7. The Butterfly Dream (胡蝶之夢) - 09
7. The Butterfly Dream (胡蝶之夢) - 09
Over the past month, living under the same roof—not quite cohabitation, but close enough—with a woman named Bianca, I'd come to understand a great many things about her as a person. To be precise, it wasn't that I had uncovered the truth of who she was as Bianca, but rather that I had come to know Bianca as a single human being.
First of all, she was utterly hopeless at cooking. She was so devoid of culinary talent that even baking a simple loaf of bread reliably turned it into charcoal, and merely boiling soup resulted in it being scorched black. No matter who saw it, it was perfectly clear the woman called Bianca had not a shred of cooking ability whatsoever.
And every single time she ruined a dish, the excuse Bianca offered was always the same.
'I can cook with magic, actually, so it's fine that I'm just choosing not to.'
As a result, the role of preparing food in this cabin inevitably fell to me. It was a choice I had to make anyway, unless I wanted to starve to death.
Once I finished making the meal, we'd gather around the table and eat together. The conversation she and I shared over our meals was truly nothing special. Facing each other, we'd simply exchange utterly trivial stories about what had happened that day.
And yet, even though all we shared were those utterly trivial stories, Bianca's face was always bright and radiant—as if this were all she had ever wanted.
Bianca also loved holding hands with me. Whenever we took walks around the cabin, she'd scamper up to my side and hold my hand tight. I couldn't help but think the sight was a bit like a large dog trailing after its owner. Still, it was within acceptable bounds, since Bianca herself was adorable doing it.
Bianca loved sharing kisses with me. After the day I first opened my eyes and our lips met, we would occasionally kiss. She had a habit she herself seemed unaware of: every time we kissed, she'd ever so slightly poke her tongue out toward me. In one way, that side of her was purely endearing, and in another, it felt like a maiden who knew nothing of men, and I found her all the more lovable for it.
Which meant that whenever Bianca and I kissed, our lips inevitably ended up tangling together. But not for a single moment, watching her like that, did I ever think she was lewd. Because whenever she looked at me, her eyes were always filled with love for me.
To that extent, she liked me very, very much. No, saying "liked" is insufficient. She loved me, deeply. Her devotion was immeasurable, willing to do absolutely anything for my sake.
Truthfully, there was no way I could find her love unpleasant. No, to say it was unpleasant would be a lie. I am a man, through and through. A beauty like Bianca, acting like candy on the tongue, blind to everything but me—it would be absurd to gaze upon her and claim I felt no affection.
And so, my relationship with Bianca was slowly growing closer. In a sense, perhaps it was only natural. A man and a woman in their prime, living under one roof, one of them harboring an overflowing affection for the other—that nothing at all would happen between two such people would be the stranger.
Yet, even so, I couldn't give myself over to her down to the deepest corner of my heart. Because in truth, I knew. I knew that my being here was not something born solely of my own will. I was well aware that this woman, Bianca, was suppressing my freedom under the pretext of 'mental and emotional stability.' I had no way of knowing what awaited us in the outside world, but she would display an extreme terror at the thought of leaving this place.
Nevertheless, I couldn't help being drawn to this woman. Perhaps, as Bianca said, I truly had been in love with her before I lost my memories. Though it was a fantasy I shouldn't indulge, I sometimes thought that staying holed up in this tiny cabin with her like this, living out our lives together, might not be such a bad choice.
...But that couldn't happen. Every time the temptation arose—to forget everything of the outside world and live in idle contentment with Bianca, just the two of us—a throbbing headache would pound in some corner of my skull. It seemed likely that my lost memories were serving as the last bastion, preventing me from acting on those impulses.
For the past month, I hadn't just been freeloading or engaging in sickeningly lovey-dovey acts with Bianca in this cabin. I'd also been making a diligent effort to grasp the truth of my current situation, observing the phenomena occurring to me and Bianca's reactions to the various questions I posed.
I didn't need to forcibly dredge up my lost memories. Just by carefully observing the circumstances surrounding me, I could easily deduce how matters were proceeding.
"Kain—!"
That was when it happened. At the same moment the cabin window opened, a woman leaned her upper body out and called my name in a loud voice.
"It's time to eat! Hurry inside! Before the food gets cold!"
The thought flickered through my mind: what bizarre, misshapen food had she managed to concoct now, when she couldn't even bake bread? Yet I couldn't find it in me to hate her—a mage who, anywhere in the world, would be treated with the highest regard, yet was shut away in this quiet cabin and fretting about meals like some ordinary country maiden.
"...Come to think of it, has it been a whole month already since I started staying here?"
Before I knew it, a month had passed since I'd been holed up in this tiny cabin and joined her in her little game of playing house.
It felt as if the time would soon come to settle everything, one way or another. With that thought, I hoisted my stiff body up and walked toward the cozy little cabin I shared with Bianca—all while thinking the impertinent thought that, since it was certain she hadn't made anything fit for human consumption, it would probably take me quite some time to cook everything from scratch.
****
In the northeastern part of the continent lies a vast forest people call the Great Forest. It is a place where trees of immense size, rarely seen elsewhere on the continent, flourish, and where the traces of fairies and the spirits who are friends to the elves can easily be found—a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
It's also said that at the heart of the Great Forest rests a colossal World Tree, which has been protecting the world itself from the moment of creation until this very instant. However, thanks to the strange mist that envelops the entire forest, no one has ever confirmed its existence with their own eyes.
