Why Did You Do That? (2)
The silence stretched on. The only things reflected in Runyang's eyes were Claire, who looked perfectly composed aside from slightly swollen eyes, and Heste's face twisted into a repulsive smile, as if something about this was utterly hilarious.
"...You want to talk?"
Runyang was desperately trying to deceive herself. Maybe she'd seen it wrong. Maybe it had been an accident caused by real magic that was simply too clumsy. That's what she'd told herself when she first heard Claire sobbing with genuine anguish. Reyan rarely spoke about Claire, but whenever she asked, his expression would darken. Then he'd recall the little things they'd gone through together and smile brightly, as if none of it had ever happened. It was because he'd shown her so many times how much he trusted Claire.
Even though she knew it couldn't possibly be true, she clung to the slim hope that maybe she was wrong and they were right. That Claire wasn't a terrible person, just a pitiful woman forced to bear the sins of her ancestors. A cursed woman, doomed by fate to destroy the one she loved with her own hands.
'But...'
If she shows up looking this perfectly fine, how am I supposed to take it well?
Thud—!
"...Move. I don't want to talk."
Runyang shoved the two women aside from the hospital room door, as if even breathing the same air as them disgusted her. In her heart, she wanted to beat these hypocrites to a pulp—the ones who mocked Reyan with their fake smiles and phony sorrow. But the reason she couldn't was simple.
She was worried about Reyan. Worried about the shock he'd receive when he woke up.
It had been when she was around fifteen that she'd lived as a 'Silver'-rank adventurer. Reyan had stopped by a few times saying he wanted to attend the academy and needed to save money, then vanished for five whole years before finally reappearing recently. All for Claire's sake. She'd seen him hunting orcs alone. She'd seen him smiling to himself while working for her. Even though they didn't share blood, Runyang had come to see Reyan not as a mere guild member, but as a real little brother.
That's why. Because she didn't want the already-confused Reyan to suffer even more from the mess between her and these repulsive women. Because she hoped that when he woke up and learned the truth, it would hurt him even a little less.
"...So you won't even speak with us?"
But Heste had no reason to care about any of that. She'd easily read the concern for Reyan in Runyang's expression, but as planned, she wanted an even bigger commotion. That's why she'd stopped Reyan's pain and deliberately brought Claire along.
"...You know it wasn't entirely Claire's fault, don't you?"
She smiled provocatively and called out to stop Runyang.
"Claire still came here to apologize to you. Even though a 'Silver'-rank adventurer failed to sense the mana of a mere academy freshman and couldn't pull back her wooden sword in time, she found the courage to come alone and admit her mistake. And yet you're just going to walk away?"
When Runyang stared at Heste in speechless shock, Claire lowered her head, unable to meet her eyes.
"...I-I'm sorry. I... I made... R-Reyan... get hurt...."
"Ha, sorry? You? Really?"
But all Runyang could see was Claire standing there looking perfectly fine. If she'd done something wrong, shouldn't it show on the outside? Was she really treating this like something you could just cry over once and get over?
"Looking at you like this, how am I supposed to believe—"
Runyang almost shouted, but stopped herself. Instead of rage, she grabbed Claire's hand as if pleading with her. Because Reyan was too pitiful. Because she didn't want to criticize or scold Claire into staying by his side.
"...Just admit it. You know I'm not someone who can't tell if it was a mistake or not. You saw Reyan. You waited for the moment he couldn't dodge... and you used the Artifare family's black mana to interfere and hurt him."
Heste smiled as she watched. Even though Claire's hand was trembling. In her eyes, the future was already unfolding.
"...Are you planning to just say you're sorry in front of Reyan too? After doing something like that, you still want to stay by his side? Answer me, Artifare!"
Even if she got angry, it wouldn't change anything. She'd just cry once and that would be it. Looking at Claire Artifare of the Artifare family—who had washed her face and come out looking perfectly fine—Runyang, who was worried about Reyan, would handle it herself. It was obvious that Runyang's concern would look like love in Claire's eyes. No, even if it didn't, she would make it so.
"...Even though Reyan never said your name, he always talked about you. After he entered the academy, that kid who had worked so hard to save money spent every last coin buying food he thought you could eat without feeling burdened. Because his income wasn't enough, he even risked his life hunting orcs!"
Heste waited for the right moment.
"What did Reyan ever do wrong...? Tell me. Just what sin did he commit in his past life that he had to meet a girl like you, Artifare, and end up hurt like this? Did you really think I wouldn't know? Did you think I'd just nod along if you spouted some pathetic nonsense? My guild member... no, the kid I treat like a little brother got hurt, and you thought I'd just let it go?!"
Because she truly saw him as a little brother, Runyang's anger turned to sorrow and tears began to fall....
