Chapter 178 - <2>
Taking Franz's budget into consideration, they found a cheap inn, dropped off their luggage, and, at Ritz's suggestion that they eat the local food of the city rather than the inn's dinner, the group was now walking through a back alley.
The dirt road, while not paved with stone, was comfortably maintained and had likely been trodden down over many years, making for a pleasant walk.
According to Ritz, in large cities, the shops facing the main streets were often expensive with mediocre food, while the back alleys were a mix of cheap and delicious places and cheap but terrible ones. Discerning the difference was apparently Ritz's specialty. Edward also acknowledged this, so they would likely find a cheap and delicious place.
But even though it was a back alley, it wasn't a dark place where not a soul passed by. A different kind of liveliness, one not found on the main streets, filled the alleys. It was just that there were significantly fewer tourists, women, and children.
They had arrived in the city of Suien in the early afternoon, but by the time they found an inn and took a short break, the sun had long set and the area was completely dark. Red flames flickered in the stone lamps that stood here and there throughout the city.
"What a strange city. The lamps are made of stone."
Lately, feeling somewhat guilty when she was silent, Anna had been making a conscious effort to say whatever came to mind. Of course, she didn't voice her emotions as she used to, but questions and curiosities were useful at times like these.
For Anna, who was born and raised in a small village, the world was always full of things she wanted to know and things she found mysterious. Recently, she had come to appreciate her upbringing a little. When she murmured like this, an answer always came back in the voice she most wanted to hear.
"Those are stone lanterns. They're enclosed on three sides, so the wind rarely blows them out, and more importantly, they're perfect for fire prevention."
"Fire prevention?"
"Yeah. As you can see, this city would burn well if a fire broke out. That's why all the lights in the city are like this."
"I see..."
"Yeah."
As Ritz explained with a cheerful face, Tarnien, including this city where most buildings were primarily made of wood, was extremely dangerous if a fire broke out. Just as you'd expect from a country whose main trade good was lumber, the city was overflowing with wooden structures.
The buildings in this city were fundamentally different from the ones Anna knew.
Most of the numerous cities they had passed through had uniform stone-built houses. In larger cities, there were many stately, multi-story buildings of similar shape, predominantlyシック buildings that used the natural color of the stone.
But in this city, all the buildings were jumbled and gave no sense of unity. The colors of the houses lined up next to each other might be complete opposites, the shapes and colors of the doors would change, and even the way the wall planks were laid would differ. The houses were brightly colored, and some wooden walls were painted in primary colors like red and yellow.
Most of these colorful houses had triangular roofs with something like overlapping tree bark attached at the top. This was apparently a unique design in this country with its long winters to keep the snow off.
Most of these buildings, regardless of their height, were packed tightly together, making the city a labyrinth of intertwined and closely connected houses.
"Just imagine if a fire broke out in the back of a narrow alley. It'd spread in an instant."
"Wow... that's scary."
"It is. But fortunately, this country is under the protection of water, so the power of fire is incredibly weak here. And luckily, there are plenty of water spirit users."
"Really?"
"Of course. This is the country of the Soukai Clan, who worship the water spirits."
"Oh, right."
"That's right. So even if Franz goes berserk, there won't be much damage—hey, what was that for, Franz?"
Suddenly hit from behind, Ritz rubbed his head with exaggerated gestures and looked back to see Franz's thoroughly displeased face.
"Why would I go berserk?"
"It was a joke."
"I don't like that joke."
Anna couldn't help but chuckle at Franz, who, as usual, couldn't take a joke. Franz, having gone berserk before, still got genuinely angry when it was made into a joke.
"Alright, alright."
Watching Ritz brush off Franz with a laugh, a flicker of her adoptive father's image crossed her mind. He was just like Anton, brushing off the selfish whims of a disobedient child from the orphanage. The two of them, Anton and Ritz, who were nothing alike, sometimes exuded a similar atmosphere.
Anna didn't know why she felt that way. Was it because she still saw Ritz as a father figure, a guardian? If so, it would be a relief compared to her current state. If she could see Ritz as family, she wouldn't have to feel so pained.
