Vale rubbed his forehead as he sat up in bed.
’Why did I dream of Fleur?’
Vale looked around for Salo, finding her still asleep in her bed.
’Wait, what was I thinking about?’
Who cares?
’It probably wasn’t important if I forgot it that easily.’
Ever since saving Xina at the cost of her right arm and nearly all of her Aether, Salo had been comatose. Runcal had healed her the best he could and stemd the bleeding. Knowing her, she’d probably wake up soon.
’But why is it so chilly?!’
Vale rubbed his shoulders and drew the comforter to his chest.
When he rembered the reason, a warm smile crept onto his face.
’This was almost the best-case scenario, wasn’t it?’
Xina and Salo lived.
Salo showed she was changing — or perhaps that she hadn’t changed at all.
He also got Jaune’s spear, which turned out to be quite the formidable Item — SR-ranked, at that.
The only thing that Vale felt could have gone better was, y’know, Salo not losing an arm.
’But, she’s grown one back before...’
Hopefully she could do it again.
’Who knows, she might just have that arm back minutes after she wakes up!’
Vale sighed, knowing his wishful thinking was just that. Wishful thinking.
Throwing the covers off, Vale looked around for Awilix, only to find her missing. Sivian, who’d also been given a temporary bed, was also gone.
Both were probably training...
’Hopefully, training.’
If they were busy killing each other...
’I don’t need one problem to end just for another to begin.’
Vale shook his head and said his prayers, then slid out of bed.
Toy was sitting on her own bed, watching over Salo.
Vale put on his pants, then sauntered across the room and sat on the end of Toy’s bed, watching Salo’s sleeping face through the canopy which had been peeled away.
Vale looked at Toy.
"What’s with that look?"
The usually cheerful goblin had a wistful expression plastered on her face.
Toy kept her gaze focused on her master as she said:
"Sir, did we need to save her?"
Vale paused, a dry swallow eventually interrupting his silence.
"Technically, nothing altruistic is necessary. No one does good because they need to."
"But, I an... Xina will do more harm than good. Look, she’s already taken Master’s arm. Who knows when she’ll go for her life. Or mine."
Vale sighed quietly.
"Xina didn’t wish to harm her. This was a result of Salo’s choice. She knew the consequences, and yet she still acted."
Toy clicked her tongue as her fist clenched. She cursed under her breath.
"But, why... Why the hell did she do it?! Why, sir?! Why?"
Vale scratched his cheek as he searched for a proper answer.
"Nobody can know what goes on in another person’s mind. That sentint is especially true for Salo. She’s not a simple person. Not at all."
Vale looked over at the petite goblin who looked like she could burst into tears at any mont.
"Toy, why do you dislike Xina so much? I know Salo doesn’t like her, but is that the only reason?"
"Huh? Of course I’d hate anyone my master hates..."
Toy’s voice trailed off.
Vale studied her erald eyes.
"But there’s more to it than that?"
"Y-yeah... there is."
Toy began biting her lip.
Vale’s eyes narrowed.
"Are you sure? Give the reason then. Tell why you dislike Xina? Removing Salo from the equation, of course."
"I—"
Toy choked on her words.
She’d recently learned to desire for herself, but she hadn’t learned to hate for herself.
"I don’t know."
Vale scoffed.
A nasty silence blood between them as they watched over the unconscious Salo.
’Xina, do you have so sort of curse to be hated?’
What had she done? What terrible deeds made her deserving of her Aspect? Sure, she did so bad things after awakening, and maybe she deserved the hatred Salo gave her; Vale wasn’t the judge of that.
What he wanted to know was the girl who knew warmth?
Who was Princess Xina of the Crystal Owls before she beca the Ice Witch?
Why...
’Why are you an Icebound Soul?’
Vale looked over at Toy, whose inner tumult was plastered all over her face.
Who knew what she was pondering at the mont.
As Vale watched her expression mix and contort, his mind drifted to [Charm]. More specifically, the first genuine conversation he had with Toy.
The one where he’d learned Toy was aware she’d been chard, but was also adamant her mind wasn’t controlled and that she followed Salo of her own volition.
’That. That was a lie.’
