episode_0127

Fosao and Tia stood, holding each other’s hands.

As they stood there against the backdrop of the vast night sky and the Dragonaz Mountains, the immense difference in their physiques became striking.

Fosao spoke.

“Wa-watch your feet. First, like this…”

*Shuffle.*

As his large foot stepped back, her small foot came forward.

Then they moved four steps sideways, and then four steps back in the opposite direction.

“Like this, is it right?”

“It-it is, but it’s not quite as I imagined…”

“Hah hah-!”

They moved this way and that, their hands clasped tightly.

It was an utterly clumsy dance.

Nevertheless, the two of them didn’t mind at all.

Even if their feet tangled, even if their breaths didn’t perfectly align. If it was awkward, they continued dancing awkwardly.

After all, there was no one to say their dance was strange.

The lesson continued.

Fosao had Tia try to follow the dance they had just learned.

As expected, Tia was Tia.

She followed exactly as she had learned, not forgetting a single bit.

“You’re already… doing so well. I-it took me a long time.”

It was truly an intelligence close to divine talent.

Before long, Fosao, who had been teaching, fell silent and began to slowly follow her movements.

“H-here, Tia, you can dance however you want.”

“…By myself?”

“Mhm! Hee hee.”

Tia thought for a moment, then, following her instincts.

She began to dance by instinct.

*Swish!*

Her pure white dress spread wide.

Holding Fosao’s hand, she gracefully spun around once.

Amidst the lantern light pouring in from all directions, the scene of her flowing red hair and pure white dress mingling was… like a single rose falling.

Next, she led Fosao, beginning to traverse the field.

It was flamboyant and passionate.

Even movements that seemed incredibly difficult, she performed with ease, perhaps thanks to the excellent sense of balance she had developed while learning swordsmanship.

Though her movements weren’t as meticulous as those of Deseo’s famous dancers…

For that reason, Tia’s gestures were pure and honest.

*Thud.*

Tia, having finished her dance, was held in Fosao’s hand.

The two looked at each other.

“Haa- haa-.”

A single drop of sweat trickled down her fresh neck.

Her drunken, labored breaths emerged as pure white mist.

“How- how was I?”

“You were so beau-beautiful…”

“As beautiful as my mom?”

“Yes.”

It was then.

♫… ♩… ♪….

Music began to resound again from the village below.

The coming-of-age ceremony in Taildon seemed to be reaching its climax.

It was a coincidence, but it seemed to celebrate the beginning of their own baptism.

Fosao said.

“Now I’ll a-ask you something. This is also a ri-ritual, you see.”

“What?”

To Tia, who asked with wide, round eyes, Fosao cleared his throat.

“Ti-Tia. Who do you want to dance with… who will be your partner?”

“…Huh?”

Tia, who had been momentarily stunned, giggled.

“What’s that! It’s already decided, isn’t it?”

“But it’s s-serious! …Please answer s-seriously.”

“Do I have to say it out loud?”

“Yes.”

The girl’s cheeks turned red.

Even before an answer emerged from her small lips, only one person was reflected in her ruby-like eyes.

“…Mister.”

“Call me by my name.”

“Fosao… Fosao Modaless.”

Fosao’s lips curved upwards.

“Sh-shall we… dance together?”

“Yes. Let’s dance together.”

They clasped hands tightly.

Now, the two no longer looked down at their feet.

Tia held Fosao’s shoulders, and Fosao held Tia’s waist.

With each other’s faces reflected in their eyes.

They began to dance.

A tranquil winter night.

A lost village tradition.

A blessing-less baptism, long overdue.

The gazes of a discarded man and a girl in a world where no one celebrated them.

But the faces of two people who looked happier than anyone else.

…No matter what dance I might see in the future.

I could assert that there would be no dance more beautiful than this.

The dance movements of the girl who had finally discovered ‘love’…

…shone radiantly like the most beautiful jewel in the world.

Feet stepping lightly.

Lips exhaling sweet breaths.

Even the neck beaded with sweat.

Arms and fingertips as slender and delicate as if they might break.

A gently swaying waist.

And thighs imbued with a rosy vitality.

All these beautiful and captivating movements…

…were an instinct Tia herself was unaware of.

To entice the man dancing with her.

…’A woman’s’ gestures.

*Swish!*

As Fosao pulled her close by the waist, Tia’s body lifted slightly and arched back.

The girl, leaning against his thick arm, exhaled with a slightly startled expression.

“Haa… haa…”

“Congratulations, Tia.”

On that miraculous night when a member of the village was born.

Fosao delivered the words that the village chief of Breezedon should have spoken.

“From now on, Tia is… she has become… a ‘woman’ who can l-love a man.”

*Tap.*

The woman’s tiptoes, which had been briefly lifted, touched the ground.

Before long, even the soft music that had been playing faded away.

All rituals were complete.

“Now… pr-pray to the Divine Dragon to make you happy…”

“Yes.”

Nevertheless, the sky was still clear, and the field was beautiful.

Tia seemed to want to cherish this moment forever.

“……”

She quietly clasped her hands over her chest and closed her eyes.

Breezedon’s last baptism thus concluded, bestowing a sacred blessing upon one woman.

Tia, opening her eyes again, asked.

“What’s next?”

“The ritual is over. From now on, you can go a-anywhere you want. You can t-talk as well.”

After the baptism, people would happily congratulate and share blessings.

However, there was no one around the two of them.

