Chapter Text
“I move that we exile these two drifters, and ban the use of alchemy throughout the village!”
“Bos!”
“Now then, Ryza… Everything can go back to normal. No more alchemy, no more nonsense. Just regular, honest farm work for you to get back to. Maybe you can be of use to the village finally.”
Bos’ words echoed through Ryza’s head like a waking nightmare, this couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t real, surely. Alas, it was, and Empel next to her had seemingly already accepted the fate “granted” by the Brunnens. If only Lila were also here, perhaps she could fight with words of her own, even if Bos was especially stubborn and dead set on his verdict. She thought about Agatha, who had been investigating and found that Bos had utilized Lumbar to spread malicious rumors. It seemed her investigation didn’t yield the fruit needed to save the day in time.
“Head on home, Ryza. I need to find Lila so we can depart Kurken at once, lest I invoke further wrath. If you want, we can meet at the hideout before we leave proper.”
“But Empel-”
“I’ll be fine, Ryza. I want you to decide for yourself what you want to do with this alchemy ban now upon us.”
Ryza said no more, and Empel turned on his heel and left Treppe Hill at a rather leisurely pace given what had just happened. As she watched him leave, she initially felt immobile, and she wanted to cry, but here in front of the village council, elder, and especially the Brunnens… She couldn’t afford to do it here; Bos couldn’t be allowed to see her weakness now. She had to plan, as Empel had instructed of her.
“It’s over, Ryza. You couldn’t prove your ‘master’s’ innocence, and the necessary actions have been taken. It’s partly your fault for being taken in by his lies. Thankfully none of this will happen again.”
“Well put, son. I’m proud to see you taking your duties seriously. Good riddance to those vagrants, I say.”
That proved all Ryza needed to hear to finally kick her into gear. She bolted without any retort or reply to what anyone said, passing Agatha on her way down the hill. The Guardian could see the anguish in her eyes, and the strength holding back the rest of her emotions. She wanted to say something, but the alchemist was far too quick and was gone from sight before long. Ryza’s sprint covered the Boden and Rasen Districts, but instead of stopping at her house, she ignored it. She was aiming for the small beach beyond the grove of Rainbow Grapes, the all too familiar port for sneaking off to the Mainland. She stood at the edge of the water, breathing heavily, as finally gentle tears tracked down her face, while her arms trembled from fury.
Klaudia had prepared herself some tea, wondering - and dreading - how the trial was going and would turn out. The middle of the afternoon felt abysmally slow as she sat on the couch with no company with which to converse with; only her own thoughts kept her occupied and passed the time. She could barely muster the ability to drink more than a couple of sips as she settled; the potential outcomes played out like a crappy theater performance in her head. She hoped that Ryza could somehow get through to Bos, though admittedly she wasn’t sure if even she could get through two heads as stubborn as Bos and his father. Her answers came as her father came into the room. He’d been at the trial himself, as the matters of Empel and alchemy additionally concerned Ryza, the girl who’d earned his trust to protect his daughter when she went out and about.
“Father. How did the trial go? Was Empel proven innocent?”
“...No. He and Lila were sentenced to exile from this island, and alchemy was further banned from the village. He didn’t seem fazed, but Ryza I could tell was beyond upset. She ran off after he left, and I’m unsure of her whereabouts.”
“Empel… Ryza…”
“To think… that she was blamed for making ill-intended recipes that she was given by that wandering alchemist. It all just seems so unrealistic to me. I’ve known Empel long enough to believe he wouldn’t do something so malicious, and Ryza I’m certain wouldn’t willingly bring about harm to others either. It’s a shame we can’t do anything about it now.”
Klaudia was rendered unable to speak briefly. She attempted to take another sip of her now tepid tea, but the cup never reached her lips before she set it back down and sat up. Her best friend as of earlier that summer was now screwed of her pastime in the village, and two more friends were now banished by the village heads from the island as a whole. She couldn’t let this slide, never. For now, though, she needed to find the three people affected by the mess. She stood up finally, with a purpose in her expression, which read very stern and not able to be swayed.
“Father, I can’t speak for Empel or Lila, but I believe I know where I can find Ryza. I’d like to go out and meet up with her. She needs support right now, and as her best friend I feel obligated to provide it.”
“Klaudia… Alright. If you see your other friends, please take them with you if you plan to go anywhere outside of Rasenboden. I fear to think what might happen if you go somewhere alone and something happens to you.”
“I will, but don’t be surprised if I’m not back here tonight. Chances are, I’ll be with Ryza overnight.
“I understand, but please do consider coming back here before setting up a camp somewhere. If it doesn’t work out like that, that’s fine, but at least keep it in mind.”
