Chapter 12 – A Yellow Flower That Blooms Between Stones (1)
“…Okay. Is anyone hurt?”
Nadia came towards the party members while wiping her bloodstained sword. Her bobby, sweaty from her long run, held her breath and raised her thumb.
“Fortunately, no one seems to have been hurt. Most of her attacks were offset by Miss Sera’s quick deployment of her shields.”
“Huh? Well… This is enough to eat porridge! Everyone, thank me!”
“I have to admit. Good job Sarah. Then move quickly. I know enough that it’s not safe here.”
“Yes, yes. I understand. The knight will be better.”
“Rick. How can you not handle his tone?”
Rick and Nadia started bickering as usual, and Bobby, Leo, and Sarah followed suit. I tried to move too, but I suddenly felt the absence of one person and turned around.
“…Ellie. What’s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?”
“Is Ellie hurt?”
Surprised by my words, Sarah turned her head away. Ellie smiled awkwardly and bit her lip lightly.
“Huh? It’s nothing Sera. It’s just… I think I sprained her ankle a bit. I was startled and tripped on her earlier…”
“Anyway, useless things hurt easily. Ellie. What did you do that tripped her foot?”
“Rick, please don’t talk like that. Miss Eli, I’ll apologize for you.”
“It’s okay Mr. Bobby. Everyone, I’m really fine, so go first. I’ll follow you a little slower.”
Ellie struggled to laugh, but looked down at her and saw that her wound was red and swollen. If Leo noticed this too, he approached her and asked.
“Ellie. Can I help you if you feel uncomfortable? I don’t have to put up with this.”
“It’s really okay. Go ahead. Don’t get caught up in me because of me.”
“Yes. Let’s go quickly. If you leave things like that, everything will get better on its own.”
After one word from Rick, the party members lost their interest and began to move on. She was obviously upset, but Ellie followed her, dragging her legs without a word of complaint.
That’s Ellie’s biggest weakness. That’s too nice Even in her hometown, because of that personality, she lived with only losses every time, but in the end, she couldn’t fix it. I waited for the rest of the party to walk away before approaching Ellie.
“Are you sick?”
Ellie, who was trying hard to put on a decent expression, looked at my face and she sighed and cried.
“It hurts.”
“Shall I pick you up?”
“Isn’t it too late to ask?”
She looked at her troubled face, then held out her hand, and she immediately laughed bashfully. And before I could say anything, she jumped up and landed on my back.
“Ugh…! Ellie. You can decline once in a while.”
“You’re an idiot, so if I’m okay, you know I’m really okay.”
“I’m not that stupid.”
“That’s right. Without knowing anything.”
Ellie was grumpy for no reason and squeezed her neck tightly with her arms. Her peppermint scent was strong and the subtle warmth permeated her whole body.
“I’m out of breath.”
“Why. Does it make you feel so good when I’m carrying you?”
“I can’t say no.”
“Lol.”
As she leaned her head against hers, her jet-black hair tickled her cheek and shattered over her shoulder. As she listened to the intermittent sound of her heartbeat and her gentle breathing, she felt as if she had come back to her hometown. I deliberately walked slowly and distanced myself little by little from the party members.
“I miss it because it feels like it’s just the two of us. In the old days, it was always just the two of us.”
“Yes. It reminds me of the old days. Except for this terrible smell of sweat and blood.”
“…Does it smell like that? I wash it because I wash it.”
“Maybe it’s absorbed into your body. It’s a smell that doesn’t suit you at all, Luca.”
Ellie added bitterly, pressing her body closer together. I straightened my posture and sighed.
“It can’t be helped. This is my job.”
“I wonder if that’s the case. I still don’t know.”
It’s already been two years since I left my hometown. Ellie still questioned her prophecy. I deliberately pretended not to hear and smoked the other way.
“So, how do you feel after a long time? Doesn’t it seem like you’ve become more reliable?”
“I think my back has gotten a little wider. Just a little bit.”
“Your breasts are bigger than before, so carrying them is worthwhile. You can stick closer.”
“Are you satisfied with this now, Mr. Pervert?”
“I have to do that. I’ll get hit again for no reason.”
I cleared my throat and pretended to be polite, then my playfulness kicked in and I tickled Ellie’s thigh. Ellie let out her cute squeal and squeezed her tightly around my shoulder.
“Kyaa…! Hey! You…You did that on purpose!”
“Isn’t it obvious? Are you really weak here?”
“Sera taught me! Stop it!”
“I can’t help it because I’m on my back… Ouch!”
As I kept playing around with her, Ellie grabbed her by the nape of her neck and asked. Hot saliva dripped from her exhilarating pain.
