can come inside and rest for a bit. It's perfect."
"Apart from the small fact that this is the Forest of Corruption."
At Logan's remark, Eli shrugged.
"What's there to worry about when Shame's protecting us? In a forest like this, the guy's invincible."
"I heard there are dangerous monsters in here though. Is it really safe? What if they swarm us all at once—then what?"
Somehow they'd ended up here, but Aidan couldn't put his mind at ease.
"Aidan, we're not that weak. Every one of us can hold our own in a fight. If it really gets dangerous, we just fall back into this cabin. It's not like they're going to smash the place down."
"I wouldn't put it past them."
―No one ever comes here…… No one can defeat me in this place…… I will show you…….
"Shame?"
Out of nowhere, Shame declared he had something to show them, sweeping along the cabin floor and heading outside.
"What's up? What's Shame saying?"
"He says he has something to show us. I guess he wants us to follow."
His friends, hesitant at first, had no choice but to file back out into the clearing. Bathed in bright moonlight, the open ground held no noisy livestock, no reeking refuse. Once again, it was an utterly ideal spot for training.
"Th-this way."
"Huh? It's Shame!"
Astonishingly, the sight that greeted them as they stepped out of the cabin was Shame himself, revealed at last. He called them over, head bowed deep in bashfulness.
Shame was standing about a dozen paces from the cabin, beneath a great tree. In front of the fragrant, flower-scented trunk stood what could only be a stone monument.
"What kind of monument is this?"
"The shape's kind of unusual, isn't it?"
It wasn't the typical form. Looking closely, it seemed less like a gravestone and more like a carved statue. Weathering had damaged it here and there, but the figure distinctly resembled a human being.
"When I come here, I feel at ease. It is, it's because of this."
"……?"
When Bayul made a puzzled face, Shame flushed red as he explained.
"It gives me a good feeling. It's, it's similar to you……."
"…This monument is similar to me?"
A nod.
"That's why I feel at peace here."
A warm smile spread across Shame's face. It betrayed just how deeply he cherished the monument.
"Finding comfort in a lump of rock—what a curious spirit you are. Come to think of it, didn't the little runt say she feels comfortable at the Water Garden too? Something about liking the temperature of the water, if I recall?"
"…That's strange."
"Bayul?"
At Bayul's sudden mutter, his friends all turned to look at him.
"It's just—it suddenly struck me as kind of strange, that's all……."
"Strange how, exactly?"
"Both Innocent and Shame say they feel at ease. But it's not like this monument only exists here, and it's not like the Water Garden is the only place with water. So why is it that these two feel at peace only at this monument and at the Water Garden?"
"Because Shame just told you the monument feels similar to you, that's why."
At Logan's words, Bayul hurriedly called for Innocent.
"Innocent! Where are you? Where'd you go?"
"I'm right here!"
From behind the tree where the group stood came the sound of Innocent's giggling laughter.
"Bayul, there's a spring over here! It's super cold and I love it!"
Bayul immediately sprinted toward Innocent.
"Kyahaha!"
Dipping into the spring and popping back out, over and over, Innocent was romping about in high spirits. Any other time, he'd have let her play to her heart's content before getting down to business—but right now, his heart was racing.
"Innocent, you said it before, didn't you? That you feel at ease at the Water Garden."
"Yeah! Why?"
"Is it the same for me? Do I give off a feeling like the Water Garden, or something like that?"
"Nope?"
No?
The answer was nothing like what he'd expected, and Bayul froze for a moment. Was it all just a coincidence? Was he imagining things?
But just as disappointment began to settle in, Innocent—who had submerged herself completely and was swimming through the spring water—leapt up into the air and shouted.
"It's exactly the same!"
"…What?"
"You're exactly like the Water Garden, Bayul!"