episode_0107

Fosao called a waiter over.

“Two b-beers, please.”

“Understood!”

Two glasses of golden beer were brought out.

Tia held a beer glass and stared intently at the bubbly white foam.

Our village barely drank alcohol.

It was because the Village Chief-nim had forbidden alcohol since ancient times.

To be precise, it was closer to ‘temperance’ than ‘prohibition’.

Anyway, there was a good reason for it.

The Dragonez Mountain Range had many dangerous cliffs and precipices, so if you made a mistake while drunk, you’d be dead.

Also, being up in the mountains, the weather was cool, and the water was clean, so there was no real reason to brew and drink alcohol.

For that reason, they were strict about alcohol.

Everyone knew that Mister Marvin secretly hid and drank alcohol behind the Village Chief-nim’s back, but the reason they kept quiet was precisely for that reason.

However, there were days when our village could drink freely.

When a baby was born in our village.

When an elder returned to the embrace of the Divine Dragon-nim.

When a baptism was held.

Whenever there were such family events in the village, men and women of all ages would drink alcohol.

I, too, had drunk beer and wine a few times.

Each time, I tried to persuade Tia to try alcohol, but she just shook her head.

She said she didn’t like the smell. So, I didn’t try to persuade her after that.

Fosao asked.

“Tia, is this your f-first time drinking?”

“No. Just once… I drank it. In Deseo.”

“In De-Deseo?”

“I used to work in a bar. A customer told me to try it, so I did.”

“How was it?”

She was silent for a moment.

She seemed unwilling to talk about that incident.

“I don’t really know. I don’t remember that time very well.”

“It wasn’t a very g-good memory, I guess. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s in the past.”

“Alcohol… it tastes bad if you drink it f-forcefully. Like this… when you’re r-relaxed, that’s the best way to drink it. Hehehee.”

He slid the glass over.

“……”

“Drink it, Tia.”

Tia picked up the beer glass.

Then, she slowly brought it to her lips and tilted the glass.

The sight of the bitter and strong alcohol entering her mouth wasn’t visible.

But watching Tia’s slender neck twitch, she was undoubtedly drinking the alcohol.

After several sips that seemed slightly painful,

Tia placed the glass back on the table.

Half of it was gone.

Tia squinted slightly. And she spoke her honest感想.

“……It’s still bitter.”

“Alcohol is usually bitter. Sh-shall I ask for sweet alcohol?”

“No.”

She didn’t look like she was in the mood for it, but Fosao called the waiter again.

And he whispered in a small voice.

“Honeymoon… One g-glass, please.”

“Understood!”

Thud.

A new glass was placed in front of Tia.

It was an amber-colored alcohol, much darker than the beer she had just drunk.

Fosao urged her, saying it would taste better than before. Yielding to the continuous encouragement, Tia reluctantly picked up the glass and took a sip.

Tia tasted it and tilted her head slightly.

“H-how is it?”

“A little… better.”

“It’s delicious, right?”

“Yes.”

“Try it with s-some snacks too. It’s good.”

Eating greasy lamb. And drinking alcohol.

Even so, the bitterness wouldn’t have completely disappeared. Tia continued to drink without stopping until the glass was empty.

Another order went in, and another glass came out.

Tia waved her hand, saying she was full and had enough, but Fosao caressed his fat belly and laughed, saying that unless she ate *this* much, she shouldn’t say she was full.

She drank more alcohol.

Before long, three empty glasses had accumulated in front of Tia.

Just like when she drank continuously at the Declisao Bar.

Tia’s cheeks and ears started to flush.

Her body seemed to be getting hot, too, as she pulled her outer coat halfway down to reveal her shoulders.

Was she feeling a little better? Tia’s voice was much lighter than before.

“…Mister, aren’t you going to lose weight?”

“I g-gave up.”

“You need to train your body to live long and healthy.”

“Hehehee. E-even if I start losing weight now, I’ll be an old man anyway. W-would it even make a difference?”

“Ahahahahaha! That’s true!”

Tia giggled and tried to drink.

But when she tilted the glass, only air poured out.

“…Oh.”

“A-already finished it? Want more?”

“Mister, you seem to be spending too much money…”

“It’s fine! One m-more glass here!”

