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Arc V Chapter 25

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26th Ignis Solar 753 AAC

“... ... ...” Little Aurora steeled her gaze, her eyes focused on her. “So ... So you are planning to become an adventurer?”

Aurora nodded. “More or less, I am indeed planning on becoming an adventurer. That is the current goal, at least for the time being. We are currently training and studying to get our full adventurer licence. When we finish our classes, the guild will promote us to copper rank.”

“I see ...” A heavy sigh escaped her favourite doll. Her sigh carried a sense of melancholy that was difficult to ignore.

“I have no intention to intrude, but is something the matter, Lady Aurora? Something seems to bother you.” Aurora deployed her best smile.

“... ... ...” The girl averted her eyes, her reluctance apparent. “...”

Her reaction elicited a grin. A shy one was she, wasn't she? “Lady Aurora, do not presume that you can deceive me. It is obvious that something weighs upon your heart. As I told you before, we both are now one. You don't need to hide. Feel free to tell me. Tell me what is bothering you, Lady Aurora.”

“Hmm ...” Little Aurora turned her attention once again to her, staring at her intently. “You said ... You said you want to become an adventurer. Why? Why an adventurer?”

Aurora returned a smile. “Why? Why not. The life of an adventurer is a free one, so why shouldn't I pursue such a calling?” This wasn't really about becoming an adventurer, or not, was it?

“... ... ...” A hint of sadness invaded her voice. Her wavering eyes met her gaze. “So ... So you will abandon me. So you will abandon my name.” So this it was. She now understood.

“...” Aurora folded her hands in indifference. “Elaborate.”

Little Aurora clenched her fists, determination invigorating her words. “Why? Why do you want to choose the life of an adventurer? Does that mean that I will never see them again? Will I never see father again? Will I never see Friedrich again? Will I never see Maria again?”

“... ... ...” Aurora narrowed her eyes, yet the girl didn't yield.

Her opponent pressed her assault without flinching. “Will you abandon my name? Will abandon everything I ever was, everything I ever had, everything I ever wanted? Will I never be Aurora von Schwarz again?”

“...” Aurora remained unmoved.

“ Anwser me. Anwser me, Aurora.”

Her words elicited a giggle from her lips. Aurora was unable to hide her amusement. “So you finally used my name, Lady Aurora. How wonderful.”

“...” Little Aurora didn't budge. Not that she expected otherwise.

“I think, ... I see now what moves your heart, Lady Aurora. You do not want to lead the life of an adventurer. You wish to return to your old life, do you not? You wish to return to what you hold dear, to what is precious to you. You wish for me to reclaim your name, your heritage, your legacy? You wish to be once again Lady Aurora von Schwarz, heiress to the noble House von Schwarz. Is that what you will, what your heart desires?”

“... ... ...” Hesitation gripped her, yet her hesitation was short lived. Little Aurora nodded. Her nod proved the depth of her resolve. “It is.”

Aurora scrutinised the girl, probing her, testing her. “Are you sure about it, Lady Aurora. Do you truly comprehend what you demand from me? Do you truly comprehend what your wishes encompass, Lady Aurora?”

“I do”, little Aurora spoke, her voice firm.

Yet Aurora disagreed, “With all due respect, Lady Aurora, but I have my sincere doubts. You say you wish to return. You say you wish to reclaim your old life, and yet you seem oblivious to the implications of your words. Or have you already forgotten, Lady Aurora? Your world is one that has treated you far from kindly. It is a world that has rejected you. A world has shunned you. A world that has scorned you all these years. A world that has treated you with contempt and derision, with ridicule and disdain. A world that has judged you unworthy, inadequate in the eyes of so many. A world that has inflicted so much pain and misery on you, a little, helpless girl. It is even the world that has murdered you in cold blood only because of your name. We both know the truth, Lady Aurora. These were not just some forlorn bandits. These were assassins. They wanted you, you alone. This is your world, and yet you seek to return to it. But not only that, you even ask me to honour your memory. You ask me to be you. You ask me to lead your life. You ask me to play a role I was not meant for.”

“...” Little Aurora fell silent, her lips sealed.

