Chapter 722: Mary’s Dream (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 722: Mary’s Dream (1)
Tikan Palace, garden terrace.
"Brother. Since when did we become so close?"
Mary asked, stirring the fruit punch in front of her. The ice clinked pleasantly against her spoon.
"What's with the sudden question?" Dipus pulled a cigarette pack from his coat.
"It just occurred to me, and I realized I couldn't remember at all."
He reached inside the pack, only to find it empty.
"Hah, I'm all out. Too lazy to go get more. You got a smoke?"
"I don't. More importantly, could you pay attention to my question?"
"Well, I suppose we just naturally grew close at some point."
"No, a half-hearted answer like that won't clear this stifling feeling. I haven't been able to sleep a wink for days because of it."
"Isn't that a bit much?"
"You know how I am. Once something starts bothering me, it stays with me. My entire mind fixates on it until it's resolved. It's not like you haven't seen this before."
"Fix that personality of yours, kid. Sometimes you just need to let things go. Oh, Sir Hedo."
Hedo, who happened to be passing by their table, handed Dipus a cigarette.
"I'll pay you back two later."
"Of course. I shall expect the finest from Mount Mila."
Dipus placed the cigarette between his lips with satisfaction, but after rummaging through his pockets, he sighed again.
He didn't have a light.
Fwoosh!
"Whenever you're in a bind, you can always look for Jet at the entrance, Lord Dipus!"
This time, it was Jet. He had hurried over, quickly bringing a lit match to the tip of Dipus's cigarette.
"Jet, impeccable timing. Living here, I've realized you always have a knack for showing up at the perfect moment."
"Our Young Lord didn't recruit this Jet for nothing, sir! Do you two need anything else? Should I bring some special cookies from Lady Latri's shop?"
"Go bring me a hammer," Mary deadpanned. "Preferably one forged by Lord Picon."
"Huh? Lady Mary? A hammer? Why a hammer...?"
"To crack open my brother's head since he keeps ignoring my question."
"Haha, please enjoy your time. I'll be on my way then."
Puff—!
A look of pure satisfaction settled on Dipus's face as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. Mary, her temper rising, glared fiercely at him.
"Ah, alright, alright. I'll think about it."
"Yes. Think right now."
"Let's see... Hey, Nanny Gilly! Just a moment."
Dipus called out to Gilly as she walked past.
"Yes, Lord Dipus. What is it?"
"Back when you first came to the family, was I close with this girl?"
"Hmm... to be honest, I'm not sure. I spent most of my time at Storm Castle caring for Lord Jin back then."
"I told you to think, and you just ask Nanny Gilly?!" Mary snapped.
"However," Gilly continued, "by the time the Young Lord and I began living at the main house, the bond between you two already seemed very deep."
"I suppose so. We were both Flagbearers by then, so the timing makes sense. Thank you for the answer. More importantly, how are your internal injuries?"
"I'm continuing to improve, thanks to everyone's concern. And Lord Dipus, you don't need to feel sorry anymore."
"I appreciate you saying that... Then you should go and rest before you make the Youngest angry by overworking yourself."
As Gilly bowed and went on her way, Mary bent her spoon in half.
"Ahem! I think we first became close around the time you graduated from the beginner class. I helped you pick out your sword then."
"You picked it out so carelessly. I still remember that obnoxious line of yours. 'Hey, use that one. It's a chain sword called Viper. It's perfect for a vicious brat with nasty eyes like you.'"
"But look how long and how well you used that 'carelessly' chosen weapon. Right up until it broke in Ricalton."
"Anyway, you're wrong. The reason I chose Viper back then was to get back at you. I wanted to beat you in a duel and say, 'I can beat you even with a sword you picked out without trying'... that was all."
"Unfortunately, I never got to hear that line. You challenged me constantly back then, but you never won once."
"You were already a Flagbearer, so it's embarrassing that you're saying that so proudly. Instead, don't you remember being bedridden for days after getting cut by a poisoned Viper when you let your guard down?"
"You mean when you ambushed me in the bathroom during the friendly duel event? Breaking every unwritten rule? I still have the scar right here. Honestly, you should be grateful to me. If I had made an issue out of that, you would have been in real trouble. Oh, then we must have become close because I kept my mouth shut back then!"
"No. After that day, you looked at me like I was a bug for a long time."
"Mary, are you saying that was something a normal human would do?"
"It was a bit much. Especially since I still lost after doing all that."
"I think we're missing the point. Anyway, if not that... then it was the day we felt a sense of kinship while glaring at our siblings during the banquet Joshua arranged. That's the day!"
"It's true I felt kinship that day, but that was it. It was the same during all those long years we both felt the wall that was Sister Luna."
"That applies to all our siblings."
