Keeping Watch and a Promise

14. Keeping Watch and a Promise

No matter how much she begged, Tori would not take Shia with him.

She knew he did it for her own sake. Because it was dangerous, and for reasons like that.

But if it was dangerous for Shia, it was dangerous for Tori too. And yet, Tori tried to keep only Shia away from such things.

Even after watching Tori depart from the window of their inn room, Shia remained by the glass, not leaving for a single moment. If she stayed here, she would know the instant Tori returned, and she could run to him immediately.

Resting her chin on both arms placed upon the windowsill, she let out a sigh for the umpteenth time. Noon had long since passed. This was the first time she had been apart from Tori for so long since their journey began.

She hadn't realized that the act of simply waiting could be so unsettling.

As Shia let out yet another sigh, the town she was looking down upon began to drift with a sense of unrest.

( ...What is it? )

The commotion seemed to be spreading gradually from the direction Shia was looking—the direction Tori had gone. At the center of that presence was impatience, and—

( ...Fear? )

Then, loud voices began to erupt from various places.

"That's impossible! How could this happen!?"

"We have to evacuate, quickly!"

"A-A Serpent!?"

"Call the army!!"

"I told you this was a bad idea! I told you I was against it!"

"Where are we supposed to run to!?"

The voices of the people varied, and among them, the name of the magic beast—the Serpent—that Shia had encountered (or rather, sensed) before came up, allowing her to vaguely piece together the situation.

A Serpent had appeared, or it was heading this way.

But Tori had said that Serpents were nocturnal.

Shia looked at the sky. Though the sun had begun its descent, it still hung high above. Then she would still be okay for now.

That said, what had happened to Tori?

This current situation was likely the result of Tori and the others going to see the destroyed Tochkas. Given the timing, it could be nothing else. And yet, though she had been watching the panicking people for a while now, Tori was nowhere to be seen.

Shia knit her brows slightly.

If it were Tori, he would surely be the first to rush back to her side.

"I'll be back soon, so Shia, wait in the room."

Tori had said this while lightly touching her head, his brow dipping.

In response, Shia had asked if that was a "promise."

"A promise?"

"Hmm? —Ah, ...yes, it's a promise."

"Then, I'll wait."

"Right. But if, in case of an emergency, something happens, please prioritize your own safety first."

"...?"

"In short, it means you don't have to wait."

"No way!!"

"Shia, I mean in case of an emergency. Only if. I will, of course, keep my promise."

"...You absolutely have to."

"I will."

That was the conversation she had exchanged with Tori just before he left.

The "promise" between the two of them was that he would not leave Shia behind. Therefore, Tori would certainly return to her.

Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in her field of vision.

Shia blinked, and then knit her brows tightly. Her mouth curved downward into a pout.

"......"

She had been told to wait in the room.

But, he had also mentioned the case of an emergency.

"...Then, probably, surely, now is the case of an emergency..."

Using that as her justification, Shia stepped away from the window and bolted out of the room.

"—Oji-san!"

She believed his name was Ronar, but since she wasn't entirely sure, she called out to the man using a general term.

Because of this, several men glanced her way, but while the others immediately looked back, the man she was looking for looked at Shia with a startled expression.

"Um, where is Tori?"

As Shia ran up to him, Ronar's eyes shifted noticeably.

"I-I don't know? We were together until a moment ago..."

"Until a moment ago? I don't sense Tori nearby."

"Eh? Sense?"

The man looked puzzled, but Shia looked away from him and scanned the surroundings; there was neither Tori's scent nor his presence. Shia looked up at the man again.

As she stared intently, Ronar awkwardly averted his gaze.

In Ronar, she could see the same impatience and fear as the other people. But there was something else as well.

"...To tell you the truth, he went on ahead. Leaving you behind."

"Liar, Tori wouldn't leave Shia behind."

"It's not a lie; this town is about to become a disaster. That's why he took off in a hurry."

"If that were the case, he would absolutely never leave Shia behind."

"...How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's a promise."

"Ha, promises are things that are easily broken."

Shia was well aware of that. But a promise with Tori was different. They had properly done a pinky swear. And—

"Oji-san is lying."

"Huh? I'm not lying—"

"You are, Shia can tell."

"Ha..."

"I've had enough. Shia is going to find Tori."

"Huh? No, wait a minute!"

She nimbly leaped back to dodge the hand reaching for her. Then, she vanished into the chaotic crowd. "—Ah, hey, wait!" a voice called out from behind her, but naturally, she didn't stop.

Amidst the flow of people rushing to and fro, people collided everywhere, things were knocked over, and curses flew. Skillfully avoiding them, she headed for the town's exit, and just as those massive doors were being closed, Shia quickly slid her body through.

"—Hey!?"

"Leave her be, she went out of her own accord. Close it quickly!"

With a loud crash, the doors were mercilessly closed. However, without looking back, Shia ran along the path she had taken yesterday.

Tori wasn't in the town. That was only Shia's intuition, but she believed it was correct.

She didn't know why Ronar had told such a lie, but from Ronar, she could smell something negative, like guilt or regret.

Whether that was regarding lying to Shia, or because something had happened to Tori.

...She figured it was likely the latter.

While running, she stole a glance at the sky.

( I have to find Tori before the sun sets! )

If that magic beast with the terrifying presence—the Serpent—was truly coming to attack, she had to hurry.

( ...But... what if— )

Shia shook her head vigorously.

No. Any words that followed that thought were nothing but bad things.

"Bad thoughts lead in bad directions."

She didn't remember which of her parents had taught her that, but she recalled those words.

Thus, as she shook her head back and forth to cast away the thoughts, her hood slipped off. However, regardless of that, Shia simply moved her legs with single-minded determination.