TSYMVF 72

Chapter 72

Reccardo left Sasha’s room while she slept.

As he walked away, Maya deeply bowed her head in greeting.

“Shall we return to the meeting room, Master?”

At Rowen’s words, Reccardo asked,

“Do I seem anxious?”

“Huh…?”

Reccardo shifted his gaze to Rowen. Rowen, stiff as ever, opened his mouth.

“Ah… a little, yes. It seems less like urgency and more like concern. Which is natural, isn’t it? Considering how seriously ill young Miss Sasha is…”

While it might not seem natural to Winchester, it is for most people.

Reccardo furrowed his brows and pressed his temple. Then a cold voice reached his ears:

“You’ll need to restrain yourself.”

“Pardon?”

“Even so, it’s quite difficult.”

Sasha’s personality was no different from Trisha Queln’s. She acted as if she didn’t belong in her own home, keeping a distance as though she were a permanent guest. Yet sometimes, she would step forward, interfering and doing rather intriguing things.

Reccardo’s lips twisted slightly as he recalled Othello’s grave expression, which had never seemed ready to mature.

“The reason it feels awkward to hide worry intentionally is probably that you’ve never worried about someone like this before.”

Could that precariousness, as if unwilling to give in, change so much?

—Right, Winchester wouldn’t be cute.

Jin, who openly displayed a possessive interest in the cute younger sibling, would also be part of that.

Perhaps.

“……”

Reccardo saw his reflection in the darkened window. His silver hair resembled moonlight, and his deep green eyes were like a black lake.

Though everyone praised his appearance, he was not entirely pleased with it himself.

—Mecius’ child will be born taking Winchester’s energy, appearing lovely. Winchester’s sunlight, moonlight, and wind… radiant black flame.

Reccardo moved forward again. A shadow quietly followed behind him.

“Ugh… dizzy. cough”

“I told you not to overexert yourself.”

Maya cleared away my book, giving me a warning glance.

I regretted not listening to her. My strength had clearly diminished from before, probably because of my illness. My life force was still the same numerically, but I feared it could decline further like this.

“The healing magic stone has arrived.”

The doctor, who had briefly left the room, returned with a radiant yellow stone.

“A healing magic stone?”

“Yes. The Tailarus family provided it. They said it is a family heirloom encapsulating ancient technology, to be used as needed and then returned.”

The doctor placed my hand on the stone.

“I was surprised. I heard Lord Cheenoa wasn’t particularly favorable toward you, Miss.”

Though it looked crude and perhaps not much different from a germanium bracelet, it surprisingly felt as if something was drawn into my hand.

“It should help your health.”

It was a curious sensation.

For Lord Cheenoa, who had always been hostile toward me, to provide this kind of aid—was the sun rising from the west?

“Some medicinal herbs have also been sent from Akada.”

Maya’s voice reached me.

Since the Vanessa incident, the eyes of the four major families had been on me. They seemed to believe I possessed some special power.

Indeed, my ability was extraordinary, but even I did not fully understand what the “Key of Mecius” truly meant.

“Everyone is concerned about you. The master even increased the budget for your meals to ensure proper nutrition…”

Then, the door suddenly burst open.

There was only one person who would barbarically kick open a door without knocking.

“…The road was rough.”

Othello threw a basket filled with something to the doctor. The doctor widened their eyes in surprise.

“Wait… you really came back in three days?”

As far as I knew, it took over a day even on horseback to reach the Ice Valley of Halo. The Marihad Cave was also said to be extremely treacherous… The doctor clearly hadn’t expected Othello to make the journey in just three days.

“I ran without sleep.”

After Othello entered, Jin, who followed, answered the question. He looked utterly exhausted.

“And didn’t rest.”

I widened my eyes in shock. From my perspective as a child-sized person, they seemed like adults, but Jin and Othello were still growing boys. Was it even possible for kids to go three days without sleep or rest?

The doctor, still in disbelief, opened the basket and pulled out mushrooms. The translucent, cap-shaped mushrooms resembled jewels. Even at a glance, they seemed immensely valuable.

