# Side Story 7
(This is from Jiman’s perspective.)
Tonight’s dinner table was more splendid than usual. As if wondering when such good ingredients had appeared in this small village, the farmer couple welcomed Ludin with thoughtfully prepared food. Remembering the days when Zendal commanded the five nations, they smiled good-naturedly while treating Ludin, who had been a prince, with great hospitality. Expensive liquor and dishes that weren’t brought out even during harvest season poured endlessly, and for a while, they imitated court etiquette with awkward speech. Joyful laughter followed one after another, and in one corner, the fireplace, burning stronger than usual, was blazing. I smiled quietly watching Ludin receiving this treatment with an embarrassed expression, not knowing what to do, and received a slight glance in return. This moment, capturing both the couple urging more food and Ludin repeatedly refusing while patting his already full stomach, was precious beyond belief.
Around the time all the plates on the large wooden table were emptied, the couple brought out dried fruit and tea. The child who had been eating plenty of food ran outside as the adults began to converse.
“I didn’t know you had such a precious connection.”
The farmer’s wife said with a somewhat shy smile. She still seemed bewildered by the fact that Ludin had personally come all the way here. Of course, I felt the same way.
“Didn’t Jiman tell you about me?”
Ludin asked playfully.
“It’s not that…”
“The truth is, he doesn’t easily talk about anything.”
As I blushed and made excuses, the farmer’s wife quietly added:
“He suddenly appeared one day asking if there was a place to stay, and then spent every day just going through the bushes.”
The husband, who had been quietly sitting and sipping tea, chimed in:
“At first I thought he was a hunter. I never imagined a physician would come to such a rural place.”
Ludin stared at me intently as he listened to them. Feeling like I should say something, I opened my mouth, but the farmer raised his rough hand and slightly pointed to the window. Outside, a boy was playing with a ball made by carving wood into a round shape. The corners of the couple’s eyes grew moist as they looked at the child.
“He also gave us great help when that boy fell ill.”
I waved my hands, cutting off the thanks that were about to follow.
“It wasn’t much help. I was just fortunate to have some medicine left.”
“You’re always so modest, we were worried you might have been falsely accused and driven out…”
“Pardon?”
Ludin burst into laughter at my reaction. Since I never dreamed the farmer would think that way, the situation became a bit amusing to me too. With a palace physician wandering only around the forest on the outskirts and just picking herbs, it was reasonable to make such an assumption. Ludin stopped laughing and rested his chin on his hand. Feeling his gaze on me, I couldn’t casually turn my head in that direction.
“That couldn’t be. He was the foremost physician in the palace.”
His voice lowered as if reminiscing about something.
“I knew it!”
The farmer exclaimed excitedly. Ludin smiled, and without taking his eyes off me, continued speaking for a while longer.
“He was so kind and gentle. He often became a reliable pillar for a child without parents. He even saved someone who had a deep illness with no hope. Many people saw hope in Jiman.”
“So he was indeed an excellent person.”
The farmer’s wife nodded in agreement with a faint smile.
“That’s right. He was extraordinary.”
Ludin answered while looking at her politely. And then those eyes, always beautiful, slowly turned toward me. Until the child who had been playing energetically outside came in and took plenty of dried fruit, Ludin just kept staring at me intently without saying anything for a while.
* * *
There was a small vineyard around the farmer’s house. Ludin and I were walking around it as if by agreement. The wind, not too chilly, ruffled his hair several times, and each time, Ludin met the breeze with a faint smile. The thin grapevine branches, hanging strings of well-ripened fruit, bowed their heads lightly as if greeting us. The sun, which had been gradually setting with clouds from around the end of the early dinner, colored the vineyard with a reddish light.
The first thing Ludin, who had been quietly walking as if savoring the afterglow of the pleasant dinner, mentioned was about the farmer couple.
“They’re really good people, aren’t they?”
I nodded. No one would disagree that they were good people. That pure-heartedness of genuinely welcoming an unknown guest was not a treasure possessed by all people. Ludin briefly cast his gaze far away, glancing at the yard where the boy had been playing with the ball. In the empty yard, only a wooden ball sat alone.
“That child reminds me exactly of Rio.”
That child’s name from Ludin’s lips sounded somewhat different. Though it was a thought I’d had often, my heart wavered as if hearing something completely unexpected.
“Rio is…”
“Doing well. Sometimes it seems he does work even better than you.”
“…”
Ludin smiled as if comforting me. I wondered how much that small child had grown by now. I only remembered his childlike appearance, falling frequently and breaking medicine bottles. Perhaps sensing that my reminiscence was growing long, Ludin waited for a considerable time without adding words. He opened his mouth again only when we had already circled the vineyard about ten times, returning to the place where the farmer’s house gate was directly visible.
“I was a bit worried, but I’m glad that such good people were by your side.”
I answered out of habit.
“There’s no need to worry. I’m doing well.”
“You look it. It seems like you haven’t thought about me even once?”
Ludin laughed, lightly hitting my chest. Probably a joke. I knew well enough. The words that there was no need to worry, that I was doing well, were sincere. They weren’t pretense to ease Ludin’s mind. But my footsteps stopped abruptly, and without time to be conscious of it, an even deeper truth burst forth.
“I couldn’t rest for a moment.”
“Huh?”
Ludin, who had gone a few steps ahead without noticing that I had stopped, froze as well. Looking at him who had turned around with surprised eyes, I murmured without even knowing what I was saying.
“No matter what I saw, I only thought of you.”
“…”
“I thought it would be difficult, but it wasn’t at all. Rather, I was happy. It felt like you remained right by my side…”
Silence followed. The world was quiet as if time had stopped. Ludin was looking at me quietly with an indescribable expression. Since it was already too late to regret having been too honest, I just tried to maintain a gentle smile.
“I guess I’m truly hopeless.”
It was a sentence like a sigh. Joy overwhelmed sadness, but Ludin’s face darkened rapidly. After long hesitation, he called my name.
“…Jiman.”
Staring intently at his lips that hesitated, not knowing what to say, I spoke what I had originally intended to say.
“So I’m planning to return.”
“What?”
“To the palace.”
It was the second truth. Perhaps from the moment Ludin came to find me, a truth I had decided in an instant. Fantasy and reality were different. The latter was much more dazzling, and vividly reminded me of the brilliance of those I had left behind. Temptingly so, to the point where I couldn’t resist returning.
“Really? Is that true?”
Ludin opened his eyes wide as if he couldn’t believe it. That appearance was so cute, like a child who had received a gift, that it made me smile. The fact that I had a place to return to, that there was someone who would welcome me there, and that that person was you, made me insanely happy.
“As for herbs, I’ve collected the amount I aimed for.”
“…”
“And… if I’m going to think only of you anyway, even if we’re apart, it would be better to watch from close by.”
I was his person anyway. Whether far apart or close together. I reaffirmed that fact. Since I had loved him when he was in a difficult situation, loving him when he had become happy was much easier. Willingly surrendering to an inseparable heart, I warned the rejoicing Ludin:
“But you might regret it.”
“…Why?”
“Because I really intend to stay by your side continuously.”
Ludin smiled brightly. As if my warning were the finest jewel, he embraced me widely with both arms and whispered as if on the verge of tears:
“You’re always welcome.”
