She Wasn't That Kind of Person

I knew she wasn't that kind of person.

I didn't stay in the hospital nearly as long as I'd expected. Maybe it was because this was a world where magic existed. I'd been told my bones were broken, yet several healers came in, touched the skin over the fracture a few times, and that was it. The healing wasn't perfect—I still couldn't manage anything strenuous—but it was enough for everyday life.

It had only been a day, but Claire still weighed heavily on my mind. I had forgiven her. Or rather, I had no choice but to forgive her. Even though what she'd done was wrong, Runyang's words about it being intentional still carved into my chest like a wound that wouldn't close. But I liked Claire enough to believe it had all been a mistake. I couldn't accept that every bit of kindness she'd shown me, every shared scar, had been an act leading up to this single betrayal.

Maybe that was why, after finishing the rather tedious discharge process, I headed straight for Claire's quarters. She hadn't appeared for several days, so I figured she might resent me for siding with Runyang. Still, selfish as it was, I wasn't going to question her or apologize. I simply wanted to see her.

“I'm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heading back now. The guild has work waiting, and I've already taken up too much time.”

“You're returning to the guild?”

“Yeah. Today's the day I butt heads with those noble bastards over resources.”

Runyang said she had somewhere else to stop by. She pressed some money into my hand and returned to the Fairy Tail Guild.

It had been a long time since I'd been truly alone. Even as I walked toward the quarters, I couldn't deny the fear twisting in my gut. Claire carried so many wounds. What if she pushed me away?

That worry drove me to glance around for a gift—something that might ease her mood—when a servant from the Meliard family approached. After a brief self-introduction, he handed me a letter. The luxurious envelope bore the Meliard family seal and Heste Meliard's name written in elegant cursive.

The moment I read the enclosed letter, a small laugh escaped me. I'd been worrying like a fool for nothing. Claire knew she had made a mistake. From the beginning, she had always been the one who got hurt rather than the one who hurt others. It was only natural.

I didn't hesitate for even a second before turning my steps. I briefly considered using the money Runyang gave me to buy proper clothes, but then I worried I might arrive after Claire and Heste.

“...Guess I'll have to suggest eating out again.”

My clothes were plain, without a single jewel or ornament. Unlike everyone else at the banquet, I looked unmistakably like a commoner, so I expected trouble at the entrance. Surprisingly, no one stopped me. To be exact, they tried—but they couldn't lay a hand on me. Having an invitation stamped with the Meliard family seal made that inevitable.

Whether the servant had been late or not, the banquet hall was already packed. People were laughing, enjoying themselves. Women in beautiful dresses gathered in groups, chatting and smiling.

The fact that Heste had sent the letter herself suggested Claire had opened her heart at least a little. In the original story, she eventually broke completely. When the Artifare family massacred the empire's citizens, Claire slaughtered countless people on her way to the allied nations. The thought that things could be different now brought a smile to my face.

It might have been wishful thinking. When the time came for me to grow strong enough to leave for exile—as Runyang had said—perhaps everyone would finally recognize Heste's efforts and Claire's inherent goodness. Maybe then she wouldn't have to leave.

“...Is it this way?”

According to the letter, there was a small annex behind the main hall. A commoner who clearly didn't belong cut across the crowd of nobles.

“...He's a male whore. You know, the decent-looking one. The boy who supposedly seduced Lady Heste.”

“...Ah, so that's the child Lady Heste strangely dotes on?”

“...He charmed Artifare and now Lady Heste too. A natural-born prostitute if I ever saw one.”

Several young ladies who didn't even know me whispered their insults. Others did the same, but their words barely registered. The urge to see Claire right now drowned out every insult and humiliation.

A noble ignoring a commoner should never have been allowed, but perhaps the pleasant atmosphere of the banquet played a part. No one bothered to seize a commoner who only knew a little swordplay. Or more accurately, I simply wasn't worth their time. A noble banquet was, after all, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠place to forge connections.

I walked carefully through the crowded areas and ran through the quiet ones. After crossing the extravagant hall that seemed to contain the empire's entire fortune, I spotted an exit leading outside. Beyond it, just as the letter described, stood an annex far larger than the word “small” suggested.

The place where Claire and Heste were supposed to be waiting was still empty. I leaned against the terrace railing and stared blankly outward. A world of brilliant lights and happy laughter. How wonderful it would be if Claire could join them.

I passed the time with such pointless fantasies.

Then—

“...Reyan?”

A familiar voice called out. When I turned, it wasn't Claire I saw. It was Runyang, wearing a stunning dress that made her title of guild master seem almost unfitting.

“...Sister?”

“Why are you here?”

Runyang's round eyes widened in surprise. She clearly hadn't expected to meet me at the banquet.

“...What about you, sis?”

“...I'm a guild master, so I'm usually invited to events like academy banquets. Someone who commissioned a request from the guild sent a letter asking to meet on the annex terrace. What about you?”

“...Heste said she'd bring Claire, so she sent a letter asking me to wait here.”

