~Ishikirimaru~
石切丸
Requested by KairiNyan19!
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She hated that exposed feeling lurking in the air.
"A-Aruji.. T-That b-brush..!"
It was moving and writing as the sage was cleaning up her office.
"Calm down! ...I-I am a half-witch, Ishikiri."
His horrified expression was deeply etched in her mind. Great, she thought. He will stay away from her because she is a scary person. Who would want a half-witch to be their master?
"General..?"
Gotou was visibly shocked as well, peeking into her office behind the oodachi.
"Gotou-"
"Uwahhhhh!!" He shouted and ran off hurriedly, afraid that she would do something to him. The sage then sighed, stopping the motion of the brush.
"Ask everyone to gather at the shrine tomorrow. I'll tell them everything."
~~
Gasps were heard among the crowd.
"I will resign immediately and a new sage will take over this citadel and everyone."
Ishikirimaru grabbed her forearm and forcefully dragged her back to the shrine as she tried to leave.
"W-Wait! Aruji, just explain to them!" He calmed the crowd down while lowering his body and whispered beside her.
"Everyone wouldn't accept me, having known that I am a half-witch. So just let me leave here!" She yelled, not being able to suppress her emotions anymore.
She knew this would happen eventually. Getting hated and disliked wasn't too common to her, having gone through many ordeals before she came here. She thought she could have a new life here, but it seems like that dream had just shattered in front of her cruelly.
"General!" Yagen called out to her as she left the shrine hurriedly, ignoring him and the others. The oodachi stood there and thought about her words before leaving the shrine as well.
~~
She didn't feel too well.
Waking up to another dawn, she remembered the past events where she was bullied and cast aside after her fellow sage friends knew the truth.
It was going to repeat all over again, that hardship.
"Aruji, it's time for breakfast."
"Go away!"
He could hear her sniffles between her words.
Sliding the door open gently, the sage was crying while burying her head between her knees. Photos were sprawled around her.
"F/N..." He uttered her name while guiding her to his embrace, running his hand up and down on her back. It was the first time that he ever saw her in tears.
"Everything's going to be okay, so don't cry anymore, F/N. I am here."
"N-Nothing's going to be okay... Everyone will hate me for hiding the truth from them, like the past." She said while putting her hands on him, trying to break the contact. He didn't budge, and cupped her cheeks instead.
"No one in the citadel will hate you, F/N. You're still the sage that we knew; the one who always gave smiles despite the bad things that happened." Ishikirimaru said gently as he gave a kiss on her forehead. The act of affection caused her to blush in the midst of crying.
"That's right, General!" An elated voice soon filled the room, surprising her. She hurriedly pushed him away before looking at the figure. The tantous soon entered her room and placed their gifts on the table, smiling at her as they left, leaving Gotou behind. He kept his gaze low, unable to make out any words from his mouth.
"I-I am sorry for what I did yesterday, General..." He uttered while bowing down, earning a laugh from the sage. The surprised tantou then looked up with his lips pursed as she placed her hand on his head.
"I am used to it since young. Don't mind it, Gotou." She said while looking at the oodachi.
She was sure that she would not have to go through that hardship again with everyone beside her.