The Endless Why
Why?
“Haa…… haa…… I have to run, I have to get away……”
On a spring day when the chill had faded and flowers bloomed in full, a certain playboy who enjoyed plucking blossoms and offering them to women was now staggering not toward a beautiful flowerbed, but toward a shabby restroom.
“Just…… if I can get in there, then—”
“You needed to use the restroom?”
“Aaaaaagh!!!”
“If that was the case, you should have used the first-floor restroom instead of the fifth.”
At the chilling, emotionless voice coming from behind, he tumbled to the ground before he could enter the restroom. He did not actually need to relieve himself. He had simply thought that once inside, he would no longer have to hear that spine-chilling voice.
“D-don’t come any closer!!”
“Even so, I won’t follow you into the men’s restroom.”
“Once you’re done, answer my question, Foelta.”
“Stop it already! How many days has it been?!”
“Twelve.”
His hell had begun twelve days ago.
**
“Who is Foelta?”
Right after a tedious class ended, Foelta, who had stayed behind in the classroom chatting with his acquaintances, narrowed his eyes and glared at the voice calling his name. If someone had business with him, they should come over and speak directly. Being summoned from afar already irritated him, and the way the person spoke made it sound as though they did not even know who he was, which annoyed him further.
“Hey, hey, Eres! What if she actually comes over?! And how did she find us when we never told her?!”
“I had no morning classes, so I searched outside for the classroom Tarle was in.”
“Damn it!”
Tarle had been pursuing some girl lately. A pitiful woman who had been utterly crushed by Alto during the skill assessment. ‘I never understood what he saw in her.’ Foelta had not paid much attention. Honestly, he had wondered if Tarle had lost his mind after being beaten by Luke. She was tall, yet looked as though she would snap if struck. Her figure was also rather meager. With her eyes closed she might pass for a beauty, but the moment she opened them, those hollow eyes ruined the impression entirely.
Foelta preferred weak, obedient women, but had no interest in those who looked ready to break at any moment.
“What do you want? I don’t accept confessions from commoner women.”
Feeling satisfied at his friends’ snickering, he waited for Eres to approach. Even so, up close she was not bad for a commoner. If she were not so thin, he might have considered making her a maid even if she was unsuitable as a lover.
“I’d like you to talk with Arte.”
“Arte? You mean my fiancée?”
But the faint interest he had felt vanished instantly. ‘Did Arte say something strange? She’s been avoiding me lately and it’s been annoying……’
Beautiful, intelligent, yet weak and easy to control—Arte was the ideal woman who matched Foelta’s tastes perfectly. He had not expected her to resist in this manner, but as time passed she only grew more beautiful, so he could endure it. After all, a heart could always be broken if necessary.
“Arte must have been starving for my attention. To summon me like this. I’ll arrange a meeting soon, so tell her that.”
The woman who blatantly avoided him would never have asked to speak with him directly. This foolish girl had probably acted on her own. A commoner who knew nothing of noble society’s ways. Ignorant fools who believed everything could be solved with words. They did not understand that good and evil were determined by the interests of those with influence, like Alais.
If Foelta and Arte spoke, Foelta would always be in the right. Arte would always be in the wrong. ‘I don’t know how the conversation got derailed, but this time I won’t even let her voice a single complaint.’
What Eres had done was essentially dragging the fleeing Arte right in front of him. After this, Arte would become afraid to rely on anyone else…… or so he thought.
“Mm. Then come to our dormitory after afternoon classes today.”
“……Hey, commoner. I decide the time and place of meetings.”
“Then decide on a time and let me know. And come to our dormitory at that time.”
“That’s none of your concern. If you understand, then leave.”
“Why?”
There was a very serious problem here.
“I’m the one lending the room, so why is it none of my concern? I also have to clean—”
“I have no intention of meeting in your room. This is between us. I appreciate you passing on the message, but don’t interfere any further.”
“Why don’t you want to meet at our dormitory?”
