The sun was setting in the west.
Noel sat quietly by the riverside embankment, staring off into the distance, lost in thought. Memories came flooding back all at once.
Scenes he never wanted to face replayed again and again in his mind, clinging to him like a curse he could never shake off.
He sighed. This was the burden of sin he carried.
Everyone he had once known was already gone. Only he remained in this world, living on alone.
The solitude at the riverside pressed down on him, unrelenting.
The guild itself wasn't bad at all. Sharing laughter, bickering playfully together — the warmth of it all was undeniable.
But… someone like him — did he really deserve to stay in such a place? Doubt began to take root. Perhaps, in Fairy Tail, he was nothing but a mistake.
Why had he come to Fairy Tail in the first place? Was it merely for the sake of a promise? Or was it simply to see what kind of place Mond had recognized?
He couldn't tell. His heart was a tangled mess of conflicting emotions.
Questions like these were too difficult for him. No matter how much he wracked his brain, no answer would come.
"Hey! Why are you treating me like this!?" Noel shouted across the river. His voice echoed throughout the empty surroundings.
"Can't you just be a little more forgiving!?" he shouted again.
One cry after another, his voice grew more and more hoarse. But he kept yelling, desperate to vent.
He had been shouldering too much alone. Sometimes, speaking it out was the only way to ease the weight.
Panting heavily, exhausted from shouting, he found his heart suddenly lighter.
He realized — this might actually be a good way to let things out. From then on, whenever he felt troubled, he would return to the riverbank and shout to his heart's content.
Noel noticed a pile of stones by the river. Picking out a flat one, he crouched slightly and flicked his wrist with force.
The stone flew horizontally, skipping across the water's surface, splashing again and again, ripples spreading outward in rings.
"I feel so much better. It's like all my worries have flown away with that stone," Noll murmured.
Just then, a small girl appeared atop the embankment. She had gray hair and wore armor, with an air almost like a medieval knight.
She had only recently joined Fairy Tail — Noel vaguely remembered her name. Wasn't it Erza?
But what was she doing here? This was supposed to be his secret place, his hidden refuge!
He instantly felt distressed. He'd been coming here to indulge himself freely, often shouting strange things to the river without restraint.
But now that someone else had found it, the place no longer belonged solely to him.
Erza stood there shyly, watching him.
"Come down here and join me. Just standing up there isn't much fun," Noel called out.
Erza looked down at this boy who spoke so easily, unsure of how to respond. Should she go down? She hesitated, caught in her own thoughts.
After a long inner struggle, she finally descended and sat by the river too — though she kept her distance from him.
Head lowered, silent, clearly burdened by something.
She was a girl, after all. Girls tended to amplify their sensitive emotions, while Noel could remain carefree.
With thick skin, Noel scooted over to sit closer to her. Erza glanced at him from the corner of her eye but said nothing — which was as good as permission.
Since she remained quiet, he had no choice but to speak first.
"Honestly, I never thought anyone else would come here," Noel admitted.
"I just thought this place was quiet… so…" Erza muttered, embarrassed.
"I get it. You're the type who doesn't talk much. But if something's troubling you, you can tell me," Noel offered.
"Really? …But some things you could never understand. We're not people from the same world," Erza said, a trace of excitement flickering across her face before fading into resignation.
"That doesn't matter. The way to let it out is the same," Noel said. "I just discovered a great way to vent. Want to try it?"
Venting? Erza fell into thought. Could such a method really help her?
"It works, I promise," Noel added.
"…What do I do?" she asked softly.
"Some things, when you keep them bottled up, just make you suffer. But if you let them out, it's not so bad anymore.
"You just shout across the river, as loud as you can. Nature will be your audience — all the living things here will listen to you. With so many sharing your pain, it won't feel so heavy."
He smiled. "And you can also try skipping stones. Your worries are like the stones — once thrown, they're gone for good. It really works."
"…Sorry, but could you give me some space? I'd still rather be alone," Erza said suddenly.
"Honestly, I like being alone too. But I'll tell you a secret — this used to be my secret base. Now it isn't anymore. Think of it as a shared base.
"Of course, the membership is limited. Just you and me," Noel said with mock mystery.
"Someone as unfortunate as me… is really allowed?" Erza asked in disbelief.
"There's no such thing as an 'unfortunate person.' It's only the pressure we place on ourselves that makes us feel that way," Noel replied with a sigh.
"As for me, I guess I'm unfortunate too. But when I think about it… just being alive is already a blessing." He smiled.
"Alive…" Erza whispered to herself.
"Isn't being alive good enough?" Noel countered.
Suddenly, Erza stood and shouted across the river:
"I hope everyone can live well!
Even if I'm no longer here, I don't want anyone to grieve!"
When she finished, she sat back down beside Noel. He didn't know who this "everyone" referred to, but it must have been her dear companions.
"Well? Feel any better?" Noel asked.
"Yes… it really is a good way," Erza admitted.
"Glad it helped. I'm happy I could do something for you," Noel said, grinning brightly.
"Want to try skipping stones too? It's surprisingly relieving," he added.
"No…" Erza replied coldly.
"Don't be so chilly!" Noel complained playfully.
…
PS: This chapter is something like a flashback — though it ties into the Tower of Heaven arc, so I decided to include it here.
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