Chapter 20
Shuri knew my schedule almost perfectly. That’s why it was always a struggle to avoid her.
“Kiel oppa!”
Right. It’s swordsmanship training time. Of course, I couldn’t skip class, so I went to the training ground, and Shuri—who knew my schedule inside out—followed me there.
“This will be over in a minute.” As soon as I sensed the class was about to end, I prepared to dash in the exact opposite direction from Shuri.
“…Gongja, this might sound rude, but do you know how many days Miss Clamback has been coming to see you?”
“I’ll go see.”
I didn’t even feel like responding properly and immediately climbed a nearby tree to hide, watching Shuri. Luckily, even today, she couldn’t keep up with my speed and was scurrying along with her short, cute little legs.
Cute. I frowned at the thought that popped up again.
After hiding from her for about an hour, Lucain came looking for me. The place I had been resting while avoiding Shuri was known only to Lucain and me. I didn’t like the fact that he knew about it.
“Hey, you idiot! If you like her, you shouldn’t be avoiding her! Your legs are going to get tired from all this running!”
“I’ve told you several times that I don’t like her. Also, I left a note and some medicine on her desk telling her not to chase me.”
Lucain muttered in dismay, claiming it was too meticulous, then loudly made a fuss.
“No! Don’t leave it on her desk! Give it to her directly! You’re avoiding her, so why are you giving her medicine and notes?”
I gave him a blank look.
Honestly, I didn’t even know if this counted as “liking her.” But I didn’t want to see Shuri struggle. I thought I didn’t like her, yet it felt as if even my deepest thoughts—and maybe these little worries—were being exposed, making it impossible to meet her gaze.
I could understand Lucain’s frustration. If Shuri had avoided me, he would have tried to confront me in the same way to ask why, probably in a bad mood.
“…Could it be that you’re avoiding her out of embarrassment?”
“…No.”
I answered half a beat late, and Lucain wiped the stunned expression from his face and burst out laughing. Seeing his expression, I felt I could almost hear his thoughts: “That guy… embarrassed?”
Even though I said no, why would he come to that conclusion? I gave him a bewildered look, and he wiped the corner of his eyes, feigning tears, then spoke.
“Seriously. Shuri’s amazing. How can someone colder and more indifferent than an ice block get embarrassed? Should I tell His Majesty the Emperor to give her a special title or something?”
Lucain leaned back and chuckled loudly.
I smacked the back of his head and walked away. If he tried sneaking up on me again, I’d make sure to have him thrown into the security office this time.
A few days passed from that day. One evening, my mother came into my room and announced, “Kiel, we’re leaving for the South tomorrow. No exceptions.” I couldn’t argue and had to pack that evening.
The next morning, my mother had me, Shuri, and Ventus all ride together in a carriage. Nothing special happened during the ride—aside from my constantly glancing at Shuri and a slight verbal spat with Ventus.
“Now, get off… Oh. Kiel, don’t wake Shuri. Carry her to the room. She’s holding your hand tightly.”
“Yes.”
I immediately picked Shuri up. It was a bit hard since she was holding my hand firmly, but I managed to carry her.
Warmth spread through my body as I held her. Ventus scowled at me, clearly displeased. I couldn’t help but smirk as I passed him by.
Hah. I couldn’t believe I was acting like this…
It was my first time doing something so childish, and I felt self-conscious.
Is this what it means to like someone? To feel childish, focused entirely on her, unable to even meet her gaze, and become cowardly? The feelings I had for Lotte were similar yet distinctly different from what I felt for Shuri.
Even today, I couldn’t define these emotions.
Perhaps I was just refusing to face them.
We arrived late in the evening, so we each went to our own rooms to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, the sun was shining brightly. After getting ready and looking briefly at the scenery outside, we went straight to the nearby sea.
As I looked at Shuri smiling widely, our eyes met. My heart raced, and I quickly turned my gaze away.
We stopped by the mansion again before going to our current location in the South. After getting off the carriage, I habitually looked for Shuri, but she wasn’t there.
I told my mother and went straight to find her. Somewhere nearby, I heard singing and piano playing. Maybe she was there. I pushed through the crowd.
“Shu…”
I couldn’t continue. Shuri had a vacant expression yet looked longingly at me.
Somehow… it felt like if I didn’t grab her now, she might disappear. I was slightly pushed back by the crowd, but I managed to grab her wrist and pull her toward me.
“Ventus?”
“Where do you think you’re wandering around like that! Be careful!”
I said sharply without realizing it.
I felt worried about her. I hadn’t intended to sound annoyed, but somehow, when I was with her, my actions often preceded my thoughts.
“Sorry, oppa… I didn’t mean to…”
Seeing her unusually downcast expression, I also felt gloomy. Damn it.
“…I know.”
I was also sorry. My voice got quieter as I went on.
Shuri, seemingly not hearing my trailing words, held my hand tightly and followed me. I quickened my pace toward the restaurant my mother had rented.
Once we arrived, Shuri, who had been sulking from worrying us, brightened immediately when the food arrived. It was amusing and cute how her expression lit up the moment she took a bite.
Could someone’s face really change that much, moment by moment? It was enough to make anyone watching feel happy.
“Now, shall we go see the festival?”
My mother asked kindly. Shuri immediately ran off after putting on a location-tracking bracelet and hearing the rules. Ventus ran after her, and Lotte followed behind him, with me bringing up the rear.
