I stared at Luman in disbelief.
Seriously, would this man actually die if he didn’t tease someone every five minutes?!
My palm still stung from hitting him, but seeing Luman flinch and twitch like it burned made some of my irritation fade.
No, but seriously, why the hell would he kiss me on the cheek?! It hadn’t felt unpleasant, exactly, but it still pissed me off.
“Ren, are you still angry? Won’t you forgive me now?”
Luman coaxed me gently, his voice soft and smooth.
“Whatever. I already hit you enough. You really were injured?”
I asked skeptically. It was a relief that he looked fine, but that was separate from whether I trusted him. Honestly, compared to Luman, who supposedly got seriously hurt, my body looked way worse.
Luman immediately made an aggrieved face.
“I’m serious. Why would I lie about something like that? If you saw it, you’d faint.”
“Show me.”
“Hiss... no. Restricted content for minors.”
“What are you even talking about? Stop saying weird things.”
“Ren, do you still have a long way to go before adulthood?”
“Why?”
Adulthood.
No one had ever asked me that before. All I’d ever heard was brat, kid, nuisance.
The word adulthood felt strangely unfamiliar.
I’d never really thought about it.
Because there was a chance I wouldn’t live long enough to become one.
“Why else? I was going to congratulate you.”
“Stop changing the subject and show me.”
“Haaah.”
“Hurry up.”
“Hm. It’s not exactly something worth showing.”
Luman scratched his cheek awkwardly.
But I had no intention of letting it go. I knew he wasn’t lying. Luman might joke around with himself, but he never used other people for that kind of thing. Still, I needed to see it myself before I could relax.
After hesitating, he muttered something under his breath and slowly began taking off his clothes.
He removed his outer coat, then unbuttoned the thin shirt beneath it, revealing tightly packed muscle first. Skin as pale as his face, sharp scars crossing over it, and bandages wrapped around a painfully familiar spot.
“...Don’t tell me. The injury from before still hasn’t healed?”
“No. I just had the bad luck of getting stabbed in the exact same place again.”
I climbed down from the chair and sat in front of him. Luman immediately looked startled and leaned back.
What’s with him?!
He kissed me on the cheek, but now he’s acting shy?!
Luman really gets on my nerves.
I glared at him and crooked my finger. Tilting his head slightly, Luman slowly leaned back toward me the same distance he had retreated.
“Should I unwrap the bandages too?”
he asked awkwardly.
“No. It’s really okay, right? Did Kirky heal you?”
“Ah, that priest? Hm. I passed out, so I’m not sure. Anyway, Ren, you don’t need to worry. That’s why I came. Though I’ll have to go back again.”
“...I figured.”
I’d never expected things to end after only a few weeks.
Honestly, the fact that I was seeing him again already felt strange enough. For me, it was rare luck. Usually, once someone left, they wouldn’t return for months. Years, even.
‘This is the shortest wait yet. Maybe now really is the right time.’
Maybe the fact that I’d been given the chance to see him again so quickly, right when I was deciding when to leave, meant my choice was the correct one.
We filled the silence for a while talking briefly about Kirky.
“Your hair grows fast.”
Without thinking, I reached out and fiddled with Luman’s bangs. The hair I’d cut short myself back at the watchtower had already grown down to his eyebrows again.
“Yeah.”
For some reason, Luman smiled shyly and ran a hand through his hair. The short strands stuck out between his fingers.
With short hair, Luman looked much younger.
When our eyes met, he grinned mischievously.
It felt strangely peaceful, as though everything tormenting my heart had quietly withdrawn on its own. The misery I’d felt just last night almost seemed fake now.
‘Seriously weird.’
I sat on my hand to stop myself from pressing against my chest for no reason.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but I still wanted to say something.
There just wasn’t anything I could ask.
I couldn’t ask what the battlefield had been like.
And talking about myself would only drag things somewhere dark.
‘Should I just blurt it out? Like, surprise, I’m terminally ill—!’
But there was no way I could actually say that.
I had finally confessed it at Coco’s mansion after the old apothecary convinced me to.
But in the end, even the mages couldn’t help me. The one who looked the most capable quit almost immediately.
Which probably meant there was no hope.
The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt toward Coco.
I still hadn’t read her letter.
I should open it today...
“Why are you so thin?”
“I don’t know.”
Lost in thought, I answered automatically.
The moment I saw the worry in his eyes, the lie came naturally.
“You’re making me worry.”
I only shrugged.
The old apothecary was searching through the medicine district of the capital for my sake, but it probably wouldn’t matter.
Lately all I did was sleep.
Like an animal right before it dies.
“How long are you staying?”
“Do you already want me gone?”
“Yes.”
I answered honestly because he was annoying, and Luman immediately began complaining about how hurt he felt.
Then don’t ask questions like that!
Even when I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, Luman only grinned casually.
‘He’s gotten even more shameless.’