Well, not a lie.
’But a lie Toy thought to be the truth.’
Or perhaps Toy was simply too weak-willed — unable to think for herself...
’No.’
Vale quickly threw that idea away.
With the willpower he’d witnessed, entertaining the idea that she was weak-willed was laughable.
One more thing popped into Vale’s mind as he thought about [Charm]. It was sothing Salo had ntioned in passing.
When Vale asked if she could make Toy a Champion, She’d said: ’I don’t want to place that curse on her.’
’Is that it?’
Vale was marching toward a conclusion when Toy let out a lengthy sigh, interrupting the silence that had settled between them.
"I failed. I don’t... I don’t have a reason to hate her. Well, I do now. She hurt Master, but before then—"
"Good."
Vale and Toy’s heads both snapped to the woman lying in the bed with her eyes closed.
Toy bean fumbling over words.
"H-how long have—"
"Like three minutes."
’And you didn’t make a single motion? At least tell us you were awake!’
Vale’s head fell into his hands as he sighed, but his sigh was soon replaced by a smile.
Before Toy could spiral any further, Salo added:
"I know I spent a lot of ti warning you, trying to get you to be wary of her — No, I was trying to get you to despise her."
Salo chuckled.
"How foolish of ... Toy, my darling. Hate is a privilege. It’s a privilege you should own."
Toy’s eyes widened.
"Huh?"
"If the Ice Bitch gives you a reason to hate her, hate her. But until then... you should know I’m not the one in a position to direct admonition. All I can say is that I still hate her, Toy. But what I hate more... what I hate more is my narrow mind."
Salo looked at Vale.
"This one here knows what I an... What it feels like to be consud by a singular emotion."
Toy’s stare
"Master... I’m sorry. I didn’t understand anything you just said."
Salo opened her eyes and stared at Toy, then simply began to laugh.
"Oh, my! I should have just stayed asleep!"
Vale smiled, then said:
"Good to see you’re in good spirits, Salo."
Then, Vale turned to Toy and said to her:
"And what she ant to say was, think for yourself. Desire, love, hate. It’s yours. Only you know it."
Salo flashed a smile.
"Stealing my thunder, are we, Vale?"
But that smile hid a world of pain behind it .
Vale pushed off his knees and tottered over to Salo’s bedside. He reached into the [Nexus of Beginnings], took out a dagger, and cut his palm.
He placed his hand on Salo’s chest, making sure to not let the blood drip on her purple sheets.
That was probably the last thing she wanted at the mont. Salo nodded in silent thanks as she absorbed Vale’s blood and Aether.
"Your arm..."
Salo laughed.
"It will take awhile, but once I’m Elevated, I should be able to grow it back."
Vale nearly tripped in surprise.
’Elevated?!’
They weren’t even Ergent yet! Elevated was three whole Ranks away!
"That’s..."
"Oh, you two. Don’t look at with pity like that. You should be happy for ."
Salo let out a laugh, her voice echoing slightly, before adding:
"I got another chance to make sure that Icy Bitch dies while wanting to live. That’s sothing to scream and rave about."
Vale let out an exhale.
"Well, whatever keeps you going... Actually, on second thought, no fighting."
"I know, I know... I already made an informal promise of a ceasefire with her."
Toy scratched her cheek.
"Huh? Did I miss sothing? When did that happen?"
Salo rolled her head away.
"While she was still in the crystal... I don’t know if she accepted, but you can ask her later. I don’t particularly want to see her face right now."
Salo clenched her hand.
"You see, it may not look like it, but I’m not the happiest right now. Losing an arm to save her? Seriously?!" Salo chuckled to herself. "It’s ironic. That’s the second ti she’s taken my arm! At least it was the left one last ti, but my right? That greedy owl!"
A genuine grin spread across Vale’s face, appreciating Salo’s playful absurdity.
Toy, who’d also walked over to Salo’s side, sniffled lightly, then said:
"I guess that ans your decision was right."
Salo and Vale stared blankly at Toy, their eyes wide and unseeing, before a light wave of laughter erupted from them.
’A joke?!’
Toy had it in her to make a joke?
’Truly, the world is full of surprises.’
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