The truth, too painful to voice, clouded Goyo’s expression. Observing her reaction, Annecy added to his words, as if he understood her thoughts.
“Even if it does happen, it doesn’t matter much. I wouldn’t want to associate with someone like that, even for political purposes.”
“You claim to desire power. Are you sure it’s wise to be so selective?”
“Even so, I can’t exactly drink sewage water, can I?”
“That’s… true.”
Goyo nodded slowly.
“By now, he might have returned. He wouldn’t storm into the marquisate again, would he?”
“Even if he returns to the capital, he won’t set foot in Bethelgius. I’ve already made arrangements. Besides, it’s too soon for him to be back.”
“Didn’t it take about this long last time? He might arrive earlier since he’s grown accustomed to it.”
“His condition is much worse than…”
“Much worse than…?”
“I’d prefer it to be worse.”
“Don’t twist your hopes into veiled words.”
“The rain is pouring heavily.”
“What are you doing?”
“I wonder how long it will continue.”
“Stop dodging the subject. I know you won’t listen, but fine. Just one thing—he’s not returning as a corpse, is he?”
“No, he isn’t.”
Annecy smiled faintly, his shamelessly calm face making Goyo let out a long sigh.
Should she feel relieved that he wouldn’t return dead? Or should she question whether it was wise for someone still concealing their claws to display such open hostility?
‘Then again, having sent him to Avalanche twice already, it would be strange to hold back now.’
Goyo shook her head. Suddenly, a faint white shape caught the edge of her vision.
When she turned to look, she saw a tiny rabbit. It was so small and silent that she hadn’t noticed its presence.
The trembling rabbit had its leg caught in an iron trap. Its fur, matted with blood, looked roughened and coarse. Without realizing it, Goyo reached out her hand.
“Goyo, wait.”
Annecy gently held her hand back and reached out instead. The trap clamping the rabbit’s leg disassembled in an instant.
“It must’ve been set by someone… for hunting.”
“You needn’t worry about disrupting someone’s livelihood. Since it’s a young rabbit, any hunter would have let it go by principle.”
Though she hadn’t spoken, Annecy read her thoughts with remarkable clarity. She knew he was perceptive, but it still surprised her.
Beyond surprise, she felt a bit pleased. Despite the discomfort of having her thoughts so plainly understood, it was strangely comforting.
“With such an injury, even if released, it’s unlikely to survive.”
“You’re not saying you still have use for rabbit fur, are you?”
“…Madam.”
At his softly subdued tone, Goyo burst into laughter. But her amusement quickly faded as she looked again at the trembling baby animal.
Though she wasn’t knowledgeable about medicine, it was clear the rabbit’s injury was severe.
The trap, designed for a grown animal, had ensnared a baby. The fact that it was still alive was remarkable in itself.
As Annecy had said, the tiny rabbit was unlikely to survive.
The thought dampened her mood. Sensing her darkened expression, Annecy spoke.
“Would you like to try treating it?”
“Treating it? Are you speaking to me?”
“Didn’t an elf recently share their blessing with you? Your whale.”
“Ah.”
His words reminded Goyo of something she had momentarily forgotten. As if aware of its mention, the dolphin-sized whale appeared near the cave’s entrance.
Goyo swallowed hard, staring at the transparent whale through which raindrops passed effortlessly.
Raising Wartin to the size of a dolphin had been a casual goal for her, but seeing it grow so rapidly now felt overwhelming.
Wartin, as if oblivious to Goyo’s thoughts, wagged its tail gently.
“But I’ve never tried regeneration. Freezing water, maybe, but not healing.”
“Whether it’s a primary or secondary ability, the principle remains the same. Unlike water or ice, regeneration and purification don’t manifest visibly, which can be confusing. So, if it’s hard to imagine, you can base it on something tangible.”
“Tangible… like the rabbit?”
“Yes. Just imagine the rabbit healing.”
Imagine the rabbit healing… Goyo looked back and forth between Wartin and the rabbit, her expression complicated.
As if sensing its master’s hesitation, the whale swam closer through the air and wrapped itself around the rabbit, passing by Goyo.
Despite the unfamiliar creature’s sudden appearance, the rabbit didn’t seem startled, perhaps finding the spirit oddly comforting. Enclosed in what appeared to be water, the white-furred animal blinked its dark eyes.
“Healing… recovering…”
While Goyo had grown somewhat accustomed to manipulating water, the concept of regeneration was still unfamiliar.
What would healing even look like? She reversed her thinking and pictured not the process but the end state: the rabbit, healthy and lively, as if it had never been caught in a trap.
Even as she envisioned this, Goyo felt her imagination was crude and inadequate. Could such a simple wish be enough?
Yet, with that single, uncomplicated hope, the tiny creature’s wounds began to heal.
The rabbit’s ears perked up. Its shivering, pained body found peace, and its blood-matted fur, washed clean by water, returned to its original color.
Looking as though it had never been trapped, the rabbit shook its hind legs as if marveling at its own recovery.
Even if the rabbit was amazed, it paled in comparison to Goyo’s astonishment. Between her shock and confusion, an unfamiliar emotion stirred within her.
