Gift
“Ru, Ruman!”
I felt like calling out someone’s name for no reason and jumping around.
I wanted to brag that I just made a friend, a real friend.
But Temarr Hyung is busy. And with Ruman, there’s something I said in the past, so it was embarrassing to chatter. When I bit my lips, Ruman gestured again.
“What. Did Princess Coco become your friend?”
Ruman asked with a grin.
I ran over frantically, waving the pouch in my hand. My voice grew louder without me realizing it.
“Princess Coco gave it to me!”
“Careful! You’ll fall.”
My breath trembled fully. Ruman nodded.
“Nice. Looks expensive. And?”
He nodded as if he would listen to more.
“And, and… she told me to come visit later…”
“Oh! You became friends!”
Ruman lightly touched my hair.
“R-right?!”
After clenching my fist and shouting like that, I suddenly felt embarrassed.
However, when Ruman patted my shoulder and smiled quietly, that embarrassment became pure joy.
It’s okay to be happy!
It’s okay for me to smile as much as I want!
“That’s good.”
“Right!”
I smiled brightly.
Ruman’s hand, which had been hovering near my head as if hesitating, thoroughly messed up and stroked my hair. I only disliked other people’s touch. It’s strange. Ruman’s stroking didn’t seem bad. Perhaps my germaphobia was cured?
I felt embarrassed and wanted to avoid his hand pretending to dislike it, but when I recalled that Ruman was leaving soon, I didn’t want to do that.
I chattered to Ruman, trying to blow away my regretful feelings.
I was also disappointed not to see Rante. Ruman nodded at my pointless words. Seeing that he didn’t tease or joke around, it seemed Ruman also wanted to part on good terms.
“Please tell Rante thank you for me too.”
“Okay.”
“You have to tell him for sure.”
“I got it.”
“Right now, you can’t summon him, right? I’m not asking you to call him!!”
“He needs to recover his energy, so no.”
“Got it.”
I was nodding at Ruman’s words when a cheerful voice caught us.
“Oh! Ren-nim, handsome Hero-nim!”
“Kirki-nim.”
When I said I heard the sound of someone climbing the stairs thud-thud-thud, it was Kirki the priest. He had a delighted face and without giving us time to refuse, he hugged me tightly, then also hugged Ruman tightly! He hugged Ruman longer.
“My goodness. Why are you doing this? I prefer women.”
“I know! I heard you have a fiancée. Hehe. She must be a beauty, right?”
Kirki squinted one eye.
“So regretful! To part so soon like this. But the world is round, so we’ll meet again someday! Don’t you think?”
“Is that so?”
Ruman’s lips loosened. Kirki nodded saying that’s right and poured out words. It was about how much Coco cried on the way back from the funeral and how he saw Shon leaving wearing a white circle. We couldn’t interrupt Kirki who was enthusiastically spilling his story, so we stood for a moment and listened to the whole thing, but somehow Coco knew and shouted in a hoarse voice. Her voice was loud enough to pierce through the closed door! “Kirki! Aren’t you coming quickly!?” “Hyaaa! I’m going, Coco-nim!” Startled, Kirki ran down the corridor but turned back and shouted while making the Hero’s salute. “May your journey be full of blessings!”
Ruman, who had been whistling and laughing briefly, made serious eyes.
“Ren, what do you think?”
“……?”
What do I think about what Kirki said? Or the beauty of Lacus?
When I stared blankly, Ruman swept back his own hair.
“About the handsome Hero.”
“……”
It’s not wrong, but when he asks like that, I don’t want to answer!?
“I don’t know!”
I ended up saying that and ran to the garden. Ruman followed behind, laughing loudly.
Seton, Hugh, and his subordinate knights were lined up near the carriage we would ride. Hyung, who had been talking with Seton about something, turned to look at me.
But beside Hyung was that physician too. The physician who treated us in the hollow, who stared at me intently, and who snatched the herbs!!
“Why is that person here?”
I thought my feelings had softened, but I guess not. I’m totally petty. Seeing him made stress surge up.
“Ren. You need to watch your words with the physician-nim.”
“Are we dropping him off on the way?”
I tried to hide my spite.
“Ren is frail, so we decided to travel with the physician for the time being.”
