Far up the sith village was a small outcrop of flat land, jutting out of the face of the cavern. It sat slightly above and to the side of where water gushed out of the rock and fed the rivers twisting across the cavern floor. Referred to by the siths as the 'Mushroom Grove', it was indeed home to a handful of these colossal fungi that hugged the roof of the cavern. But despite the girth of the stalks anchoring them to the ground, the wind blowing through the grove was strong enough to sway them back and forth. As such, the grove seemed alive, as though these docile giants maintained a sweeping watch on their territory.

It was in their shadow that Letty retreated.

Sat at the foot of a mushroom, she tucked her legs in, and pressed her head down on her knees as she agonized over what just happened.

Uuuuu... I feel so stupid! Why did I shout at Sylphie earlier...? I don't even remember anymore. It's not like she was wrong, either...

The gush of wind from the waterfall had died down into a mild breeze by the time it reached her. It shifted her long, unfurled hair across her back as it across gently wisped by.

I lost my hat, too... She covered her face with both hands and whimpered, "Uuuu... nothing is going right today!"

Not a second later, a soft crackle reached her ear; the approaching sound of grass parting underfoot .

Eek! Her shoulders jolted up.

These light footsteps grew louder and louder until they stopped right behind the mushroom stalk she sat behind.

She swallowed her breath. She found me already...? Uuu... what do I do? Her anxiety weighed on her shoulders like bags of sand. She thus curled further up until her forehead pressed against her knees.

This is so awkward. I want to talk to her, but... She pulled her legs further in. At the same time, I don't want to talk to her...

While Letty's head clouded over with indecision, she heard a heavy sigh, followed by the sound of cloth rubbing against a smooth surface, before, finally, a thud against the grass.

Eh...?

"So... you wanted to say something earlier..." said a tiny voice, "is what Sebastian told me..."

"Hey!" an exasperated whisper gave a quick retort, "Do it right!"

"Urk... r-right..."

Sylphie... and even Sebastian...?

Indeed, she wanted to say something, but the resentment she harbored deep within her, prevented her from speaking. Instead, she turned her head away and ignored what the girl said.

But then, Sylphia said, "I'll... listen."

Letty bit her lips, and for a long while, remained quiet. She argued with herself whether she should stay angry at Sylphia, or of she should make up with her already, but eventually, a third option lit up in her mind.

"You're very rude, for a mere apprentice..." she said.

"Geh-" Sylphia grunted. Letty imagined her wincing at that moment, and somehow, the thought of the girl's troubled expression made her feel lighter.

Seizing the opportunity, she then proceeded to release her exasperation, and listed off her complaints one after the other. "You use your magic on me without asking, you order me around...! I mean, I'm supposed to be the master in this relationship, right...!? Who do you think you are, you bratty little girl!? You're just my apprentice!"

"Uuu...." Sylphia whimpered.

She sighed.

Somehow, that felt... refreshing.

It was as if all the pent-up tension in her body had melted away. Once she had calmed down, she drew a breath and added, back in her usual tone, "But I'm okay with it..."

"Heh!?"

Grass ruffled.

Letty turned around to Sylphia peeking out cautiously from behind the mushroom stalk. She glanced at the anxious young girl for a second before turning back around once again.

She stifled a snicker as she thought to herself, Really... why is she acting like a child being scolded by her mother?

I can't believe this is the same girl as before...

Letty continued, relaxing her back against the unexpectedly soft skin of the mushroom stalk. "I... don't really mind if you treat me just like any other... It sort of reminds me of when I was still adventuring..." As she said this, a nostalgia-wrapped smile appeared on her lips.

"Huh..."

"But..." Her brows suddenly furled. "When you made such a scary face... when you said such cruel things without second thought - like it was the most natural thing in the world, to... to..." She struggled to even repeat what Sylphia had said. "...How can I not say something!?"

"Mm..."

"That's why..."

Sylphia sighed. "I see." She then came around the mushroom and sat down beside her Master. "So that's it..."

"Mm..."

"I guess... I misunderstood you."

Her heart started pounding.

"Um..." Scratching the back of her head, she finally muttered the words, "I'm sorry."

She fought hard, but couldn't quite hold back the tiny smile forming on her lips.

Letting out a sigh, the exhausted little girl leaned her head against her Master's shoulder. "You're too nice... and soft." Next, she wrapped her arms around her and gave her a cuddle. "Very soft."

"...And you make a habit of teasing me..." Letty pouted.

