Down System

Chapter 57

ALEERA VERNIZE

It was only an hour since Ferelith left, but I was missing her yet. The very moment I entered the room, everyone was asking why she was still not in there, but little did they know that she already transferred out; they just found it out when the teacher announced it.

While the discussion was going on, I could not stop my tears from falling. I couldn't imagine my best friend was not by my side anymore. I couldn't accept the fact that she was already living her life in another country that was far away from me.

Ferelith was indeed unfair. She told me she was still going to investigate with me on Ferno, but she departed without accomplishing anything. She also promised me she would go to my birthday; it was her, actually, who had been always talking about my celebration, yet she didn't stand by her words. She must have told me earlier about this at least, so I wasn't as surprised as this.

After the morning class, my friends and classmates walked towards me and asked me about it, but I didn't dare to answer. I just told them I wasn't also aware so that they would stop bothering me 'cause I wasn't in the mood to talk. I even left them and went alone in the cafeteria just to avoid their questions because every time I would hear them, it was only reminding me of my best friend.

I was eating all by myself and was still crying, but got interrupted when a blue handkerchief appeared in my sight. When I lifted my gaze, I saw Ferno.

"C'mon, accept it," he told me. "I didn't use it yet."

Since I had no hanky with me, I gladly took his offer. Besides, my hands could wipe my tears no more. After thanking Ferno, he took a seat across from me and said,

"I've heard your friend has left."

I wouldn't doubt more if he already knew the news since almost all the people in Ragwarths loved gossiping about the life happenings of others. Whenever there would happen either significant or not, they would immediately talk about it, causing it to spread fastly in the entire academy.

"Are you okay?" Ferno asked me.

My tears held back as I looked at him. "I'm not okay," I told him, trying to prevent my eyes from rolling. "Stop asking the obvious."

"Oh, okay, sorry. So, what can I do to ease your pain?"

"Leave me alone."

"But I can't just leave you here, wailing," he said. "I'll stay here with you and mourn with you."

"You're not helping."

"I am helping, I know. Just let me stay here, alright?"

"Why are you so stubborn?" I asked him, raising my brow. "If you don't want to leave, then I'll be the one to leave!" I told him as I stood. I was about to walk away but he stopped me by holding my arms.

"Stay here," he said firmly. "If you don't want me here, then fine, I'll leave. But, do me a favor."

I didn't speak.

"Let me be back after you stop crying. I'm gonna show you something, alright?"

Again, I didn't utter any word; however, I was thinking of what he was going to show me. I would like to ask him about it, but I stopped myself since I didn't want him to know that I was interested. When he finally left, I went back to my seat and continued eating.

I badly wanted to go home, but I was also excited about Ferno's surprise to me. I thought that would be a great help for me to have a big hint on his identity. However, I didn't want to set aside Ferelith; I liked to go home because I loved to talk to her again.

After some time of staying in the cafeteria, I went back to the room since afternoon class would be starting soon. The whole discussion for the day had ended without me learning even a single thing because I was thinking of my best friend throughout.

I was about to exit the gate and go home when Ferno appeared in the way; as soon as he saw me, he abruptly went towards me and said,

"Thank goodness you're still here. I thought you already go home."

"I was looking for you as well, actually," I told him. "So, what are you going to show me?"

Ferno grinned. "I thought you're not coming with me because you were so annoyed at me a while ago in the cafeteria," he chuckled. "But honestly, I just want to say sorry to you. It feels like I am always making you irritated."

"You are," I glared at him. "Be grateful I still like you as my friend, after all. If you just didn't defend me against Keevan on the first day of class, I'll not talk to you in eagerness."

"Did I hear it right? So you always have the willingness to talk to me?"

"Kidding!" I giggled and continued walking. "But I want you to know that I'm more than thankful for having you as my friend. At first, I thought you have a cold heart. Well, you really have that one but still, despite everything, you still have a good attitude towards me."

"Because you are the only person I could find reliable, except for my dad," Ferno said, looking at me with his eyes almost teary. "I didn't have a friend, honestly, so I'm also grateful because I was able to know you. It's supposed to be me who is thankful after all because it's you who saved me first."

"You still remember it, huh?"