“What?! He’ll just be cumbersome! I’m not frail.”
Everyone made displeased expressions at those words.
Temarr Hyung shook his head and acted as if my opinion wasn’t needed. Damn!
The physician hesitated then stepped forward.
“I-I’m sorry for picking up your herbs as I pleased. There won’t be such a thing in the future, so can’t we get along well? I’m physician Gepetto.”
The physician who introduced himself as Gepetto extended his hand with an embarrassed smile.
No matter how much he’s a physician and looks kind. I still dislike touching other people. Separate from my guard being lowered.
When I sneakily hid my hands behind my back, Hyung’s face distorted terrifyingly.
“Ugh. Please take care of me.”
The physician who withdrew his hand bowed his head.
“……”
I only bowed my head.
But Hyung didn’t seem pleased with that.
Should I endure it even now and extend my hand first? Right, I can endure even if I dislike it. Why did I act so rudely just now? I decided and was about to extend my hand, but Ruman tapped my back.
When I turned around, he gestured for me to come here.
Now? Why?
“Come here.”
If I ask again, will Hyung scold me for being rude again?
I watched for cues then hesitantly approached Ruman. As if pondering something, there was a crease on Ruman’s forehead. When I got close, he suddenly raised his head and said something out of the blue.
“I’ll let you greet him.”
“Greet? What?”
“‘Luvien.'”
The moment I asked, Ruman chanted a spell into his mouth.
With very faint light, a white fox appeared.
Unlike back then when he was fluffy and nice to look at, now his fur was sparse and patchy, and he looked thin. But his eyes and nose were still sparkling black.
Rante glared at Ruman and bared his teeth, then discovered me and hid his teeth. Then he gently folded his eyes and smiled. A fox through and through! Though he’s probably not a real fox.
Whoa. So cute…
The tiny white fox lifted his paw from Ruman’s hand and growled as if telling me to come. When I approached, Rante licked the back of my hand.
When the rough yet warm tongue touched me, my tension released. Ugh, muscle cramp!
When I carefully stroked Rante’s head with my other hand, Rante licked me again.
Then he disappeared.
“Ah.”
I didn’t get to say thank you again.
Ruman smiled with his eyes folded like Rante.
“I’ll tell him. You were going to say thank you, right?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
Ruman seems to notice my thoughts well these days.
‘Could mind-reading be his ability?’
“Let’s go. We should depart now.”
I thought for a moment that there couldn’t be words that sound sadder than that.
Perhaps the reason Hyung left without saying goodbye behind my back was because of that. At this moment, I could understand Hyung a little.
I bit my lips then released them. It’s enough that we greeted each other. Anyway, people are the problem. Too greedy!
“You have to tell him for sure.”
“Of course.”
Ruman briefly gripped my arm then let go.
I don’t know what it means. Did Ruman also want to shake hands with me?
If that’s it, it’s fine.
When I stared blankly at Ruman, he pushed my back saying let’s go.
Seton and Hyung seemed to have finished their conversation.
“When you arrive, please send a letter here. We’ll investigate thoroughly and then contact you.”
“Thank you.”
“Those are words we should say. Thank you for saving the Princess-nim. Hero Temarr-nim. Hero Ruman-nim. And Ren, who bravely stayed with her.”
Me…?! I-I don’t think I need to be greeted. I just kept my promise not to leave her alone!
Being called so suddenly, I was too flustered and couldn’t answer, only twitching my lips.
“It wouldn’t have been easy to step forward bravely in such a situation. The Princess-nim was said to be very deeply moved.”
I thought Seton was cold and rational.
But he, with that cold face, said warm words, pointing out each one not excessively. His eyes folded gently and something like a smile passed by.
Did I see wrong? Or no, did I see correctly?
“Hugh.”
“Yes.”
I was unknowingly staring at Seton’s face, when Knight Hugh approached limping. When I looked questioningly, he held out a box he was carrying. When I just stared, he unlocked it and opened the lid, and what was inside was a jeweled necklace.
“Why this…”
“Princess Coco-nim asked us to deliver it. This necklace was made with special techniques that only the Duke’s family craftsman possesses. It has a mark that can be recognized wherever you show it, so if you need the Ganien family’s help, use it anytime and come back, she said.”
