Ch.112Smoothly (2)

“You seem to be in a good mood lately.”

“Oh, it’s because I’ve been getting along better with the Crown Prince. I was surprised when I first met him, but he seems like a better person than I expected.”

“That’s wonderful. I’m sure you’re quite pleased that your relationship with him has improved, my lady.”

“We’re meeting today to go to the library together.”

The old butler smiled warmly at Scarlet’s bright expression.

He had mentioned that the Crown Prince was an important figure, but he never expected her to fulfill her role so admirably.

As someone who served her, and as someone who had watched her grow up, he couldn’t help but smile as a feeling of pride blossomed in his chest.

Scarlet looked like a girl in her prime.

While reading books, she would suddenly hug them to her chest and stamp her feet excitedly.

She would also blush and walk around the garden for long periods by herself.

The old butler laughed heartily, genuinely pleased that the object of her affection was Crown Prince Kaisel, as evidenced by her newfound interest in dresses and accessories she would have previously dismissed as too expensive—a clear sign she had discovered the emotion of love.

“Though I haven’t seen much of you together, I’m glad that you two seem to be quite compatible.”

“Does it look that way? Really?”

“Yes, and I’ve been hearing rumors. Some people are saying that the Crown Prince seems to have finally found his match.”

Scarlet’s expression brightened progressively at the butler’s words.

When she had lived only in the countryside estate, she had only dreamed of this, but now that it seemed possible to become reality, Scarlet could almost see herself as the Crown Princess.

In truth, they had only just become somewhat friendly, but what harm was there in fantasizing?

The old butler thought that, surprisingly, Scarlet and the Crown Prince had a high chance of success.

After all, the Prince often developed deep relationships with women he took interest in, so perhaps this situation would strengthen the bond between Scarlet and the Crown Prince.

The red moon, the total lunar eclipse, was only three months away.

They had moved up the overall plan, so results were needed…

At this rate, perhaps they could begin everything on the day of the total lunar eclipse.

The old butler bowed his head toward Scarlet, who was still smiling brightly, and she waved goodbye to him.

“…That’s fortunate.”

The old butler muttered with an expression quite different from the one he showed Scarlet.

With a face devoid of emotion, he stared at the shadowy wall and drew a pentagram in the air.

Magic formed along with rune characters. When a crackling sound came from the magic circle, the old butler looked around and quietly spoke.

“…There seems to be no need to dispose of her before the moon rises.”

[Are the chances high?]

After hearing a voice that was difficult to distinguish as male or female, the old butler stroked his chin in contemplation before finally moving his lips to continue.

“It’s hard to say the chances are high, but it’s worth trying. If all goes well, we can begin everything as soon as the moon rises.”

Crackle—

When no voice came from beyond the magic circle for quite some time, the old butler erased the pentagram and looked back in the direction where Scarlet was.

If all goes well… The phrase carried multiple meanings, but he believed this plan would succeed.

Three months from now, what shape would everything take in the new year?

For just a moment, the butler’s eyes flashed purple.

#

“You’re thinking of retiring?”

“Well, yes. I have you now, don’t I?”

Evan’s mouth opened slightly at the unexpected mention of retirement as soon as he returned from the royal palace.

He had anticipated that retirement would come someday, but wasn’t this timing too early?

Though the knight named Chris hadn’t appeared in the original story, his existence had already taken a significant place in Evan’s heart.

He could be considered a “mentor” of sorts. When Evan first inhabited the unfamiliar body of Evan Fried, the old knight Chris had been the greatest help in adapting to this world.

“Let’s reconsider. Aren’t you still in good health?”

“Good health? Ha, you jest well. Can’t you see this hair?”

Chris laughed as he touched his completely white hair.

He had worried that if he mentioned retirement, they would gladly send him off, but seeing Evan trying to hold him back made him feel not so bad.

To be honest, he did think it was still too early to retire.

His armor didn’t feel heavy yet, nor did his body creak when he held a sword.

With a bit more care, he could probably continue for another decade.

Then he could retire to the countryside, farm, and live that way… it wouldn’t be so bad.

“I just want to rest now.”

But stronger than those thoughts was his desire to rest.

