Logan, who had quickly charged toward the mansion and stood upright, held a bouquet of roses in his hand. It was clear he had come with the intention of confessing.
“Johanna.”
Logan looked at Johanna with longing eyes. I held her hand, staring blankly at the two of them. Feeling like a foreign object caught in the confession time, I wanted to leave quickly, but she wouldn't let go of my hand.
“I asked you not to come, so why do you keep coming?”
Unlike her flustered, strawberry-like expression just moments before, she maintained a cool demeanor. Logan, dressed in a suit and with neatly slicked-back black hair, lowered his green eyes and sighed.
“Because I like you. That’s why.”
“I don’t have time for dating. I’m going to enlist in the military soon and become a pilot.”
"It's okay. I'll work around your free time and won't bother you. Please give me a chance."
Suddenly, I found myself a spectator, completely at a loss for words. Amidst the ardent courtship of this handsome gentleman, Johanna was left staring at her own toes, her hands twitching in my plight.
“You two, please talk.”
I tried to gently pull my hand away, but Johanna's grip tightened. "Can you let go? I can't stand it anymore."
"I'm serious enough about marriage. I respect what you want to do, and I have no intention of stopping you."
Johanna's cerulean eyes dimmed. She bit and unclenched her lips, revealing a gloomy expression.
“Do you know what I want to do?”
"Whatever you do, I think you're awesome and will support you. I'm in love with that about you."
That guy is so stubborn. As an audience member, I'd like to give him a pass, but Johanna's lips are drawn in a sad pout.
Perhaps that man will become a beacon of hope, a savior to her who was destined for death.
"Johanna, try to live in the present. They say the most important time is right now. Don't worry about the future."
I didn't want to interfere with others, but I wanted to get out of here quickly. Something seemed off. She bowed her head and hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Mr. Reynolds, then...”
“Are you confessing to a married woman with three children?”
At that crucial moment, it was Noah who broke through the escape bridge I'd painstakingly constructed and stormed in. He aimed his assault rifle at Logan with a cold gaze. Shocked, Logan's face paled, and he looked back and forth between Johanna and Noah.
“You’re already married to someone else...”
“No! He’s my husband! And we don’t even have three kids!”
I was startled and grabbed Noah's arm. Noah lowered his gun, then seemed to have grasped the situation for a moment before giving me a gentle smile.
"I was just kidding. I thought it would be awkward to be caught up in a bike thief confessing."
He's great at improvising, flowing, and being smooth. I laughed it off, gave a vague nod, and tried to run away. Logan, who had been staring intently at Noah, asked a question.
“Are you Colonel Noah Rotsilt?”
“I'm not a colonel.”
"I met you at the garrison. At the time, I was a sergeant in the Medea Army's transport unit. Don't you remember?"
"Yes, Sergeant Reynolds, from Tristana. Looks like you've been discharged."
"Yes, I remember you. I'm currently working on a new materials engineering project. Are you also discharged, Colonel?"
Noah tilted his head to the left as if thinking for a moment.
“Right. Well, I don’t think it was your major.”
"Yes, I'm working with a physicist from Frogen. I'm an investor."
“What is his name?”
"Dr. Benedict Libert. Do you know him? He's here."
The name "Benedict" caught my eye. It's the same name as Dr. Rugen's grandson, but the surname is different. Since he ran away, it could be a fake. Noah seems to be thinking the same thing.
“Can you bring him here tomorrow morning?”
“Yes, what is the reason?”
“I’m interested, too. Just tell him I’ll meet you at Ford Bellmore.”
I felt embarrassed by the confession atmosphere that had become a prelude to Noah's intrusion. I shouldn't have brought him into the conversation in the first place.
“You two, come to an agreement.”
I blurted out something strange without realizing it, then quickly grabbed Noah and left. As we passed a large baobab tree, he spoke first.
"The physicist Sergeant Reynolds mentioned earlier. Maybe he's the one I'm thinking of."
“Are you Dr. Rugen’s grandson?”
“Yeah. Most of the scientists who escaped pretend to be dead.”
“Will the doctor be happy to see him again?”
At my question, Noah raised his chin and seemed lost in thought for a moment.
“No. It would be closer to despair.”
"Why?"
“There is something like that.”
I wish you'd tell me too. You always keep it to yourself.
Johanna didn't return until dinner was finished. Noah, Vincent, and I sat around a round table on the outdoor terrace, playing poker. Perhaps because it was a hot country, the chirping of insects gave off a distinct summer night vibe.
