episode_0099

Whoosh!

A night when the winter wind blew fiercely.

Tia blinked her red eyes on the bed.

She lay down to sleep, but couldn’t sleep at all.

Rustle.

She tossed and turned several times, trying to forget her jumbled thoughts.

But even after a long time, she couldn’t fall asleep.

In the end, she got up from her spot.

With wide-open eyes, she watched the moonlight hanging in the window.

Tia stared blankly at it, then began to put on her clothes.

Creak.

She put on her coat and left the house.

Soft crunch.

Her boots landed on the dry grass.

What should she do now?

She didn’t know.

She just wanted to go wherever her heart led her.

…So she let her feet carry her wherever they wanted.

Soft crunch. Soft crunch.

Tia knew.

She knew where she would end up if she let her heart lead her like this.

Because there was only one person who could heal her bruised heart.

Across the ditch.

Up the hill.

She would go to Ritsu’s house, below the apothecary.

If she knocked softly on the door.

Ritsu, who had been sleeping, would hastily get dressed, light a single candle, and open the door to greet her.

He would ask what was wrong with a worried voice and listen to her story.

She wanted to cry freely in Ritsu’s arms, imbued with the scent of herbs, and be comforted by his warm touch.

She wanted to hear his most reassuring voice and fall into the deepest, warmest sleep.

Thump. Rustle.

So, she should be in front of Ritsu’s house by now…

Soft crunch.

Why was she here?

In the swirling winter wind, Tia lifted her head.

A bright, vibrant yellow light bloomed from the window.

Just looking at it, warmth seemed to seep into her eyes.

That person’s kingdom, where no one ever visited.

A castle gate always left open a handspan, waiting for guests.

Thud.

Her boots stepped onto the stairs.

She took one step up and reached out her hand.

She knocked on the door.

Knock. Knock-knock.

Then, like Ritsu who would hastily get dressed and rush out, the owner of the kingdom rushed out.

Creak!

The lonely king opened the door and appeared.

Ahjussi Fosao asked haltingly, with a surprised expression.

“Ti-Tia? You said you weren’t co-coming today?”

“…”

Tia stood at the entrance of the general store, bowing her head without a word.

Because she herself didn’t know.

Why she had chosen Ahjussi Fosao to be with tonight.

Why her feet had led her to Modaless General Store instead of Ritsu’s house.

Even though she said nothing, Ahjussi Fosao nodded.

“F-First, come inside…”

His thick fingers gently guided her inside.

“…”

Tia followed Ahjussi’s broad back into the general store.

“F-First, warm yourself up.”

Clink.

He placed a glass of warm water on the table.

She took the steaming glass and warmed her hands.

“Are you h-hungry? I have this too.”

A plate of ginger biscuits was placed alongside it.

Tia pretended to refuse, then stopped and picked up a biscuit to eat.

Crunch.

Ahjussi just quietly watched her eat the biscuit.

Tia, overcome by the sweetness and warmth, closed her eyes.

Doubts still remained, but she felt she understood a little why she had come here.

She needed it.

…This small kindness and.

A shelter where she could rest without being scrutinized.

The general store was quiet.

Ahjussi also didn’t chatter and probe, allowing Tia to be at ease.

Whoosh-!!

The winter wind grew fiercer, lashing against the window.

Tia looked out the window once, then cast a sad gaze.

Ahjussi asked at that moment.

“Tia. Is s-something wrong?”

“…”

Tia, who had been hesitating, finally opened her mouth.

Ahjussi was greatly surprised to hear the news.

“R-Ritsu’s condition has worsened?”

This evening, she had seen Ritsu spitting blood at the apothecary.

He had clearly seemed to be getting better, but his condition had worsened again.

It was as if he was riding waves, repeatedly getting better then worse.

From now on, Ritsu said he would make his own medicine, and since he made medicine better than she did, she decided not to worry anymore, but.

She couldn’t help but feel continuously uneasy.

“R-Ritsu said he’d handle it. C-Can’t we just leave him be?”

“I’d like to, but…”

Tia trailed off her words.

Ritsu isn’t the type to overexert himself.

As the only doctor in this village, he knew better than anyone that he shouldn’t get sick.

Yet, the reason he was overworking himself was…

All because of the ‘villagers’.

Tia’s eyes reddened.

She knew everyone was having a hard time, but…

But… Ritsu is sick too.

He hasn’t fully recovered yet.

He’s coughing so painfully and spitting blood.

To order him to do the village head’s work, and to tell him to return to the apothecary…

Isn’t that too much?

Even if she wanted to scream like that.

She couldn’t say a word.

Because she was a ‘sinner’.

All she could do was…

Just hope Ritsu would get better, even a little.

“Then, will Ti-Tia make recovery medicine again?”

“…No.”

“Why?”

“I… can’t do it anymore…”

Tia’s shoulders trembled faintly.

Trickle.

A single tear fell, tracing a path down her cheek and landing on the table.