He wanted to put everything down, take care of his aging body, and look around at his surroundings.

Chris closed his eyes quietly as he recalled that about 50 years had passed since he became a knight of Yuris.

Though old, he wasn’t ill. Though tired, he wasn’t truly unable to rise.

What did he want?

After pondering for a while, Chris eventually opened his eyes with a slight smile.

He couldn’t tell what he wanted.

It was a subject he had never thought about before, so perhaps that was natural.

It wouldn’t be so bad to struggle to find out.

After all, he still had plenty of time, so slowly…

“Are you planning to live with Rofena?”

“…Someone might misunderstand if they heard that.”

When Chris frowned, Evan looked at him with a chuckle.

When they first met, his hair hadn’t been completely white, but now not even a hint of his original hair color remained, which made Evan’s mouth taste bitter.

It felt like so much time had passed, yet when he actually counted the years, it hadn’t been that long, which helped him understand a bit of what Chris felt.

He must have had a hard time. Though Evan couldn’t fully understand everything about him, he had vaguely noticed that Chris was the one who blamed himself the most when Airine was kidnapped.

A knight who had been angry at his own weakness, despite facing an irresistible force.

Perhaps that was why he wanted to retire, but Evan chose not to voice this thought.

“I won’t leave right away after retiring. I’ll probably live nearby and visit occasionally. Surely, you won’t send me away?”

“I’ll tell Sir Jeren. If anyone who looks like Sir Chris shows up, absolutely do not let them in—oof.”

“You little… you’ve been at it since earlier.”

As Evan clutched his side, Chris glared at him before breaking into hearty laughter and patting Evan’s back.

Well, his reason for staying was really just because of one person.

Chris quietly exhaled as he thought of Rofena.

A child who particularly depended on him, whom he took care of thinking she was like a granddaughter…

After he left, he was curious to see how she would live.

At first, he had only taken care of her because he felt sorry for her, but when had she taken such a place in his heart?

Now he missed her if he didn’t see her for a few days, so perhaps he would stay in this area until his death, using Rofena as an excuse—the thought made Chris smile.

“Have you told Rofena?”

“No, I’ll tell her later.”

“…I’ll pretend I didn’t hear about this today.”

“Why? Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“What do you think Rofena would say if she knew you told me first?”

Imagining that she might feel hurt, Chris suddenly shuddered.

He had never seen Rofena upset before, so the thought of her being displeased made him nervous.

-Why didn’t you tell me first? I hate you.

“Huk.”

“…Do you understand now? You’d better tell Rofena first.”

Chris wiped away the cold sweat that had formed without his notice and nodded.

Just imagining the child he had cared for like a daughter saying such things to him was chilling.

Seeing Chris like this, Evan smiled slightly, and Chris playfully poked Evan’s side as he spoke.

“What’s so funny? You’re the one who loses in bed, yet you walk around so confidently.”

“Bed… wait, why are you bringing that up now? And I didn’t lose.”

When Evan shouted, Chris laughed loudly.

What did he mean he didn’t lose? The subject still had his pride to defend.

As Evan slightly turned his head away from Chris’s stare, Chris burst into laughter again and slapped Evan’s back.

“Don’t go around calling yourself a master. It makes me blush just hearing it.”

“…I was just tired. And why are you bringing that up? No one knows about what happened at dawn!”

“Well… you brought up Rofena first. It’s just revenge.”

At those words, Evan’s mouth opened slightly.

Had retirement made him petty, to take revenge for such a small comment?

Evan smiled bitterly at the sight of Chris.

Now they probably wouldn’t have many more conversations like this. With Chris retiring, all the knights he had been friendly with would be retiring too.

He had a somewhat awkward relationship with the guard captain Jeren, and he was closer to the maids than to the knights.

Evan, who had been about to get angry, sighed deeply and looked out the window, taking in the scenery beyond.

Autumn must have completely ended. The red maple leaves that had been clinging to the trees were now falling one by one toward the ground.

Had all the embers that had been precariously held through spring, summer, and autumn finally been extinguished?

The world was gradually entering a state of quietude. Losing its color and fading back into a season of monochrome.