Was her momentary struggle, wondering if her love was familial love, only because it was the easier path? What if the feelings she had for Ritz were truly just familial love, and she was only convincing herself it was romantic love out of jealousy, knowing he liked someone else? What would she do then? How did everyone else become so certain that this feeling was clearly love?
Was it because Anna, who didn't understand, was too childish? If so, there was no way her heart could ever connect with Ritz's. Feeling a little lonely, Anna once again looked around the city.
Even in the back alley, the colorful walls remained. But it was different from the main street. The slightly gloomy impression it gave—was it because it was night? Or was it just Anna's imagination?
During the day, illuminated by the sunlight, the colorful and beautiful houses, like toys, had given a bright impression. But at night, the scene was completely transformed. The colorful city, illuminated by stone lanterns, was mysteriously enchanting and exuded a somewhat glamorous atmosphere. In a word, it felt like an adult world that Anna had no connection to.
She suddenly noticed Ritz and glanced at him. An adult with no connection to Anna. Just like the current Ritz. Elusive and out of reach. Even though he had been so close. If she let her guard down for a moment, she would remember Ritz's arms. When she remembered, she couldn't bear the urge to be held by him. But she knew she shouldn't be.
This is painful, Anna sighed, not letting the words escape her lips.
"Anna."
Edward tapped her on the shoulder, bringing her back to her senses. When she looked up, Ritz and Franz were walking a little ahead. It seemed she had stopped walking.
"Are you all right?"
Anna smiled back at Edward, who was kindly showing his concern. Even a forced cheerfulness was the best effort Anna could make right now.
"I'm fine~. I wonder what we'll get to eat. I'm looking forward to it, Ed-san!"
Even though a part of her heart felt cold, her mouth effortlessly spun such words. Over the past few months, she had grown completely accustomed to this version of herself that wasn't like her at all.
But Edward looked back at Anna with eyes that seemed to see right through her. Gentle and warm, yet with a hint of severity hidden within them, she couldn't meet his gaze and involuntarily looked away. For some reason, Edward's gaze had an atmosphere that didn't allow for deceit.
But perhaps it was just that Anna felt that way because she knew she wasn't truly smiling, and that the real Edward was simply worried.
Her adoptive father once told her when she was a child, "The eyes of the person you're talking to are a mirror. If you're feeling anxious, you'll feel anxious that there's something in their gaze as well." Perhaps this situation was just like that.
Edward gently patted the shoulder of Anna, who had somehow managed to suppress the slight twitch in her smile.
"Voicing that what's painful is painful, and what's difficult is difficult, may also be a form of courage."
Edward was always telling her to confront Ritz head-on. Anna actually thought so too, but she couldn't do that right now. Because she had found out that Ritz, the person she held most dear and loved the most, had someone he liked and was out of her reach.
She could live in the same era and time as Ritz, and they could support each other. That's because they shared the same long lifespan. Even if their paths diverged, as long as they were living in the same flow of time, they could meet on the path again and again and travel together. Ritz, who was now her partner and guardian, probably wished for her to live with him like that too.
But living in the same era and time was different from walking the same life path together. Now that she realized that confusing the two was her own immaturity, if she confronted him head-on, she was afraid she would say something selfish and presumptuous like, Don't look at anyone else, just look at me.
Even though she herself was still hesitant in her own heart.
Things were awkward now, but she was trying to become more normal, to go back to being partners again. If she could do that, maybe they could share time together, so she was making an effort to be calm for now.
"...Hehe. I'm fine."
"Don't push yourself."
"I won't."
Edward had probably seen through Anna's efforts long ago. But the fact that he said nothing about it and just watched over her made her happy and very grateful.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes."
Prompted, she started walking and caught up with Ritz, who had slowed his pace upon noticing the two of them behind. Without looking back, Ritz returned to his normal pace and teased Franz. Her chest ached a little at Ritz's consideration, even though he pretended not to care.
Ritz must be completely fed up with me, she thought, for changing my attitude so completely over a misunderstanding. On top of that, unable to even calm her confused heart, she had pushed away Ritz, who had kept bowing his head in Tashkur.
She had finally regained some control over her heart, but she still couldn't say anything other than small talk, because she was afraid she would unleash her still-confused emotions on Ritz.
