1. The First Letter (33)
The corridors of the temple were silent. The only people in a hurry were the temple priests and the patient’s family. Otherwise, they are discharged people like me.
There was no reason to be so loud either way. Friends and relatives who came to greet the discharged patient might make a little fuss, but basically the temple is a place where quiet is required.
It was common for them to have a date after leaving the temple unless they were very conscious.
I also completed the discharge procedures, but no one came to meet me now.
It’s because Celine left.
Compared to the sparring with Seria and the monster subjugation, my injuries were on the minor side. So today, I was going to go through the discharge procedure, but after hearing the news, Celine came to visit me.
And then, since the end ended like that, it seemed that a cold current would flow with Celine for a while.
When I thought of her, my mind became complicated again. I scratched my head.
Celine appealed to me until the end as if she was unfair.
“I was just talking behind my back. That’s what everyone does! I never said bullying, I just said I was a bit unlucky!”
“That might have been the trigger… … .”
“Then how many people do you think are outcasts a day at the academy?”
Hearing Celine’s chilled voice, I had no choice but to lick my lips and turn my head. Celine was still gritting her teeth.
Gossip was a common occurrence in the world of women. It was something I didn’t know.
“It’s her fault that she was isolated because she had no friends around! It’s been like that for a long time, but who harassed you so blatantly? No matter what, does it make sense for the lower nobles to gossip about the family affairs of the Yurdina family?”
“… … then?”
“Of course, high-ranking nobles are behind, sick- Shin-ah!”
Celine must have felt so frustrated, so she stomped her feet like that. Then it seemed that Celine was not the instigator.
Still, I had no choice but to let out a deep sigh. Even if there was a ringleader, Celine’s actions would not be justified.
“… … Still, it’s true that Seria’s image deteriorated.”
At that, Celine kept her mouth shut. As if he didn’t want to answer, he shook his head.
“Even if you don’t, you are a child who is misunderstood and hated a lot, will you be like that too?”
“Hmph,” Celine snorted. However, looking at her with her arms crossed and avoiding her gaze, it seemed that she was regretting it in her own way.
But it’s still not too late for this. I didn’t bring up the family story, and I didn’t actively participate in the bullying.
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Just gossip and ruined Seria’s image. That alone was a great mistake, but it was not a terrifying, unforgivable crime.
Considering Seria’s temperament, which is often lonely, there was a high possibility that she would accept it if she opened her heart and apologized honestly. Also, she will need a friend of the same age.
As I pictured such a beautiful future in my mind, I told Celine.
“Celine, let’s apologize to Seria.”
Celine was silent. She jerked and turned her head.
But I knew that she is shaking My tone softened. So as not to touch her pride.
“If you get to know Seria, she’s a pretty good kid. If we take this opportunity to become friends… … .”
“… … Never, no.”
A firm, cold voice.
My voice cut off at the unexpected response. I couldn’t figure out why Celine hated Seria so much, so I looked at her with curious eyes.
Celine shuddered and then approached me pointing a finger at me.
“If you’re like an older brother, can you make friends with a bitch who shoots arrows at the prey I shoot?!”
“… … what?”
“Oh really!”
When I sent a stupid glance at Celine’s sudden analogy, Celine burst out in a voice filled with irritation.
Is it a parable unique to the Hastur family? Hastur’s roots were from a famous hunter family, so it was a pretty reasonable inference.
Celine tried to leave the hospital room as if she was very angry. I first tried to call her up.
“Where are you going, Cell… … .”
“I don’t know, don’t follow me!”
At the call that came back before I could even finish my words, I kept my mouth shut.
Apparently Celine was very angry. In this case, it was best to wait until the anger subsided without saying anything.
Boom, Celine, who had left the hospital room door open, somehow poked her head into the hospital room for the last time.
She warned me again.
“I told you not to follow me!”
“… … ? Yes, do you think so?”
I hadn’t even thought of doing that in the first place, so my reaction was immediate.
However, at my answer, which seemed to be incomprehensible, Celine was even more angry, so she screamed out loud.
“… … Get out of here, you asshole!”
So Celine left. I still don’t know why Celine was so mad at the end.
I just remembered Leto’s words. It is said that a woman’s heart is like a well, and objects in it are refracted.
So, although I can roughly infer the scenery inside, Leto once told me that it wasn’t what it looked like in reality.
In other words, it meant that a woman’s heart could never be known.
I gave up trying to understand Celine’s feelings and went through the lonely discharge process. My condition was deplorable as I walked along.
Then my steps stopped, in front of a certain hospital room.
This was an intensive care unit. A place where critically ill patients stay, I have been taken care of many times. Especially more recently.
And here, one of my friends was hospitalized.
After hesitating for a moment, I finally made up my mind and opened the door to the hospital room and entered. When I carefully opened the door, there lay a girl with a pale complexion.
She was an attractive girl with reddish hair. It was hard to believe that he was from a commoner, and his skin was immaculate, and his eyelids always drew a gentle curve.
Like that, she was now just a corpse with only breath attached.
