On Vitality -2- The Evening That Returned

In the darkened room, I stared at the blue window.

Sitting in the chair and gazing at the blue window, it felt eerily intimidating. I had no idea what Vitality entailed or what it cost to expend it.

It'd be a lie to say I wasn't scared. If Vitality meant lifespan, honestly, there were no alternatives.

Even scouring the novel's knowledge, there were only two ways to extend one's life. One was ascending to the realm beyond Sword Master. And the other...

...was to abandon one's humanity.

The former elevated the body's perfection, turning a human's century-long span into five or seven times that—perhaps even near immortality. The latter prolonged life through black magic.

I had no desire to use the latter. There were things a person should and shouldn't do. As a possessed soul who cherished love and justice, walking the villain's path felt wrong.

But reaching the realm beyond Sword Master was practically impossible. The novel only mentioned "Such a realm exists," with no one ever achieving it—a divine domain. Reaching Sword Master alone would extend life sufficiently.

Carrying my worries, I slowly nodded.

"Yeah."

Let's give it a shot. It wouldn't be too late to think after taking the hit. Believing it was better to confront it head-on, I answered the blue window's query.

"Yes."

And then, the blue window began revealing the information on Vitality in a way I hadn't anticipated.

Another bright morning at the mansion. Olivia, who had woken earlier than usual, blinked sleepily at the dawn sky.

-Chirp! Chirp!

"Ughhh..."

Olivia woke to the birds chirping noisily from dawn. She plugged her ears and flailed her fists at the air. It wouldn't have been satisfaction enough to turn the pests ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into chicken.

Their racket sounded louder than ever today.

-Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp!

"Eeeek! You puny little bird brats not worth a single bite!"

Back when Ricardo was a slum urchin, Olivia had once eaten a sparrow. The memory of receiving a roasted one as thanks for tossing a gold coin into his begging bowl wasn't a fond one.

-What's this?

-A sparrow.

-Can you even eat that?

-Yeah.

-Doesn't seem like it...

-Then don't eat it.

-I won't.

-Fine, I'll eat it all myself. Looks delicious...!

-Eeeek...! Don't hog it all! The drumstick's the size of a booger—zero meat, all bone to pick off. The worst ingredient ever, Olivia remembered. A tasteless pest ruining her sleep only fueled her irritation toward the sparrows.

She wanted to drift back to sleep, but they kept interrupting. This called for voicing her imperial concerns—a pressing situation. But it was too early...

Olivia thought it too early to wake Ricardo. She clamped her lips shut, swallowing the surge of patriotic fervor rising in her throat.

"The em... pire..."

-Chirp chirp chirp!

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"Eeeek...!"

She couldn't hold it.

"Air raid warn...!"

Just as "air raid warning" was about to slip from her lips, a strange hand suddenly clamped over her mouth.

"Mmph...!"

Olivia rolled her eyes along the frivolous fingers sealing her lips. She didn't know who it was, but interrupting her imperial worries pissed her off. About to snap irritably—

"The Empire is safe, miss."

"Eh...?"

"And how can you get mad at sparrows? You ate them deliciously before."

Ricardo's gentle voice reached her ear. He gazed at her with a small smile. His ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tired eyes looked utterly exhausted, as if he hadn't slept a wink.

Olivia's lips flapped as she stared at him.

"Wihardo? (Ricardo?)"

With her mouth covered, she couldn't enunciate. She opened wide and chomped down on his hand with an "ang."

The salty taste of his palm wasn't appetizing.

"Why'd you bite me!"

"Just did."

"'Just' my ass! I thought I woke you sweetly...!"

"Hee hee...!"

Olivia flashed a mischievous grin, staring intently at Ricardo. He wiped the saliva from his hand with a handkerchief, frowning as he slowly stroked her hair.

"Don't bite. It hurts."

"Didn't taste good, so I won't anymore."

"..."

Ricardo muttered something about "trying chocolate next time" before smiling and speaking lowly.

"Miss."

"Yeah."

"Why're you up so early? Sleep more."

"Those birds woke me."

Olivia gestured at the sparrows with a pout. Demanding divine retribution on the sleep-ruining pests. Ricardo smiled, uttering animal rights activist words like "please endure" while petting her head.

