Hortus Arcanus planēta

ACT 2

friends

At that moment, Ella asked me this.

“Hey, Lumia… just for today, would you mind letting me take over watering the flowerbeds?”

“Huh?? Really? It would make my work easier, but… are you sure? Wouldn’t that just give you more work, Ella?”

“Huh?? Ah—yes, it’s fine. Really, it’s fine. I just… wanted to be the one to water the flowers.”

…?

I couldn’t understand why Ella had suddenly asked to take over the watering.

Later, while I was cleaning the fireplace room, I could see through the window that Ella was outside watering the flowerbeds.

Then, around her, a squirrel appeared, then one mouse, then two, then three lizards, and little by little, more animals began gathering around her.

And among them were the white birds that had once been beside El.

The sight of those birds standing beside Ella filled me with such fear that my legs nearly gave way, and I accidentally stepped on the hem of the curtain by the window.

But when I looked more carefully, I realized that the birds with Ella now were not the red-eyed birds I had seen that night.

These birds had blue eyes.

If those birds truly were the same ones that had stood beside El, then perhaps El’s words about the curse of the midnight bell were not entirely wrong.

And just as strongly, I could not stop thinking of El’s back that night—small, so very small—as she stared at the tiny window and called her own existence the curse of the midnight bell.

That night, when the household chores had finally settled down, I asked Ella:

“Why did you ask to take over watering the flowerbeds?”

“You mean this morning…? Well, that was because… I-I wanted to chat with the animals a little.”

Ella said this while lowering her gaze shyly, clearly embarrassed.

The sight of her made me smile warmly.

“I see. You should have just told me.”

“But somehow… I felt embarrassed saying it to you, Lumia.”

“Haha. Ella, you’re so pure.”

When I said that, Ella’s face grew slightly sad.

“Pure… huh. I’ve always had to be… had to be a good girl.”

This time, Ella said it with a troubled smile.