“Me?”
My voice trembled weakly at the unexpected turn of events. Thankfully, it didn’t feel completely alien, but the evident embarrassment of being caught off guard was still shamefully apparent.
The rumor had disappeared already? It couldn’t have been long since the source of that rumor was silenced…?
As I tilted my head in bewilderment, Lady Winter, the countess, finally collected the smile that had been lingering on her lips and provided an explanation.
“That rumor, you know, disappeared about a month ago. I don’t know the exact reason, but I heard that a certain man attended every ball and party, saying, ‘Now that I think about it, my friend works at the royal palace, and according to them, His Majesty and Lady Obelton are on such good terms it might be problematic. There’s been some strange rumors making me worry, but it turns out there’s no need at all, you know.'”
“Who was it?”
“Hmm… They always wore a mask, so I don’t know exactly. Probably nobody here knows either? And if the people here don’t know, it’s safe to say most people don’t.”
Looking at Lady Winter mimicking ‘that man’ in a playful tone, I snorted softly. Anyway, this was surely good news for me and Ruth, but I was incredibly curious about who could be behind it. It was pure curiosity.
If one went around wearing a mask, they must be someone whose identity cannot be revealed, right? Perhaps they are someone whose identity everyone would know upon seeing their face. Or could it be the opposite, someone completely unknown to social circles, wearing a mask to give credibility to the rumors? No, how could all those rampant rumors be cleared up in just one month in the first place?
One question led to another in a continuous stream. Above all, the lack of any conceivable suspects made it all the more perplexing.
Ian didn’t seem like a fit, given his personality didn’t align with hiding his own identity; Tommy had magic at his disposal, negating any need for physical exertion; Cedric and I weren’t that close; and finally, the prime suspect, Ruth, simply didn’t have the time, nor did his indifferent reaction when hearing the news seem to fit.
Who could it be?
While I was murmuring to myself, someone came into the barracks belatedly.
“I’m sorry. Am I late?”
The person who walked in was a young lady, but Cayena, following her, immediately caught my eye.
Bending at the waist in a polite manner as she entered, Cayena was startled when our eyes met, bending even further. Was it merely luck that allowed me to see the corner of her mouth rising slightly in that brief moment?
“We said we’d meet soon, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon.”
Suppressing a chuckle, I noticed Cayena tilting her head slightly and discreetly narrowed my eyes in a smile that was more of an eye greeting.
An eye smile disguised as a greeting. If I openly acknowledged Cayena here, it would draw everyone’s attention to her, which she finds uncomfortable. Moreover, if it became known that I was close to her, it would inevitably lead to the revelation that she had once been sold at a slave auction, so I deliberately refrained.
The young lady who brought Cayena, knowing the other ladies, greeted me warmly yet formally without being too stiff, and I received it with a smile.
As the newly arrived lady took her seat, it seemed the Countess Winter had prepared just enough chairs, filling the table completely. It appears that with this lady, the invited guests were all present.
I glanced at the Countess Winter, engaging in conversation with the other ladies, and then quietly spoke to Cayena, standing behind me.
“Meeting again, aren’t we?”
“Ah, oh. Yes, it’s an honor to see you again, my lady.”
“Is it something to be honored about? Anyway, had I known we would meet again here, I might have wished for the next time without any reservations.”
“No, I was quite happy when you said we should meet again. It made me feel like I wasn’t just a victim of the slave auction or a burden to you, my lady.”
“How could that be? Anyway, I’m glad. Oh, and I heard your brother went out to attend to hunting.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
In response to my question for confirmation, Cayena nodded her head, then spoke in an even lower voice.
“But it’s true that the child has good athletic skills, but it’s the first time he’s attending to hunting chores, so I’m a bit upset.”
“Probably by the time this tea party ends, he will be back, so rest assured and wait comfortably.”
“I will. Thank you for your concern, Lady.”
“It wasn’t a big deal. Take care then.”
