Regarding the Story I Dreamed Of (1)
Inside the train racing toward the Capital City.
"I'm sorry... really sorry."
"It's okay."
Elia kept sobbing in my arms, clinging to me as if she'd never let go again.
"It's because I'm lacking, hic. So lacking. Because I don't have the skill. I'm sorry."
"You're not lacking at all, Elia."
"I'm sorry, really, truly."
I kept patting her back to soothe her, but the shock had hit her so hard that there was no sign of her calming down.
Haa.
My heart grew heavy as I stared up at the train's ceiling for a moment.
Just a short while ago, she'd been so healthy and cheerful that I couldn't even imagine her like this. And yet, in a mere few days, her body had wasted away, leaving her unable to use her legs.
This is driving me insane.
A tightness built in my chest. The last hospital had said she was recovering quickly, after all.
But putting that aside, the fact that she'd been wandering the city alone in this condition started to sour my mood.
What the hell was Hans doing in the meantime? The guy who always acted like he treasured his juniors so much—what was he up to while his junior suffered like this?
Hoo.
I really wanted to like the guy, but he kept making himself unlikeable on his own.
"Sorry... sorry... I'm sor... "
Elia, who had been buried in my arms and bursting into tears nonstop, finally exhausted her remaining strength. Her sobs tapered off, and she drifted into sleep.
Only then did I let out a breath of relief and pick up the papers on the table in front of me.
One was a train ticket to the Capital City. The next was a letter addressed to her.
It was from her father.
Just these two pieces of paper I'd found in her pocket were enough to guess why Elia, in this state, had pushed herself so hard to head to the Capital City.
Her strict father must have hounded her relentlessly to go to the Academy. And having been raised to obey her father's words no matter how sick or pained she was, she'd dragged her body out anyway.
Is he insane?
I couldn't comprehend Elia's father on a basic human level. I'd known from the original story that he constantly pressured her through letters, that it was just his personality. But even so, making such unreasonable demands on her when she was this badly injured wasn't something a person should do.
This must be what they call a mage's mentality. People in that world treat human lives pretty lightly.
That's part of why I hate it there.
This isn't easy.
I lowered my head again and looked at Elia.
"Hoo... hooo..."
Unlike before, she slept with a peaceful expression.
"Karl... sir."
Then she swung her arm and started mumbling in her sleep.
"Where are you... don't go..."
She frowned, looking anxious about something.
"Yes, I'm right here."
"Karl sir..."
I took her hand firmly in mine. It seemed like that's what she needed most right now.
***
"There don't seem to be any particular issues."
The doctor, his hair mostly white, flipped through various papers before looking at me and speaking.
"Is that so?"
After arriving in the Capital City, worried about Elia's condition, I'd headed straight to a hospital. Her physical state looked pretty rough on the surface.
"Yes. Even the legs you're concerned about should recover in a few weeks, so as long as she takes the prescribed medicine properly, she should be fine."
"Thank you."
Contrary to my worries, the diagnosis came back quite positive. The immobility in her legs was temporary, and her emaciated body would improve with proper food and medicine.
Hoo.
I let out a sigh of relief mixed with exhaustion as I stepped out of the examination room.
"Hehe, it's Karl sir."
Outside, Elia—who had come out first and been waiting—sat in her wheelchair, reaching out her arms to greet me happily.
Good thing.
Having only cried nonstop before, she'd calmed down quite a bit after sleeping on the train and was back to her bright expression from before.
Aside from still being in the wheelchair, her body and mind didn't seem badly damaged. The heavy weight on my heart began to lift considerably.
"You waited well."
I took the hand she offered, looked at her, and said.
"Because Karl sir asked me to."
"Haha, thank you, Elia."
I smiled at her words, released her hand, and gripped the handles of her wheelchair.
"Alright, let's go."
"Okay."
As we stepped out of the hospital, the majestic sight of the Capital City stretched out before us, a continuous urban expanse.
Countless people bustled busily between the towering buildings, and merchants lined the streets selling their wares.
"Not much has changed here."
"Have you been to the Capital City before?"
As I looked around here and there and commented, Elia raised her head and asked in a puzzled tone.
"I was an Academy student once, too."
"Ah! Right, I forgot."
When I answered her question, Elia scratched her head sheepishly and smiled.
"Hehe."
Then she tilted her head and asked me again.
"So where are you staying? A hotel?"
"I have a house around here."
"Oh... that's impressive."
Elia marveled at the mention of a house in the Capital City.
I brushed it off casually.
"It's all debt. Debt."
"Still."
To me, that house was nothing but a burden. I'd bought it on impulse because of a fortuitous encounter buried in the basement, pouring in every penny I had—and didn't have.
That's why I was drowning in debt now.
If I could, I'd sell that useless place right away... but house prices had tanked lately.
Got properly screwed.
To wash away the bitterness lingering on my lips, I changed the subject.
"So, do you have a place to stay, Elia?"
"Uh... well."
Having the question turned back on her, Elia started glancing around evasively and trailing off.
"The Academy has dorms, but..."
Seeing her reaction, I realized my mistake and wanted to say she didn't have to answer.
"I don't want to go."
But her response came out first.
"It's just... that..."
Elia started making a gloomy face again, dropping her head to hide it.
My bad.
I'd brought up the most obvious thing.
For Elia, who'd spent her life caged by her authoritarian father, the Academy must feel like a new birdcage meant to imprison her.
Of course she'd hate going there, no matter what.
Hm.
After a brief moment of thought, I stopped walking, turned to face Elia, and said curtly,
"Then don't go."
"Y-Yes?"
At my words, Elia lifted her head, revealing her tear-streaked face flushed red between strands of damp hair.
That sight was pitiful, so I gently brushed away some of the hair stuck around her eyes and continued.
"The semester hasn't started yet, right? So there's no need to head to the Academy right now."
"Then... where should I stay...?"
"If it's okay with you, I can offer you one of the spare rooms at my place."
"Is that... really okay for me?"
"If that's what you want, Elia."
Elia stared at me blankly, sniffling, as if she couldn't believe my words.
"It's a ridiculously big house for just me living alone, so there are plenty of rooms left."
I shrugged and smiled at her gaze.
"Hic, sob. Thank you..."
After gazing at my face for a moment, Elia's emotions welled up again, and she started crying once more.
And as she expressed her gratitude to me.
"Really... than... k..."
"Shh."
I covered her small mouth with my finger.
"No need to thank me."
Then I took a handkerchief from my pocket and personally wiped away each tear stain.
"I'm doing this because you have value, Elia."
"...Really?"
"Of course."
It might sound like a hasty encouragement to anyone watching, but to me, it wasn't empty words.
As Astria's close junior, if Elia broke down mentally or died, it would undoubtedly affect Astria too.
So I couldn't send her in this state to the dorms, where Astria would be holed up over break.
Beyond that, even without Astria involved, it weighed on my mind to just watch it happen.
"And Elia, stop crying now."
That's why I decided to help her a bit more.
"You'll ruin your pretty face."
She needed help more desperately than anyone.
"...Yes!"
Elia forced away her teary expression and soon flashed a bright smile.