Secret (5)
The dining atmosphere was very nice.
Well, I don't know if Ibida thinks the same as me. She was so absorbed in watching Rahon that she spilled food several times and even dropped the utensils.
How cute was her face, so red that it looked like red water was dripping down. I had to pinch my thighs to keep myself from laughing, but Ibida must have wanted to hide in a mouse hole.
On the other hand, Rahon remained indifferent throughout the meal.
Ibida didn't care at all whether I saw her or not, or whether she made a mistake or not.
I know it was a familiar situation for Rahon, but I was so embarrassed because he didn't respond at all.
Hmm. Now that I think about it, I guess I was the only one who had fun.
After dinner, I returned to the bedroom and took a thorough bath.
And as I sat on the bed and tried to pull the blanket up, a sigh escaped me.
"Ha..."
I'm getting nervous again.
The tension that I had momentarily forgotten while eating came rushing back to me. I clenched and unclenched my stiff hands, trying to calm my mind.
When the appointed time arrived, Rahon came into the bedroom holding a teacup.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, Lord Rahon."
"I'll say it again. Taking medicine won't instantly bring back all the memories you've forgotten. If you do, you'll go crazy."
"I know."
"You might have a headache when you wake up. Don't worry, I'll fix it."
"Huh... Yes."
"Are you nervous?"
"A little."
"Do you want to do it tomorrow?"
"No."
The reason I'm nervous is not because I'm scared. It's because I'm excited about what's coming.
When I shook my head firmly, Rahon shut his mouth. After staring at the blanket for a while, he looked up.
"Sorry."
"Yes?"
"I know I shouldn't be doing this to you. I know that. It's because I'm a selfish brat."
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"If you regret this later, curse me. You can do that."
"That won't happen."
Rahon smiled bitterly and pushed my hair back over my shoulder.
"Let's get started."
"Nadia."
"Yes, Miss."
Nadia handed me the medicine she had placed on the dresser. I closed my eyes tightly and swallowed it all at once.
"... Nothing is happening?"
Rahon smiled and handed me a teacup.
"Then did you think you'd pass out as soon as you drank It? It's a tea that helps the medicine take effect quickly. Drink it slowly."
The slightly cooled tea soaked my mouth. It was definitely lukewarm, but as it went down my throat, I felt a hot sensation.
I put my hand on my forehead and concentrated on opening it, but strangely, I felt sleepy.
"Rahon, I'm sleepy..."
Rahon carefully laid me down on the bed while I was just blinking.
"If you're sleepy, sleep."
"You will be by my side right?"
"I will do that."
"... If you go... You can't... Don't go."
"..."
I think we exchanged a few more words after that, but I don't remember.
A terrible storm pulled me towards it.
***
I couldn't sleep last night either.
It's because the headaches that started after my mother passed away have gotten worse.
I spent most of the day lying in bed.
Even after changing doctors three times, no one could find the cause of the headaches.
All three of them simply prescribed painkillers.
It was natural. The headache was a punishment from God.
'But it didn't hurt if that guy carried me...'
lan, Chevio's friend.
On the day of my mother's funeral, he found me hiding in my father's study and carried me on his back.
The boy's back was gently swaying.
I was able to fall into a deep sleep, leaning against that comfortable spot like warm water.
It was the first time since my mother passed away.
After that, Ian would come to my house almost every day and carry me until I fell asleep before leaving.
I lay in bed all day waiting for him to come.
Is it because he knows that if he carries me, I can sleep comfortably without a headache?
As the time to meet Ian drew near, my mood grew happier and my heart started pounding.
Even before he arrived, I felt my headache starting to ease.
'I guess I made it too hard for you...'
Ian hasn't come in for the past few days.
It's because of me. I was annoying him so much that he stopped coming.
Even though I know, I always end up waiting.
I was wondering if Ian would come today.
I wondered if he would look at me with those beautiful golden eyes and ask me affectionately, 'Should I carry you?'
Just then, the door opened wide and Chevio came running in.
"Youngest! Brother is here!"
I held back my tears and smiled because I saw my chess teacher behind Chevio.
"Your Highness."
As I waved my hand, Kalit approached me with a worried expression.
"Why does it keep hurting?"
"Sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing? Lift your head. Let's see if you have a fever."
A warm hand touched my forehead. Thanks to that, my desire to cry subsided a little.
About half a year ago?
There was a time when the Emperor invited children from noble families to the palace to celebrate the Prince's birthday.
