Boom! A loud disturbance stopped them in their tracks; coming from above, a chunk of the academy’s top floor fell collapsed. Fortunately, the two girls and the maid weren’t at the spot where the debris landed.
A cough came from within the dense cloud of dust. As it dispersed—white hair, a scruffy beard, and beady yellow eyes—the headmaster’s infuriating face slowly appeared. “Keh! I can't bring the boy back! I don't know how!” he said, laughing resignedly.
A woman jumped off the part of the academy missing a wall, with a fierce squall diminishing her rate of descent. Landing not too far from them, she yelled, “Bring him back now!!! Bring back my dear little Urie!” It was Urie’s mother, Rivelle.
The headmaster continued to shout, half-buried in the pile of debris, “Ah, I told you, I can't! You crazy little girl! Stop pushing me!”
“You three, stay back! “Merea also jumped from the top floor—her hand latching onto the academy's wall was dragging along the surface to slow down her fall.
The headmaster spotted the children at the same time and bloomed a malicious smile. He freed himself from the broken concrete and quickly dashed towards them—reaching a flabbergasting speed for his aged appearance.
[Aah, that's enough out of you lizard.]
Celeste heard a voice in her head. The moment the voice spoke, she saw the headmaster’s face grimace as an explosion of wind appeared between him and her group. The scruffy old man was blown back and slammed through the academy’s first floor—falling dead silent and seemingly unconscious.
Before the two girls and the maid, the turbulent wind gathered at a single point—forming the likeness of a glowing green doll. Elicia saw its appearance and took out a similar looking clay doll she kept in her pocket before making a curious comparison.
Rivelle yelled at the spirit, “Sylvestris! Where is my son!?” her expression livid and anguished.
[Don't worry about him, he's safe. Probably.]
“Don't give me that! Bring him back! Bring back my son!”
[I can't, at least not at the moment. I'm sorry.]
The spirit replied in an apathetic manner whilst Rivelle was incredibly frantic. Her teeth dug into her lower lip before she unraveled powerlessly onto the ground.
—Papa, was he like this after I disappeared?
Celeste quickly made her way towards the despairing mother. As fast as she could with her tired legs without stumbling, she ran. She felt a pang in her chest, making it incredibly stuffy and hard for her to breathe.
—What about mama? If Urie went to the other side, then could he meet my parents and tell them I'm fine?
Celeste embraced the weeping woman before speaking with a cracked voice, “Auntie, he’ll be fine! Urie will be fine!” Rivelle was unresponsive. Her tears wouldn’t abate by such seemingly superficial words.
Celeste needed something to catch her attention—words to get her to listen. “Mo...” Celeste stuttered. “Mother... Mother!” The one word Rivelle kept trying to coax from her since she moved into the house.
A noticeable flinch passed along Celeste’s arms and her cheek. She called again, “Mother, Urie will be alright, please don’t be sad.” The effect was almost immediate. Rivelle’s sobbing somewhat settled as she nestled herself onto Celeste’s chest.
“Dear,” Rivelle sniffled, “Celeste, dear. Do you know where Urie is?”
“He—” What was she to say? That Urie got whisked to another place? There was no guarantee that he could immediately return. What could Celeste use to reassure her?
“He’s with my parents,” the sentence rolled off her tongue unintentionally.
“I see...” Rivelle’s voice trailed off, “Then he should be fine? My little Urie is just visiting...” Glancing at her face, Celeste found that Rivelle had fallen asleep.
Although unsure of what she’d just said, she was glad to have said it as a healthy blush soon replaced Rivelle’s pale countenance—painting her unconscious expression with relief.
Supporting the weight of an adult was hard for a child. As Celeste’s arms were starting to give way, someone sat down beside her to quickly support. It was the maid, Patty.
Troubled, the maid shifted her gaze around, “Milady, oh no. What should I do?”
Merea appeared from the hole in the academy’s wall with the knocked-out headmaster being pulled by his collar. Volunteering, she said, “I'll carry her. We just need someone to watch over this old thing.”
[Leave him. Anyhow, he won’t be able to leave the area. Kid, thanks for settling this troublesome girl. Please watch over her.]
Sylvestris, in the body of a minor spirit, hovered over Celeste. Soon, his body dispersed like a popping balloon. Merea unceremoniously released the headmaster and dusted her gloves. She knelt down and scooped up her unconscious friend. “Give her to me,” she said, before instructing, “Maid, lead the way.”
“Huh? Oh yes, ma'am. Time to go home, young miss.”
“Elicia, are you not coming?”
Merea shifted her gaze at her niece as everyone prepared to leave. Elicia was standing still at the side, ruminating. Only after her aunt’s call did she come to her senses and quickly followed.
Trailing at the back, the bob cut girl muttered to herself, “That bedwetter…” From the event that had transpired in front of her, she had only just gleaned that Urie wasn’t coming back.
