Paradox: Distorted Reality

Chapter 10: A date

I arrived at the cafe where Sibyl had suggested we meet the previous day. She had mentioned having some prior commitments before our date, but I suspected she was using the extra time to prepare. Being early myself, I assumed she wouldn't want to make a late entrance and risk a bad impression.

As expected, I soon heard her call out to me, "Hey, it seems we're both early. How about we start our date?" She said this without waiting for my response, immediately taking hold of my arm. Sibyl was in her usual white dress but had added a black hat to her outfit. I let out a sigh and began walking toward the cafe's entrance.

Upon entering, I noticed the cafe was surprisingly quiet for this time of day. As we settled into our seats, I observed the snowfall outside, not an uncommon sight in this area. Sibyl, too, gazed at the snowy scene and remarked, "It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" I nodded in agreement, but it became apparent that I hadn't been paying much attention to her.

She then pointed out, "Sometimes I wonder if you have any feelings at all. You have a charming girl right in front of you, yet you never seem to make any advances. Are you afraid I'll reject you again?" Her words triggered memories of my childhood crush on Sibyl, a confession that ended in rejection. I lost interest back then, but she had developed her own feelings over time. This recollection stirred a long-standing resentment, although I couldn't bring myself to dislike her completely.

I decided to respond, saying, "I'm not afraid because I believe the opportunity won't present itself again. Things have changed, and there's no way a relationship between us could work out."

She gazed at me and remarked, "But technically, we are getting married, remember that bet we made about marriage?" If I could turn back time, that's one mistake I would have avoided. She grinned and continued, "Well, it seems this date didn't start on the right foot. Is there anything you'd like to discuss?"

She had abruptly changed the subject, but if what she claimed was true, I had to find a way to avoid marrying her. Maybe I could argue that the bet never specified when the marriage would happen if she won. If she brought it up again, I'd use that argument. Now, what to talk about? I had an idea.

I inquired, "Here's a quick question: What's your plan once Layla, Aki, and I have to leave to gather the rest of our party? Also, whatever happened to your party? Have you made any efforts to locate them?"

Sibyl and I usually didn't travel together; we were part of separate groups. Her party was smaller, consisting of only four other members, while mine had originally comprised ten, including myself, but we had lost someone along the way. Naturally, I was curious if she had taken the time to track down her missing party members. There was an awkward silence following my question.

She replied, "Well, I've done some investigating, but without leaving the capital, I haven't made much progress. Frankly, it's not surprising. They come from different regions, which makes finding them quite challenging. It will take time, but I plan to leave once I've restored the government here to its former state. I'll probably be done by the time you all leave, then head towards the Hellfire region to find Sparks. I think that's on the way to Cosmo's hometown; that girl was born in the most random of places." I had misjudged her; despite her obsession, she still cared about others aside from me. I couldn't explain why it disappointed me; it was a strange development.

"That's good to hear, I guess. Are you sure you want to go alone, though? I could accompany you for a while if you'd like. I'm not insisting, but it's an option if you want." I tried to sound as non-forceful as possible, knowing she could handle herself. Despite my slight resentment, I still worried sometimes. After all, she was one of my childhood friends, so my feelings were rooted in our history.