No Need For Love (4)

“I understand, Kardia. I’ll follow your lead.”

So fragile she seemed ready to melt even into the moonlight, Noi smiled before him.

Kardia suddenly grew anxious that he had made some grave mistake.

Though a hundred years had changed their ages, their mana, and even their relationship as former master and disciple, some things had not changed.

Namely, that Noi Galenée was the master Kardia revered above all others.

For Kardia, in past and present alike, Noi was everything.

(Whenever—always—whenever I felt the urge to do anything, she was at the center of it—)

He loved Noi’s dandelion-bright smile.

That smile made Kardia hesitate before death.

Forbidden even to choose death—because his death would let the Demon King emerge—he had spent his days on the floating isle searching for a way to kill the Demon King, as if searching for a place to die.

He had wished for nothing but this: to purify the Demon King without staining the deeds of Noi Galenée, the First-Sun mage, and then accept his own death. [TN: “First-Sun” is a formal epithet.]

(Because you always smile at me.)

Kardia had, perhaps, lost the will to die.

He had come to wish to live—with Noi.

So when Panselinos forced the word “marriage” back into his mind, a chill ran through his core.

(I’m still making her stand inside a lie…)

That was not something one should do to someone precious.

Even without such negotiated terms, Noi was someone who deserved to be cherished.

(…I admit—I had a little ulterior motive.)

He had expected that freeing her from the false role of “fiancée” might earn him praise for his devotion.

Even if he could give Noi no benefit, Kardia intended to support her, cherish her, and protect her from everything. That was both the responsibility and the privilege of Kardia, her disciple.

And yet Noi did not rejoice—she showed him sorrow.

Then she shook him with the word “love.”

Kardia was badly shaken. He struggled to keep calm so Noi would not notice.

(How cute…)

There had been times he wanted to reach out. When he mistook her affection for Ornis, he flew all night on a Zephyrai. There were times he intertwined their touching fingers, playing it off as nothing.

Between them there had indeed been—moments one would not care to confess to others.

(That is not “romance.”)

It was far more exalted, far more sacred than such a thing.

Kardia loved Noi. But it was not the kind of “romance” that only forced one’s desires onto another.

Romance, at best, did not last more than a few decades.

This feeling was never something so fleeting.

(So this is not romance.)

And now, after hearing Kardia’s desperate plea, Noi was smiling faintly right before his eyes.

“…Noi?”

On impulse he nearly reached out, but Kardia tightened his arm and drew it back. Noi was no longer a woman Kardia could touch lightly.

“I’m sorry. It seems I’m a little tired.”

“I’ll take you to your room at once. My room will do, yes?”

After the Demon King was defeated, Noi had been recuperating in a guest room prepared by the servants. But it seemed she had grown uneasy alone and had thrown a fit, refusing to leave Kardia’s room—or so he had heard.

If so, surely tonight she would also want to sleep in the same room as he. Respecting her wishes, Kardia had told Geiko to have the room prepared.

But just as Kardia was about to guide Noi to his quarters—a figure sprang from the corridor.

“—Forgive me! Lord Kardia!”

It was Aidoni who blocked the exit. With a smile affixed to a face that all one hundred out of a hundred would call beautiful, she addressed Kardia brightly.

“How proper is it to take a lady who is no longer your fiancée into your bedchamber? That can hardly be called good manners.”

“I’ve had a room prepared for you. If you’re lonely, knock on Ornis’s door.”

He had assigned her the guest room that Noi had used until yesterday.

Unspoken, he meant: I won’t be sleeping with you.

Until only a few years ago, whenever Kardia stayed at Kukuvaya’s Weavers’ Enclave, Aidoni had wanted to sleep under the same quilt. She might feel lonely sleeping alone in a house with few acquaintances, but she would have to endure it.

“Or—! I would never! That’s not what I meant—I’m talking about you and Noi-sama!”

It seemed the person she wanted to sleep with was not Kardia, but Noi.

“Unfortunately for you, Noi and I have slept together since before we were engaged. Isn’t that right, Noi?”

Triumphant, Kardia aimed the first half at Aidoni and the second at Noi.

He could not have a newly minted devotee like Aidoni weighed against the bond he and Noi shared. Kardia had the record of sleeping beside Noi a hundred years ago.

From behind Kardia, who flashed a showy smile, Noi stepped smoothly forward.

“It’s true we used to sleep together.”

Kardia’s smile deepened.

“But tonight…”

Noi slipped past Kardia’s side and walked to Aidoni.

And then, of all things, Noi clutched Aidoni’s clothing tight.

“…Eh?”

Kardia’s eyes rounded.

Tonight, there was so much he wanted to talk about with her in bed.

Tonight’s Kardia was neither the man who would use her as a tool and then die as if discarding her, nor the man sunk in endless regret. In all of this, Noi had saved him.

He had even thought it might be fine to reminisce about the past with her, honor tomorrow, and talk until morning about their days to come.

And yet now Noi stood beside Aidoni, wearing an apologetic look toward Kardia.

“O-ho-ho-ho-ho! I’m taking Noi-sama for myself! I worked so hard to get here—surely I deserve a reward.”

At Aidoni’s light, disarming peal of laughter, Kardia let out a thin breath.

“…Very well. Just for tonight.”

“I’m in your debt!”

As if to move before Kardia could change his mind, Aidoni briskly pressed a hand to Noi’s back and whisked her out of the office.