episode_0221

This path, flat yet slightly undulating like a young girl’s chest, I had walked my entire life.

My entire life.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I had spent 29 years that way, excluding just one year.

I could find my way home even with my eyes closed.

I knew where every bothersome stone stub was embedded.

I also knew the subtle slope that had hardened over long years.

And I could count every single post in the fence.

Even though I had walked this path for so long…

Why was it different today?

It felt unfamiliar.

Like that long journey, long ago, when I left Breezedown for Deseo.

This feeling of not knowing what lay ahead.

This heart pounding wildly with excitement and nervousness.

Up to this very moment, as my chest tightened with every step, yet I couldn’t stop walking.

Everything felt similar.

Even the quick-witted Louis seemed to notice that my expression was different than usual.

By now, he should have been chattering away, recounting unasked-for stories and defending his arbitrary actions.

But he was following me silently, his mouth shut tight like a frightened kitten.

In the stillness, where only a gentle breeze swirled, we ascended to the top of the hill.

Beneath the breaking sunlight.

Beyond the edge of the lawn, the outsiders’ residential area gradually began to appear.

It was bustling.

A mule pulling a cart was just entering.

Street vendors were drinking and unwinding from their journey in front of Elon’s shop.

As late afternoon approached, travelers who had departed for Dragonez were returning one by one.

“Dad. That’s her.”

Louis pointed to the entrance of the outsiders’ residential area.

A familiar scene appeared.

Three children sat on a wooden bench, giggling, and a red-haired girl stood before them, speaking passionately about something.

And all the children listening to the girl were from Breezedown.

It was surprising.

Even though the village had opened up, children usually didn’t easily get along with unfamiliar children.

But that red-haired girl acted as if she had always been a Breezedown child.

She even stood confidently in front of the children with her arms crossed, as if she had been their leader for a long time.

Louis grumbled discontentedly.

“That brat, showing off.”

From a son’s perspective, it was something to be angry about.

Louis was the first child born in Breezedown, and thus had reigned as the village’s leader of action.

But for a girl from outside to suddenly waltz in and gather all his subordinates in just one day, his pride seemed to be quite hurt.

I understood Louis’s feelings, but…

For some reason, I felt a sense of longing from that sight.

By the time we had descended the hill.

The girl, who had been chatting animatedly, sensed our presence and turned to look this way.

She wore a tight-fitting vest, perhaps wanting to be less conspicuous, and a green cloak draped over her shoulders, covering as much of her red hair as possible.

But even so, her attire exuded an unmistakable air of nobility.

The white vest was woven from soft silk thread.

Originally, commoners like us would put on another layer of clothing if cold, not an additional sleeveless vest.

That was purely an outfit for showing off.

And to dye a simple, light cloak with expensive green dye…

Such luxury was something even the lord of Taledon wouldn’t dare to contemplate.

Had she just seen the life of commoners from afar and awkwardly tried to imitate it?

Like a single red tulip blooming alone in a shabby weed patch.

The girl was an incongruous sight, entirely unsuited for this tranquil mountain village.

She looked alternately at me and Louis, then raised the corner of her eyelid slightly and asked.

“…Who are you?”

Seeing that she was about two hand spans taller than Louis, she must have been around twelve years old.

Girls mature faster than boys, so that was probably it.

“I’m Ritsu. Louis’s father. And the village doctor.”

“Hmmph- So you brought your father after all?”

The girl looked at Louis, her eyes half-closed.

Provoked by her gaze, Louis flared up and shouted.

“Shut up! My dad’s the Village Chief-nim’s friend! He’s the second boss of our village, no less! You, you’d better watch your mouth!”

“Really? Is that so amazing?”

Her tone was gentle and dismissive, not at all intimidated, with the modesty of a noble.

At the same time, her attitude, which seemed to look down on us slightly… it definitely felt like she was a girl from the Royal Capital.

“Not amazing, but I can do a lot.”

At my answer, the girl looked up at me again.

Her ruby-like eyes held an increased wariness.

It seemed she wasn’t too pleased to suddenly be dealing with an adult after playing with the little ones.

Perhaps she was offended that I was seeing her as merely a ‘child’.

She uncrossed her arms and put her hands on her hips.

“You can do a lot?”

“Yes.”

“Then would you allow me to enter the residential area?”

“May I hear the reason?”

“It’s just a simple tour. You wouldn’t say I can’t even look around, would you?”

“Of course not. Breezedown isn’t such a rigid place.”

“Good! Then it’s settled!”

The red-haired girl immediately turned her head to enter the village.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t go yet.”

Thud.

The girl stopped her foot, which had been turning to leave, and glared at me.

“Why?”

“I told you my name, but you haven’t told me yours yet, have you?”

“…”

Her eyes showed self-reproach, realizing it belatedly.

And as if embarrassed to be caught on such a trivial point, the girl fiddled with her lips.

She subtly glanced around, then said in a small voice.

“My name is Lia.”

“Lia. That’s a good name.”

“Anyway, is that all?”

We had only exchanged a few light words.

Yet, the conversation with this child didn’t feel awkward at all.

As if long ago, lying on my father’s lap, looking at the starry sky and conversing.

