Weren’t You the One Who Was Dying? Chapter 94

“Get on that one.”

“Huh? But that’s the Colonel’s—”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Ehit walked over to a servant of Cloyden and told him to put as many people as possible into the remaining carriages and send them off.

The carriages sent from Cloyden after realizing the situation had been several in number, but after loading people into them, only one carriage remained.

Ehit, who had been about to tell them to put someone else in that carriage as well, suddenly fell silent.

I saw his gaze flick briefly toward me.

“Young master, shall we put other people in this one too?”

“No. I’ll ride this one.”

It was obvious he was saying that because of me. I didn’t want him to feel troubled because of me. I quickly ran over to Ehit and pulled on him.

“I’m fine. I can just go later!”

“But you’re tired. You should return to the estate and rest as soon as possible.”

“But I slept a lot on the way here, you know? You know I sleep well when I ride those things.”

“Dapflen.”

“It’s fine. People are waiting, so hurry!”

I pushed Ehit again.

Ehit remained standing there as if refusing. But when I looked ready to go tell the people myself, he finally let out a sigh and turned away.

“I’ll call another carriage soon.”

After sending off even the last remaining carriage with passengers, Ehit returned to me. He said it would be soon, but since they had sent out all the carriages available at the estate, it would probably take a little while.

We stood side by side beneath a tree and began waiting for the carriage.

The willow leaves by the beach swayed in the chilly air. A brief silence, buried beneath the sound of rustling leaves, settled between us.

A lot had happened during the expedition, but…

Now that I had returned to Bellachen, a place this familiar, it all felt like some distant dream.

…Or so I thought.

At that moment, Ehit’s hand brushed against my fingertips. I thought it had only been for an instant, but it wasn’t.

Slowly, without any sign of impatience, Ehit leisurely wrapped his hand around mine.

Startled, I glanced up at him. Ehit, wearing a relaxed expression just like his hand, smiled softly.

Why was he smiling like that and making my heart race?

“Am I not allowed to hold your hand?”

“……”

“Dapflen.”

“…I never said you couldn’t.”

I tried to return the gesture and intertwine my fingers with his.

But then—

“Aren’t you leaving, Colonel?”

Startled by the sudden voice, I quickly pulled my hand away.

Ridel had appeared from over there and was walking toward us, looking at us with curiosity.

“Admiral.”

“Why are you standing around instead of leaving? Healer, you should hurry and get some rest.”

“Why aren’t you leaving, Admiral?”

“I just met with my parents and spent some time catching up. I was about to head home after checking whether everyone had left… but do you not have a carriage?”

“It will arrive soon. You needn’t concern yourself with it, Admiral.”

Ehit replied with his usual gentle tone and soft expression.

I stole a glance at him. I thought this was the first time I had seen Ehit’s expression toward Ridel from this close.

At first, I thought the expression he made when looking at Ridel was one that would someday become love.

‘But now…’

Rather than love, it seemed more like respect.

Respect toward a superior and commander who had climbed to that position through her own abilities and forged a new path.

“You may be sturdy enough to stand under this tree, but if I leave you here, I’ll feel guilty toward your fiancée for a long time.”

Ridel gestured as if telling us to follow.

“Come ride in my carriage, Healer!”

“In your carriage, Admiral?”

“Yes. My carriage is large. It can comfortably fit up to five people.”

Then it really would be spacious.

I had told Ehit I was fine, but if we could get back sooner, that would certainly be better. I gave Ehit a hopeful look.

Ehit didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic, but after I even poked him a few times to hurry his answer, he finally nodded.

“We gratefully accept your kindness, Admiral.”

“No need to be grateful. I simply think the trip home will be more enjoyable if I travel with you and the Healer.”

Ridel was saying that so we wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. How cool was that?

I cheerfully followed after Ridel like an excited puppy.

And Ehit followed behind like a dog owner whose eyes had lost focus.

“Ridel, you’re here. Then let’s go—… Hello.”

Only after arriving at the five-person carriage did I realize that it wasn’t just Ridel, Ehit, and me riding it.

Ridel’s parents would be joining us too, making five people in total.

“Let’s get in!”

My stunned expression lasted only a moment.

Ridel enthusiastically dragged us along and loaded us into the carriage.

 

 

****

 

 

 

An awkward silence lingered for a while.

Only Ridel’s eyes sparkled, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of breaking the silence.

Everyone there was comfortable for her, so she hadn’t really considered how the others might feel about the atmosphere.