“You two have such poker faces, I can’t win.”
Vincent, having lost quite a bit of money, touched his forehead. Noah tossed three aces onto the table and drank his brandy. My eyebrows furrowed in disapproval at my eventual loss with two pairs, but he shuffled the cards and spoke his mind.
"Vincent. You might find the last research material."
"Did you even find Dr. Rugen's grandson? Didn't Frogen eventually give up and focus on developing military weapons?"
“I’ll bring him tomorrow. You’ll know when you see him.”
These men are now talking about confidential matters, whether I'm present or not. Meanwhile, Noah, having read my invincible hand, slapped his cards shut without a second thought. "I'll win some big money, too. Why doesn't he ever look after me, even though he's my husband?"
“I should go to bed. I have to return to Medea tomorrow.”
Noah, stretching like a wild cat, turned his head a few times and swept the money onto the table. I looked at him with a look of extreme dissatisfaction.
“Honey, should we go to bed?”
He slicked back his bangs, the corners of his mouth lifting lazily. His graceful eyebrows and forehead were briefly revealed, then covered by his bangs.
When I see that decadent man, I feel like I don't care about the money I lost.
Logan, who had come in the morning with a bouquet of orange marigolds, spoke with a regretful expression.
“Dr. Libert said he couldn’t come due to some circumstances.”
Noah, wearing a tight-fitting suit vest over a poplin shirt, was leaning leisurely against the terrace railing, arms folded. We were ready to go back.
"There's nothing I can do. Just tell him this: the Knights of the Round Table have drawn the Queen card."
“What does that mean?”
“Just tell him that. If he doesn’t understand, then don’t worry.”
“Yes, I hope you get back safely.”
Johanna approached me, who was standing next to Noah, and handed me a rattan basket filled with dried dates. A few of Cynthia's commemorative postcards were also included.
“I’ll write to you, Diana.”
“Yes, I will send it by postcard.”
I didn't ask specifically about Logan's relationship. I guess I knew, seeing the man carrying a bouquet of flowers.
Johanna held my hand and tapped her toes on the floor, trembling.
"You know, Diana. If I stay true to the present, might things turn out differently?"
"That's right. I'm human, too, so I worry about the future, but I don't live my life with any definite plans. The future can always change."
“Thank you so much. Take care.”
Branch Manager Ostrik also came out to see us off. Logan and Johanna waved at us.
I left them behind in the early summer and got into the car.
“It’s a little lonely saying goodbye to a new friend.”
Since we were going to break up anyway, I didn't show that much affection, but I feel a little bit like that.
Instead of answering, Noah gently stroked my cheek. I could see Johanna standing far behind the car window, her silver-white hair gleaming like a gemstone as she gazed at me.
It's been about two days since I returned to Loganfield from the Cynthia Empire's Dakanhab.
Noah stopped by the military police battalion to learn about the results of a new pistol test. He saw a soldier with a dog sitting with a bewildered expression. He seemed to be a military dog and its handler.
“Is that dog sick?”
A brown shepherd with a bandage wrapped around its foreleg lay listlessly on the ground, its snout bent over. A similarly melancholic expression on the dog's face sighed.
"The officer's family, who lived with him, was killed by bombing debris at the garrison, and he was left alone there. He was a military dog who had been discharged due to his advanced age, so I'm not sure what will happen to him."
“Really? It’ll get disposed of.”
It was Noah's indifferent voice. The dog handler looked at him with a questioning expression. The old dog seemed to have foreseen his future, seemingly resigned. It simply followed the handler's stroking of its head, its pointed ears tilting back and then up.
“...He is an old military dog, so there is no one to take him in.”
"I heard that these days, rather than simply disposing of dogs, they're donated to universities or hospitals for use in live experiments like Lenin's. Or even suicide experiments."
“Please stop saying such horrible things.”
The dog handler's face paled at Noah's cruel words, and he ended up covering Shepherd's ears with both hands. Noah, who had been lost in thought, brushing his lips, smiled as if a bright idea had struck him.
“Give it to me.”
The dog handler flinched at the suspicious smile. He felt that handing over the dog to that man, so full of a strong aura, might be a sin worse than the worst.
"Are you taking him for firearms experiments or for some other purpose? I don't want him to suffer any longer."
Noah looked slightly displeased at the sight of the terrified military dog. The military dog continued speaking in a tearful voice.
