Siffia’s mouth flapped open and close like a fish in astonishment. It was like her brain had been fried. It was as if the world had suddenly stopped making sense and somehow turned onto its head. She didn’t know how to handle what she was hearing. Her face felt like it was going to burn up and melt off. She was sure she wouldn’t be able to live through this!
Of course Eris, who’d already been looking at her in confusion, didn’t miss the rapid reddening of Siffia’s face. Still, it didn’t mean that she understood the reasoning behind it.
“What? What happened to cause you to become so red like that?”
She got up from the couch and came around the table, taking off one of her long and fancy gloves so that she could touch one of Siffia’s flushed cheeks.
“Hmm… It seems you’re burning up. Perhaps all of this activity was too much for a weak mage like yourself… We should get you something cold to help heal you.”
With capable ease, Eris quickly called for a staff member, relaying the situation before taking hold of the malfunctioning Siffia’s hand and leading her out of the store.
~~~
By the time that Siffia had finished chugging down the cool juice that had been given to her, her mind had finally calmed enough to once more notice the things around her. The posh yet small cafe that Eris had taken her to was more lovely than any place she’d ever visited, and though they sat next to the window, the store was well insulated against the summer heat, refreshing her alongside her drink. Once more she couldn’t help but feel how kindly she was being treated by Eris. Perhaps the woman could be overly sharp in her words at times, but her actions still left absolutely nothing to be desired.
Once again, it reaffirmed in Siffia’s mind how capable the person that she looked up to most was.
“...Thank you for taking me here. I feel much better now, Lady Eris.”
Eris’s eyes swept over her face, studying her complexion once, before slightly turning off to the side in displeasure.
“To say that to me when your cheeks are still slightly flushed… Drink another glass and then try to say that to me again.”
Eris lazily flagged down a waiter to order more, missing the way that Siffia had embarrassedly covered her cheeks with the backs of her fingers. Siffia had been completely unaware at how she’d been blushing in admiration. She could only hope that Eris was as fooled as she sounded, lest she find her odd for blushing at her. She looked around the room, desperately trying to find something to distract herself-
-And that was how she noticed a customer sitting at a table outside that was being pickpocketed.
“Ah!”
Before she could think about what she was doing, Siffia raised her hand and swiftly gestured with three of her fingers, the wave of the first two causing the thief that had just started escaping to trip backwards, and the bend and twist of the third causing the coin pouch in his hands to go sailing back towards the person who’d just been stolen from. Of course, the sudden scene and ensuing yell of pain from the thief caused the poor victim to take notice, as well as the nearby guards. As quick as the incident had happened, it was just as quickly resolved.
Like nothing had even happened, Siffia turned back to calmly take a bite out of the small cake that sat in front of her. Eris, however, narrowed her eyes, having witnessed the entire scene.
“...You’ve always been like that, even during the war. I don’t think I’ll ever understand you.”
“Hm?”
Siffia cocked her head, blinking in confusion as she looked up at Eris while chewing her cake, causing Eris to sigh.
“Why do you always quietly help people like that, Lady Siffia? Why do you always hide it? Why must you act so selfless?”
Her eyes almost seemed angry, they shined so intensely. It was enough to make Siffia feel awkward, like for some reason she should be ashamed of how she’d been acting. She had to quickly swallow the cake in her mouth, risking choking, so that she could give the answer that Eris was demanding of her.
“Uh, um… I’m not trying to be ‘selfless’ or anything, I just… W-wouldn’t anyone want to help someone they saw in trouble? I mean, if it’s not going to hurt you in any way, then wouldn’t anyone that has the power to, step in? Isn’t that just… natural?”
The frown slowly grew larger and larger on Eris’s now gloomy face, causing Siffia to panic that she’d somehow chosen the wrong answer, but soon Eris just sighed and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes to the world.
“...Alright, then.”
Though the atmosphere still felt a bit unresolved, Siffia still sighed a breath of relief at those two words. Soon the waiter came back with the drink refills that Eris had ordered, and after opening her eyes to accept them, Eris finally blankly swiveled them back in Siffia’s direction.
“You’re quite proficient in magic, aren’t you? I remember seeing you use it quite well during our war days.”
“Ah… You saw all that?”
Siffia blushed slightly, turning to embarrassedly look down into her juice.
“Thank you for calling it proficient… Really, though, I’m not all that great at it. I’m mostly self taught. It’s shameful to show such shoddy magic to someone as amazing at swordsmanship as yourself!”
Eris frowned for a moment despite the compliment, but it was quickly erased, returning to her previous neutral expression.
“...No matter what you think of your magic, it was still enough for you to stay perfectly alive and well during the chaos of the war. It makes no sense for a mage as powerful as yourself to be so easily bullied by anyone. Perhaps there is a law about using magic inside of the castle, but I doubt anyone would bat an eye if you were to use a protective spell on yourself.”
“...Ah.”
Siffia’s eyes snapped up to meet Eris’s and then quickly averted themselves away again. It was all she could do to stare down intently at the half eaten cake and awkwardly laugh. She had no idea what she could possibly say to Eris that wouldn’t make her sound more pathetic than she probably already seemed.
Eris, who sat there watching the way that Siffia had suddenly clammed up, could only squint her eyes and grumble.
“Well, perhaps that odd selflessness of yours makes you too kind to use magic for yourself… How pesky.”
“Huh?”
“…I didn’t say anything.”
“Oh? But… I thought… Um…”
A silence settled over the pair. Siffia quietly ate the rest of her cake to stave away the awkwardness. Seeing how longingly she looked at her empty plate afterwards, Eris easily passed her untouched plate over Siffia’s way, earning a delighted smile. It was only once both of the cakes and drinks had been finished that Eris suddenly spoke up again, continuing their conversation.
“So what is it that you plan to do after this?”
“Hmm? Um-”
“If you don’t have any other plans, then why don’t we go to a nearby park? Small though they may be, that cake that you’ve been eating is renowned for causing more than one woman to become too big for their clothes. It wouldn’t be good for the dresses to come in a few days only to no longer fit…”
Siffia immediately shot up, swiftly pushing in her chair as was only polite to do, and marched her way to the door. Eris couldn't help but narrow her eyes and chuckle at Siffia’s actions as she casually got up and followed after the embarrassed woman.