Persona 3 Portable: Velvet Blue - Chapter 6

VI: In the Velvet Room Again

The piano melody and the woman's song still filled the Velvet Room. Igor sat before the large round table, and Elizabeth stood behind him. Elizabeth's face was expressionless as usual; it did not fit the fierce battle she had fought just a moment ago.

"Are you tired, Elizabeth?" Igor said, looking straight ahead.

Elizabeth simply answered, "Not especially." She lied. She felt her fatigue reach her very core. It pained her to even stand. But it would not matter when she was with the guest. Hospitality workers must never make their customers uncomfortable. She could not even so much as look tired.

"Good," said Igor. "It sounded like a very fierce battle. I wonder what the other opponent was like."

"A fragment of Death. It called itself Near Death. It was an enemy superior to the Reaper."

Igor's nose twitched slightly. "Was it a difficult fight, then?"

"It seems that you are mistaken, Master. A 'difficult' battle…" She cleared her throat. She spoke one word at a time: "Who do you think was there?"

A single bead of sweat formed on Igor's forehead. It rolled down the side of his face. "Ah, yes… Perhaps it was a misunderstanding…"

"Yes. A misunderstanding."

Elizabeth changed the topic. "Near Death said something. That Nyx would descend upon Tartarus tonight."

Igor took a handkerchief from his tuxedo jacket pocket, and wiped his brow. He put the handkerchief back in his pocket before speaking. "It may be the last time that she visits the Velvet Room. A pity, to be sure."

Elizabeth was silent. Everyone who visits the Velvet Room is searching for their answer. "Does the answer that she seeks lie beyond her battle with Nyx? That was when I found my answer. What will happen to her?" An indescribable anxiety crept up her spine.

Several people appeared at the entrance of Tartarus— SEES. One of them walked toward the door to the Velvet Room.

"Do you see it?"

"Yes. I do."

The door opened, and the girl entered the Velvet Room. She closed the door behind her politely, and stared at Igor and Elizabeth with her usual cheery smile.

"Good evening!"

It was a natural, gorgeous smile. A smile that did not fit the fact that she was about to battle inevitable destruction itself— a destruction that she might not even be capable of defeating. Elizabeth forgot to even say hello— she just stared at her smile.

The smile slowly faded, replaced with sorrow. "Hey, Elizabeth, are you tired? What's wrong?"

"It is nothing." Elizabeth thought she was completely blank-faced. She was worried.

"You sure?" She was just as worried as Elizabeth.

Elizabeth feigned a cough to regain composure. “Yes. Please, do not worry about me.”

“Sure.” Her smile returned. This made Elizabeth smile as well.

“Your smile suits you well. All flowers pale in comparison to you.”

She blushed. She covered her face with her hands. “Y-You’re embarrassing me…”

Igor did not say anything. He simply looked on curiously, with a smile growing on his face.

Elizabeth bowed. “How may I help you today?”

The girl lost her smile again. Her face became serious. “Today is going to be a difficult battle…”

“Her battle with Nyx.”

“… Can you… do something for me?” She took off the watch she wore on her left wrist— during New Year’s, she said it was very important to her. She gave the watch to Elizabeth. Elizabeth looked at the watch in her hand, then back to the girl.

“It can’t be. Does she really mean for me to keep this?”

“… What is this?”

“It might break during the battle, so I don’t want to wear it.” She stared at Elizabeth. The only light in her reddish eyes was that of determination. No fear, no anxiety, no worry. She would win the fight. There was no doubt.

Elizabeth was ashamed that she doubted her, if only for a second. “… I understand.” She pulled a clean handkerchief from her hidden dress pocket and wrapped the watch in it. She put it in her pocket; the watch still had her warmth. “I will hold onto it. I will keep it safe.”

She smiled softly. “Thanks.” It was a soft, warm smile, but it also made Elizabeth feel the girl’s strength. Elizabeth had seen her smile many times, but this was the most beautiful smile of them all.

“Thank you very much.”

“Huh? Why are you thanking me?”

“For allowing me to see your smile.”

The girl’s cheeks turned red again. “T-There’s something off about you today, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth blinked several times, blushing as well. “O-Off?”

“Yeah. I’m not sure what it is…”

“W-Well… Anyways…” Elizabeth’s heart beat faster and faster. She did not know what to say. She fell silent.

Suddenly, Igor chuckled. “Do not worry so much, Elizabeth. Now, is there anything else we can do for you?”

The girl shook her head. “No, I’m good. I’m all prepared. Thank you, Igor.” She bowed.

“Please, Elizabeth and I have merely done our duties as residents of the Velvet Room… Now go. Your friends are waiting for you.”

The girl faced Elizabeth once more and smiled. “Well, I’ll be going now. See you.” With a small save, she turned around and headed for the door.

Elizabeth bowed behind her. “Good luck.”

Without looking behind her, she thrust her hand in the air enthusiastically, with her index and middle fingers extended. “Leave it to me!” With that, she left the Velvet Room.

The presence of the people in the entrance of Tartarus began to fade.

After a while, Igor whispered softly. “She’s gone.”

Elizabeth stared at the door. “Yes, Master.”

“We may never serve her again.”

“No.”

Igor turned around to look at her. “… How do you mean?”

“The Velvet Room, this elevator, is still in motion. She has still yet to reach the end of her journey.”

Igor nodded. “You’re correct. She truly might reach it then. The ultimate power.”

“It is not that she might reach it. She will definitely reach it.” She paused for a moment. “The answer to her life.”

Once she finds her answer, she would surely visit the Velvet Room again. Then, the Velvet Room would serve no purpose to her. This elevator, continuing to climb endlessly, would reach its final destination.

“Then I will tell her with a smile. ‘We will soon reach your destination.’”

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She had a hunch. That the girl would be out of reach after that. Infinitely far away, a distance that Elizabeth could not imagine.

She muttered, almost whispered. “No matter where you are, no matter how long it takes… I will find you again.”

“Did you say something, Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth closed her eyes and shook her head. “No. Nothing.”

She did not know if they would meet again at the end of time. All she could do was wait in the stagnant blue room, accompanied by the piano’s melody and the woman’s voice.

The End.