They walked through the night city in a somewhat silent mood. It was fortunate that it wasn't an awkward silence, thanks to the bustle of the city and Ritz being busy scanning his surroundings for a place to eat.
After passing through the main street and entering another back alley, they saw a man violently banging on a closed door.
"Please open up! I'm begging you!"
Even in the flickering light, his desperate expression was clear. The building with the door the man was banging on seemed to be the back entrance of a large restaurant facing the main street.
"Please! Let me talk to you!"
As he banged on the door furiously with both hands, it was thrown open, and the light from inside spilled out onto the main street. A large man emerged from it. The large man threw the water from the bucket he was holding at the other man, and shouted at the drenched man.
"Shut up! We've got no business with you! Go home!"
"I have business with you!"
Though soaked, the man clung to the large man. The man with the rare, shining vermilion hair and white skin was grappling with the large man who looked like a typical Tarnien native. Although the man was taller, the large man had the advantage in terms of physique, and it looked as though the man was about to be thrown off.
It was a rather troublesome scene, the likes of which she hadn't seen in a while. Just as she was thinking they should help, Ritz muttered cheerfully.
"Ooh, a hint of trouble."
Franz's face twisted into a deep scowl.
"You're planning to stick your nose in it again, aren't you?"
"Don't make it sound so bad. It's more like, 'I might get involved if it comes to it,' you know?"
"...You don't have to get involved."
Unable to help herself, she interjected in their exchange.
"But, but, if they're in trouble, we should help them..."
At that, Ritz and Franz turned around simultaneously, with completely opposite expressions. While Franz, who was clearly in a bad mood, naturally glared at her, Ritz grinned at Anna with a triumphant expression.
"Right?"
It was the expression of a child who had thought of a prank, yet also that of a mischievous villain. Involuntarily, she nodded cheerfully, just as she always had.
"Yeah!"
"That's my Anna, you get it."
Ritz cheerfully gave Anna a light pat on the head. The familiar feeling of his large hand made a smile spread across her face. Just this small thing made her so happy.
"Alright then, guess I'll go help out."
Edward let out a sigh with an exasperated tone as Ritz, looking somewhat cheerful, swung his arms.
"You never change, do you?"
"Sorry 'bout that. You like a good commotion too, don't you?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I strive for tranquility at all times."
"Cut the crap."
As Ritz took a step toward the commotion, cheerfully trading lighthearted insults with Edward, a woman appeared from ahead in their direction, her high-heeled shoes clicking as she strode forward.
The woman, who appeared to be in her late thirties or forties, had long black hair that fluttered in the cool night breeze as she strode purposefully toward them.
She wore a sleeveless black dress, with a lace-like shawl woven from fine silver thread draped over her shoulders. Her lips were as red as a crimson rose, a striking contrast against her skin, which was likely fair for a yellow-skinned Tarnien native. And her sharp, black eyes were fixed straight ahead, without a hint of hesitation, on the two men brawling at the restaurant entrance.
"Wow... she's beautiful..."
She was the very image of the adult woman Anna envisioned, and the words slipped out involuntarily. Without so much as a glance in Anna's direction, the woman walked straight up to the men.
"Stop it, Luan."
With a sharp clack, the woman stopped, her high heels clicking loudly on the ground, and stared down the two men.
"! Madam!"
"Don't make a scene. You don't chase after those who leave."
"But Madam, he's a chef we worked so hard to train!"
"Ah, so he was. But I've no use for a rotten-to-the-core man who'd just up and leave without even following proper procedure."
The woman, addressed as Madam, smiled serenely with her arms crossed. Her sharp, gleaming eyes were fixed on the large man who had thrown water on the man called Luan.
Though tall for a woman, her body, which was considerably smaller than the large man standing before her, was filled with an indescribable sense of intimidation. The large man seemed to be at a loss for words in the face of her presence.
Snorting at the large man as if he were uninteresting, the woman spun on her heel.
"I've wasted my time on such a worthless person. Come on, we're going home."
The large man's eyebrows shot up at her dismissive tone and insult.
"Hold on. That's a fine way to talk, calling me worthless, you arrogant woman."
