Hortus Arcanus planēta

ACT 2

sleep

Ella looked closely at my clothes.

Then she murmured softly,

“Sal… your clothes might stand out a little too much.
Can you change them somehow? With your own magic, maybe?
But… you’re not a magician, are you?”

I nodded deeply.

After hearing her words, I thought and thought,and finally came to one conclusion — I should borrow some clothes from Ella.

“Since something unexpected might happen, could I borrow some of your clothes?”

When I said that, Ella replied,

“I’m Cinderella, so the only clothes here are worn and tattered. Is that still okay?”

As she spoke, her lips tightened and her voice grew smaller.
At the same time, she lowered her head sadly.

Then she continued,

“If I weren’t Cinderella, I might have been able to welcome a sudden guest like you properly.
I’m sorry.”

Seeing her apologize to me like that,I felt a painful frustration — because I knew how this story would end.

All I could do was encourage her.
The more I thought about it, the more complicated and bittersweet my feelings became.

As if to push those feelings away, I spoke to her.

“Ella, you’ll be fine.Your future will surely be bright. You’ll be happy.”

“…I see,” she replied.

Perhaps her feelings were complicated too. She frowned slightly, but answered with a smile she seemed to force.

Sensing that, I tried to change the subject.

“Even your worn-out clothes are fine for me. I don’t mind at all.”

“That’s good,” Ella said.

Little by little, I could feel her spirits lifting.

“Ella, it’s late. Shall we go to sleep?”

In a slightly apologetic voice, she whispered,

“Lmia… will you sleep in my bed, next to me?
Even if you become invisible… I’d be happy if you stayed close to me for now.”

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she spoke softly.

Soon after, the two of us lay down together and talked for a little while.

“Ella, it might be better if I become invisible.

If your mother and sisters find me, it could be dangerous, right?”

“Yes… that would help,” she began to say—

But before she could finish, she had already fallen fast asleep.