Chapter 60 - Anna's Great Adventure <3>
Ⅲ
It was dusk when Ritz awoke, the soft evening sun pouring into the room. He had sensed someone entering.
"Did I wake you?"
"…Why are you here…"
He tried to protest in a hoarse voice, but the person he was protesting to had a cool expression.
"I couldn't pass up the chance to see a real-life example of the saying that even an idiot can catch a cold, could I?"
"…Don’t need… your concern…"
This man, dressed in commoner's clothes and casually insulting Ritz, was, of course, Edward.
It was a mystery how he could wander around so freely without a proper disguise, just his blond hair tied back carelessly and a hat on, without anyone recognizing him as the king. Perhaps people's common sense, the idea that 'the king wouldn't be in a place like this,' served as his cloak.
"Still, you're a tough one. I hear you were buried in snow for a whole night."
"…"
"Anna was making a huge fuss. I thought you were a goner for sure, but you're surprisingly hard to kill."
"…Shut up."
Despite his wheezing, labored breaths, Ritz realized he was feeling better than he had that morning.
In the morning his consciousness had been hazy, but now it was clear, and he was even starting to feel a little hungry. Other than the difficulty breathing and the lack of strength in his body, he seemed to be recovering smoothly.
Being called 'hard to kill' by Edward was irritating, but he had to admit, he really was durable.
"…What did… you come for?"
"…Patty…"
Edward mumbled with a sigh. In the direction of his gaze was a basket overflowing with fruit and what looked like a pile of clothes. Apparently, Edward had brought all this baggage with him.
By the way, Patty was the nickname for Patricia, the queen of this country. In other words, Edward's wife. She and Ritz were also old acquaintances.
"…What is all that?"
"Get-well gifts, she said."
With Ritz unable to get up, Edward explained.
"First, this is apparently a fruit assortment. Looks like they just stuffed in whatever fruit they had in the palace kitchen."
Indeed, just as Edward said, the basket looked like it was crammed with a random, chaotic assortment of fruits with no rhyme or reason.
But what was he supposed to do with such a massive quantity of fruit?
"She said fruit is good for a cold."
"…Can’t eat that much…"
He was grateful for the concern, but the amount was absurd. Did she think he was a cow or a horse?
Come to think of it, she had lived among men since she was a child, so she was boisterous in everything she did. Remembering that, he sank back into the bed.
"And these clothes are changes of sleepwear. She said you'd need a lot of changes when you have a cold, and that you probably don't have many since you just moved in."
"That’s helpf—"
He was about to express his genuine gratitude, but Edward opened the basket full of clothes with a sigh.
"I should warn you, Patty just picked these out at random, so I have no idea if there's anything in your size."
"Wha…?"
"She said she couldn't have them tailored and brought over since she didn't know your size."
Perhaps this was the kind of situation where one used the phrase 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions.'
"…I don't need that many…"
"I figured. At the very least, I'll take mine back."
"Huh?"
"I told you she picked them out at random. Most of what's in here are my sleepwear and my son's. I think there are some for guests, too. You should be able to wear the largest guest size, right? Though, the length will obviously be too short."
"Take everything but the guest ones… with you."
Having said his piece, Ritz sank back into the bed. Just opening his mouth was tiring. He rarely caught colds, so maybe his body felt it more acutely.
"I'm eating this."
Whether he knew how the sick man felt or not, Edward began peeling and eating one of the fruits he'd brought.
Edward was probably just using this visit as an excuse to slack off. In that case, leaving him be wouldn't be a problem.
The proof was that he casually took a book out of his coat pocket and began to read. And from the looks of it, it was a book for entertainment, something far removed from work.
Ritz dazedly tossed the lukewarm cotton towel from his head into a nearby basin. He didn't know who had put it there, but changing it was too much trouble, so this was fine.
"Come to think of it…"
Edward, having finished his first piece of fruit, turned to Ritz.
"You've hired a strange maid. Is that the ghost that was in this house?"
"Yeah."
Edward knew the gist of what had happened in this house, but it seemed he couldn't believe in a ghost maid until he'd actually seen Annie's form.
"I've lived a long time, but I've never seen a ghost maid before."
"I bet."
Ritz had never seen one either. He certainly never thought he'd hire one.
What's more, this ghost's husband was a light spirit user and a priest. Something like this was probably unprecedented.
"But she seems like a nice girl. You can tell once you talk to her."
"Yeah."
Apparently, Edward had been talking with Annie until Ritz woke up.
