episode_0141

“‘Everything’…”

Ruyef let the end of his sentence trail off, lowering his gaze as he asked, “Tia… has she left?”

Did he mean left this village? Or left my side? It was an ambiguous question. But the answer to that question was, in the end, only one.

“…Yes.”

The moment I painstakingly pushed that answer out of my throat, tears burst forth.

“Ugh… hngh…” “…” I clutched my chest and wailed.

Ruyef stared at me, weeping, with an unreadable expression. I had always hated that stiff, frowning look, as if he had never felt emotion in his life. But his deep blue eyes, unwavering, were so incredibly comforting at this moment.

He remained silent. He offered no comfort. Nor any blame. Simply sitting there, listening to all my sorrow.

The last thing I saw that day was Ruyef placing logs onto the bonfire. The flickering flames and the quiet crackling of the burning wood finally pulled me down to the ground. And I fell asleep just like that.

* * *

When I opened my eyes again, it was morning. A thick blanket was draped over my shoulders. This navy color… it was the one Marie had been sleeping under last night. The bonfire was out. The lingering warmth suggested it had only just been extinguished. Ruyef was nowhere to be seen.

It was then that I slowly sat up.

“Oh. You’re awake?”

I turned around. Marie was in the carriage. It seemed she had been waiting for me to wake up.

I asked with a hoarse voice, “…Ruyef?”

“Oppa went up the mountain to look for something to eat.”

Is that so. Since arriving in Breezedon, we hadn’t eaten anything. Even if I put something in my mouth, I would probably just throw it up quickly anyway. But I hadn’t seen Ruyef or Marie eat either.

Marie said with a worried voice, “He said he’d be right back. He’s a bit late, though.” “…”

I hadn’t really noticed it until now. But talking about food suddenly made me feel hungry. The moment I realized the emptiness and hunger in my stomach, a memory suddenly came to mind.

“…Marie.”

Marie lifted her head.

“Are you… very hungry?”

“No. I’m used to starving, so I’m fine.”

Contrary to her answer, her expression wasn’t bright. She was already an often-sick, skinny child. Not being able to eat properly made her look very listless.

I stood up.

“…Follow me.”

“Ah! Are you feeling okay?” “…”

As I silently headed towards the hill, Marie jumped out of the carriage and followed behind me. She had a face full of questions, but she quietly followed without showing much. It seemed Ruyef had probably told her not to ask anything while I was asleep.

Without even consciously thinking about it, my feet were heading there on their own. The path I had walked my entire life. The path to ‘my home’.

Thud. I stopped my steps and raised my head. My house had been able to remain safe because it was on the opposite side of where the flames had spread. But it was only its form that remained intact. My house… had become haggard and old, like an ancient, decaying tree.

It was strange. Living in this house, I had never particularly repaired or maintained it. The only thing was when Uncle Marvin added a few wooden planks to the wall during an unusually strong storm when I was a child. Despite that, my house had remained intact. It seemed like it would stay just as it was even if I lived there for 30, 50 more years. But in half a year. Just half a year of being without an owner. My house was covered in moss, weeds were poking out, the pillars were rotting, and the windowsills were crumbling. The house… seemed to be looking down at me, asking. Where had I been all this time? Why had I only returned now?

I raised my hand to give an answer. And slowly pushed the door.

Clank. The rotting door opened, revealing the interior.

“…” It was just as it had been. All the objects I remembered were there, without a single speck out of place. Except for the mold on the blankets and the thick layers of dust accumulated on the floor and table. It perfectly matched my memories.

I gestured to Marie, who was hesitant behind me.

“Come in.”

“…Ritz Oppa. You’re okay, right?”

She asked with a tense face.

“You’re not going to… become scary like last time… are you?”

The fear in her expression was genuine. Is that so. In Marie’s eyes, I must have looked like a madman. Because as soon as I entered the general store, I suddenly had a seizure and tried to tear at my ears and eyes. Even though she must have been terribly frightened, she desperately rushed forward to snap me back to my senses. She crashed her small, frail body into me, knocking me to the bare floor. Thanks to that, I was able to regain my sanity. But there was no guarantee it wouldn’t happen again this time, so Marie’s hesitation was natural.

I looked around. Just then, I saw something familiar right next to me. A scarf, now useless as the season had long passed, was hanging on the wall. I reached out and took it down. Marie’s eyes widened.

“Ah! That scarf… I made that…”

“That’s right.”

