The Former Hero Who Hanged Himself (2)
To Jain, Kyle had been like the sun itself.
He had neither family nor proper connections, yet as the Hero he had led them all, always brightening those around him with his warm smile.
Perhaps that was why she had felt such kinship with him. She, too, had been an orphan.
And at the same time she had thought: the only one suited to stand at his side was herself.
Only she, who had come from the same circumstances, could truly understand him and hold him close.
Neither the Saintess, nor any noble, nor even a princess of an entire race could ever grasp that—or so she had told herself, secretly drunk on her own superiority.
Until the Imperial Princess proposed to him.
Having watched the princess often enough, Jain had known. She stood no chance of winning against her.
So she had had no choice.
She had helped draft the memorial and had even delivered it to the Emperor with her own hands.
It had been no different from betraying Kyle, yet she had felt no guilt.
Because she had not been alone—every other companion had agreed. Because she had firmly believed this was all for Kyle’s sake.
Yes. That was all it had been.
“Ah… aah… aaaaaah—”
Why had it come to this?
Like a broken doll, Jain let out a pitiful, broken scream. She stared at the Kyle right before her eyes with the expression of someone trapped in a nightmare.
“No… th-this can’t be. It can’t be…”
And like someone possessed, she carefully reached out her hand.
Thud.
Her fingers touched the body hanging right in front of her.
As always, he was still at her side.
But—
“Uh… ah? Uh… uh-oh?”
It was cold.
She could no longer feel any warmth from him at all.
Her sun had gone cold. His pale face no longer shone.
Only then did she understand. This was no nightmare.
It was all real.
The way she had been so excited just moments ago at the thought of seeing him. The way she had barely slept two hours from restlessness. The way she had rubbed her sleepy eyes and even packed a lunch with her own hands. And the way she was now facing Kyle’s corpse—all of it was real.
“W-why? Wh-what on earth…”
She asked with an expression that could have been either laughing or crying, but no answer came.
Creak. Creeeak.
Only the sound of Kyle’s body swaying in the wind reached her ears.
“Ah… aaaa…”
With trembling hands she wrapped her arms around his legs.
Perhaps it was not too late. Clinging to the slender hope that she might still save him even now, she tried to lift him as he was—
Thud!
“Augh!?”
Her trembling legs gave out and she collapsed right there.
Even so, she did not let go of Kyle’s legs.
Only now the sight no longer looked like someone trying to lift him. It looked like someone hanging onto a lifeline.
“I-it’s okay. Kyle isn’t dead. Yeah… he’s still alive. Even now… yeah, even now I can save him…”
Jain muttered with her face buried against his legs. The sight was utterly wretched.
She had stepped in the spilled food; it had splattered all over her clothes. Her carefully styled hair was soaked with sweat, and her makeup had run.
But none of that mattered.
If only she could stay by Kyle’s side like this.
“Hic… huu… Lies. It’s all lies. Right? Kyle. Huh? Please answer me… please…”
She called his name desperately, pleading.
Please answer. Please look at her with that warm smile the way he always had.
But the day that desperate wish would be granted would never come.
Everything was already far too late.
Today, too, the Empire’s morning was clear without a single cloud.
Alice woke with a pleasant yawn as sunlight seeped through the window frame.
“Hwaaam.”
She rubbed her still-sleepy eyes and looked outside.
Birdsong drifted in, along with the sound of children playing in the plaza. The breeze was pleasantly cool, and the sunlight warming the bed was just warm enough to feel good.
If someone were to paint peace, it would look exactly like this.
“Good morning, Alice.”
“Ah. Good morning, Lady Emilia.”
Looking to the side, she saw Emilia had already risen and was drinking coffee.
Alice glanced around and asked,
“Um… where’s Lady Jain?”
“Hmm. She was already gone when I woke up. Probably went to Kyle.”
“I-I see…”
I’m jealous—the words rose all the way to her throat.
Even though she had seen him only yesterday, Alice simply envied Jain, who had duty today.
Huu… once every four days really is too cruel.
Three more days still had to pass before she could meet the Hero again. Even after seeing him yesterday, the wait felt endlessly long.
How wonderful it would be if she could meet him every single day.
She let out a quiet sigh as she looked at Jain’s empty bed.