The line of them was quite amusing. Maybe… a little chaos isn’t so bad.
Watching the three of them laugh, I maintained some distance. Our eyes met briefly again, and I looked away once more.
Damn it. This habit of mine.
Then Ventus pointed somewhere, and Shuri’s eyes lit up. Following his finger, we saw a shooting range.
In the time it took to glance at the range, Shuri disappeared. Ventus suddenly had her sword on his back while picking up trash.
…Why is she picking up trash all of a sudden?
“Oppa! Shuri’s gone! Huh, why is she picking up trash?”
Lotte thought the same thing.
Why is she…? Lotte and I looked at each other, realizing we were thinking the same thing.
We were about to ask where Shuri had gone.
“Ventus! Where’s Shuri?”
“How should I know? And even if I did, there’s no reason I’d tell you! You insignificant things…”
Ventus said coldly. Lotte flinched but then boldly planted her hands on her hips and spoke.
“You can’t be picking up trash without knowing where Shuri is! And no reason to tell us? I’m her friend! Her best friend!”
“Enough nonsense… You really think you’re Shuri’s closest friend? Don’t make me laugh.”
“I’m not joking! Where’s Shuri? Tell me right now! Give me Shuri!”
Lotte grabbed Ventus with both hands and shook him.
For the first time, I felt like I was seeing my sister’s true self.
“Hah. Seriously… I don’t like this sword or this human. Hey, that girl shooting over there—she’s Shuri. Leave her alone.”
Lotte and I turned our heads simultaneously. Despite hitting multiple times, the last shot hit the center again. That’s Shuri?
“Ah, sounds like someone’s slaughtering pigs somewhere.”
The girl Ventus pointed to—Shuri—spoke coldly and fired her last shot, piercing the target.
I was so shocked that I forgot what I was about to say. I didn’t want to know this, but I understood the feeling of having one’s eyes, nose, and mouth fully expanded.
“Wow! Shuri is amazing! Whoa… incredible! So cool…”
I nodded in agreement with Lotte. Shuri collected her prize, whispered something to the merchant, and the merchant went pale.
After the event, Shuri moved unnoticed through the alley, returning to her familiar self.
Seeing her, Lotte kept nodding rapidly, calling her amazing, while Shuri looked at Ventus, her expression shifting from embarrassment to slight regret.
“Shuri, Shuri!”
“Huh? Um? What’s wrong, Lotte?”
“Shuri, are you a magician? You said magicians are rare, but this is incredible!”
Lotte’s eyes sparkled as she asked.
It was amazing as she said, but also suspicious. Magicians weren’t common in the empire, and she was freely using magic at eight years old.
I was already worried about Shuri talking with Ventus, and now I had even more to worry about. Sigh. As I ran my fingers through my hair, lost in thought, a voice called out beside me.
“…Did you know? Ghosts appear at the cold Emerald Sea at night. You can see a cave near the dock, and they say there’s a buzzing sound from there!”
Ghosts? Intrigued, I listened. I wasn’t the only one interested; Lotte and Ventus also turned their attention to where the passerby had indicated.
Shuri seemed to hope it was just a dream, but since Lotte and Ventus insisted, she gave in. We went, but saw no ghosts.
Watching the gently rippling sea and sand, I called the frightened Shuri and held her hand. But soon, we let go.
Ventus and Lotte had started arguing over whether the ghost existed. I waited, thinking it would stop, but soon they were hitting each other—with their hands—in the open area.
I let go to intervene, and as I tried, I heard a buzzing sound. Turning, I saw Shuri stepping backward, disappearing downward.
“Shuri!”
I instantly wanted to dive into the sea. But Shuri seemed scared of water. Her terrified expression mattered more to me than my own safety.
In an instant, my priorities shifted. The one who had always been number one in my mind was now below. I heard something collapse.
My dive attempt was stopped by Ventus, who used magic to lift Shuri.
Although only a few minutes had passed, Shuri’s body had become cold. Holding her tightly to warm her, my parents appeared from behind.
“What’s going on!”
My mother immediately carried Shuri inside and called a physician. The physician and clerics, arriving at night, explained it was probably from shock due to the cold water.
“…Strange. Interestingly, when using holy power, everything draws out smoothly. If it’s difficult even for me, a senior cleric…”
Everyone was puzzled at the cleric’s statement that she would soon wake up. Ventus looked puzzled too.
You… ha, what exactly are you hiding? Wake up already.
Even if Shuri didn’t wake, a day passed. I realized, belatedly, that she had entered my life. Without her nearby, I often felt an emptiness.
Four long days passed since she collapsed.
I tried to open the door to check on her after four full days of visiting without fail, but it wouldn’t open.
“What the…!”
It would open for the cleric, but not for me. Something seemed to block me.
I tried climbing through the window, trying to slip in alongside the cleric—every attempt failed. Eventually, I asked the cleric about her condition and was told she was fine.
I took solace in that.
After all, I could see her face when she woke up, right?
Another four days passed. As expected, I still couldn’t enter that room once. Then the next day, the door that had been locked finally opened.
“Huh?”
Inside was a note and an empty bed. The note briefly said she had left with Ventus.
No wonder I hadn’t seen Ventus. A twisted smile slipped through my teeth. I felt an unmistakable emptiness and void.
Only after she completely disappeared before my eyes did I admit it.
I like Shuri, and I can’t let her go.
From that day on, the chase—with the roles of hunter and hunted reversed—began again.