Familiar and comfortable emotions bubbled up, making me involuntarily smile.

Truly. They were so alike.

With her, whose thoughts I felt I could read just by looking at her expression.

Dazzlingly beautiful red hair.

Transparent ruby-colored eyes that seemed to reflect one’s face.

And this soaring spirit, and actions that tried to leap out uncontrollably, almost impossible to rein in.

How could they be so identical?

“Louis.”

“Huh?”

“Go home now and bring your mother.”

“Okay.”

Louis, who understood very well what ‘bring your mother’ meant, immediately pulled the children and went into the village.

Now, in front of the wooden bench, there were only the girl and me.

Only the two of us remained.

Lia continued to grumble, seemingly disliking the situation of being held up by me.

“I didn’t realize a single tour by an outsider was important enough to gather the entire family of the village’s second-in-command.”

“Usually, it’s not.”

“Then why…?”

“Is the house you’re trying to find the ‘Big House’?”

“Hmm- I’m not sure if that’s exactly it, but when I described it to the kids here, they said the only house with a ‘wooden door’ was that one.”

I slowly walked and sat down on the wooden bench.

The more relaxed my demeanor, the more anxious Lia’s face became.

What should I say?

Somehow, I wanted to talk a little more and savor this precious time as much as possible.

“Do you know why only that house, and no other, is called the ‘Big House’?”

“…No.”

I carefully examined Lia’s face.

Her unadorned eyes genuinely showed she didn’t know the reason.

“That place is an abandoned house. No one lives there.”

“Louis told me that.”

“And only our villagers know this fact. There’s nothing particularly remarkable inside, and no one in neighboring Taledon knows of its existence either.”

“…”

“There are many sights to see in Breezedown. There’s a very large bridge built on a cliff, and the dense forests of Dragonez. Everyone comes to see their beauty; no one has ever come to see an old, abandoned house until now.”

Lia’s chatter abruptly diminished.

Her stiff expression seemed to convey her dismay that the ‘Big House’ was not only less significant than she imagined, but also a dilapidated, abandoned house that no one cared about.

“But for such a young child to come all the way to this remote mountain village alone and suddenly say she wants to visit that house, everyone was confused. I hope you’ll be understanding.”

“I see. I understand. But the reason I’m looking for that house is a bit difficult to explain…”

“Have you perhaps seen that house in your imagination?”

The girl’s eyes widened.

She was so surprised that she forgot to breathe and stood awkwardly.

“It’s alright. Feel free to tell me what you saw. Then I’ll tell you everything I know about that house.”

Lia lowered her head.

After thinking for a long time.

She said in a small voice.

“Don’t treat me like an idiot after hearing this.”

“I promise.”

“Yes, I’ve seen it.”

The girl said.

“In my dreams. I’ve seen it countless times. I don’t know where it is, but it was a house deep in the mountains. It had a big wooden door… and roses hanging all over the fence. For some reason, I felt like there was something inside and I wanted to go in, but I couldn’t get past the wooden door that was locked with a password.”

“…”

“Ever since I was little, I kept wondering where that place was. Then a few months ago, I happened to be reading a book and I found out. The mountain scenery I saw in my dreams was similar to Dragonez. So I came all the way here to Breezedown myself.”

“Seen in a dream, you say…”

“Yes. It sounds like a real dream, doesn’t it? I understand if you don’t believe me.”

“No. That’s not just a dream.”

I believe this is fate.

The fate I must face someday.

We cannot ignore all our past and live as if nothing ever happened for our entire lives.

I truly don’t know what the gods of this world and the great Queen are thinking.

All I can do is.

Calmly open the lid of the box that has been closed for a long time.

“The house you saw is definitely here. You’ve found it well.”

“Ah…”

“Then, shall we go together and find out why that house appeared in your dream?”

“Yes!”

We shifted our steps and headed towards that old, abandoned house.

It’s truly been a long time since I walked this path.

With each step, memories of running with her when we were children gradually came back to me.

[Where are you going?]

[My house!]

Her face and radiant voice, as she walked ahead, appeared for a moment in golden light, then softly faded away.

It was then, as I walked endlessly, following that memory which could not possibly still exist.

“…Hello!”

“…”

“Hello there!”

I turned around at the strong voice that jolted me awake.

Lia was looking at me with an expression as if she were seeing a strange person.

“Are you alright? You seemed spaced out a moment ago.”

“Oh, thanks.”

I shook my head and looked forward again.

“We’ve arrived just in time.”

A large yet quiet – isolated house.

The Big House.

Currently, no one visits this place.

It’s located where it meets a valley that flows deep into the village, making it hard to find if you don’t pay close attention.

Breezedown residents didn’t bother to check this far when patrolling.

Since no one lived there in the first place, it was excluded from the managed area.

But this house hadn’t changed at all, retaining its old appearance perfectly.

Several times a year.

Because Ruyef and I had repaired the house together whenever we had time.

Whenever it was our turn for patrol, we would always come down here to check for wild animals hiding, or for rotten or broken parts.

And in spring, we would even plant beautiful flowers in the garden and fence to decorate it.

We had protected the Big House as if we were maintaining our own private villa.

So – I could safely show it.

The house where this girl’s mother had lived.