Chapter 615: The Season is Autumn (4)
Chapter 615: The Season is Autumn (4)
Rising and setting is the way of the world.
The sun, the moon, and even life itself were no exceptions. Just as the moon wanes after it is full, the sun’s time begins to gradually shorten once the sweltering heat of summer passes.
And so, the season was now autumn.
Not long ago, the sunset would have still been lingering, but the sunlight had long since faded along with the falling leaves. The only things illuminating the darkened interior were a few lanterns and low-grade mana lamps.
Looking back, it was a meager set of belongings.
I had lived my life as a lower noble until now. Naturally, I never had the luxury to indulge in extravagance. Though I had more gold coins than I knew what to do with now, I was always stuck in a hospital room, so I hadn't even considered decorating my own room.
Or perhaps it was more accurate to say I lacked the motivation.
Think about it.
Even if one's standard of living suddenly skyrocketed, it was awkward to abruptly change an environment one had grown accustomed to. This was especially true for someone like me, who lived a life plagued by constant incidents and accidents.
If I had time for that, I’d rather invest it in training.
To me, it was a logical decision. I had never questioned that fact until now, but at this moment, I felt a twinge of regret.
I never imagined the Saintess would visit my room.
No man wants to look pathetic in front of the woman he loves. I didn't want to show her a space that so vividly reflected the gritty reality of my daily life.
The old cupboard was filled with cheap whiskey and empty bottles were scattered everywhere.
They were the traces of nights spent awake in agony. One could call them the trajectory of my desperate struggle to drown out the thoughts that haunted me every night after Celine and Seria were broken.
Compared to the wine the Saintess had brought, it was a truly pathetic sight.
Though my wife didn't seem particularly bothered by it.
"A fine sight you are."
She tossed the words out casually while resting her chin on her hand.
At a glance, it wasn't a positive sign. The way she pouted her lips and averted her gaze suggested she was quite cross.
And yet, the fact that she couldn't hide her underlying worry was adorable.
I silently sipped the liquid in my glass. It must have been made from high-quality grapes, as the characteristic sweet aroma was exquisite.
There was just one problem.
The bitter scent that should naturally accompany wine was nowhere to be found.
My brow furrowed involuntarily.
"…Grape juice?"
The Saintess let out a huff of a laugh and poured wine into her own glass. Unlike the drink in mine, hers gave off the proper aroma of alcohol.
She spoke to me with a sarcastic edge.
"A patient shouldn't be drinking. You should be thinking about taking care of your body first."
"No, I mean, I'll get better anyway as long as I receive proper treatment…"
"And is it because you received such 'proper treatment' that you're in that state?"
Left with no rebuttal, I had no choice but to shut my mouth.
My appearance.
I knew it better than anyone. To others, I probably looked like nothing more than a mass of white bandages.
Joints and ligaments that screamed every time I moved, and wounds that bled if I tried to push myself even slightly.
Even with the full support of the Imperial Household, this was the limit.
It was like trying to hold a shattered porcelain vase together with bandages.
The reason was obvious.
It meant my body had reached its breaking point.
There were likely only two people in the entire continent who could fully mend this.
The Saint and the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom.
The fact that my wife was one of them was, without a doubt, a miracle.
In the end, an awkward smile formed on my lips.
"You can just fix me."
"Hmph, who said I'd fix you?"
My wife stuck the tip of her tongue out at me.
The low-cut negligee, the dim lighting, and the sweet scent of wine clouded my reason. She was always alluring, but tonight, my wife was even more captivating than usual.
Should I just pin her down?
She looked like she might actually listen to me if I did.
The tipsy Saintess had become bolder and more childish. Nevertheless, being the patient and peace-loving man I am, I decided to try talking first.
"You came here to do it anyway…"
"Who says?"
So coy.
Even while pretending not to care, it was obvious she was constantly checking my wounds. There weren't many reasons for the Saintess, who had been doing well in the Holy Kingdom, to rush back to the Academy.
No matter how dense I was, there was no way I wouldn't know that.
However, it seemed the Saintess wasn't entirely without an excuse.
"I only visited the Academy for business. An important item is scheduled to arrive soon."
I had heard those words somewhere before.
An 'important item' arriving at the Academy.
The thought that suddenly occurred to me immediately turned into words.
"…The Haster family gold mine?"
"I see you knew."
The Saintess's voice dropped. Seeing her expression turn serious, I guessed she was about to bring up a heavy topic.
"Ian, this is a grave matter. Until now, not many people knew about this."
"Even you, Saintess?"
"I didn't know either. I heard the Pope and a few Cardinals were given a hint, but it hasn't been long since I heard the full details."
I suppose that makes sense.
If she had known, she would have told me long ago.
The position of 'Saintess' is closer to that of a figurehead. Although she had risen to become a key figure in the Holy Kingdom's politics by utilizing her symbolic status, she still lacked the authority to be considered at the true pinnacle of power.
She likely only gained access to all classified information after becoming a 'Saint.'
I tilted my glass alone, feeling a sense of bitterness. Once again, the sweet liquid brushed the tip of my tongue.
