9. Spilt Water Never Returns (覆水不返) - 01
9. Spilt Water Never Returns (覆水不返) - 01
"Have you come to, then?"
A voice filled with deep concern pulled me back to consciousness. When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in an impossibly familiar bed. Both the bed and the ceiling ornamentation that filled my vision were things I knew intimately. It wasn't just a familiar place—this was a room I knew far too well. My own room, in House Estel.
"...Mm."
I couldn't say why, but I knew I'd been peacefully asleep in this bed for a long time. The events leading up to my loss of consciousness resurfaced one by one.
I swallowed dryly and tried to move my limbs. My arms and legs responded. Fortunately, no part of me seemed to be missing. That was a relief, if nothing else—at least I wouldn't have to agonize over which hand to hold a spoon with from now on.
"Don't push yourself. Even though you've been healed completely, you still need time to stabilize. If you go and hurt yourself by overexerting again, I really will get very angry, you know?"
A gentle, kind, and deeply familiar voice reached me from nearby. Turning my eyes slightly, I found a face I hadn't seen in a very long time.
"...Saintess?"
Yes. Sitting beside the bed was Ariel Tiere—the future Saintess. Right now, at this point in time, she already possessed such vast Divine Power that she might as well be called a goddess incarnate.
"You're addressing me by that title again. Didn't we agree to call each other by name last time? Please call me Ariel, not some strange title like Saintess. Kain."
"...Understood, Ariel."
With Ariel looking at me with that almost coy expression, I had no choice but to nod. If my guess was correct, she also possessed memories of the future. So I couldn't easily grasp why she insisted so much on being called by her name. Could it be that she didn't want to reveal she had regressed from the future? If that was the reason, then her stubborn refusal of the title "Saintess" did make sense.
I stared blankly at Ariel for a moment before remembering I couldn't just lie here dazed. There was something I had to ask.
"Bianca. What happened to Bianca?"
The last time I'd seen Bianca, she had collapsed after exhausting all her Magic Power. Aria had been with her, so I trusted she'd handled things, but I still couldn't help worrying.
"...Don't worry. Compared to the injuries you sustained, that crazy—no, Bianca del Castana is more than fine. She is perfectly, utterly unharmed, I assure you."
Ariel then furrowed her brow and shot me a sidelong glare. Her puffed cheeks made it plain something wasn't to her liking.
"...Kain, why are you bringing that up? Instead of useless talk about that woman's current state, shouldn't there be something we need to discuss between ourselves first and foremost?"
Hearing her add, "I pushed myself really hard too, you know," I finally realized my blunder with Ariel.
"...Right. Ariel, why are you here? I was told that you rarely leave the Holy See unless it's for a matter of great importance..."
"....."
Suddenly, the aura emanating from Ariel turned hostile. It seemed I had picked the wrong answer.
"...Kain. Were you that curious about my reason for staying at House Estel? So curious that you'd set aside every other question and ask that first? Fine. I'll tell you. The reason I'm here is none other than..."
"Apologies, but I'll take over the explanation from here."
BANG—
In the next instant, the door burst open without so much as a knock. A woman swept into the room as if she owned it. Guest though she was, she moved with the authority of the head of the household. Her name was Iris El Debhart. Unfortunately, her status was so exalted that I couldn't very well chide her over trifles like common courtesy.
"You've finally awakened, Kain. Watching you lie unconscious for over a fortnight was truly a painful time."
At the Imperial Princess's words, I could only reply in a bewildered voice.
"...I was unconscious for over two weeks?"
"If you hadn't done that mad thing at the end, there would have been no reason for you to lose consciousness in the first place. Do reflect on it."
The "mad thing" she referred to was plainly converting my Life Energy into Aura. The fact that she'd go so far as to call it that drove home just how insane an act it had been.
Having delivered that sharp remark, the Imperial Princess turned to Ariel and fixed her with a sidelong glare.
"I happened to overhear your entire conversation from outside the door—entirely unintentionally. And as I listened, I simply could not hold myself back from saying something to you, Ariel Tiere. Healing the sick is the very duty of clergy, yet you've blithely forgotten that and are putting on a disgraceful display, begging for praise while trying to satisfy your own base desires. Have you no shame?"
As she spoke, the corner of the Imperial Princess's lips twitched upward. No matter how generously one interpreted it, that was unmistakably a provocation aimed at her opponent.
"Oh, I wonder. A certain woman who eavesdropped on others' private conversation like a little rat from outside the door and then brazenly announces it to their face doesn't appear to feel any shame herself. Do I really need to feel such an emotion?"
"Hah, how shameless you truly are, Ariel Tiere. I knew you had no sense of shame whatsoever, but to witness you show not even a trace of embarrassment at your own actions is remarkable. Impressive. At this rate, I'm already concerned you'll go so far as to break one of Kain's limbs yourself, heal him, and then wag your tail begging for a pat on the head."
"Ha, every word out of your mouth suits the Imperial Princess perfectly. What you just said is something anyone but you should never utter. I still vividly recall the sight of Your Imperial Highness beating Kain from head to toe under the guise of training. For the very person who broke his limbs dozens of times to say that is truly brazen beyond belief."
