episode_0080

It felt as if all the blood was draining from her body.

“…So you said you’ve never heard the name Modaless, that you don’t know him. Oh, Tia?”

For a moment, she couldn’t control her body and swayed.

She barely managed to pull herself together and regain her balance, but her mind went blank, and she couldn’t say anything.

“What’s wrong? Would you like some water?”

“Ah, no. I’m fine. Something urgent just came to mind… I’ll come back another time!”

“Alright. Come with Ritsu next time.”

As soon as she left the tavern, she ducked into an empty alley.

She leaned against the wall, clutching her chest.

Cold sweat trickled down the back of her neck.

Those men… no, those bandits searching for ‘Modaless’ meant…

They were after Fosao Ajusshi.

What happened?

What on earth happened in Deseo?

Did the nobles’ rebellion fail?

No. That can’t be.

Only ten days have passed. It’s hard to believe that the rebellion has already failed and they’ve come all the way to Teildon to catch Ajusshi.

Moreover, seeing how they’re searching around.

It means Ajusshi hasn’t been caught yet.

“……”

After calmly eliminating each possibility that came to mind.

Only one conclusion remained.

Perhaps… the Deseo monarchy seemed to have started investigating what we did.

Because it was too early to feel any signs of a ‘rebellion’ at this time.

Since the Modaless Trading Company suddenly intervened during the process of the newly rich gaining control of the Robert family’s ironware market.

They must have sent these soldiers, disguised as bandits, to come all the way here to investigate that.

Fosao Ajusshi is in danger.

So, what should I do?

It was highly likely that Ajusshi knew nothing right now.

Ajusshi… is good at business, but not cautious enough to foresee a situation of this magnitude.

When he finishes his work in Deseo and arrives in Teildon, he might suffer at the hands of those bandits.

And most importantly, they were elite soldiers of the kingdom.

No matter how highly regarded I was as a swordsman in Deseo, fighting against them was impossible.

What should I do?

Should I tell Teacher-nim?

No. Involving Teacher-nim in something like this is strange.

To explain the situation, I would have to talk about Ajusshi.

Excluding Teacher-nim, is there anyone else who could subdue two elite soldiers?

“……”

It came to mind.

There was one person.

Someone I knew very well, in fact.

That person would return here without question or hesitation.

Because they were the one who missed and loved Breezedon more than anyone.

She immediately moved her feet and headed to the tools shop.

She bought two sheets of stationery, borrowed a quill, and wrote a letter.

Scratch scratch.

One character at a time.

Pressing firmly. She poured her strength into each stroke.

While writing, she occasionally looked out the window.

A sense of unease crept over her, wondering if those men might have noticed her presence.

After writing the last sentence.

She put down the quill.

“……”

Her hand trembled.

Now, all she could do was hope that this letter would reach its destination safely.

The letter’s destination was Deseo’s ‘Defensive Swordsmanship Association’.

It was an expensive letter, sent immediately by ship, so it would probably arrive in four days.

She had heard they would cover the cost… so it should be delivered safely.

She sealed the letter with sealing wax, tied it carefully with a string.

And handed it to the owner.

“Please deliver this to the communication office.”

“You could just go yourself, couldn’t you?”

“Please…”

“Hmm. You must be busy. Alright. Go back safely.”

“Thank you.”

She was about to leave the shop when the tools shop Ajusshi asked with a worried expression.

“Tia. It’s good to see you after so long. But you look very gloomy.”

“I guess it’s because I’m tired… I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“No, no. I hope to see you often from now on.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

The longer she stayed in Teildon, the more dangerous it became.

Pulling her robe up over her head, she ascended the mountainside.

She checked behind her several times.

Fortunately, no one was following her.

She silently walked up the path, then subtly veered off into the general store.

She immediately crossed the yard.

Under the stairs at the entrance of the general store, there was an empty flowerpot.

In the past, flowers bloomed in this pot, but now they were gone without a trace, filled only with dust and soil.

She remembered correctly.

Beneath that flowerpot, there was a hole large enough for one hand to fit through.

That Ajusshi kept a key there.

Clink.

As soon as she put her hand in, she felt the hard sensation of metal.

It was an old key.

With it, she unlocked the door and unlatched the bolt.

Creeeeak-.

The musty smell wafting strongly from the shop.

…It was Ajusshi’s smell, one she had now grown accustomed to.

How many years has it been? Seven years, it seems.

It really hasn’t changed at all. It’s exactly the same.

Rustle-.

She pulled a letter from her belt.

It was a letter for the owner of this general store, and no one else.

She placed the letter on the table where Ajusshi always sat.

Then she firmly closed the door and left.

It was late. She had to go up quickly.

Shuffle. Shuffle.

She looked up at the daunting path leading up the mountain.

It felt suffocating.

She felt unseen hands tightening their grip around her throat, stronger and stronger.

“Ritsu…”

I’m sorry.

Please wake up.

Save me.

***

A few more days passed.

Ritsu’s pulse quickened, and his slow breathing returned to normal.

After feeding him stew, a little time would pass, and then a gurgling sound would be heard from his stomach.

She had to do laundry just as frequently, but it didn’t feel difficult at all.

She waited steadfastly, fueled by the sole hope of soon being able to meet him.

One day, Marie came to visit.

She showed her an unfinished scarf, saying she was making it while wishing for Ritsu’s speedy recovery.

