The party greeted the morning in refreshingly clear winter weather for the first time in a while.
“We’ll finish everything by today and return to Tildyen tomorrow.”
Evernight gave a concise order at the meal. Everything was almost coming to an end. Though time had been delayed by various incidents more than expected, the journey to Northernmost was nearing its end.
“E-Evernight, my lord, I…”
Anya called out to Evernight while chewing on tough bread. Since he always finished his meals quickly, he was always the first to leave. He had to get permission before that. Anya opened his mouth hastily without even swallowing the hard flour.
“Just for a moment, Ronan…”
“Go ahead. But return here by noon and pack your things.”
Even though Evernight hadn’t heard the boy’s words to the end, he knew what Anya wanted. The surroundings became quiet. Riario sat with his chin propped up, looking at Anya.
“Are you really going?”
“Yes… It’s m-my fault, so I should r-reveal the truth even now.”
The end of his voice trembled slightly. Even pretending to be resolute, the kid was still a kid. Moreover, having lived a life close to affection deprivation and receiving attention and praise for the first time in his life… how desperate must it be to wait for a result that would obviously disappear completely in just a few hours?
“Well, it’s not wrong, but… Your Highness is, in a way, somewhere between victim and perpetrator. If it were other people, they would have completely forgotten that they even did such a thing. Your head hasn’t hurt since then? As a side effect, some people lose their memories entirely.”
The pale face obediently shook no.
“Still, just in case, when you return to Tildyen…”
Riario stopped mid-sentence, let out a sigh, then looked back at Evernight.
“Are you really doing this?”
“Yes.”
It was a very brief answer without any hesitation. Sometimes the man seemed like Tildyen’s old ramparts standing alone. Never giving his side to anyone.
Well, would he have an answer? Riario respected Evernight but couldn’t fully empathize with his thoughts. Riario clicked his tongue softly then looked back at Anya again.
“Side effects… if not treated early, there’s nothing that can be done later… so I’ll prescribe medicine as soon as we go.”
“Th-thank you, Riario, my lord.”
Anya greeted with an embarrassed smile. The mage’s attitude of caring for him rather than blaming his incompetence made the boy extremely ashamed.
“By the way, what’s that?”
“Ah… th-this… it’s a g-gift I received.”
When the boy raised his hand, a thin thread bracelet was visible on his wrist hidden under his robe.
“From whom?”
Riario’s brow furrowed. It was a face that said how dare he readily accept such things when not much time had passed since he’d suffered a great incident. Anya hastily made excuses.
“J-Joel gave it to me a f-few days ago.”
Only then did the mage’s expression relax considerably.
“I thought it looked crude.”
Anya looked at him with a flustered expression.
“D-don’t s-say that.”
Momentarily angered by saying that, Anya watched Riario’s reaction. Karen whistled softly from the side.
“It’s a joke.”
Riario chuckled while bringing the glass full of wine to his lips. Somehow he looked rather amused rather than offended.
“Stop the useless chatter now and get up.”
Evernight stood up and grabbed Anya’s nape to lift him. It was like a fully grown adult wolf picking up a wolf cub with its mouth. When Riario and Karen burst into laughter, one of Evernight’s eyebrows rose. He pushed Anya toward Karen as if throwing him.
“Karen. I’ll entrust this guy’s escort to you.”
Anya’s slender body tilted and leaned forward. Oh my, lest the boy fall over, Karen jumped up and stretched out his hands to support him by bending his knees.
“Good grief. Yes, yes. I got it.”
But somehow Karen quickly pulled back his body at Evernight’s sharp blue gaze. Fortunately, Anya also immediately caught his balance and stood properly.
“Your Highness, Lord Karen, have a safe trip.”
Riario smacked his lips as if disappointed to miss such a rare entertaining scene.
After a modest breakfast, Anya moved toward the stable behind the inn to depart for the private house where the widows lived together with Karen.
“So many things have happened, haven’t they?”
Karen smiled brightly and lifted his monocle. The man with freckles dotting his face had a delicate and meticulous impression for a knight who handled a sword.
“Yes… I’ve b-been indebted to you all.”
‘Lord Karen seems close with Lord Sisou… but their personalities are complete opposites.’
Karen Cassanel had shown a consistently calm attitude throughout the various situations experienced since coming to Northernmost. It would have been nice to have more conversations with him during this opportunity, but Anya only now felt regretful.
“Mil!”
