zChapter 50 - Arc 2, Crescent Moon Chapter 23 (2/2)
“That’s true. However, it s only when you consider our present circumstances that it seems like a grand and improbable dream. In 300 years, it will be an ordinary, everyday scene… In order for the future to become that way, we must begin by taking the first step right here.”
When Ernst made this speech, Targes nodded, his eyes lit up as if he saw something truly dazzling.
“It would really be amazing if things turned out that way…”
The two people left the room, leaving only Ernst and Ganche inside the office. With no one around to get in their way, Ernst sat on Ganche’s lap in the chair.
“I also would like to see what it would look like fifty, or a hundred years from now…”
Ernst clutched the arm that had been wrapped around his waist with a strong, painful grip.
“Don’t say any more… I will only feel more afraid.”
Their lifespans were the biggest problem the two of them faced together.
They were of different races. Because of this, the time they had to live was different.
Ganche, who wasn’t even 30 yet, would die in about 70 years. Even if he didn’t lose his life in battle, as a Dunbertian, Ganche only had 70 years remaining of the time he had been given.
On the other hand, Ernst had just turned 61 after the passing of the new year. The time he had left amounted to 139 years. After Ganche died, Ernst would have to live alone for nearly 70 more years.
This was something that neither of them could do anything to change.
“That Ganche will no longer be here anymore… just the thought of that is enough to make me feel as if I’ll go mad. But, I… I don’t want to turn these days, this time that I’m supposed to be spending together with you, into ones shrouded in sadness because I’m afraid of losing you.”
With his large hands, Ganche wiped at the tears that spilled from Ernst’s eyes.
“Lord Ernst.”
Ernst was wrapped in a tight, firm hug.
“Lord Ernst, I am so grateful for how strong you are. For how, even though I would be leaving you first, you did not reject this me who is currently alive… for how you had chosen to allow me to be the honor of being by your side. For all of this, I am eternally grateful.”
“It was because I knew without a doubt that I would be happy with Ganche. If I can spend as many joyful days as I can together with Ganche, then even when I am left alone, I will be able to live out the rest of my days satisfied… That’s why, Ganche, you have to stay with me for a long time. I want you to keep filling my heart until I’m satisfied.”
Ernst felt Ganche’s kiss fall upon his hair. Ganche exhaled a hot sigh on the back of Ernst’s neck.
“That… would be difficult.”
“So this was a difficult request…”
Ernst looked over his shoulder at his beloved person. Ganche kissed him, his thick lips covering Ernst’s small ones as a skillful tongue slipped into Ernst’s mouth.
“…Yes. The reason I say this is because I am always receiving many things from Lord Ernst, each of them always making me brim with joy. Yet I do not have the self-confidence to be able to offer to Lord Ernst the same things Lord Ernst has given to me…”
“What are you saying?”
Ernst looked up at those copper-colored eyes from below.
“Ganche, you staying by my side is enough to make me stronger. Ever since I had come to Meissen, there were many times where I just wanted to run away… But, what gave me the courage to stand up and face these hardships was just the thought of you, Ganche.”
Ernst reached out his hand and stroked Ganche’s cheek.
“Even if, later on, death will make the two of us part… right now, with the time that the two of us have been given, let us live happily together.”
“Yes…”
Ganche took Ernst’s hand and pressed a reverent kiss to its back.
Ernst straddled Ganche’s knee. He brought both of his hands to cup Ganche’s large face, and as his nose brushed against the tip of Ganche’s, he whispered:
“This is… my dream, you know. Right here, in my hands, is my dream come true.”
Heheh. He chuckled for a bit.
“I will spend the rest of my life thinking about these days I spent together with you. Eventually, there will come a time where I no longer cry as I recall those days. When I instead think back on them and smile, that will be because I know that I will be meeting you again soon. In this estate, in that room where Ganche and I passed our days together, I will remember Ganche’s voice, and scent, and warmth as I release my last breath… That would be such a blissful scene, don’t you think…?”
Ganche kissed him deeply, sliding his hand beneath the hem of Ernst’s coat. He changed the angle of his kisses several times, his impatient hand rubbing Ernst’s slender chest.
After his tongue had explored Ernst’s mouth to its content, he suddenly pulled back. He wiped at Ernst’s wet lips with the back of his thick finger.
“…When that time comes, I will go to meet you. I will be sure to have everything put in place to be ready for Lord Ernst’s arrival.”
“I’ll be looking forward to that, then.”
As tears streaked down Ernst’s cheeks, he laughed. Ganche gently licked away Ernst’s tears.
“Although I still can’t tell anyone about it…”
To stop himself from continuing to be carried away by his emotions, Ernst brought up another matter.
