episode_0007

It was deep night.

And it was noisy.

The village was unusually boisterous. At a time when everyone should have been home, all the men were outside, carrying torches and searching the outskirts of the village.

Marvin Ajusshi, who had gone out on patrol, returned. Judging by his expression, there seemed to be no good news.

“Haa-. How far did these kids go?”

“Is it true they went to Behemor? That’s beyond the boundary, isn’t it?”

“The Village Chief-nim said he permitted it. But no matter what, they should have returned by now…”

“The Divine Dragon-nim must be angry. For an unbaptized girl to try and enter forbidden land.”

Long after sunset, Tia and Ruyef had not returned. Marie, who was helping with dinner, asked, ‘Oppa, when are you coming?’ and the villagers belatedly realized the two had disappeared, immediately beginning a search.

The atmosphere quickly turned serious. As it was revealed that the Village Chief-nim had specifically allowed only Tia to go beyond the boundary, people began to question why such a decision was made.

As always, the Village Chief-nim remained silent.

Marvin Ajusshi looked back at me.

“Ritsu. Did Tia say anything to you?”

“I heard her say she was going to Behemor.”

“Then why didn’t you go with her? It’s your role to watch over Tia.”

“Because Ruyef was with her…”

“Ah, hell. I’m going crazy.”

The adults couldn’t hide their bewilderment. It was an unprecedented event: an unbaptized girl went beyond the boundary and hadn’t returned even by nightfall.

All the men who had gone on patrol returned. The adults discussed in heavy voices.

“They weren’t on the outskirts. There were no sounds either.”

“We’ll have to go all the way to Behemor.”

“Shouldn’t we wait until daybreak to make a move?”

“Those kids know we’re worried. If they still haven’t returned, something must have happened. If worst comes to worst, wouldn’t they at least shout?”

“…I really hope so.”

Everyone was silent around the bonfire. Although no one spoke it aloud, it seemed everyone was picturing the worst-case scenario in their minds.

I was the same. It felt like a heavy stone was pressing down on my chest.

If anything were to happen to Tia, the responsibility would be mine. Because I had requested the Village Chief-nim to allow Tia to go outside.

“Everyone, let’s get ready to go up.”

People went into their respective homes and began to pack their mountain climbing gear. Tense gazes were visible. Even for the elders who had lived their entire lives in this mountain, entering the deep forest in the middle of the night was still a dangerous undertaking.

Just as they were packing weapons like swords and gathering in small groups, ready to depart.

“Huh? Wait a minute. Isn’t that…?”

Suddenly, Marvin Ajusshi pointed towards the middle of the mountain. Everyone turned to look in that direction.

Indeed, in the pitch-black darkness. A gray-like object was moving vaguely. Like a small tree shuffling along.

Raising their torches and squinting, there was no mistake. It was a person.

“Let’s go!”

As they ran, the red hair, illuminated by the moonlight, became clearly visible. And what they saw next was Ruyef, carrying Tia on his back, stripped to the waist.

He was drenched in sweat from head to pants, and Tia was clinging to Ruyef’s neck, carried on his back.

“Haa- haa-.”

“Huu, huu…”

The two people’s gasping breaths echoed through the night air. Their appearance made it impossible to guess what on earth had happened in the mountains.

“You rascals! What on earth were you doing to be so late?!”

Marvin Ajusshi quickly took Tia. Her robe was also soaked with sweat, making it damp. Tia, once on the ground, swayed and offered a weary smile.

“Gasp-. Gasp-. I’m sorry. We’re, a little late, aren’t we?”

“A little? Look at everyone now. They couldn’t sleep because they were looking for you, and you say ‘a little’? Is this a laughing matter?”

“I apologize.” Ruyef, after wetting his throat, apologized on their behalf.

“I will explain everything. Please let Tia rest.”

“Phew-.” The adults sighed in relief, then sternly warned him.

“Ruyef. You’d better explain properly. This is not something that can just be overlooked. Understand?”

“I understand.”

“Ritsu. You take Tia home.”

“Yes.”

I was about to help her immediately, but Tia shook her head.