Runyang slowly looked me over from head to toe, then stepped closer and reached out. She straightened my disheveled hair and adjusted my clothes. A small smile touched her lips.

“If Claire or Heste sees us together, they'll definitely hate it. Right?”

I didn't understand why she was saying this all of a sudden, but the answer came quickly.

“I'm a cat-beastkin, so I stand out. We can talk about work later anyway. Don't worry about it. I'm not stepping aside because of you. Understand?”

She was being considerate, making space for me.

Heste's letter said Claire deeply regretted what she'd done. With emotions cooled, wasn't this the perfect moment to clear up the misunderstandings between us?

“Wait.”

The moment I caught Runyang's hand, a voice rang out as if it had been waiting for exactly this.

“...Reyan.”

On the opposite side of the balcony, Claire and Heste appeared. Claire was wearing the clothes and hat I had given her.

She had told her to steal Reyan away from Runyang, but deep down she had hoped it would never happen. She knew she had wronged Runyang. She knew Runyang had acted purely for Reyan's sake. Above all, watching how Reyan cared for her, Claire had begun to suspect he might cherish Runyang nearly as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠much as he cherished her.

That was why, even as she walked toward the banquet to meet him, she had secretly prayed she wouldn't encounter her. If she saw Reyan and Runyang together, she felt she might crumble. She felt she might make another terrible mistake.

But Reyan was with Runyang. He held her hand with a wistful expression, like a man trying to keep his lover from leaving. That was the hand that used to hold her. Reyan had liked her.

Had he really slept with Runyang just because she disappeared for a few days? Even though she knew it wasn't true, the thought kept stabbing into her skull. The pain throbbed until it became a sharp, nauseating ache. Claire's body swayed. The moment her legs gave out, Heste caught her. Then, even though it wasn't her place, Heste shouted with tears in her eyes.

“...Reyan, what on earth are you doing!”

Bewilderment flooded Reyan's face. To Claire, he looked exactly like someone caught in the act.

“...I told you that you needed to meet Claire. I told you to spend time with her. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠After receiving the letter, you still like her enough to be with Runyang? You said you wanted to help Claire. You said you were doing it for her!”

Heste's words were the spark. Every single phrase pierced straight through the heart.

Runyang approached with a flustered expression.

“...It's not like that. We were just—”

Claire couldn't even walk toward Reyan. She collapsed onto the ground. The gift that had hidden her red eyes fell helplessly to the floor.

“I was going to apologize. But I couldn't find you no matter how hard I looked. I fell. I got hurt. I stepped on glass. I bled. People harassed me and looked down on me, but I still searched for you.”

Claire didn't even cover her eyes. She let the tears flow openly for Reyan to see. I was suffering this much. I was hurting this badly. So why were you with Runyang? The accusation hung in every sob.

“I thought you'd be at the hospital, so I went there. But the healers mocked me and drove me out. Do you know what they said?”

And then, to make him hate Runyang completely—

“...They said Lady Runyang ordered them to. They said if I came looking for you, they were to throw me out immediately!”

It was a lie.

“Reyan, have I become so disgusting to you that you think I deserve to be treated like that? I'm sorry. I was wrong. It was a mistake, I swear.... I can't even imagine a world without you. Please... forgive me—”

Reyan's face filled with confusion too deep for words. The same bewilderment appeared on Runyang's face.

“I-I never did anything like that...”

When Runyang muttered the denial, Claire tried to stand, fell several times, then crawled toward Reyan on her hands and knees. She clung desperately to his leg without embracing him, refusing to give him even a moment to explain.

“...Tell me right here.”

Then she forced a choice on him.

“...If Runyang is more precious to you than I am, I'll never appear before you again. I'll disappear from your sight completely.”

Reyan knew better than anyone that Runyang wasn't that kind of person. But he also knew he couldn't defend her in this situation.

He looked at Runyang, then at Claire. In an instant, his chest tightened until it hurt to breathe.

“...I'm sorry.”

In the end, Runyang moved first. The cat ears she had proudly shown because Reyan once called them pretty drooped lifelessly. She stared at the floor while gripping her dress so tightly her knuckles turned white. For Claire—no, for the Claire that Reyan loved so deeply—

“...Why would Reyan ever like a beast like me?”

She called herself a beast.

“...S-Sis!”

Reyan cried out in shock, but Runyang continued.

“...Claire, I'm sorry for framing you. I'm sorry about what happened at the hospital too. I was only here for guild master business. I didn't come to meet Reyan.”

Then, as she walked out of the annex, she gave Reyan one last smile.

“Reyan, goodbye.”

Runyang left.

Claire remained clinging to Reyan's leg.

Though fewer than in the main hall, quite a few people had gathered to watch them.

Reyan felt crushing dizziness. He couldn't draw a full breath. Yet he couldn't bring himself to stop Runyang. The fear that Claire might vanish from before his eyes paralyzed him.

Why?

In Reyan's trembling eyes, he caught the faint smile playing on Heste's lips as she watched Runyang walk away.