[Third Person's PoV]
After his playful time with his 2x sister, Cid rejoined the others for some much-needed relaxation. As he arrived where everyone currently sat, he found most of them lounging around, engaged in casual conversation. The scene before him was a heartwarming one: Celeste, his young daughter, was rolling around on the floor, laughing as she playfully grabbed at her feet. Her puppy, Sirius, mirrored her movements, rolling and chasing after her with the same infectious joy. Surprisingly, Delta was also on the ground with them, leading the two in a playful, childlike romp as if she were one of them with a large smile on her face.
Cid couldn't resist a teasing greeting. "Well, well, hello ladies~," he said with a smirk.
Aurora, who had been watching the playful chaos, narrowed her eyes and pointed accusingly at Cid. "You!" she snapped.
"Huh? Me what?" Cid responded, tilting his head with confusion.
Aurora crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "Did you really think it was a good idea to get Celeste a puppy? She's still a child! How is she going to take care of it? She won't be responsible enough."
Cid rolled his eyes, clearly amused. "Love, you're barking up the wrong tree. I didn't get Celeste the puppy."
Aurora blinked, taken aback. "You didn't?" She turned to the others, suspicious now. "Then maybe one of you? But I doubt that, considering I've been with most of you all day."
The others all shook their heads, denying any involvement. Just then, Eta floated into the room on her signature pillow, settling down on Cid's lap. Without a word, she rested her head there and closed her eyes, ready for a nap.
Cid absentmindedly brushed Eta's hair away from her face as he explained. "Celeste didn't get the puppy from anyone here. She made him herself."
Aurora looked even more puzzled. "What do you mean she made him? That doesn't make any sense."
Cid smiled as he continued, "Her monarch abilities have awakened. She can turn constellations into familiars. That puppy you see? Sirius? He's not just a normal dog—he's made from the stars themselves."
Aurora's eyes widened in shock. "What? But... she's just a baby! Should she really be able to wield such power at her age?"
Cid's smile turned into a proud grin. "Well, she is my daughter, after all."
Aurora let out a long, exasperated sigh. "That's not what I meant. I'm worried she might not be able to control it. What if it becomes dangerous for her?"
Cid gently shook his head, his tone softening as he reassured her. "She's safe, love. And as she grows, we'll be here to guide her. We'll help her learn to control it, and she'll grow stronger for it."
Aurora seemed unconvinced, but she sighed again, conceding. "If you say so..."
"You're forgetting something," Cid added with a knowing look. "She's not just my daughter. She's yours too. Do you think it's a coincidence that the first familiar she conjured was a wolf with blood magic powers?"
Aurora blinked in surprise. "Wait... you're saying there's a connection between her being my daughter and... Sirius?"
As if on cue, Celeste came crawling toward Cid on all fours, giggling as she made her way over. She stretched her little arms out, signaling she wanted to be picked up. Cid lifted her with a smile and set her on his other knee, patting her head gently.
"You're a powerful magic user, Aurora," Cid said, looking up at her. "With your guidance, there's no doubt Celeste will be one of the most powerful magic users to ever exist."
Aurora's expression softened as she stroked her daughter's hair. "I suppose you're right... I just can't help but worry. She's still so young."
…
Hours passed, filled with laughter and time spent with their family. Eventually, as the night gave way to dawn, Cid found himself returning to the human base. Just as he began to settle in, there was a rapid knock on his door, almost frantic.
"Minoru, it's me—Akane," came a voice from the other side, tense and urgent.
Cid snapped his fingers, changing into more casual attire before opening the door. Akane rushed inside, her expression fraught with anxiety. She immediately began pacing back and forth, running her hands through her hair in frustration.
"It's Saejima… he's dead. He was found this morning, and people think I did it," she blurted out, her voice bordering on hysteria.
"Huh? Why would they think you did it?" Cid asked, his voice calm but his brow furrowed in confusion.
