PBP 14

chapter 14

Scritch, scritch.

Now that I think about it, before my regression, I definitely wasn’t like this. I was more mature, clearly separated work from personal matters, and was praised as a model officer—a marine among marines, they said.

Scritch, scritch, scritch.

So how did I end up like this?

Rather than “how,” it felt more like I’d barely regained consciousness and already turned into a reckless, childish idiot. Maybe my body getting younger after the regression meant my intelligence dropped along with it. Or maybe it was because every moment of my life now was personal, with no room for professionalism at all…

Scritch. Scritch. Scritch. Scritch.

No way to know.

Maybe I’d figure it out once I grew older. Still, at least my intelligence hadn’t plummeted off a cliff. If it had, I’d be nothing more than a crying toddler who couldn’t do anything.

“Lara, how long do we have to keep doing this?”

“Mm, just a little longer.”

Right now, I was grinding cacao leaves in a bowl.

Other sailors who had free hands were also grinding cacao leaves or trimming the roots of trees infected with White Dragon Disease. They all seemed mildly confused about why they were doing this, but since I said I wanted to, they just went along with it.

They probably think it’s just playing house.

Because I’d been sickly since childhood, I’d spent a lot of time in the infirmary. I’m six now, but I was told that when they found me, my condition was so terrible that for half a year I was practically glued to Ethan’s side. It wasn’t as bad now, but I still relied on the infirmary plenty.

So it wasn’t strange that I’d be interested in medicine from a young age. Everyone probably assumed I was just imitating Ethan.

“…Because she’s a kid…?”
“…Takes after… someone…”

I could hear them murmuring while grinding beside me, but since it didn’t interfere with the work, I ignored it.

This should be enough for now.

Using Ethan’s spare tools, I began making the medicine. First, I started extracting the cacao leaf components, which took the longest.

I had to mix in base compounds at intervals, so I was busy moving around. Gradually, I noticed the sounds of grinding leaves and trimming roots dying down.

“I’ve got eyes on the back of my head. Stop staring and get back to work.”

As expected, their curiosity had made their hands pause, but soon the steady rhythm of work resumed.

Good. Extract the cacao essence, distill it once, then…

Ethan’s tools were extremely old-fashioned—given the era and the fact they were meant strictly for “emergency, temporary use.” Because of that, I had to go through extra steps, which was incredibly annoying.

Half the roots had to be burned into charcoal, then boiled with the charcoal ash and sap. When I took the Whitar Medical Association exam, this process had been ridiculously simple, but with such outdated facilities, it inevitably took much longer.

And more than anything…

Ugh, this body’s durability seriously sucks.

Already feeling fatigued, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and let out a small sigh.

“What’s wrong? Tired? Then take a break.”

And then Nereus, standing right next to me, spoke—

Huh?

When did this guy even get here?

Nereus rested his chin on his hand, smiling as usual while watching me, then gently shook the vial of medicine beside me.

“So you’ve been holed up in your room this whole time, and you already made this?”

“I haven’t added the cacao leaf components yet.”

“You even know the word ‘components’? Wow, you really are a genius.”

Is that what surprises you? I crossed my arms and glared at him in protest, and only then did he set the vial back down.

“But Lara, you have to eat too. Okay? You’ve been shut in here for over four hours now. The whole family is worried about you. Eat, rest, alright?”

“It’s not finished yet.”

“But thanks to what you did earlier, the sick family members are all fine now. Let’s eat first.”

That was only because the emergency treatment worked. If they didn’t take proper medicine instead of my temporary prescriptions, there was a high chance of relapse within a few weeks.

Whether he knew my thoughts or not, Nereus simply dragged me out of the room.

“Oh, by the way, the kid we brought back just woke up. We thought he might get scared if we went, so could you bring him to the dining table, Lara?”

As he said that, he shoved a muffin into my mouth with some nonsense about not collapsing on the way, then grabbed one for himself and took a huge bite.

I was about to scold him for his recklessness, but—

“Mmmph… delicious.”
“Right? Eat up.”

It was way too good to argue.

Apparently, it was one of the things Gilbert had made after locking himself in the kitchen since yesterday. Leaving behind the atmosphere of sudden idiocy, we headed toward the room where the child was.

“……”

The door opened smoothly without even a creak. Inside was a small room reserved for critically ill patients, with a wide window that let in plenty of sunlight.

