Warmth Beneath the Dusky Skies

19, Verdant Meadows

They spent the next hour talking about the various foodstuffs in the crates while Isabella and Karina transferred them to the pantry. And once the latter had to drop by the local university, Marice decided to strike out on her own and visit the nearby farm, giving herself time to think about her answer for Katherine later.

But upon reaching the farm's office building, Vivianne and Laetitia landed next to her with huge smiles on their faces. Marice simply sighed in response before continuing inside the building so that she could ask permission to enter the pastures.

As she got the go-ahead from Lester, she and her friends each received a bag of feeds and vegetables from the workers, taking her by surprise. On one hand, it was heartwarming that they still honored that routine every time she used to drop by the place. But on the other hand, it was embarrassing that they immediately assumed she came there to play with the animals without even batting an eye.

They were right on the money though, so there was no room for her to argue there.

She then left the building and followed the road leading to the southwestern pasture. Taking in a lungful of fresh air, she admired the quaint scenery and grazing livestock as she strolled down the avenue running through the field. Upon reaching the end of the road, she turned left and continued treading the uphill path until she reached the woodland's outskirts.

She slipped through the ward-equipped fencing and approached a boulder, fishing out two bottles from one of her waist packs. Afterwards, she kneeled in front of a half-buried trough, emptied the bottles into it, and scattered the alchemy-made treats inside. She also added a few vegetables from her bag before offering a short prayer.

Once she was done, she sat beside a small post lantern, facing her friends who had remorseful looks on their faces. "Is... there someone buried here?" Vivianne asked, breaking the silence.

"My pets."

"I-Is that so? Why all the way out here though?"

"Because I was scared of them finding out that I got Coco killed. His body was in pieces, but I still had to give him a proper burial. After the incident, I thought this hill would make a nice resting place for my other pets too."

"You sure love animals, don't you?"

"Yeah, thanks to Coco here. If it weren't for him, I'd still be tossing chickens into the river or plucking out the wings of dragonflies for my own amusement."

"So... you were one of those kids..."

"Those horrible memories haunt me to this day. Even if it's just for a day, I want to forget everything..."

"Wait, are you crying?" She paused for a moment before sighing and turning around. "Take your time. We can talk later."

Marice wiped her tears with her glove. "W-Wait, I don't mind. Let's chat."

She faced her again. "Are you sure?"

"I would've told you off if I wanted to be alone right now."

"Very well."

As the two of them sat beside her, they watched the pasture from their vantage point. "So, what's this all about?"

"Oh, you already knew what we're here for."

"What, Kath didn't tell you anything?"

"Obviously. What happened last night? She was in a good mood all morning, but it doesn't look like the two of you have actually taken the next step."

"Well, she already confessed..."

Vivianne leaned closer. "And?"

"I haven't given her an answer yet."