After a long silence, Stella finished her conversation with Kendrick and turned off the lights.
Even when she met Skyle the next day, she remembered what Kendrick had said. Skyle cares about her?
'That's nonsense.'
Stella remembered his face as he mocked her, calling her a half-breed, without even blinking. It was chillingly expressionless. As time passed, that scene became increasingly distorted. There were times when, even while having a casual conversation with Skyle, that memory would suddenly resurface.
"Why do you only wear clothes like that?"
"Yes?"
However, as the days of Skyle acting friendly piled up, that memory became blurry.
"There are prettier clothes, you know. Like a mermaid dress, for example."
Stella remembered that the dress Skyle brought a few days ago was a mermaid dress.
"Do you want me to wear that?"
"Of course. I'm being sincere."
This time, Skyle did not lie about having picked up the dress. Although she liked it quite a bit, Stella did not readily change into it. This was because the dress was not suitable for everyday wear. Due to the nature of a mermaid dress, it was only suitable for a party or banquet.
"Do you not like the color? Do you want me to change it to a different color?"
Stella's heart began to open little by little.
"Fine. It's late, so just go home."
Stella thought as she watched Skyle grumble as he left.
'Then, shall I wear it for you?'
Skyle returned to the Duke of Lanedict's mansion. It was to meet with Rincasta from time to time to exchange information. So far, no significant news has been heard. They sat in the backyard of the building where Skyle was staying and talked. It was close to the knight training grounds and far from where the Duke and Duchess lived, making it the perfect place to share secrets.
"How many loaves of bread do you eat a day?"
However, the conversation they shared appeared to be extremely lighthearted.
"Two pizzas in one sitting is no problem."
"Right, that's normal. But why does Stella eat so little?"
Rincasta recalled what he had heard when he was with Adrian.
"That is actually a lot for her. She said she didn't eat even more before."
"What?"
"Kendrick tracked down nutritious food for Stella nationwide and instructed the chef to prepare appetite-stimulating dishes. They say that's why she's eating as much as I do now."
Skyle's expression changed at the completely unexpected news. He didn't particularly like Kendrick to begin with, but hearing that he cared about Stella to that extent made him smile a little.
"But why bother preparing nourishing food? It's not like she's sick. Won't feeding her something bitter and tasteless just make her lose her appetite even more?"
Rincasta shook his head.
"Stella is probably not feeling well."
The cheekbone that had risen plummeted downwards.
"What? Where are you going?"
"I don't know the details either, since I'm not a doctor. However, it is well-known within the Duke's household that Kendrick is searching for famous medicines and doctors to cure Stella's illness."
Skyle was stunned after hearing this story. He worried that she might be suffering from a serious illness. The very next day after hearing it, Skyle went to see Adrian again. Instead of going straight to see Stella, he summoned her maid to a secret place.
"Do you happen to know what disease Stella has?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't know."
They all said in unison that they knew nothing.
"You would be faster to ask doctor Harald rather than me."
For some reason, Skyle didn't dare to ask Stella directly. Even if he did ask, he didn't think she would tell him the truth.
'If she were going to tell me willingly, she would have said so long ago.'
On top of that, only Adrian's people knew that she was ill. Judging by the fact that the rumor hadn't spread outside the Duke's household, it must have been kept quiet. If he couldn't get information from the servants or Stella, only one option remained.
"What brings you here?"
"I have something to ask you."
Skyle went straight to find Kendrick.
"I already know to some extent, so I would appreciate it if you could tell me honestly."
Kendrick happened to be inside the Duke's mansion. He readily agreed to Skyle's request.
"Is Stella very sick?"
Kendrick's fingertips stiffened slightly. He hadn't expected the question to be so direct.
"Why, all of a sudden?"
Skyle considered telling the truth. However, he thought that if he did, the fallout might hit Rincasta, who had spread the rumor.
"I was just worried because she looked so thin."
Kendrick was in the same predicament.
'I can't lie, either.'
