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The Eternal Page was modeled after Amphoreus in its happiest memories, with clear pink skies and colorful rainbows adorning the sky it came off as a childish fantasy wonderland at times.
A temporary paradise for the people of Amphoreus after all they had been through.
Caelus was the only person from reality able to access it, so he saw it fit to visit often, bringing whatever stories he had gathered on his Trailblazing journey across universe. In this way, even if the Chrysos Heirs couldn’t join him on the Express, he could bring the journey to them in some form.
Some might ask why he would go to such lengths. Ironically, even those within the Eternal Page would ask him such a question at times, feeling that there was no need for him to linger around with memories of the past.
His answer? It was only natural he would want to visit. After all, he too had fallen in love with the planet and its people.
“…In the end, they couldn’t charge her for anything since she was a Supplicant of the Phantasmoon Games. If Supplicants were really above the law, then I should be in the clear to hunt after her and deliver vigilante justice, right?”
Today, he was talking about his recent adventures in Planacardia, particularly regarding the whole Sparxie incident.
His audience were Phainon and Castorice.
“Haha… Though, I doubt you’d go through with that, aren’t I right, Partner?” Phainon asked.
“Do I come off as that much of a softie?” Caelus shot back.
“Rather than soft… I would say you’re a rather gentle person despite your energetic personality.” Castorice chimed in. “Moreover, you’ve had quite a… chaotic school life, haven’t you, Mr. Caelus?”
The three were gathered around an area that resembled the Garden of Life back in Okhema.
“Chaotic, sure. But calling that whole ordeal my entire school life would be…” He recalled how Sparxie implanted two years worth of memories in his head. It didn’t amount to any real lost time… but he couldn’t help but feel like his youth had been squandered.
“Fufu… I wonder how things would have been like if you were with us during our time at the Grove. Perhaps every day would be more exciting…” Castorice mused while imagining a school life with Caelus.
“Hmm… If my Partner were with us at the Grove…” Phainon imagined it too.
The image conjured up was… Well, it was definitely interesting. Caelus would definitely be a bit of a delinquent as a student. Phainon’s already bad habits would only be amplified with Caelus around. Maybe they’d be infamous as a trouble making duo. Anaxa would definitely have a headache with such creatures running around. Castorice on the other hand would probably be frequently tasked with helping the two study. Especially Caelus. She could imagine it. The two sitting together alone in the library as Caelus agonized over textbooks, all while Castorice gently guided him. Maybe he would get held back a year or two, and she would feel responsible to become his tutor just so they could study together more frequently. Ah, and in those study sessions, maybe as Caelus got tired and frustrated, he would turn to Castorice for comfort. Hell, they might even get up to… immoral things in the library-
“Castorice, we’re sharing this imaginary scenario, so please don’t write me out and play out your fantasies…” Phainon interupted.
“Ah…” Castorice’s face lit up with red. “S-Sorry…”
Caelus, who had no idea what was going on in the two’s heads, could only shrug it off. “Haaah… And just when I thought we were getting a proper vacation…” He sighed.
“Now that I think about it, Penacony was also supposed to be a vacation, right?” The question came from Phainon as he recalled the story.
“Mr. Caelus… are you by any chance tired?” Castorice asked as well with concern in her voice.
“Ah, I didn’t mean to sound like I was complaining.” He corrected himself. “It’s only natural as a Trailblazer that I would get roped into this kind of stuff. In fact, I’m having fun. Planacardia’s a really interesting place you know? I wish I could take you guys there.” Despite his words, his voice was trailing off bit by bit, like he was losing confidence as he tried to convince himself.
“Mr. Caelus… Don’t you think you ought to take a break?” Castorice suggested.
“…Thanks Cas, but I’m fine. Really. In fact, I-”
“Caelus.” Her voice this time was a bit sterner, a bit colder.
“…Eh?” A confused sound escaped his lips.
Seeing this, Phainon was slowly distancing himself from the two, but also not entirely as he couldn’t help but want to see what would unfurl.
“Caelus.” She said his name again. The look in her eyes was rather blank. It was unnerving, as he couldn’t make heads or tails as to what she was feeling right now.
Hesitantly, he responded. “…Y-Yes?”
