AtFC Chapter 59 - The Weight of Secrets (Patreon)

Daniel and Elania returned to the academy by flying carriage, soon arriving back at the familiar quarters. It was late in the evening, yet students were still roaming the halls, more cheerfully than during lecture hours. The tension of classes had given way to relaxed chatter and laughter.

Several turned to stare at Elania as they passed, conversations dying mid-sentence. Eyes followed the pointed tips of her ears visible through her hair, then the beautiful red dress she wore. But none were brave enough to speak, most looking away quickly when she met their gaze. Elves were rare to see in Javos, mythical almost, so it made sense they were curious.

Elania's lips curved up as another group stopped to whisper. It didn’t bother her at all, by the looks of it.

"Do you want to visit Felicia, or should we go to your own quarter?" Daniel asked. He kept his voice low, meant only for her.

“Oh, I’d love to meet her again—properly this time. I hope I didn’t scare her too much…”

Daniel nodded, having hoped for that choice. “I think she’ll be a bit nervous, but she’ll be fine once she gets to know you. Hopefully, she connects you to the woman who held her when she was young.”

He stopped by the door to their room and knocked gently, waiting for the formation to activate. A sound like two bells could be heard through the door, clear and melodious, alerting those inside of visitors.

Seems the ‘no knocking’ formation works like intended.

The door soon opened. But to Daniel's surprise, it was Lily welcoming them, not Felicia. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and she wore casual evening clothes rather than her usual academy robes.

"Ah, Professor Hansen! Welcome back. And…" She looked over at Elania with a polite smile firmly in place. Then her eyes registered the pointed ears and otherworldly features, and her expression shifted to a mix of awe and panic. "Ah, ehm—please come in."

"Thank you, Lily," Daniel said as he entered through the door, holding it open for Elania with his free hand. “You can call me Daniel when we’re not in class, don’t worry. It's nice of you to visit your sister.”

"Oh, I've enjoyed it quite a bit myself," Lily replied with a smile that seemed more genuine now, relaxing slightly. Then she held out her hand to Elania for a handshake. "I'm Lily Harrowbloom, nice to meet you."

Elania took her hand, but glanced askingly at Daniel. "Nice to meet you, Lily. My name is…"

Daniel nodded, not too worried if Lily realized who he was. The secret would have to come out eventually, and he trusted her enough to keep it until then. Better to start building that trust now.

"My name is Elania."

"Oh, that's a lovely—" Lily froze mid-shake, eyes going wide. 

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry!" She let go immediately, stumbling backwards. Her hands came up defensively, or perhaps in apology, as her eyes darted between Elania and Daniel. 

She walked backwards until she collided with the back of the couch in the middle of the room, then let out a short scream as she fell backwards. She landed softly on the couch while her legs and skirt flipped over the back.

Daniel struggled to hold in his laughter, pressing his lips together hard. It was such a perfect slapstick movement.

Meanwhile, Elania looked more worried and apologetic, touching her lip with a light frown. "Maybe a different name would be a good idea after all…"

"Oh, Lily can handle it." Daniel allowed himself a slight grin, finally releasing some of the tension. "But for others, you might want to use something else for now."

"What's going on?" Felicia asked, appearing from the doorway to the dining hall. Her head turned as her mana searched the room in portions, sweeping like a lighthouse beam. First Daniel and Elania, still standing by the entrance. Then Lily lying still on the couch, quickly turning pink.

“Lily, are you okay?”

"...Physically, yes." Her voice came out muffled, like she was contemplating never moving again.

“Good enough,” Felicia replied with a smile. Then she moved closer to Daniel and Elania, trying to keep a straight face—Daniel could tell. The barely noticeable quiver in her lips gave her away.

I hope you handle this well, Elle.

Felicia was about to bow in greeting, but Elania moved closer before she could. She closed the distance in two quick steps, pulling Felicia into a fierce and gentle hug. 

Felicia froze in surprise, briefly opening her scarred blue eyes. Her arms hung at her sides for a moment before slowly coming up to return the embrace.

"You've grown so big, Felicia! I'm so sorry I didn't visit you sooner. I really should have." Elania's voice was thick with emotion, genuine and warm.

"Oh, no, that's… I'm okay now. I didn't even know I had someone to wait for." Felicia's reply was quiet, almost lost against Elania's shoulder.

“That really doesn’t make it better…” Elania released her hug, but kept her hands on Felicia's shoulders. She looked at her more closely, really studying her. “You poor thing… At least you got your mother’s looks.”

Felicia looked uncomfortable, still guarded. “...Did the date go well?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

“Oh, I’d certainly say so.” Elania smiled brightly, turning to glance back at Daniel. Then she winked at him. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

“AAAAHHH!!”

Felicia jumped from the scream that suddenly erupted from the couch, instinctively pressing closer into Elania's arms. 

