It's a flower because it's pretty (5)
That afternoon, the messenger Ian had sent to Castle Eldern returned with a message from the Duke of Eldern.
It said that he had sent a carriage for me.
We stayed another day at the mountain lodge while waiting for the carriage.
In the meantime, the Knights rested and the wounded were treated by Rahon.
Early the next morning, the four-horse carriage sent by Duke Eldern arrived. It contained my luggage brought by the knights.
Rahon and Ian were nearby. Their voices could be heard.
"I treated all the injured. A total of 1.200 gold including material and labor costs."
"I'll go to the castle and give it to you."
"Where are you going to buy the Guardian's labor on credit? God is angry."
"Hoo...Beorn."
"Yes."
Beorn handed Ian a purse at his call.
The three of them were indifferent as if they had experienced this many times. Rather, I felt embarrassed as I was eavesdropping.
Honor and wealth are bound to follow the guardian, even if he doesn't want it.
Moreover, Rahon's adoptive father is none other than the Pope of Shancresia.
But I don't know why he is so obsessed with money. Was it because he was poor when he was a commoner?
I shook my head as I pictured Rahon in my head, wearing tattered clothes and eating hard bread.
Having never experienced poverty, I thought it was just a crude imagination. Only those who have experienced poverty and death know their true nature.
That wasn't what mattered now.
I stared at Rahon's ears, slightly hidden by his black hair.
'Why did it turn red?'
I definitely recognize the flower-shaped scar. It's probably the one I saw on his shoulder.
So, is Rahon my benefactor?
'Oh, my head hurts.'
I thought I had finally narrowed the list of candidates from three to two, but instead, the amount of important evidence only increased.
It's no wonder my head is complicated.
As I pressed my temple, Nadia asked straight away.
"Do you have a headache?"
"No."
"If you feel any pain. please let me know. I'll give you some headache medicine."
"Did Rahon give it to you?"
"Yes, I can't believe I can buy a headache medicine made by the 'Savior' for just 10 gold! Lord Rahon, he seems to have such a kind heart."
"How much does a typical headache pill cost?"
"1 silver."
"..."
Even if it was touched by the hand of the 'savior', a headache medicine is just a headache medicine, so isn't a 100-fold profit a bit much?
I stopped thinking like that. To me, 1 silver or 10 gold didn't make much difference.
I pretended to close my clothes and looked around. Everyone was busy preparing to leave and didn't pay attention to me.
"Nadia, do you think there are a lot of men in Shancrecia who get flower tattoos?"
"Absolutely not."
It was a surprisingly confident voice. When I looked at her curiously, she lowered her voice secretly.
"I heard it somewhere, that in Shancrecia, they brand slaves on their backs to distinguish them."
Although illegal in the Empire, slavery is legal in Shancresia. It is usually reserved for heretics, felons, and their families.
"However?"
"I heard that female slaves with outstanding looks are branded with a flower-shaped mark. I guess it means something like, 'bloom in your master's bed."
"Then it would be rare to get flowers tattooed."
"That's right. In Shancrecia, even women don't get flower designs tattooed on them. How much less men? That's ridiculous."
Then what is that on Rahon's back?
It is already widely known that he was a commoner before being canonized as the Pope's adopted son.
Although he is beautiful enough to make his gender irrelevant, why would he have such a design carved on him when he is neither a woman nor a slave?
'Is it your taste?'
No law says men can't like flowers.
"Oh, that's right. I guess some people among the blue-haired* men get flower-shaped tattoos."
*Homosexual*
"In Shancrecia, the color blue is forbidden."
"That's why they carve a mark that no one can think of. So that only they can recognize it."
"I see."
Before I knew it, my gaze went to Rahon.
He was whispering something with his arm around Ian's shoulder.
As Ian pushes his arm away with an annoyed expression, Rajon leans in with a smile.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
What?
I don't know the context of his sudden dog imitation, but one thing was certain.
'It suits you well.'
Even though they were the same gender, it wasn't awkward at all. Even if they were lovers, I would nod my head without realizing it.
If Rahon is a blue-haired man, this would also explain why his ears were dyed red with flower-shaped scars.
'Did you think I knew your sexual preferences?'
Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Shancrecia, but it is relatively free in the Empire. I heard that many people enjoy it secretly, even if they don't show it openly.
I didn't have any such prejudice either. It doesn't matter to me whether Rahon is a homosexual or a heterosexual.
But.
I thought I just had to find the scar, but now I have to find a reason to save myself... Haa, this is difficult.'
The more I think about it, the more complicated it seems. I'd rather close my eyes and think of a desert. The heat of hell, the burning sand, the melting, oozing skin, the thirst that seemed to dry up even my blood.
What tormented me in that land of death was not the pain of punishment.
Heavy guilt and desperate loneliness.
Yeah, I was so lonely.
If I had any water left in my body, if I had even the strength to make a sound, I would have cried.
I couldn't do that, so I just curled up and shivered.
Even though the whole place was filled with heat, it was cold. I felt like I was being bitten by loneliness.
The person who hugged me then was my benefactor. He wished for my survival, something no one else wanted.
"Please don't die..."
The moment I understood the meaning of the words written on my palm, I desperately wanted to give something to this person.
If he wanted my blood or flesh, I would have gladly given it to him.
But I couldn't give him anything and I couldn't even fulfill his wish to live.
It's different now. I had the power to make whatever he wanted to happen. Of course, I may not have been an important person to my benefactor.
It may be that he simply could not bear to turn away from me, who was banished to the land of death with a good heart, and so he may have shown me his last mercy.
'It doesn't matter though.'
Thanks to my benefactor, I was able to die without being lonely.
The sense of relief and gratitude I felt at that time cannot be described in words.
Didn't Eldern say he would repay kindness tenfold? I will repay it a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
'So please just show up.'
I stopped to think for a moment. My head feels hot because I've been thinking too much.
At that moment, a familiar sound of footsteps was heard.
A sound so small that you have to concentrate to hear it. It's Ian.
When I opened my eyes, he was ready to leave and was coming towards me.
His glossy black hair blew in the cold wind.
The expressionless, neatly arranged face became softer as he got closer to me.
"We ready to go. Please get on the carriage."
"Thank you."
As soon as Ian opened the carriage door, Rahon cut in front of us and went inside the carriage.
Ian raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing?"
"I want to go by carriage."
"You know what I mean, I have to tell you it's rude. Get off."
"I haven't been able to rest properly because I've been treating your children. I need to make a cure as soon as I get there. And you want me to ride a horse? Don't you have any conscience?"
"..."
"You lost your horse. Take my horse and go. I'll lend you my horse for free."
"Phew..."
Ian let out a long breath, his expression showing that he was holding back something.
"Young Lady, I'm sorry, but could you please ride with him?"
"Ah..."
I hesitated for a moment, then Nadia came into view.
The sight of her with her hands clasped together and her sparkling eyes sending me silent pressure.
"Yes, it's okay."
"Thank you for your understanding. If you feel uncomfortable, please feel free to kick him out at any time."
"Okay, Nadia, you go first."
Yahoo!
Nadia cheered softly and quickly climbed into the carriage.
Ian looked down at me, standing there blankly, with a puzzled look on his face.
"Young Lady?"
"Your Grace."
"Yes, go ahead."
"Do you have a scar on your back?"
"No."
"...Are it really not there?"
"Yes."
"..."
As I got into the carriage, Ian closed the carriage door and climbed onto the brown horse.
"Depart."
Two carriages and thirty knights set off.
I watched Ian's back through the carriage window.
He didn't lie.
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