Chapter 13 – Chapter 2: Resurrection – 1
[Tia!]
Running in the forest.
I don’t know where this is.
Nevertheless, I was shouting out Tia’s name.
[Tia! Where is it!]
If that little guy hides in this wide forest, you won’t be able to find him.
It would be better if he hid somewhere.
When the day gets dark, it will appear on its own, saying, ‘I was hiding here!’
[Tia-!!]
But somehow I don’t think that will happen today.
Because Tia cried.
She was crying so sad.
She held her breath and listened.
[Ugh-. Hmm…]
I can hear Tia crying.
She went there.
Under a large and wide zelkova tree.
The guy was squatting down and sniffling.
[Tia. What’s the matter? Why are you crying?]
[Sigh-.]
[What happened?]
The guy buried his face and shook his head.
[Then? Why-.]
[Don’t ask…]
Tia burst into tears again.
She didn’t stop for long.
I looked down at Tia in silence.
And what happened ‘at that time’, ever since, until now.
I never heard it again.
Tia, crying, slowly moves away.
It feels like I’m being swallowed up by that darkness.
[Tia!]
The moment she hurriedly stretched out her hand in that direction.
…
.
.
“… Huh!”
I opened my eyes.
“Heo-eok-, heo-eok-.”
I take a deep breath and gather my wits.
Her whole body feels numb, as if she had a terrible dream.
She quickly rolled her eyes and looked around her.
A home is a home.
It’s not my house. Still, it feels familiar somehow.
This place… I think I know where it is.
The smell of savory chicken stew permeates the house.
It was Aunt Sherry’s house.
I let out a warm breath.
“…”
I can’t believe it.
Although it feels a bit old, it still feels vivid.
The feeling of a bear hitting me with its front paw.
I thought he was definitely dead, but he’s still alive.
What happened?
When I raised my head, the blanket went down.
There was a big wound on my body.
There are tiny scars on it, as if the skin was cut in half.
From chest to waist.
It’s flat, like it’s been crushed by a carriage wheel.
The ribs were clearly visible on the thin skin, and even with the naked eye, you could see that several of them were missing.
You’re still alive after being hurt like this? I was surprised by myself.
“Tsk.”
I tried to get up, but my body wouldn’t move.
I feel like I’ve been asleep for so long that my limbs haven’t woken up yet.
It was that time.
Squeak-.
I opened the door and someone came in.
A lively girl with fluttering red hair.
Tiada.
He came up to me holding a water bowl, wet a cloth with water and held it to my chest.
Then our eyes met.
“Ah.”
Tia’s eyes opened wide.
“… Ritz?”
“Hello.”
“… Lie.”
He jumped up and hugged me tightly.
“Ritz-!!”
“Ugh… !”
To be honest, it hurt so much that I fainted, but the reunion with Tia was good enough to forget even her pain.
She was relieved that he was alive and felt infinitely grateful that she could see him again.
Tia burst into tears.
“I miss you… Really… I really missed you… Ritz…”
“Ugh-. I-I’m sick…”
“What’s happen? Oh! Ritz!! “You’re awake!”
Aunt Sherry came to see me after hearing my screams, and soon the villagers began to gather to see me.
I heard the story.
Everyone said they were waiting for me to wake up.
It was awkward to receive this much attention, but fortunately, everything stayed the same.
It is said that Tia fought the bear and finally defeated it.
It was more surprising than the fact that I was alive. How could he face such a large bear by himself?
However, Tia did not seem very proud.
At the point where I couldn’t protect myself, I just said it was meaningless.
And they say I was asleep for about two months.
For some reason, I thought the air was cold, but it seems like it’s already winter.
The friendly atmosphere did not last long.
So, when I asked what happened to the medicine I was going to give to the village chief, the people kept an awkward silence.
Uncle Marvin answered for me.
“The village chief has passed away.”
Not long after I collapsed, his condition suddenly worsened.
There was no way for the village to do anything, and they had to hear the news that he had returned to Shinryong’s arms.
It is said that Grandma Madrina, who had been suffering since the summer, passed away around the same time.
I was so shocked that I couldn’t say anything.
Uncle Marvin patted her on the shoulder.
“Don’t be too sad, Ritsu. The village chief was sleeping comfortably. “I hope that brings comfort.”
“… Yes. Thank you.”
The village chief knew his fate.
She kept her word that she would not live long.
I was mentally prepared from then on, so I didn’t cry.
However, it was such a pity that I could not be by his side at the time of his death.
The villagers left, and Tia was the last one left by my side.
“Tia. What happened to me? I thought she was definitely dead…”
“That…”
Tia lowered her eyes.
She thought for a moment, then smiled again and whispered.
“I mean, it’s too long… First, get some rest. “I’ll tell you later.”
That was right.
After opening her eyes, she was very confused.
I didn’t know why I lived, and I couldn’t even believe that the village chief was dead.
Tia also seemed to have a lot to say, but her eyes showed promise for the next time.