"You hated him because he's a commoner, right? No, that's not it. If that was the case, you could've just broken up with him. I don't understand. What you did wasn't an 'accident.' It was betrayal. Reyan gave you his heart and his body, and you betrayed him, you fucking bitch!"
When Runyang grabbed Claire's body, overwhelmed by the helplessness of being unable to do anything to the nobles before her, and fell to her knees. Or rather, when her mind was so full of sorrow and worry for Reyan.
"...Why did you do it? Reyan only ever liked you, so why... why did you betray him...? Please don't apologize. Don't stay by Reyan's side. Artifare. Please... You know that once he learns the whole truth, the one who'll suffer the most is Reyan...."
Yes. Right now.
"...You must really like Reyan a lot, to be sobbing like that."
Heste spoke with a smile, deliberately ignoring the context. All to bury Claire's guilt under jealousy and anxiety.
"Ah, aah...."
Claire let out a sigh. It was right after she'd hurt Reyan. Her already broken mind couldn't accept guilt alone. Why was Runyang crying? She's just the guild master and he's just a guild member, so why? Heste had said that Runyang liked Reyan. Could it be that Runyang too...?
She had come to apologize, but seeing Runyang trying to separate her from Reyan, Claire only felt a growing sense of unease. It was too eerie, too strange a dissonance. Her pupils began to darken. As her emotions surged, black mana started to writhe wildly even though she hadn't tried to move it. It grew darker, turning pitch black.
Claire looked at Runyang. The original sincerity inside her vanished, replaced by the aggressive 'sincerity' Heste had planted, writhing as if alive. Instead of apology, rage surged as if facing an enemy.
"A mere beastkin like you...!"
As the black mana flickered, she couldn't exert any self-control. Her instincts took over. Without realizing it, Claire shouted at Runyang, carefully choosing the words that would hurt a beastkin the most.
"Don't you dare set your sights on Reyan, you filthy beastkin! You're different from us from the start. You're not human—you're an animal!"
And at that moment.
Creak—!
"...Claire, what the hell is going on?"
Reyan flung open the hospital room door with a devastated expression. He looked shocked, his breathing faintly trembling.
"R-Reyan...!"
"Master... I mean, sis. Get up. Are you okay?"
"That's not what I meant...."
"If that's not what you meant, then what the hell did you mean?! Are you saying your words had some other meaning?!"
The moment Reyan shouted, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and leaned against the doorframe.
"Ugh—!"
When Claire tried to support him,
"...Let go."
"R-Reyan... I-I really didn't mean it like that...!"
"I said let go, Claire!"
"It hurts... I-I have to... help...."
"This is the last time. I won't say it twice. Let. Go!"
Claire stared at his eyes—cold to the point of being filled with rage—then helplessly dropped her hands. Even while letting out pained groans, Reyan helped the sobbing, collapsed Runyang to her feet and supported her. Then he slammed the hospital room door shut.
The door that had been nothing more than ordinary wood was no longer ordinary. At least to Claire, it had become a cold barrier—thicker, larger, and taller than any other door, one that made her unable to even think of opening it.
Beyond that cold barrier, Reyan's icy voice rang out.
"...Claire. Go back today."
"...H-huh? I-I was going to... nurse R-Reyan...."
"Not necessary."
"N-no...! R-Reyan, I m-messed up. My emotions suddenly surged and I said things I didn't mean, R-Reyan. It's true...! It's really true!"
Claire banged her head against the hospital room door and slid down to the floor. When Reyan said nothing, she pretended to be in pain. No, she really was in pain. This wasn't an act—it was genuine agony.
"...It h-hurts—. R-Reyan.... I'm dizzy.... I'm scared.... It feels like other p-people are... t-tormenting me.... Hold me. P-please take care of me—!"
You always came to hug me when I was struggling every day, right? You'll do it this time too, won't you? You don't love that beastkin more than me, right? No? Please, come out and help me up.
"...Reyan?"
Of course, Claire's desperate prayers went unanswered. Reyan didn't come out.
"Ah, aah.... Reyan, I'm sorry. Please, open the d-door. I feel like I'm going to die. I'm scared, please, don't abandon me, Reyan, please, Reyan—.... It h-hurts—. I'm telling you it hurts, Reyan...."
Heste wrapped her arms around Claire's shoulders. She whispered into her ear as she mumbled only Reyan's name, unable to even pronounce properly.
"...Let's go back for now, Claire. I'll help you. Don't worry too much. You're a good girl, right?"
She wiped away her tears, then took out a handkerchief from her uniform to clean the sweat, drool, and snot. Still, no answer came from beyond the firmly closed door. Only the cold silence stabbed into Claire's chest like the sharpest dagger.