episode_0117

“Didn’t you hear me? I told you to take off your hood.”

The soldier reached out a hand to forcibly remove her hood.

How could she escape this situation?

Should she say that ‘Tia Anshier,’ the murderer named on the wanted poster, wasn’t her?

But in Teildon, a red-haired girl instantly meant Tia.

The people of Teildon knew Tia’s face far too well.

In fact, even before he could completely remove her hood, the soldier would recognize Tia the moment he saw her eyes, nose, and mouth.

She was a celebrity, in a good way.

She couldn’t understand.

Why were such absurd wanted posters put up?

The people of Teildon knew well that Tia was not a child who would commit murder.

Teacher-nim Bin, Auntie Lily from the sweets shop, and the owner of the inn…

Everyone would vouch for her.

But… at this very moment, there was no one to protect this powerless girl.

*Rustle.*

Terrified, Tia took a step back.

And she realized that, without conscious thought, her hand had fumbled for the knife at her waist.

Seeing that, the soldier’s eyes changed.

He had read her intention to attack.

“This is…”

*Whoosh!*

The moment a large finger reached to snatch her hood.

*Thwack!*

A dull thud echoed from the back of the soldier’s head.

Soon, something bounced off and fell in front of Tia.

It was a stone.

The surprised soldier turned around.

“What was that?!”

“Uncle Cougar! Let’s playyyy!”

There were children giggling.

“You brats! Can’t you see I’m working?!”

“Nyah nyah nyah~ Can’t you see I’m working~”

“Argh… You kids, just stop right there!”

“Kyaah! Run away!”

The angry soldier chased after the children.

Unexpectedly freed, Tia stood dazed, trying to calm her startled heart.

*Tug!*

Suddenly, someone tugged her coat.

“…!”

She turned her head to see a small child emerge from the narrow alley.

Tia immediately recognized the mischievous face.

“Vincent?”

“…Shhh.”

The child, just as Tia had done, brought a finger to his lips, signaling ‘be quiet,’ then beckoned with his hand.

“Come here quickly, Noona.”

Without understanding why, Tia followed Vincent.

After passing through several narrow alleys and crawling through a small hole that only children could fit through, they eventually reached the back of the inn’s warehouse.

Vincent brushed off dust and said,

“This is a place only us kids know. Uncle Cougar doesn’t know about it.”

“Thank you…”

“But- but- what’s going on? You’re a murderer, Noona? Wanted posters are everywhere!”

“I, I don’t know either…”

“They say you killed Ritsu Hyung? Is that true?”

“…What?”

Startled, Tia shook her head vigorously.

“N-no! How could I possibly Ritsu…”

“Right? I didn’t believe it either. How could you kill Ritsu Hyung? But the Lord-nim says that such an absurd lie might actually be true-”

Tia asked in a trembling voice.

“Vincent. Did you hear anything?”

“Well-”

The child scratched his head.

“Yesterday, people from the upper village came down, you know? It was interesting, so I went to watch with the other kids- and the Lord-nim was shouting and asking where Ritsu Hyung went. And then those people said that Tia Noona killed Ritsu Hyung-”

“…”

“So, who would believe such a lie? Everyone was laughing, but the Lord-nim said he needed to listen seriously and told them to arrest Tia Noona first.”

Vincent, having explained up to that point, giggled.

“But then I remembered the ‘hide-and-seek’ you explained before-! Ah, I thought, this time the Lord-nim and Tia Noona are playing hide-and-seek!”

Unlike the brightly smiling child, the girl’s expression steadily darkened.

Fortunately, Vincent seemed to know the relationship between me and Tia well, so he didn’t even suspect anything.

And this situation still seemed like a fun play to him; he was still beaming.

Tia said in a calm voice.

“That’s right. We’re playing hide-and-seek. So, I need Vincent to help me a little.”

“Okay! Okay!”

“Can we get from here to the harbor without being seen by people?”

“Yup! Follow me!”

Vincent led the way and took Tia to the harbor.

The people there were all sailors.

Since they spent all day on ships, it was also a place where the rumors circulating in Teildon had not yet reached.

Tia entered the counter that managed ship affairs.

And she took out a letter to send to the royal physician.

The clerk was flustered.

“Sending a letter to Deseo? The atmosphere in Deseo has been strange lately, so there aren’t many ships going there…”

“Any ship will do. I just need to send it quickly.”

*Clink.*

Tia secretly added a few more gold coins.

The clerk, who had a troubled expression, stroked his chin.

“Ahem.”

He discreetly pocketed the gold coins and took the letter.

“Well, it’s not like there are *no* ships at all. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.”

The letter left Tia’s hands.

Now, all that remained was to wait for a reply.

Vincent deliberately took a wide detour around the village.

Through the quiet outskirts, hidden from people’s eyes, they finally arrived at the foothills of the Dragon’s Tooth Mountains.

The child spoke.

“I’ll keep it a secret that I saw you today, Noona! But… just tell me. Where is Ritsu Hyung right now?”

Tia hesitated before answering.

“He’s with me.”

“Right? I knew it! Please come with Hyung next time!”