Swiftly, Klaudia nodded and left the Valentz Company building planning to head to the hideout, but ideally hoping to find at least Lent or Tao on the way to the beach. Ideally, both would have been great to run into, but fortune seemingly didn’t shine upon her at first, as neither turned up on her way there - she had no intention of deviating from her path. It was only when she got there that she saw her best friend standing at the water’s edge facing out at Lake Elm, her head tilted down a bit. The wind blew at her jacket, and the ribbon on her hat, but otherwise no movement could be seen from Ryza herself, and nothing could be heard beyond the gulls and waves. Nonetheless, Klaudia’s pace quickened as she shouted her friend’s name in almost desperation.
“Ryza! Ryza! I’m so glad I found you!”
“...Hey, Klaudia.”
“Ryza… I heard from my father about what happened… I’m sorry…”
“I’m sorry too, Klaudia. You don’t need to get yourself wrapped up in this more for my sake. I’ll be fine, I promise.”
Her tone said she felt anything but fine. She was upset, frustrated, and beyond disappointed. She wasn’t sure where she would go long term, but she knew in the immediate she had no plans to stick around here right now. Her only thought was getting away from the same land mass with Bos Brunnen on it.
“Klaudia… I’m going to the hideout. If you want to come with me, you’d best come with now. I think you’d be better staying here with your father, to be honest, but… I won’t stop you from doing what you want.”
“You’re… running away, aren’t you.”
“You could call it that, I guess. That’s why I’m saying you’re probably better not joining me. If a sea monster can cause all this trouble and they still blame Empel’s and my alchemy, then I don’t see a point in staying here. I’m not a farmer in the end, I’m an alchemist. If they’re banning alchemy, then they may as well exile me too. I’m not giving up my passion. Just wait until the villagers don’t have my help with stuff anymore. Not that Bos cares anyway.”
There was a strong bitterness in her delivery, she was visibly and audibly growing more and more frustrated the more this dwelled on her. She needed to get going before she blew a gasket, and Klaudia could see that plain as day.
“Ryza… Of course I’m going with you! I cannot just sit by idly as I watch my friends wronged by a corrupt trial! I’d thought you and Bos were friends with a form of ‘tough love’ going on, but… I was wrong, and I feel terrible. At least let me be with you as your best friend for now. I can’t stand to see you like this forever.”
“If that’s what you want, so be it. I’m not planning on waiting for Tao or Lent, I don’t wanna be on this island anymore. They’ll figure out where we went, I think. I don’t plan to go anywhere else soon.”
Klaudia sat in the boat she and her friend always used, with Ryza this time taking up the rowing. She normally didn’t ever do it of course; she’d been told by Lent it’d be better for him to handle it, but he wasn’t here now, and Ryza couldn’t just make Klaudia row a boat over the lake like this. Klaudia found it was hard to make eye contact with Ryza, so she mostly just stared out at the lake. Eventually, Klaudia attempted to break the silence with some banter, but there was only one question she could come to to do that.
“Ryza, what do you plan to do when we get to the hideout?”
“Empel implied he and Lila would possibly be by there before they depart for good. I’d like to ask them to reconsider leaving so soon, but I doubt I can convince them. In the meantime, I don’t know what I’m going to do right away. I’m not sure I can even do alchemy right now; I’m honestly too pissed off to do so. I might just sit on the bed and sulk the whole time, but either way I’m not gonna be much fun to be around. I hope you know that.”
“Just being with you in your times of need is all I want to do. You were done wrong, and I have no intention of leaving you to fend for yourself alone. I don’t condone running away, of course… And I can’t be with you forever during this, but I will at least take some time to be with you to comfort you with this. I’m more than happy to.”
“Like I said, I’m not gonna stop you in what you do. But I wouldn’t bother trying to get Bos and I to make up or anything. He’s ruined everything now.”
Klaudia didn’t want to perpetuate discussion on the matter, obviously it wasn’t doing any good, so she stopped for a bit, before resuming with something different. Alchemy being banned was a sore topic, but alchemy itself could lead to better conversation, hopefully. Maybe.
“Do you have any alchemy projects you’re working on, Ryza?”
“Well, I’ve been working on a new sword for Lent, I guess. Something kinda like what he first had when you met us. I don’t have a name for it yet, but I know I wanna use some of that Startium for it. Think I could make a considerable upgrade to what he has now with it.”
“Oh! That sounds exciting actually, I’m curious to see him wield it. I always found it impressive how fast and forcefully he can swing a greatsword around. He must be really strong to do so.”
“He’s definitely strong, yes. But being bulky’s kinda his thing in general. He always wanted to be a warrior when he was younger, but he never liked the idea of using short swords, so he took to long swords right away. I think he was like… fourteen or so when he started? It’s been a few years either way.”
This was good. Idle chatter to pass the time as Ryza rowed them to the mainland, without further adding to her irritations. She wasn’t as physically strong as Lent of course, so their trip was a bit longer than usual, but Klaudia didn’t mind that. Deep down, she was just happy she could be here to console and support Ryza. There was a bit more to it though, which she kept to herself for now.
