Underneath the Silhouette-Chapter 77: Hissing Woods & Hidden Truths

Eirin made her way to the backyard of one of the buildings, clutching her bread and banana milk. She hadn’t realized this particular spot bordered the library’s rear, or that one of its window led directly to the farthest end of the silent archives.

"I’ve been telling you, you should keep everything proper, Mr. Cromwell. How are you going to regain the Queen’s favor this way?"

A booming voice from the nearby window made Eirin jump. Her head tilted instinctively, and curiosity pulled her gaze to the window. There, she spotted familiar jet-black hair and a constant grumpy expression.

’It’s Shade Cromwell. Has he been here the whole week?’ Eirin wondered, her gaze sweeping across a room overflowing with towering bookshelves. It was the hidden room of the library.

The young man near the window stood up, and Eirin instantly ducked out of sight.

The sharp crackle of fire filled Eirin’s ears as she sat on the grassy ground. Soon, the librarian’s voice followed, telling Shade Cromwell to finish his work quickly to end his suspension. This left the teenage girl confused.

Why was Shade Cromwell the only one suspended from a mission handed down directly by the Queen? Didn’t that sound incredibly unfair?

It was then that Eirin fully grasped the severe disparity in treatment between a regular Senerra Academy student and Shade Cromwell.

The next day, Eirin sneaked to the back of the library once more, having feigned other engagements to Coleen.

’Ugh, why am I here again?’

Eirin scanned the vicinity of the Hissing Wood; it was utterly deserted. Not a single sound emerged from the library.

"Feya."

Feya materialized in a shimmer of light upon Eirin’s call. "Guard the vicinity for me. If you sense some hostility, report back to me." The pixie zipped off, and Eirin filled her lungs with deep, steadying breaths.

This time, she was resolved to make solid progress, a silent testament to Pierre that his absence hadn’t deterred her.

Eirin repeated her previous day’s routine, but the instant she tried to push energy from her palms, her vision blurred, and her head swam. She collapsed to her knees.

Was it because she was skipping lunch again?

"What are you doing?"

A pair of polished black shoes appeared on the ground directly in front of her. She looked up, straight into a pair of sharp, unsettling black eyes. A small gasp escaped her lips.

Eirin gulped. "Aren’t you supposed to stay away from other students?" she said.

The young man raised an eyebrow. The familiar expression made Eirin chuckle, a soft sound escaping her lips even as she lay on the muddy ground, unbothered by the growing stains on her uniform.

"You’re the one who invaded my space," Shade retorted, a scowl deepening the lines around his mouth. "This place is mine. It’s the only place I’m allowed to go these days."

Shade’s words stole Eirin’s breath. A fresh wave of guilt washed over her. It gnawed at her, knowing she’d claimed the only sanctuary available to him, especially when he was being punished for circumstances seemingly beyond his control.

"What’s with that idiotic expression? Do you pity me?"

The guilt evaporated, replaced by a familiar exasperation as Eirin rolled her eyes. "Well, now I don’t!"

Their usual bickering resumed, as if Shade hadn’t vanished from her sight for nearly a week. Their loud voices echoed through the area, drawing the librarian’s sharp call for Shade Cromwell. In an instant, Shade seized Eirin’s arm and yanked her towards the forbidden Hissing Woods.

"H-Hey! Why are you bringing me here?" Eirin tried to pull her hand away, but Shade continued pulling her until they were completely inside the Hissing Woods.

The air turned cold, making Eirin rub her arms to keep herself warm. As she scanned her surroundings, Eirin saw trees that were burnt and decaying. A chill ran down her spine; no other living creature could be sensed within, and the ground itself seemed to hiss with an unsettling sound.

"Do you want the librarian to see you coming out of the Hissing Woods? It will not only be suspension for you."

Eirin’s eyes widened. "Then why did you pull me into this desolate, dangerous place? What if we get sick here?"

Shade Cromwell burst into laughter, a loud, unrestrained sound that showed his gums as he clutched his stomach, doubled over as if in agony from too much laughter.

