Chapter 20 - Volume 1 (1/2)

Side Story 2 – Part 5

That one shriek pierced through the silence. The birds that had been chirping as they pleased all flew away from the trees as if startled. But Arche couldn’t bring herself to care about that.

Arche cried. The tears spilled over her face, unstoppable. The woman widened her eyes in surprise, gazing at her and moving closer. Arche simply continued crying.

She loved him. She really, really loved him.

Black-haired. Head wizard of the royal palace. The hero that saved the world. That person more beautiful than anyone else, with so many titles to his name. That person that always influenced his surroundings, regardless of whether he meant to or not. And he selected her.

Why couldn’t she go without developing a superiority complex? Why couldn’t she go without thinking she was special because he chose her?

Considering his superior social status, it wasn’t strange at all for him to have a fiancée. She’d thought about that before.

But she’d started thinking that even if he did, she was the one that greatly understood Agedilus more than any vague fiancée did. In the midst of the royal palace’s gossipy people that cursed at and feared Agedilus, she thought she was the only one that knew Agedilus wasn’t as bad as they made him seem.

That’s why. That’s why it hurt so much. Somewhere inside her, she’d started thinking ‘he might choose me one day.’ And even if he never chose her, she wanted him to at least not choose anyone else, not become anyone else’s.

She now realized how fanciful she’d been, thinking these ridiculous things as she pleased. But it didn’t change the fact that she liked him.

She cried and she cried and she cried. As she did, the woman didn’t say anything. She sat down without worrying about ruining her dress, closing her parasol. She handed Arche a handkerchief, only getting close to her. Even though Arche thought she wanted to be left alone, that woman’s signs of tenderness felt too comfortable and pleasant.

「——Have you calmed down?」

「Y-Ye-hes.」

Arche nodded at the woman’s question, sniffling.

「I-I’m sorry, I’ve made your handkerchief all messy…」

The white handkerchief the woman had given her was now soppy and crumpled up with Arche’s tears and snot. There was some delicate embroidery added on it, the same color as the cloth. When Arche looked closely at it, she realized that although it wasn’t silk but cotton, it still must have been expensive. Should she wash it and return it? Or maybe the woman wouldn’t use a handkerchief used by a lowly gardener – should she compensate for it with money?

She timidly looked at the woman, who seemed to notice Arche’s hesitation. She smiled softly and shook her head.

「Don’t worry about that. Please keep it, if you like.」

「But…」

「It’s alright, it’s just something I sewed to pass time. It would make me very happy if you could keep it and use it.」

The woman gently held Arche’s hands that tightly gripped the handkerchief. The warmth of those hands directly pierced Arche’s heart, and the tears that should’ve stopped now started to flow again.

「T-thank you.」

「No no, thank you.」

That soft, gentle smiling face really did hold a certain affection in it.

Arche didn’t think the smile on the woman’s face was outstandingly beautiful, even though she knew that was rude of her – it wasn’t Arche’s place to say something like that. But the skin of the woman’s face was white, with light makeup on, and her hair was soft and glossy with perfumed oil on.

Arche could tell that since she practiced these things herself too, becoming more conscious of her beauty and health after falling in love with Agedilus. This person’s skin and hair weren’t just the results of hasty preparation once a day to hide her flaws. They were the result of careful, precise grooming.

The smile on her face was strangely attractive, and Arche unintentionally stared at it. The woman noticed, and once again smiled gently at her.

Now somewhat embarrassed, Arche lowered her gaze to her hands.

——What if it’s someone like her?

What if this person was the one that became Agedilus’s wife? This person that had kept her company even as she suddenly burst into tears, this person that had sat with her as she sobbed. If she was, would she give up a little? Could she give up?

No, no matter what person was Agedilus’s wife in the first place, could she give up? Just who could stand beside that beautiful yet terrifying being? She didn’t know. She didn’t want to know. Because no matter how hard she tried, she could never stand in that place. She didn’t want to understand it. She didn’t want to, and yet, she did.

Just then came a rustling sound from behind, of the greenery being brushed together.

「So this is where you were.」

「—?!」

「Oh my.」

At the familiar voice, Arche turned around to look behind just like the woman did, only to see what she expected.

Black hair you couldn’t run from, eyes that fascinated you whether you liked it or not, beautiful looks that made you fear what might happen. That being stood there, looking down at them without hiding his surprise.

If that was all, she’d end up withering right there. But she could see an unusual light of relief in his sunrise-colored eyes. Even now, she stubbornly ended up thinking silly things like, ‘maybe he was searching for me.’

Sir Agedilus. She was about to call out to him, but before she could.

「Edi?」

The woman sitting beside her stood up. Edi. Who was that? Arche instinctively stiffened at the unfamiliar name.

Arche couldn’t do anything but watch silently as the woman brushed off some grass stuck to the hem of her skirt, approaching Agedilus. The woman stood in front of him naturally, as if it was completely normal for her to do so. There was none of the fear that Arche usually felt.

Agedilus too, looked like it was perfectly natural as the woman stood in front of him. He furrowed his eyebrows.

「You didn’t come after so long, so I came looking for you. Just how did you end up here?」

「Oh, that’s because this is the shortcut. You of all people must know it, right?」

「……」

「See, as I thought.」

Just what was this?

Still sitting down, Arche couldn’t do anything but attentively watch the exchange between the two, dumbfounded.

The spectacle unfolding in front of her was unbelievable to Arche, difficult for her to just accept. To think, that Agedilus would talk like this with someone. To think, that there was someone who could talk to Agedilus like that. She hadn’t even thought that could happen.