"Probably not the Youngest."
"How about the day I caught and subdued you when you were trying to blow up the Eldest's room with a sack of magic shells you found somewhere? Or the day I stopped you when you were waiting for Father outside the bathroom so you could challenge him?"
"Wrong. Are you sure you 'accidentally' found me? I think you were watching me because you saw me as a troublemaker. Come to think of it, there were no coincidences starting from a certain point. It was all the result of you monitoring me."
"Because you did crazy things like that more than once or twice! Then was it the day I..."
From then on, Dipus continued to talk pleasantly about the numerous anecdotes from their past.
No, they were precious memories. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed such a leisurely afternoon. It was so enjoyable and comfortable that Dipus didn't even realize the cigarette he had taken only one puff from had burned all the way down to his fingers.
Mary was laughing, too. Sometimes she would gulp down her fruit punch to hide her face whenever Dipus brought up an excessively embarrassing past event, but mostly, she laughed so hard she was on the verge of tears.
"...Pfft, ahaha, hic. This is crazy. Right, that happened too—ack! You scared me!"
"Hee."
"Yona! Since when were you standing there?"
"Since Sir Hedo gave Dipus-oppa a cigarette."
"Good grief."
"Heehee, Mary-unni and Dipus-oppa, you're both such dummies. Why don't you two know what even I know?"
"Wait, do you know when we became close, Yona?"
Yona smiled shyly and pointed outside the terrace.
Floating on the endless blue sea were Mary's Ship Puberty and the fleet of the Cosmos.
"Ah...!"
Mary and Dipus exclaimed at the exact same time, as if they had finally realized.
"Right! It was that day. The day Brother gave my ship its name!"
"Right, it was around the time you were leaving the family as a Reserve Flagbearer. But Yona, how did you know that?"
When they looked back, Yona had already vanished.
The two of them looked around for a moment before their minds drifted back to the exact same memory.
— You're probably the only one who would think about getting a ship as soon as you become a Reserve Flagbearer.
— I've fought on land plenty, so I figured I'd go beat up some sailors too.
— If you're getting a ship, the name should be 'Ship Puberty.' Please, go through all sorts of things on that ship and come back as an adult.
— Yeah, why don't you worry about becoming an adult yourself.
— Still, if it turns out to be too hard to become an adult, at least come back alive. I have my doubts about whether you can actually survive with that god-awful personality once you leave the family. The only reason you've survived this long is entirely thanks to me.
— Ah, it seems the great 4th Flagbearer wants to provoke me. Then shall we make a bet? I bet that I'll come back stronger than you. You bet on me becoming a corpse. What will you give me if I win? For the record, I can't give you anything if I lose. Because I'll be dead.
Looking back, it really was that day.
Though Mary had reacted prickly to Dipus's sincere concern, that was the day the bond they had unknowingly built up was finally conveyed to each other through words.
"'Once you return, I will protect you again. Just like I've done until now, I'll watch your back when you cause trouble and stop you when you mindlessly walk into a death trap'... That's what you said to me that day, Brother."
"And you sneered, saying that cleaning up after you must have become my hobby. Well, you did show a glimmer of cuteness for the first time by leaving a note telling me to make sure I kept that promise. I think that was the first and last time, though."
"I was just a brash kid back then, so I have an excuse, but why did you do that, Brother? Why did you say such embarrassing things to someone as ungrateful as me?"
They weren't just empty words. In reality, Dipus had always taken care of Mary more than he took care of himself, right up until now.
And Mary, in truth, still didn't know the reason. She didn't know why Dipus had cherished her so much since those days.
"Does there need to be a grand reason? At first, I just grew fond of you through our bickering, and then spending time with you actually became fun. You've become somewhat more like a human being since you became a Flagbearer, too. I feel a great sense of pride as an older brother."
The reason didn't really matter. The two of them burst into giggles like children.
"Do you feel better now? Will you be able to sleep soundly starting tonight?"
At Dipus's question, Mary was about to nod, but she paused, suddenly lost in thought.
"...No, I still have one more thing I want to ask you, Brother."
The smile vanished from Mary's face.
"Why did you do it? Why... why did you betray me, the Youngest, the family, and the world to receive the Authority of the Evil God...?"
Dipus removed the burnt-out cigarette from between his fingers.
"Gilly says you don't have to feel sorry anymore, and the other comrades feel the same. You did come to your senses in the end. But I still can't accept it. So tell me now. There was a reason you had no choice but to do it, right?"
"Mary, let's take a walk."
"Don't try to avoid answering again. I must hear it today. If I don't get an answer from you, I..."
"Follow me. I'll tell you while we walk."
Dipus suddenly stood up and began to walk away.
Mary stared blankly at Dipus's back for a moment before standing up to follow him.