"Of course. How would I forget the girl who has seen everything?" he mouthed, which made my heart pounded. "About your question a while ago, I'm going to bring you to the lake. I'm not supposed to be telling you, but because you are very stubborn, I just revealed it."

I swallowed my saliva after hearing that from him. After all, I wasn't wrong with my assumption that he was going to take me to the lake, wherein I met him first. I was trying not to beam with the thought that he would bring me under the water where his home was located. Would he go to tell me all his secrets?

The two of us just continued walking until we finally reached our destination. The skies were already turning dark when we arrived at the lake. The wind there was soft, making the water move calmly. The place was still as beautiful as ever even though I couldn't see the surrounding clearly. With just the friendly ambiance, I could still speak about its exquisiteness.

"So, why here?" I asked Ferno. "It's now gloomy and we have no light with us. What are gonna show me, huh?"

While waiting for him to answer, my heart was beating rapidly. I could feel the excitement now that we were already here. I really had this different sense that he would introduce to me his home.

"I'm gonna let you see my house," he said.

Darn! I wasn't wrong in my assumption again.

"B-but where is your house here?" I asked him, pretending that I didn't know. "I can't see anything here except for the trees. Don't tell me you live in the trunks?"

"You're really good at predictions!" Ferno told me with a grin. "How did you know I am hiding in their trunks?"

I looked stupidly at him. "What do you mean?"

"Aleera, you just got it right! I'm living in one of these trees. Guess what? I'm the one who made myself a treehouse. So, are you now excited?"

I fake a smile. "Sure, I am!" But deep inside, I was kind of disappointed. I thought he would go to bring me to his real home for I didn't know he had this treehouse. Damn!

Ferno held my hands and pulled me going to the tree he was referring to. He took me to the biggest tree in the lake which had a cute house up there. He showed me first how to get there, then I followed.

It didn't take me a hard time to get up the tree since there was a ladder there. The time he switched on the light, I was amazed. A glimmer of delight played in every corner of my eyes seeing the different light colors while entering the house. The interior indeed had caught my attention. I didn't expect to see what was inside since the outside was just plain brown wood.

"This is beautiful..." I whispered while roaming my eyes all around.

It was so colorful inside. Everything had its powerful aura— the furniture, walls, tiles, and all. I did not expect the house to be as wide as this. The corners were complete— the kitchen, room, bathroom, and everything; there was even a balcony wherein you could see the whole thing in the lake, wherein you could feel the cold touch of the wind, and wherein you could see every snowflake falling from the sky.

"You really made this?" I asked Ferno.

We were at the verandah, witnessing the beauty of the dark surrounding. It became even more relaxing because of the milk Ferno gave me.

"Is it good?" he asked me.

"It isn't good, it's fantastic!" I told him. "I can't imagine you can build a beautiful house tree like this."

"So, you don't have belief in me, huh?"

"It isn't like that. What I mean is, I didn't know you can build a treehouse. I am not aware of this talent and skill of yours. This is very incredible, I'm telling you."

Ferno thanked me for the compliment. "Living here, especially that my family is not here, feels very different. I can really feel the freedom here. Even when I'm all by myself, I don't feel like I'm alone 'cause you know, I have these friendly trees with me."

"Good for you, Ferno. I'm glad about it."

"I can still remember when you said trees are good friends because they will sway by your emotions."

From the outside, I moved my gaze to him and widened my eyes. "How did you know that?"

"I was already awake by that time, so I heard you and your mom talking," he explained. "You have a good point, Aleera. You really proved that friends are indeed good friends because I've experienced it myself.

"I can't talk with the trees, but I can feel them speaking to me. When I'm happy, they will dance with me just to say that they are also glad. When I'm sad, they are also calm. They indeed sway by a person's emotion."

I smiled at him. "I'm grateful to hear that from you. Honestly, I'm worried about you living all by yourself here. But hearing that from you, changed my perspective of you," I said. "I'm happy you can still look on the bright side of life despite everything that had happened to you."

"You know, Aleera, you're like a tree."

I drank a little amount of milk before talking again. "You are as well," I told him.

