C37
"The long-awaited moment is beginning. There are so many items today! I'll give you a "small" sample of what we have!"
Unlike the other guides, the master of ceremonies, dressed as a tearful clown, smiled widely.
I couldn't describe how strange he looked.
"Now, there's a young one with great beauty, isn't there? I saw him for a bit and thought that, as a man, I would fall in love. He's a rare product with the same red eyes as 'Panis,' a descendant of a demon that has already disappeared."
The lively master of ceremonies told an exaggerated story. Anyone could see that this was Enosh's story.
"Ruthless bastard..., if this body strays from this place, it will surely be severely punished."
Enosh murmured softly to the distant voice.
"Oh, what do you mean by red eyes... are they the eyes of the devil?"
"It's certainly not a scam, is it?"
"How could I do that in front of my precious customers?"
The master of ceremonies, who waved his hand dramatically, opened his mouth again with a smile.
"And then, a mutant lizard entered. It's a lizard that will have a very nice whitish color when it grows up."
"A lizard...? Those disgusting things are also common in the Southern Continent."
"It's not that kind of common lizard. It's a lizard with silver scales. It's a girl who's not yet good at humanizing. Her hair is pink..."
He's talking about me.
My eyes squinted at the unpleasant words.
I had never felt the fact that I was a Suin, but it was definitely strange to face it like this.
"Teacher, we need to go."
"Oh, yes."
After responding, I looked back at the person wearing the red dragon mask for a moment.
He had stood up from his seat before I realized it.
"Teacher."
"Oh, yes."
I wish he could stop calling me "teacher."
I quietly followed him.
We were already outside when I noticed how good Lucilion was at finding places without people.
"... Do you know the layout so well?"
When I questioned with an inquisitive voice, he smiled silently like a painting and then opened his mouth to excuse himself.
"... After all, dogs have a good sense of smell."
Is he trying to bury it by excusing himself like a dog?
When I narrowed my eyes, Lucilion laughed again.
"Can you get in there without getting caught again?"
"Yes, maybe. If it's less than 30 minutes..."
"Then, can you pass this to the person wearing the red dragon mask inside? Give it to them and run away immediately."
Erno Etham's personality was one that could intimidate any target, even a child, if he had that purpose.
"Yes, of course."
"And if you encounter a person wearing a gray wolf mask or a white fox mask, tell them we escaped safely."
Lucilion, who had been silently watching me, nodded silently like an obedient dog.
"Alright. But you'd better wait until I come back here. Security has become tight."
"Oh... what should I do?"
"I'll put a shield here and leave. As long as you don't move or make a sound, no one will notice you."
"Yes..."
"I'll be right back, Teacher."
As he was about to turn around, he spread his arms like a clumsy child.
"Can you give me a hug just once?"
"... Oh? Yes."
It was an unexpected request.
When I stretched out my arms, he crouched down uncomfortably and ran into my embrace.
"Teacher."
"Yes?"
"From my point of view, my teacher may not be a lizard. It's just my guess."
Lucilion whispered softly in my ear and then stepped back.
"That sounds impossible, I..."
"I'll be back soon."
I'm a complete lizard...
I wonder if it's because Lucilion didn't see me in my animal form.
"But it's interesting..."
Really, why did Lucilion suddenly fall from the sky like that?
"Did he have some kind of ability?"
I scratched my cheek and looked at Enosh, who was sitting against a tree.
When I placed my hand on his forehead, Enosh, completely pale, slowly rolled his eyes and looked at me.
"Are you okay?"
"It's embarrassing for you to dare touch this body."
"I'm worried about you!"
"... Well, it's okay because it happens all the time. Now that I think about it, a doctor said that. This body will die within this year."
"..."
"But it's always been like this. When I was born, everyone said I wouldn't make it past a year, and when I passed that time, they said I wouldn't make it past the age of three. A few years ago, there was a stupid charlatan who said I wouldn't make it past ten. However, I'm still alive. I killed all the bastards who spit out the wrong words. That's how I've come this far."
The still young Enosh opened his mouth with a tired expression. There was an irregular sound of breathing.
"Right here!"
"What kind of people are these...? Find them immediately."
Guards with fox masks and operational staff ran busily in all directions.
"Ugh... cough, cough..."
"Why did you come out when you weren't even feeling well!"
"Lady Lillian said she liked the refreshments sold at the bakery that only commoners eat. She said they decorate it with flowers that look like burning flames."
"... Did you come here to buy them?"
"Yes. I even put on the cape and went out, but the wind took it away for a moment, so I put it back on quickly, but it seems the rats in the sewer saw it."
"Don't you think... it would be better to be honest about your feelings?"
Enosh didn't seem to be in his denial stage.
He seemed fully aware of his feelings but didn't seem willing to reveal them.
"What do you mean?"
"What...?"
"Do you want me to love this frail body that could die someday? If I'm sincere, that young lady will fall in love with me, but if I die one day, what will happen to Lady Lillian's life?"
"... But that stalker letter..."
"Stalker? What's wrong with sending a letter like that to your fiancée?"
"Fiancée?!"
"Yes, she is my fiancée."
Ah, this must be about the famous arranged marriage.
"Lillian..."
I don't know why the name is so familiar.
Somehow, it feels like a queen ruling the underworld.
"And this year... ugh..."
As if another attack had started, he held his chest, tilted his head, and rubbed the back of his neck against the tree.
"Look, you're sick."
"I know. It's a chronic illness..."
"No! You've caught another illness! When you go home, make sure to ask Callan Etham for some insect repellent medicine!"
He held his chest and groaned for a long time before lifting his head with a blurry look.
"Callan Etham...? Isn't he the first in the Etham family's direct line? Do you know him?"
"A little."
"You're such a strange bun..."
"I'm Eiring."
"Eiring?"
He mocked me.
"It's a fitting name."
"E. I. RIN!"
As he pronounced each word clearly, Enosh began to speak weakly, as if he were about to die.
"I heard that the guy from the Etham family has a very dirty personality that doesn't even bow to this body..."
I don't think that's what you meant, but...
Seeing his pale impression made me feel uneasy. It seemed better to return quickly.
"Ugly bun, this year..."
Enosh blinked slowly.
"Maybe, I think that damned charlatan might be right."
It felt like my heart was pounding hard. Enosh laughed when I froze.
With a face contorted in pain and his pale face dripping cold sweat, I could feel his determination to somehow forget the pain.
The sick prince.
In the novel, he was only a device used to emphasize the future villains' motives and the heroine's righteousness.
There was no story that described him suffering so much, or loving a young girl.
Even I, who read the entire novel, couldn't cure this illness.
Because he died in <Adopted> and there is no cure.
"Still, if only he could get rid of the insects as soon as possible..."
Then he might be able to make it through this year.
"And if he makes it through this year...?"
The next year will be tough again.
So, why do I care so much?
Because he's destined to die anyway, because everything is predestined...
But I don't want to see him die in front of my eyes...
"Cough..., your stupid dog really... is late. Bun, he looks like you."
Did I ask him to deliver the letter for no reason?
Would it have been better to move this child first?
However, to save Duke Miriel and Enosh, the development of medicine was the most urgent.
I can't help it.
Somehow, I have to get out of here while Enosh is feeling a bit better.
I don't have to go far. Even if I go to the guards outside, they will recognize Prince Enosh and take action.
Just when I was about to get up.
Something came from behind and grabbed my wrist.