When Eirin’s eyes landed on Shade’s hand still holding onto her, the young man stopped laughing and immediately backed away.

"Don’t worry. This place won’t kill us," he said, clearing his throat, his expression quickly settling back into its usual nonchalance. "This place used to be filled with miasma; that’s why it’s forbidden to enter."

"Then why did we get into this place!?" Eirin shrieked, her eyes huge, her mouth agape. She stomped her feet, pacing back and forth. "What if you go berserk again? This won’t just be a suspension; they might kick you out!"

"What? Are you worried about me?"

Eirin’s jaw dropped. She was speechless. She, who had cultivated infinite patience through years of ballerina training, was on the verge of snapping. This man... he was going to be the death of her patience.

The young man casually sat on top of a massive rock nearby, his gaze fixed on the decaying tree behind him.

"If you only pulled me here because you were afraid to be seen by the librarian, I’ll go back now. They’re probably gone now."

The young man stood. "Wait." Eirin turned back, her brow furrowing at the unusual flicker of hesitation in Shade’s eyes.

"Do you... remember what happened before we got back to the academy?"

Eirin tilted her head, the wind whipping her hair across her face. The chill reminded her of that night, and a knot tightened in her stomach. Did she have to reveal the truth? The brutal truth of how they’d tried to kill each other?

"What do you mean?" Eirin feigned ignorance, a question burning in her mind. ’Did he remember everything from that night?’

"Do you remember something happening between the two of us?"

Eirin gulped as she frowned. "What are you talking about? Did you eat something bad that’s why you’re starting to hallucinate?"

"Couldn’t you just answer properly?"

The teenage girl chuckled. "This is how you usually answer me. Now you know how annoying it is." Shade Cromwell’s eyes rolled in annoyance. "Fine. I can only remember being in the deepest part of the underground prison and almost dying."

"That’s it?"

"Yup."

Her eyes brimmed with sincerity, it was the first time she did her best to lie like that, but why? Why was she so desperate to lie to Shade Cromwell? A cold dread gripped her: the fear of him being expelled from the academy drove the deception.

Shade heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping in what appeared to be relief. Yet, a fleeting, unreadable expression showed in his eyes, something Eirin couldn’t quite decipher. The young man then admitted he’d watched her attempts to unleash her Flair, noting her struggles to control it.

"I’m willing to help you."

Eirin raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because it was hard to watch you flapping around like an idiot."

’This jerk,’ Eirin thought, her lips pressing into a thin line, a battle against her rising irritation.

The man in front of her was lauded as a genius, the strongest student in the entire academy. Who else could possibly teach her better?

"Look carefully."

Shade raised his hand and inhaled deeply. Wind swirled and solidified in his palm, leaving Eirin awestruck. How could a man who wielded fire create such a whirlwind?

"I thought your Flair was creating fire? How are you controlling the wind then?" Eirin asked in confusion.

"Are you stupid?"

Eirin grunted as she extended her hand. "How am I going to do that if you don’t explain it first?"

The young man sighed, a long, suffering sound, then instructed her to raise both arm sideways. Suspicion crossed Eirin’s mind, but she followed his instructions nonetheless.

"Now, imagine the wind flowing from your right arm to your left arm, and once you feel like you’ve accumulated enough, let it out of your palm. Just push it through."

Eirin inhaled, and felt the distinct chill of wind seeping into her arms. A shiver ran down her spine as she guided it to her left arm.

"Push it."

The teenage girl opened her palm and grunted, muscles straining with the effort. But the wind refused to budge.

"Keep trying."

Eirin’s face already turned red due to the force she’s letting out. Was trusting this man really the right decisions? As Eirin continued forcing the air out, it came out of a different place, causing Eirin’s face to heat up as she covered her buttocks.

Shade chuckled. "Wow, was that a fart?"

The humiliation was too much to handle; the teenage girl scrambled to her feet and fled the area.

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