Early in the morning, Lukash and the others set off for the festival's lingering royal capital. Only bid farewell to the mighty and near ones, including the king, because the people of the king's city will know that they will be surrounded again.
I accompanied Arnold to the arch at the entrance of the King's City to see them off.
Well then, I'll see you guys later.
Lukash laughs. All his friends nodded with a smile.
They embark on a carriage that the king has prepared for each destination. Exceptionally, Vake took the Knights' men on a horse trip around the world.
- A cloudless, blue sky. The sun peeks out from the sky in the east. It was a morning full of hope.
The carriage leaves slowly. I waved my hand wide and looked away.
Even after I couldn't hear my hooves, and I couldn't see all the carriages, I stood under the arch for a moment - and suddenly the cold wind shook me. Even though you can still afford to go to work, you shouldn't get sick and interfere with your work.
"... it gets cold in the morning." Shall we go back? "
Arnold nodded, but he wouldn't move from there.
I couldn't go back alone, and I was looking at the side of it,
"Lukash is going on a journey."
Hah, and the words that were exhaled with the white breath, I rounded my eyes.
I was surprised that you knew, but without thinking about it, it would be unnatural for Lukash not to tell his friend Arnold. I'm sure we had a chance to talk around last night.
Arnold glances at me and turns his heel. The two began to walk slowly along the main street leading to the royal castle, side by side.
It's been a long journey, isn't it?
"I'll miss you."
"... that's right."
It was an unexpected word that brought me back.
I unexpectedly stop and look at him next to me.
"Arnold... and Mr. Arnold?"
I hurriedly corrected what I had accidentally called away.
I've been calling it Arnold in my heart, so it came out in my mouth. When I think about it, Diona and Elvira were also called by honorable names at first, but at some point they were pulled by the way they were called in their hearts, and now they are completely abandoned and called. Maybe you should correct that too.
Arnold laughed at me as I thought about it alone.
You don't have to say it again.
It's a very gentle voice, very gentle eyes, that's what I'm saying.
--A instantly, the voice resurrected in my brain.
I like it.
When I remembered, my cheeks blushed.
From the day I was confessed, I was busy with the concoction until today, and I didn't have the time to have a conversation alone. And even today, until now, Lukash and the others were completely conscious of the possibility of being alone with Arnold on the way home.
- What do you say? Should I cut the confession out of me? Or should I wait for Arnold's words?
I don't know anything. I was just embarrassed and restless, and I fell down.
"Ahh... let's take a little walk."
In response to Arnold's probing suggestion, I leaned up and lifted my face. Then he turned his face towards us, but his eyes were swimming.
"... where are you going?"
"I see... how about the herb garden?"
It was already full of nods.
The two went silently to the herbal garden of the Imperial Castle. Even though there were a lot of hardworking king-sized concocters, none of them visited the herbal garden this early in the morning, and they didn't see anything but us. While relieved by this, he began to walk around the herb garden with a slow pace.
- Silence is awkward.
A few times before, Arnold, next door, opened his mouth and closed it without saying a word. I'm sure he's trying to cut the story out for me.
My gaze falls down. ---, I found a nostalgic herb in the corner of my sight and crouched down unintentionally. It was the herb he had chosen to test me on the day he first met Arnold.
Ah, I miss this medicinal herb.
Arnold bends his hips behind me as he peers into my hand. He waved up and took the leaves in his hand so that he could see them well.
“When I first met you, you asked me if I knew about this herb, and I said, 'I'm sorry.'”
Fufu, if you look up with a smile, a wrinkle will appear between Arnold's eyebrows.
"... did that happen? That's not true."
"Ah, it's so dumb!"
Ahaha, she laughed out loud at the unusual reaction of Arnold. Then the wrinkles between his eyebrows will grow deeper. ― ― On the day we met, you would have been frightened by Arnold's expression, but not now. I already know what he really is and what he's thinking under his scary face.
I first met Arnold when I was nine years old. I am sixteen years old now, so it is about seven years since we met by simple calculation.
"It's been seven years since then... so early, so not so early..."
Looking back, it was a very thick seven years.
When I met Arnold, I learned about the position of King's Concoctionist, took exams, worked on Elvira's autoimmune disease, and was desperate every day anyway. I didn't have time to take a breath because of the unexpected development of my eyes.
Seven years later, I am already over twenty years old. Arnold is twenty-five years old. What the hell are we doing? I can't predict anything. I was anxious about it, but I was also happy.
Seven years from now, I wonder what they're all doing.
"Come on, no. It's just..."
Arnold sat beside me on his knees. Grrrr, I accidentally shifted my body back to my nearest straight face, but I was staring directly at it and held my breath.
It's a very serious look, as if you've made up your mind about something. I can't believe you're calling out to me so badly.
Arnold took several deep breaths before slowly opening his mouth.
"I'm a mix of elves and humans." Mixed-blood children are very rare... and I honestly don't know how long my life span is. "
It was clear that they were choosing their words carefully, one by one.