Lily had bounced up from her seat like she'd been shocked with lightning, now standing with her knees on the couch cushions. She was staring at Daniel like she was looking at a ghost.

Ah, she put it together.

"Artorias?! You're Artorias Grifantes?" Her voice cracked on the name, somewhere between a question and an accusation.

“Guilty as charged,” he replied, bowing with a theatrical grace.

He could almost see the puzzle pieces fitting together in her mind now, one by one. The special treatment from Quill, the incredible formation skill, the fact that he knew the headmaster, and most of all, the date with the legendary Elania. It all made perfect sense.

But despite the pieces fitting perfectly, she still seemed uncertain. Her hands gripped the back of the couch for support. "But… How? Why? Did the… Did the gods send you, as the church says?"

“I’m not sure how or why, but it is possible the gods are involved, yes.”

"And… What? Why is Felicia…?" She gestured vaguely between them, unable to complete the question. Too many questions, all fighting for priority.

"I met Felicia right after waking up, then I promised to help her learn to see through mana if she showed me her magic. And things developed from there." He glanced at Felicia with fondness.

“Yeah… From there.” Lily’s eyes were unfocused, echoing his words absently. It was a bit worrying.

“I think you should lie down for a while, Lily. Take some time to process things.”

"It's just… Yeah, maybe you're right…" 

She leaned back down on the couch with her back against the pillows, staring up at the wooden ceiling. Then she just breathed slowly, deep inhales and careful exhales. Trying to calm her racing thoughts.

Elania and Felicia both stared at her with worried smiles, still with Elania's hand resting protectively on Felicia's shoulder.

“Perhaps it would be better to keep your identity a secret for as long as possible, Art.”

"Maybe... It would be less shocking to hear it announced from some authority than learning it like this, but I see your point." Daniel ran a hand through his hair, considering the consequences. Someone would likely die of a heart attack if the public found out.

Two bells rang through the room, signaling a new visitor. Daniel turned to Felicia. “Are you expecting someone?”

She shook her head, looking confused. "Maybe it's Merry? I spoke to her earlier, but I don't think she would come here."

Whoever it was seemed impatient, as the bells rang once more before Daniel had time to ponder. He turned and opened the door, revealing a young boy with a tense expression.

"Ah, you're here, good!" Zoltran walked under Daniel's arm and into the room without waiting for an invitation. “Oh! You’re here as well, Elania! Perfect! Welcome back!”

Elania looked very confused, tilting her head slightly. She replied with a careful, "Thanks?"

"Oh, right, this form is new to you." Zoltran turned to face her fully, moving two fingers around his mouth like he was stroking a non-existent beard. “I’m your great uncle, Zoltran.”

"Aah." Elania nodded, like everything suddenly made sense. Like it wasn't surprising at all for an ancient elf to be walking around in a child's body.

Daniel closed the door, sensing the seriousness of the situation. Zoltran rarely acted with such urgency, at least without reason. “What’s up, old man?”

“I believe we thousand-year-olds should speak in private. It’s quite serious.”

Daniel sighed, looking over at Felicia. A stubborn line was forming in her brows, letting him know exactly how she felt about being kept out of the discussion.

Then he looked at Lily's face, which had appeared over the back of the couch again. She stared at Zoltran, more confused than ever.

"Not knowing will just make me more worried," Felicia said quietly, more than a little bitter.

And perhaps she was right. Perhaps it was pointless to keep her sheltered any longer than this. She'd already been through so much, survived so much. Would it be better for her to feel like she's part of the group instead? To trust her with the truth? Or would revealing the true scope of their worries be too much for her?

"...I will tell you everything tomorrow, okay? Anything you want to know. But for now, the three of us will go to Elania's quarters to talk."

He tried to make it a promise, not a dismissal. And he intended to keep it, just with a gentler tone than the harsh reality. That way, she could join next time.

Felicia lowered her head, showing her frustration clearly. “...Fine. I will wait.”

"Thank you. I'll leave you two alone for a while, then. But we won't be too long, probably." He hoped that was true, but something in Zoltran's expression suggested otherwise.

Daniel opened the door again, gesturing for Elania and Zoltran to follow. Elania pulled Felicia in for another short hug, whispering something in her ear that Daniel couldn’t hear. Then she released her and followed Zoltran out the door.

“See you later, Fillie. Try to get your sister on her feet again before it’s too late.”

“Yeah, I’ll try. Later, Danny.”

Daniel closed the door behind him, and the last thing he saw was Felicia standing alone in the middle of the room. His hand remained on the doorknob well after the door was closed. It hurt.

Zoltran came and patted his back, as high as he could reach. “I think it was the right choice, Artorias.”

“That makes me worried about what you have to say.”

“Yes, it’s not pleasant. Lead the way, my boy.”

Ch.58 --I-- Ch.60