I gave a short answer and tied a knot in the scarf.

“Heh heh-.”

She chuckled softly, as if embarrassed. The knot was complete. I put it around my neck, then pulled out a long end and held it out to Marie. She grabbed it, but her eyes showed she didn’t understand its meaning. It looked as if I were offering her a hunting dog’s leash.

I explained it clearly to Marie.

“…If I get scary, pull this hard.”

“Huh?”

Marie’s innocent eyes, only then realizing the meaning, trembled with shock.

“How could I…”

“With that, even your strength will be enough to restrain me.”

“…Ritz Oppa.”

I immediately turned my body inwards. As the scarf slowly began to tighten around my neck, a surprised Marie reluctantly followed me inside. I strode quickly into the storage room.

I opened a small jar. Inside, preserving the coolness of winter, were hard-dried herbs and and fruits. These were dried snacks I had occasionally made when the pharmacy was busy and I couldn’t bother to time my meals. Because they were preserved food, similar to hardtack, they could be eaten even after being left unattended for a long time. I took out the jar and handed it to Marie.

“It’s hard, so melt it with your saliva.”

The quantity wasn’t large, but it was enough to soothe immediate hunger. Marie, clutching the jar, asked bewildered,

“…Is that it?”

“Yes.”

I silently exited the storage room. The only reason I had come to the house was to find these hard lumps of snacks. There was nothing else worthwhile to take, and no time to dwell on memories.

Memories…. Come to think of it, were there any memories here? As I pondered that.

“…” Suddenly, a faint shadow appeared over Marie’s shoulder. A man and a woman were lying on the floor there. It was me… and Tia.

At a distance close enough for our shoulders to touch. The two of them, wrapped together in a small blanket, had a large book open and were eating snacks. Tia giggled as she read the book. I was lying down, listening to the story. Seemingly without a single worry… The memories of a happy boy and girl were there.

I couldn’t take my eyes off that nostalgic scene.

“…Oppa?”

I thought I faintly heard Marie’s voice. Drawn by the call, I lowered my head. But Marie wasn’t there. On the wooden floor where I sat down… It wasn’t Marie, but Tia, kneeling.

Her red hair had grown even longer, covering her entire back. The innocent girl who used to giggle while reading books had faded, and Tia, now a more mature woman… was gazing into the void with sorrowful eyes.

Faint light flickered through the window. It was a cold early morning, the sun barely risen. Tia, kneeling, reached a hand into her thick coat. And pulled something from within her embrace.

Click. For a moment, a reddish light flashed brightly.

It was… a necklace. The ruby necklace Tia had always worn around her neck. My gift, which she had never forgotten to wear for a single moment during that long journey to Deseo… Tia held it in her hand.

[…Ritz.]

She called my name with a broken voice.

[I came… to return it.]

Slowly lifting her knees. Tia spoke to the empty, ownerless house.

[It was heavy… This necklace was so heavy, I… I just couldn’t wear it around my neck.]

She was sobbing.

[This is a ‘sin’… The sin I must bear for the rest of my life, for failing to save Ritz and giving up on him…]

Clutching the necklace tightly to her chest. She shed tears cleaner than dew.

[I’m sorry… I’m truly… truly sorry, Ritz…]

With trembling hands, she placed the ruby necklace on my bed.

[…I won’t ask for your forgiveness. Because I… I am a sinner who cannot be forgiven.]

Rustle. Tia let that sentiment of mourning, which she couldn’t place on my body, flow over my traces. The ruby, resting on the old bedding, had lost its luster and appeared black.

[Goodbye… Ritz.]

Tia wiped her tears with her sleeve. Her silhouette remained for a very long time. Until the sun fully rose. She stayed, guarding the spot, and did not leave.

The shadow gradually faded. And eventually vanished completely.

“Ritz Oppa…?”

What I had just seen was a memory. Undoubtedly… it meant Tia had visited my house once.

Passing by Marie, who was urgently calling my name, I walked towards the bed. The floor was covered in a thick layer of ash-grey dust, but two spots were perfectly clean. Those were the spots where Tia had knelt. I looked at the bedding, stained with pitch-black mold. There was the ruby necklace. Exactly as Tia had left it.

“…” I knelt down and slowly picked up the necklace.

Click.

“…Ugh?!”

At that moment. The world surged and convulsed once. I can see it. Tia’s memories, steeped within the ‘ruby necklace,’ where our love began.