Ch. 8: Received Feelings (MOON)
Returning to the inside of the castle, the air was silent and still.
But then, a queer noise as if of a creaking hinge came from somewhere.
OO: "Seems like it came from deeper in the castle…"
Leonie headed off first, grabbing my hand.
We walked together in that way for a little while down the hallway in the meagre light…
Toy Soldier: "…!?"
OO: "Leonie, over there!"
I saw the toy soldiers moving strangely from within the darkness, standing in a row.
Leonie: "Now that I’ve got courage, I’m invincible! I am Leonie, the intimidating Lord of Sinva! Come get me!!"
As Leonie raised his voice, he daringly faced the toy soldiers.
Leonie: "Haaaaa!"
Leonie moved like a wild animal.
To the eyes, his movements were unstoppable, and the toy soldiers were taken out in one fell swoop.
Wow…Leonie’s actually really strong.
I was captivated by his flow of movements.
Not even 5 minutes passed, and the toy soldiers had all been reduced to scrap, but…
Leonie: "Hm? What the, there’s a note…"
OO: "Eh?"
Looking closely, there was a message written on the back of one of the destroyed soldiers.
Leonie: "Let’s see. 'While you’re gone, I’ve set these toy soldiers to protect your castle. – Oswald' …"
OO: "…Oswald, is that the same person you mentioned earlier?"
Leonie: "What the hell-!?"
Leonie’s shout echoed through the castle of the night…
After that, we made our way to the castle rooftop.
The stars glittered beautifully overhead as I looked up at the night sky.
OO: "In the end, it wasn’t a ghost, but toy dolls that Oswald had left."
Leonie: "Yeah, from now on the townsfolk can rest easy! But damn that Oswald, going and leaving those dolls when he should have left me courage instead! Ah, but it’s all good now, cause I got courage from you OO!"
His eyes seemed satisfied, and he thumped his chest.
Raising both hands to the night sky, he let out a loud yell.
Leonie: "Courage is the best! If you have courage, you can do anything…"
OO: "That’s not quite right Leonie."
Leonie: "Huh? Why…?"
Hearing my words, Leonie frowned.
OO: "…I couldn’t give you courage. It came from you, and you were able to draw on it more and more."
Leonie: "What!?"
His blue eyes went round, and Leonie raised his voice in dismay.
Taking a small pause, his eyes filled with unease…
Leonie: "Then what the hell was it? What’s…this pounding in my chest…?"
OO: "Eh…"
He looked at me earnestly, then grabbed my hand and put it against his chest.
*thump* *thump* *thump* … I felt the beating of his heart through the palm of my hand.
It’s a little fast…
Leonie: "Tell me! Tell me what you gave me! My whole body, from deep in my chest, it feels hot. If it isn’t courage then…"
He tightly grasped my hand in his large one.
My heart sped up to match his…
Leonie: "I mean, it’s beating kinda fast right? What the heck is it…?"
In the faint moonlight, his eyes wavered uneasily.
OO: "…mine is too. My heart, it’s beating fast like yours…. I think it’s…"
Leonie: "OO…?"
Is it the awakening of love…?
But I kept those words close to my heart, and quietly gave myself over to his arms.
Only the gentle moonlight shone down on us.