episode_0204

Ritsu Academy.

My lips curled upwards without my knowing.

Looking at the building named after me. I didn’t think this was a mere coincidence.

Nor did I smile with joy.

“…I see.”

Because my name written there was meant to honor.

Just as the name of the king who founded this country long ago is given to a ship.

Just as the name of a general who finally achieved victory in a harsh war is given to a newborn baby.

Tia had affixed my name to that academy.

She hadn’t forgotten me.

Just as one doesn’t instantly forget the content of a book upon closing it, Tia still remembered me.

However, at the same time, Tia closing the book meant…

That our story had ended.

When, someday, a sudden longing emerges.

One might pluck it from the bookshelf of memories, dust it off, open it to any page, read it, and smile nostalgically, thinking, ‘That happened, didn’t it.’

The novel, [The Story of Ritsu and Tia], had become such a worn-out book.

The self-evident truth that to Tia, I was now merely a shadow of the past.

Remained before my eyes – as an utterly peaceful and beautiful academy.

I grew curious.

“Mr. Verdunando… what do you think of the Queen?”

“What do I think?”

“Honestly, you can’t say there are few people who think badly of the Queen, can you?”

“Ah. Indeed – some of the higher-ups found it hard to accept.”

Aban looked down from the terrace.

He seemed to have been a wealthy man from the start. Among the mansions built in this urban area, his was the highest and most magnificent, so standing on this terrace, the entire panorama of Deseo was visible, like a low-lying field.

The sea breeze, flying from afar, made his fedora sway as if it might blow away.

“In a way, the current Queen-nim is on the throne ‘by blood’ alone. At first, many doubted that lineage, but since she strongly resembles Prince Likne-nim, such talk gradually disappeared. Nevertheless, her young age, her lack of royal education, and the fact that she was already married to a commoner man will follow her as lifelong flaws. That’s unavoidable.”

“Especially that fellow… that fellow is completely undermining the dignity of the Queen and this country.”

“That fellow, you mean ‘Royal Consort-nim’? Hmm – I understand your concern, but you don’t have to worry too much.”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

Aban stepped forward to defend Fosao, whom everyone uniformly criticized.

“Have you heard the story of how the Queen-nim and the Royal Consort-nim relied on each other and overcame a harsh winter together when they were commoners? They say it’s even being made into a play now.”

“……”

“That’s not just singing about difficult times. It means that the Queen-nim also experienced the hardships that all commoners go through at least once. ‘The Queen knows the suffering of the people.’ And she even showed the Royal Consort-nim, who could have been a flaw to her, to the public. ‘Unlike the nobles, I have taken a commoner man as my husband’ – to make people realize that the royal family is close to commoners.”

It was an absurd statement.

Although I had only read books in a mountain pharmacy, I knew that the qualifications for a ‘Queen’ were by no means simple.

A queen must be perfect in every aspect.

A queen can only rule if there are no flaws.

Even if the ‘Royal Consort’ has no political power.

If the Queen’s husband, the one representing this country, is like that, what pride could any commoner have?

Isn’t his very existence an insult to the people of this country?

“So, was it effective? It doesn’t seem like it at all.”

“In the current situation, where noble support isn’t abundant, they need the public’s attention to survive. Also, the Queen-nim instructed the Royal Consort-nim to oversee charity work. It meant ‘represent the common people.’ So, in a way, you too have benefited from his grace.”

What?

I looked down.

The comfortable bedding I had slept on tonight. The clean clothes I was wearing now. And even the food I had eaten to my fill.

All of it, tainted by that bastard’s hands?

A chill ran down my spine. I wanted to vomit what was in my stomach. I wanted to tear off the clothes I was wearing right now.

To barely suppress that impulse, immense patience was required.

“There’s a lot of talk, but ultimately, I think the Queen-nim will win.”

“…Why?”

“I’ve personally seen the Queen-nim’s true nature. Before, when the Queen-nim was still a commoner, I met her as a hostess at a bar called ‘De Clasio Bar.’ We only talked for a short while, but I felt she was extraordinary. So, when I asked why she was working in such a place, she replied, ‘I came from far away to save my friend.’”

Somewhere in the back of my mind.

A memory, almost forgotten and very hazy, barely surfaced.

De Clasio Bar.

That was the bar where Tia had worked to earn money, shortly after arriving in Deseo.

“When I heard that story, I felt envious of ‘that friend.’ Because the Queen-nim dedicated that tenacity and determination, crossing the Messroad alone and achieving great success in Deseo, to just one person.”

“……”

“Now that she has become ‘Queen,’ she will use her outstanding abilities for this country. If you think that way, can’t you help but be optimistic?”

Finally, I remembered.

Aban Verdunando.