After that, I moved again my sight away from him and paid attention to the snowflakes that were falling. I couldn't express by any word the feeling of staying on the balcony of Ferno's house. I also felt relaxed, not until I thought of Mommy and Daddy. I wasn't still in the house, so they were probably looking for me now! I didn't even tell Namika about this, so it was possible that she didn't bring the robot into the house. My freaking goodness!

"I'm going home now, Ferno!" I told him. "I didn't tell my parents that I'm here. For sure, they will scold me again."

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked me.

"I'm fine. It isn't too dark yet, after all." I thanked him for the time before I finally left the treehouse. I promised him I would return there. That was no lie. I would really come back to that place because it was giving me chill vibes.

I ran in haste going out of the lake before I used my magic for me to arrive in the house in a short time. When I was about to enter there, still with my heart pounding, someone from my back held my arms. I turned around to confirm who was it, and I wasn't mistaken, it was Namika.

"Do not enter," she told me. "Come with me in the mansion instead."

I almost got a heart attack because of Namika's presence, but still, I was grateful she showed up. I wouldn't know what to do if it was my mom or dad who touched me in the arm.

Without me uttering any word, the old woman pulled me out of our residency and took me in her flying big bubble; we arrived at her house without five minutes. She gave me a thick coat and offered me food before talking again.

"I know you didn't eat yet, so go on and satisfy yourself," she said. "Don't you worry about your parents, the robot is already there in your house."

"Thank goodness," I said, letting out a sigh. "How did you know I wasn't in the house?"

"You don't have to ask me that question again. You know I'm always watching over you," she said. "But a while ago, I was training myself with the sword. It's just a good thing I had a peek over the crystal ball or else, I won't know you're away from your house."

"It's so sudden. I'm really sorry."

"Okay, you must stop talking for now. Finish your food first and we'll be talking about this when I come back," Namika told me before she left.

I was a bit shaky with how she talked, but I tried to not mind it for a while and just focus on eating since I was already craving. When I was done, the old woman came back with a sword in her hands.

"Are you done?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Where have you been?"

"Well, I forgot my sword in the field, so I went there to get it back. You made me nervous a while ago, so I didn't have time to fix my things. Fortunately, I arrived on time, or else, this will be big trouble again."

I bowed my head a bit. "I'm sorry for not informing you. I also forgot because it's really sudden. Also, I was too caught off by the treehouse. It's beautiful, I'm telling you."

"Do you think Ferno is really staying in that treehouse?" Namika asked, putting her weapon back to its housing.

"I don't think so," I shrugged. "It can be no and it can be yes, but perhaps he's just using the treehouse to trick me. All I thought he'd be going to take me under the lake."

"As if he will do that."

"I know. I was just too foolish to believe that thing," I sighed. "He isn't stupid to tell me about his secret."

"But one if one day, he did?"

I lifted my gaze at her. "Do you think so?"

"If he's too soft for you, then it will be possible," Namika replied. "By the moment he gets too attached with you, he might be starting to tell you his deepest secrets as well. Haven't you think why it was so easy for him to reveal to you that he killed his sister Yoona?"

"I do, and I think it's because he's already getting close to me. He's even telling me now that I am a reliable friend, when in fact, before, he can't even give me the simplest compliment."

I was indeed becoming surprised by Ferno's compliments for me; he would usually give me praises about being a good friend. I was glad to hear every good word coming out of his mouth, but sometimes, I couldn't stop myself to overthink. What if in the first place, he was just faking his behavior towards me?

Namika put down her sword and looked directly at my eyes. "Do you think he's true to you?" she asked, which made me think again.

Ferno was already a god. He was powerful. So, reading other people's minds wouldn't be impossible to do for him. What if he knew I was just faking things to him, so he was rewarding me the same thing to fool me? To play on me?

I let out a deep sigh with that thought, especially that it was possible that wouldn't just end up an opinion, but a fact. If I wasn't observant and wise enough, I might come to a bitter ending.

"Now, you're doubting about it," the old woman added when she noticed me being bothered by her question.

"Do you think he's just faking everything?" I asked her.

Namika stood from her place and walked towards the window. For some time, she didn't speak, which was making my heart pound. Her silence was making me nervous! But after a moment, from the view outside, she turned her gaze at me and asked,

"If it's a yes, what do you think will you do?"