The faint scent of ginkgo announcing the end of autumn tickled his nose, and Evan wiped under his nose before speaking.

“You’ll be lonely.”

“I know. That’s why I’m leaving early. To get used to it, at least a little.”

A cool breeze blows. Fallen leaves roll on the ground, mixing with the dark soil and slowly losing their color.

What thoughts might those leaves have?

When winter comes, regardless of their original color, leaves turn a pale brown and crumble.

Even the leaves of evergreens eventually turn brown and crumble with time.

Chris thought that somehow those fallen leaves resembled himself.

Growing old without knowing what he wanted or what he lived for.

Wasn’t that just like those fallen leaves?

With a click, Chris detached the sword from his waist and slowly examined it.

When he first received it, the sword had gleamed brightly, but now it was worn, dulled, and even seemed smaller in size.

“Don’t live like me.”

“…That sounds like something I’ve heard many times before.”

“When people reach this age, they all tend to say similar things. You’ll become like me too.”

“Are you cursing me? I’ll still be handsome when I’m old. Just like now.”

When Evan replied glibly, Chris clicked his tongue and glared at him.

Looking like a gigolo, yet claiming to be handsome.

Why on earth did women like such men?

Chris was about to say something about this but remembered that Evan’s lover was the person he served, so he kept his mouth shut.

‘It wasn’t like this in my day…’

Thinking about how much had changed, Chris slowly rose to his feet.

Evan didn’t try to stop him. How could he change the mind of someone who had already decided?

It was just that, thinking this might be the last time, a strange feeling arose in him.

Come to think of it, Sir Chris was the first person he saw when he first possessed this body.

Hadn’t he absentmindedly adjusted his clothes when Chris shouted that the lady was calling and to get ready?

And then he met Airine, and he met Rofena.

The unfamiliar training became familiar, and now he performed the training Chris had taught him every dawn by himself.

How could he not feel anything when such a person announced his retirement?

“I’m going now.”

“……”

Chris turned his head slightly toward the back, but Evan just stared at him without answering.

With an enigmatic expression, he gazed at Chris’s back, gauging his height, which seemed a bit shorter than when they first met.

Whoosh—

The wind blew, tousling Evan’s hair.

His yellow hair got in his eyes, and when he opened them after squinting briefly, Chris was already gone.

What was so urgent that he disappeared in that short moment?

After staring at the spot where Chris had vanished, Evan quietly looked into the empty space.

The wind, colder and drier than before, tickled his cheeks.

As time passed, familiar faces would leave one by one.

He would meet new faces in equal measure, but people always tend to cling to what has passed, and he was no exception.

He had always thought Chris would remain as Airine’s guard knight alongside him, but now hearing that he was retiring… it wasn’t easy to calm his unsettled feelings.

Rofena and Airine probably felt similar to him.

A leaf stuck to Evan’s forehead as he stared blankly into space.

Having just fallen from the tree, the leaf was still red despite its color having faded slightly.

After touching the leaf’s veins with his finger, he released it back into the wind through the window, thinking there was no point in dwelling on it.

Where would the leaf carried by the wind go?

As the leaf disappeared into the distance with a sudden gust, Evan rested his chin on the windowsill and looked outside.

Where the leaf would go… only the leaf would know. It was an answer so simple it was almost laughable.

It might fall into a river and sink, or it might fall to the ground and be buried, but ultimately it was the leaf’s choice.

At this point, no matter how much he cared, nothing would change.

And if the wind blew in the opposite direction, he might meet that leaf again someday.

Evan let go of his attachment. Though Sir Chris was retiring, he still had many tasks remaining.

While doing his duties, when everything was finished, that would be the time to congratulate Sir Chris on his retirement.

Tap—

The window closed, and feeling that the wind no longer blew toward him, Evan turned around.

After briefly looking at the seat where Chris had been sitting, he walked through the empty corridor toward Airine.

In the empty corridor, Evan momentarily paused as a faint breeze crossed his path, then resumed walking as if nothing had happened.

He buttoned the top button of his loose shirt and properly put on his uniform jacket that had been carelessly draped over him.

He needed to get used to it.

This winter would be… colder than before.

Even if it wasn’t, for Evan, it would be a colder winter.