Chapter 54.1: Already, The Sun Has Set (2)
「I never knew there would be scholars who oppose including Elves in the broad category of ‘humanity.’
However, scholars from the western island nation unanimously opposed it. To summarize their long explanation, it was because Elves were too cruel.
Therefore, I argue that the Elves of Airian should also be included in humanity.
Just as humans are most cruel to each other, the cruelty of the two races fighting over land and history is proof that they share the same humanity.
━ From Lambert, A Green Elf」
“Your Highness Oleciren, your tea is ready.”
After Garick and Mia returned, Count Crowl’s estate quickly returned to normal.
One of the reasons was that Oleciren quickly filled the empty seats using the Royal Intelligence Service.
Even the maid who was calling out now was someone she had placed.
Creaaak━.
The large door opened, and the first thing that came into view were two beds.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
Count Garick of Crowl, one of the Airian Seven Great Noble Houses.
He was so skinny that it was impossible to tell if he had any flesh left.
Only his large physique, barely visible over the blanket, hinted at his healthy past.
“We apologize for not being able to get up to greet you.”
In the bed next to him was Mia.
Her facial features, visible between her modest brown hair, were quite graceful.
In terms of beauty alone, Arian Crowl, whom Cain had dealt with, was far superior, but Mia possessed a warm atmosphere that Arian lacked.
Oleciren bowed lightly to the two and approached Cain, who was sitting between the beds.
Cain looked at Oleciren and said,
“You should greet me too?”
“Don’t. It’s creepy.”
He pulled the chair opposite the table and sat down.
Originally, this arrangement wasn’t used in noble families, but it was arranged this way for the recovering Crowl couple.
Count Garick turned his body with difficulty.
Unable to lift his head from the pillow, he barely looked at Cain and Oleciren in turn and asked,
“Contrary to what you said, you seem quite close to the Princess.”
There was a strange sense of affection in his voice.
Considering that Count Garick had not been awake for long, it was a strangely friendly tone.
Cain picked up his half-empty teacup, a familiar gesture.
“What’s so friendly about us bickering all the time?”
“It’s just that when you and I were fighting, it felt like the Princess was cheering for you.”
“Well, who wouldn’t cheer in that situation?”
However, Count Garick, who was so thin that his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, sighed deeply.
“I can’t tell if this guy is clueless or just doesn’t care.”
“What did Cain say?”
Oleciren asked, realizing they were talking about her when she wasn’t involved.
Mia smiled mischievously.
“When I asked how the two of you ended up traveling together, he said it was because you were going in the same direction.”
Oleciren playfully pouted at Cain’s typically bland answer.
“After all the life and death situations we’ve been through, you’re saying it’s just because we’re going in the same direction?”
“That’s enough.”
“……?”
“Because there’s nothing more we need than looking in the same direction and taking steps towards the same goal.”
His words were plain, but the meaning behind them was not simple.
They fought together against Arthuan, experienced the joys and sorrows of Lamaring together, and shared the ups and downs of Crowl.
It was a short time, but their relationship had deepened beyond measure.
“I see.”
She had thought to tease Cain a little, but fearing he might notice the strange feeling bubbling up in her chest, she gave a short reply.
“But Lord Count, if you remember fighting, does that mean you have memories from that time?”
Oleciren changed the subject, asking Count Garick, who was smiling faintly.
She had only known that he had no memories of when he was being controlled by Arian’s magic.
Count Garick smiled wryly and replied,
“I don’t remember most of it, but there are a few things that remain. They’re memories that I want to erase, except for one.”
“…….”
Even after becoming a puppet devoid of reason, Garick had resisted Arian’s orders. He was especially resistant to harming his people and anything related to his family.
Knowing that all his memories except for the fight with Cain must be unpleasant, Oleciren didn’t pry further.
She carefully sipped her pre-prepared black tea, using the naturally ensuing silence to avoid the topic.
Mia, who was watching them, spoke,
“You are very kind, Your Highness.”
Kind.
It was a foreign expression to Oleciren.
“…How am I kind?”
“Because you know how to cover wounds with silence.”
When she lived in the royal capital, she had to hide herself thoroughly, earning her the nickname ‘Gypsum Flower.’
It was absurd to think that she was kind.
“She doesn’t seem like it, but she’s quite like that inside.”
Cain replied nonchalantly.
“What do you know?”
Oleciren glared at Cain for a moment, having her answer stolen.
She couldn’t deny it, knowing that she had changed after meeting the boy with jet-black hair and sparkling purple eyes.
“Don’t talk if you don’t like it.”
“Chuckle.”
As Mia and Count Garick chuckled at Cain’s indifferent reply, Oleciren could only remain silent.
The sweet, cake-like conversation before drinking bitter tea came to an end, and a heavy topic flowed from Count Garick’s mouth.
“I heard… you killed Arian.”
“I wanted to capture her alive if possible to extract information, but it was impossible.”
“I figured. It had to be that way. For someone like you, a hero, to be an impossible opponent makes what happened to Mia and me a little less unfair.”
Cain scratched the side of his head with an awkward smile.
He always moved for himself.
Or, he only moved for his people.
“I’m too much of a scoundrel to be called a hero. I don’t even have a bright future or anything.”
“You’ve grown even better than Edmund expected. Can you help me up for a moment?”
Count Garick reached out his hand.
Getting out of bed was still difficult, but he was able to sit up with support.
Cain carefully helped Garick up.
Perhaps breathing became a little easier now that he was sitting up, Garick, who had been breathing weakly, continued.
“Do you know when that sword-obsessed man would talk about anything else?”
Cain tilted his head.
“……He’s not the type to talk about anything else.”
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