C 162
"..."
"Hello?"
We safely emerged from the forest. Now that I had obtained what I wanted, I planned to simply greet the king and leave immediately.
If it weren't for the man sitting calmly beside the king.
"Why are you here...?"
"You said Chur? I ate it all."
All of that?
Countless amounts of cat food came to mind. It took us a whole day to get out of the forest to this point, with only a nap in between.
It wasn't enough to eat in just one day.
"Hmm, it was something new."
The king sitting next to him nodded.
I looked at them, nodding with a solemn face, and then slowly lowered my gaze.
There were traces of having eaten something on the plate in front of them, and it looked like there was Chur or cat food.
And that too, in an elegant manner, scooped up with a spoon.
"I don't know."
I couldn't help but laugh when I thought of eating cat food with a spoon while sitting in this beautiful and luxurious place.
"But I think this red tastes better than any other color."
He said, pouring the pile of Chur onto the table.
Seeing this, I felt that he really had eaten all the cat food I gave him.
I was speechless.
"Where does this come from?"
The king asked with a serious expression.
I couldn't answer that it was from Korea, so I hesitated and awkwardly smiled, and he nodded.
"That's right, you can't easily say things like this. But it's something dangerous. Just by smelling it, you can hypnotize people like this."
When I smelled it, there was nothing more than a strange fishy smell.
The snow leopard, with a snack in its mouth, chewed on the bag and laughed.
"So I'll follow you."
"What?"
"I'll help you with that crazy witch. In return, you provide me with Chur."
Can't I do anything I want with magic?
"I'll give it to you, so you can copy it..."
"Oh, that's impossible."
The snow leopard waved his hand.
"Why?"
"Magic is not my specialty, so I tried to clone it, but I didn't like it very much."
He shook his head like a man who had already tried all kinds of methods.
"I wish this product could be exported to our kingdom too. I'd pay the price without regrets."
"No..."
I pursed my lips, scratched my cheek, and then tilted my head.
"Is this an opportunity to make money?"
Indeed, it cost nothing since it was something created solely from imagination. Just a little bit of magic needed to be used.
"This is a bit..."
It bothers my conscience, but it's true that you can't taste it anywhere else.
"I'll go back first and discuss it with my father."
"Well, I really hope to hear good news. You can consider it."
The king rubbed his chin and stood up. The snow leopard also bounced its body like a spring and jumped.
"If you're going to go back right now, we'll prepare the ship."
"Thank you."
"Am I going too?"
"That..."
There's no justification to refuse, and it's tricky to persuade. The house isn't small, so it shouldn't be difficult.
"Follow your heart."
"I assure you I'll definitely be of help. I'll defeat that witch as many times as I can."
Upon hearing those confident words, I smiled awkwardly and lowered my head.
And so we went straight home.
* * *
"I will take this to the lord of the magic tower and get the blue iron."
"Yes, thank you."
I nodded slightly and looked at Richard, who was smiling. Throughout the time we spent together, Richard was sweeter than anyone else.
He was sweet and kind and did his best for me. I felt uneasy and regretful all the time I saw him.
I felt like I carried a lot of guilt. Perhaps this is the idea of sorrow.
We, him and I, probably can't be related in the way he thinks.
"Richard."
"Yes?"
Richard, who was about to use magic, reacted quickly like a rabbit to my words.
"I'm sorry."
I said what I was thinking. There was a snow leopard sniffing around, but fortunately, it seemed to know how to read the mood and didn't say anything silly.
Upon hearing what I said, Richard's eyes filled with bewilderment and then widened.
"Eirin, I..."
"Of course, you could respond to this very slowly. As you wish."
I quickly added. Richard's lips, which had been open, were tightly closed.
"You're sweet and kind, but I... I've never seen you with those eyes. You're my first precious friend."
When I was young, I came back safely because Richard saved me. I was able to survive without dying thanks to that kindness.
"I like you, but..."
I bit my lip hard and then spoke slowly.
"I don't feel the same love as you."
I leaned back slowly. He tilted his head.
"Thank you for liking me, I always... wanted to hear this from someone. It was new to me."
Perhaps it was Richard who first gave me true affection, not my father or anyone else.
"But I'm sorry. I... I can't feel the same way as you."
"..."
I didn't have the courage to look at Richard's face, so I lowered my head and spoke.
Then Richard slowly distorted his face.
"No matter what?"
"... Yes."
"... I see."
Richard's voice as he recited it sounded slightly moist.
"It's okay, thank you for answering."
The voice was very subdued, as if he was biting his lip or holding back tears that were about to burst.
"I'm sorry I caused you trouble."
"..."
While barely responding with a choked voice, a small laugh came from above.
It was a very small and scattered sound, like the sound of the wind drifting away.
"I'll send the blue iron."
"Yes."
"It's going to be difficult to see you for a while..."
Richard said.
"Can you give me some time? I'll pass the iron through someone else."
"Sure, take all the time you need or want."
"... Okay, then I'll go."
Tap, tap.
A round liquid spread across the floor, leaving a trail. I looked at it in confusion and quickly raised my head.
However, Richard was already gone. All that remained were traces of tears that he had obviously shed.
"Can we continue to be friends...?"
With a delay, I opened my lips and asked the question I couldn't ask earlier.
Of course, there was no answer. I expected it from the moment I thought about the rejection.
I know. I was thinking the same thing. That we won't be able to contact each other. I wish I had done it earlier to make sure.
"Wow, you're a pretty nice woman to make men cry."
Only after Richard disappeared, the snow leopard slightly opened its mouth.
I looked at it with a annoyed expression and then turned around. I felt very uncomfortable.
"Let's... go back."
Before I knew it, I was getting into the carriage that had come to pick me up and leaving.
The mark remained in place for a long time, but soon disappeared in an instant due to the wind.
After returning to the mansion, I asked the staff to show me a room for the snow leopard and immediately locked myself in the room.
<- Fresh green and white radishes grown with a soil acidity of 5.6-5.8. Harvested at 6 in the morning, shortly after the morning dew, 500.
1 ton of blue iron from Tian Maple.
Verdant mirror.
Immature and overripe fruits of Pure White Grand Purse.
Dragon Orb.
Tears of the snow leopard living in the red mine.>
Among them, it seemed that the greenhouse needed attention again.
None of the green and white radishes grew properly.
Even if they had grown well in the first place, it would have been a breach of contract if I hadn't cultivated them with my own hands, so I would have to plant them again.
What remained was the Verdant mirror and the Grand Purse fruit.
I felt like I would have to ask Enosh for the Grand Purse fruit, and for the Verdant mirror, I would have to talk to Lucilion anyway.
How can I make the Grand Purse bear fruit again?
There were more than a few things to think about.
"It's really difficult."
I lay down on the bed and thought.
"Let's get some sleep...."
It was probably due to fatigue. I felt depressed and had many things to do.
"Let's go to Lucilion tomorrow."
Yes, then.
"Now that I think about it, it seems that Lucilion has always come to me, but I never went to him first."
As I thought about this and that, my eyes began to cloud for no reason at all. I didn't resist closing my eyelids.
I closed my eyes slowly, and darkness finally came. I quickly fell into a deep sleep.