Sylphia giggled in response. "Here I thought you were worried about the monsters, and it turns out you were worried about me, instead? How am I supposed to react to that?"

"Geez..." She averted her gaze, hiding her flushed cheeks. "Stop teasing me already..."

"No way, your reactions are too cute." Sylphia rolled her head from side to side, rubbing her temple against Letty's skin.

"Geez..." Finally Letty wriggled out from Sylphia's embrace. "Why do you keep treating me like this?"

"Hihi, I wonder why?" As she withdrew her arms, she poked her finger into Letty's cheek as, as a parting act of gift.

"I said stop iiiit!"

"Ahahahahaha!"

Letty sighed. I wonder why I got so angry, though...? I really didn't like what she said, but I usually would have kept it in...

She snuck a peek at Sylphia. Her genuine laughter painted a radiant smile across her face, reminding the scribe of a fragment of her past.

Ah... that's right.

She then looks straight ahead and into the far distance; far beyond the mushrooms that extended out to the very edge of the cliff.

She does remind me of her...

Memories soon flooded in, nagging her from deep within.

I wonder if she'll hear me out?

Blowing her anxiety to the wind, she forced her words out, "S-Sylphie...?"

"Hm?"

"Did you know?" she said, "I was given my rank as master as an honorary title."

"Uh..." She cocked her head to the side. "No."

"I actually quit adventuring years ago... Both me and Christa - the guild receptionist, you remember? We were in a party together. Ah, and there used to be another one too."

"Hoh...? What rank were you?"

"Ah, we reached Journeymen status, but it's not like we were after a Mastership."

A meek smile fell over her lips as she slipped further down memory lane.

"We were pretty content with exploring dungeons and helping out the towns around the capitol. But things... didn't work out..."

Her eyes glazed over.

"I was the one who quit first. Christa held on as an independent Journeyman for a few months, helping out other parties, handling smaller quests on her own, but eventually..."

"She quit too?"

"Mm." She hung her head. "But... you see, she really loved the adventurer's guild. I-I do too... but..." SHe shook her head. "Anyway, that's how she became a receptionist."

"What were you doing at that time?"

The smile on her face dissipated. "I... went home. To Ealdton. At first, I thought I'd finally settle down and take over grandma's shop, but... in the end, all I did was shut myself inside my room, and feel sorry for myself."

"Huh..."

"In truth, I couldn't really let go of adventuring, either. But... at the same time, I... couldn't bear to go adventuring anymore."

She clasped her hands tightly together and paused for a few moments. Once she had finally collected herself, she took a deep breath and continued.

"That was when Christa came for me. I was able to read and write, so she recommended me to become a scribe when a position opened in the guild." A soft chuckle escaped through her nostrils. "She did it without even asking me, you know?"

Sylphia giggled.

Letty leaned her head back onto the mushroom stalk. Overhead, she saw the tiny lines running across the underside of the cap, a wondrous sight indeed, and she would have been more curious if her mind hadn't been on something else entirely.

She continued, "When I heard what she did, I was so flustered... I've never worked as a scribe before. My teacher did teach me very well, but... you know? I was just not confident I could do it."

"But you took it in the end."

"Mm. Honestly, I was really happy when she came to me with that news-" She clasped her hands over her chest. "- inside. I was so nervous when I came for the interview, that I cried as soon as I got home, because I thought I blew it..."

"Hehehe, but you got accepted, didn't you?"

"A-actually, I did fail the interview."

"Eh?"

"I found out months later that... well, Christa pushed so hard for me, that she even went so far as threaten to quit if I wasn't taken."

"Eeeeeh!? That's crazy..."

Letty giggled. "Isn't it?"

"And so you were hired."

"Mm."

"As a master?"

"Ah no. Scribes aren't usually given a rank since they aren't adventurers."

"Huh," Sylphia cocked her head. "But you do."

"Mm. One of the things that intrigued me while adventuring was understanding how monsters worked... I often joined adventurers who went out to hunt, so I could get a look at the monsters they killed."

"For what?"

"Nothing in particular. I just jotted down whatever I thought was interesting about them and moved on."

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"Huh... how does that connect with you becoming a Master Adventurer? Did you get caught up on some super-dangerous dungeon by accident?"

"Ah no." She shook her head. "Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have survived... Despite my rank, my actual abilities in adventuring are barely at a Journeyman level... Maybe even worse now, since I haven't gone on a real adventure for a long time."

"Hmm... then how?"

