Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 115

“I vaguely remember living somewhere with a lot of children. I’m not completely sure, but I think I stayed there for a long time. I never found my real family.”

“And then?”

“There was a boy. I only remember a few scenes with him.”

Memories of us playing and talking together. Memories of him calling me, “Lenia.” Memories of running through a black forest together, and then me turning away, leaving him behind.

“I think his name started with ‘R’… something. It was so long ago that I can’t remember clearly. I don’t know his name, but he was a really handsome little boy.”

As I murmured while searching through my memories, I noticed Ehit’s stiff expression and quickly waved my hands.

“I mean, not as handsome as you, Ehit.”

“…”

“I think he looked a little like you, but you’re definitely better-looking.”

“…”

“…What’s wrong? Relax your face!”

Using my fingers, I gently lifted the corners of Ehit’s mouth into a smile before asking,

“But why did you ask about this pendant?”

“Dafwen.”

Because I was holding up the corners of his lips, Ehit’s pronunciation came out all slurred.

The unexpected cuteness from someone usually so cold made me burst into laughter.

“If you’re goin’ to waugh, then wet go.”

“Can’t you say just one more thing before I let go?”

I barely held back another laugh as I asked. Ehit shot me a sharp glare.

“Yes? Ehit?”

“I said wet go!”

“Pfft!”

I laughed so hard that I let go.

Ehit pouted like a wolf that had its favorite treat stolen away, but when he saw I couldn’t stop laughing, he eventually let out a chuckle too.

“Oh, right. Why did you suddenly want to see this pendant?”

I’d completely forgotten what I was asking because we’d been fooling around.

“That’s because…”

Ehit’s expression turned serious again.

“Daphlen, do you remember me telling you about a childhood friend?”

“You mean the friend you were close to before you returned to Cloyden?”

That child must have remained an unforgettable part of Ehit’s life. He still dreamed about them.

Back then, Ehit hadn’t told me every detail.

But I knew that after being taken away by his mother, he had grown up in an orphanage. There, a little girl had become his greatest source of comfort. Then one night, bandits attacked, and she died.

And after Ehit returned to Cloyden, he carried the pain of losing that friend with him ever since.

“Yes. She was someone I cherished more than family… but she died right before my eyes.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“That’s what I believed. I believed she had died.”

“Huh? Then…”

Did that mean she was still alive?

“You found her? Oh my goodness.”

“I believe so.”

I didn’t even know who the girl was, but hearing that filled me with joy.

I was smiling so brightly that I jumped to my feet at once—only for Ehit to pull me down onto his lap.

Holding me firmly as if he didn’t intend to let me leave, he tucked my hair behind my ear.

“That child’s name…”

he said gently,

“…was Lenia.”

I nodded.

So that really had been her name.

After brushing my hair back, Ehit absentmindedly traced my ear and cheek.

“Daphlen… do you remember your original name?”

“I also…”

I was about to answer that my name had been Lenia too.

But the moment our eyes met, the certainty in his gaze made me realize something.

He wasn’t simply asking about my name.

“Is it the name I’m thinking of?”

I froze. Even my breathing stopped.

Only then did I understand what Ehit was trying to tell me.

The memory of living somewhere with many children—probably an orphanage.

The little boy in my memories who looked like Ehit.

And my name being the same as Ehit’s precious childhood friend.

“No way…”

Ehit placed his hand over the pendant I was holding.

“Lenia had a pendant exactly like this one. She always wore it, saying it was her good luck charm.”

“…”

I studied his face.

Black hair. Deep blue eyes.

But the boy in my memories definitely wasn’t named Ehit.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, I remembered Ehit asking about my “original name.”

“Did you use a different name back then too? When you left Cloyden and lived with that friend?”

“Yes.”

“I went by the name ‘Rit,’” Ehit answered before continuing.

“When I fell asleep just now, I had a short dream. No… it was more like I briefly overlapped with my past self.”

“With your younger self?”

“Yes. The me from the day I first used foresight.”

That would have been when Ehit was still very young.

“It was before I returned to Cloyden. That day was also a lunar eclipse.”

Today was a lunar eclipse too.

Was that why something like this had happened?

“I met Lenia there again.”