"You're right, that was quite a greeting. Calling you worthless was a waste of breath, you low-life."
The large man, who for a moment didn't seem to understand the words that came from the smiling woman's mouth as if she were delivering a sharp retort, slammed the bucket he was holding onto the ground the moment he understood.
"This woman, if you let her run her mouth!"
Completely losing his temper, the large man lunged at the woman.
"Look out!"
She instinctively shouted, but Ritz was already moving. However, the distance was a bit too far. Intuitively knowing he would never make it in time, Anna clenched her fists. An image of the woman being beaten by the large man flashed in her mind.
But in the next moment, the unexpected happened.
"Uooooh!?"
The large man let out a strange cry. Looking at the woman in the strange situation, she saw her lower her stance and, in a magnificent circular motion, send her skirt fluttering as she delivered a splendid, dance-like roundhouse kick.
"Huh?"
While she was still stunned, the large man whose legs had been swept out from under him was sent flying through the air and slammed to the ground. As the man rolled on the ground with a tremendous thud, the woman, ignoring him, quickly drew back her exposed leg and gracefully regained her posture like a cat.
Anna was captivated by the splendid and bold movement. Fighting wasn't good, but the woman seemed several times larger than the violent large man. Ritz, who had returned to her side before she knew it, whistled in admiration.
"Not bad, that woman."
"Huh?"
"She's a considerably skilled fighter."
The silver-threaded shawl fluttered to the ground, and Luan, still drenched, picked it up. Though it was summer, it must be cold being soaked in the northern land. She was a little worried he might catch a cold, but seeing Luan's reverent attitude as he handed it to the woman called Madam, she figured her worry was unnecessary.
"Thank you, Luan."
Smiling serenely as if it were a matter of course, the woman draped the shawl over herself and looked down at the man writhing in pain with contempt.
"A chef who's full of stereotypes and can't come up with any new ideas is the last thing I need. A boring restaurant run by a man like you is a perfect fit for him."
"D-damn it..."
Unable to find any other words, the large man staggered to his feet and headed toward the restaurant he had come out of. Anna let out a small sigh of relief, thinking the matter was finally settled. Even if it had nothing to do with her, seeing people fighting or being bullied didn't feel good and made her sad.
But perhaps his anger hadn't subsided, because the large man glared at Madam and Luan at the restaurant entrance and spat. Ritz held Anna back as she was about to tell him not to do such a thing in a public place. Looking closely, there was indeed a tense atmosphere that she shouldn't interfere with.
After a moment of silence, the large man glanced at Luan and made a low threat.
"You seem to be acting like a humanitarian by hiring a Soukai Clan member, but..."
Luan, who was the target of the gaze, flinched. The large man's gaze then shifted back to the woman.
"You'll be crying later."
But the woman remained completely unfazed and laughed through her nose.
"Hmph. Taking it out on others, are we?"
"Hah! If a war breaks out, a bastard like you who hires Soukai Clan members will be finished!"
After shouting that, the large man slammed the restaurant door shut with a tremendous, frustrated noise. The loudness of the sound made her instinctively duck her head. Unlike Anna, Ritz, who stood next to her completely unmoved, rolled his neck as if bored.
"That was an interesting show, but there was no part for me to play."
"But it's good that nothing happened."
"Yeah, I guess. But it was boring."
Ritz, who muttered as if he were truly bored, must really like commotion. She felt like he had gotten into fights in both Sears and Luciana.
Still, there was something that bothered her. The parting shot of the large man as he left.
"He said a war would break out... what could he mean?"
When she muttered it aloud, Franz silently pressed his fist to his lips. He seemed to be thinking about something. As she was about to look at Edward and Ritz to ask what it meant, someone called out from ahead.
"You guys, are you tourists?"
When she turned around, it was the woman from before. Though she didn't come closer, her sharp eyes were fixed straight on them. Anna reflexively nodded and answered loudly enough for the woman to hear.
"We're not tourists, we came to meet the Soukai Clan, but..."
She was cut off as Ritz covered her mouth with his large hand. No matter how much she struggled, she was no match for Ritz's strength. While still covering Anna's mouth, Ritz threw a question at the woman.
"What do you want to know for?"