Anya shouted and ran toward the familiar beast being led by the stablekeeper from across the way.
Poor Mil… Thank goodness you came back safely.
After falling beyond the Wall that day, this clever horse had found its way home through the snowstorm. When he stroked its mane, Mil neighed and rubbed its body against Anya affectionately.
“Fortunately the weather is very nice today. I have a good feeling. Then, Your Highness, shall we go?”
Karen shouted from atop his warhorse.
“Yes, pl-please.”
Once they actually set out on their departure, tension gripped him tightly. Anya belatedly loosened the reins, hoping this fearless little animal wouldn’t be startled, but his stiff expression wouldn’t relax at all.
The touch of cold wind gently ruffled through his fine-textured brown hair. Anya forced his shoulders, which kept curving inward with tension, to straighten and made a resolution.
‘I’m not afraid. Even if they hit me and curse at me, now…’
The faces of the imperial palace people who had cursed and spat passed by. The image of Rips Mohan who had mounted his body and mercilessly slapped his cheeks also passed by.
“Hyah!”
Anya spurred on to drive Mil faster.
‘That doesn’t matter anymore.’
The boy was no longer afraid. Anya would gladly endure their cold gazes. He had resolved dozens, hundreds of times in that dark cave. That if he returned alive, if only he could return here by God’s grace, he could change, he would change—he had resolved that.
“H-here it is.”
Before long, they stopped their horses in front of a shabby private house. The village entrance was very quiet.
“Please go, Your Highness. I’ll be waiting under that tree. Call me if anything happens.”
Karen tactfully gave him space. After expressing his gratitude to him, Anya hopped down from Mil. Hoo, hoo. After catching his breath once, he knocked on the firmly closed door.
“Who is it?”
Rielri’s voice was heard from inside.
“H-hello, Rielri.”
“Master?”
Rielri recognized Anya’s voice at once. The door opened somewhat hurriedly. She asked back with an expression mixed with surprise and tension. Even after going through such an incident, Rielri seemed to be holding up bravely. Anya’s heart ached with guilt.
“How… why has my lady come here…”
Rielri also glanced at Karen over Anya’s shoulder. She was suddenly frightened that she might have done something wrong. With the monster incident that occurred simultaneously with the start of the snowstorm, the atmosphere in Northernmost had rapidly become ominous. Everyone had been holed up in their houses not budging, and when the weather finally cleared from yesterday, they had started opening their doors one by one.
Anya answered politely with his hand placed on his left chest.
“There’s n-no need to be surprised. I just c-came because I have s-something to say to Madam Rielri.”
Rielri opened the door wider and ushered Anya inside. Yesterday, Village Chief Lihisak had gathered the villagers in the square and announced that the monster was dead. He encouraged them saying that His Grace the Duke had returned from the Wall, and since the snowstorm seemed to have receded, they should start construction again.
When everyone was praising Evernight, Rielri suddenly thought of Anya. That day, the day she thought she’d lost Ronan, she was so out of her mind that her soul had left, but she couldn’t forget Anya’s expression looking at her with a face that seemed about to cry. Even though to them she must be as insignificant and worthless as an ant.
“With the snowstorm receding, yesterday the village men cut down nearby oak trees and everyone split them finely together to make firewood.”
She smiled awkwardly while adding more firewood to the brazier. Instead of his tattered robe, Anya was wearing a clean new robe. Rielri was slightly relieved. Nobles’ minds always changed easily like flipping a palm, so she had been afraid he might have come because he suddenly found that day’s incident offensive.
“……”
Unlike such Rielri, Anya rather looked anxious. As the boy sat quietly in the chair and spared his words, Rielri began to boil warm tea. Hot water poured out from the old kettle with a trickle and moistened the dried pine needles in the cup.
“We don’t have proper tea leaves here. We serve tea brewed from pine needles to our guests.”
Rielri added an explanation in case Anya might misunderstand. Today, the tea they drank seemed especially shabby.
“N-no. I’ll dr-drink it well.”
Fortunately, Tildyen’s lady didn’t mind. He seemed rather to be watching Rielri’s reaction while sipping the tea. Dismissing it as an absurd delusion, Rielri clasped her hands in front of her apron.
“But… what is it, my lady? Did I do something wrong…”
Anya gulped down the tea quickly as if his throat was parched. It was hot enough to burn his tongue, but he didn’t feel such stinging pain. After hesitating for a long while, Anya opened his mouth.
“About Ro… Ronan.”