“Mu…Don’t bite! You’ll fall over like this!”
“Leave those naughty hands alone!”
“Ouch. It looks like it, but don’t bite me twice! It really hurts!”
We continued to joke around until we couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter. Soon, Sera, who noticed the commotion, approached to pin her down. As I watched her run away with her blushing face, at some point, her eyes turned black and the scenery around her began to fade.
Only then do I realize that this is all a dream. Memories of that day that can no longer be returned. At the time, I thought it was a really trivial moment, but looking back, it was a time that would never come again. Nadia, who commanded the party reliably, and Sera, who unknowingly showed jealousy. Because there is no more
I don’t want to wake up. But the moment of awakening always comes. Even if I crouch down in the chrysalis and hit her face in the dark, like the cruel sunlight that ends up opening her cocoon and pulling out her wings.
When I woke up from my dream and opened my eyes, the world was an empty blank page. The world filled with pure white light was pure white no matter where you looked. It would have been a crazy sight for an ordinary person, but on the contrary, I found peace. You’ve finally gone blind It’s okay not to see anything now.
But then a warm hand passed through my head, enough to bring me to tears. Not only was it warm, but it was so soft that I wanted to entrust my eternity to this touch. The hand that had been brushing through her hair, forehead, and eyebrows in turn, finally moved them gently over her eyelids. Then, the white world was shattered and the original world began to regain its color.
And the only inhabitant of that world was the one I loved more than anyone else.
“Hello. Luca.”
Ellie smiled automatically as the pile of snow that had been covering her eyes was swept away. She wiped the snow from all over my face and warmed her cold hands with her breath.
“Ho Ho…”
The breath that brushed his face pleasantly smelled of mint, as always. She put her hand, reddened from the cold, into her pocket and suddenly smiled mischievously.
“Hey handsome brother. What are you doing here alone?”
The nostalgic feeling spread a smile involuntarily. Ellie’s unique joke that isn’t funny but makes you laugh strangely. She winked and bowed her back.
“I’m not as good-looking as my brother, but I’m pretty smooth too. Do you want to hang out at my house?”
She tilted her head, as if waiting for her answer, then raised her chin shyly and circled around me.
“If I don’t answer, will I leave? Even if I see you like this, there’s a guy who likes me, right? Luca. There’s a guy as handsome as you.”
That’s me So don’t go It didn’t come out of her mouth, but as if she heard my answer, she often walked up to me and smiled bashfully.
“As expected. I knew that. Then can I take a break here? I’m sure I won’t give you a knee pillow, so I’ll borrow your leg for a while.”
Ellie immediately slumped down in her snow and leaned against her leg. Her legs warmed her, but as she was out of sight she felt a little uneasy. Ellie stretched her arms out, wondering if she knew what I was thinking.
“Ugh…! Ha ha. You’re tired. No matter how hard you try to do everything by yourself, you’re a little tired.”
Her everyday life, which she usually throws at me, came as a fatal wound to me. Apparently not too long ago, everyone gathered in front of me. Ellie was alone now. Ellie, who let out her strange moan and relaxed her whole body, spoke to me with her deep sigh.
“Luka. Are you listening?”
Huh. I was listening. Everything from start to finish.
There was no way to hear an answer. But for some reason, it seemed like Ellie could hear it.
“…A lot has changed in the meantime, Luca. Really, too many things. It’s too much for me to handle.”
And Ellie magically answered my words. She hesitated for a moment, then slowly poured out the words that were on her mind.
“I don’t know how far you’ve seen and heard it… But there must be so many questions. Where is everyone?
…Know.
But, tell me with your mouth.
“First of all, Nadia is with Rick. It’s almost like a newlywed couple as they stick together all day long. Maybe the two of them like each other. You didn’t know Nadia’s taste was so nasty? It’s done.”
It’s just the two of us. You’re the only one who can express so beautifully that the two of you are playing around and having sex all day, Ellie.
“And Mr. Bobby has been sick again from where he was injured. What if the party healer gets hurt so often? So, Mr. Bobby will be excluded from all work for the time being.”
She heard vaguely in her sleep where she had been hurt. You’re a scarier kid than I thought.
“And Sera…”
As Sarah’s name was called, Ellie held her breath for a moment. Emotions have not yet been sorted out as much as I have. She said in a cheerful voice, trying hard to contain her bursting heart.
“Sarah is taking care of Uncle Bobby. You can leave her alone. After all, Sera is kind. She is so kind… It makes me feel sorry for her. Isn’t it Luca?”
You’re right. Ellie.
…So how are you? How are you?
