The fall break starts today.
I sat down, in front of my desk, as I gazed at the window. The leaves of the trees slowly fell down, as the gust of wind passed by.
"Ed!" Russell called. "I know…" I mumbled, as I stood off my chair.
Today we will be going to the houses of everyone. That was the bet we made before the Royal Battle, after all.
The bet was originally like this, "We are going to the houses of those who won at the Royal Battle"
Because I won both the first and second tournament, while the others won the third tournament as first place and second place, we are going to everyone's houses.
Really, I was surprised when Reina agreed with Gino, when he first suggested this. I guess it was normal. After all, that stubborn princess can be so childish.
"Ah!" I gasped. "What's wrong?" Russell asked, as he turned to look at me. "I forgot something, so can you go on ahead me?" I told him, as I hurriedly went back.
Russell spoke, "I'll wait!" I waved at him, as I kept on running without looking back.
…
"Found ya!" I grinned, as I saw the thing I was looking for. "Ed..?" Alicia mumbled. "Why are you here? Weren't you going back with everyone?" She asked.
I asked, "Will you be going back to the Claes Manor?" She looked down, before looking back at me. "No. Father won't be there, so…" She answered.
Right… The problem within the Claes family was the thing that had changed my childhood friend.
"Why don't you go with us, then?" I asked. "Eh?" She raised her head up. "I'm sure that Altheia and Elicia would be happy to see you" I stated.
Alicia looked down, as she thought about my offer. "I'm grateful for your invitation. But, unfortunately, I have work to do, your highness" She bowed at me.
I sighed, "Okay. Then, next time" Alicia smiled.
…
"What was the thing you forgot of?" Russell asked, as I approached him, who properly waited for me.
I hummed, "Secret~"
…
I yawned, as Russell and I met up with everyone, at the entrance of the Academy.
"You two are late!" Reina complained. "It's not like we're rushing, anyway" I stated. "I will ask the two of you to fight later" Russell interrupted.
We looked at each other's eyes before averting and mumbling, "Hmph!"
I looked at the Academy's gates, while the others rode on the wagon.
It will be a brief parting with the school, huh?
I bowed at the academy.
"Thank you for the half year!" I mumbled beneath my breath. "Ed!" The others called me. "Ah, Wait!" I stated, as I quickly went to the wagon.
Russell spoke, "So we are going to the Sernathe Kingdom first"
"Yeah!" Gino nodded. "It is near the Capital, after all"
Right now, we are at the Doghanik Empire's Capital City. And we are going to go to the Sernathe Kingdom's Capital.
And I am desperately trying to stop myself from puking. Really, why did they have to pick the wagon, when we can just walk!
I saw Reina shivering, while I was doing so.
"R-reina…" I mumbled. "What?!" Reina jolted. "Reina-chan, are you nervous?" Anna asked, as she looked at the eye of her friend. "No! Of course, no!" Reina insisted.
I stood and went near the two of them.
"You don't need to act all tough, when you don't need to, Reina" I stated, as I slightly smacked her head.
She looked at me and mumbled, "Ed…"
"Ugh..!" I groaned, as I nearly puked. "Ed!" The others shouted.
After 2 hours, we finally arrived at the Sernathe Kingdom's Capital, City of Ophelia. I nearly puked at them, but Gino managed to keep me holding it in.
"Are you fine, Ed?" Gino asked, as we got off the wagon. "Yesh…" I answered. Gino and the others sighed.
I spoke, "More or less, Reina"
"What?" She asked. "Are you planning on going to the castle, while hiding behind me?" I stated, as I looked behind me, where she is.
She quickly got off my back. "Sorry…" She mumbled, before she went behind Anna. I sighed, before I went near her.
"I don't mind. If you want, I can carry you behind me" I stated, as I patted her head. "No need for that!" She shouted.
Arledimeth family, their arts allows them to change into the form of something when their certain emotion gets high.
About what form they will become depends on their certain emotions. It means that they can even turn into a dragon, like Reina.
Which is why their Arts are considered as a curse…
So they kept it a secret, until Reina had berserk and became a dragon.
Since then, the people here in the Sernathe Kingdom had feared the Arledimeths, despite them being the royal family of Sernathe Kingdom.