Eventually, they came to the shore in front of the hideout, and they proceeded directly to the front door and inside. Ryza promptly sat down on the bed, hands on her lap as she sighed heavily. Klaudia sat next to her in a similar manner, not uttering a word yet. She just looked towards her friend concerned; she could see that behind her forlorn expression were emotions being kept in. She could tell that Ryza had cried once already earlier, even if it was subtle and hard to tell by now.
“Ryza… You don’t have to keep your feelings bottled up in front of me. No one else is here, and I don’t plan to divulge your secrets or anything with anyone else. I care for you a lot as a friend, and holding everything in will only hurt you later. So please, let your thoughts out freely.”
“Klaudia, I told you I’m fine, really-”
“Ryza, you’re clearly disturbed by the day’s events, and you are visibly hurting. I think anyone could tell just by looking at you, but your friends especially can feel the bad air coming off of you.”
The alchemist stopped, and looked to Klaudia, as another tear began to trail down her cheek. She looked back to her lap, mouth open slightly. She wanted to answer but couldn’t; she knew Klaudia was right on all of it, and that she would happily listen to what she had to say. Without a warning, she laid to her side, resting her head on Klaudia’s lap as light sniffles rang in her ears. She was surprised that Ryza would do this; having her best friend whom she adored resting on her like this was abnormal, though not disliked. If anything, Klaudia found solace in the fact that Ryza could feel comfortable enough with Klaudia alone to interact like this, even if it had no real significance on the brunette’s part.
“It’s all so unfair! Why did Empel and Lila have to be banished?! What did Lila even do to them?! There’s a monster in the lake somewhere and they're more concerned about banning alchemy from Kurken?! Does that make any sense?!”
She got real loud, real quick, but her sentiments were echoed by Klaudia, though with not nearly the same volume. The important thing was making sure Ryza felt heard with honest replies.
“Well, unfortunately this was all with ill intent for one reason or another. Bos used Lumbar to spread rumors among the fishermen, and that got out of hand to the rest of the village. Bos was willing to frame Empel especially for the problems with the fish hauls, and he’s roped Lila in because she travels with him everywhere as a partner. I think what upsets me beyond that is that you got yelled at by the fishermen for making supposedly bad bait and that you were considered at minimum a “tool” for Empel to use to poison the lake discreetly. They have everyone so roped in with these rumors that actual evidence never was needed to reach a verdict. That is absolutely despicable, and I’m unsure if I can forgive him for hurting my friends, especially you.”
“Me? But Empel and Lila were hurt more by this… They’re just stealing my passion, but they stole their ability to even be on Kurken at all.”
“I must admit I’m biased in my feelings, because you’re easily my best friend out of everyone as you know. I originally had no plans to say anything about this, but we’re here now.”
Ryza sat back up, her hands resting on the bed. Her best friend was making no sense - what was she talking about? Now she was super curious, and Klaudia could tell. What made even less sense was the slight blush on Klaudia’s face now; whatever it was seemed both abrupt and foreign to Ryza.
“Klaudia… What do you mean, exactly? You’re blushing too…”
“Ryza. The reason I was so happy to see you on the beach before you came here was because it meant I could go with you directly to the hideout, and while I didn’t find our other friends, it affords me a particular luxury of it just being us two. That much is a rarity with our little group, and there are some things I’ve wanted to tell you as of recent. They are unrelated to the current problems, allow me to at least distract you with a different matter. It's not bad.”
“What about? I’m still really confused about all of this.”
Taking a deep breath, Klaudia put her hands together, still over her lap, and she maintained a forward gaze, just staring out at the remainder of the hideout’s interior. Ryza just looked at her confused; she had no idea why Klaudia would be blushing… There wasn’t any reason for her to be embarrassed or anything here, right?
“Ever since we met and began to spend time together, you’ve stuck out above the others for me the whole time. It’s a lot of why I have only played my flute for you - I feel more comfortable with you, and there are things that you and I can talk about that we can’t really talk about with the others, especially Tao and Lent.”
“I mean, we’re both girls. I think it’s natural that we’d have ‘girls only’ talks, right? I don’t see what’s all that special about it. Heck, we could in theory have gotten Lila involved maybe, if she and Empel weren’t going to be leaving soon… Ugh, dammit Bos…”
“Let’s put aside the current drama aside for now, alright? And yes, some of it is just because we’re girls of the same general age, but that alone is not the whole of it, Ryza.”
“What…? I don’t…”
“You and I have become best friends in no time. Or, at least, you became mine. I imagine I have tough competition from Lent and Tao ultimately, but you at the very least are my best friend. At the same time, though, I find myself thinking about you more and more outside of our adventures. The adventures are absolutely grand, especially when all of us are together, but at the same time… Any time I can get with you in particular feels heavenly. I sometimes wish we had more time to just ourselves - just the two of us, no one else.”
“I would say you’re probably my best friend, yeah. You understand me better than the boys do. But are you really sure it’s not just because you finally have a girl your age to talk to and make friends with?”