Ah, I’m so tired.
Her eyes closed spontaneously.
* * *
My physical condition was still not good.
Her limbs felt numb, and her stomach felt nauseous.
Tia still had the medicinal effect in her body, so she said yes.
A doctor said that he used a strong poison called ‘Enbus’ to save me, and it takes a long time to purify it.
“Try this.”
Tia took out one of her pill bottles.
It was a red-colored medicine.
“Where did it come from?”
“I made it. A recovery medicine for Ritz.”
“Really?”
“Huh… “I made it by studying from a book in the pharmacy.”
I opened her cover and smelled her.
“Oh-what is it made of? It has a nice color and scent.”
“Ah, Rumanes surgery, Mushurin root, and…”
After listening to the explanation, I realized that it was a medicine made from ingredients that were very diverse and difficult to obtain.
It’s also surprising that she obtained all the medicinal ingredients by herself. The manufacturing process was also quite difficult, requiring a specialized level.
It must have been a huge task of drying, boiling and boiling for several days.
These days, Tia keeps looking tired.
Was he staying up all night making medicine for me?
“Sorry. “Isn’t it hard to take care of me?”
“Yes-. No. It was because of me that Ritsu got hurt… Of course, I have to do it.”
Tia’s voice was lifeless.
Tia has felt this way ever since she woke up.
Perhaps because of his guilt about what happened ‘at that time’, he couldn’t make proper eye contact with me, and he didn’t talk in a cheerful mood like he used to.
This kind of appearance was not like Tia.
The Tia I remember is still a girl who knows how to smile bravely.
“Tia. It’s not your fault. It was an accident that not even Shinryong could have prevented. If you ask me, it’s my fault for not thinking about the bear.”
“But…”
“It’s okay. She deserved to live, after all. Isn’t it? So cheer up.”
Tia looked at me with bright eyes.
And then she smiled brightly.
“Yes!”
The next day.
I somehow woke up feeling very refreshed.
Her numb limbs became lighter, and she was able to do simple movements with ease.
When the effects of ‘Tia’s recovery medicine’ became evident, Tia was very happy.
And she promised to make her recovery medicine and bring it to her every lunch.
The condition gradually improved.
It wasn’t long before she felt a surge of energy, and she was able to get her feet up in her bed the next day.
I realized again how thrilling it was when the soles of her feet touched the cold floor.
Although she could not yet stand with her back straight, she was able to walk with the help of the crutches that Uncle Marvin had used for her.
Kkeikik-.
The moment I came out of Aunt Sherry’s house and felt the cold headwind.
I finally felt that I was truly alive.
I wanted to be the first to tell Tia this good news.
I took difficult steps and headed to Tia’s house.
But unfortunately, Tia was not at home.
“… Things have changed a bit in the meantime.”
Once again, the passage of two months strikes me.
Tia’s house that unfolded before her eyes was very different from what I remembered.
There is a withered vine next to the wooden door, and the backyard, which was supposed to be used as a training ground, is overgrown with withered weeds.
As I walked around the house, I looked into the window.
The curtains were closed, but you could see inside through a slightly opened gap.
“…”
The interior of the house has also changed a lot.
At that time, there was nothing in it, so it felt clean and empty overall.
There are a lot of miscellaneous items now.
Among them, there were some decorations that looked quite expensive.
A glass bottle filled with white flowers, a sword-shaped statue, and a colorful sapphire brooch were also seen.
Those unfamiliar miscellaneous items were placed on the shelf as if they were Tia’s precious items.
On one side of the wall, you can see chain mail, a type of armor, and a belt that looks like it was newly purchased.
Also, I saw a bow with a rough cut, as if I had hunted somewhere before.
If you tilt your head slightly, you can see the closet.
Originally, things like hiking robes, boots, shorts, and belts that Tia often used were hanging there. But now, it was full of stylish clothes whose names were unknown.
There was something even more surprising.
There’s a ‘white dress’ hanging at the end of the closet!
Although it was buried to one side, its beauty and pure white splendor stood out so well that it was impossible to miss it.
A dress for Tia…
It felt very awkward to me.
Should I say it feels like a ‘gentle Ruyev’? This means that the combination itself makes no sense.
In the first place, Tia didn’t like the dress.
She likes to be active and comfortable, so she hated wearing dresses or skirts, saying they were cumbersome.
In my opinion, it was right for Tia to wear pants. It was natural for her.
But you keep such a gorgeous dress in your closet.
It’s surprising.
Anyway, did you listen to your aunts’ advice to wear pretty clothes and dance at the christening?
I imagined how pretty Tia would look if she danced in her dress.
It will be like a single flower petal falling from the sky.
And if you hold my hand and show me that beautiful dance… Haha. It makes me smile.
“… Ugh.”
Her legs are starting to hurt
I felt like I was missing something, so I wanted to look a little closer, but my weak body couldn’t hold on.
She had no choice but to turn her steps back to Aunt Sherry.