“Okay. I understand. I promise.”

“Promise!”

Leaving the child, who was enthusiastically waving goodbye, Tia headed back up the mountain.

Now, there weren’t many places for this poor girl to go.

In Breezedon, she became an exile.

In Teildon, she became a murderer.

*Crunch. Crunch.*

Honestly, Tia must have deliberated.

About whether to go directly to the Lord to clear her false accusation.

And perhaps to show my stiffened body, letting them know that I was still alive.

But Tia didn’t do that.

Because now, she couldn’t trust anyone.

I could tell.

Tia… was no longer the active, courageous, and even cheerful Tia of old.

The innocent child’s appearance had vanished.

Only a bird with broken wings, abandoned by everyone, remained.

Breezedon, Teildon.

There was only one place Tia, who couldn’t go anywhere, could stay.

Fosao’s general store.

Nowhere else.

*Click.*

And so, Tia entered the general store.

As soon as she entered, she collapsed into a seat.

Like a feather duster carelessly used and discarded, she leaned against the wall with an exhausted face.

Hearing a presence, Fosao came out of his bedroom.

“Tia!”

He waddled down the stairs to the first floor.

“Wh-where did you go? I, I looked for you for a long time!”

“…I went to Teildon.”

“But why, why do you look like that? Your expression isn’t good. Was it hard?”

Tia said with a blank face.

“…No. I’m fine.”

“If you n-need anything, just say so.”

“Yes…”

Tia got up from her seat and came to my side, where I lay on the sickbed.

Her blurry eyes seemed to say:

The only hope left was to wake me up.

“Just a little longer, Ritsu. Once the reply comes… everything will be over…”

* * *

Three days passed.

Now, Tia had grown accustomed to living in Fosao’s house.

In the morning, she would wake up, tidy her bedding, wash thoroughly, and clean the first floor.

Then she would go up to the second floor to wake the oversleeping Fosao.

When she shook awake Fosao, who slept with his chest hair fully exposed, he would slowly get up and yawn in his bulging underwear.

Once the morning routine began, Tia moved diligently.

She was rarely seen resting.

Making medicine, thoroughly washing my body, managing the embers to always maintain a constant temperature, doing laundry, heating bathwater, and cooking.

On the other hand, Fosao did almost nothing.

He would wake up, stare blankly, eat the food Tia made, take a nap again, and then just scratch his belly.

It was as if they were living different lives in the same space.

Fosao didn’t particularly bother Tia.

He merely watched her with a sly chuckle, letting her use his house freely.

He didn’t make her do anything burdensome, as if he had truly become a father.

He simply told her to be comfortable in his house.

“Nghhh- Y-you don’t have to do *this* much-”

In front of the elaborate dinner table Tia had set, Fosao scratched his head.

“I’m always grateful to you… I thought about how to repay you, so I put in some effort.”

“Alright, I’ll eat well, Tia!”

*Clatter! Clatter!*

Fosao gobbled down the food voraciously, then looked down at his plate.

“Huh? Th-the meat is all cut up?”

“Ah, yes. Uncle, you had trouble cutting meat, didn’t you? So I sliced it beforehand.”

“Heeheehee-! Y-you know me well! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.”

Tia took a bowl of stew and came over to me, lying on the sickbed.

And she scooped a spoonful and gently let it trickle into my mouth.

“How is it, Ritsu? Is it delicious?”

“…”

But I, lying as if dead, couldn’t answer.

Even when she put her ear close, not even a breath could be heard.

“It’s okay… It’s okay for now, so when you wake up later… please say ‘it’s delicious.’ A lot. So much… until I get tired of it and tell you to stop. Just tell me it’s delicious…”

“…”

It was when Tia gave a wry smile and turned away.

“Ti-Tia-!!”

Fosao ran over, his footsteps thumping, and grabbed Tia’s shoulder.

“…Huh?”

“It-it’s delicious! The most delicious food I’ve ever ea-eaten! Tia really is… amazing!”

“Oh… haha…. It was delicious?”

“Y-yes! It was incredibly delicious!”

Fosao showed her the already empty plate.

“Heeheehee-. I-I ate it all. Can I have more?”

“If you eat too much, you’ll gain weight…”

“B-but Tia, you cook so well… c-can you keep doing it in the future?”

Tia, her face blank, asked back.

“…You liked it that much?”

“I told you! Heeheehee-! It’s such a relief that Tia c-came to our house!”

“…”

Tia fidgeted with her fingers.

Seeing her hesitation, Fosao clapped his hands.

“Ah, I see! You’re b-busy taking care of Ritsu, aren’t you? I’m sorry for asking for too much…”

“Oh, no! It’s not like that…”

Tia said in a small voice.

“There’s not much left to do now… only waiting. So I have enough time to cook. So…”

No.

Tia was really, truly busy.

Taking care of me alone was incredibly exhausting for her, so she would have even less time to cook for Fosao.

Nevertheless…

Tia nodded.

“…I can do it.”

That was.

Into Tia’s day, which had been spent entirely on me—morning, noon, and night.

It was the first day that ‘time for Fosao’ had been inserted.