“I’m sure, yes. While you do have your moments of rowdiness, and you can be a bit blunt sometimes… You’re honest, caring for people in need of help, and you just about always put your friends above everything else. You don’t hold back your feelings on things, especially when you feel they are unfair. I think today at the beach on Kurken was the first time I’ve seen you hold any kind of real negativity towards anyone, and it was justified; your friends and your own hobby were threatened and then abolished from your home unfairly. On that note as well, you’re extremely passionate. Your dedication to your craft with alchemy is beyond admirable to me, and I would say it exceeds any kind of attachment I have to even playing my flute. There is so much for me to commend and admire you for, and I suppose that’s why I…”
That was a bit embarrassing for Ryza to hear, but it was welcomed and appreciated either way. At least someone actually appreciated her and her alchemy, even if she still believed herself a novice at it. She still had no idea what Klaudia was ultimately getting at, but her curiosity still had a firm grip on her, so she humored the compliments.
“Y-you flatter me, Klaudia, but I’m really not all that great. I helped dam up the waterways temporarily for some small treasure hunt, which got us chewed out severely by Agatha. Even now, I feel like I’m betraying my parents by running away to the hideout like this, because unlike before I don’t know if I want to go back, especially with Bos and his dad there.”
“You have your moments of being imperfect, yes, but all of us do. But you telling me this only solidifies your honesty to me, and you yourself aren’t banned from Kurken, just your alchemy is. When the fish issue fails to resolve itself after Empel and Lila’s departure, and your alchemy is no longer present, the lies will be exposed. Right now, though, I want to tell you something, the point I’ve been leading up to.”
“What is it, Klaudia? You can tell me anything… You were here for me today, after all.”
“With everything I’ve said in mind, as mentioned I’ve thought about you a lot in general, not just our adventures together. I’ve thought about this for the last few days, and I’ve come to the realization that… Well…
I have a crush on you, Ryza.”
Ryza’s face went a light red, already a bit deeper than Klaudia’s own blush. She wasn’t at all expecting such information; she didn’t expect that anyone could have feelings for her, let alone another girl.
“K-Klaudia… What??? A crush? On me of all people? Are you serious???”
“I’m dead serious, Ryza. I wasn’t sure if the little feelings in my heart were really that for a bit but… I believe them to be feelings for you. I hope that doesn't make things awkward between us, I know it’s unexpected, especially with today’s… nonsense.”
“N-no, I just… I don’t know what to make of this… I never thought I could be loved like that, especially not by girls, and… Just with everything today there’s so much on my head right now…”
“I know, and I apologize for adding to it. The reason I brought it up is because we were alone here, and also because I want you to know that even if you face further troubles as an aspiring alchemist… You are not only appreciated, but you are also loved. You have my support the whole way, Ryza.”
“Th-thank you Klaudia… I... need some time to process all this… Would you like to go gathering with me to pass the time? Call it a bonding experience, if nothing else…”
“I would love to. You don’t need to get back to me on my feelings right away, I just ask that you not tell the others right away when we see them next.”
“Of course, I wouldn’t dream of betraying my best friend’s trust like that.”
The two stood up from the bed, with Ryza gathering her axe and newly made hammer, along with her staff and basket as usual. Klaudia took up her flute, and with that they set out for the main road. Ryza certainly had a lot to think about. Her hobby had been banned from Kurken, two of her friends banished with it, and now her best friend was in love with her? This was all a lot indeed, but for now she needed to let her mind settle with something she enjoyed - her alchemy, away from Kurken.
Chapter Text
Ryza and Klaudia enjoyed their outing together, just each other, as Ryza accumulated a plethora of various materials - gems, stones, grass, flowers, even some fish. Klaudia enjoyed just watching her friend - no, crush - doing her thing, whether it be swinging a tool around and breaking things, or yanking fish out of the pond, she enjoyed just observing. Ryza seemed to feel better for the moment, too; that was the most important thing, especially since it was probably only temporary. The entire remainder of the afternoon was spent just walking and gathering, while chatting about whatever topics came to their heads, save for Klaudia’s most recent bomb, which for being non alchemic and also only verbal, left quite an impact. Evening had settled in as they were on their way back, and Ryza began to wonder what Klaudia would do for the night, since Ryza was pretty uninterested in going back and Klaudia couldn’t go back by herself - especially not with a big scary lake monster roaming about.
“Klaudia, what are you planning to do tonight? I can at the very least take you back to Kurken if you need me to.”
“I actually wouldn’t mind staying in the hideout with you overnight. Even if our other friends come by, I would at least like to be with you for now. Admittedly it’s partly just because of… you know… but I do want to be able to console you through everything right now.”
“I-I see… Well, I won’t stop you. I think your father would be worried, though.”
“Less than you think, actually. I told him I may not be back there for the night, and that I’d likely be with you, which I am. He really trusts you a lot with my safety. Additionally, sometimes my sneaking out to practice my flute would be later in the evening at almost dark, so I don’t think this is that much worse for him to endure.”
