Nativity | Open RP

---

Chartette thought a moment, head tilted.

"…Well, even if there’s so much destruction, it hasn’t stopped things from being created. Yes, things being destroyed is really sad, but at least there’s more good things to be created! But… that’s just what I believe. I don’t know as much as you, I know that, but I really think that even the littlest creations are stronger and more powerful than the most powerful destruction!"

She totally got that from a novel.

"But… I dunno. I’m sorry." The maid smiled a little, turning back to the book.

"It’s really nice! I—I mean, I still have more to read, of course, but it’s so pretty, and so nicely written! You—you did an amazing job! Thank you!"

Maybe the kid was smarter than she thought. Despite her childish appearance, wasn’t Chartette close to 30? Elluka had remembered seeing her ages ago as a young girl, when the witch visited her father for weapon repairs.

"…Maybe you’re right, Chartette. Maybe I just have a bad outlook on things. Well, regardless, keep reading. I need to check some things. And thanks." A small smile from the witch, who thus stood and walked off to a different side of the room.

Her aim, it seemed, was the recently acquired ziz tiama from Marlon, which now had a lovely tank.

"Alright, Elluka!" she grinned. She didn't need to be told twice to continue reading the beautiful book. Actually, the young woman was honored that the witch had given her such an amazing gift!

The story was very interesting. Sad at times, exciting at times, and full of perspectives she hadn't seen before.

However, she was soon distracted by the sorceress's actions.

"Hey, whatcha doin'?"

---

"W-well…"

"I-I’m very busy, I have to get back to work! The floor won’t mop itself, y’know?"

Please don’t follow me, please don’t follow me…

Why is this even happening? This is so confusing!

"Oh, really? You don’t look like one of my servants… but here we are. That hair of yours is quite striking, you know." Sorry, following you!

"Y-your servant?"

...Did it happen again? How did I--How does this happen?!

"I-I'm sorry, I'm not one of your servants... There must have been a mistake or something..."

---

"Ah! Of course! Right in my room!"

"…Somewhere! I don’t know if I remember exactly where it is but I can probably find it!”

Probably.

"Well do try to find it."

Preferably before she got too hungry. Although reading after eating was always nice. At any rate, if she wanted to see the book, she’d still have to wait before eating this snack. It was just a matter of eating cooked food too or not.

"Okay!!"

"Just follow me then, Miss... Wait, I don't think I got your real name!" She turned to lead the way.

"And, I mean, if you don't want to, you can just wait here, then!"

—-

"T-thank you, Kyle!”

"…You know, I’m so happy whenever I’m with you! I mean, I probably said that already, but… It’s just true!”

     ”Come to think of it, I believe you have said that before.” Kyle’s just teasing her now. “Though… I do understand what you mean. Oh, that’s right. The tea. Please wait just a moment.”

"Ah, of course!"

"Take your time, I don’t want you spilling hot water on yourself!" She’s done that quite a few times, not counting many near-misses.

Nativity | Open RP

-

"That’s—that’s so much work! It’s amazing!" she gasped, completely awestruck. The maid picked up the teacup and took a sip, smiling. "I—I can’t say how grateful I am, Elluka!"

But she grew a little concerned as the sorceress became quieter. She didn’t know exactly what to say, but she knew she was upset now.

Part of her wanted to say that she, too, knew how it felt to be surrounded by broken things. The other day she broke… Let’s see, was it seventeen mops and two vases? And she cracked one of the large decorative planters that held a small garden while she was watering the flowers. But nobody saw, and that one stayed together. Mostly.

She quietly flipped the page, trying to think of something to say as she read a paragraph or two more. Then she thought of something, and perked her head up to look at the mage.

"…I guess everyone is, a little, aren’t they? Something’s being destroyed all the time, isn’t it? But… Something is being made all the time, and there’s always something growing, too, right?" she smiled.

It had suddenly come over, the vague guilt and anxiety that had been present ever since the Project. Kiril going insane. The explosion. Levianta’s final fall. The Venomania event. Warlord Conchita. The wars, Riliane. All of it was her fault, wasn’t it? She couldn’t help anyone. 

Chartette’s sudden words brought Elluka back from her quiet world, and the witch looked over with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, but the ultimate destiny for it is to be destroyed. Nothing in this world lasts. In the end, nothing matters apart from the path you travel. I’m older than you think, kiddo. I’ve seen creation and destruction, and the latter always outweighs the former."

Saying that, she finished signing papers and sat them aside. The muffled noise of the party was beginning to fall towards a soft murmur, which pleased Elluka. Perhaps others would finally go to sleep.

"How’s the book?"

Chartette thought a moment, head tilted.

"...Well, even if there's so much destruction, it hasn't stopped things from being created. Yes, things being destroyed is really sad, but at least there's more good things to be created! But... that's just what I believe. I don't know as much as you, I know that, but I really think that even the littlest creations are stronger and more powerful than the most powerful destruction!"

She totally got that from a novel.

"But... I dunno. I'm sorry." The maid smiled a little, turning back to the book.

"It's really nice! I--I mean, I still have more to read, of course, but it's so pretty, and so nicely written! You--you did an amazing job! Thank you!"

