episode_0071

I visited Deseo’s public office again.

No one stopped me, even when I boldly entered through the back door.

A pure white dress exuding noble elegance. High heels, a wide-brimmed hat, and a large sapphire brooch pinned to my chest – no brave employee would dare block my way after seeing them.

I went to the bank counter and presented the supporting documents. They said a complicated procedure was required, but the matter was concluded in an instant when I showed them Mr. Aban’s signature.

The employee handed me a small piece of paper. “It has been issued normally. Madam Modaless.”

One thousand gold was written on the paper. It was a check from the Deseo Central Bank.

As I took the check and turned around, the employee greeted me politely. “Thank you. I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Yes.”

I replied and smiled slightly. I’m sorry, but there would be no ‘again’ for me. Because I would be leaving Deseo. Even if I returned, it would be a matter for a very distant future.

I left the public office. This city, which always poured dreary rain, had exceptionally pleasant sunlight today. Many people were visible too.

I went out to the street and hailed a carriage. I handed over a single gold coin and happily boarded the carriage. The coachman asked cheerfully. “Where to, Madam?”

“To the port, please.”

“Understood!”

I rested my chin on the windowsill and watched the city’s scenery. “…”

In the distance, the deep blue sea gradually came into view. The sea, sparkling as the sunlight shattered into tiny pieces on its surface. On the white sand beach, people were out for picnics, enjoying the cool breeze.

A sudden wave of new emotions washed over me. A month ago. I was a girl who had just arrived in Deseo, knowing nothing. Back then, the sky looked utterly dark as I wondered how I could ever gather 1,000 gold. I trembled and fell asleep amidst the cold atmosphere of this city.

Now, riding in a carriage, basking in the dazzling sunlight, with a 1,000 gold check in my hand. I was enjoying the scenery without a single worry.

“We’ve arrived!”

I dismounted from the carriage. Click-clack. The click-clack of my heels striking the hard stone ground of the port. My dress fluttered in the gentle sea breeze. Sailors, who were resting and smoking, looked at me with curious eyes.

I stepped onto the stairs and descended into the warehouse. Splash— In front of a certain warehouse, where the sound of crashing waves could be heard from afar. A merchant was leisurely napping in a hammock strung between trees.

“…Hmm?”

Perhaps hearing me approach, he gently opened his eyes. Nothing had changed. Neither this warehouse nor the short merchant.

The rare goods merchant stared at my changed appearance for a long time, then clapped his hands as if belatedly recognizing me. “Ah! You’re…”

“Long time no see.”

“Yes, yes! Long time no see! It truly is! You’ve graced this place like a hero boldly passing through the triumphal arch with news of victory.”

He leaped out of the hammock and grinned. “Follow me.”

I followed his gesture and entered the warehouse. The merchant hummed a tune and spoke. “Do you know something? Once I’m certain, I’m never wrong. But there have been exactly two exceptions in my life. One was thinking Dienbus would sell for a ridiculously high price, and the other was thinking my ‘junk’ would stay with me for life, until I died. And now, the ‘third exception’ has just appeared.”

His stubby finger pointed at me. “I was certain you wouldn’t last a week in this city and would die. But you splendidly shattered my prediction. For that alone, you are a truly amazing and tenacious woman.”

“…Are you complimenting me right now?”

“Of course it’s a compliment. Not many people hear this from me.”

“I’m not happy at all, so never mind.”

He chuckled and laughed unattractively. “Do you know why I was certain you’d die within a week? Because I’ve met countless guys who boast loudly about how they’ll definitely succeed in front of me. Stubborn as hell, with unnecessarily high pride. Those stupid bastards couldn’t survive and all died. Deseo is that kind of place. To gain everything, you must be prepared to sacrifice everything… How cold and beautiful is this city?”

The merchant’s burning gaze was like someone who worshipped this city. “But in the end, you survived in Deseo without bending your pride or stubbornness in the slightest. You know… I’m so happy to meet you again. My prediction was wrong! Such delightful things are rare in my otherwise dull life!”

I had no intention of playing along with his antics. “What a truly pathetic life.”

“What?”

“After living so long in this cold city. Have you still not met a single warm person?”

I returned a mocking look to the blinking merchant. “As you said, I almost died. I fell to the very bottom and clearly saw the cold and terrifying face of this city. It was so hard that I even lost my purpose and wandered aimlessly, wondering why I had come this far.”

“…”

“But there was someone who saved me from the swamp I was trapped in. Thanks to that person, I could rise again. And finally… I’ve reached this point.”

I showed him the check in my hand, right in front of his eyes. “Shall I tell you why your prediction was wrong? It’s because you’re always cooped up in this dark warehouse. Only people like you, just like you, would set foot in a place like this. You’ve never looked directly at the sun. That’s why you’re the kind of person who only laughs at those who are in the sun.”

“Heheheh…”

“Remember this. As cold as the city is, there are also many warm people.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll remember that.”

The merchant nodded his head and headed deeper into the warehouse. And he pulled out the Dienbus potion bottle he had prepared and showed it to me. He gazed at the potion bottle and spoke. “You endured well. Honestly, there were many other ways, weren’t there? For instance, by killing me and stealing this potion. When things get too hard, people tend to think of such things.”

“…I’d appreciate it if you didn’t think of me as someone like you.”