“You certainly cover for yourself well, huh.”
“I try my best!”
The girls laughed as they came into the clearing with the hideout, where they were surprised to see a second boat, and Tao standing outside the front door. There was no way he crossed the lake by himself… At least, hopefully he didn’t, though it was nice to have another of their friends here now; presumably he knew everything about the trial.
“Tao? When did you get here? You’re not alone, I hope. Lent is around here somewhere too, right?
“Klaudia, there you are… We looked all over for you but had no idea where you were! So you were here with Ryza this whole time… Actually, Lent isn’t here right now, no. Empel and Lila are inside, though. They’re waiting for you, even.”
“O-oh… Wait, where’s Lent then?”
“Back at the island, he opted to stay behind in case some monster did show up. I’d rather it not while he’s alone, but it’ll show up whenever it wants to, I guess. He at least knows you and I are here, I’ll have to tell him that Klaudia was here.”
“Well, it’s his choice. I’d like to talk to Lila and Empel now, why don’t you come in with us at least?”
Tao accepted that invitation gladly, he didn’t want to stay outside when it would be dark out in no more than a couple hours. Empel and Lila, as expected, waited in the center of the room inside, both with stern postures as Ryza and her friends stepped inside.
“Empel… Lila…”
“Hello again, Ryza. Hello to you too, Klaudia. Tao told Lila and I that he saw you taking the boat here, Ryza. I assume he didn’t see Klaudia in the boat with you. Did you ever stop by your place at all?”
“I didn’t, no. I didn’t feel an inclination to. I just wanted to be away from that island and Bos and his crap.”
“Mm-hm, I see. Seems like Klaudia got lucky finding you when she did, then. I’m glad you didn’t come here alone. I’d have felt better had you found your other friends first, but it’s not a big deal now.”
Ryza wasn’t sure what to think, Empel seemed as nonchalant about this as ever, and Lila didn’t seem any more concerned. Klaudia and Tao could see her confusion and the former felt an urge to ask Ryza’s mentor the obvious overall question.
“Empel, Lila… What do you plan to do from here on out? Now that you two and alchemy are banished from Kurken, are you planning to leave the region soon?”
“Why would we leave the area? There’s evidence of the Philuscha in the region, and I’m sure if we look hard enough, we can find where the one you guys encountered came from. Safe to say, Empel and I will simply just continue to remain here as a base of operations for the moment. Assuming that is, that that’s fine with you all?”
“Yes, yes, it is… You’re our friends… I just can’t understand why Bos would even do all of this… What do you think, Tao?”
“I don’t know, really. The only thing I can think of is spite for beating the dragon when he and Agatha’s party failed to do it. He wouldn’t talk to any of us or even look at us following that. Even then though, that just seems overly petty and not worth the trouble.”
They all quietly pondered this for a few moments, before Empel proposed his own theory based on the information. It somehow didn’t seem out of the question considering Bos’ arrogance, as well as his father’s. All the same, that didn’t seem like the whole story, and everyone knew it.
“I think that Tao is partially correct in that he probably feels spiteful that his rivals had to bail him out of a tight spot, not to mention his father certainly didn’t like our visit to Treppe Hill asking to investigate the ruins.”
“Empel… Do you think maybe he’s afraid of my alchemy somehow?”
“Hmm… I suppose that’s possible, yes. Perhaps he believes his house’s power and standing are threatened by the capabilities of alchemy and by extension, you, as one of the most prolific residents.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of. If that’s true, that’s so… so…”
“Well, it’s better for now not to get too worked up on it. Lila and I wanted to go out scouting for a bit to see if we can find any clue to finding the gate the philuscha came from. In the meantime, I would probably get yourselves back to Kurken for the time being. I know how you personally feel about it, Ryza, so I won’t force it on you, but that’s my suggestion.
“W-well, actually Klaudia and I both opted to stay here overnight. We didn’t expect you guys to be here when we got back from gathering… Although I guess I should’ve expected you and Lila.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t, considering the words he left with you on Treppe Hill. Either way, the two of us will likely be out a while, so don’t bother waiting for us.”
“Sounds good. Just be safe, you two.”
The vagrant pair stepped outside and into the forest, where they’d probably be for at least a few hours. Meanwhile, the question now was about Tao. Going back to Kurken alone wasn’t an option, and it was going to be late after one crossing of the lake again. The sofa was an option, but Ryza initially had opted to use it while Klaudia took the bed, so now that arrangement was a no-go.
“Tao, are you fine with staying here for the night?”
“I’m fine, sure, but should Klaudia really be here still? We should probably get her back to Kurken…”
“I’m staying here with Ryza, thank you. I’m going to keep my best friend company after her alchemy’s been banned, she needs support. If anything, she and I can share the bed. Is that okay with you, Ryza?”