Wanting confirmation that what she saw wasn’t an illusion, Goyo quickly turned her head to Annecy. Her flushed cheeks were warm, even in the cold cave.
Annecy smiled gently.
“It’s healed… really?”
“Yes, it seems so. You truly have a gift.”
“Spare me your soulless praise.”
“It pains me how harsh you’ve become, Madam.”
“It wasn’t as difficult as I thought. Despite how serious the injury was.”
Her heart pounding, Goyo clasped her hands near her chest.
“You seem happy, Goyo.”
“I’m not sure. Am I happy?”
“It’s natural to feel good after seeing something you pitied fully recover. It’s a sense of accomplishment, or satisfaction.”
“…All I did was think briefly. Calling that accomplishment feels excessive.”
“It’s not excessive. When you put in a little time and effort and get good results, that’s efficient—and all the better. Most people couldn’t achieve such a thing, so feel free to relish your accomplishment.”
“You think so…?”
“Absolutely.”
Reassured by his conviction, Goyo blinked slowly and turned her gaze back to the rabbit. Now fully healed, it seemed fascinated by its restored body, twitching its ears as it inspected its leg.
Then, as if remembering something it had forgotten, the rabbit suddenly raised its head. Its black eyes met Goyo’s.
Startled, the rabbit sprang up and dashed deeper into the cave.
Watching its plump hind legs move so healthily, Goyo quietly observed its retreating figure.
“An ungrateful creature, isn’t it?”
Still basking in her lingering awe, Goyo decided to ignore Annecy’s comment.
* * *
Even after letting the rabbit go and sending Wartin away, the couple continued their conversation for a long time.
Despite seeing each other daily and talking every day, their conversations seemed endless. Time flew by, and before they realized it, a pitch-black curtain of night had descended upon them.
Goyo only noticed the passing of time when she glanced outside.
“Come to think of it, the rain has stopped.”
“And it seems we didn’t even notice night had fallen.”
Even though she had occasionally shifted her posture, sitting in the cramped cave had left her body stiff.
Welcoming the end of the rain, Goyo stepped out of the cave. The mountains amplified the splendor of the night sky, which was studded with an overwhelming number of stars.
“It reminds me of my birthday.”
“Now that you mention it, the theme back then was similar. A starry night sky with a lake below—we spared no expense, but it still didn’t compare to this natural beauty.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“And I didn’t say it to make you feel bad, Madam. Did you know? The outer edge of the lake below is surprisingly shallow.”
“Even with a waterfall feeding into it?”
“Yes, it gets quite deep closer to the waterfall, but I just swept it with mana, so I’m certain. The outer edge is about this shallow.”
Annecy held his hand at about knee height. Given his tall stature, it wasn’t extremely shallow, but it was shallower than expected.
“So, Madam, would you care to dance with me?”
“Dance? Where would we even…”
“On the lake.”
“Even if it’s not very deep, how could we possibly dance in the water? It would be twice, maybe three times as slow as the waltz we danced last time.”
“It’s cold in the water, being in the mountains. What I meant was literally *on* the lake.”
On the lake?
Unable to grasp his meaning right away, Goyo blinked in confusion. Without further explanation, Annecy took her hand.
The next moment, they were standing on the lake. Suddenly, her surroundings were filled with water.
Startled by the sensation of nearly falling, Goyo gripped Annecy’s hand tightly.
But even as time passed, Goyo didn’t sink into the water. Keeping her grip on his hand, she cautiously tried stepping around.
The water wasn’t solid, and she could feel the ripples beneath her feet, yet her steps didn’t break the surface. It felt like an illusion.
Though she thought she had grown used to Annecy’s abilities, this time she couldn’t hold back her awe.
“You truly are… remarkable in so many ways. I mean that sincerely.”
“May I take that as your consent to join me?”
“You’ve already brought me here, so don’t pretend to ask. Fine, but don’t let go of my hand—I’m scared.”
“How sweet of you to say.”
“Don’t worry,” Annecy said with a smile, pulling her hand closer. Somewhere, music began to play.
“Where’s the music coming from?”
“A button on my jacket—an audio artifact.”
“I had no idea. Do you always carry it around?”
“Just this once. I thought music would make this picturesque spot more enjoyable. Usually, it’s not as good as the sounds of nature, so I don’t bother.”
It was exactly the sort of thing Annecy would do, and Goyo nodded in understanding.
Without further words, the two moved together atop the starlit lake. The music intertwined with their silhouettes.
Despite the cold wind brushing against them and the faint clouds of their breaths, the surreal beauty of dancing on the lake made it feel unreal. It was as though she were dreaming, as though she were lost in a trance.
The wind tousled her hair as she moved almost mechanically, entranced by the music, which sounded like it was coming from a music box. Goyo felt like a doll atop the music box, dancing to its tune.
But the moment her eyes met those of the red-haired man, the strange floating sensation vanished, and she was pulled back into reality.
His long, narrow eyes curved gently. Under the cascade of moonlight and starlight, his gray eyes glinted with a silver sheen.
The familiar, serene smile, which she had seen countless times before, caught her attention anew.
Goyo found herself wondering whether her flushed cheeks were from the wind brushing her face or the sight of his smile.
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