"Well, after a few years as a scribe, my collection of notes grew so large, that adventurers from the guild started borrowing them before heading out."

"Ah."

"Eventually, the guild itself took notice, and decided to publish it as a book - a modern guide to monsters around the capitol and the surrounding regions." She then waved her hands in front of her and anxiously said, "U-um, I don't mean to brag, but... I heard the council used the book to come up with rank classifications of monsters - like how we know kobolds and siths were Master-level monsters."

"Heeeeh... that's pretty impressive."

Again, she averted her gaze, and muttered, "Th-thanks... but well, anyway, that's when the council decided to give me an honorary rank of Master." She snickered. "I still remember how Christa seemed happier than I was when we got the news."

"Hahahaha."

"But you know, even after all those years of adventuring, never once did I consider that monsters could be so similar to humans..." Once again, her eyes grew distant. "Maybe it's because I usually studied them as corpses, and from the stories of adventurers who were fighting to survive."

"Hm."

She then looked Sylphia in the eyes and said, "But what I saw here... Sylphie, I was mortified..." She hung her head and looked at her hands, as though they were stained in blood. "You were right - I was a hypocrite. Who am I to judge you, when I've seen to the deaths of countless monsters? Monsters who might have been just as intelligent, and social, and so... like humans, but I've just never noticed. Because I never saw the fruits of my actions before my eyes..."

Sylphia scratched her head. "W-well... I didn't really mean to say it that way..."

"But... would it really be so bad if I changed my mind now? Now that I do see, can't I start over now? It shouldn't be too late..." Finally, she turned to Sylphia and clasped her hands around hers. "Right?"

"E-eh...?"

"Sylphie... I-I know, his might be presumptuous of me, when I don't even know you that well, but... that Sylphie who worries so much for Rika, that Sylphie who works hard every day to rescue our friends, that Sylphie who, despite how bad our situation becomes, is still able to find a way to turn things around, and smile so sincerely...

"I don't want that Sylphie doing such cruel things..."

The little girl was speechless.

Letty then flinched as, all of a sudden, Sylphia wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"S-Sylphie...!?"

"I understand," she whispered, "so long as I have you by my side, I promise. I won't make you sad."

"Really?" a breathy voice escaped her lips.

"Mm." Sylphia closed her eyes and nodded. "I promise."

They stayed as they were for a short while, as the breeze flew past them, rubbing against their skin and sweeping upon their clothes.

"Alright..." Letty smiled. I'll believe in you, Sylphie.

Sylphia opened her eyes. "U-um... so uh..." she said, her voice filled with anxiety, "I'm very late for the meeting, so... can we go now?"

With a light expression, she covered her mouth and chuckled. "Mm, okay."

Thus, they walked hand-in-hand back down from the grove. However, as they passed the last row of mushrooms, they came upon the company captains, all clumped together, hiding behind a large mushroom stem and ruminating with one another.

"Rawr." The Captain of A Company said, "So even the Gods have their issues, huh?"

"Bowow." The Captain of Company B nodded.

"Arf!" The Assault Company Captain added, "In a way, they are not that much different from mere mortals like us..."

Sylphia stepped in front of them. "Hey." she said, with an ominous voice.

The dogmen jolted up onto their feet and stood in attention. Her glare pierced through them like a lightning bolt, and each one trembled in fear.

"Have I taught you how rude it is to eavesdrop?"

They shrank before her and whimpered as they begged for mercy.

Sylphia drew her fan.

"If you're going to do it," she yelled, "make damn sure you don't get caught!" She then swung Sebastian overhead with all of her strength.

"Gwaaaaaaah!" Sebastian crashed down onto the hard skulls of the siths.

"Ayaah!"

"Ughaah!"

Then with the final hit onto the head of the Assault Team Captain, Sebastian was sent flying out of Sylphia's hand.

"Guwaaaaah!" He then bounced off the ground, landing right at the edge of the cliff. "Gaaahahahaaa! Heeeelp!"

"Eeeeh!?" Letty screamed. "Sylphie, Sebastian is-"

Before any of them could do anything, Sebastian then flipped off the cliff.

"Ah." Sylphia's eyes widened.

"GAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa....." Sebastian's voice dropped off as he fell.

The siths barked in sync and yelled, "Our Almighty God!" They ran right to the edge of the cliff and looked down.

"Hey, wait! Get back here!" Sylphia chased them down Letty followed soon after.