Surely, it is hard for Reina to go back to a place, where those other than her family is scared at her.
Well, she'll someday become the Queen of this Kingdom. After all, her sister is frail and doesn't have much time.
So, Reina needs to get used to this, even if it is hard.
We arrived at the gates of the castle. "Welcome Back, Princess Reina" The two guards bowed at her, as they opened the gate.
Reina didn't greet them and walked straightly inside.
It's really different with the relationships I have with the servants, at the Emerald Palace. If I were to come back, surely the twin guards will hug me to death.
A maid guided us to the King's throne.
"Welcome back, Reina" The king greeted, as we entered. "Oh, I see that you have others around you"
Reina looked at us.
I, as well, looked at her, before I looked at the King. Somehow, the King kinda smiled slightly, before returning to his stern face.
Was he glad that her daughter made some friends?
The King stood from his throne, as he took the heavy cape off and put his crown, on the pillow one of his servants beside had.
He walked to where we are. I was the one he approached first.
"Jewel-like blue eyes and light blonde hair…" he mumbled, as he looked at me. "Are you perhaps the Third Prince, Edward Finn von Collins?" He asked.
I nodded before bowing to him, "Yes sir, I am--"
"Ah, no need for formalities" He stated, as he interrupted my introduction. "A-alright…" I mumbled.
I am kinda surprised to see that Reina's father is kinda kind, unlike her who easily gets angry, most of the time.
The King went in front of Kirt, next. "Black hair and indigo eyes…" He mumbled. "Erio's son, huh..?"
"Kirt Yulirken, your majesty" Kirt introduced. "You have grown more like your father" The king stated. "Yes..?" Kirt mumbled.
Does he know Kirt's father?
"You are Lorenz's son, right?" The king stated, as he arrived, in front of Forth. "Yes, your majesty. My name is Forth Torthen" Forth stated.
The King patted Forth's head. "Eh..?" Forth mumbled.
Why did he do that?
The King went in front of Gino. "You look like Christophe a lot. Are you a flirt, like that guy?" He stated.
"I think I am better than my Dad as a person" Gino stated. "Legendary Knight is an exaggeration for a scum, like him" The king mumbled.
Scum..? The Legendary Knight???
Why is that I don't see any anger at Gino? Is he accepting the fact that Reina's father called his father a scum?
"How is your mother?" The king asked, as he stopped in front of Russell. "My mother? She's fine, as usual" Russell answered.
The king mumbled, "That is a good thing"
Russell's mother..?
"You aren't alike your mother, who is a bonafide beauty. But, I guess that eyes of you glimmers, more than that woman's" The king stated, as he looked at Anna's eyes.
Neraida-san, the woman called The Goddess of Music. To be called like that and to be acknowledged by this King that means that she really is a great woman…
The King went in front of Reina and looked at us, "I am Harold sen Arledimeth. Nice to meet you all"
After that, we went out of the King's throne. And is about to go to Reina's older sister's room, now.
Her Dad, King Harold seems to be familiar with our parents. Well, they are well-known people, after all.
But, his way of knowing them is closer with knowing them as friends…
We arrived at the room of Reina's sister.
Inside was her sister, who is skinny enough that it wouldn't be a surprise if her bones are all we could feel, on her body.
"This is my older sister, Erina sen Arledimeth" Reina stated. "She has been bedridden for the whole 5 years now"
5 years… So, she was in this state after that accident, up to the present.
It seems like the trauma, after being beaten up and raped by the assassins that infiltrated the castle made her sister like this.
Like how it is written on the articles about the accident, 5 years ago.
Reina told us that her sister doesn't have a year left to live. There is no way to save her sister, every healer said.
"Sorry, can you leave me alone with her, for now?" Reina asked, as she looked at her sister. I tapped the others' back, and we went out without saying anything to her.
I leaned my back over the door, after going out of the room.
No way, huh..?
That night, while everyone is sleeping, I went to Erina's room alone.
"Sorry to intrude, Erina-san" I stated, as I sat down the chair beside her bed. She slowly turned her head to look at me.
Erina can't talk anymore. Moving her head is all she can do.
"I am here to help you" I stated.
The healer said that there is no way left for Erina to live. After all, there is no cure for her sickness.
