Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 41

I was still gripping the hem of his clothes tightly. I wanted to let go right away, but the moment I did, it felt like I’d plunge straight down.

Only after I’d calmed down a little did I lift my head.

Thinking back on everything that had just happened made my face burn, so I raised it only enough for my eyes to peek out.

Ehit was looking down at me, and for some reason, his eyes looked angry.

I glanced away, then back again, then looked at Ehit once more. His gaze never left me.

His eyes—blue like the sea, but different from its black depths—narrowed slightly.

“…Didn’t you leave?”

“If I’d thought you could come down properly on your own, I’d have left long ago. And it seems my concern wasn’t just needless worrying.”

“That’s…”

I searched my mouth for a response for a long time. But this excuse and that excuse were all the same. In the end, my foot had slipped, I’d nearly fallen into the sea, and Ehit had saved me.

Still, I wondered if there was something I could say.

Then suddenly, I found the one thing I actually needed to say.

“Thank you.”

I might end up dying later because of Ehit—but for now, I’d lived thanks to him.

So even if my family were to be destroyed someday, I felt like I could resent him just a little less—by the worth of one saved life.

“Thank you, Ehit.”

Maybe the wind had drowned it out. When he didn’t respond, I said it again.

What was he thinking?

Before I could read the emotion flowing between his expressionless blue eyes, he turned his head away.

Only then did I realize he was still holding my waist tightly. Now that my hands had steadied, I let go and tapped his arm. Ehit released me.

“Let’s go.”

He held out his hand, clearly telling me to take it.

But considering I’d just been shouting “you jerk!” at him, it felt awkward to grab it so readily.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not coming down?”

“I can go by myself.”

When I hid my hands behind my back, Ehit reached out and pulled my arm back again.

With an expressionless face—unusually free of fatigue or irritation—he turned and began to lead the way.

“Um, did you hear what I said earlier?”

I asked as we climbed down the rocks.

I mean, he probably did. But maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t.

“If you mean you were looking for some ‘jerk,’ I heard that much.”

If that was all he heard, then thank goodness.

“As for me specifically…”

“Pretending otherwise would be pointless.”

“…Yes. I was talking about you.”

From atop a higher rock, Ehit turned back and held out his other hand as well. Leaning on his arm, I jumped down.

“I wasn’t trying to curse you.”

“That’s fine. They say being cursed makes you live longer.”

“Then curse me a lot too, Ehit. I want to live a long life.”

Ah.

The moment the words left my mouth, I felt like I’d made a mistake. From Ehit’s perspective, that probably wasn’t something he could brush off as a joke.

Being cursed makes you live longer.
That might have been something Ehit himself wished for.

I almost apologized, then closed my mouth again. Saying something like that in front of someone who was truly living on borrowed time made me hesitate to apologize lightly.

And I wasn’t even sure whether I was allowed to reveal that I knew about his condition.

“……”

Ehit said nothing either.

With the sound of the wind filling the silence, I climbed down the rocks in uneasy quiet, feeling like I was sitting on a bed of needles.

 

 

****

 

 

 

Why did she say something like that?

The moment Ehit heard her words, he swallowed his breath.

Being cursed makes you live longer. It was too careless, too light to dismiss as a joke.

“Yes. Curse me a lot too, Ehit. I want to live a long life.”

Her reply echoed heavily in his ears. It could have been self-deprecating banter—or a desperate plea.

‘Why did I have to say that in front of her, of all people?’

Because he was holding Dapflen’s hand, he couldn’t bring himself to tighten his grip. Instead, the expression on the face he’d turned away twisted.

Countless thoughts churned through his mind like a stormy sea.

Of course, he had no obligation or duty to care about the fact that Dapflen would die soon. So there was no reason for him to apologize.

“……”

But he was still human. He had at least a shred of moral conscience.

With guilt that pricked like thorns, he went down the rocks without looking back, gripping only Dapflen’s slender hand tightly.

 

 

 

****

 

 

“Are you heading back to the train?”

“Yes, well—ugh, rain?”

What was up with today’s weather? First the train derailed in the middle of the plains, then whirlpools formed in the sea, and now a sudden downpour.

“Why is it suddenly raining?!”

“It’s been cloudy for a while now.”