“Hehe-. I guess I’ll have to talk with Mister.”

“Mhm. Th-that’s right, isn’t it?”

“…Mister.”

“Yes.”

Tia looked up at the night sky.

Her voice, which had been excited while dancing, now calmly settled.

“…Just one last place. Can we go together?”

“N-now?”

“Yes. It’s close from here. It’ll only take a moment-.”

Fosao seemed slightly bothered about having to go somewhere else now, but Tia’s cute pleading ultimately made him pick up the lantern he had placed on the ground.

“Mhm. Let’s go.”

“Thank you.”

* * *

The two left the field and began to ascend towards the ridge.

There was no sound.

Because Tia walked silently.

It was night, but she knew the path very well. They passed between trees and entered a narrow trail.

A frozen stream was visible.

After lightly hopping over it, a wide, open space appeared.

“It’s here.”

As the lantern was raised, dispelling the darkness, an emerald light shone brightly.

It was a lake covered in transparent ice, like a smooth mirror.

Ancient trees pierced through the ice, filling the area with a mysterious aura.

Tia introduced it.

“This is…”

But to her surprise, Fosao recognized it first.

“The Lake of Promises?”

Tia, who hadn’t expected him to know, was startled.

“Oh? You knew?”

“Yes. I-I taught you.”

“Mister… you taught me?”

“Ah. You wouldn’t remember. Well… back th-then, Tia was too young…”

Fosao sat down by the lakeside.

“Do you perhaps… re-remember the legend of this place?”

“Yes. The legend that if a man and woman who visit this place pledge their love before the lake, their vow will come true… right?”

“Indeed… Ti-Tia is smart. You remembered well.”

“I… thought I heard that legend from my mom. You taught it to me, Mister?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know.”

Tia sat next to Fosao with a bewildered expression.

She seemed a little surprised, but her expression was alright.

The man and woman, sitting side by side, looked down at the emerald lake.

Fosao asked.

“S-so why did you want to come here?”

“I wanted to tell the Divine Dragon.”

“To the Divine Dragon…?”

“…Yes.”

*Gently.*

Tia took something out from within her dress.

A very sparkling, deep red light.

The gem, smaller than a fingernail and barely visible… was a ‘ruby’.

My heart sank.

It was the ruby necklace I had given as a gift.

“That legend… was a lie.”

Tia’s hand trembled slightly.

“I made a vow with Ritsu. I prayed to the Divine Dragon… to let our love come true after our journey ended.”

“……”

“But the Divine Dragon didn’t hear our vow. And now, he’s even taken Ritsu away…”

Her red eyes began to blur.

“I know… that there’s no such thing as the ‘Divine Dragon’ in the first place, and no god in this world to grant our vows.”

“Tia…”

“I… truly liked him… I loved Ritsu so much…”

Tia clutched the ruby necklace and sobbed pitifully.

“Sniff. H-hoo…”

But there was no god to hear the cries of that pathetic woman.

Just as Tia said.

Perhaps there was no such thing as a god in this world.

If there were a god.

Why would that so-called god have torn my heart to shreds like this?

To bury me in the ground, yet still remember me…

To have to watch Tia weep, unable to forget me…

What reason would there be for making me this wretched?

Fosao’s hand enveloped Tia’s trembling shoulder.

“Tia… Th-the Divine Dragon granted the vow.”

“……”

“You were too young to re-remember, Tia, but you and I… we m-made a vow here.”

The moment she heard those words.

With a flashing light, a deeper, more distant past unfolded.

In the very place where the two were sitting.

Fosao, who was still plump but had more hair than now.

And tiny Tia overlapped.

[Mommy and Daddy made a ‘vow’?]

[Th-that’s right. They promised love. And it c-came true.]

[Wow-!]

Young Tia was very excited to hear such a wondrous story.

Then. Fosao asked.

[Tia. Sh-shall we do it too? …A vow of love. Just li-like your mommy and daddy.]

[With Mister?]

[Yes.]

What would that little kid have known?

Not even knowing what love was. She probably just wanted to try that wondrous ‘vow’ once.

Tia smiled brightly.

[Let’s do it! A vow!]

[Hee hee-. O-okay. Then… let’s pray together.]

The obedient little girl immediately clasped her hands together.

[You pray, ‘Please let our l-love come true after our journey ends…’]

[……]

[Did you do it?]

[Yes!]

Fosao was right.

The Divine Dragon had granted the vow.

The vow Tia had made in her distant childhood, so young she couldn’t even remember it.

After a very long time, the two traveled all the way to Deseo.

And finally, it came true by them returning together to this very Lake of Promises.

Just as Tia’s parents had.

“…Mister.”

“Yes?”

“Mister… do you still like me?”

Fosao stammered his reply.

“Th-that time, Tia was young… it was a v-vow made in jest, but…”

He swallowed hard.

“Yes… I, I still. I like Tia. No, I love you…”

“……”

“Tia?”

Her tear-filled red eyes looked back at Fosao.

“Do you l-like me?”

“……”

*Drip.*

A beautiful tear fell down her chin.

Tia replied.

“…Yes. I love you.”

*Softly.*

Fosao’s large hand slipped into her red hair.

Tia, realizing the meaning, slowly closed her eyes.

They slowly drew closer.

The moment the scent of alcohol from his thick, rough lips and the sweet breath from her plump lips overlapped.

Their lips met.

…….

It was the night of the baptism, where a vow of love was fulfilled.