Duke Roam swallowed a sigh as he gazed at the figure lying on the sickbed.
“Phrygian…….”
Phrygian, who had returned alone after losing all his troops, was in a severe state of poisoning—what on earth had he gone through?
His body was so terribly ravaged that even the divine power of the priests could not fully restore him.
The priests said the toxic miasma Phrygian had inhaled was not from an ordinary Monster.
Whenever Phrygian briefly regained consciousness, the Duke pressed him for details about the situation, but little useful information was gleaned.
「It, it was my little sister! I’m certain of it!」
Sayri, who turned pale and insisted it was ‘Anelli’s doing,’ was diagnosed as having gone mad.
Though Sayri vehemently denied it, Duke Roam resolved to make a decision he had been postponing. He concluded that a quiet, peaceful monastery would also be suitable for treating his son’s condition.
Around that time, a report arrived concerning the events that had transpired in the Montel territory. It stated that Lilia had borrowed a magical artifact from the Ruejak family and given it to Phrygian, and that Anelli had lured Phrygian into the dead lands with talk of being kidnapped.
It was revealed that Phrygian had been poisoned by the toxic miasma of the dead lands, and that the magical artifact said to have been lent by the young lady of Baron Ruejak had failed to function.
Before Duke Roam could even demand an explanation, Baron Ruejak instead flew into a rage, claiming their magical artifact had been stolen.
For Duke Roam, it was utterly infuriating.
Yet he had no time to indulge his emotions.
News had arrived that the Crown Prince had gone mad. Had it been just that, it might have been manageable, but Lilia was being named as the one who had driven the Crown Prince to madness.
“His Majesty the Emperor refused an audience again today?”
“……Yes, he is said to be unwell…….”
His aide bowed his head, sweating profusely. It had been quite some time since the Emperor had last granted Duke Roam an audience.
Those who were initially uncertain began to speculate, one by one, that a rift had formed between Roam and the imperial family. Some were already appearing who rashly mocked Roam.
The Kendal barony, which had been plotting to swallow Roam whole through Phrygian, also changed its stance.
They were disavowing all connection, claiming the marriage pact with Phrygian had been fraudulent from the start and the procedures illegitimate.
Their desperate efforts to sever ties at the first opportunity, taking advantage of Phrygian’s injury, were truly a sight to behold.
Duke Roam asked.
“And Prince Heinri’s side?”
“There has been no reply from that side, not even a response.”
“……Send another communication.”
The Duke’s voice as he gave the order was utterly lifeless. There was no need to wait; he could already guess the answer that would return.
He had been prepared, from the moment he ultimately chose the Crown Prince, that things with Heinri would become irreparable.
But seeing the situation as it was, he had no choice but to approach Heinri again, even at the risk of humiliation.
Naturally, Heinri ignored Roam.
“Your Grace.”
The aide cautiously reported to the Duke, who was gazing down at Phrygian with sorrowful eyes.
“A letter has arrived from the Temple. They request cooperation in tracking heretics…….”
Duke Roam stared intently at Phrygian’s face, pale and with eyes closed, then slowly turned his body.
It felt as though forces from all sides were tightening around his neck.
The brilliant light of Roam was fading.
* * *
The gem that had cracked was the one containing Dasha.
Struggling to conceal my anxious heart, I swept my thumb over the cracked part.
For now, it was merely a hairline fracture, but there was no telling when it might shatter completely.
‘Has Dasha, who lost consciousness, awakened? Is she protesting, demanding to be summoned?’
If that were the case, it seemed absolutely imperative not to summon her now.
But that wasn’t my only worry. Xenon, who had excused himself to think alone for a while, had not returned even late into the night.
“See, why did you have to bring up such unnecessary things!”
In my irritation, I snapped for what felt like the umpteenth time. Samuel, who was polishing his sword, replied impassively.
“Yes, it was my own selfishness.”
“How can you be so shameless?”
“Had it been any later, I wouldn’t even have had the chance to act shamelessly. In my own way, it was the best course.”
Not stopping there, Samuel even retorted with remarkable composure.
“And is it not true that you have no attachment to this world?”
Whether I wish to die or not, that’s for me to decide—it’s not something for Samuel to concern himself with!
I glared at him sharply, about to rebuke him, but then simply let my shoulders slump and averted my gaze.
What would be the point of pointless bickering? It would only drain my energy.
“The other knights would follow your command even if it meant deciding your death. Both then and now, I am the only one who opposes you in that.”
“You wish to prevent my death? In the past, I could accept it was out of affection. But why are you like this now?”
I asked irritably, but Samuel did not answer. He remained silently focused on polishing his blade, then suddenly spoke.
