Only with Your Heart

And the second night dawned, and on the third evening, Rucroff reached a lonely settlement with Rodolgo.

Having visited it for the first time in a few years, it seemed unusual, with only one more devastated path left than I remember.

─ ─ A thousand cranes in this place?Already six days or more?

Just imagining it shook Rucroff's protective mind.

(Stupid... This isn't a thousand cranes.There is no protection or anything....)

No matter how much you say that to yourself, your anxiety and excitement are rising again and again.Rucroff had to face someone who might look like a thousand cranes from now on.

The frustration you feel at that moment is accompanied by heartache that you can't remember anymore.

Still, Rucroff came here.

Driven by a glimmer of hope.

Danced by endless dreams.

"Ladies, I'm home!"

Rodolgo raised his voice in front of a stone house in the heart of the settlement.

It was about to collapse, but it was one of the most beautiful mansions in the settlement.

In the distance, I saw two women standing in front of the front door.

Older women and still young daughters.

In other words, neither of them should be a thousand cranes.Rucroff kept his distance and kept his helmet on.I didn't want anyone to see my disappointing expression.That's why I didn't want to expose myself to anybody else as it collapsed even worse than this crumbling abandoned house.

Inhaling deeply, Rucroff closed his eyes in his helmet.

Just for a moment ─ ─ It doesn't matter if it's just for a moment.Let me dream.

Behind closed eyelids, Rucroff imagined a thousand cranes fourteen years ago.Anxious eyes when we first met.Eventually her innocent smile came to light.A cute habit that sharpens your lips when you get angry...

Just for a moment ─ ─ It doesn't matter if it's just for a second.Because now I live only for this fantasy.

Rodolgo kept shouting, but he couldn't reach Rucroff's ear.

─ ─ Sentsuru.

Just one second left.

─ ─ Sentsuru.

Just once more.

Rucroff opened his eyes.

And as he stared at the black-haired daughter in sight, Rucroff firmed her body as hard as he could.She is also staring at us.With anxious eyes begging for something. But stay straight.

"Come on, husband, what do you say? You're the woman I told you to be.You can polish your clothes a little, but you'll look different! "

Rodolgo's murmur breaks the silence.But Rucroff didn't make a fine move ─ ─ he couldn't.

Impossible. Impossible. Impossible.

Damn it... I'm finally crazy.I thought such a day would come one day.The knight knelt before her and touched her.That's who I am. I've seen fantasies many times before, but I've never seen them so clearly and vividly.

The phantom of Chizuru revealed her habit, which Lecroff often remembered.He gripped his hands in front of his chest. And...

"Rucroff...?"

With exactly the same voice as in the memory that was about to disappear, the phantom called Lukhov's name.

"Rucroff, right...? Remember? I, Chizuru...."

The more my heart bursts, the more my heartbeat rang.Doo, doo, doo, and the noise of the bloody tide reaches your tympanic membrane.

My temples seeped with sweat.

My throat is dry and I don't know how to breathe.─ ─ Impossible. It's impossible. Don't hold out hope.

"Now, do you want to pay? Aren't you going to pay?If my husband doesn't pay, I'll sell him to another man. "

Chizuru, grabbed by Rodolgo with both arms, was pushed out in front of Rucroff.

The closer I got, the more this illusion looked like a thousand cranes.It wasn't just the appearance, but each one of the tricks, for example, when it was about to melt down, it was the right hand that came out first, and the details were exactly the same.

(Sentsuru...)

How long will this phantom last?

If I keep my eyes open for a moment, it will soon disappear...

Maybe so. Maybe not.

Don't disappear.

Rucroff's mouth said to Rodolgo, "Sure."

Throw all your gold and silver coins to Rodolgo without counting them.And Rodolgo and the old woman beside the phantom of Chizuru swarmed like beasts, scattered on the ground.Senzuru keeps staring at Rucroff all by himself.

Even if it was a phantom, I couldn't keep this anxious look on my face.

Luclov's heart is already bleeding.

As usual, crying after she disappeared again made me chilly.Still, I want to protect her, even if it's an illusion.This was Lukov's instinct that could no longer be resisted.

"Are you coming or not?"

Chizuru nodded loudly at Rucroff's blurry voice.

─ ─ Where's Senzuru?

No! It's phantom. Her phantom.

Rucroff pushed the horse further and reached out as he approached the bewildered Chizuru.I'm sure she'll disappear the moment she touches it.This is a dream, Rucroff gets sweaty and jumps up, crying in a cold, empty stone castle....

But Chizuru's hand clasped back into Rucroff's hand.

The vivid feeling makes your body numb.It felt like something hot was blowing out from the back of my cheeks.Rucroff worked hard to pick up a thousand cranes on the horse.

Kyah

And a voice like rolling the bell tickles your ears.

Unable to resist, Rucroff pushed the illusion of a thousand cranes into his chest.I was able to taste the feeling of holding hands, so I dreamed that maybe I could even feel the exaltation of holding her in my chest...

It became a reality.

"Rucroff....."

My chest was about to rip open.At the same time, you will be wrapped in a sense of happiness and relief, like the heart that was torn apart for a long time.

This can't be happening... and I didn't want to miss this moment.

Rucroff immediately put a drink in the horse.

When the rope was pulled, Aima quickly changed course and began to run along the original path.Rucroff hugged Thousand Cranes to the best of his ability.Warm. Soft. Sweet.Everything remains memorable.

─ ─ This is a dream.

Rucroff hastily ran the horse.

My thoughts were not a word.All I could do was keep drowning in this dream.