Why isn't this alcohol?
A sigh escaped me.
"Celine has gone missing."
"I know."
At my voice, which sounded like it was being spat out through clenched teeth, compassion filled the Saintess's face. My reflection in the glass was twisted with distress.
It hurt.
"I have a bad feeling about this. Despite such an extensive search, there's not a single trace of her… and as if on cue, the secrets of the Haster family are being revealed."
"It could be a coincidence, Ian. A leader must always consider other possibilities."
"Is it really a coincidence?"
A faint groan rose through the cracks of my strained voice.
I continued my lament with a pained expression.
"I've been running forward looking only at what's ahead. I should have looked around more, but by the time I noticed, both Seria and Celine were suffering so much."
"Ian."
"It's my fault."
It was a sudden confession.
Perhaps I was drunk on the atmosphere, or perhaps it was because I was meeting someone I had missed for so long.
I murmured like a sinner seeking forgiveness before a court.
"If only I… had done better…"
"You did your best."
"It wasn't the best."
"No one can be perfect."
"I have to be."
The questions and answers flew back and forth in an instant.
At the end of it, the Saintess slowly stood up. Her warm hands clasped mine.
Then, her sorrowful eyes turned toward me.
The Saintess was kneeling. To understand my heart, she had to go to the lowest place.
My voice grew heavy with fatigue.
"I'm different from others. I… I know the future…"
By now, my hands were trembling slightly. If the Saintess hadn't been stroking them, I would have continued to shake.
I had lost Celine.
This had become a secret terror weighing down my heart. I tried my best to act composed, but how could I?
What do I say to Lady Haster?
To the Einstein couple, who cared for Celine like their own daughter? To my mother?
And to my precious friend, Reto.
It felt as if iron chains were wrapping around my heart and tightening. Because it was so painful and agonizing, and because I thought it was a problem I could no longer solve, I might have been intentionally turning my eyes away.
Celine is gone.
Because it was a situation I had never even considered, I fell into a sense of helplessness like a child.
It was a cowardly and weak heart that I couldn't confess to anyone.
"Ian, you don't have to do everything alone."
"But…"
"You've already saved so many people. Now, look at me."
Only then did I turn my gaze to the Saintess. There sat a woman so beautiful it took my breath away.
"Who do you see?"
"…My wife."
A small chuckle escaped her.
The Saintess, seemingly pleased by that title, let out a faint smile while fiddling with my hand.
"Originally, I was just an orphan without even a name. A girl who lived without knowing what she was doing, full of herself just because she had the label of 'Saintess'…"
"That wasn't your fault."
"Then one day, a wonderful knight saved me."
I was left speechless.
I simply stared into her pale pink pupils. It was a color that radiated unmistakable affection.
"He was such a fool. Spouting ridiculous idealism, talking nonsense about saving the world. His relationships with women were a mess, too—he was truly the worst possible partner."
"No, that's…"
Just as I was about to pout at the sudden criticism.
The woman's index finger, which had been wrapping around my hand, touched my lips. It was a signal.
She straightened her legs, her face drawing close enough for our breaths to mingle, and then our lips met.
A warm, moist tongue pushed inside. Our tongues tangled, seeking each other and indulging in a dense, sensual pleasure.
The kiss tasted sweeter than any wine.
How long had we been like that?
As her tongue slowly pulled away, a silver thread stretched between us. Her breath, heated and heavy, warmed my face.
"But I can't help but love you… because you're the one who made me 'me.' Because the first emotion I ever felt as 'myself' was love for you."
With that, she climbed on top of me in a seductive posture.
I could feel her rising body heat. The friction of our skin fanned the flames of excitement. A damp heat radiated from where our groins met.
Embracing me with both arms, she whispered a sweet voice into my ear.
"Is it really your fault, Ian? Do you regret making me like this?"
Never.
Exhaling a shallow breath, I silently wrapped my arms around her slender waist. For a while, we simply felt each other's warmth.
Our eyes met. Between two people who had already crossed the line, there was nothing left to hold back.
Just as our lips were about to draw close once more.
Something occurred to me, and I stopped her.
An awkward smile formed on my lips as I faced the woman's puzzled expression.
"So, when do you plan on treating me?"
The Saintess looked dazed for a moment, then bewildered, and finally, she pouted her lips with a huffy face.
The punishment for the clueless man followed.
Thwack! Her palm struck my chest.
That was the finishing blow.
"Urgh!" I coughed up blood, and the red stain began to seep through the bandages over my reopened wounds. The bravado I had been maintaining crumbled in an instant.
In truth, my body was in desperate need of treatment.
Very desperate.
The Saintess, who hadn't realized my injuries were this severe, widened her eyes in shock.
"I-Ian? A-Are you okay? Kyaaaah! Oh, what do I do!"
She covered her mouth, her face turning tearful.
I murmured through the pain.
"Just… hurry up and heal me…"
In the end, I had no choice but to spend the entire night receiving treatment.
Considering the Saintess couldn't stay at the Academy for long, it was a significant loss.