“I’ve been thinking that I would like to prepare one more shield to protect Meissen.”
“A shield?”
“Yes. Even if we develop the valley so that the troops of Linz fief as well as the kingdom’s army can come to meet us in our hour of need, this still won’t be enough. If Lux Kingdom launches an attack on Meissen after we have opened the valley, then their enemy will be all of Rintz Kingdom. In other words, they will come with the conviction to fight against Rintz Kingdom’s full army.”
Ernst turned back, his gaze resting on the map on the wall.
“If time allows, I would like to go to Grude Continent – or rather, Grude Country.”
“To Grude…”
“I want to go to Grude Country to seal an agreement. When Meissen sends for aid, Grude will provide military cooperation – that is the pact I wish to form.”
If they looked at the map of Meissen, anyone would be able to understand it.
The place geographically closest to Meissen was not Rintz fief, nor was it Lux Kingdom; it was the Grude Continent.
“That’s…”
Ganche hesitated to say.
“I know; this is an extraordinarily difficult road. Even if the nation of Grude is considered a country, it is completely different from the countries of Schell Continent. I suppose that nation, rather than being called a ‘country’, would more accurately be described as a collective community.”
“Yes. Grude Country… seems more like a meeting place for the elderly people who had unintentionally survived to old age?”
Ernst smiled wryly at Ganche’s commentary.
Grude Country consisted of only a few elders and soldiers.
However, nobody was able to clearly perceive just what kind of country the nation of Grude was.
The reason for this was because, like the Sistica Continent, Grude Continent was extremely difficult to go through. Since Grude Country was in close proximity to the countries of Sistica Continent, it had no history of forming diplomatic relations with countries other than Sistica’s.
For that reason, there had never been an instance of a kingdom trying to negotiate with Grude Country.
As far as Ernst knew, there were no kingdoms that had sent out delegations to Grude Country, and neither had any kingdom received an envoy from Grude Country.
“It would be difficult to sign mercenary contracts one by one. We never know when Lux will launch their attack, after all. Yet even so, we cannot exchange contracts with tens or hundreds of people from Grude while waiting for that day to come. If we did, then no matter how wealthy Meissen would be, it would collapse just from the money needed for their contracts. That said, it isn’t likely that I would be able to hurriedly contract them after Lux had begun attacking.”
“That does seem to be the case. Generally, since my people are spread out amongst the other continents, all who are left in Grude Continent are those who are no longer able to fight satisfactorily.”
“Yes, exactly – there are those people. Even if Grude Continent is nearby, there would be no point in going if there was no one I could form a contract with there. Besides the people who are always fighting in other lands, there is no one else who can be considered Grude Country’s soldiers other than those people who always remain in the continent.”
Ganche hugged him, letting out an admiring sigh.
“As one might expect from you, Lord Ernst. I can only sigh before your deep insight.”
Ernst couldn’t stop his cheeks from reddening and growing hot from Ganche’s compliemnt.
“Ganche… Ganche, you always think too much of me. I am just a small, uninteresting person. Even if I say I want to forge a pact with Grude Country, doing so isn’t as easy as saying it. I will be ridiculed as an idiot by even my own country, not to mention other countries, for going there to discuss… Just, if there is a chance, then no matter how slight it is, I want to try and seize it.”
While being hugged by Ganche, Ernst stared fixatedly at the map.
“If we are able to seal an agreement, then will this shield be enough to protect us? …Is there anyone in this world who would be so reckless as to fight against an ally of the mighty Grude race…”
Ganche’s warmth heated Ernst from everywhere their bodies touched, filling Ernst’s entire being.
It made him feel as if there was nothing he had to be afraid of at all.
Outside of the window, the last traces of snow were falling.
It was a snow heavy with moisture. It would melt easily under the warmth of day, as spring quickly drew near.
The seasons move in cycles.
No matter how long winter lasts, the seasons will inevitably pass, and spring will come.
The seasons revolve in cycles.
As such, it should not be the case that Meissen alone will be trapped in an eternal, dark winter.
It is inevitable that spring must come.
No matter who it is, no matter which land they stand upon, as long as they steadily walk forward step-by-step, then it is an absolute certainty that in the place where they are, spring will come.
Translator’s Note
Here’s the final chapter of this arc! I actually cried a lot while reading Ernst and Ganche’s conversation… T~T Ganche, don’t die and leave Ernst alone…
I included some fanart I drew at the top! It’s a scene from early in this arc. I thought the image of the leafy tree alone in the snow was really striking.
There are a couple of interludes before the next arc starts. The first two are conversation chapters, but the three after that are very important~ They’re some of my favorite chapters, so I hope you’ll enjoy them too!