---

"O-okay, good. I mean, I was just making sure."

"But you should definitely look at the book, it’s super interesting and a little bit scary maybe but it’s super cool! One of my favorite stories!"

She has a lot of favorite stories, though.

"Would you happen to have it around here?"

She certainly seems energetic. Perhaps a difficult snack to catch, should she decide to have her. But that’s for later. Right now, she seems content with acting normal.

"Ah! Of course! Right in my room!"

"...Somewhere! I don't know if I remember exactly where it is but I can probably find it!"

Probably.

---

"…"

"Okay thank you for answering my queston bye!"

And now she is grateful for that time she had no new novels and had to read that history book. She’s a little confused (okay, maybe a lot confused), but it’s better to be safe.

"Running away already? How rude." … Maybe she’ll make to catch her. It could be fun. But hmmm, decisions… you know, she thinks she will pursue her. "Why are you running, dear?"

"W-well..."

"I-I'm very busy, I have to get back to work! The floor won't mop itself, y'know?"

Please don't follow me, please don't follow me...

Why is this even happening? This is so confusing!

---

Chartette laughs. “You’re asking me if I have a broken thing? Hold on, I’ll definitely be able to find one!”

She turns to look for that broom she broke this morning, and falls into a table that was holding a rather ornate vase.

"…O-or that’ll work too, I suppose…"

"…Well, that’s convenient." Elluka shrugged quietly, then calmly walked to the vase and held her hands out. Okay. Easy peasy. Nothing bad going to happen. Just a simple rewind…

"Urooguro on Uosiust." She spoke in a careful tone, hands outstretched. Gold ribbons wrapped around the vase shards, and after only a second they mended themselves together. She picked the vase up and placed it back onto the table.

"There. The spell rewinds time around any inanimate object. It isn’t that easy to use, though… Even I have a hard time with it. My fiance could pull it off perfectly, though. He used it in his work a lot."

"...Wow!! That was so cool!!"

Chartette was totally impressed. Which, honestly, wasn't that hard to do, but still.

"Man, I wish I could do that! Would save me a lot of trouble when I broke stuff!" she laughed, shrugging.

"You're so good at that, Elluka! Not like you haven't heard it before, but still!"

—-

"Of course! I would love to! A-and even if there isn’t any cake!"

"I always love spending time with you, you know!"

     ”Thank you. Come, have a seat. I’ll bring some tea for us, as well.”

"T-thank you, Kyle!”

"…You know, I’m so happy whenever I’m with you! I mean, I probably said that already, but… It’s just true!”

—-

"Oh, that makes sense…" she sighed. Of course, royalty would need to be less clumsy than a mere blacksmith’s daughter.

"That’s really smart! And interesting!" If anything, it still gave Chartette hope that maybe she could get that clumsiness under control.

Imagine how shocked everyone would be when she returned a broom to the broomcloset without needing to replace it for an unbroken one!

"If you’d like, and if it could be arranged, I wouldn’t mind paying for lessons in grace."

She’s sure Riliane won’t mind, given Chartette’s track record…

"R-really? Oh, thank you, thank you so much!" 

"I’ll work my hardest at them, too, you can count on me!"

—-

"O-oh? I-I’m sorry, ma’am!" Oh, no! I hope I didn’t insult her!

"I-I didn’t mean to say you were a vampire! I just—you looked like the character from that story! I have that book, you know! I have a really nice edition of that one, with a really, really pretty illustration of her, and you look a lot like her!”

"Sorry for what?"

It’s not really too far off from what she really is and she can’t really find any reason to be insulted because she’s not even the tiniest bit ashamed of her taste for blood.

"I didn’t mind the question. Though I would like to see this book of yours."

"O-okay, good. I mean, I was just making sure."

"But you should definitely look at the book, it’s super interesting and a little bit scary maybe but it’s super cool! One of my favorite stories!"

She has a lot of favorite stories, though.

"Uh-"

"…Clockworker Secret Art. It reminds me of my fiancee. —Do you have any broken object?"

Chartette laughs. "You’re asking me if I have a broken thing? Hold on, I'll definitely be able to find one!”

She turns to look for that broom she broke this morning, and falls into a table that was holding a rather ornate vase.

"...O-or that'll work too, I suppose..."

"Vampire? Of course not. Vampires don’t exist."

That doesn’t mean she doesn’t want a taste of your blood.

"O-oh? I-I'm sorry, ma'am!" Oh, no! I hope I didn't insult her!

"I-I didn't mean to say you were a vampire! I just--you looked like the character from that story! I have that book, you know! I have a really nice edition of that one, with a really, really pretty illustration of her, and you look a lot like her!"

"Hm? Are you sure? Alright, then…"

"It’s good to see you, though!"

     ”Yes, quite sure. At any rate, it’s good to see you, as well. Would you like to come sit with me? I think I might have a bit of cake left, if you’d like some.”

"Of course! I would love to! A-and even if there isn't any cake!"

"I always love spending time with you, you know!"

"Hm? Are you sure? Alright, then..."

"It's good to see you, though!"