“What matters is that you care about that mage.”
For some reason, his voice sounded somewhat bitter.
“It’s fortunate that he has uses beyond cooking.”
“If there’s a possibility I might die through that final authority, do you think Xenon would stop it?”
“Of course. Do you believe he would acquiesce to your death?”
“Of course it’s true he holds me in special regard. But…….”
I couldn’t finish my sentence. Because with a rustling sound, Xenon appeared.
Perhaps because it was the dead of night?
Xenon’s face looked unusually pale. The faint, habitual smile he usually wore was nowhere to be seen, and his yellow eyes were darkly sunken.
“May I have a word with you?”
His calm voice held no passionate emotion. Yet, strangely, my heart grew anxious and tense.
It’s not as if I’ve committed some enormous wrong.
……I haven’t done anything wrong…… right?
* * *
Even after moving to a more comfortable spot for conversation, Xenon remained silent for a long while.
The longer his silence stretched, the more uncomfortably restless I felt. It was because, as Samuel said, I cared about Xenon.
Knowing full well how Samuel’s words must have sounded to him, how could I remain composed?
“Xenon.”
In the end, I was the one who spoke first.
“Sir Samuel’s words were…….”
But I couldn’t rightly continue the topic. That Samuel’s words were false? I couldn’t assert that.
I could have lied and glossed over it, but I didn’t want to lie to Xenon.
Because Xenon is the only one who gives to me.
In the end, I merely moistened my dry lips with my tongue and looked away. Coincidentally, where my gaze fell, I saw a thin, intricately woven spiderweb among the blades of grass.
As I stared blankly at the spiderweb shimmering white in the moonlight, Xenon’s low voice reached me.
“The reason I silently complied with your words, Lady Anelli, was because I believed you would explain everything to me someday.”
“That is—”
“Because I believed that after the urgent matters were concluded, I would be given ample time to hear the explanation.”
The spiderweb swayed gently in the faint breeze. Its trembling appearance seemed precarious, as if it might snap at any moment.
“But the thought that even such time might not be granted after everything is over…… is disconcerting.”
Xenon was astonishingly calm. Whatever he was suppressing inside, outwardly he was sufficiently rational and composed.
That attitude somewhat eased my tension. I shifted my gaze from the spiderweb and slowly looked at Xenon.
“It’s an uncertain matter. So there’s no need to be gloomy about it in advance.”
“Uncertain means there is a possibility.”
The tension that had briefly eased rose again.
“The possibility of your death, as that knight said.”
Xenon, who had been standing a little apart from me, took a step closer.
Only by seeing Xenon’s face up close did I realize he was neither rational nor composed in the slightest.
“And I was unaware of it.”
Rather, Xenon was angrier than I had ever seen him.
“Had the worst come to pass, I would have foolishly met that end.”
“Xenon.”
“It seems you had no intention whatsoever of considering my confession, the feelings I hold.”
I thought that, being an emotional man, he might feel sorrow at the possibility of his first love ending badly.
I also thought he might feel hurt that I hadn’t explained beforehand.
But I hadn’t anticipated he would be this furious.
Is he angry at the fact that his love might not bear fruit?
“It’s an uncertain matter. I simply didn’t want to burden you with unnecessary worry.”
“Unnecessary worry.”
“Yes. Since I might not die, there’s no reason to expend emotions needlessly.”
“Then should I thank you for sparing me from expending emotions needlessly?”
“Don’t be so contrary.”
“I thought our feelings, even if not of equal weight, could at least bear a similar name.”
He was right. The emotion he felt and the emotion I felt shared the same name.
The only difference was that he had voiced it, and I had not.
“So I thought I could become your tomorrow. But it seems you still have no expectation of a tomorrow.”
“You’re leaping to conclusions.”
I simply wished for a little more certainty. Because I cannot yet be sure I have a place to stand on this earth.
“Love is not an emotion that is only good. One does not love solely for the good parts.”
Xenon’s voice remained calm, even somewhat dry at a glance. Yet to my ears, it sounded precisely like the sound of weeping.
Strangely enough. There was no trace of tears in Xenon.
Wanting to soothe it, I unconsciously parted my lips.
“……When all is done, I will find rest.”
“Rest?”
“Yes. For some, that rest is…… death.”
As I uttered the word ‘death,’ Xenon’s eyes flickered faintly. Xenon, who had been pressing his lips together tightly, asked in a deeply subdued voice.
“And for you, Lady Anelli?”
I swallowed dryly. Then slowly moved my lips.
“……I don’t know.”
I don’t know what my rest is.
Only that I am weary, and simply wish to rest.
As it has been from the beginning.