episode_0152

“……My birthday?”

Tia’s eyes widened as she repeated the question.

Thinking about it, the time was slowly approaching.

The season when the harsh winter wind, like a demon’s blade, slowly subsided, and the faint salty scent of the distant sea could be subtly felt in the deep mountain valleys.

When the ice on the frozen stream began to melt, and the sunlight grew unusually warm.

The last chapter of winter. And the stirring of spring.

Amidst the joy of those who had endured the severe cold, finally celebrating their survival.

In this tiny village of Brizedon, a precious life had been born.

Tia Anshier.

February 2nd.

That day was always a festival.

Using leftover ingredients from throughout the winter, they held a birthday party, and people blessed Tia as if she would bring prosperity to the new year.

Tia seemed very happy receiving all sorts of gifts. She had a deep affection for the village and always celebrated everyone’s birthdays, so much good fortune returned to her.

Tia would often share the leftover food with Ruyef and me, saying she couldn’t eat so much by herself. Then we would go down to the lower village together to watch, and when night fell and people disappeared.

Tia would look at me with sparkling eyes.

Because it was time for her to receive the most important gift of her birthday.

And I would take out the birthday present I had kept hidden all along.

It wasn’t particularly expensive, nor was it an item with romantic significance. I wasn’t very good at choosing gifts, so it was usually just clothes that Tia would look pretty in or suitable accessories.

Tia’s eyes welled up with tears, and she rejoiced as if she could leap.

It was her birthday, but the person who felt the happiest of anyone… might have been me.

That birthday held only good memories for us.

But.

Clink-.

That night, when her birthday arrived.

In Brizedon, where there was no one left to give blessings.

Around Tia’s bare neck, a sapphire brooch dangled.

The person giving her the gift at night was no longer me, but Fosao.

“I, February 2nd! T-Tia’s birthday!”

“I didn’t realize… it was already that time.”

“Heehee. We have to c-celebrate Tia’s b-birthday.”

Fosao said, touching the sapphire necklace.

“How do you like it? My b-birthday gift.”

“……”

I had expected her to be happy, knowing it was her birthday. Perhaps it was in contrast to the joyful birthday party of last year, but her face was rather calm and subdued.

The table, once piled high with platters of food, was now empty, with only a few crude biscuits with a pinch of salt.

The villagers, who used to offer congratulations, were nowhere to be seen, and across from her sat only a fat Fosao, completely naked.

Tia replied in a small voice.

“……Thank you.”

“W-What? Don’t you l-like the gift?”

“No, I really like it. I was just surprised to realize it’s my birthday now…”

She said that, but seeing her still dejected face, Fosao gently asked.

“Then, sh-shall we have a birthday party?”

“It’s alright. Given our current situation, we don’t have anything for a party anyway.”

“Th-That’s true, but…”

Fosao scratched his cheek awkwardly and said again.

“Then for Tia’s n-next birthday, I’ll th-throw you a wonderful party.”

“If possible, let’s do that.”

“It’s possible! R-Really. I promise.”

Perhaps the sight of a grown man shouting with determination was funny. Tia suddenly let out a small laugh.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

And then, with sperm still clinging to her body, she lay down next to Fosao.

“By the way, Mister, when was your birthday?”

“Me? It’s a-already p-passed.”

“Passed? I don’t remember celebrating it… When was it?”

“The d-day after the b-baptism.”

“It was ‘that time’?”

Tia seemed to recall ‘that time’ for a moment. Soon enough, her face flushed, and she lowered her head.

I knew why.

Because that was the day Tia had her first night with Fosao.

Fosao had already received his birthday present with that.

No, it was no different from receiving the most precious gift in his entire pathetic life.

But Tia seemed to think she hadn’t properly celebrated his birthday.

“I’m sorry. I should have at least congratulated you…”

“No, no— It’s f-fine. I haven’t really been c-congratulated much anyway, so it’s a-awkward. Hehe.”

How many times had Fosao, who had lived alone for over twenty years, been congratulated by others? For him, it probably wasn’t even particularly sad.

As if it were nothing, Fosao stroked Tia’s head.

“Now, Tia’s birthday is more important than m-mine. No need to be s-sorry. Congratulate me next time.”

Tia reluctantly nodded.

“Next time, then… Alright.”

“Then, shall we sleep?”

“Yes.”

As always, the two of them settled down to sleep. Tia didn’t seem as uncomfortable as before, even with the sticky semen still on her body. She didn’t seem to care much about the smell of semen on her.

It was when Fosao was hesitantly pulling up the blanket. He suddenly began to cough loudly.

“Ahem! Cough!”

Covering his mouth with his hand. It was a severe cough, enough to make his huge upper body convulse.

Startled, Tia asked with a frightened face.

“Mister?”

“Cough! …Hmm.”