“No, I mean it. There were countless such guys, actually. The fact that I’m still alive and well despite that… well, I just want you to know that their attempts were very foolish. Heheheh…”

Snap. He held out the potion bottle. “One thousand gold.”

“Here.”

I handed over the check and received the Dienbus potion bottle. As soon as the merchant received the check, he sniffed it. “Hah— It’s exquisite. The smell of this money, brought by a maiden’s sweat… It’s special.”

“Still disgusting.”

“No special meaning. Just be proud. You’re the first woman to earn 1,000 gold ‘by protecting her maidenhood.’ And in just one month at that. If this isn’t special, what is? If you put your mind to it, you might even surpass me someday. Heh heh.”

“…Well then, I’ll be going.”

To my retreating back, the merchant let out a laugh. “I don’t know who it will be. But the fellow who claims your precious and noble maidenhood will surely be the most blessed man in this world. Heheheh…”

I lightly ignored him and left the warehouse. I walked until the merchant’s laughter could no longer be heard. Standing on the edge of the street. I clenched my fist once. Clench. I could feel it. The sensation of Dienbus held in my hand. The small waves sloshing inside the bottle. My heart pounded just as much.

Freedom. The end. Now, truly… only the path back to Ritsu remained. Tucking the potion bottle safely inside my clothes so it wouldn’t break. I headed to the inn. I raised my head. Deseo’s bright sun was setting.

* * *

Uncle Fosao returned to the inn. He said he had spent the entire day busy sorting out the business he had started. Uncle asked. “Tia. Hey, did you… get the potion?”

“Yes. I bought it.”

I proudly showed him the Dienbus. “H-heheh. So Ritsu will get better now?”

“Yes. All I have to do is return to Breezedon and give Ritsu this potion.”

“If you go back… h-how?”

“Isn’t traveling through Mess Road the only way?”

“W-well… Tia. Instead of that…”

Uncle hesitantly held out something. It was a small paper ticket. I took it and read the words. Tomorrow. It was a ‘direct boarding pass’ from Deseo to Taildon.

“…!”

I was so surprised I covered my mouth. Boarding passes were famously incredibly expensive. That’s why I had given up on them long ago and had been planning to travel via Mess Road. But this was…

As if in response to my silence, Uncle scratched his head. “Going back quickly is the p-priority, isn’t it? Heheh.”

“But why is there only one ticket? What about you, Uncle?”

“I, I… I’ll stay here to s-sort out some business with Mr. Aban.”

He said it was a complex matter involving both politics and economy, so it would take quite some time just to resolve it. “But I-I’ll be back soon! Once all the contracts are handled, they say it’s better to temporarily leave Deseo until th-this matter is finished.”

“I suppose so. It’s a dangerous matter, after all.”

“Mm-hmm…”

So I’ll be alone again? I lowered my head and shuffled my feet. “Uncle.”

“Hmm?”

“Will it… perhaps take a long time?”

“They say if I work h-hard for about a week, it’ll be done.”

I scratched my cheek. “Hmm— I can wait until then…”

“N-no! Tia… Ritsu… Ritsu comes first, doesn’t he? G-go back first.”

Uncle said in a serious voice. “Leave the rest to m-me, Tia.”

“…!”

Yes, that’s right. Uncle is doing this much for me, too. If I stayed in Deseo, I might actually be a burden to Uncle. I should leave the rest to him. I should go save Ritsu.

“Understood. Thank you very much, Uncle Fosao.”

Since boarding was scheduled for tomorrow morning, I decided to pack my bags now. I opened my old bag after a long time. As I picked out my clothes, which were mixed with Uncle’s clothes, one by one, it suddenly struck me that I had stayed here for a long time. Now this inn felt as comfortable as home. I had grown accustomed to the complex city scenery visible when I opened my eyes. I had to leave this place. Thinking that, I felt a certain sense of regret. What should I say? Although I certainly held dark and lonely memories of it. It was a city that wasn’t entirely unhappy, despite that.

To be honest, if I were to state my desire. I wanted to gain more positive experiences here before leaving. I wanted to leave behind happy memories, enough to forget all the sad and difficult ones. …But there wouldn’t be time for that. That was my only regret.

As I was quietly packing my bag. Uncle suddenly spoke. “Um, T-Tia?”

“Yes?”

“Do you… h-have time right now?”

“Yes. If there’s anything I can help with, I will.”

“It’s not that…”

Uncle laughed awkwardly and pointed out the window. “T-today… it’s the last day of the autumn festival. Want to… h-have some fun together?”

I looked back out the window. Deseo’s streets, where the curtain of night had fallen. There were truly many people there. It felt as if all the people of this city had come out into the streets.

Until now, we hadn’t known because we had only been at ‘banquets.’ The ‘festival’ enjoyed by Deseo’s common people was being held in a much different way. Dancing, playing music, singing, and drinking in the streets. People chattered and laughed loudly without hesitation. And for the impromptu performances, they sat in a circle and watched, got excited, and clapped. Children were excitedly running around. Families bought delicious food from street stalls and shared it. Young couples held each other’s hands tightly, played fun games or watched fascinating things, looking happy.

Pound. Pound. My heart pounded as I watched the vibrant streets of Deseo. Right now. I wanted to rush out right now and have fun with the people.

“…Yes.”

I turned to look at Uncle. And smiled brightly. “Let’s have fun together!”