"It's not like I'm going to eat you up. I just found it a little strange. That you were about to lend me a hand, even though you're tourists."
"Well, when a beautiful woman and a boorish large man are fighting, it's a man's duty to help the woman, right? Besides, I don't hate a good commotion."
"...That sounds more like the logic of a mercenary than a tourist."
The woman shrugged, then turned her eyes to Anna.
"That's right, you came to meet the Soukai Clan, so it's strange for you to be just a tourist."
Apparently, the Madam had heard Anna's words. Realizing this, Ritz must have judged there was no longer any point in covering her mouth, and he finally released her. As she approached the Madam, she smiled.
"You can meet the Soukai Clan easily enough, but it's a different story if you want to trade with them. You'll have to try again later."
"Does that mean it will take time?"
"That's right. A few months, or a few years... even I don't know the Soukai Clan's circumstances. If you're staying at an inn, you'll go bankrupt for sure."
"No way..."
The woman burst out laughing at Anna's obvious disappointment and glided gracefully toward her. Before Anna could take a step back, the woman's slender, beautiful fingers poked her cheek, and a soft, pleasant scent she had never smelled before wafted over her. It was the sweet scent of perfume.
"You poor thing. You shouldn't tell me, someone you've just met, everything."
"Huh?"
"You're not a tourist, and you don't have enough money for a long stay. What's more, you're not just trying to meet the Soukai Clan, you want to negotiate something with them... isn't that right?"
"Huh?"
She instinctively looked back and saw Franz with a grim expression. Ritz and Edward were smiling without saying a word. It seemed she had done it again, as usual.
"If the wrong person found out, you'd be in for a rough time, you know?"
The mischievous expression was somewhat Ritz-like. Though she was admonishing a child, her teasing tone wasn't unpleasant. It was a world of difference from her attitude toward the large man earlier. Even though she was being treated completely like a child, she felt at ease, and Anna found herself speaking up.
"What kind of rough time?"
"...Let's see, you could be taken to an expensive inn and be extorted, for example. But don't you worry. What I run is a pub and a boarding house."
"Huh? Does that mean..."
"Yes, I'm soliciting customers. The boarding house is cheap if you cook for yourself."
"Huh? Huh?"
"I'm a little short on boarders right now, and the maintenance costs are killing me."
As she floundered at the unexpected turn of events, the Madam smiled brightly.
"I've taken a liking to you. You were looking at Luan with such concern, weren't you?"
"Ah..."
Apparently, the Madam had noticed her looking at him earlier, thinking he must be cold.
"I only let people I like stay at my boarding house. In that respect, you pass."
"B-but..."
"I'll give you a discount, you know? How about you guys over there? If you're with this girl, you're welcome too."
Completely at a loss, she turned around, but it was hard to see her companions' expressions as they stood a short distance from the stone lantern. Were they angry, perhaps?
"Um, well..."
At a loss, she sought help from Ritz, and he took a few steps forward, shielding her.
"We appreciate the offer, but we don't know a thing about you, you know?"
"Can't you trust me?"
"No. To be honest."
The woman looked straight up at Ritz, who, despite his suspicion, had an air of composure, and she, in turn, maintained her own composure. But in the next moment, an indescribably strange expression came over her face.
"...You... don't you have a much older brother, or a relative who looks just like you, who was a mercenary?"
"Huh?"
At the unexpected words, even Ritz seemed bewildered, his expression slack. The three of them here knew very well that Ritz had no relatives who were mercenaries. The woman, seeing Ritz's confusion, furrowed her brow and asked again.
"His name is Ritz Alster, though?"
After another indescribable silence, Ritz pointed at himself with a rather dumbfounded look.
"...That's me, though?"
After a moment's silence, the woman cupped both of Ritz's cheeks in her hands and pulled his face close to hers.
"Ow-ow-ow-ow."
Ignoring Ritz's pained cries, the woman stared intently at Ritz's face from close range, as if trying to bore a hole through it. Not knowing what was happening, Anna could only watch in bewilderment.
"No way. Is it really you?"
"I think I'm the only one who goes by that name."
"Then why haven't you aged? Ugh, not a single wrinkle, you cheater."
"Even if you ask me why..."
