Cassian scratched his head, trying to figure out what he had done wrong this time. Technically, Yeling was his second friend after Nora—she had asked him last night.
In fact, Cassian thought he got along well with her, since they had a lot in common. Not only because they both had black, slightly tousled hair and dark eyes that gave off a somber vibe.
He realized that she, like him, had always had problems relating to people, although in her case it was because they forgot about her.
Cassian—who didn't hear what Yefeng said—thought it was because her presence was thin.
But the point is that they were both loners, with only one person they related to: in Yeling's case, her brother; and in his, well... Nora.
This led to a conversation that lasted almost two hours, besides martial arts, in which they 'talked' about many things, such as what their worlds were like, and so on. This conversation also ended up including the fact of the reason why she wasn't talking.
It was then that Cassian learned that it wasn't that she was silent or had a mental problem, but rather that she had no tongue.
She said that an accident when she was a child caused her to lose it. Cassian couldn't really imagine what kind of incident it was, but Yeling didn't go into any more detail.
She could technically make sounds and such because her vocal cords were fine, but she said she didn't like to make meaningless, incomprehensible sounds.
She spoke with her lips and gestures, and in fact, it was the first time he had heard her make a sound, and it was the sound of her about to cry.
Now Cassian wondered what he had done to make his new friend cry. He didn't know how he had ruined it so quickly, and he didn't know what to do or what the problem was.
He wanted to fix it, and he followed the only example he had for this situation, using Nora as a reference, which reminded him of one of their conversations.
["Cassy, you know? Sometimes even I can be in a bad mood, get angry, or get sad."
"What are you talking about now?"
"Haah~ Life is so hard, Cazzy, and those bastard teachers, baldies, and single women make it worse. Those bastards got together and... no! I'm sure those bastards agreed to give us tons of homework, to the point that I'm overwhelmed."
"Then what are you doing wasting your time here? Go do your homework...to your house."
"Too late, I already brought everything to do it here. Well, the point is that I'm having a hard time and you know what? I would be very happy if..."
"No!"
"Oh, come on, just a little, a quick lick, you know it's normal between friends. In fact, we can do more, but I'm a very conservative woman... ahem, but that's as a friend. As your wife, I'll deflower you when I finish my homework."
"...Nothing's going to happen."
"...Come on, really, it hasn't been easy these days, I'm very depressed. Maybe I'll go with you to meet truck-kun next time."
"...Haaah~ okay, just a little."
"Yeah! Cassy, you're the best!...hey, I can also lick the-"
"No!"
"Well, okay, it's my fault for being a conformist woman, with the little they give me... now take off your shirt, huehuehue~!"]
Well, this is necessary.
"Um, Ling-Ling, do you want to lick me?"
"…?" (....eh?)
"Oh, you stopped crying... so it works. Hmm, I don't really like it much, but it's okay if it's only from the waist up... No! If it makes you feel better, y-you can do it even more."
Cassian was giving it his all, really. Ling-Ling was someone pleasant to be with, it was true that she would possibly go to different worlds when they finished this, but just like with Nora, it didn't change the fact that she was his friend.
For Cassian, it wasn't something easy to obtain, and he was willing to give his best to keep it.
"..."(Eh!?, n-o ngfhq$"$%#)
"Hey, why are you suddenly so agitated? Now I really don't understand you..."
Cassian didn't know if she had accepted or not, as she turned bright red and waved her arms erratically, while her eyes seemed to move agitatedly as well.
Even with that rare semi-telepathy, to Cassian it was as if she were saying incoherent words, but the good thing was that she had stopped crying.
Once again he had to accept that, unlike him, Nora did know how to socialize.
…
.
"So... did you think I was complaining or calling you a coward or useless because you hadn't done anything until now? And you stayed in your shadow?"
"..."(y-yes)
"Huh? Why do you look like you're going to cry again? Are you sure you don't want to lick?"
"...." (N-no)
Yeling finally calmed down from her agitated state. She explained to Cassian the reason why she was crying, making him feel like crying again, and once again Cassian offered—socially—consolation... which, incidentally, was rejected both before and now.
"Well, don't cry. And I'm not saying anything about what you said, I was just curious why you weren't doing anything, but if you don't want to say it...."
"..." (I... I'm afraid to kill and...see blood.)
"I understand, so that's it... you're afraid to kill. Well, that's normal, isn't it?"
"..." (But my clan is... and because of me, my brother...)
"Well, you did say you came from that particular clan, it would be bad not to be able to kill, wouldn't it? Besides, I don't think it's your fault. It's true that Yefeng was close to dying, but you brought him back. If you hadn't, we wouldn't have noticed, and Lys wouldn't have healed him."
"..." (Still... I'm useless, and I haven't helped the group at all.)
"So you think you're not contributing to the team... Look, I'm not very good at comforting people or anything, but I'll tell you what I think... hmm Don't take it the wrong way. And don't cry again, okay?"
"..." (Yes)
"Honestly, I don't think you're obligated to fight or kill. We all came here against our will. Technically, nothing is forcing you to do anything, as long as you don't get in the way, it's fine, right?"
