Hortus Arcanus planēta

ACT 2

lost item

“Where should we start looking?”

“First, my father’s study.”

“Why the study?”

“My father loved books. You’re looking for a book, aren’t you?”

“You can tell?”

“Yes. Refa mentioned it too. Refa was always reading that book as well.”

“Really?”

Just then, we arrived at her father’s study.

“Here it is. My father’s study.”

“I wonder if the book is here.”

As I said that, I looked around the room, where books were scattered from the floor all the way to the ceiling. El casually murmured,

“Nothing’s changed.”

At that moment, there was a faintly glowing book right beside El.

“El, could you hand me that green-spined book on your right? I think that’s probably the one.”

“How do you know?”

“Just a little. It’s glowing slightly. Also, El, may I go a little farther inside?”

“Yes, of course.”

Inside the study, I walked closer to the clothes hanging near the window.

“This? These are the clothes Father wore before he passed away.”

“How did your father die?”

“They said it was an illness.”

“What’s wrong with these clothes?”

“The second button from the top is glowing faintly.”

“No way…”

“What is it?”

“Could you show me the book for a moment?”

“Sure.”

Then Ella and I began reading the book together.

“El, can you read these letters?”

“No, I can’t.”

“Then how do you know?”

“The illustrations. Look closely at them. The one on the right is probably me. And I think the one on the left is you. But down below, they’re drawn the opposite way around.”

“A way to return to where we came from?”

“Maybe.”

“And Lumia… I can see it too. The second button from the top on Father’s clothes is glowing.”

“What?! You can see it too?”

“Yes.”

“Only faintly, though. May I touch it?”

As El reached toward the button, I stopped her.

“Wait a second.”

“If I can see it too… then maybe this is something we should witness together.”

“You’re right. Are you prepared, Lumia?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

“Of course.”