Castorice’s response was quick. “Are you tired?”
“…Does it show too much on my face? I might be a bit… But I assure you I’m-” He didn’t get a chance to finish his lie before two small soft hands cupped his cheeks.
Phainon gasped and covered his hands in the corner.
Castorice, who had grabbed Caelus’s face with both hands, forced him to look down into her eyes. Her slightly shorter stature forced him to bend down a little with how forceful she was.
“You’re always like this Caelus.” She said rather sternly. “I know you and Lord Phainon are similar, but I had hoped his life story would knock some sense into you. You’re too insistent on carrying everything alone. Do you think I can’t see it? How you like to hide your pain behind light humor… How you try to act cocky when you’re scared… I’ve seen it when you were in Amphoreus, and I can easily tell whenever you talk to us about your adventures.” She cupped his cheeks harder, but it was also gentle, like she was caressing him. “Geez… Mr. Caelus, You’re unbelievable, you know? Even now, you somehow manage to make me worry…”
“…” Caelus’s face lit up. A strong red blush formed on his face. Having his face cupped by Castorice, she too could see the embarrassment grab hold of his face.
“Ah…” She realized what she’d done and quickly let go, those hands went to cover her mouth instead. “S-Sorry… that was too forceful of me…” She couldn’t bear to make eye contact with him, but she sneaked glances at him, seeing him cover his mouth with the back of his hand. It was a cute gesture she rarely saw from him.
They stood there in silence for a while.
Caelus broke the silence. “Um… C-Cas… w-what was that?”
“W-What do you mean what was that…? S-Sorry, I- My body moved on its own…” She stammered.
“It was like…” The blush on his face deepened. “…Like you were a big sister scolding me… or something like that.” The latter part of his sentence was quiet as he struggled to put it into words. Even his face turned away, not wanting Castorice to hear it.
“A big sister…” his words stuck in Castorice’s head for a while. “I-I suppose I am one when I'm with Polyxia… I-I must have let it slip…” She hesitated to ask. “D-Did you dislike it?” She asked anyway.
“…Not really.” His head was still turned away. “No. I didn’t hate it… I-” It was too embarrassing to admit, but something about Castorice in this moment made him say it anyways. “I… I kind of… L-Liked it.”
“…!” Castorice couldn’t believe her ears. Caelus liked it when she acted like a big sister towards him? Moreover, it made him blush so hard. It was always Caelus showering her with affection causing her to become embarrassed, so the thought that she could the same to him… it put a small but cheeky smile on her face.
Swiftly without letting him react, she grabbed him by the collar and forcefully pulled him close such that her mouth was next to his ear. “Then…” Her voice was more confident this time. A bit sultry even. “After this, be a good boy for me and get some proper rest, will you?” She whispered into his ear with such gentleness that every single syllable tickled his ears in an unimaginably satisfying way.
Thank goodness they were this close, otherwise, the effect would be ruined if Caelus could see how red Castorice’s face was. Even she was surprised by how bold she was, so much that after the deed was done and realization struck her once more, embarrassment surged over her body like a tsunami.
*Click*
The sound of a camera shutter going off broke the silence and alerted the two to their audience.
Quickly separating, they saw Phainon stood the side, phone in hand. “Sorry you two. It’s just rare to see Castorice act so bold, so I couldn’t help myself. And you Partner, who knew you could make a face like that?! I bet these photos would sell for a fortune.”
“…”
“…”
Silence. And then…
“D-Delete those right now, Phainon!!!” Castorice screamed. She was so overcome with embarrassment that she even omitted the "Lord" title she would always called him by.
“Haha! No way! These are a one of a kind! There might never be an opportunity to have something like this ever again!” Phainon laughed as he ran off. Castorice was quick to follow, already brandishing her scythe as though she was intent on cutting him down completely.
“…” Caelus on the other hand, stood there bewildered. He lightly touched his cheeks where Castorice had grabbed earlier as he replayed that moment over and over in his head.
‘After this, be a good boy for me and get some proper rest, will you?’
He crouched down, like he was unable to bear a certain weight. In that moment, only one thought raced through his mind.
“I want her to do that again…”
That night, Caelus slept soundly for 18 hours straight, much to the dismay of his fellow crew mates.