“N-no. It’s okay. I can go by myself.”

“But your leg is injured.” I carefully observed her limping leg.

Tia’s right leg was splinted with a tree branch, and the bandage I had given her was wrapped around her ankle, while clothing was tightly wrapped around her thigh to secure it.

And that clothing was….

Ruyef’s.

Suddenly, Fosao Ajusshi’s words came to mind.

‘Ruyef… did something… to Tia. He seemed to be… hugging her and… touching her.’

My breath caught in my throat.

The fact that Ruyef’s shirt was tied around her thigh… did that bastard touch Tia… that far?

No. That can’t be. Maybe Tia just received the shirt and splinted it herself.

But either way… I didn’t like it.

Thump-. Thump.

I arrived at Sherry Auntie’s house with Tia. She looked at me with an expression that said she had a lot to say.

I felt the same, but I was in no mood for it right now.

“…Rest.”

“Okay. You sleep well too, Ritsu.”

I immediately headed home.

The adults were gathered in front of the Village Chief-nim’s house, waiting for Ruyef’s explanation. I was also incredibly curious about what on earth had happened in the mountains.

But I didn’t want to see that bastard ever again.

“…”

I walked past them and up the hill.

* * *

The next morning.

As soon as dawn broke, I opened the door to the apothecary. Perhaps due to yesterday’s commotion, people were still asleep. It seemed everyone had decided to rest for a day after working so hard late into the night.

In the quiet morning. I slowly sat in the armchair and took out the coin from my chest pocket.

Clink. Roll-. Roll-.

The gold coin rolled across my fingertips. The warmth of Tia, who had heated this gold coin, was no longer there, but idly rolling it like this somehow brought comfort to my heart.

I was in the midst of calmly soothing my mind and body.

Knock knock.

A visitor came early in the morning. Only one person would come looking for me at this hour, and only she would make such a timid, soft knock.

I put the gold coin back into my pocket and called out.

“Come in.”

Honestly, I wished she hadn’t come. Not if she was going to come looking for me with that innocent, bright face as if nothing had happened.

“Ritsu-! Good morning!”

Tia was carrying an herb bag. After causing such a ruckus yesterday, was she really thinking of going up the mountain again? She really was amazing. In many ways.

I didn’t particularly want to face her and talk, so I casually opened a book.

“…Is your leg already fully healed?”

“Yeah. Luckily, it seems I just sprained it a little. It was fine when I woke up-.”

The splint was gone. Glancing sideways, I saw Loop’s clothes draped over Tia’s shoulder.

“Is that so? Then you should go return it now.”

“Huh? What?”

“That clothing.”

Tia shrugged her shoulders.

“Oh… this? Right! It’s Loop’s. I have to return it.”

“Then go.”

“What? Already? I’ve only just said hello.”

“Do you have anything more to say?”

She was silent for a moment, then carefully sat in the rocking chair.

“Ritsu, you seem to be in a bad mood today.”

“…”

Hearing that made me genuinely feel worse. Was she observant, or oblivious? Seeing that innocent gaze, which only made me feel like I was being overly sensitive, annoyed me even more.

“For a Ritsu like that- Ta-da!”

Tia opened her herb bag and held it out in front of me.

“I dug these up in Behemor. Pearl Forget-Me-Nots!”

“…”

Inside were beautiful white flowers. They were indeed Pearl Forget-Me-Nots. The rare herb that I had always worried about how to obtain, often racking my brain because of its scarcity. Perhaps because they were dug up from a forbidden area, there were quite a lot of them. If dried well, there would be enough to last until winter without worry.

But that wasn’t the problem.

“Behemor- it was truly magnificent there! Waterfalls were pouring down, blue moss was growing all over the rocks-, and Pearl Forget-Me-Nots were scattered everywhere! Ritsu, you should have seen it-!”

“Sounds like you had a good time.”

“Anyway, when I saw the Pearl Forget-Me-Nots, I thought of Ritsu and just picked them all. Hehe-. Loop did stupidly fall and drop some in the water! But I picked out the ones that weren’t too wet!”

“…I see.”

Thump.

I closed the book I was reading.