The boy who had just woken up was sitting upright, looking out the window.

“Uh, um… hi?”

He must have already sensed someone entering, because he didn’t startle at my voice. Slowly, he turned his head toward me.

The moment our eyes met, I stopped breathing.

Wow. Holy hell.

Why is this kid so unbelievably beautiful?

Hair like molten gold spun into threads under the sun, and eyes that shone with a vivid golden light.

With hair that dazzling, his golden eyes might have looked like copper coins—but both were so radiant that he resembled a divine messenger straight out of a masterpiece.

A kid who could pull off colors that flamboyant… his future was honestly terrifying.

In my entire twenty-six years of life, I’d seen someone that beautiful once—no, twice.

“What kind of kid is this insanely pretty?”

“Huh?”

“Ah—”

Did I just say that out loud? I usually wouldn’t voice thoughts like that. I covered my mouth, but it was too late. I could see the tips of the boy’s ears turning red.

“Sorry for judging your appearance so bluntly. I was just surprised because you’re so pretty. Um—there I go again. It’s just that I’ve never seen someone as beautiful as you in my entire life.”

“……”

I was clearly apologizing, but his expression started changing in a strange way. One thing was certain—I was messing this up.

I thought I wasn’t the type to be swayed by looks.

No, it was just that I’d never seen beauty on this level before. I realized then: I was weak to pretty, shiny things.

“Uh, um… how old are you?”

“Me? S—six.”

I almost said twenty-six. But for some reason, the boy’s expression grew even more complicated.

Chewing on the muffin in my hand, I stared intently at the subtle changes in his face.

“W-what’s wrong?”

It was strange.

Why did he feel so familiar? I was sure I’d hardly ever seen someone who looked like this. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I leaned in closer, examining his face piece by piece.

“Have we met before?”

“Huh? Ah—no, I don’t think so…?”

Is my memory really that bad? Or did seeing someone this beautiful make me fabricate memories on my own?

They say people can be shocked by extreme beauty. Maybe that was it.

Wait.

Staring at his face from up close, I realized something.

…They look similar.

In the past—meaning the first truly beautiful person I remembered—this kid looked strikingly similar. No, identical.

The only person I could confidently call a friend during my time as a marine, and the most beautiful person I’d ever known.

He’d been a general errand runner, moving from ship to ship and base to base, and his work must have been exhausting—his beautiful face always looked dull and worn.

Though the fact he still looked pretty even then was impressive.

Our connection began when I treated him after finding him collapsed in the back garden of the Third Marine Division. It was hard to imagine just how much work he’d been buried under.

When I was tired, I looked like a ghoul. When he was tired, he looked like a brooding statue. And when he smiled occasionally, I’d wonder how such a being could exist—like a joint creation and mistake by Deiera, the god of land, and Cormare, the god of the sea.

And now, this kid looked exactly like him.

No way.

There’s no way a god would make the same mistake twice.

Pure golden hair and eyes without a hint of murkiness. I’d heard that blond hair and golden eyes weren’t that rare in certain regions of the western continent—but having both, and in such radiant shades, was unusual.

“Are you… a marine?”

At my question, the boy—now blushing like a sunset—nodded.

So the second truly beautiful person I met was actually the same person?

Why hadn’t I realized it immediately? It was obvious—there couldn’t be two people this beautiful in the world.

I must’ve been completely dazzled by his looks. After growing older, all the exhausting odd jobs he did probably acted as some kind of seal on that beauty.

“May I ask your name? I’m Polaris.”

The friend I had before my regression was named Leon.

Thinking there might be someone who looked exactly alike—like a doppelgänger—I asked his name.

“H-Hyperion.”

“…!”

He spoke his name in a very small voice.

The moment I heard it, my heart dropped.

Leon was a nickname derived from Hyperion. But that wasn’t what shocked me.

Hyperion is the name of an admiral from over ten years in the future.

No. It wasn’t a common name, but it wasn’t unique either. Maybe it was just a coincidence…

Then he carefully added his surname, and my hope shattered completely.

“Hyperion… Farus.”

Damn it. There was no turning back now. Farus was one of the Six Houses, the one most closely tied to the navy—the admiral family.

So he really was that person.

Which meant that my friend from the past, and the child standing before me now…

Crunch—.

“……”

“Um, uh… the muffin in your hand…”

He was the same admiral who had witnessed the destruction of Caelum and arrested Nereus.