"Obviously, he's feeling guilty for not being able to protect the Major and his family. He hasn't eaten since that day. The family of the deceased Major Mark wouldn't want Boaz to suffer either..."
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm going to buy this as a gift for my wife. We promised each other we'd get a puppy."
The dog handler's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected, normal words, but then he quickly stood up with a delighted face.
“Really? Oh, but wouldn’t she like a young, small dog?”
“She'll like it, don’t worry.”
"You can go to the person in charge for the handover part. I have a favor to ask, but could you bring him along sometimes? I think I'll miss him."
"Isn't it too hot? I'll ask if you can come for a walk here. I don't think you'll be able to, though. I think his name is Boaz."
The dog's face, which had been slightly clouded with anxiety and worry, brightened slightly.
"Yes, he's a remarkable man who took good care of the Major's wife and child. He's so clever that when his pregnant wife collapsed, he opened the door and called for help. I hope he's doing well."
Vincent, standing at the entrance to the mansion, looked confused as he saw Noah, who had brought his limping old dog. Vincent, who had been watching the old, shabby dog with concern, finally spoke.
“Even so, testing the performance of a new machine gun on life is...”
“It’s a gift for Diana.”
Perhaps it was a fortunate thing, but Vincent's frown deepened.
"Aren't they any different from the dogs carried around by noblewomen? He's too old to be used as a hunting or guard dog, and his legs are injured."
“It’s the same dog, right?”
“She might not like it. Wouldn’t she prefer a small dog or a young puppy over a working dog?”
"No, Diana doesn't help people much, but she doesn't just pass animals by. She even feeds the cats that come to the mansion."
“But raising them is different, so you have to be more careful...”
He was deeply concerned about what Diana would do if she reacted coldly and told him to send it back immediately.
“What are you going to do if she says no? I can’t raise it.”
Noah ignored his worries and nagging, leading his dog into the inner porch. Diana, who had come out to greet him, looked down at the old shepherd with an indifferent gaze.
“Who are you?”
"Honey, a gift. We decided to get a puppy when we got married."
Diana accepted the leash Noah offered without objection, but her characteristically cold expression remained.
“Yeah, it’s cute.”
What makes those two so simple and clear? Vincent looked at the peculiar couple, his expression hard to comprehend.
“Johanna.”
Logan looked at Johanna with longing eyes. I held her hand, staring blankly at the two of them. Feeling like a foreign object caught in the confession time, I wanted to leave quickly, but she wouldn't let go of my hand.
“I asked you not to come, so why do you keep coming?”
Unlike her flustered, strawberry-like expression just moments before, she maintained a cool demeanor. Logan, dressed in a suit and with neatly slicked-back black hair, lowered his green eyes and sighed.
“Because I like you. That’s why.”
“I don’t have time for dating. I’m going to enlist in the military soon and become a pilot.”
"It's okay. I'll work around your free time and won't bother you. Please give me a chance."
Suddenly, I found myself a spectator, completely at a loss for words. Amidst the ardent courtship of this handsome gentleman, Johanna was left staring at her own toes, her hands twitching in my plight.
“You two, please talk.”
I tried to gently pull my hand away, but Johanna's grip tightened. "Can you let go? I can't stand it anymore."
"I'm serious enough about marriage. I respect what you want to do, and I have no intention of stopping you."
Johanna's cerulean eyes dimmed. She bit and unclenched her lips, revealing a gloomy expression.
“Do you know what I want to do?”
"Whatever you do, I think you're awesome and will support you. I'm in love with that about you."
That guy is so stubborn. As an audience member, I'd like to give him a pass, but Johanna's lips are drawn in a sad pout.
Perhaps that man will become a beacon of hope, a savior to her who was destined for death.
"Johanna, try to live in the present. They say the most important time is right now. Don't worry about the future."
I didn't want to interfere with others, but I wanted to get out of here quickly. Something seemed off. She bowed her head and hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Mr. Reynolds, then...”
“Are you confessing to a married woman with three children?”
At that crucial moment, it was Noah who broke through the escape bridge I'd painstakingly constructed and stormed in. He aimed his assault rifle at Logan with a cold gaze. Shocked, Logan's face paled, and he looked back and forth between Johanna and Noah.
“You’re already married to someone else...”
“No! He’s my husband! And we don’t even have three kids!”
I was startled and grabbed Noah's arm. Noah lowered his gun, then seemed to have grasped the situation for a moment before giving me a gentle smile.