“Unnie. Do you think Ritsu Oppa will like the scarf?”

“Yes. Ritsu will definitely like it.”

“Hehe-.”

Marie wiggled her small fingers, knitting as I had taught her.

I spent time beside her, teaching her knitting tips and talking about various things.

After playing together for a while, it was gradually time for her to go home.

Marie, nestled in her arms, spoke in a gloomy voice.

“Lately, my Oppa doesn’t come home much.”

“Why?”

“He says he has to cut a lot of wood.”

“In winter?”

“I don’t know. Grandma and Grandpa are very sick, so he said he has to do it, even if it’s just him.”

“He must be having a very hard time.”

“Oppa looks tired. I wish he could rest a little. If only I were as brave and strong as Tia Unnie, I could have helped Oppa. Right?”

“……”

She couldn’t answer Marie’s question.

Her own self, thinking that it was absolutely not true, merely felt miserable.

“…Marie.”

“Yes?”

“Marie, you’re doing great. Because you’re healthy like this, Ruyef can find strength.”

“Mmm…”

“I’m not particularly brave or strong. In our village, Ruyef and Marie are doing the best.”

“But Unnie went all the way to a distant city, didn’t you? For Ritsu Oppa…”

“That, well-”

With trembling hands, she stroked the soft golden hair.

“I just ‘handled’ it. Like breathing, I just did something very natural… It’s not particularly amazing…”

Marie’s eyes widened, and she stared blankly.

And she tilted her head.

“Unnie, are you crying?”

“No. I’m not crying. Why would I cry? I decided to shed tears when Ritsu wakes up.”

“……”

“Let’s go back quickly. Oppa is waiting.”

“Okay.”

She wiped her damp eyes and saw her off.

Watching Marie trot back home, she thought of the next thing she had to do.

I should wipe Ritsu’s body.

Because he shouldn’t feel dirty or uncomfortable when he wakes up.

After filling a bowl with water, she brought it into the room.

She moistened a clean, dry cloth.

The moment she placed her hand on Ritsu’s scrawny chest to wipe his body.

She felt that something about the atmosphere was different than usual.

Slowly, she raised her head.

“Ah.”

She wondered if she was dreaming.

Because Ritsu’s eyes were looking straight at her.

Unconsciously, she called out that beloved name.

“…Ritsu?”

“Hello.”

Ritsu smiled weakly.

Even that smile melted her heart endlessly.

“…It’s a lie.”

Her shattered chest rose up to her throat, stinging her eyes.

Hot tears flowed down her cheeks.

She wanted to feel every proof that Ritsu was alive, with all her senses.

She dropped the cloth she was holding and tightly hugged Ritsu’s emaciated body.

“Ritsu-!!”

“Agh…!”

He’s alive.

He’s really… alive.

The heartbeat she felt against her chest.

His lukewarm body temperature.

Ritsu’s small cry.

The squirming movement in her arms.

Tears burst forth.

There was so much she wanted to say. So many things she wanted to tell him.

The fact that Ritsu had returned was so overwhelming that she forgot everything.

“I missed you… I really… really missed you… Ritsu…”

“Ugh-. I, I’m hurting…”

Ritsu’s body… it’s so warm.

Enough to want to stay like this forever.

It’s really all over now.

With that thought, endless tears streamed down her face.

***

Whoosh-!

The memory illusion scattered.

“……”

I saw everything that had happened to Tia while I was unconscious, all contained within the pocketknife.

Thump.

I clutched my chest.

My heart was pounding madly.

Because the ’emotions’ Tia had felt were influencing me, having just emerged from the memory.

It was complex and subtle.

This suffocating feeling, where my heart swelled with emotion yet was simultaneously crushed.

Until just before I woke up, Tia.

She had been in agony, as if her chest were being carved out with a knife.

There was no trace of the lively, friendly, and clumsy girl who always caused trouble.

Only a pitiful girl, frozen by the villagers’ cold gazes, remained.

To Tia, Breezedon’s hill felt like a steep cliff.

She had nursed me until I woke up, feeling as if she were walking on a sharp blade.

I couldn’t believe it.

…She had struggled this much?

While I was gone, the villagers had treated Tia so harshly?

Suddenly, Tia’s voice, filled with pent-up sorrow, came to mind.

‘It’s okay if people curse me. I… I’m okay. So for me… I just need you, Ritsu…’

‘The gazes of the Ajusshis and aunts now… feel too scary. Ritsu, do you know what it’s like to want to hide forever?’

‘It’s all my fault. Because I made Ritsu like that…’

When she screamed like that.

I didn’t understand.

Why Tia only looked to me.

Why she clung to me as if I were her whole world.

Why she suggested abandoning everything and traveling together.

I didn’t understand at all, so I refused.

But now… I understood.

Tia had been desperate.

In this cage called Breezedon, the one who would take the side of a poor bird with torn wings…

Was only me.

Those words she cried out, shedding copious tears, were a desperate plea for help.

And yet.

…I ignored that voice.

It was strange.

Tia and I, we were so close we could understand each other just by looking into each other’s eyes.

Why couldn’t I… read Tia’s heart?

Foolishly, only thinking about my own comfort and reputation.

Did I turn away from Tia’s cries for help?

I got up from my spot.

“Tia…”

I want to see you right now.

I want to meet you.

Answer me.

Where did you go?