“U-uh, s-sure… Tao are you fine with the sofa…?”
“Yeah, but Klaudia, what’s with you? You seem clingy to Ryza all of a sudden…”
“Don’t worry about it, Tao. Let’s just get ourselves settled down; I’m exhausted myself. I might be up earlier tomorrow to just… do alchemy things, I guess.”
“Works for me, Ryza. Just please don’t wake me up earlier to go monster hunting or bug gathering…”
“Psh, I’ve got plenty of stuff to work with after today. I probably won’t need to make a trip out tomorrow, considering the rest of the stuff in the trunk.”
“Thank goodness…”
Klaudia just laughed, but inside she was elated to be not only spending the night with Ryza but even bunking with her. Of course, she knew it was only because they had to, but it was probably the most comfortable arrangement for everyone involved. The three friends all had dinner and afterward got themselves ready for sleep. Ryza removed her jacket and alchemy doodads and called it good, while Klaudia simply opted to sleep in her attire as is; spending the night with her crush would make up for the less comfortable attire. Tao apparently was doing the same, though he didn’t seem as pressed for sleep as the girls were; he seemed content with the couple books he’d brought with him. Klaudia clambered onto the bed and took the side against the wall, while Ryza near flopped on the other half, arm hanging off the bed. Before long, she was out like a light just from exhaustion with her face half buried in the mattress, and Klaudia found it entertaining in its own way. She took longer to settle, as she pondered her confession to Ryza earlier, and what the alchemist might eventually say on it. She wasn’t going to forget about it, that much was for sure. Eventually, the blonde drifted off next to her friend, and after a while, Tao quietly put his books aside and sprawled out across the sofa as if he were taking an afternoon nap.
The following morning, sun fully up, Klaudia awoke to Ryza having already gotten up, and synthesizing as she said she would be. Tao also was awake by now, though he wasn’t inside, seemingly. She rubbed her eyes with a light groan as Ryza turned to the sound of Klaudia meeting the day.
“Morning, sleepyhead. I can see you were out pretty good.”
“I-I guess so, yes. Did you want me to make something for everyone to eat...? Actually, where did Tao get to?”
“He’s outside with his books, not really sure why. And I’m good on food, I just snacked on a piece of fruit earlier. So... I guess I’d like to talk to you about yesterday while I finish this up. About your… feelings for me, since Tao isn’t in the room.”
“A-are you sure? I didn’t to make you feel rushed, I-”
“No, no, don’t worry about it. I just did a lot of my thinking while you and I were out and about yesterday afternoon. I had plenty of time to do it; heck even in my sleep I recalled the moment you told me you were crushing repeatedly. And, well-"
Presently, the door slammed open, and a hurried looking Tao stood on the other side. Both girls were startled, so much so that Ryza nearly goofed the synthesis she was working on.
“Ryza, Klaudia, come outside, quickly!”
The two girls looked to each other confused but did as they were told and rushed their way outside. There, they found Empel and Lila, along with Lent and… Bos. The Brunnen son was of course the first one Ryza’s eyes caught, and she was not pleased. It took a significant amount of restraint not to slap him across the face, but she knew that doing that would get her into a different kind of trouble.
“Bos… What are you doing here? Lent, did you bring him???”
“Yeah, I did. This bozo and I have got some words to say, because stuff happened.”
“Stuff happ- What?”
Bos only scoffed, he looked particularly disgruntled, and Lent seemed to have a very watchful eye on him. Klaudia and Tao didn’t know what to think, but they noticed that Lila and Empel both looked unimpressed at everything but directed it to Bos. It seemed almost popular to do at this point, at least among Ryza’s friend group.
“So early this morning, during the sunrise, the port got attacked by that sea monster you were warning everyone about, Ryza. It finally showed itself. Agatha and I had to rush in to beat the thing down, and that bastard was tough; it caused a bunch of damage. Agatha yesterday told the village elder and council that Bos had spread rumors about Empel, but they blew it off because there ‘wasn’t any evidence’. Now the port’s a mess because of it, and someone here is to blame for his negligence on all of this. You owe us an explanation of why you did all this, especially to Empel, Lila, and Ryza.”
“Tch… What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say, ‘I’m sorry?’”
Everyone grew further bemused, but it was Tao that spoke up next. Having previously been harassed by Bos in the past, he was infuriated that he would stoop to such a low as banishing people and professions he knew almost nothing about.
“Bos, you conspired with your father to incriminate Empel and the alchemy that Ryza learned from him, and in doing that you got Ryza and Lila caught up in this. Is that the kind of legacy you want the Brunnen name to carry?”
“Ugh, no, I-”
“Bos, I was under the impression you were a difficult friend of theirs, but these actions aren’t that of a friend at all. These are just malice and selfishness. What could inspire you to hurt the three of them with such nasty gossip?”