“……Why should I meet there?”
“If you’re going to reject the first suggestion, shouldn’t you provide a valid reason?”
The person Foelta had to deal with was not the absent Arte. ‘What is wrong with this woman? Is she trying to drag me somewhere advantageous for her? How arrogant for a commoner……’
That was not the case at all. Of course, anyone might misunderstand it that way. In fact, thinking so would be correct in almost every situation. But not with her.
‘Why can’t we meet at our dormitory?’
She had simply asked out of pure curiosity. Truly.
‘Why didn’t she realize I thought she was confessing at first?’
‘Why does she think I don’t accept confessions from commoner women?’
‘Why did her voice drop for a moment when she mentioned Arte’s name?’
‘Why did she assume Arte had called for her?’
‘Why did she think the reason was that Arte was starving for attention?’
‘Why can’t we meet today?’
‘Why can’t she interfere?’
Foelta had called Eres ignorant of noble society’s ways, but that was not true. A pure maiden raised in the remote rural village of Respia, without parents, relatives, or a single adult on her side—there was no way she would be ignorant of only that.
“Hey, why?”
She was not without perception. She simply had never learned what the things she perceived actually meant.
“Why is that?”
**
“Why haven’t you arranged a meeting with Arte yet?”
“Why are you busy again today?”
“Why do you spend time with other people after class when you say you’re busy?”
“Why do you value spending time with other women more than your fiancée?”
“Why are you playing around in such a dark, hidden place?”
“Why haven’t you said anything since earlier—”
“That’s enooooough!!!”
Day six.
“Why did you suddenly scream and run away yesterday?”
“Why didn’t you go meet Arte even though you could have skipped class?”
“Why do you write with your right hand but keep your writing tools beside your right arm?”
“Why did you solve that problem that way?”
“Why are you staying in the classroom after class when you usually don’t?”
“Why aren’t you going to meet Arte at this hour? Are you wondering if she’s in class?”
“Th-that’s……”
“Why don’t you even know your fiancée’s class schedule? You knew the schedules of those girls you saw underground yesterday.”
“Aaaaaagh! Leave me alone!”
Day seven.
“Why did you leave yesterday even though you still had class?”
“Why are you busy and can’t meet Arte even though you skipped class?”
“Why did you schedule something during class time?”
“Why is your hair purple but only one strand black?”
“Why do you cut meat with your left hand? Are you ambidextrous too?”
“Why do you flip the knife when cutting?”
“P-please stop……”
“Why are you getting up even though you haven’t finished eating?”
“Why don’t you clear your own tray? Should I do it for you?”
“Why do you put weight on your feet when stepping? You’ll fall that way.”
“Why is your eyebrow color different from your hair color?”
“Why are you engaged to Arte?”
“Why do you keep slurring your words? Should I get you some water?”
“Why do you keep putting off meeting Arte? Is there a reason it’s hard for you to meet her?”
“Why can’t we meet at our dormitory? I already refuted all your excuses about cleanliness, symbolism, security, pride, etiquette, protocol, environment, faction issues, distance, time, and the possibility of an alien invasion.”
“Stop……”
“Why—”
“I said stop!”
Repetitive noise drives people mad. Eres’s voice was so calm and quiet that it carried no emotion, yet the pattern and consistent pitch of her speech produced the same effect as hearing the same words repeated endlessly. In other words, it stuck in the mind.
“Please! Go away! I told you to leave me alone!!”
“Why?”
“That damn ‘why’! Why! Why!!! I can hear nothing but your voice now, even when I’m alone or in class!!”
“………Why?”
“Kuuuueeeeeeh$@%G#$%aaaaagh!!!!!”
Of course, Eres had no idea. She was simply asking out of curiosity, so why was he acting like that?
“Hey, why are you like this……”
“That’s right, Foelta. Just ignore her.”
“Ignore her? Ignore her?! If you were in my position, you wouldn’t say that! I really feel like I’m going insane!!!”
