Ch.58How to Cross the Desert (5)

“How about sitting next to me?”

I pat the spot beside me.

A gentle invitation extending outward.

The girl hesitates for a moment, then awkwardly makes her way over.

She approaches and timidly crouches down beside me.

“……”

Lezia said nothing.

She simply remained silent.

Unmistakable melancholy swirled in her normally transparent green eyes.

Perhaps she was in pain.

I quietly kept my mouth shut.

I didn’t want to disturb her contemplation.

She had seemed troubled by various thoughts all day, and I hoped she could find some peace, even if just for a moment.

I waited patiently in silence.

Whooosh-

A gentle breeze blows by.

As I brush my disheveled bangs aside, I suddenly notice the vast desert night sky spread out before me.

Countless star fragments twinkle in the pitch darkness.

“……”

I gaze up at the scenery that looks as if it might pour down at any moment.

The thought “beautiful” naturally comes to mind.

Indeed, the splendor of brilliant stars can make even the most tarnished adults marvel.

I suppose I was similar.

As I continued my contemplation.

“Young Master.”

Suddenly, a voice reaches me.

The pink-haired girl was calling to me while keeping her gaze fixed on the ground.

She looked withdrawn.

Her lips quivered hesitantly.

Her shoulders trembled, albeit faintly.

After faltering several times, Lezia finally murmured softly.

“…I’m sorry.”

A sudden apology.

I asked the girl gently.

“What are you sorry for?”

“Just… I feel like I’m too useless.”

“Useless, you say.”

“Every time I just hide behind you, trembling and unable to do anything.”

“So that’s what’s been bothering you.”

Lezia nods.

Her wavering pupils were filled with nothing but self-reproach.

“I know I’m a mess.”

“Miss Lezia…”

“I was chosen by a summoned beast that anyone would envy. But when the moment comes, I can’t control my abilities.”

“……”

“I become powerless at every critical moment.”

It was the same during the midterm exam.

If she had been able to perfectly control her abilities, she would have easily overwhelmed such monsters.

But the timid girl ultimately failed to achieve awakening.

As a result, she was driven to the brink of death.

Not just herself, but her teammates were nearly killed as well.

“I feel like I ruin everything.”

Perhaps the pain that had been building up was overflowing.

Her voice sounded calm, but traces of deep pain remained beyond it.

“It scares me every time. I’m afraid that someday… something irreversible will happen…”

Lezia’s eyes welled with tears.

She wasn’t always like this.

Originally, she was a lively and brave child, but she was broken by the ugliness of adults she experienced in her childhood.

The girl grew up suffering abuse.

‘She learned sorrow from such an early age.’

A mother who verbally and physically abused her daily.

A father who never existed in the first place.

She was the very epitome of misfortune.

The girl had to grow up having lost her original light.

After her mother passed away in an accident.

She began traveling with the intention of living properly, but by then it was already too late.

Lezia was no longer a young child.

Her innocent appearance had disappeared, leaving only a pitiful coward.

As a result, the girl ended up becoming a loner.

‘It must have left a huge scar.’

That was also why her abilities wavered.

Because the wounds from that time still remained, her concentration kept faltering and going astray.

She hadn’t overcome it yet.

“I want to do better… but it’s not working out as I’d like.”

A protagonist secretly suffering from pain.

Perhaps I.

“Miss Lezia.”

That’s why I feel especially fond of you.

Because you resemble my past life story so closely.

Seeing you suffering from similar wounds makes me want to take care of you.

A kind of kinship.

“Excessive self-blame isn’t good.”

At the same time, it was also admiration.

I ultimately failed to overcome my wounds, but you were destined to overcome them splendidly.

You were nothing short of hope to me.

“You’re already doing your best.”

“B-but.”

“Miss Lezia, you speak of yourself as a coward, but I see it differently.”

“What…?”

Lezia has never once run away.

Even though her abilities weren’t controlled and fear made her mind go blank, the girl still took steps forward.

“You did the same when facing the monster in the laboratory. Despite being able to escape alone, you chose to stay by the Young Lady’s side.”

“……”

“I know how much courage you muster each time.”

The protagonist’s gaze was now looking at me.

I smile gently.

“I believe without a doubt.”

A flower that will surely bloom someday.

“You’ll definitely succeed. Because someone like you, Miss Lezia, will become a star brighter than anyone else.”

It’s just that the time hasn’t come yet.

I firmly held the girl’s hand.

Gently covering her cold hand.

“Everything will be alright.”

“……”

Lezia remained silent for a moment.

She seemed dazed, as if not knowing how to respond.

Soon, her lips moved.

“…You always say such nice things to me, Young Master.”

“That’s because Miss Lezia is more than deserving.”

“This is the first time… in my life that someone has said such things to me.”

“You’ll hear much more of it in the future.”

A protagonist always receives love from many people.

Friends, colleagues, mentors… I knew she would bloom beautifully while building various relationships.

I whispered faintly.

“Of course, until then, I’ll stay by your side.”

So you won’t be lonely.

I wanted to stay with you, even if just for a while.

“When you’re afraid, hold my hand. No matter what happens, I won’t let go of you, Miss Lezia.”

I squeeze our joined hands.

Warmth passing between us.

Lezia wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes, then awkwardly nodded.

Her cheeks were already flushed red.

“…Thank you.”

“Hehe, don’t mention it.”

The air filled with innocent warmth.

