7. The Butterfly Dream (胡蝶之夢) - 12
7. The Butterfly Dream (胡蝶之夢) - 12
"Do you understand the situation now? I'm afraid I feel no inclination whatsoever to assist you in locating Bianca del Castana. In any case, she and I are bound by a covenant, so I couldn't help you directly even if I wanted to."
With that, Kirie turned her gaze from Iris and sharply averted her head—an unmistakable command to leave.
"......"
Iris simply stared back at Kirie as the command was leveled at her. The situation made it plain: this deranged elf had no intention of cooperating to find Kain. To grovel before her now would only bruise her pride, and it was perfectly clear it would yield no useful result.
...But even so, she couldn't simply nod at Kirie's words and meekly retreat. This was a lead she'd finally found. A thread-thin clue she'd obtained only after visiting House Castana, passing through the Estel Ducal House, and circling nearly half the North.
'Should I force her mouth open?'
Iris inwardly gauged her odds if she crossed swords with this ageless, deathless monster.
'...Hopeless. At best, I might last a tenth.'
Objectively speaking, Iris was strong. Even if she paled in comparison to her future self ten years from now, if you looked purely at "strength," her martial might was among the top five on the continent.
...But her opponent was far too terrible. Kirie likewise possessed martial power that ranked among the continent's top five. Furthermore, unlike Iris, Kirie suffered no penalties from the regression. Bianca, Ariel, and Iris had all regressed ten years and inherited their past, untempered bodies, weakening their combat ability. Kirie, however, had already possessed a fully matured body for centuries.
On top of that, this place was the Great Forest, the elves' home ground, and within arm's reach of Kirie stood the Sacred Tree, the World Tree, which bestowed every blessing upon the elves. No matter what means she used, wresting a decisive victory from Kirie was clearly all but impossible.
'...In the end, did I come all this way just to retreat?'
No matter how she calculated it, drawing her sword against Kirie was a reckless act bordering on a critical blunder. Humiliating as it was, there seemed to be no choice at this moment but to take a step back.
But it was exactly then.
"Lady Kirie. I hope you'll forgive my impertinence, but might I say a word?"
Aria, who had been quietly listening to the exchange, stepped forward toward them.
"...Speak. You, after all, have every right to do so."
And when Kirie unexpectedly signaled her agreement, Iris was deeply startled, though she didn't show it. After all, for Kirie, who had little fondness for humans, to treat another person with such deference was far from ordinary.
"Lady Kirie. A moment ago, you said as much. That you and Lord Kain, sharing even your lifespans, are bound by a connection that can never easily be severed."
"...That is correct. I certainly said that to Iris."
"Hard as it is to believe, if it is true that you and Lord Kain share such a relationship, shouldn't you be unable to simply stand by and watch this situation? The fact of the matter is that Bianca del Castana, armed only with her overwhelming strength and utterly disregarding his will, has forcibly abducted him. For someone who claims rightful ownership of him to fold her hands and remain a bystander at a time like this seems a rather irresponsible act."
Aria, as she spoke those words to Kirie, did not appear obsequious in the least. The eyes she fixed on Kirie were simply direct and utterly dignified. No doubt her words were beyond reproach. Iris found herself thinking that those eyes of hers perfectly reflected her character.
...But at the same time, Aria's statement could not help but seem excessively naive. This was a woman who spoke as though Kain was naturally her possession and casually bandied about the insane notion of "loaning" him to another woman. There was no way a lunatic like that would easily yield her stubbornness just because of a few words from Aria. ...Was there?
"You certainly have a point. Very well. For this once, I will cooperate with you."
"...What did you say?"
That is, until Kirie readily nodded in agreement.
"...Look here, Kirie. Does what you just said mean you're expressing agreement with Aria?"
"Hmph, a creature with no particular talent besides a sturdy body seems to have now gone deaf as well. No matter how you look at it, did I not just agree with her opinion?"
"...Then why did you refuse when I asked for help just moments ago?"
Kirie answered with an indifferent attitude, utterly ignoring Iris's smoldering glare and growl.
"That's because, Iris, I didn't want to give you even the slightest shred of help. And besides, is there any reason I must show respect to a barbaric gorilla of a human who looks best when scrambling through a jungle?"
In an instant, the veins on Iris's forehead stood out. Half of her wanted to forget Kirie's cooperation and everything else and rip out that damn woman's tongue, but she managed to calm herself by mustering superhuman patience.
"...Is it all right for you to break the covenant you made with Bianca del Castana so carelessly?"
Iris kept her voice as flat as possible to hide her emotions, though she could do nothing about the killing intent radiating from her entire body.
"Spare me your needless worry. I am not telling you Bianca del Castana's whereabouts. I am merely providing one method to discover her location."
With those words, Kirie slowly walked toward the World Tree, then snapped off a small branch sprouting near its base and handed it to Aria.
"This is a branch of the World Tree. It has the property of revealing a person's current location if you bring their Magic Power into contact with it. Well, given its size, it can probably only be used once..."
Kirie chuckled and looked at Aria, who was staring blankly at the World Tree branch, with a gaze that found her endearing.
"Isn't once more than sufficient? There's only one person to chase down, after all."
"...But, is it truly permissible to snap off a branch of the World Tree so casually? Is it not the Sacred Tree the elves sanctify above all else in the world?"
