A Dream Awakened From A Dream (3)

Unable even to form a reply, Kardia found Noi leaning over him.

“And… I’m the one who should apologize. I boasted I would protect you, and yet… I left everything on the shoulders of your younger self. I’m sorry I left you only that method.”

“Please don’t say ‘left behind’ like a dead person.”

His first words came out rough, but Kardia deliberately shot a joking glare at Noi for using ominous phrasing. Noi said, “My fault, my fault,” and apologized without a hint of remorse.

“…And after that, I kept lying to you. I’m sorry I hid that I still had my memories.”

“No apology is necessary. Whether what you do is right or wrong has nothing to do with me.”

At Kardia’s seemingly cold dismissal, Noi, perched atop his head, caught her breath for an instant.

“If you say white, then even black—I’ll make the whole world call it white.”

“…”

When Kardia said that, Noi let out a long sigh.

“All right, all right. Come on—let’s eat!”

Noi laughed cheerfully.

“I’m hungry.”

Noi always said that and tried to make Kardia eat. She was trying to make him smile—by the way that made her smile the most.

(I was prepared to shoulder any responsibility. I was ready to endure any amount of abuse.)

But Noi gave him none of that—she gave him only a smile.

Noi held out her hand to Kardia.

Kardia stared intently at the hand Noi offered, then bowed his head respectfully toward it.

“What are you doing?!”

“I thought you were bestowing mercy.”

“I was trying to help you stand!”

Noi shouted, then pulled his hand and lifted Kardia to his feet.

Seeing Kardia grinning, Noi puffed up in a little huff.

“There you go again—fine, I’m going ahead!”

Kardia spoke to Noi’s small back.

“Master.”

“I haven’t approved of that title or that tone, you know.”

Tugging Kardia by the hand toward the dining hall, Noi jutted out her lips.

“The bond between master and disciple won’t break, but right now I’m just a mana-less girl. You’ll confuse everyone. Besides—the Kardia who used to call me ‘Master’ was smaller and cuter.”

“You matter more to me than everyone else’s common sense.”

“Then think of my precious heart.”

“In other words, you prefer me small and cute?”

“That is not what I wanted you to consider.”

“I’ll go start researching magic to make me small and cute right now.”

“Kardia!”

As Kardia turned on his heel, Noi grabbed him in a firm pinch.

Kardia obediently stopped his feet. Then he knelt and peered into Noi’s eyes.

“…Master, are you saying you dislike this Kardia?”

“I am not!!!!!!!”

Noi squeezed Kardia’s hand and denied it with all her might, and Kardia broke into a wide, beaming smile. Startled, Noi glared at him.

“You… you’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

“Perish the thought.”

Smiling benignly, Kardia replied, and Noi heaved a great sigh.

Then, turning away with a slight pout, she asked:

“Have you already forgotten? My name.”

Kardia had been taught by Noi how to soothe her moods.

“Noi.”

Noi’s face blossomed at once into a dandelion-bright smile.

Kardia narrowed his eyes at that smile, warm as spring.

Until now, Kardia had dealt with the villagers under the false name Dias.

But that had only been a cover to hide from the world—in truth, he would be the grandson of Kardia Ewelyn, who became lord eighty years ago; his name would also be Kardia Ewelyn.

In the Esria Kingdom, it was not uncommon for a grandson to take his grandfather’s name, so it was accepted without confusion.

Nobles of the Esria Kingdom required royal permission to marry. Naturally, that law also applied to the Hyuetos Magic Count from eighty years ago, whose lands had floated into the sky.

Because of that, there should have been lingering complications—but thanks to Panselinos, everything was neatly settled. He bulldozed through all the procedures and publicly recognized Kardia as the lord.

Thus, when Kardia appeared in public for the first time in eighty years as the Hyuetos Magic Count, he drew curious stares.

“Kardia, that’s enough food.”

“Aren’t you still not full?”

“They’ve come to pay their respects.”

“They can wait.”

“Kardia.”

“Noi, do you… dislike this Kardia—”

“I won’t fall for that again, Kardia!”

Clicking his tongue, Kardia pulled back the dish—fork and all—that he had been holding out to Noi. Sitting in the chair beside him, Noi schooled her face into composure.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Please, don’t stand on ceremony—sit.”

“…No.”

Though Noi offered them chairs, the hard-faced men demurred. Their expressions were tinged with confusion.

In the manor’s dining hall where Noi and Kardia were having a late breakfast, officers of the royal army stood before them.

By Panselinos’ edict, they were to remain here to support reconstruction.

Panselinos had brought one hundred royal soldiers and even ten mages. However, unlike other noble residences, the Hyuetos Magic Count’s manor had not served as a fortress, so there were no facilities to house so many.

Therefore, only the officers—including Captain Gruno—would stay at the manor, while the other soldiers pitched tents on the hills around the Magic Count’s estate.

Since this would be a long-term mission, they would split into several detachments and build temporary housing as well.

Simply put, Captain Gruno and the officers who would be garrisoned at the Hyuetos Magic Count’s manor had come to greet Kardia, their lord.

“As you can see, we’re in the middle of a meal. I intend to go out to inspect as soon as we finish, so if possible, keep this brief.”

Kardia sounded every inch the busy man.

Noi shot a glare at the man who, up to a moment ago, had been peeling her boiled eggs, insisting on feeding her pâté by hand, and otherwise doing as he pleased.

(I’m just as bad… Never again… Never.)

Overjoyed that Kardia was alive, delighted by how sweet he was to her, and with the food so delicious, Noi had ended up obediently accepting his “say ‘ah’.” She would not soon forget the startled looks on the soldiers’ faces when they opened the door and walked in.

“Yes, sir. We are truly grateful for permission to stay. I am Gruno Durocero, appointed captain for this assignment.”

The burly man introduced those at his side in order: the tall female vice-captain, Ela Fina; the senior representative of the mages, Himerine Verikoko; and with each name called, they bowed their heads.

When Captain Gruno finished the introductions, Kardia rose from his chair and went to them.

“I’m grateful for your assistance.”

“We will give our utmost.”

Kardia and Captain Gruno shook hands.

Smiling brightly, Noi stepped up to the mage Himerine. Himerine was a gentle-looking male mage past sixty.

“I feel reassured to have royal-court mages here.”

“—You can tell at a glance.”

“You’re wearing matching robes.”

Only royal-court mages—whose positions also served display and the assertion of power—would be made to handle such troublesome formalities.

At Noi’s sunny smile, Himerine smiled as well. Royal-court mages were often from great houses or nobility, and many were haughty, but Himerine seemed the sort to speak normally even to a child like Noi.

“Shall we go, then?”

Saying this to the officers, Kardia had Geiko bring his upper robe and sash, and the cloak to wear over the robe.

Now that he had shown his face as lord, he likely intended to take command at the front. As Kardia swiftly finished changing, Noi grew flustered.

“Already? Is your body all right?”

“If you stroke me, I’ll be healed at once.”

At the suggestive phrasing, Noi gave him an exasperated look and said, “You seem fine.”

“But don’t overdo it.”

Kardia knelt down in front of Noi and crouched.

(…Huh?)

She felt a subtle wrongness, but Noi could not place it.

Kardia looked slightly up at Noi and narrowed his eyes.

“On the contrary, I feel good. This refreshing feeling—it’s been a hundred years.”

“…I see.”

Noi held back the tears that threatened to spill.

The officers, led by Captain Gruno, watched the two—radiating an unspoken aura—with puzzled looks.