"Me?"
The gray-black-haired witch held her teacup and gathered her thoughts.
"If I had to say, I probably first developed a fondness for Shade because being around him made me feel safe. That was before I discovered that the warmth of his soul was enough to fill the hollow in mine. He was dependable. I don't like relying on others, but having someone dependable by your side is quite nice.
"Then all those things happened—you know about them too—and before I realized it, my fondness just kept growing until it became this."
There was a knock at the door, and Miss Bell entered carrying a tea tray. On it were a replacement teapot and some tea leaves; the witch wanted to make the tea herself.
She did not avoid discussing such matters in front of her apprentice.
"We all acknowledge that Shade is nearly perfect in every respect."
"Except for his love life."
The red-haired girl pointed this out, but Flora held a different opinion.
"I think that makes him even better."
Seeing her friend raise an eyebrow, she explained further.
"Don't you feel it too? We couldn't keep him tied down by ourselves. Ever since meeting him, I've always felt that one day he might suddenly drift high away and never come back. Charlotte, do you feel that way?"
The pale-faced girl honestly answered her teacher's question.
"Mr. Hamilton is different from everyone else we know. He is always looking at the sky. Perhaps one day, the sky will answer him too."
Flora nodded in agreement.
"So unless we add a few more ropes and firmly tie down that soul that is always gazing at the Moon, one day he'll fly off to a higher place."
The red-haired girl fell into thought, then began chatting with Flora about what