Ellie stopped her for a moment, and in a daze she looked up at the sky. Then she suddenly opened her mouth as if she had heard my question and answered.
“That’s why I’m the only one who’s working normally right now, Luka. Leo-san helps from time to time, but he seems to be busy with party members’ problems. It’s fortunate. At least one party member who can function normally is left.”
Okay. That’s Leo.
She once thought she was a bitch. The roles overlapped with mine, and to be honest, I couldn’t help admitting that he’s better. Maybe that’s why I always had something similar to a sense of entitlement. Obviously I am the warrior. Why does that guy keep standing out and looking more competent?
However, now that I was cursed with petrification and all the party members showed their true colors, it was rather Leo who supported the party that was about to collapse. It’s been a while, but I’ve seen him scolding Rick and Bobby, and he’s giving Ellie strength.
She might have wished that her personality was unstable because she was the perfect guy. However, he is doing his job well, contrary to what I thought. He should rather feel grateful.
I should think so. Sometimes I felt insecure. The only person Ellie can rely on now is Leo, not me. She thought that he might take away her place as a champion, but now she fears that he will take the place next to her in Eli.
Especially because I know that Leo is better than me.
“That’s why Luca. When are you planning to wake up? You can’t save anyone if you’re just sleeping. Not the world, not the people. Not even the pretty girl sitting next to you.”
Ellie is joking around. She felt sorry for her now. There was only one word I could say to her.
Sorry. Ellie.
“Because you’re gone, there’s no one to take on a boring joke. I can’t fall into nostalgia talking about my hometown. I guess I’ve become a loner. If I’d known this would happen, I’d have somehow stopped it when you said you were leaving town.”
Sorry.
“…It feels like there’s a hole in my heart. Sometimes I feel like I can’t stand it because my heart is sore.”
Sorry…
I really want to say just one word. No more, no less, just one word.
However, the miracle did not happen this time either. Ellie finished her flood of emotions with a long sigh, then banged her head on her lap.
“Because of you, I have to stand on my own at night. So, as punishment, listen to everything I say. I’ve prepared everything from boring stories to lamenting about your situation, to swearing at you, so take it sweetly.”
If that makes you feel better. However much.
Still, I thought it would be a comfortable night because I was alone with Ellie today. But then I heard the sound of footsteps far away. Ellie stood up, startled, frowned at her, then spit out one of her names.
“It’s Leo.”
“Oh, Ellie.”
…Leo.
The figure of the guy walking in the moonlight was dazzling today. Even in all these incidents, clean brown hair and sharp nose. And even a body that is compact but never looks fat. Even when she entered the capital, he, who received the attention of countless women, approached Elly waving her hand.
“As expected, you were standing all night by yourself. It seemed like that for some reason.
“Of course. Because there is no one else to do it but me.”
“That’s right. There are very few party members who are fine.”
Leo unsheathed his sword and stood next to Ellie. She flinched slightly, but did not escape her seat.
“That’s why you go through all the hardships of suffering alone. Even so, I came here because I felt sorry for me to stand alone until night time.”
“Thank you, Mr. Leo.”
“…Thank you?”
“Yes. What’s wrong?”
Leo scratched her head awkwardly and sat down.
“No, just. It’s the first time I’ve heard you say thank you.”
“Did I…?”
“Yeah. That’s right, you were very cold to us.”
His tone was sad, but his voice was very calm. Ellie thought for a moment, then took a deep breath.
“Um…That might be… I’ve had too many things to worry about lately.”
“Of course. I did too. But would you like to sit down? I’m not used to looking up.”
“Are you teasing me for being short?”
“It’s okay to tease, so please sit down. Otherwise, I’ll walk away.”
At the joke, Ellie sat down and glared at him slightly. Then Leo burst out laughing at her and shook her hand.
“Don’t look at me that way. It’s just a joke.”
“It’s a bit violent for a joke.”
“Is that so? It’s a joke I used to tell my sister often. So I threw it without thinking. I’m sorry if it offended you.”
“Did you have a sister?”
Ellie looked at him with a surprised expression. I, too, listened with a little surprise.
“Yeah. I’m about the same height as you. So… I’m about eight years old.”
“It’s not that small, is it?”
“I’m kidding. I was fifteen when I left my hometown. So I’d be twenty now. Oh my God. Then I’d be a complete young lady.”
He smiled and looked up at the sky. His sentimental eyes twinkled through the starlight.
“When I was young, I was a child who was very childish asking for a hug. When I grew up, he didn’t say that anymore, probably because he was ashamed. That’s why I felt sorry for him, so I tripped him for no reason and pretended to hold him while hugging him. Then I would giggle while laughing.”
“They must have gotten along really well.”
