Mondstadt Alter (Rewrite)

Act 1 Chp 2.0: False Mental Expectation

Currently, I'm sitting on the bed, reading a book. Since no one is home, The Seneschal told me I could stay here as long as I wanted. And since I'm an orphan, they can take care of me. Having no reason to refuse, I accepted his offer.

While I'm still twelve, living alone at home is nothing new. Dad and Mom were rare at home. They were often busy with work and at home, mostly at night, on days off, and on weekends. However, I almost never felt lonely. If anything, the sense of being bored occurred more often than being lonely back then.

Strange, isn't it?

Don't get me wrong. If that somehow sounded like I'm distant from my parents, that's not true. Indeed, we didn't spend much time together, but my parents always made up for the time lost on their days off or weekends.

I always appreciated their effort to spend their time together with me despite them always being busy with work. Our time together was something indispensable to me.

Looking at my left wrist, where there are bracelets. "... I feel lonely now that they're gone."

My eyes started to moisten. I shut my eyes tightly and take a deep breath to compose myself.

[I see.]

"Really? That's all you got to say?" I frowned.

[What do you want me to say then?]

"Well, I don't know. I'm expecting something like comforting words or something."

[Like what?]

"Uh... I don't know?"

"Look, listen. You asked me to tell you my story, and so I did. Here I thought you would feel sympathy for me by saying something more sentimental than a mere 'I see.'"

[Nah. All I said was that you didn't look good, and then you started the whole story as if I asked in the first place.]

I blink a few times when I hear that. I feel the heat rising to my face, thinking if what he said is true, then that means I accidentally vent on him? But still! That doesn't mean he should just say, 'I see' after hearing my story. What kind of person does that?

[Comforting words won't matter. You've been keeping these feelings since you recalled that tragedy.]

"..."

[You feel a little better now, right? Instead of offering sympathy, I believed it was not required.]

"... You are cold."

[I won't deny that.]

I know, he's like this. He is supposed to be like this.

At first, I thought I would think of him as an invisible companion or, at worst, a parasite. I don't know what his name is, who he is, his objective, or his appearance. I also don't know how far I can trust him and his words. This past week, he hadn't done anything but spoke to me occasionally.

[By the way.]

"What?" I replied, slightly annoyed.

[You've been staying in this room for a week without going outside. Are you not bored?]

His question piqued my interest.

Indeed. I've been staying here without leaving the church. I mostly stayed in this room, only leaving for bathroom breaks. The sisters always brought me food when it was time to eat, so I didn't have to go out and ask them to make food for me.

My appetite has not been as usual as well. While sometimes boredom still creeps at me, nothing is worth noting, especially knowing me in this state. But I could ask people to bring me some books so I can read them to pass the time.