Aya's Story

Hey, Master! Look over there!

Do you remember? The fountain in the town square over there? That's where you and I first met.

At that fountain, we realized how we felt about each other and decided to embark on an eternal journey together.

It was a historic moment... we revealed the most private parts of ourselves with our inner dialogues!

Wh-Why, what's wrong?

Did I say something weird just n—

.........

Eeek! Oh my! I d-didn't mean it like that...!

Sorry, Master! I was just trying to sound like an adult...

*Murmur, murmur*

Huh? Master? Are you here to see the Sage of Elemental Mountain, too?

Well, she's a sage... that lives somewhere on Elemental Mountain.

It's really hard to get a glimpse of her, but this time, she came to Sprite Kingdom herself!

She's not a sage that's full of nonsense like other denizens of Elias... She's an actual sage!

Sorry? No, I was just telling you like it is...

Anyway, if there is something you'd like to ask, you'd better hurry! The Venerable Sage rarely ventures down from Elemental Mountain.

Venerable Sage Aya! How do I make cotton candy the size of a cloud?!

Easy. To make a cotton candy as large as a cloud, all you must do is make a larger cotton candy.

But have you considered why you'd want to make such a large cotton candy.

Who is that cotton candy for? Can it all be eaten...?

Is it simply an expression of greed or deep desire? Perhaps try and find a way to be more useful to yourself or the world.

Ooh! Thank you, Venerable Sage!

Lady Aya! When do you think I can buy a house of my own?! Houses are so expensive these days. There's no way I can afford one!

It is indeed important to have your own home.

But the idea of the "perfect home" without a single shortcoming is the stuff of dreams.

There is bound to be some sort of flaw... Whether it be too expensive, has something wrong with it, or is too far from the downtown area...

The key is being open to accepting a place as your home, even if it falls short of perfection.

Of course, falling victim to contract fraud isn't something that can be resolved simply through personal effort or willpower, so consult a relevant expert and get it sorted out as quickly as possible.

Oh? The tall fellow there... At the back...? Ah! Are you the Master of the Yggdrasil Order?

This is great! I've come down to Sprite Kingdom to meet you!

The human summoned by Yggdrasil, that descended upon Elias as its savior!

I... I believe that you and I are destined to be partners!

*Murmur, murmur* Destined... partners? *Murmur, murmur*

*Murmur, murmur* The Venerable Sage just said the Master is her destined partner! *Murmur, murmur*

...?

Things have gotten weird all of a sudden...

Hey, did you see that? The Venerable Sage confessing her feelings in public like that?!

Oh, that? Of course I did! I was there!

I can't believe it... How could she do that in front of everyone? How brazen of her.

Was there a deeper meaning behind it, you think? Maybe she wanted to publicly embarrass the Master!

Ahem...

Eeeeeek! Oh my! M-Master?!

S-stay back! I don't know what you've been saying about me, but... the sprites ask me weird questions whenever they see me!

You're blaming me for this? How could you be so shameless...?!

I've been respected as a wise sage for many years... but now they think I'm a witch who has sold her heart and soul to you!

Wh-What I said? But I just said it was nice to meet you, that's all.

Y-Yeah! I did s-say that.

I meant that we're partners who can share our inner most thoughts each day... meeting each other's gaze and whispering our hearts desire to each other.

Wh-What's bad about what I said...? It's not like I said anything wrong.

Uh... huh? Ehm... what? REALLY? I... AAAAAAAH!!

...Urgh... I really didn't know it would come across that way...

I'm sorry for being mad at you earlier... I'm ashamed to call myself a sage.

But what should I do now...? I put both of us in an embarrassing situation.

I should clear things up... right?

In that case... Master! Please join me as I attempt to clear up this misunderstanding that the sprites have.

Wouldn't it be easier to clear up the misunderstanding if both involved parties were present?

Please, Master. For the sake of our reputations...

Thank you! I love how you come on strong like that!

S-Sorry!

Whoa, the Venerable Sage and the Master are standing together!