They looked down the dizzying drop to the bottom of the waterfall. There were no further outcrops below, or a loose tree root with which to catch him. In all odds, he fell right to the bottom of the waterfall.

"Oh God..." Sylphia placed her hand over her cheek. "he's really..."

Letty clasped her hands over her chest. Sebastian...

As the five of them wallowed in grief, an unexpected voice suddenly came from behind them. "Aaagh! Holy shit... that was close." It was a deep voice, instantly familiar to everyone.

"Eh!? What the-!?" Sylphia said as she turned around.

Letty and the other siths turned around as well, but none of them could find Sebastian. "Eh...?" Letty said, "W-wasn't that Sebastian's voice, just now...?"

"Eeek!" Sylphia recoiled backwards. "D-don't tell me, he's already haunting us!?"

"W-what!?" Letty reflexively reached out and held onto Sylphia's arms. "Like, like... like a ghost!?"

"Hey!" Sebastian's voice rang out one more. "Don't go and decide that I'm dead all of a sudden!" This time, it came from much closer, like it was in between them.

"Eh!?" Startled, Letty started looking around. Then, she found it. "S-Sylphie!"

"W-what!?" She was so terrified, her head snapped back as she looked at Letty.

"There! On your belt!"

"Huh!?"

And there he was - Sebastian. Stuck firmly in between Sylphia's belt and her belly, just like she always carried him.

"Aaah!" Sylphia leapt up in surprise and screamed. "What the fuck!? Didn't you just fall off the cliff!?"

"Huh? Ah, yeah, I did." He then yelled. "What the hell were you thinking, little girl!? I could have been lost beneath the river back there!"

"Could have!? You should have! How the hell are you still here!?"

"Ah... Well, about that..." His face then turned yellow, its features shifting, such that it appeared to show a shy face, looking away. "You remember how I said I wasn't cursed?"

Sylphia's eyes popped wide open. "Oh no..."

"Aha... ahaha... Well! I sure wasn't cursed when I came into being. Buuuut, well, I think - and this is just a theory, mind you - I think, being stuck in this cave for so many years... Miiiiiiight have err... say, made me a bit clingy?"

"Aaaaah!" She quickly pulled Sebastian out of her belt and threw him back over the cliff.

Letty and the siths looked on in utter bafflement.

"Hey! Stop that!" Sebastian yelled as he, once more, reappeared in Sylphia's belt.

"Agh! Noooo...!" Sylphia clutched her head.

"Sylphie..." Letty placed her hand on Sylphia's shoulder.

"Letty..." She turned her head upwards and looked expectantly at Letty.

"Um..." She scratched her cheek. "I think there's nothing we can do about it anymore..."

"Aauuuughhh!" She fell to her knees. "I've... been cursed!" Finally, she placed her hands over her eyes, hunched forward and groaned. "Aaaaaaaagh..."

"Well, well," Sebastian said, "look at the bright side! At least there's no way you can lose me! Isn't that amazing!? You get to have a living weapon that will always be with you no matter what!"

"A-ah, yeah!" Letty followed him up.

She then glared at him. "Oh yeah? What can you do, anyway?"

"Huh? Uh, well... I'm a fan! So... you can use me to fan yourself, when you feel hot."

"You're a living weapon!" She yelled. "A weapon! What can you do, as a weapon!?"

"E-errr..." Blue sweat drops appeared on his face. "y-you know, kids these days, they rely too much on their weapons, don't they!? T-t-there's that saying, right? Ask not what your living weapon can do for you, but what you can do for your living weapon!"

Sylphia's eye twitched. "Huh!?"

"Basically, you need to power me up, little girl! I need to drink blood! I'm a living weapon! If you let me drink the blood of your enemies, then I'll become more powerful!"

"How the hell am I going to give you the blood of my enemies if I can't use you as a weapon!?"

He paused for a moment.

He then said, in a really condescending tone, "That's your problem, isn't it?"

"Grrrr..." She snapped. "rrrrRRRRAAGH! So you are worthless after all!" She threw him once more over the cliff.

"Uwaaaaah! Stop it! Even if I know I'll come back to you, this is really fucking stressful...!"

"I don't care!"

Letty sighed.

Sylphia thus threw Sebastian over the cliff over and over again, until she was exhausted physically, and him, mentally.

Meanwhile, Letty simply laughed to herself as she watched their silliness.

At least, things are back to normal...

"You useless, cursed piece of junk...!" the irate screams of the little girl resonated against the cave walls, amidst the deep ambience of crashing water.

S-sort of.