If he could, he would have wanted to tell Skyle the truth. Kendrick had noticed it while frequently witnessing Skyle and Stella together lately. He felt that Skyle cared deeply for Stella as a younger sister. However, although he didn't know the exact reason, it was clear that there was a wall between the siblings.
"I don't know, so if you're really curious, go ask her doctor."
Kendrick chose to change the subject. He was convinced that Harald would come up with a plausible excuse.
"He will be staying in the southern building."
Skyle greeted Kendrick, trying hard to hide his displeasure. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a knock.
Knock knock.
Kendrick's eyebrows furrowed. He had sent everyone out because Skyle said he had something important to say. However, hearing a knock meant that something had happened or an important guest had arrived.
"Come in."
At Kendrick's words, the door opened slightly. It was Stella who stepped through. As the weather was getting chilly, she was wearing a long coat that covered her knees. Kendrick's face lit up at the sight of her. Skyle, on the other hand, was a little flustered.
"Ah..."
Stella looked puzzled that he was with Kendrick.
"Why are you here?"
Skyle looked into the distance and spoke.
"Ahem. I have something to talk to the Duke about. What about you?"
It was a needless question. If Stella had come here, it must naturally be because she had something to say to Kendrick. Skyle slowed his pace as he left the door and walked slowly. He was curious about the conversation between Stella and Kendrick.
"Roy is coming home tomorrow."
Tomorrow was the day Roy was scheduled to do a mid-term review of the fairy tales Stella had written so far. There was going to be a critique and a brief discussion.
"Is that okay?"
This could have caused delays, and it was highly likely that Kendrick would find this unpleasant. Additionally, there were many manuscripts to share, making travel inconvenient. For these various reasons, Stella invited Roy to Adrian again and had come to inform Kendrick.
"Yes."
She could have conveyed the message to the servants, but since the Roy issue was quite sensitive between the couple, it was better for Stella to speak directly.
"Still, don't stay together too late."
Stella smiled at Kendrick's positive answer. She turned to return to the study and saw Skyle walking as slowly as a turtle.
'Hasn't he left yet?'
Stella had no choice but to walk down the hallway with Skyle. She glanced at Skyle. He was walking straight ahead. Stella stopped abruptly. Skyle also walked a few steps, stopped, and turned around. Stella avoided his gaze and fiddled with the hem of her coat.
"Why?"
"It's just that my clothes are too hot."
Stella took off her outer garment right there. The beige mermaid dress she was wearing underneath was revealed. Skyle's pupils trembled.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Stella smiled softly.
"No. Pretty..."
"Yes?"
He was secretly worried that Stella might leave that dress unused until she died. Seeing her wear the dress he gifted her so proudly made his heart flutter. Even so, hearing him say it felt pretty embarrassing.
"It suits you well."
Stella grinned.
"I know, too."
Skyle glanced at Stella in her mermaid dress the entire time he walked to her study. He felt a sense of inexplicable pride.
"Are you sick anywhere?"
'Is he going to nag me again for eating too little?'
The thought of confessing her illness to Skyle had absolutely nothing in Stella's mind. She smiled calmly and said.
"Where would I be sick?"
"I heard the Duke is even preparing nourishing food for you. Isn't it because you're sick?"
"Kendrick worries a lot, just like you. Don't worry about it."
At that pure smile, Skyle shook off the worries he had had until now.
"Really? Then that's a relief."
It was almost the first time he had walked and talked so naturally with Stella. Skyle felt as though he were gradually making up for the mistakes he had made as a child. His steps grew lighter.
Since then, Skyle increased the frequency of his visits to Adrian. He also realized that Stella was not simply engrossed in writing as a hobby.
'I heard that Roy Andra doesn't accept just anyone as a disciple.'
Skyle also separately investigated Roy Andra, who was said to be Stella's mentor.
'Seeing as he took Stella on as a student, he must be quite good.'
There were times when he felt a sense of pride in himself while having trivial thoughts. As usual, Skyle went straight to Stella's study. Stella no longer minded meeting him, even without his having to make up the excuse that they needed to hold a strategy meeting. He quietly opened the study door and heard the voice of an unfamiliar man.
