Viena's body still felt strangely warm, yet a lingering chill clung to her arms and legs. The effects of the telepathic connection had faded, but the memory remained lodged somewhere deep inside her, difficult to shake no matter how hard she tried.
Noticing her shivering beneath the oak tree, Randia lifted a hand. The tears still clinging to her cheeks separated into tiny droplets and drifted through the air before gathering at the tip of his finger. With a casual flick, he sent them scattering into the grass.
"Certainly, that wasn't a pleasant experience," he said. "Still, you understand Alna a little better now. White Magic has many requirements, and the mind is far less forgiving than the body."
Viena hurriedly wiped her face and sat up straighter. She was doing her best to appear composed, though the traces of tears, snot, and dried blood beneath her nose weakened the effect considerably. Randia watched her stubborn effort for a moment before using the edge of his cloak to clean the rest of her face properly.
"Maybe we should stop here."
"What?! No! We're not done yet!" She immediately straightened. "What about Yarna? Black Magic?"
"I don't need to show you that one."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because that's what you did."
Viena blinked.
"What?"
"I mean exactly what I said. Where did you learn such dangerous magic?"
"I-I didn't."
"Then where did that strange power come from?"
She opened her mouth, hesitated, then looked away.
Talking about her power always felt difficult. Not because she was hiding anything, but because she understood so little of it herself. Yet the pain in her stomach had been growing worse with each passing month, and whatever relief she had enjoyed after last night's sleep had clearly been temporary.
If anyone could make sense of it, it was probably Randia.
"I don't really know," she admitted. "It started the day after I buried Mama."
Randia remained silent.
"I got sick. Really sick. It was strange because I don't remember ever getting sick before that. Hungry? Sure. Tired? Sure. But never sick."
Her gaze drifted toward the valley below.
"I remember feeling thirsty all the time. So thirsty it hurt. My whole body felt weak. There was a glass of water right next to me, but even reaching for it felt impossible. Every time I moved, I'd start coughing."
She rubbed her hands together unconsciously.
"Since there wasn't anybody I could rely on, I figured that was it. I thought I was finally going to kick the bucket."
A small smile appeared, carrying little humor.
"But then something really weird happened."
She searched for the right words.
"When I closed my eyes, it felt darker than usual. Then I saw myself sleeping. Like... I wasn't me anymore. Like I was someone else looking at me."
Viena scratched her cheek.
"I don't know if that makes any sense."
On the contrary, several possibilities immediately came to Randia's mind.
"I was sad back then," she continued more quietly. "So I tried to hold my own hand. Like..." She laughed awkwardly. "Like what I would've wanted somebody else to do."
Randia listened without interrupting.
"When I opened my eyes, the glass was already in my hand. That was the first time I realized I could move things. Though I think I passed out right afterward."
The explanation answered some questions while creating several more. Randia doubted she was concealing anything. The problem was simply that Viena understood her own ability no better than he did.
"Can you do anything besides moving objects?"
"Huh?" Viena tilted her head. "You mean sneaking around and stealing food? Yeah, I can do that too."
A splash of water struck her squarely in the face.
"Wha—! Blegh!" She sputtered and wiped her eyes. "What was that for?!"
"I'm being serious."
"So am I, you dunderhead! Hmph."
She smacked his thigh in protest.
Randia ignored the attack entirely.
Moving an object across a short distance was not remarkable. Many branches of magic could accomplish the same thing. What concerned him was the cost. The pain in her abdomen, the damage to her Anima, and the gradual deterioration he had observed all pointed toward something far more dangerous than simple telekinesis.
"You've been wondering how I knew about the pain in your stomach."
"Huh?" Viena frowned before her eyes widened. "Oh. Right. I almost forgot about that."
"It's because of my eyes. I can see things most people cannot. That includes the flow of magic and its color."
She studied him skeptically. Under normal circumstances she would have dismissed such a claim immediately. After everything she had witnessed during the past two days, arguing felt increasingly pointless.
"As for moving objects..."
Randia pointed toward the laundry hanging near the river. One of the garments slipped free from the line and glided through the air before settling neatly into his waiting hand.
Viena's eyes widened.
"I can do exactly the same thing," he said. "Without pain. Without collapsing afterward."
"Wow. Does your stomach not hurt?"
"No."
The garment drifted back to the line.
"Because what I just did is one of many applications of Mera. But yours, Viena... yours is Yarna."
"Eh? Why?"
Randia was silent for a moment.
The answer was simple.
He did not know.
"I don't have that answer yet."
What he did know was that her condition was becoming increasingly alarming, and at the moment that mattered far more than any mystery surrounding her magic.
"Can you lie down?"
Though puzzled, Viena complied.
Randia shifted closer and began examining her. Nothing appeared unusual at first glance. Then he lifted the edge of her blouse enough to expose part of her abdomen.
"What the—?!"
Viena shot upright and yanked her blouse back down.
"W-What the hell are you doing?!"
"I'm examining the source of your pain."
"You disgusting asshole! Pervert! Stay away from me!"
"Mind your words, stop being stupid, and sit still."
"B-But I'm a girl!"
"No, you're a brat. Lie down."
Viena stared at him in disbelief.
Randia's expression remained completely unchanged.
Eventually, after several muttered complaints, she reluctantly obeyed.
This time she covered her face with both hands while he resumed the examination.
The embarrassment disappeared the moment his fingers pressed lightly below her navel.
"Ugh!"
Pain shot through her abdomen so suddenly that she nearly folded in half.
Randia's expression hardened.
The reaction confirmed his fears.
"How long have you been using your power?"
Viena winced.
"Almost two years, I think."
"Two years? You're certain?"
"Yes."
Randia struggled to believe it.
Most people repeatedly employing an unrefined technique of Yarna would not survive a year. Those who did often suffered consequences worse than death. Yet somehow Viena had endured nearly two years of it.
The fact unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
"It has affected more than your Anima." His voice grew quieter. "Your physical organs have begun to suffer as well."
Viena immediately sat upright.
"B-But I slept well last night." Her voice wavered. "It can't be that bad, right, Ran?"
The question lingered between them.
For an instant, something shifted in Randia's expression.
Viena had seen irritation, amusement, thoughtfulness, even exasperation. This was none of those things.
The moment passed almost immediately.
"Ran? What's wrong?"
The question seemed to pull him back.
"Stay still."
The familiar indifference returned as he pressed a finger against her forehead and guided her back onto the grass.
"Are you going to help me?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
"The thing I'm about to do for you..." He paused briefly. "It's going to be difficult. Whether your condition improves or not won't depend on me alone."
His gaze settled on her.
"It depends on you as well."