“Cough”

“You didn’t encounter Bahimos, did you?”

Maya asked Jin with concern. Jin only gestured toward Othello’s scabbard. Its hilt was coated in red blood.

“The mushrooms have been procured, so make sure she recovers. Otherwise… you know what will happen.”

“Yes… yes, understood, Prince.”

I could imagine how many Bahimos had been slaughtered to obtain these.

“Now, it’s time to prepare to leave. Departure soon.”

Othello continued with his gruff expression. I had momentarily forgotten that today was the day he returned to the Tailarus estate.

“Othello…”

I reached out to call him.

Othello twitched his eyebrows and approached. My cheeks were likely still quite red from the fever.

“Maya, give this to him.”

Seeing me speak, Maya realized and handed Othello the item I had moved earlier in the room.

“This was prepared by the young lady.”

It was a pot with a single Erasinis plant.

“……”

Othello stared at me, not taking the pot, as if questioning why I would give it to him.

“Rune, I placed it. cough”

At my words, Othello’s eyebrows moved significantly. At the bottom of the soil, I had placed the Rune—the same device that had been inside the bear Othello gave me. Covering it with soil had been quite tedious.

“I want to hear about Othello too.”

It felt embarrassing to speak to the bear alone.

“……”

Othello silently stared at me with his deep eyes for a long moment. Then, after a while, he raised his hand and took the pot.

I couldn’t see his expression clearly as he lowered his head. As he seemed to lift it slightly, his hand covered my forehead and eyes.

His quiet voice reached me.

“…Prepare yourself, you.”

He kept his hand on my forehead and eyes for a while longer, then continued.

“I’ll make sure to be noisy every day.”

After a moment, Othello left the room holding my pot.

Accustomed to the dark, my eyes struggled to see his face in the light.

He meant to use it well… right?

“She’s kind, Sasha.”

I felt a twinge of regret that I couldn’t see him off properly, but there was nothing I could do in my current state.

Before leaving the room, I heard Jin’s voice.

“If he weren’t leaving, I’d be jealous.”

I smirked as Jin twisted his lips and exited. Jin Winchester, jealous? That sounded completely out of character.

“I’ll prepare the medicine soon, Miss.”

The doctor, who had been examining the mushrooms in the corner of the room for quite some time, picked up the basket and stood.

“It’s moving to see the real thing after only seeing it in illustrations.”

Ah… I hope eating these helps a little. Cough

Holding the pot in one hand, Othello approached the Tailarus carriage waiting outside.

Inside the carriage sat Cheenoa Tailarus, while Evan Tailarus stood in front, staring at Othello.

Othello stopped before Evan. Evan’s gaze shifted to the pot in Othello’s hands. A single Erasinis flower—Evan’s lips twisted coldly upon seeing it.

Othello Winchester and the desolate Erasinis. Among the twenty-seven times he had witnessed something, this was the most mismatched combination.

It was obvious who had made that pot.

“……”

A cold wind and thick silence passed between them. After a moment, Othello moved his lips with a chilling gaze.

“I don’t know what scheme made you decide to stay here, but…”

His low voice reached Evan’s ear.

“Remember the warning I gave before. If any harm comes to my sister, you will die.”

After speaking, Othello stepped forward and got into the carriage. The door closed behind him.

“Yah!”

With the driver’s shout, the horses began to run. The carriage would head toward the Tailarus estate via Rosento.

Evan, who had been staring at the carriage, moved as well. People of the world, like wind-up dolls following their own specific paths, all moved according to their trajectories.

Meanwhile, change slowly spilled out, fragile as a thin eggshell cracking.

Evan, stopping in front of the mansion, looked up at the second floor.

The room, bathed in warm light, was bustling.

“Miss! It seems to be effective!”

Evan glanced back. A tall shadow loomed behind him. Within that shadow lurked countless memories of death.

Evan silently turned his head forward again. At his feet, there was now light.