"I don't see Anna. Did she go out?"
"…Don't know."
Ritz finally realized. With all this rare fruit here, it was strange that Anna hadn't come to this room. Where there was food, there was Anna.
And what's more, fruit was her absolute favorite. What a rare occurrence.
"Where… did she go… that girl?"
As Ritz tilted his head in concern, Edward casually replied while peeling his next piece of fruit.
"She probably wanted to go out for a bit while you're home. The maid said that since you and Franz are never home, Anna is always on house-sitting duty."
"…"
Who knew what was being said about him while he was asleep, Ritz thought, sighing secretly.
Ⅳ
"Ugh…"
"You're awake?"
Anna finally let out a sigh of relief. This boy had been unconscious for quite a long time. The impact must have been in a bad spot.
She had desperately used healing magic, but it had taken a considerable amount of time for him to recover.
"…Who are you?"
The boy looked up at Anna, bewildered. He wore a deeply confused expression. After she had hit him with the [Water Sphere], Anna had been at a loss as the boy lay unconscious. The one who had helped her was an old man with a white beard who introduced himself as a former fisherman.
He said he'd been out for a walk, looking for something interesting to kill time, when he found Anna and the boy and had been enjoyably observing them. The old fisherman had lent them a bed in his house, saying it was his thanks for the amusing show.
"Good for you, missy. The kid's alive."
"I'm so glad."
Anna finally let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that something terrible might have happened.
His head seemed to hurt, as the boy was rubbing his messy brown hair, but other than that, he looked fine.
"I thought he was dead, I was in such a panic…"
"Nah, a little thing like this won't kill 'im."
The boy was still staring blankly at Anna's face as she chatted amicably with the old man. Anna peered into his face. The boy still hadn't grasped the situation.
Sitting on the chair beside the boy's bed, Anna took his hand.
"I'm sorry. I can't control the Water Sphere yet…"
From the tone of Anna's voice, the boy finally seemed to understand the situation, his eyes widening.
"Hey, you! Ouch ouch ouch…"
As the boy tried to jump up and clutched his head, Anna gently laid him back down and smiled with a mature tone.
"You shouldn't move so suddenly."
Though he looked dissatisfied, the boy reluctantly obeyed Anna and lay down again.
Anna explained the current situation in a gentle, coddling manner. The boy listened in silence with a look that said he didn't like it but had no choice.
Finally, Anna ended her explanation with these words.
"But you know, you shouldn't take other people's things. If you do bad things, the Goddess will surely punish you one day."
"…"
The boy remained silent with a sulky face. After a moment, he opened his mouth, glaring at Anna.
"Does that mean it's okay to hit a civilian with a Water Sphere?"
That was a fair point.
"Yeah, it's not okay, is it? I'm really sorry about that."
But there was something she had to say. Something very important.
"Don't steal anymore, okay? There are people scarier than me out there, you know? It might not end like this next time."
Being lectured by someone around the same age makes anyone want to rebel. She knew that from her experience at the orphanage. It seemed this boy was the same.
"What do you mean, scarier guys? Like there's anyone else who'd sic a spirit on a normal person."
"There is. Someone who throws fireballs."
She was, of course, referring to Franz. He might be sneezing right about now.
"…Liar."
"It's true. He's my companion."
"…"
The boy hung his head dejectedly.
"So I might have been killed by your companion…"
His tone was so serious that Anna panicked.
"He wouldn't kill you! Though you might get hurt a little."
Was that not a very good follow-up? But Anna knew better than anyone that Franz and Ritz would never do something like that to a child.
Just as Ritz always did for her, Anna placed her hand on the head of the boy who was still looking down in silence.
"You see, the old man let us into his house. I asked if you could stay until you're better, so don't worry."
The old man, who had been standing behind Anna all this time, smiled with his sun-tanned face.
"Sure, kid, stay as long as you like. I'm a single man, so I can't do much for ya, though."
"See? You can rest here."
Anna said, then touched the boy's forehead with her palm. The boy tensed up, but Anna gave him a gentle smile to show him it was okay. Finally, the boy's body relaxed.
"O Water Spirit, who governs healing and peace. Heal this wound."
The boy closed his eyes with a look of comfort. Good, it didn't seem to be unpleasant. If she had made him uncomfortable after injuring him, she would have felt terribly sorry.
"There, all done."
When she removed her hand, the boy murmured with a disappointed look.
"Huh, already…"
Maybe it felt good? If so, that was great. As Anna thought this and watched the boy, he made a grumpy face and turned away abruptly.
