Ch. 6: The Path Before Us
I went back into the castle and searched for Foia, finding him in his room.
Foia: "…"
Through the slightly opened door, I saw him looking out the window, his face creased with worry.
Is it ok to call out to him?
As I hesitated…
[Choice]
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Call out (SUN)
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Wait and see (MOON)
Foia: "What’s up?"
OO: "Outside the castle right now…"
As I spoke, my gaze drifted out the window.
Foia: "I see, so you know about it too."
Foia furrowed his brow and closed his eyes.
Foia: "…what do you make of all this?"
OO: "I…"
Foia’s unusually meek expression caught my eye, and I thought hard before slowly starting to speak.
OO: "I can understand how they feel uneasy about all this, and why they’re opposing it. It might be a bit idealistic but if you just get everyone to understand…"
Foia: "…"
He looked straight at me, his eyes sparking with intelligence.
Foia…?
I felt uneasy in the silence that followed, and Foia’s lips thinned.
Foia: "…that’s a pretty good idea. It’s good to have someone around who speaks their mind. I like that about you."
OO: "Eh?"
He raised his eyebrows and smiled, and that happiness stuck in my chest.
However his expression quickly became strained again.
Foia: "I think we have to make the most of the spiritual power, and combine nature and magic so we can have stable technological development. That won’t change, no matter what. But for that very reason the people have become uneasy and I need to properly explain."
OO: "Yes, I think that’s it exactly."
I met his gaze, and I saw the stress there vanish.
Ah, the color of his eyes…
They’re the same color as before, when he was telling me about his dreams.
Foia: "Alright, I’ll make them understand… We have to take action if we want this country to grow and our way of life to become easier!"
OO: "…yes."
Foia: "And then, after that…!"
Foia looked at me…
OO: "…?"
What’s going on?
Foia: "It’s nothing…next time!"
He suddenly turned his attention back to the window, and as I left the room, I thought that had been quite strange.
I silently watched him as he kept his gaze fixed out the window.
At the end of his gaze…
The people who are opposing the construction of the Ark Plant…
The image of the mothers holding their children flashed in front of my eyes, and without thinking I shook my head. The movement caused a small *click* to come from the marble floor.
Foia: "…! Oh, you’re here."
He turned to look at me, and I stepped into the room.
OO: "Um…Foia..."
Foia: "…OO? What’re you doing just standing in the doorway? Come in."
Foia invited me into the room.