Ah, I’m thirsty.
My mouth felt dry and unpleasant.
Ugh, when I coughed softly, someone pressed something to my lips.
It was a damp cloth. I sucked on the cloth without thinking. Once my thirst eased a little, my mind slowly returned.
What? Did I faint? I don’t remember falling asleep.
The carriage window struck by rain, my blurred vision....
Ah, I fainted.
I thought blankly. Was my body now so broken that it could no longer even endure traveling in a carriage like this?
It seemed the efforts I had made to cling to life were no longer very useful.
I had always known a day like this would come someday, so I was not particularly surprised.
“Ren. Are you awake?”
“......?”
“Ren.”
“......!”
I was startled.
When I snapped my eyes open, I saw an old man with a sparse beard.
It was the old apothecary.
“O-old man?”
My voice came out terribly cracked. The old apothecary lifted me into his arms, leaned me against his shoulder, and gave me water.
After gulping down the water, I shook my head.
“How are you here?”
I was still inside the carriage. Seeing the scenery outside the window continue to change, the carriage was still running toward its destination....
As I stared at the old man in a daze, the knight’s voice came from the driver’s seat.
“Are you conscious?”
“Ah......! Yes! I’m sorry.”
“......There is no need to apologize to me. I’m glad you are awake. We arrive in ten minutes. Do not forget to put your hood on when you get out.”
I nodded, then belatedly realized the knight sitting on the driver’s seat could not see me and answered quietly.
More importantly, how was the old apothecary really here?
“How did you come?”
“......”
“Old man?”
The old apothecary placed a hand on my head. Stroking me as though patting me, he opened his mouth.
“Why did you leave like that? Did you not miss your brother?”
“Ah.”
I didn’t think he would ask so directly.
My lips would not part easily. When I could not answer, the old apothecary shook his head as though it was fine.
“Ren is becoming an adult too, I see. Wanting to do everything alone.”
I was startled by that complicated voice.
“B-but I still rely on people, you know?!”
When I grabbed the old man’s hand and shouted, after a short silence, he finally laughed, heh heh.
It felt as though my heart, which had dropped, found its place again.
‘For some reason, if I had answered yes just now.’
It felt as though the old apothecary would leave. That was an intuition that had not gone through thought.
“Old man. But didn’t you go back to the village?”
“How could I go back without saying a word? It’s not as if I’m heartless like you! You brat!”
“Argh!”
The old man mercilessly flicked my forehead. No! How could he flick my forehead when I had not been hit like that even once since I was little! It makes me feel like a child! Even as I glared at him, huffing, the old apothecary did not even blink.
“But really, how did you come? Did Giselle... tell you?”
Pitch-black eyes stared silently at me.
The old man’s eyes were truly black. How should I put it? Like the deepest darkness had been gathered together? If you stared at them quietly, it felt as though you might be sucked in.... And yet they were very clear and clean. They did not look like an old man’s eyes at all.
“You have not been taking your medicine properly, have you?”
“Ah, well. Mm-hmm.”
I feigned ignorance and leaned my body against the old man’s shoulder. When I slipped my eyes shut, the old man did not nag me any further.
Thank goodness. The old apothecary nags too much!
“Old man. Do you know why I left?”
I suddenly became curious about that. If he had come because Giselle told him, then he would certainly know why I had gone so far as to leave.
I was terribly curious what he would say about my choice.
“You must have left because you wanted to leave. What does such a thing matter?”
What did he mean? Did he mean he would respect my choice?
“You need only rest comfortably. I will guard your side.”
My heart felt complicated.
If things went according to my resolve, then I should have been angry at the old apothecary for interfering like this.
I should have been angry, irritated that my plan had been ruined, and I should have found a suitable excuse to send him back.
But I was feeling relief.
Toward the old apothecary, who had taken up one corner of the carriage without permission and was patting me.
“I really thought I had changed a lot, you know?”
My throat was hoarse, but my body felt much better. It was probably because the old apothecary had looked after me after I fainted. I held the old man’s arm and continued speaking.
“But I guess I hadn’t. I guess I’m still just a child.”
I guess I still want someone to stay beside me and protect me.
I guess I’m still a cowardly child, still afraid to leave alone.
“Then did you think a little one who has not even had his coming-of-age ceremony was an adult?”
That voice sounded both scolding and comforting.
“Old man.”
“What is it?”
“I’m glad you came.”
“......”
“It feels a little selfish, but......”
I trailed off for a moment.
“Still......”
I guess I hate being alone.
I muttered the rest very quietly. I do not know whether the old apothecary heard it. Since he was an old man, perhaps he could not hear such a small voice.
But seeing the hand gently rubbing my back, it seemed the old apothecary had heard me properly.
My throat closed up, and I could not speak properly.
I kept thinking of the people who had left before me.
They must have hated being alone too.
Were they afraid? Did it hurt a lot?
“Ren. This old man will be beside you, so do not worry about anything.”
“But, old man......”
Even after I die, will you really be able to stay beside me?
What exactly lies after death?
I was so afraid of something I had never experienced even once.
But the old man’s touch was familiar, warm, and good, so with the destination right before my eyes, I ended up falling asleep again.
***
Rumble, crash!
The rain showed no sign of stopping. Rather, it grew even heavier, to the point that the grass swollen with water began to bulge. Lightning split the sky and burst into a flash, and the great sound of thunder battered people’s ears. Everyone in the castle hoped for the storm to pass.
“It has become rather troublesome, coming without any warning like this.”
“Indeed.”
Nobles had gathered in the southern palace of the royal castle. They were people who had entered the palace to meet Ragniel, only to be stranded because the weather had become too severe.
“It is obvious we will only exchange trivial words anyway. I came for nothing today.”
“That is not so. His Majesty’s marriage is urgent by even a day, so it is better to discuss it quickly. Who knows when or how things may change?”
“Speaking of which, I hear rumors have been circulating in the royal palace lately.”
As though it happened to be just right, the noble brought up a topic that could ease their boredom.
“What kind of useless rumor have you heard this time?”
“Useless rumor, you say. Tsk. This is real information obtained through a reliable source.”
The noble snorted at the one who had dismissed him, then lowered his voice and spoke.
“What sort of information is it?”
Hearing the interested voice, the man whispered lowly.
“Well, they say the king has become a little strange.”
“Strange how?”
“They say his personality changed suddenly, and that when he sees a mirror, he becomes so startled.”
No matter how tightly mouths were sealed, in a royal palace where even the walls had ears, it was impossible for words not to leak out at all.
“Is that true?”
“Would I say something careless?”
“Even so, it would be better to watch your words.”
“Hmph. We will know once we see.”
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
The door opened quietly, and a servant bowed at the waist.
“His Majesty says to come in tomorrow morning.”
“Tsk. Understood.”
The servant bowed and withdrew quietly.
***
Rumble, crash!
As though speaking of ill omen, thunder flashed.
In the dark room, white light passed like a flash. The light that swept over two pale faces gave the room over to even blacker darkness.
“Ren has not returned to the royal palace.”
Golden eyes searched every corner of the room.
“Is he still with Lady Coco?”
Luman thought that was possible. Were the two not very close?
Besides, the weather was terrible, so staying a few days at Lady Coco’s estate would be better.
“Lord Luman.”
“Yes.”
Luman, who had closed the door, turned back toward Jepeto, who had called him.
“I went to the ducal residence.”
“......”
“Ren was not at the ducal residence.”
Jepeto bit his lip.
“And he has not returned to the royal palace either.”
