I was tired.
Maybe I saw smoke. Maybe the sun hit just right and my brain filled in the blanks.
That's what brains do, right? Fill in blanks?
Not…make fire appear on a girl's hand out of nowhere.
Not from a fifteen-year-old who smiles like me and speaks like I taught her.
…right?
"…you're in deep thought again, Master" Rei says. Sitting there. Both of her eyes tracking me.
"How did you know?"
"Your finger touches your chin when you do."
"…you're not the first person to tell me that—also, please stop calling me Master."
Her eyes widen as if I told her to jump off a cliff or something.
"Lucien…Lucien is fine."
She nods.
"Master Lucien."
"No, you just added my name right after. Lucien. Just. Lucien."
"…M-Master Lucien."
I give up.
I guess it's ingrained inside her head, now. As many different ranchmasters she had. Regardless if she knew their name or not.
Master sufficed for every single one of them.
She tried again, just Lucien, but whenever she did, she flinched. As many Ranchmasters as she's had previously, one of them most likely drilled it into her head to not.
I wanted to change the topic, "You ever get tired of all this?"
"Of being here. Of the system."
Rei shakes her head, "No. I like it now. You're here."
I hear her.
Change the topic again.
"…you have a favorite number, Rei?"
She thinks for sometimes, and then holds out fingers.
"3!"
I furrow a brow, "Why?"
"Because it's the magic number!"
I slowly nod.
Change the topic again.
"Rei…you ever felt bad? About what you did to the girl over there?" My words come off like that. Like I'm throwing a safety net for her.
I watch her. Her eyes trained on me. She softly smiles.
"I should've?"
I blink.
"No…no. Was just asking."
I don't bother changing the topic again.
I don't think I looked at her at all while walking back.