Akane stopped pacing, her breath quickening. "Because Saejima and I never got along. Everyone knows we didn't see eye to eye. And... I was the last person to see him alive. Now they think I had something to do with it," she explained, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to maintain her composure.
Cid gently pulled Akane into his arms, wrapping her in a reassuring embrace. She clung to him tightly, pressing her face into his chest, seeking solace in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Her body trembled slightly, as if on the verge of breaking under the weight of her thoughts. After a moment, she tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty and fear.
"Do you think... I really could have done it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Cid shook his head without hesitation, his response firm and certain. "No, you're not the type. If you know you didn't do it, why are you so worried?"
Akane didn't answer immediately. Instead, she posed her own question, her voice quieter still. "Do you ever... sometimes think you'd be better off dead?"
"Never," Cid replied instantly, his tone unyielding.
Akane let out a soft, almost bitter laugh, burying her face back into his chest. "You didn't even hesitate… Not even for a second."
They stood like that for a while, the silence stretching between them, heavy but comforting. Akane's grip on him tightened as if she feared letting go would mean falling apart. When she finally spoke again, her voice was low, a mix of vulnerability and something darker.
"I've had those thoughts before… Wishing for death, hoping for an end. But the thing is... I don't even remember why. There's this... gap in my memory, this massive, terrifying void. And I'm scared, Cid. I'm scared that whatever's in that gap, whatever I've forgotten, is something so horrible it made me feel like I didn't deserve to live."
Her arms squeezed him even tighter, as if his presence alone was the only thing keeping her grounded. Cid could feel her fear, her need for reassurance. He held her closer, letting her know that whatever she had done, she wasn't alone in facing it.
Akane took a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to ask what came next. "Hey… Can I ask you something else?"
Cid gave a quiet hum in response, a signal for her to continue.
"Have you ever... killed someone, Minoru?"
His answer was as calm and unflinching as ever. "Yes."
Akane pulled back slightly, enough to look up at him with wide eyes, shocked by the bluntness of his response. "Really?"
"My death toll is in the hundreds," Cid said matter-of-factly, his voice steady. "Probably more."
Akane's breath caught in her throat. "I'm not talking about monsters, Cid…"
"Neither am I," he replied, his expression unreadable.
A long, tense silence settled over the room, the weight of his confession hanging between them like a thick fog. Akane's heart raced, her mind spinning as she processed his words. There was no judgment in her eyes, only quiet acceptance, as if the revelation had only deepened her understanding of him.
[Third Person's PoV]
"I see…" Akane muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, as Cid revealed more of his past. Her eyes flickered with a mix of unease and curiosity. "Can… can I ask what you felt afterward? Don't you feel guilty for all the lives you've taken? Don't you ever feel… like you'll never be the same?"
Cid shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Not really. Most of the lives I've taken were ones that deserved it—bandits, murderers, scum like that," he said nonchalantly, his words cutting through the silence like a blade. Akane's face tightened into a weary expression at his coldness.
"But what about those who didn't deserve it?" she asked softly. "Do you ever try to make things right for them?"
Cid's gaze flicked down to the floor for a moment before he spoke, his tone steady. "For those… I've tried to make amends where I can, to make sure their deaths weren't in vain."
Akane stood silent, holding onto Cid's arm tightly. Her mind raced, her emotions swirling in confusion and doubt. After a moment, she whispered, "Do you think I could ever do the same? Could I handle that kind of weight?"
Cid let out a soft sigh and ran his hand through her hair in a comforting gesture. "Akane, we don't even know if you were the one who killed Saejima in the first place. You don't need to justify anything, especially not for someone like him."
"But we also don't know if I wasn't the one…" Akane muttered, her voice laced with self-loathing. Her shoulders drooped, the weight of her uncertainty dragging her down.
Cid felt frustration bubbling up within him. He inwardly groaned but kept his composure. Grabbing Akane's hand firmly, he said, "Come with me."
