Before the disappearance, about a few days after the incident with Rabuka and the Scholars that got into a fight…..
Don had now earned two more friends thanks to that incident, but he encountered a problem when he asked for all of them to eat together at lunch.
“Ah, no thank you.” Calla said the moment she saw Marigold. “I should probably eat along with the faculty and staff because my application as a professor or even just an assistant is being processed now.”
Edelweiss raised an eyebrow. “But the rules never stopped you anyway back when you have lunch on my floor instead of yours. In fact, none of the rules mattered to you.”
“That’s different, princess~” Calla turned around with her tray in hand and left. “See you, dearies, later for another sleepover!”
Don was pretty perceptive and noticed that look of disdain in Calla’s face when she saw Marigold.
Edelweiss crossed her arms. “It’s not different, it’s the same either way since it’s breaking the rules. And Calla never wanted to waste an oppurtunity to do something subversive.”
“What has gotten into her?”
But as she wondered this, she realized that the person who waved back at Don’s chair was not wearing any of the usual Warrior, Scholar or Artisan vest.
Her stars indicating her years finished in this Academy was beautifully embroidered on her pearly white dress.
“Ah, I get it now.” Edelweiss said.
Don whispered to her. “What is it? What’s wrong with Marigold?”
“Calla highly despises Monks. It has something to do with what her father experienced from one of them.”.
Don frowned. “What did he experience?”
“Bullying, I believe. Enough to make him have this huge round scar in his forehead.”
“Round scar….” Don mumbled, as he touched his right shoulder.
He also have a round scar there, but that was because of the exorcism from the Silver Wolf. It was from Councillor Rozenaur’s branding iron.
Could Calla’s father had been exorcised and it was all a misunderstanding?
They have reached the chair, and Marigold gracefully stood up to offer her hand to Edelweiss.
“Blessed day.” She smiled sweetly. “I’m afraid I do not know you yet. You must be one of the new friends Don told me about.”
She offered a hand, and the Opal Scholar accepted it awkwardly. “Er…. Yes. My name is Edelweiss Iridice, 4th year Scholar. And you are?”
“Marigold Rozenaur, 5th year Monk.” She introduced herself with much enthusiasm, like she already regarded Edelweiss as her friend the moment she accepted the handshake.
Edelweiss couldn’t help but frown a little bit at her golden skin, just like Cermin Drychspiel’s. Do Gold Heartstone people just have a knack of pissing other people yet still being so…. Nice?
“Don and I have been friends for a long while. We tell each other everything. I recall you have another friend with you?”
Edelweiss sighed. “Ah, our other friend has….. Other matters to take care of.”
“Oh, I seem Well, what’s her name?”
Don answered: “Calla Lily Naemhnaid.”
“Naemhnaid… Where have a I heard that before?” Marigold rubbed her chin.
“She’s an Artisan and on her have graduated just last school year.” Edelweiss decided to drop the bomb in order to make things clear without being too direct.
“O-Oh. An Artisan….. Don only mentioned that she can likes to dress him up in passing.”
Edelweiss blinked. “And what is your reaction to that?”
“Hmm?” Marigold blinked. “My reaction to what, pardon?”
“Dressing up….. Well, he’s a man and you are a priestess after all…..”
Monks were notoriously close-minded towards anything that breaks the normal state of things, which was why they rarely get along with the rebellious Artisans.
“Oh, that. Men can wear womanly dresses as they please, I do not see anything wrong with that. I mean, Don still wears men’s clothes even when he’s a woman at heart sometimes, or the opposite.”
Edelweiss blinked. “You also know the truth about him?”
Don chuckled. “She did say we tell each other everything.”
“Actually….” He fidgeted. “It was her father, Councillor Rozenaur, who found out about me first. Ever since I was sent to the infirmary. But he kept quiet, and so did Mari…. Basically treating like the revelation never happened.”
“They just treat it like it was normal.”
For a Councillor to keep this secret….. Edelweiss really could not help but be baffled.
Have Monks really experienced a major change nowadays, or was it only this father and daughter who had experienced something that made them change?
“It’s a pity that your Artisan friend could not join us,” Marigold said. “But I would like to get to know you more Edelweiss. You can tell me anything, and I shall do the same as your new friend!”
This kind of enthusiasm….. It really was reminiscent of that golden boy she once called a friend.
That’s why Edelweiss could not help but feel a certain unease around Marigold. She does not immediately dislike her like Calla does…..
But was simply wary of her, of getting close to her.
“I do have to say that I’ve never seen anyone with such a beautiful skin such as yours.” Marigold said, pointing out the colorful flecks on her skin. “They remind me very much of colorful butterflies that can appear so small when the fly in the sky.”
Edelweiss, not used to having her Opal skin be seen as something beautiful instead of weird, became flustered at this.
“I-I suppose…. Thank you. Y-You look lovely too, with your dress and veil.”
Marigold smiled wide. “Iridescence is what it’s called, isn’t it? Caused by the refraction of the light that brings out the spectrum of colors.”
Edelweiss blinked. “You also study science?”
“In passing, I love reading books of all kinds. I believe they are a good way to understand more people in this world, and with understanding comes empathy.”
They went on to grab food trays, and Don was grinning ear to ear from how amazed Edelweiss simply because his friend actually read books other than religious texts and try to gain knowledge.
He said proudly. “Marigold is eager to learn as much as she can. Since you are a Scholar, you can teach her anything you like. I’m also the same.”
Edelweiss’ unease vanished from this. Not for the fact that she happen to know science, no, it was deeper than that.
For someone to take the time and understand what they do not know, and not stay ignorant…..
That was very rare for anyone in this world full of prejudices and hatred.
But she wanted test her a little more.
She summoned a tiny slug on her hand with an iridiscent shell.
“Well, what do you think about this slug’s iridescence, Sister?”
Sister Marigold showed genuine interest at it, and took it with her hands.
“It’s beautiful….. Your gift is connected to sea animals, I presume?”
Edelweiss sighed. “Yes, that is why I am often called a Sea Witch.”
“Ah, I prefer more to call you a Sea Fairy. Goddess Seelie also has fairies that can summon butterflies and other lovely flying creatures at will.”
Marigold returned the slug, and cusped her hand gently.
“Never believe that a skill so wondrous as that should be called anything but beautiful.”
Edelweiss reddened, and her little sea slug poofed out of existence and turned into a pink lotus flower the shade of Marigold’s hair.
“Oh, is this for me?” Marigold took it and wore it on her hair.
“I-I didn’t mean to summon that, I don’t know why I…” Edelweiss stammered a little…..
Then shook her head wearing an ironic smile.
“Yes. It’s for you. As a token of our new friendship.”
It seems the priestess passed her test with flying colors.
All that was left was a certain Artisan, whose prejudice would not be easily solved by tests of holding sea slugs.
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