The weakening of your control to your body, which will soon lead your death… It can be inherited or get from traumatic experiences.
I think that Erina's disease is ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
This disease doesn't have any cure, even in the previous universe I was at. And many had ended their career and died because of it.
I learned after Mom died that her illness was this. The healer said that Mom become unable to breathe and died because of that.
I regretted it a lot. That fact that Mom… Liassa died.
In the previous universe, there is no cure for it. There is no way to halt the progression of the disease, as well.
But, right now I am in the world of magic. And my Element allows me to create any magic, even if it is from zero and my imagination.
That's why I created one, back then. So, that no one would die because of it anymore. So, that no one would grieve because of it, anymore.
Even so, I can't say that I can cure Erina. But, I can make the progress slower.
"People die, that's why they are perfect. A person who died, but kept on living is nothing but a distortion to this world" Elia told me that.
But, it would be fine if it is saving someone on the brink of death, right?
I took a deep breath in and out, as I placed my hands on top of Erina.
I was about to cast the magic I created, when Erina grabbed my hand. "Erina-san..?" I mumbled, as I looked at her.
"D-do…nt…do...it…" She stated. It was surely hard for her to grab my hand, but she managed to talk, as well.
I stated, "But I can save you if I do so!"
She slowly pointed out to the desk near her bed. "D-dra…wer…" she mumbled. "Drawer..?" I mumbled, to confirm her words.
I went to the desk and opened the drawer.
There was two letters, one with a red envelope and one with a blue envelope. The red one had "To Reina" written on it, while the blue one had "To You" written on it.
I looked at Erina and she slowly nodded at me, as if she was telling me to read the blue one. I opened the envelope and read the letter, inside the blue envelope.
"Whoever you are, I hope that you are someone who can take care of my little sister for me. I don't have any more time left.
Surely, by the time you're reading this. I am not able to write anymore. That's why I am doing my best right now to ask of you…
Take care of my little sister, on my behalf. And give her the one with the red envelope. I ask of you… -Erina"
I sobbed as I mumbled, "Erina-san. You're having the wrong person read this…"
"You should have…" I stated, as I slowly looked at Erina. She had her eyes closed. I went near to check her.
I placed my right hand near her nose. She wasn't breathing, at all. "Erina-san..?" I mumbled, as sweat dripped down my forehead.
The next day, Erina-san was buried beside her Mother's grave.
King Harold didn't attend her funeral. Perhaps, he didn't want to have her daughter who finally became free from her struggles see him cry.
The funeral ended, but we remained in front of Erina's grave. Reina cried quietly, so that we can't hear her.
"Reina…" I spoke. She looked at me, as she sobbed. "Here. Erina-san told me to give this to you. Please read it for her" I stated, as I gave her the red envelope.
She opened it and started reading the letter.
Soon, Reina's quiet cries become louder and louder. It was as loud as a baby's wail.
I should have casted the magic on her, even if she refused. I should have insisted! Why…why did I..?
I clenched my fists.
But… doing so, will be tarnishing her feelings, her determination. I wouldn't want to hurt someone who is ready to leave this world.
I loosened my fists.
Later in the afternoon, we were stacking our bags at the wagon. We are about to go the next kingdom.
Anna looked around. "Are you looking for Reina?" Gino asked. Anna nodded. "I wonder if she will come. Maybe she is at Erina-san's room, right now" Gino stated.
"Oi! You guys!" A familiar called us from behind.
Anna spoke, "Reina-chan?"
Reina sprinted to where we were, with her bag on hand. "Are you all planning to leave me?" She asked, as she panted.
I spoke, "About to". "That's rude, you know" Reina said.
"Reina-chan, are you alright?" Anna asked her, with a worried face. Reina smiled. "No" She stated. "Eh?" Anna mumbled.
"But, I am going" Reina stated. "I don't have any intention to stay at the same place, while all of you are moving forward"
She went near me. "You told me to stop running or else, I will be left alone waiting for those who can't follow me, anymore"
"I did…" I mumbled.
Reina smiled. "I don't have any intentions to run away nor stop anymore, Ed. I have decided that I will live on for the sake of those who can't" She stated, as she rode on the wagon.
I grinned.
"Fine with me..!" I stated, as I followed her.