More alcohol kept coming.

She kept drinking, and the glasses became empty.

Tia began to sway more and more.

She had drunk so much that she couldn’t even support herself.

A little more time passed, and Tia was slumped over the table, her head resting on her left arm.

“Tia. You… seem to have drunk a l-lot…”

“……”

Scrape.

The fellow stood up.

And he went to Tia’s side to help her up.

“It’s okay. I can… stand up by myself.”

“R-really?”

Stumble.

Unable to steady herself, Tia tripped once.

“I’ll… g-guide you to your room.”

With her arm around Fosao’s shoulder, the two moved to the second floor of the inn.

They were shown into an empty bedroom.

As soon as Tia lay on the bed, she breathed heavily.

A hot flush rose from the alcohol.

Escaping the noisy restaurant and entering the quiet bedroom, a subtle atmosphere flowed.

Fosao took off his coat, chuckling.

“Tia. Sh-shall I give you a massage?”

But instead of answering, Tia just stared blankly at the ceiling.

“……Mister.”

“Hm?”

“You lied.”

“Hm?”

With half-closed eyes, she looked back at Fosao.

“…You said I’d forget if I drank.”

“You d-didn’t forget?”

“How could I forget…?”

Her voice trembled slightly at the end.

“Even now… I miss Ritsu so much.”

Fosao’s face, which had been taking off his clothes, stiffened slightly.

“You said you f-fought with Ritsu earlier?”

“Yes.”

“And you still miss him?”

“……Yes.”

Suddenly, Tia’s gaze turned not to Fosao’s face, but to me.

She seemed to be looking at the ‘phantom me’ who was watching the memory.

She stared blankly in my direction, then

Thinking it was just a hallucination from the alcohol, she lowered her eyes again.

“B-but Tia. Does Ritsu… m-miss Tia?”

“……”

Tia gave a bitter smile.

“Ritsu probably… doesn’t.”

“But will you still go to s-see Ritsu?”

“Yes.”

That was an answer I hadn’t even expected.

Moreover, her expression showed clear determination. I couldn’t possibly think it was a lie.

In front of Fosao. Tia answered that she still longed for me.

Hearing those words, my heart felt like it was tearing apart.

Tia mumbled, still lying on the bed.

“Now… I think I understand. I’ll just… live like this.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“I’m going to give up everything. Everything…”

The Rose Sabre leaning against the wall glinted.

“Because I’ve lived as I pleased until now… From now on, I’ve decided to think that I can’t do what I want. Swordsmanship, adventure. It was all just my stubbornness.”

“Tia… you d-did it because you liked it, didn’t you?”

“Ritsu hates it.”

Fosao asked in an incredulous voice.

“You’re giving up everything you’ve d-done until now? Are you really o-okay with that?”

“They say that’s… love.”

Tia covered her eyes with her arm.

“Mister… you wanted to die, but you lived, didn’t you? I want to die too, but I’ll just live. If I can just be with Ritsu, I can give up everything.”

“……”

Tia couldn’t see Fosao’s expression.

But the pig’s face was completely twisted.

With the intention of seducing this pure girl, pretending to care for Tia, getting her drunk, and showering her with all sorts of empty words.

Yet, when Tia said she would return to me, the fellow’s thick cheek wobbled.

Fosao. You are wrong.

If you thought you could so easily destroy the time we had built, you are sorely mistaken.

Even if you worm your way into the gaps when I’m momentarily asleep and try to obstruct us.

Even if you tempt a hungry kitten with food when I’m sick and can’t properly see Tia.

Even if she succumbs to temptation for a moment, Tia doesn’t give her heart away so easily.

Because Tia and I…

We truly love each other.

Our years of being together since birth.

Your filthy desires, barely two months long, cannot take it all away.

Fosao lowered his head.

“Ti-Tia. What if…”

The fellow mumbled.

“What if… I told you, I, I like you… what would you do?”

“……”

Tia fell silent.

In truth, she must have noticed it a long time ago.

That Fosao’s actions were different.

He absolutely denied it, but the intelligent Tia must have known that he was seeing her as a woman and trying to court her.

She knew and ignored it.

But she owed Fosao too much, so she couldn’t coldly ignore him.