“…N-Nice to meet you both. The Admiral really looks just like the two of you!”

Dapflen was the first to break the silence.

Ridel’s parents answered with awkward smiles, and silence settled over them again.

In the end, Dapflen broke it once more.

“Do you both live in Bellachen too? Or did you come to visit the Admiral?”

“We came to see our daughter. She’s always so busy that if we don’t come ourselves, we can hardly even see her face.”

“That’s true, the Admiral is very busy. But I’ve heard she’s just as respected within the fleet. Right, Ehit?”

Dapflen quickly pulled Ehit into the conversation.

Although Ehit had been sitting quietly as if the silence didn’t bother him, he wasn’t the type to dodge a conversation with short answers.

“That’s right. As one of her subordinates in the same fleet, I’ve learned a great deal thanks to her.”

“Haha, our Ridel? We’ve heard many stories about Colonel Cloyden as well.”

Only after the warm conversation between the Trustia couple and Ehit continued for a while was Dapflen finally able to secretly let out a long breath.

“We’ve actually heard quite a lot about the Healer as well.”

The Trustia couple’s attention shifted to Dapflen.

Dapflen, who had just been quietly exhaling in relief, immediately widened her eyes when she heard her title.

Seeing her suddenly look attentive as though she had been listening carefully all along, Ridel’s mother let out a small laugh.

Dapflen looked flustered, wondering if she had done something wrong.

“Oh dear, forgive me. I wasn’t laughing to make you uncomfortable.”

Smiling warmly, Ridel’s mother looked at Dapflen with affection.

“You’re exactly as Ridel always describes you. A cheerful and lovely person.”

“The Admiral talks about me a lot?”

Ridel grinned brightly and answered, “Yes!”

Dapflen looked at the Trustia couple with obvious curiosity.

Meanwhile, Ehit wore an indifferent expression as though he wasn’t listening, while actually paying close attention to every word.

“There were only good things to say, so we could only tell good stories.”

“That’s right. We heard that not only are you an excellent healer, but you’re also someone who makes people feel good about visiting the clinic. That’s why we heard you described as ‘the person who makes patients come running back for treatment.’”

“Is… that a good thing?”

“It is! Very much!”

Ridel said excitedly.

Once the frozen atmosphere had thawed, continuing the conversation afterward became easy and natural.

As they chatted happily, a field of white buckwheat flowers spread outside the window.

“Wow.”

Looking outside, Dapflen let out an involuntary gasp.

Buckwheat flowers were something she saw all the time at Count Aileta’s estate, but a vast landscape like this was breathtaking every time.

“Would you like to take a walk around it, Healer?”

Ridel immediately seized the opportunity to ask.

Dapflen waved her hands and said she was fine, but Ridel insisted and dragged her out of the carriage anyway.

“Please rest here for a moment. We’ll just take one quick lap!”

“No, Admiral, wait a—”

“The Colonel isn’t allowed!”

“Huh?”

Ehit tried to stop Ridel, who was practically stealing Dapflen away, but he was already too late.

The carriage door closed.

Watching the three of them, the Trustia couple soon chuckled again.

“This is nice. It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced in a long time.”

Ridel’s mother spoke with a gentle expression.

Her eyes, watching the two figures walking beside the buckwheat field beyond the window, were filled with tenderness.

Ehit looked at her with slight curiosity.

Noticing this, Ridel’s mother nodded in understanding and smiled awkwardly.

“Ridel had a sister. Sometimes I wonder if she would have grown up to be like Miss Aileta.”

Ridel’s father continued, wearing the same expression as he reminisced.

“She was a beautiful child, but she fell into Eteon’s Thornfield and left our side.”

Eteon’s Thornfield.

A twisted space that appeared unpredictably in this world.

It was said that anyone who fell into that place, filled with burning thornbushes hidden within thick fog, would leave behind not even a trace.

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. These days, I’m simply grateful that I still have memories of her.”

Meanwhile, Ridel and Dapflen completed a lap around the buckwheat field and returned.

Seeing the two of them climb back into the carriage with bright smiles, the Trustia couple quickly left their memories behind.

“So there’s scenery like that in Aileta too! I’d love to visit someday.”

“If you ever get the chance, please come visit, Admiral.”

“You’ll have to take me there first.”

Ehit crossed his arms and joined the conversation, gesturing toward Dapflen with his chin.

The Trustia couple watched the three chatting away for quite some time with pleased expressions.

“So then, Ridel, what did the two of you talk about while you were walking?”