“That’s right. Because there were only two of us in our family. My mother passed away a long time ago…And my father left for the border to protect the country. We can’t get along.”
“That… I’m sorry. I just asked.”
“No, that’s fine. I’ve never been unhappy because of that.”
Then, the person she occasionally exchanged letters with was her sister. Even when she asked who she was sending the letter to, she hid it as a secret until the end. She comes last and confides everything.
“Then why did you leave your hometown? She has a sister whom she loves so much.”
After hearing her hidden story, Ellie spoke in a softer voice. Leo pushed the corner of her mouth up and replied with a shrug of her shoulders.
“As with all mercenary stories, I needed money. There were various things going on in my hometown. I did whatever I could. Being a mercenary was the most profitable job out of all of them.”
“It’s unexpected. I thought Leo-san was naturally a descendant of an aristocratic family.”
“I did look like a bit of a skinny guy, but I wouldn’t have done anything like that.”
“Skinning out…It’s just because it looks neat. There was no intention like that.”
“Can you take that as saying I’m handsome?”
“Ha. Yes. Let’s do something like that.”
The two met each other’s eyes and smiled comfortably. Like an old friend or…
…
The night was getting deeper and the stars studded with stars under the dusky moonlight shone exceptionally beautifully. Ellie stared at the scene and opened her mouth.
“You don’t want to see her sister?”
Leo, who was also looking at the stars, replied with his body trembling as if he felt a little cold.
“If I were to ask you if you miss your hometown, what would you say?”
“Of course you would like to see it.”
“That’s right. I miss you so much. I want to run to my hometown right now.”
He said as if tossing his knuckles for no reason and tossing them.
“…And you and your sister are painfully alike. Except for the color of your hair, they are very similar.”
“Is that so?”
Ellie suddenly turned her head to look at him. Leo also looked at her and shook her head.
“No, that’s okay. Just forget about it. I said something stupid.”
“Well, I don’t know, but her sister seems to be very beautiful.”
“Let’s say yes.”
The two burst into laughter again. However, my feeling of looking at it was getting complicated for some reason.
Since Ellie is smiling, she must be fine. Under these circumstances, she should think that if Ellie is happy, she is lucky.
Just the fact that I wasn’t in the seat next to him made everything uncomfortable.
Whether they knew my feelings or not, the conversation continued. Maybe Ellie was lonely too. I tried my best to think that way and suppressed my jealousy.
“By the way, the weather has become very cold. I have to be prepared.”
“Are you cold Ellie?”
“Please don’t say such unfamiliar things as saying you’ll take off your clothes. It’s not that cold.”
“No. Take it off if it’s not cold. I’m really cold to death.”
Funny child. But Ellie laughed. Like she’s really funny.
Weird. Why is it so painful Clearly, nothing. Ellie wasn’t being beaten like her dog, and she wasn’t being forced, but her heart was breaking.
The two were still looking at each other and smiling. As I looked at it, there was a scene that suddenly came to my mind. I used to dream about it when I was young. The back view of Ellie and I holding her hand and kissing her. Suddenly, Leo began to intervene in the sight that he had dreamed of for a long time, and that was why it was so vivid.
“…Don’t be kidding me. It sounds like you’re not kidding.”
“Say honorifics again. They’re the same age, so just talk comfortably.”
“But it’s a little awkward.”
“It’s okay. You can just talk casually.”
Please. Stop. I’m starting to get sick now It’s okay if I’m an ugly guy, so please don’t laugh with him, Ellie.
“Okay…Okay. Then I’ll try.”
“Stop calling me Mr. Leo. I’ve never been called that before.”
Shut up leo Don’t keep… Keep in my head. Now all I have left is Ellie. I know you’re a better guy than I am, and I’ll admit that you’re much better, so only Ellie…
“Okay…Leo.”
“Ah…Haha. This is a bit awkward for me too.”
“What is it? You asked me to call you.”
“So. But Ellie, there’s too much snow on your head. I’ll shake it off.”
“Huh? Yeah…”
Leo casually ran his hand through her hair. Ellie just innocently bowed her head, but the next scene involuntarily flashed into her mind.
‘Ellie.’
‘…Leo.’
Her bitterly constricted heart finally shattered and melted like her tears. The friendly voices of the two calling each other echoed loudly. I couldn’t see the next scene, so I tried to close my eyes. Of course, I didn’t have the freedom to do that, and the sight that came right before my eyes was…
“Leo.”
“Huh…?”
Suddenly, Ellie’s voice, colder than ice, resonated clearly. As he lowered her gaze with her fear, he saw her gripping Leo’s wrist tightly.
“What’s on your lips right now?”
