137 Haufin, The Seashell of the Sea (2/2)

But this time it was different for Reed. He froze for a good couple of seconds when he heard what Lu'um had said.

”Well, it's just that I... sort of, um... designed this city.”

................What?

Lu'um pulled Reed forward and said, ”It's not that amazing of a thing, okay?! I didn't even build it myself! It was Grandfather Ulbo that... sent the order that it be built after he peeked on a design plan I had created out of boredom in my atelier back home!”

...Created out boredom? ..........This city?

Reed suddenly felt as if he was staring at an alien from another dimension. What form of genius could create a city such as this out of boredom? And to have it built on a whim, just like that.

An entire underwater metropolis that could easily be called a world heritage and a unique cultural achievement.

If this was her when she was bored, then what was she like at her full potential?

He didn't know. It was a pitifully depressing and immature thought, but he couldn't help it.

Reed suddenly felt small and inadequate beside her. He felt like a... puppy.

They were cute, small, and loving companions, sure, but dogs weren't known to have conversations with their owners. They did not understand their owners with their limited intelligence, but they were still loved and cared for, nevertheless.

He knew that it wasn't like that. That she'd never think of him that way and that it was just his insecurities and fears trying to get at him.

Negativity was the enemy and Fear was its master.

”...That's amazing! You're still full of surprises, aren't you?! When did you design the city? Where you a student of some sort of school in the past?” said Reed.

Lu'um said, ”O-Oh, it was a long time ago when I was still under my master's tutelage. I think was about two hundred years old at the time? Maybe a little younger...?”

”Wow, that's incredible. I don't think I'd be able to design something like this, even if I was given a thousand years. I knew you were knowledgeable, but I didn't take you for a nerd, haha!”

Her slightly embarrassed and annoyed expression warmed Reed's heart when he saw it. He knew then and there that she truly cared about his opinion, even if it was limited by his own primitive upbringing. Well, at least in comparison to her education.

Perhaps Reed had not been born in a society as technologically advanced as the Ancient Mulians', but he was studied enough to identify hidden contempt from sincerity. Her eyes were pure and held only the shine of honesty within them.

Reed laughed and said, ”I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was just a bit... envious of your knowledge and immense talent for a second. But that feeling's passed through me now.”

Lu'um tilted her head in confusion and then smiled. ”Really? To be honest, I always felt the same way about you, but I eventually realized that...” Her voice trailed off, as if to tease Reed and leave him hanging.

”Hm? What did you realize?”

”It wasn't that I was envious of you but rather, I was scared of being inadequate; that I would not be good enough to stand by your side. I was just scared of being left behind.”

Reed chuckled and said, ”I... had the exact same thought just a couple of minutes ago, to be honest. Word for word, too.”

”Ah! You see! It's the same way for me too!