Chapter 125
"Come to think of it, so many things happened."
"Indeed."
"It's already been 3 years... but it feels as vivid as yesterday. Does that mean it's a precious memory?"
"I remember it clearly too."
We talked for a while.
Our conversation recalling our first meeting continued, passing through that winter with fierce blizzards before finally concluding.
It was already close to morning.
We had stayed up all night with just our two voices.
I muttered memories with a calm smile.
"I think Miss Neria from back then was fine too. She used informal speech unlike now, so it felt more friendly."
"That's because you've become someone I serve now."
The girl with an equally comfortable expression.
The process of looking back after a long journey was warm like hot cocoa held on a cold winter day.
We were savoring that sweetness and bitterness.
I stroked her silver hair with a gently outstretched hand.
Perhaps surprised by the sudden contact?
Her snow-white cheeks quickly dyed with fresh redness.
Nevertheless, because she was a girl who obediently accepted the touch, I smiled at her with the meaning of praising her.
Her silver eyes avoided my gaze along with a melting reaction.
Lips mumbling shyly.
"I-I'm sorry. My face suddenly got hot..."
"You're still so shy."
"...Only you make me like this, Master."
"I'm glad even if it's just flattery."
I answered glibly.
The hand that had been exploring her hair soon naturally went down, caressing every corner of the girl's face including her forehead.
Skin fully containing that faint heat.
Cheeks already flushed as much as possible, and breathing gradually became rough.
The beautiful scene like shattering flower petals added proof to our relationship.
Eyes, nose, lips... as I felt her life in order, soon my fingertips touched the widely engraved scar.
The burn mark covered her entire right face.
"......"
A trace of regret was contained in my gaze.
A scar I couldn't protect.
While chewing on complicated inner thoughts, I wrapped that heterogeneous sensation with my palm.
Because even the wounds received from winter were affection for us.
I lowered my head intently.
Then I pressed my forehead against the girl's forehead.
Our body temperatures dyeing each other completely.
"This scar... do you still not want to erase it?"
I asked.
I could fix such traces with just a gesture after all.
It was also something I had recommended several times already.
But
The girl always.
"I like it as it is."
Shook her head.
As if even such scars were love to her.
"This is the salvation I received from you... and proof of warmth that won't disappear in the future."
"You say you'll live despite embracing scars."
"Rather, I live because I embraced scars."
It was the right argument.
Life is.
Not a process of hiding or concealing wounds, but overcoming that stems from acceptance.
The girl intended to embrace even that terrible winter.
Only the boy was reflected in her silver pupils.
"Now this scar makes me feel alive."
"Then I guess it can't be helped."
You're stubborn in strange areas.
I burst into quiet laughter.
Perhaps thinking she wanted to have even such moments, the girl carefully overlapped her hand on top of mine.
The scar contained in my palm as if giving everything.
Yet.
When I intertwined our fingers first, she blushed.
A smile spread involuntarily at her fresh reaction.
"I like that Miss Neria is consistent."
"Uuu..."
The girl was trying hard to cool the heat in her face.
After several deep breaths, she regained stability and faced each other again with clear eyes.
Her face with a faint flush remaining drew tenderness.
"Anyway... this is what I wanted to say."
Though wavering.
It was no longer a dark complexion.
"I'm no longer bound by the past."
"......"
"You've been worrying since earlier, haven't you? Surely because of what happened in the kingdom today."
"I can't deny it."
"If it's about encountering the monarch, I don't mind."
"But it must have been a painful scar."
"Master."
A firm voice.
The following calling bloomed stealthily with a faint smile.
"It would certainly be a lie to say it doesn't hurt... but didn't you give a new life even to such a monster?"
Therefore,
There's no reason to be bound by my old name anymore, no reason to suffer in the nightmare of loneliness, no reason to hate myself.
Even if darkness comes, I choose to face it rather than tears.
That is the fate of light.
"Because the name you gave me became the reason for my life."
"......"
The name I gave to the girl.
Neria Lightni.
When read in ancient language, it means 'one who lights a fire'.
It was a name I gave hoping she would escape from darkness that seemed eternal and someday shine brightly.
For a moment, that moment shimmered.
"Don't you need a name?"
