Chapter 20: chapter 18

Waiting for me was Grandpa Klau, who buys all of my herbs every time.

Ah, Grandpa Klau… he’s a traveling merchant who moves from place to place, buying and selling the specialties of each village.

“Grandpa Klau. It’s been a while, how have you been?”

Grandpa Klau, who buys my herbs every time, ran to me today like I was a long-lost family member.

“No, Grandpa! You said your back hurts, don’t run!”

“You, you…! Where on earth have you been for four days? I thought you had crossed the Styx River before me.”

“Ahaha……”

I stammered at his words. What did I do for four days? I was sick. This new body of mine… it was so delicate, so fragile. My whole body was just like glass.

‘It was never like this before…’

I always knew I had to be careful, but it was never in my mind. I’m the kind of person who’s normally used to working until late at night…

After a few days of being sick, I began to take care of myself. This body is not built to last, and I have to be careful with it… and take care of it. Of course, again, I’m not complaining because I’m just grateful to be alive.

“Ugh… What’s the use of a man who’s weak and feeble.”

Grandpa Klau said, clicking his tongue. I think so too, Grandpa…. This body gets tired so easily…

Therefore, the herb patch that I found was a godsend. If it wasn’t for that, this body that can’t move for half a day would hardly be able to make a living. Seriously.

Even with all this scolding, I knew it was out of concern for me. He’s a good man. He’s so kind to me, even though I showed up out of nowhere.

After carefully examining each of the herbs I brought, grandpa fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the money.

“Here, my payment!”

“Uh……”

The pouch was heavier than usual. Even if I had brought more than the usual amount since I had only come down after four days… it was too much. When I looked at grandpa with a questioning expression, he opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for me.

“It seems there’s an outbreak of the Eight-Colored Disease these days.”

“Oh… Is that so?”

“What on earth is going on in your head that you don’t know better than this old man?”

That’s… It’s because grandpa travels all over the place.

I swallowed my urge to argue back with him.

“So bring me everything you can find. I’ll give you a good price.”

“I’ll do it.”

I nodded and agreed.

The plague was unfortunate, but was it good for me… I don’t know. In fact, as of today, I was planning to stay home for another two days… But I guess I’ll have to work to the limit these next few days from what grandpa said. Well, I suppose… It’s good to make some extra money. And provide something for the people…

I took the money and stopped by Jose’s bakery nearby.

“Dante. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah. Hey, Jose. Do you have anything left?”

“Uh, yeah. I made another batch after lunch today.”

“Why? Did it sell out this morning?”

“Yeah. In Stevon… I mean, you know, the village right next to ours, they had a lot of people come in and they ran out of food, so I brought them some.”

“Really? Wow. It’s still warm.”

“Of course, you should come by in the morning.”

Jose was right. I’d never come in the morning when the bread tastes best, and not after lunch. But… I have to sleep a lot in the morning.

“I’ll try to. I’ll try!”

“Yeah. Come again. Dante.”

I walked out of the bakery with a handful of bread from Jose. The small village was peaceful again today. It was past noon, the sun was setting as it raced toward evening, and the few, but friendly, people of the village were out and about.

With a faint smile, I headed towards my home. Along the way, I was seduced by the delicious smell of the bread, so I grabbed one from its packaging and took a bite.

That is to say…

Today was one of those days. A peaceful day. A day like any other. A mundane day.

“Where have you been?”

The bread in my hand fell vertically with a thump. …Oh, shit.

“It’s been a while.”

There was someone standing in front of my precious home. The corners of his mouth slowly curled into a smile.

That, with a look that was indescribable, that I dare not describe with any words, the person slowly walked towards me, who remained motionless.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

***

“Is that…… the truth?”

“Yes.”

Theodore nodded at Jeffrey’s repeated question. Only the intended person could see everything with their own eyes, so Jeffrey could only listen to Theodore as he told him everything. He only guessed that he had succeeded with the flash of light he had just seen earlier.

Theodore recounted the details of what the holy relic of Francia had shown him. In the first vision, he saw Dante’s appearance and the surrounding landscape… And what he looked like in the second vision that unfolded.

After hearing it all, Jeffrey and Francia were speechless for a long time, and rightly so. Dante, whom they had thought to be dead, was alive.

Jeffrey was confused for a while. It was hard to take in the nonsense that Theodore was saying.

‘Who handled his body before…?’

Jeffrey thought back to that day. Sitting there dumbfounded, crying uncontrollably, was his friend hugging someone dearly with both arms.

Understandably, it was Jeffrey’s job to sort everything out, and so, yes, he knew then, Dante was definitely dead.

But the relic from Francia says something else. It says the same thing as Theodore. That he is not dead. Dante is not dead. He’s alive out there somewhere.

What he saw with his own eyes and what the relic says. Jeffrey’s head was spinning with the confusion of the two facts.

“……Don’t think too hard.”

Theodore, noticing the confusion in Jeffrey’s eyes, added.

“Thinking won’t change anything, just… help me. I’ll find him, I’ll confirm it with my own eyes, and that’s all that matters.”

Theodore said with a tone of determination in his voice. It was… it seemed to Jeffrey that it had been a long time since he’d seen the immature asshole, the one who’d always been a thorn in his side during his time in the Tower of Light.

The same one who looked dead in the eyes every day, acting like there was nothing left to live for.

“Yeah……”

Jeffrey was glad to see the change in Theodore, but he knew instinctively that this was his last chance. His last chance to see his friend start living again.

In that case……

“What…… should I do?”

There’s nothing to do but to help.

Jeffrey’s eyes shone with determination. Their eyes met, and Theodore smiled with satisfaction. That look… it was the look of a tyrant, the look that Theodore always wore.

‘I’m the emperor now… I wonder if he knows that.’

He considered telling him, just in case, but kept his mouth shut. This is the day that his friend, who had been wallowing in the depths every day, stood on the ground again. It was a good day for his friend, so he didn’t want to start a petty remark to spoil it.

“Is there any region in Idenver where it snows?”

“Snow……?”

“Yes. It doesn’t look like a particularly prosperous area.”

“They say there’s snow in the highlands… I’ve never seen it. Uh, sister. Do you know of any?”

“…….”

Jeffrey asked, turning his head toward Francia. But she didn’t answer, just gave him a pensive look. Like she didn’t like what was happening.

“……This sucks.”

“Sister?”

“Argh! I gave you my relic to stop harassing my little brother!”

Francia snapped, clutching her head. Just as Theodore’s expression was about to sharpen, Jeffrey stepped between them.

She didn’t really care for the man, Dante. He was just… someone who looked out for her brother. That’s all.

And then he died. And because of that, someone who wasn’t even her brother, but a friend of her brother, was making such a fuss about it that her loved one was suffering. Dante was someone she couldn’t like even if she tried.

Therefore……

Enough already. I had already used a precious holy relic.

‘……I never expected this to happen.’

But what could she possibly say to those two hopefuls? “No! This can’t be right! Stop!” She can’t bring herself to say that to them… No… Even if she did, they wouldn’t listen. So…

“Argh! Fu-!”

Clutching her head, Francia grabbed Theodore’s collar with one hand.

“Hey! If you are done with this, and you start this crap again!”

“Sis!”

“What! Argh! Let’s just do it!”

The snowy region! I know where it is!

Author's Thoughts

Raaaaah!! I love Francia!!