"Truly, the old saying that ignorance is half the battle exists for a reason, Ariel Tiere. What Kain and I shared together was clearly training. It was a necessary process to hone one's martial arts and progress. Of course, I wouldn't expect you to easily understand, since you build your power comfortably by simply kneeling somewhere and offering prayers."
"Ho, what an interesting theory. So if I were to strike Your Imperial Highness's noble body right now, or break a part of it, would you also understand that as part of the training process in pursuit of martial arts?"
"Hm, a fascinating proposal. I was, in fact, about to suggest training perfectly suited for you, on the premise that no protest would come from the Church. Weren't you the sort of revolting woman who regenerates limbs like a lobster even if they're severed? Since abusing your body doesn't leave much of a mark, you would make an optimal subject for instruction."
"I could manage that. Shall we test, then, just how sharp the renowned Imperial Princess's sword is?"
The atmosphere had gone far beyond mere snarling at one another—it felt as though fists might start flying at any moment. Amid it all, I had no choice but to speak up.
"...Could both of you please calm down?"
If Ariel and the Imperial Princess really started fighting here, House Estel's ducal castle would assuredly be reduced to dust in under a minute. It would be a repeat of the scene where Aria and Bianca fought like madwomen intent on killing each other. I'd already had more than my fill of watching two women quarrel from that alone.
"...Since you're asking, it can't be helped. Count yourself lucky, Ariel Tiere."
"...I think I got a little worked up there. I apologize, Kain."
For reasons I couldn't fathom, both women apologized, not to each other, but to me. As I'd keenly felt back in the Imperial Capital, the relationship between Ariel and the Imperial Princess went beyond hostile—it felt as if they could barely restrain themselves from devouring each other. Why did the Imperial Princess get along so badly with Ariel? She'd been on good enough terms with Aria that they'd even traveled together for a time.
Once the overheated atmosphere had cooled a little, the Imperial Princess cleared her throat, as if she had finally come to her senses. Perhaps it was a small mercy that she seemed to have realized she'd gone a bit too far just then.
"...Ahem, let me finish what I was about to say earlier. The reason that woman is here is that I sent for her. After the incident of your and Bianca del Castana's 'honeymoon trip,' I sent a letter, thinking she might be of some help."
"Kain, I didn't come because the Imperial Princess summoned me. In the first place, I was already heading north after hearing the news of your engagement to Bianca del Castana."
...So, in short, my sham engagement with Bianca had reeled in every woman connected to me?
"Well, useless as she otherwise is, she makes a passable walking medicine cabinet. Thanks to her, we were able to heal even the severe injuries you'd sustained."
"I was the one who healed Kain, yet Your Imperial Highness is taking the credit."
Ah, so the reason all my limbs remained attached and intact was entirely thanks to Ariel.
"As I said earlier, the injuries Kain sustained were far too serious. Though I've healed all the external wounds, I'd like you not to forget that he still needs to rest for a while."
After saying that, Ariel let out a sigh and watched me with an unreadable gaze.
"Now that you have a rough grasp of the situation, may I ask you just one question as well, Kain?"
"Ah, yes. Go ahead."
When I nodded, Ariel threw a question at me in a tone that felt oddly pointed.
"I've held back from asking anything until now because I wanted to hear it directly from you, but I don't think I can put it off any longer. Kain, those grievous injuries you suffered—was Bianca the cause of them?"
"...Pardon?"
"Don't even think about trying to gloss over it. I saw traces of cellular necrosis on your left arm, caused by extreme heat. As far as I know, the only thing capable of leaving such marks is Bianca's 'White Flame's Lament.' So tell me clearly. Kain, what exactly were you two doing all that time, alone together?"
"...Well, that is..."
A cold sweat trickled down my back. A powerful premonition shot through my mind—if I misspoke here, I would end up regretting it for a long, long time. And then it happened.
BANG—
Once again, the door flew open without a knock. By now I began to entertain the reasonable suspicion that my room had been turned into public property without my knowledge. Narrowing my eyes, I identified the ill-mannered intruders: none other than Aria and Bianca.
"Kain!"
"Lord Kain! You're awake!"
Aria and Bianca wore broad smiles, overjoyed that I'd regained consciousness. But Ariel, apparently displeased by Bianca's expression, raised an eyebrow and spoke jeeringly.
"Ho, and here I wondered who it was. So it's the very person whose whereabouts Kain asked about the moment he regained consciousness."
"...What? He asked about me first, as soon as he woke up?"
Whatever else Ariel had said, Bianca seemed to have heard only what she wanted to hear.
"Did you miss me that much, Kain? Truthfully, I missed you terribly as well. So then, it seems the time has come for you to fulfill the promise you made to me that day."
"...The promise I made that day? What in the world are you talking about?"
I'd said so many things that day that I couldn't easily figure out what Bianca was referring to.
"Isn't it obvious? The promise that you'll love me forever, of course?"
As she said that, Bianca grabbed and hugged my arm.
"....."
"....."
"....."
The next moment, a suffocating silence bled from the other three women gathered here.
'God-fucking-dammit.'
Why on earth was my head throbbing like this?