His eyes seemed to trace every feature of my face one by one.

But in truth, it felt as though he was searching through the face of the Lenia in his distant memories.

He looked at me for a long while before quietly closing his eyes.

 

 

*****

 

 

 

After drifting through his memories for a long time, Ehit let out a quiet breath.

Then he opened his eyes again.

Standing before him was Daphlen—his present and his future.

She was holding both of his hands tightly.

Her features had been those of a child back then, yet they were still so unmistakable.

How did I never realize it?

His lips trembled as he forced himself to smile at Daphlen.

Only then did he finally understand.

At last, he could move beyond the memory that had always been the darkest shadow in his life.

At last, he could leave the past behind and take a new step forward.

All because of the one person who had become both the two greatest comforts in his life and his one and only comfort—

Daphlen.

After gazing at her for a long time, Ehit cupped her cheek.

“There’s somewhere we need to go together.”

“Where?”

“To your real family.”

Daphlen’s eyes widened in surprise, just as he expected.

Ehit had heard that Naia had gathered everyone together at the imperial ball while searching for Daphlen’s real family. He also knew that although Daphlen had gone, she hadn’t found them.

After that, she had probably given up on finding them anytime soon.

“Really? You found my real family?”

“Yes. We still need to confirm it, but I have a good idea where they are.”

There was only one place where all the pieces fit.

The family that had lost their daughter in the Thorn Fields of Epeon.

The family whose second daughter had possessed powerful holy power.

He wanted to tell her where it was immediately. He didn’t want to make her wait any longer.

But just as he opened his mouth, Daphlen suddenly covered it with both hands.

“Wait!”

With his mouth blocked, Ehit raised an eyebrow.

Afraid he might speak anyway, Daphlen pressed her hands even more firmly over his lips.

Ehit gently removed her hands and nodded.

“I won’t say it. But why?”

“Before I hear it… there’s somewhere I need to go first.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. I think it’ll only have meaning if I go there before I find out who my real family is.”

Daphlen smiled, her eyes filled with determination.

The train let out a long whistle as it rolled forward.

Leaving the capital behind, it headed south, making its first stop at Bellazen.

“We’re back.”

“Yes. Even if it’s only for a little while.”

It had been such a long time.

The beautiful blue sea of Bellazen stretching beyond the window.

The lively train station I had visited so many times before.

“Shall we go?”

After stepping off the train and taking in the familiar scenery for a moment, I turned to Ehit.

He snatched the luggage from my hands and took the lead.

“Wait, Ehit!”

“You’ll be guiding the way, Daphlen. Since this is my first time here, the least I can do is carry the luggage.”

We had traveled alone without any attendants and planned to stay for several days, so we had quite a bit of baggage.

Especially Ehit. I had no idea what he’d packed, but his luggage was nearly the size of a quilt.

Even carrying something that large, he casually picked up my bags as if they weighed nothing and started walking.

“So where are we going?”

“To the Matchiatherson Platform. This way—left!”

It was wonderful to be back in Bellazen after so long.

But this wasn’t our final destination.

We boarded another train.

Last time we came to Bellazen, we had sat facing each other.

This time, we sat side by side.

“I like sitting like this better.”

With our shoulders so close together, chatting felt much more natural.

It also made me feel like we were truly setting off on a journey.

Ehit lightly tapped his shoulder and said to my excited self,

“It’s also better for leaning on if you want to sleep.”

“I’m not going to sleep.”

…Or so I said.

A few minutes later, I was fast asleep.

When Ehit’s voice woke me, the train had already begun slowing down.

“…Are we here?”

“Yes.”

I sat up straight and looked out the window as the train gradually came to a stop.

In the distance stretched blooming buckwheat fields beneath the spring sky.

It was quiet countryside, empty yet comforting.

A familiar landscape.

That’s right.

Before meeting my real family…

There was somewhere I had to go first.

The place that had taken me in.

The family who had truly embraced me.

The home where I had spent so many precious days.

Count Aileta’s estate.

“Um, Ehit… I know it’s a little late to say this after coming all the way here, but… you don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to.”

“I refuse.”

Still carrying both his own luggage and mine, Ehit jerked his chin forward, telling me to lead the way.