For eight consecutive days, whenever class was not in session, Eres stuck right beside him and bombarded him with questions. And most of them were not even about Arte.
“Hey, commoner! Just because Tarle protects you, you think you’re something?”
“Hey, stop it. Please, I’m begging you!”
“Stop what? Someone like him needs to be taught his place. If you won’t leave when asked nicely—”
“Why?”
“Aaaaaagh!!!!”
He had tried it multiple times. Pressing her with an intimidating tone. Grabbing her by the collar when he could no longer endure it. Even harassing her.
“Why?”
None of it worked.
“It doesn’t work…… nothing works…… that woman, threats don’t work on her……!”
“What are you talking about? Where would someone like that even exist……”
Foelta resisted with everything he had. Even when he threatened her family.
“Why is my family coming up here?”
“Why should my family suffer harm?”
“Because they weren’t educated properly? My father only ever showed me how to drink and beat his children.”
“Siblings? I have a younger brother and sister. If you want to see my brother, come to the dormitory.”
“Younger sister? She was kidnapped.”
Even when he tried to threaten her acquaintances.
“Academy friends? Why are you questioning them when I’m the one asking you something?”
“Hometown? I haven’t talked to anyone there in about six years, so I don’t know.”
“The kids called me the girl without a mother, and after Father died the adults cut my wages in half.”
Even when he asked if she was following him because she liked him.
“Why do you think that?”
“Why do you think women like you?”
“Why do you think that trait of yours is something only you have and is superior to others?”
“Why are you so full of yourself when you can’t even answer that properly?”
When he tried to sexually harass her by taking advantage of the fact that she was a woman.
“What meaning does that have?”
“A baby? Babies are born when a married couple prays to the gods, aren’t they?”
“Why are you suddenly sweating so much?”
This was not it. This woman was not unafraid of threats. She simply did not understand why threats worked or even recognize that what was happening to her was a threat.
That was the thought that occurred to him. In the end, for some reason, he even felt chills.
‘She’s not human…… she’s like an alien from some world with a completely different way of thinking……!’
She was a 100% pure person of this world. It was only that her life had been twisted by a man whose mind came from another world.
Day nine.
“Hey, why—”
“Don’t come near me! I told you not to come near!”
And Foelta, who had descended into delirium.
“Kyaaaaagh!”
“Professor…… call a doctor!”
“Don’t call anyone! Nobody move!!!”
In the end, he drew his sword and slashed at her.
“Eres! You crazy bastard! What the hell are you doing?!”
“Shut up, Tarle!! Between that woman and us, which one is more important to you!!”
“Th-that’s……”
“You bastard…… you’re the biggest piece of trash. You know that?!! After getting beaten by Luke and turning into a cripple, you’re still fawning over a woman like that? How can you call yourself the heir of Maerland after this?!!”
He was not in his right mind. The dignity he had barely maintained on the surface had crumbled, and he spat out curses without restraint. His eyes had become even more hollow than Eres’s, whom he had looked down upon.
And Eres.
“Eres…… kugh……!”
“Hah! This bastard’s completely lost it? But so what. Do you think I’ll fall just because some commoner trash dies?!!”
The wound was not shallow. It was not a light graze; it was an attack swung with killing intent by the skilled Foelta. Blood flowing from Eres’s stomach soaked the classroom floor, and she.
“Mm…… at this level, if I apply pressure it’ll stop.”
“……Huh?”
She wrapped her arm around the wound.
“Uh, ah, uwaa, uwaaa……”
While everyone in the classroom was stunned by her calm response and words, strange sounds escaped Foelta’s mouth.
One minute, two minutes—time passed slowly, and around five minutes later.
“Mm, I think it’s fine now.”
“Fine? What do you mean fine! Hurry up and get medicine!”
“Melina? When did you—”
“Of course I heard about this commotion! Come on!”
“Wait, before we go, I have something to ask.”
