* * *
“That’s true.”
Alexander nodded slowly in agreement.
Then, he glanced at the ticking wall clock between the bookshelves.
Following his gaze, I realized that quite some time had passed since we started talking.
I had already gotten what I came for.
I looked down at the newspapers on the table.
The headlines, written in bold and unmissable letters, caught my eye.
Exposing the existence of the sponsorship party, openly admitting to being involved with another man, and finally revealing that his lover was none other than the last hidden companion of the Hero.
That was Kaindel’s plan.
By turning public opinion against Kerelona’s scheme, he aimed to ruin it completely.
I went over my conversation with Alexander again, step by step.
I hadn’t come here expecting to find an answer, but at the very least, I could now be sure that what Kaindel had told me was true.
That, in itself, was something.
Even if I still didn’t know what decision to make.
I stared at my now-cold tea.
As time passed, all the warmth had been drained from it.
When I touched the cup, it was cold.
Yet, I didn’t particularly feel regretful or resentful that I hadn’t been able to drink it properly.
Things that were once hot naturally cooled down over time.
It was just the way things were.
“Thank you for making time for me today, Alexander. I’ll make sure to repay you.”
“All I need is to know which rum that person likes.”
“Even so. I’ll definitely repay you, one way or another. If you ever need my help, just let me know. You can come find me anytime.”
“Are you leaving now?”
“Yes.”
I answered without hesitation.
I had already spent enough time at Gazette.
One of the three newspapers on the table had already been published.
Even if I hadn’t made up my mind yet, lingering any longer wouldn’t change anything.
And after this long conversation with Alexander, one thing had become clear.
No matter what happened, I wouldn’t be able to treat Kaindel as a complete stranger.
Somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered that we would always be entangled, whether in a good way or a bad way.
And I could see that part of me wanted that.
In the end, I had started to understand him.
They say the one who loves more is the weaker one.
That was exactly what I had become.
I had sworn never to let him hurt me again, yet I was stepping willingly onto a path where I was bound to be hurt.
I didn’t know how far this road would take me.
“You should at least finish your tea before you go. It’s a shame.”
“Sorry. I was too focused on the conversation to drink it.”
“I’ll brew you something better next time.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled, pulling up the corners of my lips.
I was grateful to Alexander for being so kind to me, even when I had shown up unannounced.
And to think that all he wanted in return was to know which rum his friend liked—if anyone heard that, they would know it was a lie.
“Do you have nothing more you want to ask me?”
“…I suppose not.”
Alexander shrugged, as if encouraging me to ask more.
I thought for a moment before opening my mouth. If there had been any lingering curiosity, I would have asked, but there truly wasn’t any.
Even though I had sought out Gazette following the Pope’s advice—”If you ever find yourself in an unsolvable situation, seek Gazette”—and asked about Kaindel’s plan, now that I knew everything, all that remained was for me to make my choice.
It seemed that Kaindel intended to leave the kingdom after ruining Kerelona’s plans.
I didn’t know what he had done with his family and wealth, but he appeared to want to disappear far away, to a place where no one knew the “Hero.”
Then, what was it that I wanted to do?
“I guess that’s what I really wanted to hear.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“That Kaindel didn’t lie to me this time.”
I added as much before rising from my seat.
After sitting for so long, my legs felt stiff.
Maybe it was because this place was underground, but I suddenly wanted to see the bright sunlight.
“Thanks to you, I now know that Kaindel was truly honest with me this time, so that’s enough for me.”
“Ah…”
Alexander nodded as if in agreement, not saying anything further.
As always, he simply smiled with an unreadable gaze.
It was a smile that resembled a snake’s.
A silent farewell.
I looked at Alexander for a moment before gathering up the newspapers and pulling my hood down low over my head.
Only after my ash-gray hair was completely hidden did I lower my hand.
“Let’s meet in a brighter place next time, Alexander.”
“Understood. Take care, Isa. Always watch your back.”
You never know—someone might have sent people after you.
With that cryptic warning, Alexander hummed softly and took a sip of his tea.
“…Yeah, I’ll be careful.”
I etched that sight into my memory for a moment before stepping away.
If there was one thing I had learned from being around Alexander, it was that trying to analyze his every move was pointless.
By the time I looked up, the sky had turned red.
The sun was beginning to set.
Though it was summer, the approaching night brought a cool breeze that brushed against my cheek.
“Haa…”
I took a deep breath in and let it out.
Stepping out of the underground, I felt as if something inside me had been unblocked.
Or maybe the weight that had been pressing on my chest had lifted—at least to some extent.
Either way, the feeling was pleasant.
Now, I just had to return to Kaindel…
Return and…
I stopped in my tracks.
I should be heading to where my horse was tied, but for some reason, I felt like walking a little longer.
…Return and do what, exactly?
That fundamental question hit me.
Now that I knew everything, even if I met Kaindel again, I had no idea what I was supposed to do with him.
We had already talked—more than enough, in fact.
So much that my mind was on the verge of overload.
And yet, leaving things unresolved like this didn’t sit well with me either.
After all, the reason Kaindel had joined Kerelona’s plan, then betrayed her and tried to overturn it, was more than half because of me.
Of course, I couldn’t say I was the sole reason.
Still, I didn’t want Kaindel to sacrifice himself for me.
Even if he thought of it as repaying me for everything I had done for him, it was the same.
If something had to be reclaimed through someone else’s sacrifice, then I didn’t want it at all.
Come to think of it, Kaindel was truly cunning.
No matter what he did, he made it impossible for me to hate him.
I wasn’t sure how he managed that.
At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to leave him—not even out of guilt.
To be more honest, maybe it wasn’t just guilt anymore.
Maybe I no longer wanted to leave him.
If revealing the truths he had kept hidden until now was Kaindel’s way of expressing regret, then perhaps I could understand that.
But whether I should accept that regret and forgive him…
That was another matter entirely.
So, what was I supposed to do when I saw Kaindel?
More importantly, did I really need to see him right now?
I didn’t want our relationship to rot away like this, but I also didn’t want to rush through everything either.
“Hm.”
I let out a hum as I wandered through the city, lost in thought.
Then, a soft voice rang out.
“Flowers for sale! Flowers, buy some flowers!”
“…”
It was a voice that still carried an air of innocence.
It sounded like a young girl.
The voice that had interrupted my thoughts drew my gaze.
I spotted a girl clutching a basket almost as big as her, looking up at the passing adults.
Something about her seemed familiar.
I searched my memory and, before long, I realized who she was.
That girl…
She looks like the one who made me a bouquet back then.
Or am I mistaken?
A faint scene surfaced in my mind.
A young girl I had bumped into while chasing a pickpocket—she had been on the verge of tears.
I couldn’t clearly remember her face, but the overall atmosphere of the girl in front of me was similar.
She seemed to have grown a bit taller since then.
A strange sense of familiarity and fondness washed over me.
Before I knew it, I was walking toward her.
“How much for one flower?”
* * *
