Troph
Park, Outside the Office Building
Time Unknown (Morning)
“Ahahahaha! Magnificent, truly magnificent.”
Troph was applauding the scene unfolding before him as if it was the greatest of stage performances. How could he not, when the actor in front of him was so single-mindedly dedicated to her role. Truly, on the stage of life, this girl took up her role and ran with it, even when common sense and reality would dictate otherwise. It was so intense that Troph even considered for a second that the younger girl might have inadvertently awakened her Origin.
“I see. So that’s why you clung to that label of “weakness” as hard as you could, Kai… no, that’s not appropriate anymore. Haruka. I shall call you by your name, for you have earned that much with your exceptional performance.”
“Have no doubts. Your performance as a damsel in distress is truly first class.”
“Do you perhaps still want to be “saved”, Haruka?”
Troph’s amused chuckle was devoid of any real malice. But neither did it hold any the slightest degree of sympathy towards the haunted girl. Almost as if a literary critic enjoying a fine novel, the dark-haired magi was seemingly completely detached from the reality of the situation. He either didn’t care or couldn’t tell the difference. Perhaps both.
“Even in these circumstances, you are trying to shuffle off the responsibility of your death to someone else. That’s the key part, right? Someone else. Even when you hold this, frankly bizarre power, you neither move to help yourself nor others. That would be stepping outside of your designed role, after all.”
“The princess can’t rescue herself before the hero shows up, after all.”
“So you drape yourself in self-inflicted tragedy as if it was a fine fur coat. You don’t care one bit about anyone else. It's all about you and your personal grand tragedy. A sentiment that I, of course, can somewhat understand. But unlike me, your egotism is born purely out of a desire to maintain your role, no? To be saved and fawned upon by others, because you are “weak”.
“Any type of strength or self-agency would be counter-productive to that, no? I suppose you are still waiting for your “knight in shining armor” to show up, but unfortunately, he probably went to a different castle, I’m afraid.”
“As things are, you will, most likely remain here and endlessly wallow in your self-deprecation. But perhaps that’s your true desire? Purgatory? To escape the responsibility of your own actions?”
Troph's eyebrows rose for a second, almost as if a sudden realization came upon him.
“Aah, could it be that’s the reason why we are here in the first place?” Then suddenly, the boy gave a casual shrug, as if the matter was completely irrelevant to him. “Oh well, no use thinking about something like that.”
The youth casually snapped his fingers, as intense waves of magical energy exploded into existence around the unhinged magi. Normally, Troph would have favored just running away, as magical battles typically ended up being a rather tedious and dreary affair, all things considered. But this was a somewhat of a special occasion. One might say that such a passionate performance had enflamed his own heartstrings.
“I must admit, I probably ill fit the role of the “hero” you are looking for. But alas, your dedication has moved me enough to at least give it a shot, my dear.”
The young man gave a theatrical bow.
“Please do look for me once you truly wish to break free from this palace of depravity, Haruka.”
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Originally Posted by Bird of Hermes