"I was just kidding. I thought it would be awkward to be caught up in a bike thief confessing."
He's great at improvising, flowing, and being smooth. I laughed it off, gave a vague nod, and tried to run away. Logan, who had been staring intently at Noah, asked a question.
“Are you Colonel Noah Rotsilt?”
“I'm not a colonel.”
"I met you at the garrison. At the time, I was a sergeant in the Medea Army's transport unit. Don't you remember?"
"Yes, Sergeant Reynolds, from Tristana. Looks like you've been discharged."
"Yes, I remember you. I'm currently working on a new materials engineering project. Are you also discharged, Colonel?"
Noah tilted his head to the left as if thinking for a moment.
“Right. Well, I don’t think it was your major.”
"Yes, I'm working with a physicist from Frogen. I'm an investor."
“What is his name?”
"Dr. Benedict Libert. Do you know him? He's here."
The name "Benedict" caught my eye. It's the same name as Dr. Rugen's grandson, but the surname is different. Since he ran away, it could be a fake. Noah seems to be thinking the same thing.
“Can you bring him here tomorrow morning?”
“Yes, what is the reason?”
“I’m interested, too. Just tell him I’ll meet you at Ford Bellmore.”
I felt embarrassed by the confession atmosphere that had become a prelude to Noah's intrusion. I shouldn't have brought him into the conversation in the first place.
“You two, come to an agreement.”
I blurted out something strange without realizing it, then quickly grabbed Noah and left. As we passed a large baobab tree, he spoke first.
"The physicist Sergeant Reynolds mentioned earlier. Maybe he's the one I'm thinking of."
“Are you Dr. Rugen’s grandson?”
“Yeah. Most of the scientists who escaped pretend to be dead.”
“Will the doctor be happy to see him again?”
At my question, Noah raised his chin and seemed lost in thought for a moment.
“No. It would be closer to despair.”
"Why?"
“There is something like that.”
I wish you'd tell me too. You always keep it to yourself.
Johanna didn't return until dinner was finished. Noah, Vincent, and I sat around a round table on the outdoor terrace, playing poker. Perhaps because it was a hot country, the chirping of insects gave off a distinct summer night vibe.
“You two have such poker faces, I can’t win.”
Vincent, having lost quite a bit of money, touched his forehead. Noah tossed three aces onto the table and drank his brandy. My eyebrows furrowed in disapproval at my eventual loss with two pairs, but he shuffled the cards and spoke his mind.
"Vincent. You might find the last research material."
"Did you even find Dr. Rugen's grandson? Didn't Frogen eventually give up and focus on developing military weapons?"
“I’ll bring him tomorrow. You’ll know when you see him.”
These men are now talking about confidential matters, whether I'm present or not. Meanwhile, Noah, having read my invincible hand, slapped his cards shut without a second thought. "I'll win some big money, too. Why doesn't he ever look after me, even though he's my husband?"
“I should go to bed. I have to return to Medea tomorrow.”
Noah, stretching like a wild cat, turned his head a few times and swept the money onto the table. I looked at him with a look of extreme dissatisfaction.
“Honey, should we go to bed?”
He slicked back his bangs, the corners of his mouth lifting lazily. His graceful eyebrows and forehead were briefly revealed, then covered by his bangs.
When I see that decadent man, I feel like I don't care about the money I lost.
***
Logan, who had come in the morning with a bouquet of orange marigolds, spoke with a regretful expression.
“Dr. Libert said he couldn’t come due to some circumstances.”
Noah, wearing a tight-fitting suit vest over a poplin shirt, was leaning leisurely against the terrace railing, arms folded. We were ready to go back.
"There's nothing I can do. Just tell him this: the Knights of the Round Table have drawn the Queen card."
“What does that mean?”
“Just tell him that. If he doesn’t understand, then don’t worry.”
“Yes, I hope you get back safely.”
Johanna approached me, who was standing next to Noah, and handed me a rattan basket filled with dried dates. A few of Cynthia's commemorative postcards were also included.
“I’ll write to you, Diana.”
“Yes, I will send it by postcard.”
I didn't ask specifically about Logan's relationship. I guess I knew, seeing the man carrying a bouquet of flowers.
Johanna held my hand and tapped her toes on the floor, trembling.
"You know, Diana. If I stay true to the present, might things turn out differently?"
"That's right. I'm human, too, so I worry about the future, but I don't live my life with any definite plans. The future can always change."
