Chapter 141 – Chapter 4: Where the Wind Stays – 2
“‘Everything’…”
Ruyev, trailing off, lowered his eyes and asked.
“Tia… Did you leave?”
Did she leave this town?
Or is it that she left my side? It was an unknown question.
In the end, there was only one answer to that question.
“… Yes.”
The moment you force that answer out of your throat with difficulty,
Tears poured out.
“Ugh… Ugh…”
“…”
I held his chest and sobbed.
Ruyev looked at me expressionlessly as I sobbed.
I hated that facial expression that always frowned, as if I had never felt emotions in my life.
But for now, I am so thankful for his motionless, deep blue eyes.
It was silent.
There was no comfort.
There was no criticism.
Listening to all my sorrow. Just sitting there silently.
The last thing I saw that day was Luyev putting firewood on his campfire.
The flickering flames and the sound of firewood burning quietly finally made me fall to the floor.
I just fell asleep.
* * *
When I opened my eyes again, it was morning.
A thick blanket was covered over my shoulders.
This navy blue color… Marie was sleeping there last night.
The bonfire was extinguished. I could still feel the warmth, and it looked like a string.
Ruyev was nowhere to be seen.
It was time to slowly get up.
“Uh. “Are you awake?”
I looked back. Marie was on the carriage.
They were probably waiting for me to wake up.
I asked in a subdued voice.
“… “What about Ruyev?”
“My brother went up the mountain to look for something to eat.”
I guess so.
We haven’t eaten anything since we arrived in Brisden.
Anyway, even if I put something in my mouth, I would spit it out right away. Ruev and Marie were also not seen eating.
Marie said in a worried voice.
“I said I’d be here soon.” It’s a little late.”
“…”
I haven’t felt it well until now.
As we were talking about eating, I suddenly felt hungry.
As soon as I realized the hunger in my empty stomach, a memory suddenly came to mind.
“… Marie.”
Marie raised her head.
“Ship… Are you very hungry?”
“No. “I’m okay with starving because I’m used to it.”
Contrary to his answer, his expression was not cool.
Even if I don’t do that, I get sick often, and I’m a thin kid. Since he couldn’t eat properly, he looked very lethargic.
I got up from my seat.
“… Follow me.”
“Oh! Are you feeling okay?”
“…”
As she headed toward the hill in silence, Marie jumped out of her carriage and followed after her.
The guy had a lot of things he wanted to ask, but he followed quietly without showing any sign of it. I think Ruev probably told me not to ask anything while I was sleeping.
Even without any conscious awareness, my feet were automatically heading there.
The path I have walked my whole life.
This is the road to ‘my home’.
Chin.
She stopped her steps and raised her head.
My house was able to remain safe because it was in the opposite direction of the flames.
However, only the form was intact.
My house… Because it has become shabby and worn out like an old tree.
It’s amazing.
While I lived in this house, I never particularly repaired or maintained it. When I was young, when there was a particularly strong storm, I just added a bit of wood to the wall made by Uncle Marvin.
Nevertheless, my house was fine. It felt like it would remain the same even if I lived like this for 30 or 50 years.
But half a year. It only lost its owner for half a year.
My house was covered in moss, weeds were sticking out, the pillars were rotting, and the windows were broken down.
The house… It was as if he was looking down at me and asking.
Where have you been all this time?
Why did you come back now?
I raised my hand to give an answer. And slowly pushed the door.
Clutter.
The rotten door opened, and the inside was revealed.
“…”
It’s the same.
All the things I remembered were still there without a single trace of disruption.
Except for the mold on the blanket and the dust that had piled up on the floor and table. It matched my memory perfectly.
He gestured to Marie, who was hesitant behind him.
“Come in.”
“… Ritz oppa. “It’s okay, right?”
The guy asked with a nervous face.
“Just like last time… It gets scary… “Isn’t it?”
That expression filled with fear was sincere.
I guess so.
In Marie’s eyes, I must have looked like a crazy person.
As soon as I entered the general store, I suddenly had a seizure and tried to rip out my ears and eyes.
Even though I must have been so scared, he rushed at me with all his might to wake me up. It hit my small, weak body and knocked me to the ground.
Thanks to that, I was able to find the opposite sex.
There was no guarantee that it wouldn’t happen this time too, so it was natural for Marie to hesitate.
I looked around.
Suddenly, I saw something familiar right next to me.
Now, a scarf that was out of season and no longer useful was hanging on the wall.
She reached out her hand and took it out.
Marie opened her eyes wide.