"Huh?" Akane blinked in confusion, trying to process the sudden shift. "Where are we going?"
"To see Saejima's body," Cid replied, his face serious, devoid of any emotion.
"What!?" Akane's eyes widened in shock. "Why? Why would we look at his body?"
"That's the only way we'll know for sure if you killed him or not. Otherwise, you'll always wonder, always doubt yourself. And I don't think you want to live with that, do you?" Cid's tone was firm, almost challenging, as he turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow.
Akane lowered her gaze, biting her lip. "No… I don't," she admitted quietly, her voice barely audible. The shame was evident in her posture until she felt Cid's reassuring squeeze on her hands. She looked up, meeting his warm, confident gaze.
"Don't worry," he said, offering her a small smile. "You won't be doing this alone. I'll be right there with you."
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Akane's lips, though the nervousness still lingered in her eyes. She nodded, her grip on Cid's hand tightening slightly.
Together, they made their way to the school's infirmary. The air was heavy with tension as they approached the door, after knocking the sound of Yuuka's cheerful voice greeted them.
"Come in~," Yuuka called from within.
Cid opened the door, and the two stepped inside, finding Yuuka already dressed in a lab coat, blue surgical gloves covering her hands, and a mask over her face. Her eyes crinkled into a smile as she looked at them.
"How can I help you two?" she asked, her voice light, despite the grim task she was about to perform.
"We were hoping to see Saejima's body," Cid said, offering a polite smile in return.
Yuuka's expression didn't change, but her eyes sparkled with interest. "Of course. I was just about to perform an autopsy anyway. You're welcome to join me," she said, gesturing for them to follow her toward a section of the room obscured by curtains.
As she pulled the curtains back, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air. On a cold metal table lay a body covered by a white sheet. Yuuka grabbed the edge of the cloth and slowly pulled it down, revealing Saejima's pale, lifeless face. His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth slightly agape, frozen in his final moments of terror.
The further the cloth was pulled, the more gruesome the sight became. Saejima's chest and stomach were riddled with stab wounds, dark patches of dried blood marking each puncture. Akane gasped, covering her mouth with both hands as tears welled in her eyes.
Yuuka, with a clinical detachment, examined the body. "It appears that he sustained multiple stab wounds from a sword, most of which targeted his vital organs. Whoever did this was... thorough, almost as if in a blind rage. Judging by his expression, it's likely he was betrayed by someone close to him," she explained, glancing meaningfully at Akane.
Akane's horror deepened. Each word struck her like a hammer, making her feel more and more like the culprit. But before she could spiral further into guilt, Cid interjected.
"Not a sword," Cid said plainly.
Yuuka paused, blinking in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"You said it was done by a sword," Cid explained, stepping closer to the body. "But look at the wounds—too short and narrow. It wasn't a sword. More likely, a knife or a dagger."
He gently turned Saejima's body to the side using his magic, not bothering to touch his body and pointing at his back. "See? No exit wounds. A sword would have gone all the way through. Whatever weapon was used, it wasn't that long."
Yuuka frowned thoughtfully and leaned in to examine the wounds more closely. After a moment, she nodded in agreement. "You're right. The blade wasn't long enough. Still… whoever did this clearly didn't like him. To be stabbed repeatedly like this… what a tragic way to go."
She glanced at Saejima's face, a look of pity crossing her features.
'What a good actor,' Cid thought, amused by Yuuka's facial expressions and acting.
"Will that be all?" Yuuka asked, tilting her head inquiringly.
"For now, yes. Thank you for letting us examine the body with you," Cid said, bowing politely in the Japanese fashion.
Akane followed suit, her voice soft but sincere. "Yes, thank you, Yuuka-sensei."
As they both exited the room and closed the door behind them Cid turned towards Akane, "Feeling a bit better now that you got a close up look?"
"A bit…" She replied awkwardly, "As much as I didn't like Saejima It's still a pity he had to experience such a fate"
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