Your appearance was trapped between pitch black iron bars.
When I saw your gaze that had become much clearer than then, I ended up harboring sentimental thoughts that the things I had done in this world had meaning...
I received comfort.
"Huhu... when did you grow so big?"
You might think I saved you.
But actually it was the opposite.
Because the one who truly received salvation at that time was none other than me.
To me who had lost my sister in my past life and become a wreck, to me who suddenly fell into this world but repeated wandering, to me who couldn't find a reason to live until the end, to me who only wanted to walk dangerous paths as I had no lingering attachment to life, to me with the mindset of just dying like that, in my winter when everything was precarious and meaningless.
You were the first meaning of life I found.
Responsibility for taming.
I lived with the thought that I had to take responsibility for you.
That was the calling of my possession that has continued until now.
If it weren't for you, my winter wouldn't have ended.
Perhaps I would have given up.
With the clumsy excuse of saving you, I silently saved myself who was dying.
So your words of thanks were thankful to me.
Therefore,
I gently embrace you.
And whisper.
"Please take care of me in the future too."
"Everything is for you."
You only answered silently.
Morning that had come before we knew it.
We didn't let go of each other's warmth as if melting into each other.
Only two people were standing in the dark room.
***
The next day.
When the events in the kingdom were wrapped up, I boarded a carriage returning to the academy.
Even though it was vacation, I had been absent for two days.
"Then... I'll leave the future matters to you."
"Yes, Master."
The silver-haired girl who came to see me off.
I entrusted the remaining work to her hands, and left the street and headquarters filled with memories just like that.
The rolling wheels ran towards another nest.
It felt like going home.
At first everything was unfamiliar and novel, but now it was the scenery of the academy I had become somewhat used to.
The destination arrived while I was chewing over idle thoughts for a moment.
The first to greet me was the fox.
She was waiting for the carriage in front of the main gate.
"You worked hard."
"How did you know I was returning today?"
"I got a call from the person called the vice-commander."
"I see."
"How did the matter you said you'd resolve go?"
"I wrapped it up well. Shall I tell you about it if you want?"
"I'll listen to that slowly."
"Then?"
"For now there's something more urgent to talk about."
"Urgent talk...?"
"You'll know if you follow me."
The girl took my hand with incomprehensible words.
Though I reacted as if not understanding, I moved my steps recklessly following the leading hand.
As we crossed the academy streets, familiar faces popped out in turn.
"Young Master! We were waiting!"
"Wait, commoner...! You'll get hurt if you fall while running like that!"
The protagonist greeted them brightly.
And as if she had been waiting together, the villainess revealing her presence with her usual tackling.
The two had now become best friends and refused to be apart.
It wasn't just them.
"Mm... we came too."
"Because a certain delinquent physician was absent from medical treatment."
The little prince appeared pushing a wheelchair, and the rose threw barbs from that wheelchair.
The imperial princesses also seemed to have waited for my arrival.
The group that had swelled to five like that.
I couldn't help but have deeper doubts.
'Is this urgent talk... something everyone needs to discuss together?'
I don't think they were particularly close usually.
Especially the fox and rose would have psychological warfare just from meeting eyes, to the extent I had to ask them to please get along.
To think those two people had to put their heads together and worry.
Something bothered me.
'They all seem strange somehow.'
The strange atmosphere flowing since earlier also bothered me.
I can't explain it exactly but... it's strangely sticky, should I say.
I tried hard to ignore the sense of incongruity.
It's probably just my mood.
After dealing with trash in the kingdom and returning, I seemed to have become mentally sharp.
My steps shaking off idle thoughts headed to the dormitory with the children.
But
'Bad premonitions usually don't miss.'
About 30 minutes later.
We were sitting in a row in the dormitory living room.
The children subtly surrounded me.
The content to discuss together was as follows.
"What? A banquet?"
The upcoming academy banquet.
An event celebrating the start of the new semester, and a ball where men and women formed pairs to participate.
The content to discuss was choosing a partner for that time.
"So... who will you choose?"
Girls looking this way with somewhat chilly gazes.
The air suddenly became humid.
I could only smile.
It was a smile containing various troubles.
"Ha, haha..."
Somehow.
It felt like I had gotten into something seriously wrong.