“I can’t stay long. Honestly, I pushed myself to come here.”
Luman lowered his voice like he was sharing a secret.
“You pushed yourself? Why? Did you use your power to get here?”
Now that I thought about it, there was a faint lingering trace of energy around him.
Something familiar.
Wait.
I’d felt something similar recently too. No, right before this.
From some horn made of light...
“...You can tell?”
“What did you say?”
“So you weren’t listening. How cruel. I rushed here at the speed of light just to see you.”
Was he joking or serious?
Luman winked one eye.
“Did something get in your eye?”
“Ren. This is a real wound. That was a wink. Okay?”
“...Forget that. I was distracted. What were you saying?”
I smoothly ignored his complaint, but instead of getting annoyed, Luman burst out laughing.
Now that I looked at him properly, this man really laughed too easily.
“Giselle suddenly told me to come back.”
“...Why?”
“No idea. He wouldn’t tell me. I’ll ask him when I get there and secretly tell only you.”
Luman lowered his voice conspiratorially.
‘Suddenly? Why?’
It couldn’t be because of me, right? Like he knew I was leaving and wanted Luman to say goodbye before I disappeared...
Was I being paranoid?
Though if that were true, shouldn’t I feel grateful instead of irritated...?
Yeah right.
What a creepy bastard.
“Ren. Did someone bully you?”
“What kind of random nonsense is that now? You saw my face already, so go back.”
“Was it Giselle?”
“And what if it was?”
Would he beat him up or something?
I looked at him suspiciously.
“Then I’d tell him not to bully you. I’d cling to his pant leg and beg if I had to.”
“Pfft. What is that?”
I couldn’t help laughing.
Seriously, he was so weird.
That answer was completely unexpected.
“I’m serious,” Luman added while scratching his cheek again.
“Ah, Ren. I remembered what I wanted to say.”
“What?”
Right as my laughter was finally fading, Luman spoke.
“Thanks for this.”
He rummaged through his pocket and pulled something out.
“Ah! That!”
It was the tiny fox-shaped keychain.
The gift I’d secretly bought in Tempesto Village.
Thankfully, before Luman snuck off from the inn, I’d managed to shove it into his luggage unnoticed.
I’d thought maybe he never saw it.
But looking closer now, it showed signs of wear from being handled often.
“You picked it because it looks like Lante?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a little disappointing. You should’ve picked something that looked like me.”
“Lante is cuter.”
And Lante had showered me with compliments!
Sometimes I still remembered the things Lante said when we first met, and every time I did, my whole body felt weirdly itchy.
Luman smiled helplessly and tucked the fox keychain back into his chest pocket.
“So you just carry it around like that?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Well, it’s supposed to be attached to something.”
“Hm. Really? Then I’ll buy something for it.”
“No, I didn’t mean you had to force yourself! Forget it, I’ll—”
“Ren?”
“No, never mind.”
I swallowed the words quickly.
Saying things like I’ll buy you one later wasn’t good.
When I shook my head, Luman looked curious, but thankfully didn’t ask further.
“Ren, there’s something I’m curious about.”
“Why are you curious about so many things?”
Was I being too harsh?
Maybe I was treating him too casually just because I was happy to see him.
I cautiously watched Luman’s reaction, but he didn’t seem bothered at all.
‘What’s with that expression? Why does he look excited?’
While I blinked blankly at him, he slowly parted his lips.
“On the twentieth day... did you go up to the watchtower?”
“...?”
“...Ah. Never mind. Ahem.”
The tips of Luman’s ears turned red.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he started to stand.
I quickly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
“Why are you so impatient?”
The moment I snapped at him, I finally understood why he was embarrassed.
No, now that I actually had to say it, I felt embarrassed too!
But I couldn’t ignore the tense look on Luman’s face as he waited frozen for my answer.
Why was this such a big deal?!
I just had to say it.
“I went.”
“...Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
“If you don’t believe me, then forget it.”
“...Thank you. I had this strange feeling that I saw you.”
That made no sense.
How could he possibly tell from that distance?
But I didn’t argue.
I didn’t want to ruin the bright curve of his eyes or the smile spreading across his face.
Still, I didn’t want to keep feeling this strange atmosphere for too long, so I shoved Luman out of the room.
“Right. Guess it’s about time you went to see your ‘big brother.’”
“Give the keychain back.”
“Hey now, don’t you know taking back a gift is the worst?”
Scratching his head, Luman hurried toward the door.
With his short hair and sloppy behavior like that, who would ever believe he was a Hero?
But there was probably a stupid smile on my face too as I watched him leave.
Luman waved briefly and told me we should have dinner together later.
And not long after he left, I received a summons from Giselle.
“I thought I’d see my brother first.”
“Hm? Pardon?”
The servant leading the way turned around in confusion.
“Ah, nothing. I was talking to myself.”
“We’re almost there.”
Tense, I forced strength into my unsteady body and kept walking.