As Ehit walked toward the ship, he turned back and draped his jacket over my shoulders.

I wasn’t walking particularly slowly, but from a soldier’s perspective, it must have been frustrating—because eventually, he practically carried me as he ran.

“Huff… huff…”

Once we got aboard, he took off his jacket. When I slipped my arms out, I realized the clothes underneath were barely wet.

“Is this outfit waterproof?”

“You never know when water will splash on you. It’s hard to wear anything without at least that much functionality.”

So naval uniforms were waterproof too.

I’d wondered why Dellers wore his uniform even after work, but it turned out the clothes themselves were just that good.

In contrast, his shirt didn’t seem nearly as waterproof. As Ehit shook off his jacket, the damp fabric clung to his body, clearly outlining his physique.

Just then, a naval officer wearing a captain’s insignia rushed out from inside the ship.

“Colonel! Your clothes—ah. Young lady, good evening. I’m Belize Windless of the Second Fleet.”

“Captain. Prepare a heater.”

“As expected of you, Colonel. You even gave up your clothes for Lady Aileta.”

“I took it off because it was hot.”

His voice toward Belize was icy. Belize laughed awkwardly and shouted, “I’ll prepare the heater!”

After a few minutes, Belize returned.

“I’ve lit the heater in your cabin, Colonel!”

“My cabin? Not the sitting room?”

“Yes! Wasn’t that what you meant?”

Ehit’s expression crumpled.

“I—I’ll prepare it again!”

Seeing Belize go pale, Ehit closed his eyes as if swallowing his anger, then waved him off.

The whole situation felt like a skit, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Ehit glanced at me, then headed for the cabin first.

Strictly speaking, only Ehit needed to dry his clothes—but I followed him anyway, partly to warm myself up.

‘I should dry my hair too.’

Wait. My hair! Is it okay?

A sense of panic I’d forgotten about suddenly washed over me. I might’ve gone just as pale as Belize.

While I was looking around for somewhere to check my reflection, Ehit turned back toward me.

“Ah, it’s nothing. Let’s go!”

“I didn’t ask anything.”

“I could tell you were about to. You know what they say—after three years, even a village dog can recite poetry.”

“A village school? Poetry?”

“It’s just an expression. Where’s the cabin?”

Cabin or not—just let me see a mirror!

 

 

***

 

 

Fortunately, my hair seemed mostly intact, and sitting in front of the warm heater made my body feel pleasantly sluggish.

Ehit’s cabin wasn’t large, but it was quite cozy. The view of the night sea just outside was nice too.

Ehit sat by the heater with his face twisted in clear dissatisfaction the entire time.

About eighty percent of that was probably because I was here—but once I sat down, I really didn’t want to leave.

“Colonel, it’s Belize.”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Belize came in carrying a wooden tray with snacks and a few bottles.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Lady Aileta. Please enjoy your time with the Colonel.”

I simply smiled, while Ehit continued to glare at Belize with a look sharp enough to spark electricity.

Enjoy your time together. It seemed Ehit’s subordinates genuinely believed the two of us could properly fulfill our roles as fiancés.

Just then, an officer passing by the open cabin door stopped. Our eyes met.

“Dellers?”

At my words, Ehit turned toward the door. Dellers gave a small bow and stepped inside.

Scanning the snacks, Dellers spoke.

“I came to check whether these were suitable for a rainy day. Looks like they’re all fine.”

Then he noticed one of the bottles on the table and turned to Belize.

“Belize.”

“Y-Yes, Major?”

Dellers looked back and forth between the bottle and me, then stepped closer to Ehit and whispered something. I couldn’t hear it.

What did he say?

“What did you say, Dellers?” Ehit asked.

“If I meant to tell you openly, I would’ve said it out loud.”

Dellers shrugged with a sly grin.

“What was it?”

I pressed him, but he showed no sign of answering. I looked to Ehit instead.

But he just sat there with his arms crossed, expressionless, not even hinting at an explanation.

“Then we’ll be leaving.”

Dellers led Belize out of the cabin.

Left alone with Ehit, silence settled in.

Only the sound of waves—splash—rippled through the air.

“…Shall we eat first?”

I quickly lifted a bottle, breaking the silence with an awkward smile.