Time passed slowly in the living room.
The wall clock made a soft ticking sound muffled by the tense air. Riria was still leaning on the side of the sofa, her body locked in the same position as Luira. Her hands were tied behind her back, her legs bent in a Frogtie position, the blue ropes forming a cold, tight symmetrical pattern on her skin.
It had been almost fifteen minutes since she first tried to free herself. But the more she squirmed, the more she realized that this blue rope was not like ordinary rope.
The knots did not loosen. The slightest movement seemed to be responded to by the rope as a signal to tighten. And that made it even more difficult for her body to move, even to simply shift.
Luira, on the other hand, was still sitting on the sofa with her body perfectly tied. There was no sign of tension on her face. In fact, she looked... comfortable. As if this condition was part of her usual nightly routine.
"Luira," Riria muttered in a low but sharp tone. "How much longer are you going to stay still like a statue?"
Luira slowly opened her eyes, turned her head slightly towards Riria, then said softly:
"It's not finished yet. But I'll help you afterward."
"Done what? Your meditation? You can't even move in a state like that. How are you going to help me untie the knot that's tying me down?"
Luira smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly.
"I can. But it'll take time."
Riria sneered, then turned her face away.
"You're weird."
There was silence for a moment. Then Luira's soft voice followed.
"May I know… why did you come?"
Riria was silent for a moment. Then she sighed in annoyance.
"I… am curious. Everyone is talking about you. About the physical training of calming yourself, about the blue rope, about you always being alone… I just… want to see."
Luira stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand."
"I didn't think you would… well, really do something like this."
"It's not strange to me." Luira said, bowing her head slowly. "Eh eh, in my old training place, silent-in-bounds training was part of adulthood. We called it 'alignment of body and will.'"
Riria raised an eyebrow. "You're training to… stay still?"
"More than that," Luira answered calmly. "Stay still, in a restrained position, facing the body's boundaries. If you can stay calm and centered even though your body isn't free, you can control your emotions more finely."
"That doesn't make sense," Riria hissed, but her gaze softened a little. "But… it looks like you really can."
Luira closed her eyes again. "Every night. After the academy. I reactivate the bond. Then sit until the rope lets me out."
"The rope is… alive?"
"Not in the biological sense. But it is energized by a small entity. It guards me, and also makes sure I don't run away from training."
"Entity?"
Luira slowly shifted her body to the side of the couch, then tilted her head toward the hallway on the right.
"If you want to know… it's over there. The side room."
Riria turned her head in that direction. A door was slightly ajar, revealing a darker room. Inside, a dim blue light was faintly glowing. A soft hissing sound came from behind the door.
"What… is that?"
"A green mossy creature. It doesn't talk. It doesn't move much. But if someone touches it… or if someone who isn't allowed to enter this house, then it will react."
Riria stiffened. "…So you know I wasn't invited?"
"And rope too. But the reason you're tied up like that is because you took the photo without permission."
Riria opened her mouth to protest, but she didn't. Guilt slowly crept into her mind.
"Sorry."
"It's happened," Luira answered softly. "Now we just have to wait."
"Wait?"
"Yes. I'll try to move."
---
It took a few minutes for Luira to successfully shift from her seat. She caught her breath, tilted her body, then used the support of her bound knees and ankles to slowly lift her body from sitting to squatting. The hands tied behind her made it difficult to balance, but she moved without hesitation, as if she was used to it.
She took a half step forward. Squat. Stop. Catch her breath. Then continue.
Riria stared, stunned.
"...Are you serious about being able to walk like that?"
Luira didn't answer. She kept moving slowly, like some kind of nocturnal creature that was agile even though she was tied up. Small squeaks from the floor were heard every time her stockings touched the wood. The light from the side room grew brighter as she approached.
Once she reached the doorway, she bowed deeply, then whispered:
"Excuse me for interrupting… May I borrow the crystal?"
Riria couldn't see clearly from her angle, but she could feel the air around Luira shift. There was some kind of gentle, non-invasive magical reaction—more like a tacit permission granted by something inside the room.
A moment later, Luira touched the side of her face to the wall, and a small crystal sphere fell to the floor from a secret niche. She turned her face toward the sphere and uttered a short spell.
The crystal lit up.
The air vibrated, and in one slow motion, the knots in the ropes on Riria's body began to loosen.
"Eh?!"
The ropes on her legs softened. The ties on her thighs came loose. The knots on her back loosened, and finally… both her arms were free.
Riria took a deep breath, immediately sitting up normally while rubbing her hands that had been tied. Her legs were shaking slightly from sitting under high pressure for almost an hour.
"…I thought I wouldn't be able to get out," she muttered.
Luira turned around slowly, but her body was still completely tied. She had not freed herself.
"Why don't you let go?" Riria asked.
"I'll do it later. My night training isn't finished yet."
"You helped me."
"I would never break the bonds in the middle of the night if there was no urgent reason. You're not a threat. So I'm just freeing you."
Riria stared at Luira for a long time. Then she stood up, walked closer, and looked at Luira's face from a very close distance.
"...You're really serious, huh."
Luira just stared back without answering.
---
A few minutes later, Riria stood in front of Luira's door, ready to return to the dormitory.
"Sorry for coming in carelessly," she said softly.
"If you want to come again, just knock," Luira replied. "But don't ever take a picture."
"Promise."
Riria walked away. But before she got really far, she turned back. Through the window, he could see Luira s
till sitting on the couch, in the same position, eyes closed, body tied up.
And somehow... there was a sense of peace from the sight.
---