“But what’s ‘Loop’ that you’ve been saying?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s what I call Ruyef! I made it up yesterday. How is it? It’s short and nice, right?”

“Ah, I see. How clever of you. To suddenly start calling him by a nickname after using his full name until now.”

“Is that a nickname? But you know- isn’t it strange? All of us are two syllables! Ri-tsu. Ti-a. Ma-rie. But Ruyef is the only one who’s Ru-yef. So when I said I’d call him ‘Loop’ from now on, he said to do whatever I wanted.”

“Tia.”

“Huh?”

Tia stared at me intently.

Her eyes truly were like jewels. Pure, clear, transparent, like a subtle ruby.

If she were to lie so brazenly with such eyes… she would surely be a demon sent to destroy this world.

“Tell me honestly. What happened yesterday?”

“Ah… well, on the way back, I slipped while jumping off a rock. My leg hurt so much I really couldn’t move… that’s why we were late.”

No. If you were that injured, you should still be lying in bed right now. No matter how excellent your recovery ability is, you can’t possibly come up to the apothecary, smiling like this, in just a few hours.

“What was Ruyef doing then? Didn’t that bastard go with you to prevent you from getting hurt?”

“That… was because we made a bet on who could reach the village first and were running, and I got hurt! I was the one who suggested that bet too. It’s not Loop’s fault…”

“You’ve never gotten hurt running in the mountains before.”

“Since it was a new path for me… I should have been more careful…”

“Why on earth did you try to go on a dangerous path when it was your first time there?”

As my voice grew louder, Tia’s eyes widened.

“Ritsu? What’s wrong all of a sudden…?”

“Do you even know how worried the elders were?”

Even I thought it was a cowardly thing to say. I didn’t care about people’s worries.

I just… didn’t like you, Tia, being with that bastard.

I hated that there was a story only the two of you knew, and I hated that you called him so familiarly.

I simply hated, to the point of madness, that only the two of you knew the truth of what happened in the forest that night.

But all of this was just my own selfishness. I couldn’t blame you for this.

“I thought that bastard would at least guide you properly, but not only did he come late, he got you hurt? Don’t go with him again.”

“I told you it’s not Loop’s fault!”

“Are you defending him now?”

“Defending him… what? No! Loop showed me the way properly! He even told me to be careful when we were running! It’s just… I didn’t listen…”

“So. It’s all your fault, then?”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“Fine. Then you won’t cross the boundary again. Because if this story reaches the elders, they’ll all think it’s ‘your problem’!”

Words mixed with irritation and resentment burst out of me without realizing it. Harsher and darker things were screaming wildly in my throat, but I was desperately holding them back.

However, the moment I slightly loosened the reins of reason, the unrestrained wicked thoughts poured out without hesitation.

“And why are you protecting that bastard so much? What, did you two grow close in Behemor or something?”

“-Ritsu!!!”

A massive roar shook my entire head. It was the first time I had heard such a sharp and loud voice from her. When my name was called out in a voice mixed with anger, sadness, injustice, and shame. It was then that I finally realized I had made a mistake.

Tia’s voice trembled.

“You… you’re acting strange right now. …Do you realize that?”

“…”

“Why don’t you believe me? Why are you doing this? Do you hate Ruyef?”

“…Yes. I hate him.”

She gasped, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to burst forth.

“I know you two… don’t get along. But to me, both of you are kind and good friends…”

I couldn’t agree. Ruyef was clearly a rude bastard, and saying that he was as kind as me was an insult to me, who had truly been kind to you all this time.

But Tia. Since you said it, I will believe you. So please promise me it’s not a lie.

“By the Divine Dragon of Dragonnez, I swear. Is ‘that’ truly all that happened?”

“…”

Just as Tia, with a resolute gaze, was about to open her mouth.

Clank!

The door to the apothecary suddenly opened.

A large shadow that blocked half the morning sunlight. A bulging belly indistinguishable from the box he was carrying. And that unique scent that even overpowered the aroma of the apothecary filled with herbs.

“Hoo-. Ritsu. Goo, good morning…! Hoo-.”

It was Fosao Ajusshi.