"This was brought in from the kingdom."
It was definitely a voice he had heard somewhere before. Before long, Skyle realized that the man inside was Roy Andra. Skyle debated whether to go inside and greet Roy Andra or step out for a moment so as not to disturb him. In that brief instant, words that piqued his curiosity were heard.
"Isn't this a potion to boost wizards' powers? Why are you giving it to me?"
"According to legend, a wizard dreamed of eternal life while taking this medicine. It is a potion that extends your lifespan just that much."
Stella wore a sour expression. Skyle also saw her face through the crack in the door.
"You never know. You might have magic powers, too."
"Hey, the situation is different."
He couldn't help but be shocked.
"That wizard probably wasn't terminally ill like me. I'm already sick and shortening my lifespan."
Stella spoke nonchalantly, as always. Perhaps because she had died once from loneliness, she wasn't particularly agitated when talking about it. Roy, standing before her, looked even more miserable. Stella tried to reassure him.
'Don't worry, Roy. I'm going to be selected as an Imperial Writer and receive Hajean's Magic Stone.'
Stella was about to say that.
Bang! A loud noise was heard. The door was torn off.
"Skyle?"
Stella just blinked at the incomprehensible situation. An agitated Skyle was standing by the door.
"You're saying you're terminally ill?"
His eyes rolled back completely. His purple pupils gleamed. If she had been a child, she might have trembled at the sight of that gaze. That is how intensely his eyes flashed.
"What disease do you have?"
He approached step by step. Stella got goosebumps as she realized he knew the whole truth. She had to calm him down first.
"Skyle, calm down first."
Roy Andra also looked at Skyle with a surprised expression at the unexpected situation.
"Tell me. What kind of disease do you have?"
Stella took Skyle's arm as if to soothe him. Blue veins bulged on the back of his clenched fist, as if he were suppressing his anger. Skyle did not exert force or shout. He lowered his head and met Stella's eyes.
"Are you going to die?"
There was a hint of moisture in Skyle's voice.
Even when she met Skyle the next day, she remembered what Kendrick had said. Skyle cares about her?
'That's nonsense.'
Stella remembered his face as he mocked her, calling her a half-breed, without even blinking. It was chillingly expressionless. As time passed, that scene became increasingly distorted. There were times when, even while having a casual conversation with Skyle, that memory would suddenly resurface.
"Why do you only wear clothes like that?"
"Yes?"
However, as the days of Skyle acting friendly piled up, that memory became blurry.
"There are prettier clothes, you know. Like a mermaid dress, for example."
Stella remembered that the dress Skyle brought a few days ago was a mermaid dress.
"Do you want me to wear that?"
"Of course. I'm being sincere."
This time, Skyle did not lie about having picked up the dress. Although she liked it quite a bit, Stella did not readily change into it. This was because the dress was not suitable for everyday wear. Due to the nature of a mermaid dress, it was only suitable for a party or banquet.
"Do you not like the color? Do you want me to change it to a different color?"
Stella's heart began to open little by little.
"Fine. It's late, so just go home."
Stella thought as she watched Skyle grumble as he left.
'Then, shall I wear it for you?'
***
Skyle returned to the Duke of Lanedict's mansion. It was to meet with Rincasta from time to time to exchange information. So far, no significant news has been heard. They sat in the backyard of the building where Skyle was staying and talked. It was close to the knight training grounds and far from where the Duke and Duchess lived, making it the perfect place to share secrets.
"How many loaves of bread do you eat a day?"
However, the conversation they shared appeared to be extremely lighthearted.
"Two pizzas in one sitting is no problem."
"Right, that's normal. But why does Stella eat so little?"
Rincasta recalled what he had heard when he was with Adrian.
"That is actually a lot for her. She said she didn't eat even more before."
"What?"
"Kendrick tracked down nutritious food for Stella nationwide and instructed the chef to prepare appetite-stimulating dishes. They say that's why she's eating as much as I do now."