Fosao waved his hand, indicating he was fine. Then he took a deep breath, calming his chest.

“Hoo— Hoo—.”

“Shall I get you some water?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She hurriedly poured warm water from the kettle. Fosao took the glass of water and gulped it down, wiping his mouth.

“Are you alright? Was it too much you did today…?”

“No.”

He bent his back and said.

“It’s j-just because I’m old.”

Since moving into the big house, Fosao had been saying he was old quite often.

Such words were usually spoken by truly elderly people, nearing sixty, in a self-deprecating way. When death was truly imminent. When the body couldn’t move properly, they would say, ‘It’s because I’m old.’

Fosao was now forty-five. It was certainly too early to say he was old.

But from Tia’s perspective, there was still a long difference in years.

“Are you… really okay?”

“Yes. I’m f-fine. Don’t w-worry and sleep.”

Fosao lay back down.

Perhaps worried, Tia watched him for a long time, then lay close beside him.

Time passed.

As night deepened, Fosao’s snoring grew louder, and the fire in the hearth gradually died down.

But for some reason, Tia’s eyes were open.

She was lost in thought, her face showing she hadn’t closed her eyes to sleep even for a moment.

Rustle-.

Tia carefully got up so as not to wake Fosao, and sat on the edge of the bed.

Had she not yet gotten used to Fosao’s loud snoring?

Or was it because it was her birthday today, making her think more?

After sitting there for a long time, Tia suddenly murmured to herself.

“I’m still young… but Mister doesn’t have much time left.”

Tia hadn’t been unable to sleep because of the snoring or because it was her birthday.

She was… depressed by the fact that she didn’t have much time left to spend with Fosao.

Clink.

Her small hand looked at the sapphire necklace resting on her chest.

Tia stared blankly at the sparkling blue jewel, then turned to look at Fosao.

“……”

His back snored like a giant bear sleeping.

Seeing that, Tia gave a faint smile.

And as if she had made a decision, she clutched the sapphire brooch tightly.

Slide.

Then she lay back down in bed and hugged Fosao’s back tightly.

The beautiful baby angel… finally seemed to have fallen asleep.

* * *

As soon as the next day dawned, Tia left Fosao, who was in a deep sleep, and went out alone, putting on her coat.

I thought she was going to the stream to draw water, but her footsteps headed towards the village.

Shuffle. Shuffle.

Carefully treading on the frozen ground, Tia finally arrived somewhere.

That place was… my house.

“Ritsu.”

A soft breath escaped her lips as she called my name. It was a voice imbued with deep longing.

Tia reached out and slowly pushed open the door of my house, which had grown severely old.

Creak-.

Tia’s shadow stretched long in the faint light of dawn.

She looked around the house once or twice and bit her lip tightly. But after taking two steps, that wasn’t enough, and she covered her mouth with one hand.

Plop.

A transparent tear eventually traced her cheek and fell to the floor.

Like someone who had lost strength in their legs, she stumbled into the bedroom where I had slept for decades.

Thump.

As soon as she saw the small spread bedding and blanket, Tia sank to the floor.

“……”

With trembling hands, she took ‘that’ out from under her coat.

What she had always carried on her person.

And what she had always secretly kept in a corner, hidden from Fosao… it was my ‘ruby necklace’.

“……Ritsu.”

Tia said, suppressing a sob.

“I came… to return it.”

The ruby necklace, shaking in the girl’s white hand, looked like a body dangling from a gallows with its neck caught.

“It was heavy…. This necklace was so heavy that I… couldn’t possibly wear it around my neck. This is ‘sin’…. The sin that I, who couldn’t save Ritsu and gave up, must bear for the rest of my life…”

A sinner.

I knew she wasn’t a sinner, but Tia called herself that.

Regardless of how it happened.

Even though she knew I was still breathing, still ‘alive’. Tia ultimately placed me in a cold coffin and buried me in the ground.

Yes, it was a live burial.

Tia was so crushed by the heavy guilt of burying me alive that she tried to commit suicide.

Even now, having barely saved her life and somehow managing to live with Fosao.

Every time she saw the ruby necklace, she must have felt suffocated by the thought of burying her living friend herself.

“I’m sorry…. Truly… truly sorry, Ritsu…”

Tia pleaded with trembling hands.

It was as if she was pleading towards the place where I, watching, was.

Thud-.

The ruby necklace fell onto my blanket.

“…I won’t ask for forgiveness. I am…”

No.

I can forgive you, Tia.

I can forgive you. I… know you did nothing wrong.

It’s not because of you.

All of this… is because of that pig next to you.

So…

“Because I am an unforgivable sinner.”

She branded herself thus.

Tia tore off the beautiful wings that unfolded behind her back, by herself.

Forever thinking of herself as a murderer.

“Goodbye… Ritsu.”

The memories held within the ruby, ended like that.