The gifts the children brought were mostly similar: a top-quality chess board made by a master craftsman, and chess pieces made of ivory.
It's unlikely that the kids would have bought something that expensive, and their parents had prepared it for them because they heard that Kalit was a chess prodigy.
I also prepared chess pieces. A knight made by carving my favorite soap.
Compared to the luxurious and extravagant gifts, It was truly a paltry gift.
I overcame my shame and offered the gift to Kalit.
"Happy birthday, Your Highness."
After unpacking the chess pieces, Kalit stared at them for a while.
"What is this?"
"Uh... um, it's a knight..."
"You can tell when you see it. I asked what it was made of."
"Ah! It's soap. It's my favorite soap. I was originally going to make it out of wood, but my nanny said It was dangerous so I couldn't."
Fortunately, Kalit did not feel bad.
Not only that, he sometimes called me to the palace to teach me chess, and he also attended my mother's funeral.
"You don't have a fever..."
Kalit's hand fell from my forehead. The slight warmth was gone, but my body shivered.
Chevio patted my head.
"Youngest, are you cold?"
"No."
"But why are you shaking?"
"..."
As I just shook my head, Chevio let out a small sigh.
"His Highness came here because he was worried about you. Should you thank him?"
"Yeah, thank you. But, brother."
"Why?"
"Isn't that guy coming?"
Kalit, who had been quietly listening to the story, tilted his head.
"Chevio, who is Millenia talking about?"
"This is lan."
"Ian? lan Tennessee Eldern?"
"That's right, Your Highness."
Kalit stared at me.
"Millennia's, would you like Ian to come?"
"Yes..."
"But he returned to Eldern.'
"What is Eldern?"
"Ian's house. A long way from the capital."
"Oh, when is he coming?"
"...He might not come."
"Then I can never see him again?"
"I guess so."
At that moment, tears welled up in my eyes and began to fall.
"Huh! Why is our youngest crying? Huh? No. His Highness was just teasing you. Ian said he'd be here soon. He really is!"
Even though Chevio was wiping my cheeks with excitement, the tears wouldn't stop.
I had a vague idea.
It wasn't that Ian had been waiting for me to sleep or to not be in pain because he had to carry me.
It was okay to keep being sick. I wanted to see Ian, even if he didn't carry me.
My headache got worse from that day on.
One day, when I couldn't get out of bed and kept throwing up everything I ate, someone came to my house.
"Wow, what a pretty girl..."
"It's you, brother?!"
The boy's name was Rahon, the 'savior' of Shancrecia.
He came to visit me at my father's request, examined me, and said this.
"You're faking it."
"No..."
"There is no disease in this world that I cannot diagnose. But no matter how much I examine you, there is no reason for you to be sick."
"Do I have a headache?"
"That's why! Why is a child who should be fine sick? In cases like this, it's either a psychosomatic problem or a malingering."
What is a psychosomatic problem?
I was curious, but I couldn't ask because I thought Rahon would get angry. Rahon crossed his arms and pointed at me with his finger.
"There's no way a brat like you could have a psychological problem, so you must be faking it."
"If I fake an illness I'm a bad kid."
"Yeah, you're a really bad kid."
It was sad enough to be sick and cause worry to my family, but I couldn't go as far as being a bad child.
I grabbed Rahon's hand.
"I'm not a bad kid. I just have a real headache."
"Then explain. How does it hurt? When did it start hurting? When does it hurt the most? What do you think about when you're sick? If you lie even a little bit, they'll think you're faking it."
When I came to my senses, I realized that I had confessed everything to Rahon.
"So you're saying that you asked your mother to sing you a lullaby, and because of that, she died and you're being punished?"
"Yes."
Rahon looked at me quietly and placed his hand on my forehead. Soon, a dazzling light began to seep into my body, and something amazing happened.
The headache was completely gone.
Until then, I thought everything was fine. I was so amazed that I followed Rahon around.
Until, just one day later, the headache came back and I was bedridden.
"What's the point of using all your power to cure it? It'll just go back to normal in a day!"
Strangely, when I was healed by Rahon, I felt better for a while, but the next day my head hurt again.
About two weeks had passed like that. Rahon gave me a pill the size of a fingernail.
"Swallow. Get a good night's sleep and everything will be okay."
After I took the medicine, fell asleep, and came to, I no longer suffered from headaches.
***
My eyes opened naturally. My body felt refreshed as if I had had a good night's sleep.
I turned my head away, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Rahon, who had been quietly watching me, smiled softly.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Sister...”
"It's brother?!"
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