"I'm really sorry. Don't steal anymore, okay?"
As she smiled and was about to stand up, the boy muttered something.
"I can't stop stealing."
It sounded like words from the heart. She didn't know why he'd revealed his true feelings, but she was a little happy. Happy, but she couldn't agree with what he was saying.
"Why?"
"Because I'm an orphan. I don't have parents, and I don't have any other way to eat."
"That's not true."
Anna looked back at the boy with determination. The boy looked at Anna with a surprised expression. But if she faltered here, she wouldn't be able to persuade him, so she firmed her expression.
"There's definitely something you can do."
"There's nothing like that."
To the boy's stubborn words, Anna was just as stubborn in her denial.
"But what's wrong is wrong."
Anna was sad that this child's way of thinking was that stealing was all he had.
But the boy seemed irritated by Anna's attitude and just looked away with a sullen face. When she waited in silence, the boy muttered as if spitting the words out.
"You wouldn't understand. You look so happy."
But Anna was not fazed by those words.
"I do understand. I'm an orphan, too."
"Huh?"
To the boy who had fallen silent in embarrassment, Anna smiled.
"You know, if I didn't have my foster father and my friends at the orphanage, I don't think I would have been happy."
That was why she had been able to live so cheerfully. Anna herself understood that well.
On top of that, she now had Ritz and Franz, who understood and helped her.
"And now I have my companions, so if you say I'm happy, maybe I am."
"…I'm alone."
"I see…"
Faced with a boy who had grown up in such a different environment from her own, Anna didn't know what to say. After thinking for a moment, she made a suggestion to the silent boy.
"Then why don't you make lots of friends from now on?"
The suggestion was so out of the blue that the boy looked stunned for a moment, but then he shook his head as if in disbelief.
"…That's impossible."
"It's not impossible. If you don't give up, I'm sure it'll be okay."
"I told you it's impossible."
"It's not impossible."
Anna believed that from the bottom of her heart. If you don't give up, your wishes will surely come true.
The boy looked up at Anna's face and remained still. He seemed to be deep in thought. Eventually, the boy looked down again.
"…"
He stared at the bed as if the answer were written there. To the boy who had fallen silent, unable to reply, Anna smiled cheerfully.
"I have a great idea!"
"…?"
Saying so brightly, Anna rummaged through her bag. She thought she had some paper and a pen around here somewhere. To the boy who was staring at her, Anna pointed to the paper and pen she had found.
"This, this."
"…What is it?"
"You see, we're friends now."
"Huh?"
It was a notepad for shopping, so the edges were a little crumpled, but she couldn't be picky now. Anna took out a small piece of charcoal for notes and started writing.
"So, when you get better, come visit me. I'll draw you a map right now."
Pressing the hastily drawn map into the boy's hand, Anna beamed.
"I'm Anna. Anna Myers. It's nice to meet you."
"…"
Being handed that, the boy was completely taken aback. The wariness seemed to fade slightly, and he looked up at Anna with a somewhat surprised expression. Maybe he trusted her a little bit now.
Anna, who had been watching the silent boy as if he were her younger brother, suddenly panicked when she saw the wall clock in the old man's house.
"Oh no, I have to go shopping! Sir, I'm counting on you."
Anna hastily slung her bag over her shoulder, stood up, and looked back at the old man.
"Don't worry about it, just go. I'll take care of this kid."
"Yes, please do. See you later. Do your best."
"…"
Through the opened door, Anna could see the sunset. It was already that time. How long had he been asleep?
"Missy, where are you off to shop?"
"A place called the Cheerful Seaman Inn."
Bowing her head slightly, Anna left the house.
The boy, left behind, suddenly felt all his strength drain away as the door closed. What in the world was going on? So many things had happened, he couldn't quite process it all.
"The Cheerful Seaman Inn, eh… What a plucky young lady."
The old man muttered to himself as he walked over. He had noticed from the footsteps, but he deliberately avoided looking at the old man's face.
He felt somewhat embarrassed. The boy sat on the bed, blankly staring at the map the girl had drawn just moments before.
Anna Myers. That was apparently the girl's name.
He had never expected to be asked to be friends by someone he had just met today, and what's more, by the very person he had failed to rob.
Besides, to make friends with your victim and give them your address right after being robbed—that was being too nice for your own good. What was she planning to do if he were a truly bad person with a gang of thieves who robbed the house on this map?
Was she not even considering such a thing, or was it that her companions were so strong she didn't need to worry about it?