Olivia parroted his question back at him.

"Why're you up so early, Ricardo? Sun's not even up."

"Ah... I had a nightmare."

"Nightmare?"

"Yes."

Olivia pondered "nightmare" deeply. Nightmares were scary, after all. Dreams of ghosts or snacks being stolen killed any desire to sleep again. With worry in her voice, she asked,

"Did you dream they stole your snacks?"

"No."

"Lame."

Olivia sighed boredly at his dull dream tale, shaking her head.

"Not scary, then."

"Really? It terrified me."

"That much?"

"Yes. Extremely."

His sigh of "extremely..." reached her ear. Detecting deep worry in his trembling breath, Olivia turned to him.

"Eat something. You're hungry."

"No, just overthinking kept me up."

"Overthinking?"

"Yeah. Something I thought was fine... but the dream made it scary."

"Scaredy-cat Ricardo."

"Not as much as you, miss."

"Eeeek! What's that supposed to mean!"

"Where's the girl who begged to sleep together over cockroaches?"

"That one's dead."

"Pfft...!"

Ricardo didn't detail his nightmare, saying it'd shock her senseless. Keeping the dream's events secret, he wore a somewhat gloomy expression while sharing his feelings.

"It was really scary."

He stopped petting her head, standing still. Meeting his trembling gaze, Olivia felt she must show owner-like confidence. With a bold voice, she declared,

"Don't worry. I'll protect you, Ricardo."

"Ooh... that's touching."

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"Yeah. So lie here."

She patted the bed beside her, inviting him. She knew a man and woman sharing a bed was scandalous, but she could spare space for her nightmare-plagued butler. No heartless master would chase away a frightened servant. She wriggled over, making room and tossing some blanket his way.

Ricardo stared blankly. Their awkward gazes crossed in the air.

"Lie down."

"Tempting offer, but sharing a bed with you might stop my heart."

"I don't stink."

"Not the reason, but..."

Ricardo inhaled deeply, cradling his flushed face. His ears red like fever, Olivia eyed him closely.

"You got a fever, Ricardo?"

"No."

"Looks like it. Face is red."

"Just imagination."

Knowing butlers lied, Olivia grabbed his wrist and yanked him onto the bed.

"Eeeek!"

Caught off-guard, Ricardo sat on the bed. His hand by her head, his unbalanced pose looked odd as he gazed down.

Like lovers about to kiss, his face stared intently. Olivia pouted, grabbing his cheeks with both hands and pulling him close.

Thonk—their foreheads met. Seeing his flustered face, she gave a short reply.

"No fever."

"No, that's not..."

"What? You sick?"

As she tried pressing her forehead to his again, Ricardo hurriedly pushed her away.

"What're you...!"

"Health check."

"Who measures fever like that...!"

Olivia replied defiantly, as if to say who cares, I do.

"Why's it wrong?"

"It works, but don't do it to others. Seriously..."

"I won't do it to others. Not even Dad."

"Why?"

"Too annoying."

She beamed, grabbing his wrist and coquettishly urging him to lie beside her.

"You're my butler, so I check your fever."

Ricardo gave a helpless smile, lying next to her.

"Can't win with you."

The nightmare-shaken butler closed his eyes beside her, and they slowly drifted off.

Five hours later.

"Ricardo... I'm hungry."

Olivia woke him.

My hands trembled as I watched the illusion from the blue window with shaking eyes. The tragedy unfolding in that familiar space evoked "fear" in me for the first time. I felt a terror I'd never known, even in life-or-death battles—right here in the miss's room.

-Ricardo...?

-...

-Wake up, Ricardo.

The miss hugged my cold, lifeless body, sobbing. Tears streaming endlessly as she called my name, she seemed alone on a deserted island. Unable to bear the rising grief, she pounded her chest, denying it all while clinging tightly, speaking nonstop.

-Huh?

-...

-Why no answer?

-...

-I can walk now... Look... I'm walking like this. See, Ricardo...!

At the end of that long, sorrowful tale, her tears finally stopped. Cold darkness began to swallow and surge over her body.

It was terror. Greater than my own death.

-I'll save you. Whatever it takes.