They've embarked on a journey to build a happy life together!

Everyone, I'm here with the Master to clear up a misunderstanding.

There's nothing between the Master and myself!

Yeah, riiiight! You unconsciously let your true feelings slip out last time and now you're trying to give us excuses, aren't you?

Th-That's not true! We simply have... a light spiritual connection... that's all.

We just sometimes lay down our worldly concerns, strip off our robes of responsibility...

...And whisper our heartfelt feelings to each other within the throes of eternity...

*Murmur, murmur* What is Lady Aya talking about? *Murmur, murmur*

*Murmur, murmur* D-Did you understand what she just said? *Murmur, murmur*

Wh-Why? What did I say...?

I-I'm dangerous? Why...?

Hardcore? I don't understand what you mean.

I... I was just trying to explain myself as best as I could...

H-How...?

U-Umm... He-Hello, sprites.

There's nothing between the Master and myself. We're just good friends.

Rephrase it with some more difficult terms, you mean?

Um... the ecclesiastically ordained leader and the recluse of the wilderness...

...stand as disparate autonomous beings devoid of any semblance of spiritual or physical rapport. Thus requiring those gathered here to move beyond this misconstrued comprehension.

We may be friends... but at the same time, I am an Apostle who must give her all to serve the Master.

B-But shouldn't a sage speak like a sage?

O-Okay. I'll do it your way this time.

Yes?

You'll do the talking?

A-Are you sure you can do this?

Your determination stands stiff and unyielding...!

*Murmur, murmur* The Venerable Sage is back with the Master! *Murmur, murmur*

C'mon, Master. Don't bore us with excuses and just tell us about how you two first met!

*Sniff*

Th-The Master made Lady Aya cry!

Why are you denying your relationship? You're hurting Lady Aya's feelings!

*Nod, nod*

It's weird that Lady Aya isn't saying anything!

Lady Aya! Is the Master forcing you not to speak?

*Nod, nod*

Booooooo! How horrible!

*Nod, nod*

You seem overwhelmed... Can I help? I have a great idea.

My dear sprites!

The Master should remain the master of the Order, and a sage should remain a sage.

The Master and I were never meant to be together!

From this moment onwards, the Master and I will separate and stay purely as friends!

*Gasp!* Lady Aya just kicked the Master to the curb!

Of course... I'll still have to stay in the Order and continue to meet with the Master daily—

*Murmur, murmur* Aww, that's it? How anticlimactic. *Murmur, murmur*

Master...

I feel like I've grown more with you by my side...!

It's like... you're filling me... in places where I'm lacking!

Oops... I-I'm sorry! I'll think twice before speaking from now on!

Please continue watching out for me, Master! Please feel free to point it out when I make any further mistakes!

Hahaha, I really don't know what I was thinking when I said those things.

I get embarrassed every time I think about it.

When you teach me things, it's like I am completely naked in front of you. It's so...

Ooh... Master... just a bit more...

More...

You really don't have that much stamina for being the Master, do you?

How can you find this little climb to the top of Elemental Mountain so tough?!

Sometimes, being in solitude... isn't so bad.

I feel at ease when I spend time by myself sweeping away the snow from the front of my house.

I go up and down this mountain all the time... these legs of mine are stronger than they look!

Why are you so taken aback?

It's this way! Follow—

Halt!

The top of Elemental Mountain is the realm of the elementals!

Master? What brings you all this way?

Hmm... well, you're welcome to come here, but...

...Aya, are you sure it's okay to reveal the location of your sanctuary?

I trust the Master, enough to share a room and sleep together.

It's okay, I'm used to Aya's special way of speaking.

Well... it's only natural for a wind elemental and a snow elemental to know each other.

Eeek! We'll get going, Sylla! We won't cause a disturbance before heading back down, so don't worry!

I'm sorry. The thing is, Sylla thinks I'm an elemental.

She seems to have misunderstood since I live here and deal with all this snow...