And looking closely, the house was located in a high-class residential area.
"There's a limit to how naive you can be."
A reply came to his muttered words.
"That's true."
"Gramps…"
The old man had, without him noticing, been peering at the map from behind.
"Kid, you became friends with that girl, huh?"
"I don't know about that. She's the one who decided it on her own."
The old man didn't answer, just sat in a chair, lit his pipe, and puffed away. Smoke rose gently.
"But listen, kid. Weren't you actually happy when she said you were friends?"
"…No, I wasn't."
The hand that healed his wound was like a mother's. It was gentle, and she was an orphan just like him, so it felt like she might understand him. The thought of that now embarrassed him, and on top of that, he was frustrated that the old man had seen through him.
He looked down, not wanting the old man to see his face. But the old man, without even looking at the boy, calmly gazed at a newspaper, puffed on his pipe, and continued speaking.
"That missy probably meant it. There's not a crooked bone in her body. To a cynical old coot like me, she's almost blindingly bright."
"I don't know anything about that."
Thinking he was being made fun of, the boy stood up from the bed. The pain in his head was almost gone. It seemed he would be fine to leave.
"…Hmph. You're as stubborn as I am."
"Leave me alone."
"Yeah, yeah, I don't care what happens to a brat. But I am worried about the missy."
As the boy put his hand on the door to leave, the old man muttered something that caught his attention.
"You know of the Cheerful Seaman Inn?"
"Yeah, I know it."
"Do you think that missy can get there without getting lost?"
For a moment, he didn't understand what he was being asked, but the instant he did, he was flying out of the old man's house.
"Be careful out there, kid."
"I know!"
That place was in a confusing area. If she got lost and wandered into the back alleys of the slums, it would be terrible. A person who smiled so honestly like that, without any weapon, couldn't possibly come out of there unscathed.
The old man watched the boy's retreating figure with a grin. Living a long life certainly allowed one to see interesting things.
"This year is interesting. The minister returns, and I get to see a girl so honest she's practically a fool. Nothing interesting has happened since the civil war, but it pays to live a long life."
The old man slowly exhaled a puff of smoke.
"This cold is tough on an old man. Guess I'll warm up inside."
With the pipe still in his mouth, the old man closed the door to his house behind him.
Hanging on the door he had just entered was a dirty wooden sign, so quiet that no one would notice it. On that old, almost illegible sign were the words 'Port District Information Center.'
After a short while, the boy who had rushed out caught up to Anna, who was walking leisurely.
"Hey, wait up! I said wait!"
He panted, out of breath, as he tapped Anna on the shoulder.
"Oh? What's wrong?"
Anna looked at him with a blank expression, and he felt all his energy drain away. She was about to head into a complicated and potentially dangerous area, and yet, what was with this lack of tension?
"You're going to the Cheerful Seaman Inn, right?"
"That's right."
It seemed she really didn't think it was that dangerous.
Looking at her face, he made a decision. He hadn't decided whether to be her friend yet, but for today, he would guide her there.
It was an apology for wasting her time trying to steal her bag.
"I'll show you the way. It's confusing around here."
And he didn't want to be indebted to her for healing his injury.
"Really? Thank you, that makes me happy. The sun was starting to set, so I was worried if I could get there properly."
"Do you even know you're going to a dangerous place?"
"Huh? Is that so?"
From her face, which looked as if she'd heard this for the first time, he was truly glad he had chased after her.
But he deliberately ignored the feeling of worry that came from being her friend, telling himself that he was only helping her because it would leave a bad taste in his mouth if she died.
He didn't want to admit yet that they were already friends.
"By the way, you…"
"Not 'you,' it's Anna. We're friends, so call me by my name, okay?"
"…Anna… what are you going there for?"
"You see, I'm going to buy some stew."
"What? All the way out there?"
"Yep. By the way, I haven't heard your name yet."
Being asked with such a cheerful, open smile, he couldn't just not tell her his name.
"Joe."
"Got it. Well then, please show me the way. To be honest, I was really worried about whether I could find it."
For someone who claimed to be worried, her words were so carefree that Joe sighed.
He might have just become friends with a really outrageous person. But on the other hand, it was also true that he was a little happy.
That subtle feeling was something that Joe himself didn't yet understand.
"A sick person said they wanted to eat it, so I have to buy it and get back quickly."
In the light of the setting sun, Anna smiled leisurely.
"I see…"
Anna had yet to know what kind of commotion this shopping trip would cause.