Empel and Lila didn’t say anything. Ryza, oddly, was also silent, but with everyone’s eyes on Bos, almost no one noticed the brunette slowly becoming more and more agitated, her fists clenched tighter, trembling slightly from anger. Only Empel noticed initially, and he knew what would come about soon.
“It had to be you that slayed that dragon… You made me look like a laughing stock… Ever since those two showed up, Ryza’s suddenly become so much more reliable that everyone goes to her with requests… It’s insulting to the Brunnen family! While I grow stronger by my own strength alone, she uses this… this… sorcery, to further her influence in Rasenboden to the point people rely on her more than my family! It’s disgraceful, it’s-
“BOS!!!”
Everyone but Empel jumped as the glass that was Ryza’s patience shattered, and rage exploded out in verbal form; her posture was so unbelievably stiff that she could act as an extra building support for the hideout. Most surprised was Bos, who had never heard this kind of volume come from Ryza ever, and his slight lean backward displayed a sudden sense of fear. He was afraid of one of his own victims now.
“Do you have any idea what kind of damage you caused?! The port’s a disaster according to Lent, people could have been and maybe are injured, and you incriminated innocent people all because of your own ego?! If we didn’t slay that dragon, your house would have no heir at all! You’re jealous that I can use alchemy to do good for the village all because you think your house’s reputation is under threat? What kind of sense does that make?! What kind of person uses such petty reasons to cause so much harm to people that aren’t hurting anyone else?! You’re nothing but a scumbag, and so is your father!”
Every sentence seemed to shatter Bos’ ego singlehandedly, and the damage could be read just from his face and posture. He was completely speechless; the only sounds from him were those of someone who was severely intimidated.
“Lent, take him back to the island, I don’t want to see him anymore. I don’t care what the rest of you do, but I need some space inside. I’ll see you guys later.”
She marched inside and slammed the door with a quaking thud; any harder and the door might have escaped it hinges. Ryza was beyond angry at Bos for the trouble he caused, and rightfully so. None of them had ever seen her like this, and it was slightly frightening for Ryza’s childhood friends. Lila seemed concerned and attempted to follow Ryza, but Empel stopped her. He then spoke to Bos himself.
"This is what Ryza was trying to warn you all about, Bos Brunnen. The sea monster warnings weren't just some random excuses without basis, we had an eyewitness report that Lila originally was given, and she communicated to us. Ryza gave you all the warnings because she's more known around here and we hoped her words would be better heeded. I hope you can recognize your follies now."
Bos simply looked away at the man he'd attempted to frame, clearly not proud of being lectured by him. No one could feel any pity for him, and he got several disappointed headshakes from his "audience".
“Alright then… Tao, would you mind coming with me? I could use a witness from this exchange besides myself.”
“S-sure, I was hoping to go back home and drop my books off anyway.”
“I’ll come too. Since my name was slandered, I think it’s only fair I be there to hear what Bos’ father has to say for himself, especially in front of the elder and request some form of payment for damages.”
“If you’re going, I might as well too. I don’t entirely trust them not to try and throw you off the island anyway, so I might as well act as a bodyguard.”
“Lila, you don’t need to do that.”
“I will not have contest to my actions.”
Empel relented, and everything seemed all fine, but then Tao realized Klaudia had been silent for a bit. She seemed to be off in her head, and Tao had to address her by name several times to get her attention.
“What are you going to do, Klaudia? Are you coming with us?”
“No… I’d like to stay here. Someone needs to keep an eye on Ryza, and I’d like to be the one to do it. I won’t accept anything else.”
“Alright then. Let’s go, everyone. We’ve got some business to attend to. Get moving, Bos.”
The Brunnen son begrudgingly did as he was ordered; he knew any kind of counter words or actions would be used against him without mercy, so he kept his mouth shut. Klaudia watched as the group of five boarded the extra boat that Lent and Bos arrived in and remained where she stood until they were off the shoreline and well out into the water. Once they were gone, her attention turned to Ryza inside. She creaked the door open slowly and peeked her head in.
Klaudia could see her friend on the bed facing the wall, arms crossed, and her face pitched towards them. She was still shaking slightly, and she had no reaction to the sound of the door opening.
“Ryza… Can I come in? It's just me, everyone else is heading to Kurken to confront Bos' father.”
“...I guess.”
Klaudia treaded lightly, she knew Ryza was especially unstable right now and needed to be spoken to and treated gently. She closed the door with a light click, and made her way over to Ryza, sitting on the bed near her feet.
“You really let him have it. I’ve never seen you so furious.”
“No one has… No one’s ever pissed me off that much before. He tried to deflect the blame for his actions on Empel and I, instead of just owning up.”
“What he did was inexcusable, but right now I’m concerned about you.”
“I’m sure you probably don’t feel for me the same now that I completely snapped on someone. I wouldn’t blame you either.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. If anything, I’m proud of you that you stood your ground and defended both yourself and our friend. Not everyone has that kind of courage, especially not when facing people with more political power over them.”