At first, I pretended to be an elemental to befriend them... but I think I've come too far to fess up now...

Not exactly. I don't see much of a difference between pretending to be an elemental and actually being one.

What do you think elementals are, Master?

Elementals, by definition, are magical beings created when elemental energy gains a sense of self.

However... there's no real reason to look at it only that way, is there?

Your sense of self is formed and shaped through your interactions with others.

Whether they are elementals, sprites, werebeasts, or elves... if we're all friends, it makes the truth irrelevant.

That is quite a simple answer, yet it gets straight to the heart of it.

I knew you'd get the fundamental gist of it, Master.

Don't you think that closing yourself off to others based on appearance or race is too narrow-minded?

What's important is how you perceive and approach others.

Just a bit further before we reach where I live. You're probably really cold. I'll make you some warm tea when we get home.

How industrious and diligent sprites are! Witnessing their work, I can't help but be filled up with a sense of respect.

I just came down to run an errand. What are the sprites building today?

Oh, Master? Well, during the recent renovations to the Order, we forgot to fortify our avalanche protections.

We are taking care of it now, so please rest assured and go about your business as usual.

How strange. I've lived a long time, and I've never seen it snow in Elias either.

An avalanche is a natural disaster where a large amount of snow slides down from a high place and covers the area below... Does it mean something different where you're from, Master?

It may be hard to believe, but a colossal avalanche once swept over the kingdom.

Ever since, Her Majesty has always told us to be prepared for snow.

She was trapped in the snow-covered palace with no access to baked goods, you see.

Anyway, I have to go oversee the construction, so please excuse me...

Uh... um...

M-Master? Could you bring me... somewhere private for an intimate conversation... just the two of us?

Yes! That's what I said! Hurry up and lead the way!

You know that... avalanche?

I think... I'm the one who caused it...!

You know how I live at the top of Elemental Mountain, right...?

I like to c-clean the snow in front of my house, you know?

One day, I was cleaning and I made a snowman to pass the time... and it rolled down the mountain!

I didn't think it was a big deal at the time... but I may have caused the sprites lots of trouble! What should I do?

Urgh...

But it feels a bit wrong to just let it go...

Really? You don't think my snowman was responsible?

If that's how you see it, Master, okay...

Also, I won't make another snowman ever again, just to be safe.

I don't think I could handle it... if a mistake I made caused such devastation...

Okay!

Eeek! M-Master?

Oh, Master! I'm sorry! I will endure whatever punishment you see fit!

Hurry... Punish me hard! Do not show mercy until I have repented!

H-Huh?

Ah... I-I see...

Thank you, Master. I never thought you'd be so considerate of me.

How wise. You might have what it takes to be a sage, too, Master...

Hehehe... You should release the inner sage... Burst open the doors of insight...

Have truth shoot out of...

Oh, is it that late already?

Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you.

It seems I struck out again today...

Um... I'm actually looking for some individuals.

My sisters...

Believe it or not, I actually had quite a few younger siblings...

We've been separated so I don't know where they all are.

Part of the reason I joined the Order, of course, was to learn more about you, Master...

But I also thought I might find some leads on my sisters who are all scattered about.

Well, we might have been close... or maybe we weren't. It depends on how you look at it.

It's been a long time and I don't quite remember.

I mean, even I've changed a lot over the years. I've lived a long life...

I'm sure it's the same for them.

I have impressions of their footprints... would that help?

Yes, I took impressions of their footprints. In Ice. I keep them in storage at home.

Probably, right...?

I can't exactly go around stopping strangers on the street, asking if they're my sister, either...

It can be quite discouraging...

Through my travels I have learned much about the world... But when it comes to this, it's all useless.

Really? Th-Thank you!

There was a time in the past when I gave up on my younger sisters and lost my way...

So hearing you say this means so much to me...!

Oh?

I thought you were closing?

Oh... okay!

Mmm! The tea you made is so warm... and it just feels so good inside of me.

Thank you for always looking past my shortcomings and being so nice to me, Master!