"Huh. I'd heard the rumors, but truly, this is a curious place."
Pushing through the strange mist surrounding the Great Forest, Iris let out an involuntary murmur of admiration. For this mist surrounding her had the property of partially interfering even with the senses she'd honed into the Master Realm. It was no wonder that for a thousand years, no human had ever set foot in this forest without the elves' permission.
"...For all that, aren't you walking forward just a little too unhesitatingly?"
But seeing Iris stride forward without a single moment's hesitation despite her words, Aria couldn't help voicing her disbelief.
"Though this mist may hinder my five senses, it cannot hamper the instincts I've honed as a martial artist. You'd best follow close behind me. If you get lost in a forest like this, you won't be found easily."
At Iris's words, which treated her like a child, Aria was about to feel a little sulky, but ultimately gave a small nod. Until she could locate Kain's whereabouts, Iris's help was essential, so quarreling with her would do no good.
Iris and Aria were wordlessly making their way through the mist-filled forest when it happened. Sensing something strange, Iris halted her steps.
"...Hm. You've finally come to greet your guests, have you? You're far later than I expected. To be this lazy in escorting a lady is conduct unbecoming of your forest-dweller reputation."
Shnk—
No sooner had she finished speaking than five or six arrows tore through the mist, flying directly at Iris. Even as she watched the arrows streaking toward her, Iris simply stared at them vacantly with an unimpressed expression.
Arrows like these couldn't possibly harm her in the first place, and besides, she trusted the skill of the adorable mage accompanying her.
Crackle—!
A five-pronged current of electricity leaped from Aria's hand and deflected every arrow that had been bearing down on Iris. The sight made the male elf who had loosed those arrows open his eyes wide in spite of himself.
'In that split second, she cast a spell powerful enough to knock arrows aside?!'
He could scarcely believe it, even having seen it with his own eyes. A mere two seconds at most had passed between his release and the moment they'd have reached their target. She had wielded magic powerful enough to swat his arrows aside in that fleeting span? Moreover, his arrows were imbued with the power of spirits; they shouldn't have been able to be deflected by ordinary force! Had this white-haired woman reached the realm of an Archmage?
"...Why didn't you dodge?"
"Because they weren't aimed at any vital points, and ultimately, it was because I trust you. Still, your casting speed is remarkably fast. Judging solely by your ability to wield magic, you wouldn't fall short even compared to Bianca del Castana."
"You speak as if you know that woman well."
"That would be because I've known Bianca del Castana for quite a long time. Even if, officially, we've had no contact whatsoever."
Having exchanged words in that utterly tensionless tone, Aria and Iris turned their heads toward the elf who had shot at them, as if just remembering he was there.
"Do you understand now? I have not the slightest intention of antagonizing the elves. I would simply have you understand that I've come here only on business."
"...We do not permit entry to those who have not obtained prior permission."
At the elf's exceedingly stiff reply, Iris merely shrugged her shoulders.
"I am well aware of that, but I am extremely busy at the moment. Every second counts, and I do not have the luxury of idly awaiting your permission. Of course, I do apologize for treating you so discourteously."
Saying this, Iris gave him a courteous bow of her head. The elf's expression turned troubled. Whether judging by her words or actions, the human woman before him was clearly of no ordinary status. Thus, he decided to talk with them first, rather than recklessly antagonize them.
"...Human woman. What exactly is your business?"
At the elf's question, Iris smiled slightly before opening her mouth.
"I have but a single matter. I only wish to speak with Kirie El Denaris, Guardian of the World Tree. I have no interest in entering the domain of the elves. I simply have something I wish to discuss candidly with that woman."
At Iris's words, the elf narrowed his eyes. Setting aside the fact that as a mere guardian of the Great Forest's outer perimeter, he lacked any authority to let them pass, he could easily perceive that the martial force these human women possessed far exceeded his expectations.
Yet that didn't mean he could simply yield to their strength and open the way for them. Just as the elf's dilemma was deepening—
[Let it be so. Rein. Escort them to where I am.]
That was when it happened. Though there had been no sign of anyone near them, a clear, refreshing voice rode the wind and reached their ears.
"...Huh? How?"
Hearing that voice, Aria involuntarily glanced around her. She hadn't relaxed her vigilance for a single moment since entering this forest, so where had that voice come from?
"She must have conveyed her voice through the forest spirits. That woman has always enjoyed pretending to be mysterious."
"...Please do not insult the Guardian."
When the elf spoke to Iris in a somehow exhausted voice, she merely replied with a shameless tone.
"Oh, apologies for that. Still, I hope you'll understand. I'm on my way to see an old friend for the first time in a long while, and my nerves got the better of me, so I just cracked a little joke."
Beside Iris, who was giggling as she said this, Aria tilted her head quizzically.
"...Imperial Princess, didn't you say earlier that today was the first time you'd ever come to the Great Forest? Then how could you possibly be friends with the Guardian of the World Tree?"
At Aria's question, Iris glanced back at her, then let out a small snicker.
"Is it not occasionally possible for friendships to exist beyond time and space?"
"...Yes. Just as you and Kain came to form a bond of master and servant."