To this, Ryza said nothing. She was more upset at herself now for letting her anger take over her, even if it was brief. She rolled over so that she could look at Klaudia somewhat, and her arms sprawled in front of her.
“You really don’t think less of me?”
“Not at all, Ryza.”
“Well… If we could, I’d like to talk to you about what we tried to before we got interrupted. Is that okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
She then dragged herself closer to the headboard and pulled her legs in, trying not to accidentally hit Klaudia in the process. She sat up, and scooched herself forward until she was sitting on the edge of the bed next to Klaudia. She held her right arm with her left hand, and a faint blush could be seen on her face if one looked hard enough.
“Okay, so… When you admitted your feelings to me yesterday… It made me feel happy inside, actually. I’ve always thought you were cute from the moment we met, but I never thought about romance, really. In general I never have put much thought into that sort of thing. At the same time, to hear my best friend admit to crushing on me was… surprising, sure, but… I can’t say I’m weirded out or turned away by it. I’m honestly flattered if anything, and who knows if I’ll get much of anywhere in life with alchemy, but… You wouldn’t judge me regardless of what I do or where I end up, would you?”
“I would not. Judging you is the last thing I would ever want to do. I feel a need to stress that I didn’t confess my love just because I wanted to make you feel better. I did it because it’s how I honestly feel, and in your time of hurting I wanted to make sure you knew you were loved. I was originally going to wait until later in the summer, but I decided to do it now in hopes I could comfort you.”
“Haha… Well, I’ll say this, you succeeded… I don’t really know why, but hearing that you like me that way just… has my heart a bit excited, you know? In a good way, I mean…”
“I’m glad for that much. I do just want to be blunt and ask… Would you be interested in dating me, Ryza? That’s all that was in my dreams last night, was you answering the question in a number of ways, and my heart is full of anticipation.”
Ryza’s face now went a similar red to yesterday; to hear the question posed so bluntly was embarrassing in its own right, but what was wilder to Ryza was what she was about to say. She was amazed at what was happening here, but she couldn’t deny herself happiness, especially not now. She turned to Klaudia and looked her in the eyes.
“If you’re willing to have me in spite of my antics and my alchemy, Klaudia… Yes, I would be open to dating you. I’d… like to keep this quiet for now, we can tell people later. I’d like to let the drama settle and also let us ease into our… relationship before we say anything.”
“Ryza… I’m so happy… Yes, that’s perfectly fine… I’m so happy you can like me in return this way…”
“Haha, I do like you, Klaudia. You’re my bestie… and I suppose now my girlfriend, too, heh. I never put the thought into it, but it feels... fulfilling, honestly.”
Klaudia then shifted over and wrapped Ryza in a firm but not suffocating hug, resting her head on Ryza’s shoulder. The alchemist chuckled, it was clear as day that Klaudia was indeed serious about her feelings, and it was up to her now to make her feel loved too. Thankfully, that wouldn’t prove too hard. She gently took hold of Klaudia’s chin and lifted her face to level it with her own and gave her a small peck on her cheek. Klaudia’s face went a deep crimson, topping Ryza’s shade, and her heart was now pounding with ecstasy.
“R-Ryza, did you really just-”
“Hehe, sorry Klaudia. I had the idea to sneak attack you and couldn’t help myself. If that’s too forward, I won’t do it again.”
“N-no! No, it’s not too forward at all… Actually, I was… hoping you could meet me more directly? Not just the cheek…”
“Oh gosh… Well, I don’t see why not. I do feel kinda funny having my first real kiss so fast after entering a relationship, but I’m curious about this now. Let’s take this slow, alright?”
Klaudia nodded, and she leaned in until her lips softly came into contact with Ryza’s. Their eyes closed, and they took in the feeling of it all as the kiss persisted. The blonde pulled back after about ten seconds, and by now they were about equal shades of deep red in the face, and for the moment they were just mesmerized by each other’s gaze. Soon enough, though, their little world had to face reality, and Ryza needed to see to current affairs directly.
“Well, Klaudia… I think… It’s time we head back to Kurken. I want an apology from Bos’ father at least, for allowing him to orchestrate this whole scheme. Can I trust you to be at my side as we settle this whole matter?”
“Of course, Ryza… If you feel ready to confront everything and the people in question, I’m right behind you. I would love nothing more than to be at your side. I want to ask, though… Could we… hold hands to the boat, at least?”
“I think I can allow that, haha…”
The two girls got up and clasped hands delicately, as Ryza escorted her now girlfriend outside to their original boat, and Klaudia sat in front of Ryza so she could admire the alchemist’s face throughout the journey. Ryza pushed the boat off and hopped in, and took her place as rower again, much more content than the trip here yesterday. They would likely be met with a headache - no, probably several headaches - when they got back, but that didn’t matter now. Ryza had Klaudia at her side now, and she would be able to offer a whole new kind of support as the drama settled and their summer adventures continued, and that was all that mattered to her at this point.