Chapter 15: The Reading Aloud

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So, Hesta began to read softly.

“Last summer, I was on a hiking trip through one or two counties in Linhe. As dusk fell, I found myself somewhat uneasy about the road I was traveling.

“That evening, I met Mr. Lando. He was gentle, sincere, and warm. Yet, at that moment, I was more fascinated by the house that captivated me so deeply than by the demeanor of its owner.

“On the floor lay a double-sided jacquard carpet, white with small green circular patterns scattered across it. The curtains were sheer cotton, pure white, quite wide, with crisp, neat folds, hanging straight down to the floor in a manner both brisk and formal.

“The room held many leather-bound books, exquisite wallpaper, carpets, tables with marble tops. The windows were tall and narrow, and on a side table nearby stood a glass bell jar under which was a paper-folded rose…” (1)

Liz gazed at Hesta as she read. Though her voice was slow and low, for some reason, Liz sensed a subtle tenderness beneath it.

This feeling was restrained and contained, like an oil painting wrapped and sealed in dust; only at this moment did something accidentally lift the corner of the cloth, allowing a glimpse of the brilliant, surging colors beneath.

Liz almost immediately understood that whoever had read this collection of stories to her before must have left a profound mark on Hesta.

By the time Hesta finished the short story, Turan, lying in Liz’s arms, had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Under the soft lamp light, Liz supported Turan’s head and gently moved her onto a nearby pillow.

“Do you want to talk some more?” Liz looked at Hesta and whispered, “We can go outside and chat.”

Hesta recalled the silver-haired girl from before. “But over at Ligo’s—”

Liz pointed toward the door. “We’ll go out to the balcony.”

...

Around two in the morning, the city of Tanyi was still chilled by the sharp breath of early spring. Wrapped in a thin blanket, Hesta stood on the protruding balcony with Liz. Here, Hesta could smell the scent of cheese and bread wafting from the kitchen behind them, mingling exquisitely with the night breeze carrying the aroma of the forest far away.

Liz wore only a white cotton camisole. Leaning against the carved iron railing with her elbows resting on it, Hesta immediately noticed the smooth muscular lines of her back and arms. Unlike the gentle, girl-next-door warmth she had displayed earlier in the soft light, Liz now recalled a graceful antelope on the open plains.

“Do you have any family in District Three?” Liz asked.

Hesta was silent for a moment before shaking her head.

“Me too,” Liz smiled. “Except for Turan, most of the trainees here are alone.”

Hesta glanced at Liz. “She seems a bit hostile toward me?”

“Hmm... she’s a little hostile to all strangers,” Liz explained. “But she gets better once she’s familiar. Plus, Turan hasn’t been doing well lately...”

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“I heard from Miss Viking that her bullet time isn’t enough to support her going into battle, right?”

“Yes,” Liz nodded. “She’ll turn fourteen next month, and she definitely won’t pass the Type-14 selection.”

“Type-14... what?”

“Type-14 selection,” Liz repeated, “Mercury Needle’s bullet time is fixed twice, around age fourteen and again at nineteen — you know this, right? Only those exceeding 4 hours can be enlisted into combat teams.”

“Then why is Miss Turan so upset? Doesn’t she have another chance when she’s nineteen?”

Liz smiled and shook her head. “After the Type-14 selection, the overall roster is basically finalized. Only a few Mercury Needles with bullet times over 3 hours 30 minutes can break the 4-hour barrier through subsequent training. Her chances are slim... How old are you this year? Eleven?”

“Yeah.”

Liz sighed. “I was eleven when I first arrived here. Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. Time flies.”

Hesta: “I heard from Miss Valenti that you’ll officially become full-time in the second half of the year?”

“Yes,” Liz nodded, “but my desire for combat is not as strong as Turan’s.”

“Why does she want so badly to fight the chelates head-on?”

“Probably related to her experiences,” Liz gave a concise answer. Then she stretched her arms wide and yawned deeply, continuing, “I’m different... I don’t want field duty much, after all, I still have much attachment to life itself... haha.”

“I can feel that,” Hesta lowered her head. “You have many books.”

Liz looked at Hesta for a moment. “If you like books too, you can come borrow some from my room anytime.”

“Really?”

“Of course,” Liz reached out her hand to Hesta. “Nice to meet you... It’s the first time I’ve seen a newcomer who already has experience fighting chelates right after entering the base.”

Hesta gently squeezed Liz’s palm, puzzled. “You mean me? I don’t have that.”

Liz blinked. “Aren’t you from Saint Anne’s Monastery on Mount Seven?”

“Yeah.”

“Then it must be you... The base’s internal briefing said that when Chiba’s team arrived, the chelates in the monastery were already severely wounded — wasn’t that your doing?”

“No,” Hesta answered, “At least, I have no memory of that.”

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Liz blinked again. “...Maybe I got something wrong, but you were personally sent by Masaki Chiba, right?”

“Yeah.”

Liz thoughtfully stroked her chin. “Then you must have some exceptional qualities.”

Hesta frowned slightly. “Why?”

“Because,” Liz smiled, “Chiba is very shrewd.”

Hesta tilted her head gently.

Liz looked at Hesta. “From what I know, she never wastes time on useless things. Back at the training base, she didn’t even act as a mentor for newcomers because she thought it was a waste of energy, let alone actively becoming anyone’s guardian as she does now.”

“Really,” Hesta recalled Chiba’s previous special trip to drive her to the monastery, which took almost a whole day, “...I thought it was just a formality.”

“Not at all,” Liz laughed. “The ‘Reserve Guardian Order’ procedure is simple, but the execution is strict. Even if the ward is enrolled in a boarding school, the guardian must spend at least six hours per month in non-sleep companionship.

“When holidays come, this requirement rises to at least 21 hours per week, meaning at least three hours together every day. Considering that after passing the Type-14 selection, a Mercury Needle can officially join combat...

“At this point, Liz paused, “I think Masaki Chiba wants you to join her combat team directly after the selection. Otherwise, I really can’t imagine how she, always running here and there, a full-time Mercury Needle, could find so much time to accompany you.”

Hesta listened quietly to Liz’s analysis. They talked a great deal afterward, from Edgar’s status in the literary world to many down-to-earth suggestions about base life. Approaching four in the morning, Liz yawned and decided to return to her room to sleep. Before parting, she brought out two volumes of *Edgar’s Dark Stories*.

“Can I give you these two story collections as a gift?”

Hesta looked up in mild surprise. “For me?”

“Yes, for you,” Liz smiled. “If a book is always left on the shelf unread, it must feel lonely. So if you like them, I want you to have them.”

Hesta lowered her gaze slightly, accepting the books and gently stroking the gold-embossed black leather covers.

“…Thank you.”

—

(1) Adapted from Edgar Allan Poe’s *Tales of Darkness*, “Lando’s Room.”