It was a question Iris posed with some caution, but Kirie only answered her with a thoroughly shameless expression.
"I merely engaged in pruning as the Guardian of the World Tree. And since I am the one who represents the will of the World Tree, who would dare find fault with my action?"
"......"
At this point, Iris could only wonder how the World Tree could have chosen that lunatic elf as its guardian. But as it was by no means an unwelcome development for Iris herself, she let out a low sigh and offered Kirie her thanks.
"Thank you. I will not forget this debt. Kirie El Denaris."
And at Iris's thanks, Kirie merely snorted.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Iris. I did not help you because I like you. I would appreciate it if you did not forget that I helped only out of consideration for her."
Kirie said this while looking at Aria, who was cradling the World Tree branch like a treasure. After all, their relationship was certainly not good enough for such embarrassing words to be exchanged.
"...Kirie, I have one last thing I wish to ask you. Can you answer?"
"If it is a question I can answer."
When Kirie gave a single nod, Iris slowly asked,
"Why have you stayed quietly in this place ever since the regression? People like Ariel Tiere and Bianca del Castana resorted to all manner of schemes to see Kain's face, yet I find myself simply curious about the reason you, who claims to be his true companion, have remained here so docilely."
At Iris's question, Kirie wore an unreadable expression as she answered.
"In order to prepare for winter."
"...Winter?"
"While everyone else is intoxicated by faint nostalgia for spring, someone must prepare for winter. Especially."
Kirie glanced once at Aria, who was standing a short distance away, and murmured in a low voice.
"All the more so if one does not wish to repeat the horrific tragedy that will occur ten years from now."
****
Before I knew it, a month and ten days had passed since I began living with Bianca in this earthly paradise. Roughly forty days or so, if you counted. During that time, I was able to lead a life that was truly lacking in nothing.
Certainly, this place—where meals came right on time even if they tasted terrible, Bianca provided hot water, and a snug, comfortable place to sleep was guaranteed—was a space perfectly suited to making a person indolent.
Amid idiotic thoughts that another year of this might turn me into a completely useless piece of human trash, I found myself staring blankly at the sun sinking lazily beyond the horizon. I'd observed my surroundings until my eyes nearly fell out, just in case, but far from a crack appearing in space, everything was simply quiet and peaceful. Which meant today had been another day of eating expensive food and wasting immense effort.
"...She's really late. At this rate, I might end up an old man."
I held onto hope until the very last, but reality was clearly different from fiction. Rather than a timely helper appearing to aid me, the only thing I currently possessed was my bare fists and red blood.
"Had I known it'd turn out like this, I shouldn't have brought up the word 'honeymoon trip.'"
Etching the lesson deep into my heart that sometimes a setup can be too excessive for its own good, I trudged back toward the cabin.
Creeeak—
"Hm, hmm."
As I opened the door and stepped into the cabin, Bianca came into view, sitting in a rocking chair in front of the fireplace and absorbed in her knitting. Lately, Bianca had been locked in a life-or-death struggle with yarn and needles, saying she would knit a scarf for me. Winter was still far off, yet I couldn't fathom why she was already so engrossed in knitting.
'...Well, as long as she's enjoying herself.'
Thinking that, I pulled out a nearby chair and plopped down next to Bianca. Though I didn't know how it would turn out, today was the day I meant to have a sincere conversation with her.
"...Hm? Kain, you're back? Did you have a nice walk? You came in a little early today, though?"
Perhaps because she'd let her guard down recently, Bianca no longer followed me around like a puppy when I went for walks.
"Yeah, I think I walked enough for today. And Bianca, there's something I want to talk about with you."
"...Something you want to talk about with me? What is it?"
Bianca tilted her head slightly at my words. And seeing her like that, I couldn't help but think she was lovely. Why on earth had I found her lovely? Was this love-hate? Or did I genuinely hold her in my heart?
"Bianca, how have you been feeling lately?"
"How have I been feeling? What do you mean?"
Bianca asked back, as if she didn't understand. I gently brushed her hair aside and pressed on.
"I mean, lately, spending time with me... have you been happy?"
At my words, Bianca's face flushed slightly. The sight of her reminded me of the old tale where the moon, ashamed of its own appearance, hid itself behind the clouds.
"...Yeah. I'm happy. So happy I wonder if it's really all right for me to be this happy."
Seeing Bianca speak those words with a hazy face as if dreaming, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"...I see. That's a relief. Bianca."
I had wanted that, too. I had wished for her to be happy, even if only within a dream. I had prayed that the terrible misfortune I had inadvertently inflicted upon her over decades might be washed away, even a little, in this way.
"But why are you suddenly asking something like that, Kain?"
Watching Bianca pose that question with an innocent face, I found myself gently stroking her hair again. It was all my fault. My sin. If this pitiable woman had any fault, it was only the fault of having loved a foolish man.
...And so, the game of make-believe had to stop here. If it went any further, Bianca would inevitably come to crave something beyond the happiness she had pursued. And if that happened, she would most certainly become unhappy. In the end, this dreamlike time she'd spent with me might even become a curse.
After all, a dream is only beautiful if it remains a dream.
"Bianca, I have one more question I want to ask you."
"...Okay, what is it?"
And then, I spoke the magic words that would wake us from the dream.
"That thing about us being a loving couple... it was actually a lie, wasn't it?"