“Oh! That scarf… What I made…”
“That’s right.”
She gave a short answer and tied a knot with her scarf.
“Hihi-.”
The guy laughed softly as if he was embarrassed.
The knot is complete.
I hung it around my neck, pulled out the end, and held it out to Marie.
The guy received a warm welcome, but his eyes did not know what this meant.
It was as if a hunting dog’s leash was being held out to him.
I explained it clearly to Marie.
“… When you get scared, pull this hard.”
“Yes?”
Only then did Marie realize the meaning, and her innocent eyes shook with shock.
“How could I…”
“With that, you will be able to subdue me with your own strength.”
“… Ritz oppa.”
I immediately turned inside.
As the scarf slowly began to tighten around her neck, a startled Marie had no choice but to follow.
She walked with long strides and entered the warehouse.
She opened a small jar.
There were hard dried herbs and fruits in the place where the coolness of winter was stored.
Sometimes, when I was busy with a lot of work at the pharmacy, it was a hassle to schedule meals, so it was a dry snack I made in my spare time.
Because it is a preserved food similar to biscuits, it can be eaten even if it is left out for quite a long time.
I took out the jar and handed it to Marie.
“It’s hard, so melt it with saliva.”
It wasn’t a large amount, but it was enough to appease immediate hunger.
Marie asked awkwardly, hugging her jar.
“… Is it the end?”
“Okay.”
I quietly left the warehouse.
The only reason I came home was to find this hard cookie.
It was too insignificant to take care of anything more, and there was no time to get lost in memories.
Memory…
Now that I think about it, did I have any memories here?
When that happens.
“…”
Suddenly, a blurry shadow appeared beyond Marie’s shoulder.
There, a man and a woman were lying face down on the floor.
Come out… It was Tia.
At a distance close enough for her shoulders to touch.
The two were wrapped in a small blanket together, had a large book open, and were eating snacks.
Tia giggled while reading the book.
I am lying down and listening to the story.
It really looks like there’s nothing to worry about…
Memories of a happy boy and girl were there.
I couldn’t take my eyes off that nostalgic sight.
“… “Oppa?”
I think I could hear Marie’s voice at first glance.
Guided by that call, I lowered my head.
But Marie wasn’t there.
On the floor I was sitting on…
It was Tia, not Marie, sitting on her knees.
Her red hair grew longer and covered her entire back.
The innocent girl who giggled while reading a book faded, and Tia became a more mature woman…
He was looking into space with sad eyes.
A dim light flickers by the window.
It was a cold early morning, with the sun barely up yet.
Tia got down on her knees and put her hands inside her thick coat.
And then I took something out of her.
Jjakgak.
For a moment, a red light shone brightly.
That… It was a necklace.
The ruby necklace that Tia always wore around her neck.
During the long journey to De Seo, she never forgot even for a moment to wear my gift around her neck…
Tia was holding it in her hand.
[… Ritz.]
You call my name with a cracked voice.
[To give it back… I came.]
Slowly lifting her knees
To the empty, unclaimed house, Tia spoke her words.
[It was heavy… This necklace is too heavy, so… I couldn’t put it on.]
The guy was sobbing.
[This is a ‘sin’… I gave up after not being able to save Ritz… A sin to bear for the rest of your life…]
Standing, holding her necklace tightly to her chest. I shed tears that are purer than dew.
[Sorry… Really… I’m so sorry, Ritz…]
With her trembling hands, she placed the ruby necklace on my bed.
[… I won’t ask you to forgive me. Furthermore, I am… Because I am a sinner who cannot be forgiven.]
Grumbling.
The condolences that could not be placed on my body were shed by Tia on my traces.
The ruby lying on the old bedding lost its light and appeared black.
[Hi… Ritz.]
Tia wiped away tears with her sleeve.
Her backside remained for a very long time.
Until the sun rises.
She stayed in her place and did not leave.
The shadow gradually became fainter.
Soon she disappeared completely.
“Ritz oppa… ?”
What I just saw was a memory.
Surely… It meant that Tia came to my house once.
She passed Marie, who was calling me in a hurry, and walked to the bed.
There was a lot of gray dust on the floor, but only two places were clean.
It was the spot where Tia knelt down.
She looked at the black moldy bedding.
There was a ruby necklace.
Just as Tia left it.
“…”
He got down on her knees and slowly picked up her necklace.
Jjakgak.
“… Ugh?!”
That moment. I burst into tears and the world shook once.
It is visible.
Our love began.
Tia’s memories permeated in the ‘Ruby Necklace’.
