60 An Answer (2/2)

Li figured he would spill out the fake story he had formulated with Old Thane about what he was doing in the forest now. It was a good thing he had rehearsed it, although he doubted Sylvie would ever mistrust him. Even now, the romantic in her head that valorized the east didn't so much suspect him as it did idolize him.

\”As for the situation in the forest, well, I was out there, but I never did manage to see you all. I was picking last-minute herbs when I felt something absolutely incredible. It felt like the entire forest was shaking, riling up its rage, and then I knew as a regular man that this was the presence of something way beyond me. A forest guardian.\”

Li shook his head in mock wonder.

\”I never got to see the guardian fight the Lerneas directly, but I'm sure I would've been killed in the crossfires of a fight of that scale. What I do know is that later, I saw the Lerneas's form for a split second, flying across the sky with its tail tucked between its legs.\”

Sylvie held the bottle up again. \”But you must have healed Jeanne, it was your very own spell.\”

\”Not quite. I think the forest guardian healed her. I hate to tell you this, but Druidry is still just Druidry, regardless of whether its western or eastern. The healing energies I use are going to be very similar to the ones any forest spirit uses.

Your scholars probably had no idea what my spell was because Druidry, as far as I can tell, is mostly a lost art around here, not to mention that my eastern Druidry is probably even more foreign on top of that.\”

\”That is true.\” Sylvie remained quiet for a second. She pocketed the bottle. \”Well, I suppose this is a more apt explanation. When we asked Jeanne what had healed her, she said she beheld a vision of a god. An unclear vision, so we thought it was that Helius had graced a miracle upon her, but she would have recognized the very god she is sworn to as a priest.

No, it makes more sense that it was a forest guardian, as she would be unfamiliar with such an entity.\”

Sylvie sighed. \”I am sorry to have bothered you, Li. It seems my aimless thoughts have wasted your time.\”

\”Not at all. Always good to clear up misunderstandings.\” Li started to turn. \”Now then, shall we head back? Can't just leave everyone to do the rest of the work now, can we?\”

Sylvie reached out to grab Li's arm before he could turn. Li blinked, catching Sylvie with her eyes cast downwards.

\”The truth is,\” she said, her voice shaking. She looked up at Li with resolute eyes, her voice now firm. \”I wished to ask you to teach me, for I was convinced of your power and eastern knowledge. But even if you do not have such power, I still wish to know if you can help me. I have dedicated all my training to what few eastern scrolls and manuals I have salvaged, but I cannot fathom them myself. There are parts I do not understand and some that are entirely untranslated.\”

\”I just told you I wasn't an expert on my homeland's practices,\” said Li. He nodded at her, taking up a gentler tone. \”I can sort of understand your drive to be stronger, but I simply don't have the ability to help you. I'm not a ninja nor am I some secret prince or warlord. You probably know more about the east than I do at this point.\”

\”That cannot be the case!\” Sylvie gripped Li's arm tighter. \”You are a man of greatness, I can tell. Are you not curious of your homeland? We can work together. We can pore through the scrolls and manuals together, and hopefully your memories will return.\”

Li couldn't help but frown. \”Maybe my homeland isn't something I want to remember.\” He shook his head and put a hand to Sylvie's shoulder. He wasn't opposed to helping her, but he didn't want her to get attached to him further. No bond they made would ever last, after all. \”Look, I know you're disappointed, but I don't think I can help you. And besides, you've already got a great team to depend on. There's no reason to be this desperate about getting stronger.\”

\”They aren't just my team.\” Sylvie's lip quivered. \”They are my family, and it is because they are family that I cannot depend on them. No, I must protect them, because in the end, they are all that I have in this world, the only people that stood by me when I had nothing, and for that, I must become stronger.\”

Li sighed, causing Sylvie to bate her breath in anticipation. \”If it's for family, then that's something I can understand.\” He nodded. He had a responsibility to her to ensure she didn't become reliant on him, but at the same time, he could still respect her own responsibility to the only family she had ever known as an orphan.

\”Alright, I'll consider taking a look at your stuff, but for now, we should help out with cleanup.\”