Hortus Arcanus planēta

ACT 2

humming

I lay down on the bed beside El.

With a new goal in my heart, I felt as though I could finally sleep well tonight. As my body slowly sank into the mattress, I drifted down into the darkness.

When I woke in the morning, Ella was already getting ready.

She was changing her clothes, humming cheerfully to herself.

I asked her,

“Why do you seem so happy?”

She replied,

“I’m not really sure myself, but… I feel like I had a good dream. That’s why I’m in such a good mood.”

“I see. That’s wonderful.”

“Yeah!”

She turned to me with a dazzling smile.

Lately, I feel like I’ve been seeing that smile of hers more often.

Ella… and El.

Someday, when the part of El within her becomes one whole Ella… will that smile still remain?

I can only hope that it will.

And I also wish, just as strongly, that El will one day be freed from her suffering. That feeling lingered in my heart like a quiet echo.

As I was thinking about this while getting ready, Ella spoke again.

“Hey, Lumia… I was thinking about something. Is that okay?”

“Of course. What is it, Ella?”

“Well… this might just be my imagination, but… I feel like your body has become a little more transparent.”

“…? What do you mean, Ella?”

“It might just be me. Maybe I’m mistaken.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Alright… looks like another day is starting.”

“Yeah,” she smiled.

And so, we began preparing breakfast and getting ready for the day.