Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051601476634937
The setting sun streams into the treatment room.
“…Hmm.”
I slowly open my eyes.
How long had I been asleep?
The exhaustion from staying on the move without a single moment’s sleep since yesterday finally seemed to have left my body.
“…I slept well.”
Just as I was about to sit up—
I felt a soft weight on my right arm.
“…Huh?”
I turned my gaze toward it.
“…Serena?”
There,
was Serena, sleeping as if leaning against my arm.
Her gentle breathing.
Her peaceful sleeping face.
And,
my right hand was gently cradled by Serena’s two hands.
“…What’s going on here?”
I muttered under my breath without thinking.
I was sure we’d gone to sleep separately on the patient beds in the treatment room.
And yet.
When I woke up, Serena was sleeping right next to me.
“Well…”
“I guess I must have been pretty exhausted.”
It would be mean to wake her up.
Thinking that, I decided to just wait for Serena to wake up on her own.
That’s when it happened.
“…Hmm?”
Serena slowly opened her eyes.
She looked at me dazedly.
“Alt…-san?”
A few seconds.
Silence hung in the air.
And then.
She realized she was leaning against me and even holding my hand.
“…………”
“…………Huh?”
Her cheeks turned bright red in an instant.
“Eek!?”
She hurriedly pulled away.
“I-I’m sorry!”
“I-I, um…!”
“I just fell asleep like that yesterday…!”
I gave a wry smile.
“Don’t worry about it. You were pretty exhausted, after all.”
“But…”
“I really don’t mind.”
Serena lowered her head slightly.
For some reason, she seemed a little relieved.
And yet, there was a hint of loneliness in her expression.
“What time is it now?”
I looked out the window.
The treatment room was bathed in the red glow of the setting sun.
“…Evening, I guess.”
“I guess I slept that long.”
“Neither of us had slept a wink since yesterday.”
Serena, her cheeks still slightly flushed, gave a gentle smile.
“I suppose that’s true.”
We exchanged glances and chuckled softly.
◇
As we stepped out of the treatment room, the party members all rushed toward us at once.
“Alt san!”
“Lady Serena!”
“You’re awake!”
“Yes.”
“What about the girl?”
When I asked, one of the guild members nodded happily.
“She’s already back to normal!”
“She ate lunch, and she was even laughing just a moment ago!”
“I see.”
The weight that had been settling deep in my chest lifted just a little.
She really had been saved.
I could finally feel it for real.
“I’m so glad.”
Serena smiled, looking relieved as well.
Just then.
One of the guild members hurried over.
“Lady Serena!”
“We have a visitor!”
“A visitor?”
Serena tilted her head slightly.
“Was anyone supposed to come today?”
“No.”
I shook my head as well.
“I don’t think so.”
“In that case, I’ll show you out.”
Led by the guild member, we headed outside the guild.
◇
Once outside, we saw a carriage parked there.
Standing beside it.
A woman stood quietly.
She had long, lustrous black hair that swayed gently.
Translucent white skin.
Piercing purple eyes.
Well-defined features that exuded intelligence.
And.
An expression that seemed somewhat exasperated.
“…Lilia.”
I called her name.
Lilia snorted softly.
“You’re finally awake.”
“I’m glad I came to pick you up.”
“Pick me up?”
As I tilted my head in confusion,
Lilia let out an exasperated sigh.
“Today’s the day you promised to start working at my guild, right?”
“And yet, no matter how long I waited, you didn’t show up. You really haven’t changed a bit.”
Her tone was exasperated.
But.
Those violet eyes seemed, in a way, relieved.
“Sorry about that.”
As I scratched my head,
Lilia shrugged slightly.
“I heard the story from the other guild members.”
“Apparently, you went to Tsukikage Forest at night to gather Moonflowers to help a sick girl.”
“That’s right.”
“So I’m not mad at you.”
She paused for a moment.
“But.”
“Next time, at least let me know where you’re going.”
“Think about how it feels for those of us waiting for you.”
I gave a wry smile.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been thinking about it.”
Lilia stared intently at me.
A few seconds later.
She let out a soft sigh.
“…With that look on your face, it really does seem like you’re sorry.”
“I’ll let you off this time.”
“But there won’t be a next time.”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Serena, who had been watching our exchange, gave a small smile.
“Lilia.”
“Please take good care of Alt.”
Lilia nodded quietly.
“Yes.”
“Leave it to me.”
It was a brief reply.
But there was confidence in her voice.
“Well then, I’m off.”
“Yeah.”
I turned back to Serena.
“Thanks for everything.”
“I’m so glad the girl was saved, too.”
Serena smiled gently, as she always did.
“Yes.”
“And thank you for your hard work, Alt.”
“Please come visit us again.”
“Yeah.”
“Of course.”
The guild members waved back with smiles.
“Alt san!”
“Please come back!”
“Take your time next time!”
“You promise!”
I waved back with a smile.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be back.”
I climbed into the carriage.
The carriage began to move slowly.
I looked out the window.
Serena and the other guild members were waving me off.
I waved back one last time.
Soon.
The carriage turned the corner.
It disappeared from view.
◇
In front of the guild, which had fallen silent.
The guild members went back to their respective tasks.
Among them.
Only Serena remained standing there.
She kept her gaze fixed on the path
where Alt had departed.
“Lady Serena?”
A guild member called out to her.
As if snapped back to reality by the voice, she smiled.
“…I’m fine.”
“I was just seeing him off for a little while.”
She replied.
But.
That smile looked somehow lonely.
A gaping hole deep within her heart.
It had only been a month and a half.
And yet.
Just having the person who was by her side every day gone made everything feel so quiet.
“We’ll… see each other again, won’t we?”
She murmured so softly that no one could hear her.
The setting sun
gently illuminated Serena’s lonely profile.
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