“Lady Jain left early, it seems. Even you didn’t see her, Lady Emilia.”
“Hehe. She was looking forward to it so much since yesterday. Looking at the kitchen, it seems she even cooked and packed food herself.”
“R-really!? I just blanched the herbs the Hero brought and ate those…”
Hearing that, she somehow felt as if she had lost to Jain.
If she had known it would be like this, she never would have mentioned the herbs.
I-I should practice cooking too!
Next time she went, she would definitely make homemade food for the Hero. Alice clenched both fists and made the silent vow.
While she burned with fresh motivation, Emilia sat perched on the edge of the table, sipping her coffee.
“Hehe… heheheh.”
Every time she took a sip she chuckled as if recalling something. Watching her, Alice carefully asked,
“By the way, Lady Emilia… did something good happen?”
“Yeah, why?”
“No reason. Ever since you came back from your walk yesterday, you’ve seemed continuously in a good mood.”
“Hehe. Do I look that way?”
Emilia giggled with a meaningful air, but offered nothing more.
Before long, Muni—who had been sleeping last—also woke.
“Good morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Good morning, Lady Muni.”
The moment she rose, she too looked at Jain’s empty bed and spoke.
“Already gone? Fast.”
“Haha, right.”
“Well then. Since Muni’s up too, shall we go eat?”
At Emilia’s words they all got out of bed and changed.
Muni muttered as she glanced at the kitchen Jain had used.
“By now Jain must be eating a delicious meal with Kyle.”
“Ugh… I want to go back to yesterday too.”
“Hehe. Muni’s turn is tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah.”
Though her answer was short, her flushed cheeks made it plain she was already looking forward to it.
And Emilia, whose turn came the day after tomorrow, was full of anticipation as well.
That day—what kind of face would Kyle show when she visited him?
Would he still try to put on that useless bravado, or would he already be on his knees, surrendering?
Either way, it was certain to be an enjoyable day.
Lost in those happy imaginings, she was about to head for the dining hall when—
Knock knock.
At the unexpected knock, all three tilted their heads.
“Hmm? A guest at this hour? I don’t think there’s anyone who would come.”
“Could it be Lord Yuli?”
“Then let’s not open it.”
Muni said it coldly.
Emilia and Alice thought the same, but the knock came again.
“E-excuse me! We’ve come from the Imperial Royal Knight Order. C-could you open the door for a moment?”
“The Imperial Royal Knight Order?”
The Imperial Royal Knight Order—in other words, Jain’s unit.
But she wasn’t here. What business could they have?
Though puzzled, Emilia opened the door at the urgent voice.
“Huff… huff… p-perhaps… has our commander… r-returned?”
The knight’s condition was somehow wrong.
He was wiping sweat from his forehead while gasping for breath, as if he had run the whole way. There was no trace of the usual Imperial Royal Knight who prized military discipline.
“No, she’s not here right now. What on earth is going on?”
“Th-th-that is…”
“…?”
Something was definitely off.
Asking whether Jain had returned was strange to begin with. No one except the three of them should have known she had gone to Kyle’s house.
Moreover, this so-called knight was hesitating uncharacteristically.
“What’s the matter?”
“Th-that is… nothing other than that an hour ago a suicide occurred in the slums.”
“What?”
It was hardly surprising news.
The slums were a place where only those at the bottom of life gathered. Whether suicide or murder, someone dying there was common. It probably wouldn’t even make the back page of the newspaper.
However—
“W-wait a minute. What on earth does that…”
Hearing those words, Emilia could not continue.
Why was this knight telling them this right now?
And with such an urgent face, no less.
When it was just some homeless person from the slums who had taken their own life.
Emilia felt an inexplicable anxiety, yet she forced a smile and tried to deny it.
There’s no way.
It must be someone else.
“And just now we confirmed the identity of that suicide victim.”
He must simply have come to report this to Jain.
Yes. That had to be it.
Surely—
“It is none other than the former Hero, Kyle.”
“Ah—”
Thud.
Looking back, Alice had collapsed on the spot.
“Saintess!? Are you all ri—”
“—Lies.”
But she was smiling.
With empty eyes, in a dry voice.
Just like someone who had heard some unfunny joke.
“…It’s all a lie, right?”
She was smiling while tears ran down her face.