And so we made a promise under the star-filled night sky.

Remembering the warmth of each other’s touch.

***

Meanwhile.

Though no one noticed, small sparks were flying inside the girl’s heart.

The inner flame signaling awakening.

Crackle-!

It was a faint but definitely existing light.

The girl who had been trapped in her shell was slowly beginning to break out of her world.

The shell starting to crack slightly.

What would happen next.

No one could predict.

“Hehe.”

Except for one person.

***

The next day.

We set out across the desert without fail.

Monster cries filled the air from morning, making the peaceful night before seem like a lie.

It was a light monster wave approaching.

Kiiieek-!

Scorpions charging aggressively.

As our level increased, their patterns also began to diversify.

Large numbers pouring in at once, specimens twice the normal size appearing, sandstorms obscuring visibility…

They were becoming increasingly tricky.

“Hmm.”

However.

That didn’t mean we were struggling yet.

Lezia seemed to be gradually adapting to this field, and the old man’s shooting skills were quite decent.

The three of us were starting to work well together.

“Phew.”

Right after the battle.

We were taking a moment to regroup.

As I was catching my breath, the old man approached quietly.

“Young man, are you alright?”

“I have no injuries. How about you, sir?”

“This old man is the same as always.”

The old man chuckled.

His wrinkled hands were maintaining his crossbow.

“It wouldn’t be strange if I died soon.”

“That’s quite a heavy statement.”

“What can I do if it’s true.”

“I hope you’ll remain safe at least until we reach our destination.”

“Are you saying you don’t care what happens after that?”

“My, my… it’s troublesome when you twist my words like that.”

We exchange a few meaningless words.

The old man lightly dusts off the dirt on his bolt.

As we were taking a short break, Lezia, who had been fidgeting nearby, cautiously spoke up.

“Sir.”

“Hmm?”

“Y-yesterday you mentioned that someone was waiting at the edge of the desert.”

“Indeed I did.”

“You’re going to meet that person, right?”

“You could say that.”

“Who might that person be? To cross a desert like this alone, they must be family, r-right?”

“An interesting question.”

Stroking his beard.

The old man seemed lost in thought for a moment, then opened his mouth in a gentle voice.

“I made an important promise with someone.”

“An important promise…?”

“Would you like to hear an old man’s story? It should be good enough to pass the time as we walk.”

We quietly listened to his story.

***

Once upon a time in a village.

There lived a boy and a girl.

Josh and Rosalyn.

Two people who had been close since childhood.

Their relationship was so special that everyone in the village knew about it.

They were always together wherever they went.

<Rosalyn! Let’s go play outside!>

<No… let’s read books together in the room this time. Okay, Josh?>

While Josh was mischievous, Rosalyn was an introverted child.

Perhaps it was because of their opposite personalities.

The two had a relationship where they complemented each other’s weaknesses.

Rosalyn kept Josh from going astray.

And Josh protected Rosalyn from being bullied by the village children.

They were truly close.

<Josh and Rosalyn always play by themselves!>

<Why don’t you two just get married!>

<You’re so boring. Just live together forever…!>

Despite the children’s complaints, the two always thought only of each other.

Sometimes when they lay under the night sky watching stars, they would whisper promises to each other.

<What if we get separated… what then?>

<Are you stupid? We just won’t separate!>

<But there’s always a possibility.>

<Is that so? Then just in case, let’s set a place to meet again!>

<Where should we meet?>

Their relationship seemed like it would last forever.

But eventually, it came to an end.

It was the year the boy turned fifteen.

Josh and his entire family had to move to a distant foreign country.

And so came the day of farewell.

<Go and never come back…!>

<I’m sick of you too! I never want to see you again!>

The boy and girl fought.

He couldn’t remember what they fought about.

A small argument that escalated, eventually tearing them apart in the worst way.

They parted without a chance to reconcile.

It was only later that Josh regretted it.

He had left behind the person he cherished most in the world.

He tried to write letters belatedly, but soon even that became impossible.

<War has broken out!>

Because war erupted between the two countries.

The boy and girl couldn’t meet again.

Time passed and passed.

A full fifty years had gone by.

The war ended, and the chaos subsided.

Only after peaceful daily life returned did the boy set out on a journey to keep his old promise.

The promise to meet each other again at the designated place.

<I’m coming to see you, Rosalyn>

The boy crosses the desert.

Steps heading toward the connection waiting for him.

***

“So that’s why you said you were going to meet someone precious.”

“That’s right.”

The old man who finished his story was smiling gently.

Eyes lost in old memories.

We were in the midst of crossing a sand dune.

Just as we were about to wrap up the rest of the story.

“So when I was young… cough! cough!”

The old man suddenly broke into a coughing fit.

At first I thought he had just choked on something, but soon realized it wasn’t ordinary.

There was pain in the sound.

Blood was dripping from the hand covering his mouth.

“S-sir…?!”

He was coughing up blood.

A startled Lezia checked his condition.

But the old man, as if familiar with this situation, simply shook his head and wiped away the blood.

“Nothing to worry about. Just an old chronic illness.”

“B-but this much blood…”

“Heh, such a worried young lady. I’m really fine, so don’t mind it.”

His wrinkled lips muttered.

“Let’s just focus on crossing the desert for now. We don’t have much time left.”

“……”

Lezia at that time couldn’t have known.

What meaning was hidden in the old man’s labored breath.