Skyle's expression changed at the completely unexpected news. He didn't particularly like Kendrick to begin with, but hearing that he cared about Stella to that extent made him smile a little.
"But why bother preparing nourishing food? It's not like she's sick. Won't feeding her something bitter and tasteless just make her lose her appetite even more?"
Rincasta shook his head.
"Stella is probably not feeling well."
The cheekbone that had risen plummeted downwards.
"What? Where are you going?"
"I don't know the details either, since I'm not a doctor. However, it is well-known within the Duke's household that Kendrick is searching for famous medicines and doctors to cure Stella's illness."
Skyle was stunned after hearing this story. He worried that she might be suffering from a serious illness. The very next day after hearing it, Skyle went to see Adrian again. Instead of going straight to see Stella, he summoned her maid to a secret place.
"Do you happen to know what disease Stella has?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't know."
They all said in unison that they knew nothing.
"You would be faster to ask doctor Harald rather than me."
For some reason, Skyle didn't dare to ask Stella directly. Even if he did ask, he didn't think she would tell him the truth.
'If she were going to tell me willingly, she would have said so long ago.'
On top of that, only Adrian's people knew that she was ill. Judging by the fact that the rumor hadn't spread outside the Duke's household, it must have been kept quiet. If he couldn't get information from the servants or Stella, only one option remained.
"What brings you here?"
"I have something to ask you."
Skyle went straight to find Kendrick.
"I already know to some extent, so I would appreciate it if you could tell me honestly."
Kendrick happened to be inside the Duke's mansion. He readily agreed to Skyle's request.
"Is Stella very sick?"
Kendrick's fingertips stiffened slightly. He hadn't expected the question to be so direct.
"Why, all of a sudden?"
Skyle considered telling the truth. However, he thought that if he did, the fallout might hit Rincasta, who had spread the rumor.
"I was just worried because she looked so thin."
Kendrick was in the same predicament.
'I can't lie, either.'
If he could, he would have wanted to tell Skyle the truth. Kendrick had noticed it while frequently witnessing Skyle and Stella together lately. He felt that Skyle cared deeply for Stella as a younger sister. However, although he didn't know the exact reason, it was clear that there was a wall between the siblings.
"I don't know, so if you're really curious, go ask her doctor."
Kendrick chose to change the subject. He was convinced that Harald would come up with a plausible excuse.
"He will be staying in the southern building."
Skyle greeted Kendrick, trying hard to hide his displeasure. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a knock.
Knock knock.
Kendrick's eyebrows furrowed. He had sent everyone out because Skyle said he had something important to say. However, hearing a knock meant that something had happened or an important guest had arrived.
"Come in."
At Kendrick's words, the door opened slightly. It was Stella who stepped through. As the weather was getting chilly, she was wearing a long coat that covered her knees. Kendrick's face lit up at the sight of her. Skyle, on the other hand, was a little flustered.
"Ah..."
Stella looked puzzled that he was with Kendrick.
"Why are you here?"
Skyle looked into the distance and spoke.
"Ahem. I have something to talk to the Duke about. What about you?"
It was a needless question. If Stella had come here, it must naturally be because she had something to say to Kendrick. Skyle slowed his pace as he left the door and walked slowly. He was curious about the conversation between Stella and Kendrick.
"Roy is coming home tomorrow."
Tomorrow was the day Roy was scheduled to do a mid-term review of the fairy tales Stella had written so far. There was going to be a critique and a brief discussion.
"Is that okay?"
This could have caused delays, and it was highly likely that Kendrick would find this unpleasant. Additionally, there were many manuscripts to share, making travel inconvenient. For these various reasons, Stella invited Roy to Adrian again and had come to inform Kendrick.
"Yes."
She could have conveyed the message to the servants, but since the Roy issue was quite sensitive between the couple, it was better for Stella to speak directly.
"Still, don't stay together too late."
Stella smiled at Kendrick's positive answer. She turned to return to the study and saw Skyle walking as slowly as a turtle.
'Hasn't he left yet?'
