BRAT 21

The events from back then did not come back as vividly as if they had happened yesterday.

When both Zigkart and Etern were still young, the two of them had barely even spoken properly, so perhaps it was only natural that her memories were vague.

Yet strangely enough, one thing remained clear in her mind: at the time, Zigkart had been so ill that he had hovered between life and death.

[Your Highness, a message has arrived saying the young duke of Landshuter is gravely ill.]

[Really?]

The one who had delivered the news to Etern back then was Dora.

As she slowly pieced her memories together, fragments surfaced one by one. Like gathering the scattered pieces of a puzzle, Etern carefully reconstructed the past.

[You must not enter, Your Highness.]

[Why not?]

[There is a possibility that the illness is contagious. Even if it is not, the entire palace has already been contaminated by sickness, so please do not go inside any farther.]

[Still, shouldn’t I at least see his face once?]

Ignoring the royal physician who tried to stop her, Etern strode into the palace chamber. She remembered a bitter smell mixed with something sour and foul.

That’s right… there was a strange smell. Did I see Zigkart up close back then? I think I did. His face was bright red, and he was breathing harshly…

Her memories ended there—right at the moment she stood looking down at the sick Zigkart.

At the time, Zigkart had probably barely been conscious. He seemed to do nothing but occasionally let out pained groans. At least, that was how she remembered it.

There was no one around him. Even the royal physicians pretended not to notice him back then, using the excuse that the disease might spread…

And after that?

Flustered, Etern unconsciously paced in place.

Everything after that point had gone completely blank.

The memories from before her death—especially the time after she married Zigkart—remained vivid. So why were the memories from their childhood so fragmented and broken apart?

One thing she barely managed to recall was that hearing of Zigkart’s illness had not stirred her emotions at all.

At the time, Etern herself had already lost nearly all hope in life. She had no room left to care about someone else’s suffering.

Only now did guilt belatedly creep into her heart.

I practically left a child, far from his homeland and nearly dying, all alone. Even the palace physicians avoided him in secret… Maybe the fact that he recovered at all was a miracle.

The guilt carried over from an entire lifetime quietly dampened one corner of Etern’s heart.

Maybe I should at least treat him a little better while he’s here.

“Young Duke!”

Deliberately raising her voice, Etern called out to Zigkart. But no answer came from inside. Instead, she sensed a strange commotion rippling among the physicians.

What is he doing in there?

She had a bad feeling about it. Gathering up the layered hem of her dress in her small hands, Etern hurried deeper into the medical hall.

The sharp scent of herbs and dried medicinal ingredients stung her nose. In the center of that overwhelming smell stood Zigkart face-to-face with one of the royal physicians.

That physician…

Etern searched through the memories she had just recovered.

She definitely recognized him.

He’s the one who stopped me from seeing Zigkart back then!

In her memory, he had been older and dressed more elegantly, but now he looked like someone who had only recently stopped being a trainee.

“It makes me very happy to see that the young duke is so interested in medicinal herbs.”

The physician tugged nervously at his herb-stained robes while quickly scanning Zigkart’s face and bowing obsequiously.

But Zigkart did not even spare him a glance, much less respond. As he maintained his silence, the physician only grew more anxious and hovered around him restlessly.

Etern hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she should intervene in the bizarre scene.

Then—

“You certainly speak too much. Can someone who bears the title of imperial physician truly be this negligent?”

At Zigkart’s cold, cutting rebuke, not only the groveling physician but everyone nearby jumped in surprise.

Etern was no exception. Zigkart’s eyes, glaring at the physician, flashed like fire.

“I wonder how His Majesty the Emperor would deal with this matter if he were to hear of it.”

“Y-Young Duke! Negligent? That is not the case at all! I merely wished to be of help to you—!”

“Help?”

With a scoff, Zigkart picked up a bundle of dried herbs.

“You cannot even distinguish weeds from medicinal ingredients, yet you work carelessly and claim to help me? Is this not simply an attempt to make light of me?”

“T-That’s not—!”

“That’s enough, enough!”

The freezing atmosphere, cold as a northern wind, faltered at Etern’s gesture.

Only then did Zigkart realize Etern was standing right beside him, and he closed his mouth. But the look he gave the physician remained terrifying.

“The young duke is right. From the looks of it, you still need more training. It’s a problem if you spend your time doing useless things instead of improving your skills.”

At Etern’s clear, ringing voice, the physicians stirred once more. But the man who had caused the trouble still protested with an aggrieved expression.

“Your Highness, I truly only wished to help the young duke…”

“Should I call my dad over?”

The color drained from the physician’s face in an instant.

It was a childish thing only a child could say, but its impact was devastating. Even the people who had been watching the scene swallowed frightened gasps and hurriedly buried themselves in their work.

After examining a few more medicinal ingredients, Zigkart left the medical hall together with Etern.

“That place needs some cleaning up.”

“Cleaning up?”

“No matter how many crystals resemble diamonds, they don’t all have the same value as actual diamonds. Whether we’re talking about medicine or people.”

A faint smile curved Zigkart’s lips as he spoke meaningfully.

Paradoxically, it was only after seeing him smile that Etern truly realized just how oppressive and domineering he had been moments ago while scolding the physician.

“…Putting that aside, are you always that scary back in the duchy too? To officials and people like that, I mean.”

“Well?”

Zigkart raised one eyebrow ambiguously, and Etern let out a sigh.

“You shouldn’t get so angry all the time.”

Zigkart’s eyes widened roundly. Looking at his innocent, unbothered expression, it was obvious he was doing it on purpose.

“You should get angry when there’s reason to. That physician neglected his duties earlier, didn’t he? And I only got angry and let it go. If I had punished him according to the rules, he probably wouldn’t have survived more than a few days.”

Etern stared at him in horror, her mouth dropping open.

“You can’t kill people just because they flatter others a little!”

“People like that are useless even if you keep them alive.”

Just listen to the way he talks!

What kind of education did they give him in the duchy? He’s already completely twisted!

She could not let herself lose this argument. Etern swung her tiny fists around as she protested.

“You can’t judge people only by whether they’re useful! Don’t you know that?”

“Why not? You’re the same.”

“How am I the same? I’ve never done that!”

Zigkart grinned as though to say, Are you sure about that?

“You are. You allowed me into your palace because you judged me useful too, didn’t you? Because I’m the one person who might be able to make your mother rise from her bed, even for a little while—the one who possesses even the slightest possibility.”