Held back by the maid from the Colwen household who had burst in, Eres looked at the terrified Foelta.
“Why did you attack me?”
“Th-that’s! Because you were bothering me!”
“You’d rather kill someone than talk to Arte?”
“Uh, no, that’s not……”
“Why?”
He could not answer. Having already attempted murder with a sword, if he said he tried to kill her because he did not want to see his fiancée, the engagement would definitely be broken. And……
“Why what why! Just follow me!”
“Mm…… that man isn’t here, right?”
“He’s not! Today it’s just me and my sister!”
“……Hehe.”
Watching Eres follow along, happy that she would have time with her younger sister even if she could not ask questions, Foelta.
“Heh, huheh, huhehehehe, hihihihihihi……!”
“Foelta……?”
“That’s right! This is a dream! It’s a nightmare! Something like this can’t be reality!!”
“Hey, hey! What’s wrong with him! He’s heading for the window!”
“Foelta! This is the fourth floor!”
“Shut up! Whether it’s the fourth floor or the four-hundredth, what does it matter if it’s a dream! Huhi, huhihi! Come to think of it, about ten days ago I saw a guy jump off the roof holding a maid. Everything’s been a dream since then!!”
“Hey! Stop him quickly!”
Foelta flew.
If all of this was a dream, then the moment he hit the ground he would wake up in his dormitory bed. When he opened his eyes, he would see the familiar ceiling.
‘Ah…… this…… is definitely a dream……’
After all, it made no sense that Count Colwen would be waiting there when he had clearly fallen from the window.
“No. This will cause trouble.”
Thudududududang!
Foelta felt a brief sensation of floating, and when he opened his eyes he saw a ceiling that was indeed familiar.
“What the hell happened!”
“I don’t know! Foelta who fell suddenly flew back up!”
“Did this guy learn flight magic……?”
‘This is.’
Definitely.
‘A dream!!’
It was reality.
**
“Um…… Foelta……?”
“Hey, this……”
“Tarle, explain. Why did Foelta come and—”
“Aaaaaagh!”
“……He’s banging his head? And what was that scream just now?”
“Aaaaaagh!!!”
“……He’s developed a neurosis about ‘why’ and question marks.”
“Ah, that gets better if you listen to him for about a month.”
“Pih……?”
In the end, on the thirteenth day, Foelta went to Eres’s dormitory and bowed his head before Arte.
“I’m sorry, Arte! Please forgive me!”
“Huh? First, your head……”
“I’ll accept a broken engagement or anything else! Please just get rid of this woman! If you want, I’ll apologize to your parents and friends too!”
“Let’s talk first……”
“I’m trash!! I’ll compensate you too! I’ll return everything I made you do and everything I took from you!!”
The things he had extorted from Arte, the insidious harassment he had inflicted on the people around her. If all of that were exposed, even Foelta would fall. More than anything, if it became known that he had knelt before a mere woman, even his friends would cut ties with him.
But if this continued any longer, he would go mad. Even now, the gaze staring at him from beside him was more terrifying than his own downfall.
But.
“Hey, Foelta.”
“Wh-what! Why! I came just like you told me to!”
“Why are you apologizing?”
He did not know. From the very beginning, they had been looking at parallel lines.
“…………Huh.”
“I told you two to talk.”
“…………Ah, ugh…… ooh.”
Eres had told them to talk, not to apologize. She had not come to take anyone’s side. She had simply wanted them to speak openly on equal footing. Of course, that was what she had meant.
“Then it would be me forcing an apology. After you two have exchanged your opinions sufficiently and organized your thoughts—”
“Uwoh$%@%aaeu%!%%aaaaagh!!”
“Foelta?”
He did not know. If he had not ignored Eres from the start and tried to brush her off, if he had at least tried to understand her midway, the matter would have ended within an hour.
“Please, just let me live!!”
“Why do you think you’re going to die?”
“Aaaaaagh!!”