"..." (still, no...)
"Hmm, I really don't see what the problem is. We've been doing just fine without you so far, I don't think it would make a difference even if you helped."
"... mhh" (▔﹏▔)
"Wait! I told you not to take it the wrong way. My point is that you shouldn't feel bad about it. It's already lucky that most of the group can fight. I don't think it's unreasonable for you to do nothing until the end because you're afraid."
"..." (Is it okay to do that?)
"Yes, why not? Only you can decide if you have the courage to face your fear. I think no one is obligated to do something they don't want to do. If they do, it's their own decision."
"..." (But if what happened to my brother happens again... then...)
"If Yefeng is in danger, I'll save him. My strength is the only good thing about me... To begin with, can you even save him if he's in danger?"
"..." (...But if you're not there, then... it's not right for me to do nothing...)
"Well, I understand your point. You don't want to stay like this. Well... why don't I help you, like you did with me?"
"..." (How?)
"Look, it's easy: I'll incapacitate a bison and you kill it. You don't have to be afraid, I'll hold it steady and you can take your time."
"..." (W-will that be okay? I-I don't think I can...)
"Oh, come on! You know, even I hate—and well, fear—snakes. But that's why I'll destroy them if they come near me. Wait, was that a good comparison? Well, whatever... although now my first choice would be to throw Celes."
"Hah-" (haha~)
"Hey, don't laugh, it's an effective method, hmm, and depending on whether you can, hmm, you're not that aerodynamic, but... hmm"
"...!?" (eh!!?)
"It's an option—ah! It's now or never, Ling-Ling. When I hold it, you go and bam! Oh, wait... do you have a weapon?"
Just at that moment Cassin noticed a bison running fiercely in her direction and thought it was convenient, for to help Ling-ling, but as she had no weapons it would be difficult, but when he saw her again he was impressed by what she did."
"Oh! You can even shape shadows, oh, you do since you have— Ah!"
Bang!...
The buffalo he was aiming at reached them before Cassian could ask him how he had created those two shadow short sword.
Thud!
But he stood his ground and stopped its momentum, grabbed it by the horns, and slowed its charge, then twisted his hands, causing the bison to spin sharply to one side and fall on its side, then jumped on top of it and put his weight on it, pinning it down.
"Good, Ling-Ling. Since you have a weapon, hit it quickly. It doesn't matter if you don't kill it; just hitting it is a good thing."
"..." (b-but, the blood)
"Come on, I know the blood is disturbing, but didn't you say you wanted to improve and not just stand around doing nothing? Or are you just going to listen to what I said and stay hidden in the shadows?"
Well, Cassian didn't want to force her into anything. He was doing it because she said she wanted to. But if she couldn't do it in the end, it didn't matter...
"..." (... I-I'll do it, it'll be o-okay if y-you're here)
"You know, you're shaking like crazy, it doesn't matter if you can't— Huh? Ling-Ling, did you leave? Ah!"
But just as he said that, Yeling, in front of him, disappeared. Well, he saw her slip into her shadow.
For a moment, he thought she was afraid and had given up, but the next moment, he felt the hand holding the bison horn lose its resistance, and the struggle he had been suppressing stopped.
When he looked, he realized that the head was no longer attached to the body: due to a clean cut across the neck.
Cassian didn't understand for a moment, then looked at Ling-Ling, who had appeared not far away in the opposite direction from before.
She still had the short shadow swords in her hands, but they were stained with blood. Finally, Cassian understood that it was she who had caused the bison's death.
Although he didn't realize when or how she did it. He saw her go in and come out, but he didn't see the moment she cut.
But more important now was that Ling-Ling didn't seem to be in the right state. When she came out of the shadow, she was panting heavily. She fell to her knees, and her body was shaking as she hugged herself.
Cassian, seeing this, approached her.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Mmhh... haah..." (Mmhh N-no... haah I don't feel well)
"Well, I understand, it's not easy to fight what you're afraid of, but you did it, and you did it well."
"... Hah..." (Did... Hah~ I do well?)
"Yes, honestly, I didn't expect you to do it, but you did it perfectly. How did you do it? You were quick and quiet. Was it your art? Or is it something your family taught you? ... Well, either way, it was great."
"... Haah" (G-great? M-me? Haah)
"Yes... hmm, but you're still shaking and breathing like that. Are you okay?"
Cassian realized that Yeling's condition was not improving. He thought that even though she did well, it must have been a challenge for her, who was afraid of blood and killing, to do what she did.
He himself remembers that facing those snakes that the demon threw at him was not a good feeling.
He wanted to believe that, in fact, the experience was so bad that accidentally killing him afterwards was no big deal.
"... Haah ..." (No, I think... Haah, I'm going to hide in your shadow... I need to calm down.)
"Well, fears aren't easy to face. You did very well."
". Hhh..."(Hhh, yes)
She explained to him the night before that she could slip into people's shadows and stay there quietly.
He thought it was a good idea if it calmed her down and watched as she slowly began to melt into the shadow.