“Thank you so much. Take care.”
Branch Manager Ostrik also came out to see us off. Logan and Johanna waved at us.
I left them behind in the early summer and got into the car.
“It’s a little lonely saying goodbye to a new friend.”
Since we were going to break up anyway, I didn't show that much affection, but I feel a little bit like that.
Instead of answering, Noah gently stroked my cheek. I could see Johanna standing far behind the car window, her silver-white hair gleaming like a gemstone as she gazed at me.
***
It's been about two days since I returned to Loganfield from the Cynthia Empire's Dakanhab.
Noah stopped by the military police battalion to learn about the results of a new pistol test. He saw a soldier with a dog sitting with a bewildered expression. He seemed to be a military dog and its handler.
“Is that dog sick?”
A brown shepherd with a bandage wrapped around its foreleg lay listlessly on the ground, its snout bent over. A similarly melancholic expression on the dog's face sighed.
"The officer's family, who lived with him, was killed by bombing debris at the garrison, and he was left alone there. He was a military dog who had been discharged due to his advanced age, so I'm not sure what will happen to him."
“Really? It’ll get disposed of.”
It was Noah's indifferent voice. The dog handler looked at him with a questioning expression. The old dog seemed to have foreseen his future, seemingly resigned. It simply followed the handler's stroking of its head, its pointed ears tilting back and then up.
“...He is an old military dog, so there is no one to take him in.”
"I heard that these days, rather than simply disposing of dogs, they're donated to universities or hospitals for use in live experiments like Lenin's. Or even suicide experiments."
“Please stop saying such horrible things.”
The dog handler's face paled at Noah's cruel words, and he ended up covering Shepherd's ears with both hands. Noah, who had been lost in thought, brushing his lips, smiled as if a bright idea had struck him.
“Give it to me.”
The dog handler flinched at the suspicious smile. He felt that handing over the dog to that man, so full of a strong aura, might be a sin worse than the worst.
"Are you taking him for firearms experiments or for some other purpose? I don't want him to suffer any longer."
Noah looked slightly displeased at the sight of the terrified military dog. The military dog continued speaking in a tearful voice.
"Obviously, he's feeling guilty for not being able to protect the Major and his family. He hasn't eaten since that day. The family of the deceased Major Mark wouldn't want Boaz to suffer either..."
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm going to buy this as a gift for my wife. We promised each other we'd get a puppy."
The dog handler's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected, normal words, but then he quickly stood up with a delighted face.
“Really? Oh, but wouldn’t she like a young, small dog?”
“She'll like it, don’t worry.”
"You can go to the person in charge for the handover part. I have a favor to ask, but could you bring him along sometimes? I think I'll miss him."
"Isn't it too hot? I'll ask if you can come for a walk here. I don't think you'll be able to, though. I think his name is Boaz."
The dog's face, which had been slightly clouded with anxiety and worry, brightened slightly.
"Yes, he's a remarkable man who took good care of the Major's wife and child. He's so clever that when his pregnant wife collapsed, he opened the door and called for help. I hope he's doing well."
Vincent, standing at the entrance to the mansion, looked confused as he saw Noah, who had brought his limping old dog. Vincent, who had been watching the old, shabby dog with concern, finally spoke.
“Even so, testing the performance of a new machine gun on life is...”
“It’s a gift for Diana.”
Perhaps it was a fortunate thing, but Vincent's frown deepened.
"Aren't they any different from the dogs carried around by noblewomen? He's too old to be used as a hunting or guard dog, and his legs are injured."
“It’s the same dog, right?”
“She might not like it. Wouldn’t she prefer a small dog or a young puppy over a working dog?”
"No, Diana doesn't help people much, but she doesn't just pass animals by. She even feeds the cats that come to the mansion."
“But raising them is different, so you have to be more careful...”
He was deeply concerned about what Diana would do if she reacted coldly and told him to send it back immediately.
“What are you going to do if she says no? I can’t raise it.”
Noah ignored his worries and nagging, leading his dog into the inner porch. Diana, who had come out to greet him, looked down at the old shepherd with an indifferent gaze.
“Who are you?”
"Honey, a gift. We decided to get a puppy when we got married."
Diana accepted the leash Noah offered without objection, but her characteristically cold expression remained.
“Yeah, it’s cute.”
What makes those two so simple and clear? Vincent looked at the peculiar couple, his expression hard to comprehend.
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