“Tell me, Lady Aurora, on what basis, do you make such demands? What right do you have to ask so much of me? What do I owe you? I have nothing to do, neither with you, nor with your family, neither with your past, nor with your future. And yet you ask me to be you. You ask me to lead a life that I have never chosen, a life that was never my own, to brave a world I thought behind me, only because I inhabit your body due to some unforeseeable vagrancy of fate ...” Aurora shook her head, a heavy sigh escaping her. “You ask much, Lady Aurora. The moment I claim your name, you will not only bind yourself, but also me. You will bind my fate to yours. You will bind me to a life of duty once again. It is the life of a noble. It is a life I know well. It is a world I know only too well. It is a world I was reared for before. It Is that truly what you wish, Lady Aurora? ”

“...” Little Aurora averted her eyes, avoiding her gaze. “... ... ...”

“...”

“... ... ...” Her doll went quiet.

“...” Aurora folded her hands. “Lady Aurora, I await your response. Ultimately, it all depends on you, is this truly what you wish? If you truly should will so, I will see to it within my capacities.”

“... ... ...” Little Aurora hesitated, yet the girl gathered her courage at last. Her tiny head nodded. Her throat gulped. Her nervousness was written all across her face. “I know ... that what I ask of you is much, Aurora ... I know ... that I don't have the right to ask of this much ... I know that we share little beyond our name ... I know ... that you are not me ...”

“...” Aurora listened, weighing her every word with care.

Little Aurora raised her head, her chin held high. “I know ... that my life has not treated me kindly. I know ... that they look down upon me because I failed to live up to my name and blood. I know that they despise me. I know that they judge me inadequate. I know that it was them who murdered. I know all that. I understand all that ... But!”

Aurora furrowed an eyebrow with a healthy amount of scepticism. “But what?”

Little Aurora clenched her tiny, doll sized fists. “But I will not abandon my life like this. I cannot abandon my life like this!”

A faint smile crept up Aurora's lips. What an auspicious development. This was what she wanted to hear, a cause worthy to fight for. “Why not? Nobody would hinder you, Your Ladyship.”

Her doll shook her head, disagreeing in the strongest terms. “I neither can, nor I will. I am who I am, and no matter what, no matter what people say, no matter what people think, I was born a noble. There are duties and obligations resting on me since the day I was born. I might not be the strongest. I might not be most talented. I might be timid. I might be meek, but I will not run! Even I have my pride. I am Aurora von Schwarz, heiress to the noble House von Schwarz. I will not disappoint all those who believed in me all these years. That is why we must return. That is why ask you, Aurora, please, please be our strength.”

“...” Aurora scrutinised her doll one last time. The girl had mustered all her courage, all her resolve ... There was no doubt about the strength of her conviction. No hint of incertitude.

“Please.” Little Aurora reinforced her plea.

...

...

...

“...” Aurora rose from her chair, strolling through the moonlit room, towards the window, towards the endless night sky. Her eyes observed the brilliant stars. “You know, Lady Aurora, I always suspected that this day would come eventually. I always knew that I was never meant to forgo my destiny, not in my previous life, nor in this life. Sooner or later, the truth would find its way to reveal itself. Not today, not tomorrow, but the day would come my act was meant to end. Even as an adventurer, our eyes, our blood, our abilities, our element, the colour of our fire, they are unshakeable proof of our heritage. A young girl, black hair, purple eyes. A master of the arcane arts of magic and of the purple flames. We would inevitably attract attention, and what was hidden from plain sight would be ultimately uncovered. I didn't expect it, though, to happen this soon ... because of a living doll, no less. Life truly never fails to surprise.”

Aurora turned around, away from the window, her eyes aimed again at the girl. “You realise that you are forcing my hand, Lady Aurora? Your cause is a worthy one, yet you ask much of me. Perhaps too much. You ask me to take a difficult decision ... One that I must not necessarily take, but your heart has spoken, and I will heed your wish. I will not deny you what you seek, Lady Aurora. I only hope that we won't regret our decision.”

“...” Her eyes brightened with a glimmer of new found hope. “So ... So you will return?”

...

...

...

“... ... ...” Aurora nodded after a moment of silence. “We will. We will reclaim what was yours, what is ours, albeit not now. It is still too early to act. The moment ... isn't the right one, yet, but knowing my luck, it will be upon us soon enough. Now, however, it is time to sleep. The coming week will be a long one, Lady Aurora.”

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