Stella had no choice but to walk down the hallway with Skyle. She glanced at Skyle. He was walking straight ahead. Stella stopped abruptly. Skyle also walked a few steps, stopped, and turned around. Stella avoided his gaze and fiddled with the hem of her coat.
"Why?"
"It's just that my clothes are too hot."
Stella took off her outer garment right there. The beige mermaid dress she was wearing underneath was revealed. Skyle's pupils trembled.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Stella smiled softly.
"No. Pretty..."
"Yes?"
He was secretly worried that Stella might leave that dress unused until she died. Seeing her wear the dress he gifted her so proudly made his heart flutter. Even so, hearing him say it felt pretty embarrassing.
"It suits you well."
Stella grinned.
"I know, too."
Skyle glanced at Stella in her mermaid dress the entire time he walked to her study. He felt a sense of inexplicable pride.
"Are you sick anywhere?"
'Is he going to nag me again for eating too little?'
The thought of confessing her illness to Skyle had absolutely nothing in Stella's mind. She smiled calmly and said.
"Where would I be sick?"
"I heard the Duke is even preparing nourishing food for you. Isn't it because you're sick?"
"Kendrick worries a lot, just like you. Don't worry about it."
At that pure smile, Skyle shook off the worries he had had until now.
"Really? Then that's a relief."
It was almost the first time he had walked and talked so naturally with Stella. Skyle felt as though he were gradually making up for the mistakes he had made as a child. His steps grew lighter.
***
Since then, Skyle increased the frequency of his visits to Adrian. He also realized that Stella was not simply engrossed in writing as a hobby.
'I heard that Roy Andra doesn't accept just anyone as a disciple.'
Skyle also separately investigated Roy Andra, who was said to be Stella's mentor.
'Seeing as he took Stella on as a student, he must be quite good.'
There were times when he felt a sense of pride in himself while having trivial thoughts. As usual, Skyle went straight to Stella's study. Stella no longer minded meeting him, even without his having to make up the excuse that they needed to hold a strategy meeting. He quietly opened the study door and heard the voice of an unfamiliar man.
"This was brought in from the kingdom."
It was definitely a voice he had heard somewhere before. Before long, Skyle realized that the man inside was Roy Andra. Skyle debated whether to go inside and greet Roy Andra or step out for a moment so as not to disturb him. In that brief instant, words that piqued his curiosity were heard.
"Isn't this a potion to boost wizards' powers? Why are you giving it to me?"
"According to legend, a wizard dreamed of eternal life while taking this medicine. It is a potion that extends your lifespan just that much."
Stella wore a sour expression. Skyle also saw her face through the crack in the door.
"You never know. You might have magic powers, too."
"Hey, the situation is different."
He couldn't help but be shocked.
"That wizard probably wasn't terminally ill like me. I'm already sick and shortening my lifespan."
Stella spoke nonchalantly, as always. Perhaps because she had died once from loneliness, she wasn't particularly agitated when talking about it. Roy, standing before her, looked even more miserable. Stella tried to reassure him.
'Don't worry, Roy. I'm going to be selected as an Imperial Writer and receive Hajean's Magic Stone.'
Stella was about to say that.
Bang! A loud noise was heard. The door was torn off.
"Skyle?"
Stella just blinked at the incomprehensible situation. An agitated Skyle was standing by the door.
"You're saying you're terminally ill?"
His eyes rolled back completely. His purple pupils gleamed. If she had been a child, she might have trembled at the sight of that gaze. That is how intensely his eyes flashed.
"What disease do you have?"
He approached step by step. Stella got goosebumps as she realized he knew the whole truth. She had to calm him down first.
"Skyle, calm down first."
Roy Andra also looked at Skyle with a surprised expression at the unexpected situation.
"Tell me. What kind of disease do you have?"
Stella took Skyle's arm as if to soothe him. Blue veins bulged on the back of his clenched fist, as if he were suppressing his anger. Skyle did not exert force or shout. He lowered his head and met Stella's eyes.
"Are you going to die?"
There was a hint of moisture in Skyle's voice.
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