He was the merchant who, triggered by meeting Tia at the bar, told her about the nobles’ ‘Autumn Ball strategy’ to gather ten million gold.

This foundation, ‘Saint Lucretia,’ was also a charity organization created out of great admiration for Tia. That’s why ‘Tia’ was at the end of its name.

Aban hadn’t intended it, but… he was also the one who helped Fosao.

Because he made Tia and Fosao a married couple to attend the nobles’ banquet.

Of course, it was a fake marriage, but as Tia acted as Fosao’s wife, their relationship couldn’t help but grow closer. It was around that time that Tia began to shed her distrust of that pig and show him favor.

Since he provided the opportunity for Tia and Fosao to grow closer, from my perspective, Aban was an utterly detestable man.

However, if asked if there was any other way to gather a thousand gold in such a short time, I had nothing to say.

Perhaps thanks to Aban’s help, I was still alive and well.

Looking at Aban’s hopeful face, I briefly thought about how to deal with him.

After various considerations, I decided to leave him be.

At least there was no ill intent in Aban. I didn’t want to waste unnecessary strength.

“Mr. Verdunando, how much is a ticket for the ship to Taildon from here?”

“Taildon? Hmm… it’ll probably be about 40 gold per ticket. Why suddenly?”

“Then, could you give me 80 gold?”

Aban stared blankly at me.

It wasn’t a request to borrow money. It was a request for 80 gold, unconditionally, just to leave Deseo forever. He looked quite flustered.

“Is it urgent?”

“Yes. I want to leave tomorrow.”

“There’s no reason not to, but may I ask why? I haven’t heard any of your story yet.”

“I want to return home. That’s all.”

“…Is that so? Then I can’t stop you.”

Aban reached inside his clothes, rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out two platinum coins.

“Here, 100 gold. You don’t have to return the money. Just go back safely.”

“Thank you.”

I took the money, turned around, and walked away.

A moment later, he called out to my back.

“Excuse me, could you at least tell me your name?”

I replied simply.

“You’ll know soon enough anyway.”

Leaving Aban standing there with a bewildered expression, I exited the terrace.

***

I went down to the garden and called Marie.

She bid farewell to the friends she had just met and immediately came to my side.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes, I did.”

“They’re good kids.”

Meeting Aban was a stroke of luck.

Thanks to the money, the ‘cleanup’ I had expected to take some time could be handled much faster.

As soon as we left the mansion, I found any restaurant and sat down.

And I let Marie order as much food as she wanted.

She chose rather inexpensive menu items, so I told her to order something fancier for once.

“Ritsu Oppa, aren’t you eating?”

“I’m not very hungry. You eat a lot.”

“It feels a bit strange for just me to eat…”

“Eat your fill while you can.”

The food was splendid, but the atmosphere was not. Marie picked at her food, unable to eat properly while watching my expression.

It was my personal desire. It was regrettable that this was all I could do for Marie, who had suffered so much with me until now. But I felt that feeding her like this would at least ease my mind a little.

The awkward meal ended, and Marie put down her spoon.

“I’ve finished eating.”

“Was it good?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, then take this.”

I finished paying the bill and handed all the remaining money to Marie.

It was about 90 gold.

Marie was startled.

“This money…?”

“That person from the foundation helped us.”

“Ah…”

“Marie. There’s something I need you to do now.”

“Yes?”

Marie would never make a mistake, but still, I spoke in a serious voice.

“First, go to the royal palace and report that Uncle Joseph was kidnapped by the rebels. You don’t need to tell them the location. Just hand this map to any soldier and then leave.”

“…Yes.”

I gave Marie a map showing the way from the underground waterway to the rebels’ hideout.

“Then, immediately take a carriage to the eastern port and catch a ship to Taildon. Similarly, ask anyone, and they’ll tell you where the ship is docked. Get two tickets for a night departure and wait until sunset.”

“…I understand.”

Though her eyes were a little tense, Marie nodded firmly.

“That’s all. Now, let’s move separately.”

“Um… Oppa.”

Just as I was about to get up from my seat, Marie hastily asked.

“Oppa… you’re coming back to the port too, right?”

I tried hard not to make eye contact. But I inadvertently met Marie’s gaze.

It was strange, though, to see it for the first time.

Marie… with the face of a deeply troubled girl, was gripping my sleeve.

Her blue eyes were deep.

So deep that they were like a sea whose end couldn’t be seen.

I thought she was a blunt child. Could she make such an expression? Well, if she’s always with boring Ruyef, she wouldn’t know how to use her facial expressions. Marie must have been influenced by that.

“Yes. I’ll come back.”

“Really?”

I thought it would be difficult to deceive her. As expected, Marie is Marie.

She seemed to have already noticed.

That our journey had finally reached its end.