She maintained an lukewarm relationship that was neither here nor there, then as her situation became increasingly difficult, she began to rely on him.

…And now.

A man who would turn 45 this year, older than her own father, had confessed.

That he ‘liked’ her.

That was Fosao’s clear mistake.

Perhaps out of desperation,

If he thought Tia, being intoxicated and not in her right mind, would accept the confession.

He was wrong.

Because Tia is strong.

“……I’m sorry, Mister.”

The voice of the girl who had made her choice echoed in the bedroom.

“I… like Ritsu.”

It was the end.

All the malicious acts Fosao had committed met their demise here.

The fellow grabbed the doorknob.

“W-well then, I’ll be going…”

The bedroom door opened.

Clank.

And closed.

* * *

Whoosh!

Thump!

The moment my consciousness returned.

Fosao’s large face entered my sight.

I was holding my knife high, ready to stab him.

“……!”

I had seen the past.

Tia hadn’t wavered.

She still loves me.

Thank you, Tia.

I’ll kill this devil-like bastard now and return to you.

Now I… I won’t let you suffer anymore.

I’ll protect you. I’ll only love you.

So…

“Die—!!”

The moment I brought the knife down,

Clang!

A metal rod entangled with the blade.

The tip of the knife grazed Fosao’s shoulder, drawing blood, but the immense force deflecting the knife pushed my arm back.

“Gah?!”

“Aargh—!!”

Pushing the metal rod, his massive body lunged forward.

This bastard… how can he have… such strength?

I hurriedly stepped back to regain my balance.

Thud.

Suddenly, the fellow tripped me.

“……?!”

There was no footing.

My body tilted backward and fell into the air.

How could this lump of fat… possess such quick technique?

As that thought came to mind, a memory surfaced.

‘It’s called Counter! It’s one of the techniques for counterattacking an opponent’s attack!’

This was… Tia’s swordsmanship.

The technique Tia had taught Fosao.

……No way.

I… was defeated by Tia’s swordsmanship, of all things?

Thud!

The moment my back hit the hard, cold floor.

“Aargh—!!”

The fellow pounced.

A pitch-black shadow covered me.

Whump!

My body was pinned.

I couldn’t move, as if crushed by a boulder.

“Gah…!”

I tried to stab his side wildly with my knife.

But I must have dropped it when I fell, as there was no pocket knife in my hand.

“…Ugh!”

He was too heavy; I couldn’t breathe.

“…Gasp! Gasp! Hiccup… hiccup!”

Fosao laughed, sitting on top of me. And he taunted, asking,

“You s-saw it, didn’t you?”

“……Ugh?!”

He knows?

That I saw the phantom memory?

“Your f-face is surprised, huh? Why… did you think Amon’s… blood was o-only in you? Hehehee…”

What is that supposed to mean?

Amon’s blood… my father’s blood…

He didn’t give it only to me?

At last, everything began to make sense.

How Fosao could have been everywhere on Tia’s journey.

How he could keep pursuing her even after being kept so far away.

How he could appear every time Tia was in danger.

Fosao… had been watching Tia’s every move from the beginning.

“I just… just need you gone. Hehehee… hehehee!”

“…Ugh!”

A thick hand grabbed my jaw.

And with his other hand, he took something out.

“……!”

A small bottle with blue liquid swirling inside.

If I drank it, I would die.

This pig bastard… intends to kill me.

I don’t want to die.

My heart pounded rapidly.

I felt like I was going crazy.

I resisted with all my strength, but my pinned body wouldn’t budge.

And with my jaw held fast, I couldn’t turn my head away.

“Ugh… ugh…”

The bottle approached, pouring liquid.

I shook my head wildly, but he began to press the bottle firmly against my mouth.

No.

The poison entered through my tightly sealed lips.

No.

“Gag…!”

I wanted to vomit, but Fosao held my mouth shut.

I couldn’t throw it up.

Ah.

I can’t die here.

Tia… Tia is waiting for me…

It faded.

Fosao’s twisted smile was blurry.

My strength slowly ebbed away.

The sensation of death, which I had felt once before, slowly crept up.

“S-sleep well, Ritsu. Hehehee…!”

My vision turned black.

And before me, with everything else gone.

Only one last thing remained.

…….

Tia.