Ritz's gaze shifted to Edward as if seeking help, but Edward simply jutted his chin, indicating that he should handle it himself. Anna, who had been glancing back and forth between the two, was of course unable to offer any help either.
Giving up, Ritz let out a sigh and looked at the woman.
"Do you know me?"
"Yes."
The woman nodded as if it were a matter of course. But Ritz seemed to have no recollection and looked back at her with a suspicious, puzzled expression.
"How?"
"Well, I can't blame you. We were only together for a few months."
"Together for a few months?"
"And that was fifteen years ago, after all."
"...Fifteen years?"
The woman gave a mischievous smile to Ritz, who tilted his head with a difficult expression.
"Maybe this will jog your memory?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman, still holding his cheeks, pulled Ritz's face toward her and softly pressed her lips to his.
"Eh..."
Having witnessed it from just a stone's throw away, Anna was suddenly struck by a sensation as if her fingertips were turning cold. At the same time, her mind went blank, and she couldn't look away or move. She had never felt anything like this before.
Frozen, with the color draining from her face, Anna stared at the two of them. After a while, the woman's voice, having pulled away from Ritz, reached her ears.
"How cold of you. To think you were my man, even if only for a few months. Or would you have remembered better if I landed a roundhouse kick, Captain? You're a man who forgets his women but not his comrades, after all."
Even Anna, a woman, could recognize the seductive, teasing tone in her voice. Ritz's stunned reply came through.
"...I remember... Qiuzi, the kenpo user."
"That's right. One of your lovers from back then."
With that, the woman... Qiuzi... smiled elegantly.
"I was surprised. Does this mean you've settled down, since you're getting on in years?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because this girl... isn't she your child?"
The woman, her expression as bright as ever, turned to Anna. For some reason, Anna took a step back.
"What's wrong?"
"...No..."
She felt an inexplicable sense of aversion toward the woman she had felt a kinship with just moments before. Bewildered by her own reaction, she stared past the woman called Qiuzi at Ritz's figure.
Ritz, who usually answered instantly, was silent, as if hesitating and searching for words. She was perplexed by Ritz's serious expression in what would normally be a lighthearted exchange. Qiuzi, unaware of this strange silence, tilted her head.
"Did I ask something wrong? You never gave me the impression of being someone who protected a young girl back in the day, so I just assumed you were related by blood. Am I wrong?"
"No..."
Until now, Ritz would have always answered that with a resounding, "Of course not!" and from the Fire Nation of Roshozu, he had called Anna his "partner." She had expected him to answer the same way this time, but Ritz's reply was completely different from before. Without looking at Anna, he scratched his head as if troubled and answered Qiuzi.
"She's not my kid, but... well, something like that, I guess."
That answer made Anna realize that everything they had built up had crumbled away with the incident in Tashkur. Their relationship was no longer that of partners. It was that of a guardian and a ward. The thought made her feel as if the strength was draining from her legs.
That large, gentle hand that had always been by her side was no longer hers. No, it had never been hers to begin with.
"Oh, is that so? Then you've mellowed out quite a bit."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
As Ritz and Qiuzi chatted familiarly, touching each other lightly, Anna understood that there was indeed some deep relationship between them that she knew nothing about.
"Um!"
Still looking down, she called out to Qiuzi in a loud voice.
"? Is something wrong?"
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little hungry, so... I'm going back to the inn!"
With those words, she gave a quick bow while still looking down and broke into a run. Someone's voice called out to stop her from behind, but she had no intention of stopping. She just wanted to get away from this place as quickly as possible.
As she ran, Anna remembered Kamala's words.
—Even if the man you hold dear gives kind words to another woman, even if he touches and holds another woman, you'll be fine because there is love, right?
At that time, Anna had no words to answer, no argument to make.
But now she understood well. There was no way she could be fine. Anna, who had tried to persuade her that they could start over even if betrayed because there was love, had been ignorant. That's why her words hadn't reached Kamala.
Now, she felt like she could understand Kamala's feelings, just a little. She had never imagined that it would be so painful not to be able to reach the one you love.
Anna ran back to the inn through the early evening streets, desperately holding back the tears that threatened to spill.