The Elves are a long-lived race. However, he says that he does not know what will happen to life when human blood is mixed in there. Maybe we can live the same time, or maybe we can't.
"I've been pretty chaotic." I also used magic that was forbidden in the elves. I don't know what's going on in my life. But I'm sure it's not a flat road. I can't do that with a dexterous way of life. "
…………
I didn't say anything, I just listened to Arnold.
"I know it's not a good life to involve others, but..."
Gently, they take my right hand. And then he grunted and grabbed it hard.
--that warmth was what I was looking for that day.
I dropped my gaze on my gripped hand. Arnold's hands were big and warm. But the palms of my hands are dry and the skin on my fingertips is pulled in several places because I am using magic.
Arnold shakes my hand several times. Then stare at me with black eyes through the lens of my glasses, and then.
"I like Laura."
--The air, the tympanic membrane, and your heart tremble.
”If you'll forgive me from now on... I'd like to walk with you”
Arnold looked at me with a stunned eye. His hand was trembling.
--You didn't say "I want you to walk with me." No, I'm sure he couldn't. I was born of a mixed race, and because of my sexuality, which I called the only way to live a clumsy life.
Grab back your gripped hand. Arnold's shoulder shook as he twitched. I laugh unexpectedly at the exaggerated reaction.
Raise your face, raise your heels as if you were stretching your back, and keep your eye on Arnold as long as you can. He dyed his ears bright red.
"... my face is red."
Unexpectedly pointing out, Arnold covered his face with his empty left hand. Then I explained it quickly as if I were throwing up.
"Please don't do this. I'm not used to this kind of thing."
"Is that why you ran away?"
Even though I thought it was a mean way to poke, I couldn't help but say it. I can't go to bed just confessing. From that day until today, I was often reminded of it.
As expected of herself, Arnold dropped his shoulder while hiding his face.
"That's... that's right. It was a cowardly imitation, I'm sorry."
It's true.
From the gap between my fingers, I could see Arnold's eyes pointing towards me.
- I want to see your face. I want to look at each other properly.
I think so, and I reach out. Then she gently grabbed the big hand that hid his face and took it off. There was no resistance.
Hold your hands together and stare at each other. Oh, I'm sure my face is blushing too.
"You didn't let me reply, I'm angry."
”... my face is red”
All I could do was laugh deceitfully, being pointed out as revenge.
I can't deny it because I'm aware of it, and I can't be angry because I was the one who said mean things first.
”Ahahah, I'm not used to this either”
Speaking of which, Arnold loosened his eyes.
We came together in a concoction.
"Arnold would have done some sorcery."
Arnold bowed his gaze when he told him to stick it in. Then, the sled muttered.
"... so you won't get a reply?"
Reply. I mean, it's a confession.
He grabbed the hand he was holding and grabbed it hard.
I'm ashamed, but now I have to get rid of my shame and put it into words properly.
Lie down and regulate your breathing, then raise your face and stare at Arnold. The black eyes were not shifted.
The sunlight pours into the herb garden. I was smiling when I noticed that my strength was naturally released from my body, which was stiff from the cold.
"Arnold, I like you too..."
His voice trembled. I was worried about Arnold.
The expression disappeared from Arnold's face. His eyes twitched wide, and then ─ ─ his face broke.
Lower your eyebrows, narrow your eyes, blush your cheeks, and break your mouth. More happy than ever, but somewhere weeping, laughing.
He clasped my right hand against his cheek. And I lay my eyes down.
"Thank you. That's enough."
Arnold's voice was trembling again. Not only my voice, but also the fingers of my hands trembling even louder than before.
That was terrible love.
Your fingertips are trembling
"I was nervous."
"Fufu"
Yeah, yeah, what do we do? Even if you don't realize it, your mouth will laugh.
Out of patience, I clung forcefully to Arnold in front of me. “Hey!” Arnold exclaimed impatiently beside his ear. Gyuuu, I'm getting happier and happier at being hugged, rather than taken in.
”Ahahah!”
Laughing out loud. I found Arnold laughing in my ear, just as I couldn't help it.
--Nobody knows what kind of life we're going to go through. Maybe we can't live the same time as Arnold. The day may come when our paths will be divided.
But it was still good. No matter how temporarily, how close you can be to your loved ones and let them pass through your heart. I will never regret choosing this day.
Gyuuu grabs Arnold even harder. Then his arm went around his back and he was hugged very hard. "It's painful," I laugh unintentionally. However, the strength of the arm was not relaxed.
“I'm looking forward to seeing what awaits us from now on.”
Lots of paths in front of you. I have plenty of time. There's a lot of work to be done.
There will be many difficulties. Whether it's going a long way or making a mistake, I'm sure there will be a day when I will weep for regret. But we will live. I will not stop walking.
"Right, Laura."
- Beyond the ending. Happy endings, beyond. The future that was never mentioned in the game.
Let's go see it for ourselves from now on. With your loved ones.