The mature man, who had been sleeping soundly in a chair that doubled as a bed, woke up wide awake when he felt a presence.
And as soon as he saw me, he was startled and immediately got up and tried to fall to the ground.
“Aigoo, Bocchan… … .”
“No, no, don’t do that. father.”
It was a treat I was used to. I naturally stopped him and looked down at the girl lying on the bed without saying a word.
Her name, who is soundly asleep, is Emma.
A student in the third year of the Faculty of Alchemy, and the shaggy man standing by her side was her father.
It remained unknown how such a beautiful daughter could come from such a bandit-like father.
I had a long talk with Emma’s father. It was several stories.
What a sweet student Emma was, how much her friends loved her, and what was going on at the academy recently.
Each time he heard each word, Emma’s father had to wipe the tears from his eyes. As proud of his daughter as he is, it must be painful that he is so distraught.
Cautiously, I inquired about Emma’s condition.
“Well, how is Emma these days… … .”
“There is no danger to your life.”
Fortunately, the man’s voice was heavy.
Hearing that, I immediately guessed. How is Emma’s condition?
There is no danger to life, but there is no remission either.
A state where you don’t know when you’ll come to your senses. It was like a death sentence of some sort.
No matter how much the academy took full responsibility for an accident that occurred while attending school, it was impossible to leave a hospital bed empty without a promise.
In a few years at most, the academy will request that Emma be vacated from the hospital.
If so, Emma can no longer sustain life. There was no way Emma’s father, who was only a herbalist, could afford to pay for Emma’s treatment, which required intensive care at the temple.
Delayed death, is that enough? I felt like my tongue was drying out.
Emma’s father gave an empty smile.
“If this father had a little more ability… … .”
“It’s not your father’s fault.”
At the man’s voice, which began to sob, I had no choice but to return such conventional comforting words.
That was when a few words were exchanged. Emma’s father bowed his head to me as if he had just remembered.
“Well, I heard it. The Bocchan said he dealt with the demon that attacked Emma… … .”
Surprised by his gratitude, I quickly waved my hand. After all, I was also responsible for Emma’s attack. It wasn’t something to be thankful for.
At best, isn’t it just my self-consolation? An embarrassed voice came out of my mouth.
“No, no. That child… … .”
He bit off Emma’s bloody clothes and spat it out.
I couldn’t stand it, I was about to say that, but I kept my mouth shut.
Friends could talk jokingly. Because that was the way those who lived with death on their shoulders. Me, Leto, and Celine may all face death someday.
So we try to laugh and talk about tragedies. It was as if it hadn’t been a big deal, but it was a courtesy that only those who were prepared for death could share.
Emma’s father was an herbalist. It was impossible to tell him anything that would remind him of the situation at the time Emma was attacked.
So I had no choice but to leave a short excuse.
“… … They attacked me, so I only dealt with them. It didn’t happen by chance, it wasn’t that I was actively seeking revenge. It is not something to be thanked for.”
Emma’s father still did not raise his head. He said, thanking me over and over again.
“Still, it is true that this poor fellow has received grace. Oh, I should have given you something… … .”
“it’s okay. Again, it is not something to be so grateful for.”
It was a few more minutes before Emma’s father gave in to my repeated requests.
He let out a sigh, letting out a hushed voice.
“Bocchan-nim, you really are an adult.”
At those words, I smiled bitterly. It’s grown up, I think I’m still just a child.
But whatever my impressions were, the villagers continued to evaluate me. A voice brimming with deep remorse, like lamentation.
“So did Emma. Ever since I was young, whenever I had a problem, I tried to solve it by myself. And then, as if I had done the right thing, I didn’t want any reward.”
“… … I see.”
Come to think of it, the Emma I saw seemed to be such a person.
She would always help out in the end, even with an open hand, even if it was just a few scoldings.
At that time, she looked really mature. He was different from me, who couldn’t properly comfort even the father of a friend who might lose his child.
However, the man’s words that followed made me tremble.
“Don’t live like that, Bocchan.”
“… … yes?”
Confused, I turned my gaze away from the floor. There, a villager was looking at me with earnest eyes.
It was a sincere eye.
“Brother, you shouldn’t live like that. Share any hardships and confide secrets to a trusted friend. So, only then, if something happens… … .”
Once again, the villager’s voice was watery. His head dropped. Tears dripped and flowed. Crying without a sound now.
“People around me, huh… Wouldn’t it be so miserable… … .”
That advice, coincidentally, had some aspects that fit my current situation.
So I couldn’t answer without hesitation. It was not polite to respond with empty words to sincere advice.
However, I thought about it for a long time. The answer that came out of my mouth, which had been silent for a long time, was short and simple.
“… … I will engrave it on my heart.”
The few sheets of paper I had put in my arms today felt heavy.
It was a love letter from the future. I wondered if that was the biggest worry and challenge I had right now, biting my lips several times in agony.
There was only one problem facing me now. Protecting the future written in this letter and preventing further human casualties.
In order to do that, he needed at least one colleague to share a secret with.
*
And the next day, one more problem faced me.
Seria got a little weird.
?