“Tia? Wh-Why are you crying…!”

Sob… sniffle….

The startled Ahjussi, not knowing what to do, spoke.

“If Ti-Tia helps make the medicine, it’ll be fi-fine! Tia… makes medicine well t-too!”

“I’m not good at anything…”

Huh-?

Tia spoke in a voice that sounded like she was about to lose her breath.

“I… only cause trouble, only make things worse when I try to do something, I do everything as I please and make people suffer, I’m just a nuisance… I’m a bad girl.”

“W-What are you talking about! No! Absolutely not!”

“Ahjussi doesn’t know!”

Tia cried out sharply.

Tears sparkled from her reddened eyes.

“Do you know how I’m spending my time in the village, Ahjussi?”

“…”

“It’s really hard… I feel like I’m suffocating to death…”

“Ti-Tia…”

“I can’t do anything, I have to be constantly mindful of others, and they tell me to manage the warehouse… Why, why in the world…”

Rattle.

Tia’s pupils trembled uneasily.

Haa- haa-.

Her breathing became irregular, and she clutched her chest tightly as if in pain.

Soon, she was breathing heavily, making wheezing sounds.

Cold sweat ran down the back of her neck.

“Tia!”

Fosao sprang up and firmly held Tia’s small body.

As if forcibly catching a fleeting spirit and pushing it back into a body.

The powerful pressure pressing down on her snapped her back to reality.

Ahjussi comforted her with a gentle voice.

“C-Calm down! Tia! You haven’t done anything wrong…”

“…”

“Tia, you did ev-everything well! You did your best! I… I saw it! So, I… I can prove it!”

Hearing that voice, she remembered.

All the journeys she had experienced since leaving the village.

The joyful and longed-for times that would never return.

Tia suddenly felt the warmth enveloping her.

It was a familiar body temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.

“So d-don’t talk like that. Tia, you’re not u-useless!”

“Ahjussi…”

Her strength suddenly gave way.

She wanted to be buried in this warmth just like this.

Like on the last day in Deseo…

She wanted to burrow into Ahjussi’s large, warm embrace and fall into a deep, worry-free sleep.

Tia slowly leaned her body against Fosao.

Ahjussi, feeling the sudden weight, was flustered.

“Tia? A-Are you alright?”

“…I’m fine. I just… feel a little weak.”

“Are you hungry? Sh-Shall I try to make some food now?”

“No… I don’t have an appetite.”

“Th-Then?”

Tia quietly cast her ruby-like eyes downward.

As if reading her gaze, Ahjussi asked first.

“…Would you like a massage?”

Nod.

Seeing the girl’s slender nod, Fosao’s lips curled into a soft smile.

“J-Just a moment.”

Fosao put out the brazier fire and drew the window curtains.

The interior instantly grew dark.

Swish.

Fosao’s shadow approached.

His large right hand suddenly slipped under Tia’s legs.

And he lifted her straight up.

“…”

As if he were holding a princess.

She found herself held in his large embrace.

Tia quietly asked.

“Am I… not heavy?”

“Not at all! You’re n-not heavy! You’re like a feather!”

She had been carried on Ahjussi’s back in Deseo.

Back then, she was on his back.

But now, being held in his large chest with both arms, she somehow felt a little shy.

Still, what was the same then and now was…

How incredibly comfortable it was, making her feel overcome with sleep.

Creak- creak-.

Fosao carried Tia up the stairs.

Even though he hadn’t said he was taking her to his bedroom, it had already become a natural thing to do.

Fosao’s bedroom growing closer with each step up.

Tia, watching that scene, also.

Remained quietly in his embrace without any objection.

Thump.

Fosao carefully laid Tia on his bed.

And he firmly locked the door.

A subtle atmosphere flowed.

“H-How should I give you the massage?”

“…”

Tia turned her head to the side.

This time too, Fosao asked first.

“Like last time… sh-shall I do it?”

The phrase ‘like last time’ had multiple meanings.

She had received various massages from Ahjussi until now.

Whether it was her legs, arms, or back.

From the massage she received in Charrarak Village to the last massage she got after cleaning the yard.

All of them were ‘last time’.

So, it wasn’t clear what Ahjussi Fosao meant by ‘like last time’.

Perhaps… he might try to touch her chest again, just like that time.

But.

She didn’t want to refuse.

She wanted to feel good.

She wanted to feel Ahjussi’s warm body temperature.

She wanted to feel the healing touch that would make her forget all this painful grief…

Tia gave a small nod.

Fosao, confirming her answer, rubbed his hands together.

“Then… I’ll give you a p-proper massage…”

And casting a large shadow, he approached.

He took hold of the shirt resting on her small shoulders.

“C-Can I… take off your clothes?”

“…”

Last time, she had refused.

She had gently dismissed Ahjussi’s hand, telling him to do such things for someone who would be his wife.

Thump. Thump.

She gazed silently at Ahjussi’s hand resting on her shoulder.

Tia replied shyly.

“…Yes.”