After ending the conversation briefly, I sipped my tea.
I could have continued the conversation with Cayena. However, if we talked longer, Lady Winter or the other ladies sitting nearby might notice.
Lady Winter seemed to have already caught on, given the glances she was throwing my way.
Feeling the suspicious gaze from Lady Winter, I intentionally smiled awkwardly and picked up a vanilla cookie from the assortment on the table.
Unlike chocolate, vanilla’s smooth taste was exactly to my liking.
I wonder when the hunting contest will end.
Having finished what I came for at this gathering, I let the ladies’ conversations flow through one ear and out the other while listening to the ticking clock sound.
Their talk wasn’t particularly productive, so paying any attention was pointless.
As I thought about Ruth returning after the hunting contest, I tried my best to keep my expression neutral, wishing for time to pass and for the day to end. I had a feeling that otherwise, today might feel particularly long.
However, looking back, perhaps I instinctively knew that today would be a long day.
***
While I was enjoying some sweet snacks and listening to the young ladies chatter away, the camp suddenly became noisy, and someone rushed inside the tent. Putting down the snack I was eating due to the harsh breathing sounds of the person, I quietly observed the man whose condition was clearly a mess at a glance.
Curiosity about why he appeared in such a state suddenly arose, but not wanting to trouble someone who already seemed distressed, I quietly waited.
Soon after catching his breath, the man opened his mouth with a look of urgency.
“Mon, mon, monsters…! Monsters have appeared, everyone! You must evacuate immediately! This place isn’t safe!”
“Monsters?”
A chill ran up my skin. Monsters were creatures from a realm completely cut off from the human world, and they couldn’t possibly cross over as long as the barrier was functioning properly.
But how could monsters have appeared…? Eh?
Doubt quickly turned into horror. I remembered eavesdropping on some magicians talking about a broken barrier a few months ago. Of course, I was interrupted by Tommy at the time.
The discussions I had dismissed offhand back then suddenly became vividly real. The feeling that an absolute truth believed to be unchangeable had been overturned was terrifyingly bone-chilling.
The news delivered by the man turned the barracks into a scene of chaos in an instant. Young ladies, pale as death, were rushing out of the barracks, tripping over themselves and losing shoes along the way. No longer were they the epitome of grace and etiquette they always maintained. They were gone from this place. Humans always turn craven when their survival is at stake.
Among the crowd, Lady Winter, still rushing out, furrowed her brow in frustration upon seeing me still seated and Cayena standing behind me.
“Aren’t you coming out? It’s dangerous!”
Despite her cries of concern, I couldn’t make myself move. For some reason, I felt there was more I needed to hear from this man. Just a feeling.
“Who was the first to discover the beast?”
I finally voiced the nagging question, as if removing a thorn from under my fingernail. The man hesitated for a moment before slowly telling the truth.
“I heard it was a child attending to a noble’s hunt.”
“Sera!”
The moment he answered, a thud came from behind me as Cayena collapsed to the ground. Sera was likely her sister’s name.
And going further, it seemed as though this Sera might be the “child” the man mentioned.
“We need to tell the truth. Was it really a child who discovered the monster?”
“Yes, yes. How dare I jest with the lady with lies.”
“Then, what has become of that child now?”
“I’m not quite sure…”
The man, whose eyebrows twitched as if he was sorry for not being able to give a proper answer, sighed after a moment and then continued with a brighter face.
“His Majesty is taking care of him.”
“What?”
This time, I was the one whose face turned pale. My hands, now cold, trembled violently. Hoping I had heard wrong, I asked the man to repeat his answer.
However,
“His Majesty is currently dealing with that monster. He will win.”
Reality was cruel.
Hearing the man’s confident expectation, I bit my lower lip so hard it almost bled. That was the moment.
[Be wary of the dragon’s tears with roots facing west, little lady. I, too, could not stop it this time.]
Suddenly, I remembered the note Tommy had left me.
