Ch. 4: Lost Courage
We passed through the castle town, and by the time we had reached the castle, evening was just settling in.
However, there was still a tiny sliver of sun left in the sky.
Leonie: "I-it’s fine, see!? There’s nothing here, see?"
OO: "Y-yeah…"
Leonie hadn’t once left my side.
He was clutching my hand with both of his…
Well, this castle is kind of eerie…is no one here? I wonder about spending a night here with Leonie…
I felt an uneasiness deep in my heart…
Next to me, I watched Leonie’s profile as he cowered into himself, and he raised his eyes.
Leonie: "…Oo…if I just hadn’t lost my courage…this’d be nothing…"
He murmured to himself, not talking to anyone in particular…
[CHOICE]
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Stare at him (SUN)
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Try asking (MOON)
Several seconds passed, then Leonie looked down as he finally began to speak.
Leonie: "Do you know the guy who rules over the Land of the Rainbow, Oswald?"
OO: "Oswald…?"
At my vague answer, he continued his story from that point.
Leonie: "I lost the courage that Oswald gave me…because of that, I’ve become a coward. That’s why, if I could just find that courage again, I could do anything…!"
His voice, always seeming to lack confidence, had grown loud.
OO: "How do you lose courage?"
Leonie: "I’m sure…I dropped it somewhere when I was attacked by the yumekui, but where?"
He didn’t really answer me again…
OO: "I didn’t think courage was something that could be dropped…"
Leonie: "That’s not true…! If it’s something I can get, obviously I can drop it, right!? That’s why I want to see Oswald and have him give me courage again. If I can get that, I can do anything…! Everyone here has always judged me so, I’m sure…"
Suddenly, as if enduring something, Leonie clenched his fist.
Leonie: "Yeah, if I had courage, I could do anything! Right!?"
OO: "…"
His eyes were imploring as he asked me the question.
I don’t know how to tell him, but I feel like he’s mistaken…
Leonie: "…am I wrong?"
OO: "Leonie, I…"
Leonie looked incredibly desolate as I started to speak.
A strange sound echoed down the hallway.
Leonie: "Aaah!?"
OO: "…!"
Leonie leapt behind me.
OO: "What was that!? Wait here, I’ll go check."
Leonie: "W…wait! Don’t leave me alone!!"
With his voice coming from right behind me, I ran off to where the sound had come from.
Our footsteps echoed loudly in the wyrd twilight castle.
OO: "..."
I wonder what he meant just now.
Curious about what he'd said, I stared at him...
Leonie: "H-hey! Why are you quiet all of a sudden? Say something.
OO: "Eh? Ah sorry, I was just wondering about what you said earlier."
OO: "What did you mean earlier?"
Leonie: "…damnit…if I just hadn’t lost my courage…"
Now that I think about it, he said something similar when we were with the townsfolk…
Leonie: "…"
OO: "Leonie, will you tell me?"
Leonie kept quiet and I asked again.