[130] Island: Galliant (7)
Shirone felt a heavy weight in his chest. How badly had she been beaten for words like that to come from a child?
"After that day, those words became like a spell. Whenever my adoptive father beat me, I'd say them. 'You can kill me.' Then he'd stop with an angry look and leave. Heh, that's how I lived. When I was twelve, thirteen, all the way until I left home at seventeen."
"You're about the same age I am now."
"Yeah, the kind of age when you start seeing the world. Then one day I finally realized what all he'd done to me meant. Or maybe I already knew. That might be why I never demanded anything."
Shirone could guess now. Marsha's adoptive father had conceived something monstrous that should never have been done.
"What a fool. If he wanted to do it, he should've just done it cleanly. Then we wouldn't have been stuck in that disgusting mess for seventeen years. He was just a pathetic coward who couldn't do either. From then on I kept a knife hidden on me. One day I looked at the eyes of the man who was beating me. Ugh, I felt so sorry for him I couldn't stand it. So I just said it."
Marsha spoke calmly, her emotion held in check.
"You can hug me."
"...Did he do that?"
"Heh. Strangely enough, there was no twist. The man lunged at me like he'd been waiting, and I stabbed his throat with the knife. Honestly—I felt nothing. After that I left home, drifted around, did odd jobs, and eventually ended up here."
Shirone's chest tightened. Hearing a story he'd only read about or heard as rumor, told by the person who lived it, swelled him with an indescribable anger.
"Um, I— I don't even know what to say…"
"It's fine! I'm getting by now. My adoptive father's dead, but my kleptomania didn't go away easily. It's caused me trouble more than once, you know. Ugh."
When Marsha smiled brightly, Shirone felt lighter. He thought it remarkable that someone who'd been through that could still think of others.
"If it's an unforgettable pain, sometimes holding it close is a way forward. You're doing your best to overcome it. The stealing will go away soon too."
"Thanks for understanding. If you'd planned to do anything to me tonight, you would've actually succeeded."
"No! I really—!"
"I know. No need to blush. Having a brother like you wouldn't be boring."
"I feel the same. Honestly, I sometimes thought Marsha felt like a real sister."
"Heehee! Thanks."
Shirone meant it. After watching Rian and Reina earlier, he wished for siblings. If he had an older sister, would it feel like this? Everything about Marsha's tone and manner put him at ease.
Meanwhile, the bartender who had gone into the back came out.
Shirone couldn't see the details, but the back room seemed to be a place where all sorts of information were gathered.
"Gamos alert lifted. Looks like he found a woman he liked and's heading back to his mansion to throw a party."
"Phew, at least it's not too late."
Marsha shot Shirone a sour look.
"Hmph, you must hate being with me that much, huh? You were just saying in that baby voice, 'Marsha, please be my real sister,' a little while ago."
"...I didn't say it like that."
Shirone felt the same pang of regret. For someone inexperienced with women, this was the first time he'd been so absorbed in conversation.
But he had to leave now for the sake of the others waiting at the villa with hungry bellies.
"I should get going. Will I see you again?"
"Of course. Think I'd run away in the middle of the sea? Come by if you get bored. I'm planning to stay here."
"Ha ha! Alright, I'll be off then."
Shirone hurried out of the tavern, and Marsha, looking relieved, ordered a strong drink.
As expected, the two men who'd been lurking for a chance approached as if on cue.
"Nice. Maybe you were drunk on her; you're paying more than usual."
"Want a room? A woman alone here—who knows what could happen. How about I go in with you?"
Marsha didn't even turn her head.
"Get lost. Before I kill you."
"What? You talk big now? Wanna get taught a lesson tonight?"
One of the men flipped a bottle that had been on the table upside down. Tension spiked; all eyes in the bar turned toward them.
As attention focused on her, Marsha let out a barely audible sigh. Then she suddenly changed tone and laughed playfully.
"Hohoho! Fine, let's go to a room. But do you really think two of you can handle me? If you've got friends, bring them."
"What, what?"
"Bring them. Ten? No—bring twenty. We'll party till dawn. I hate it when things get cut off halfway."
The men's smiles fell without understanding why. But Marsha knew: when the competition to breed intensifies, males tend to reveal their original weakness.
"What the—shit. Crazy woman. Let's go."
"Ah, unlucky night."
Marsha watched the departing men with contempt, then turned back.
Her drink, ordered earlier, had arrived. She downed it in one gulp; a fire shot up her throat and a warm buzz spread through her head.
"Phew, this is how booze should be. Bartender, another."
Instead of bringing a new glass, the bartender came over and topped off Marsha's.
"...You're Marsha, aren't you?"
"Heh. Is there another Marsha?"
"I heard the Mage Association's been hunting you; you've been dodging them all this time. So you finally came in, huh?"
"No. I'll be leaving soon. I only came by to sort something out."
"I'd prefer you keep it quiet. If someone of your caliber makes a scene, the island'll get disturbed. We don't want the pact broken. Promise to cooperate and we'll let you stay here for a while."
"Spare me. I never planned to stay from the start."
The bartender scrubbed a beer glass until it squeaked. After a long silence, he spoke casually.
"That boy'll be disappointed."
"Heh. It's fine. They get their first heartbreaks at that age."
"I thought she liked him?"
"It was fun, at least. Honestly, a little dangerous."
Marsha hugged herself and stared up at the ceiling.
"How can someone be so disgusting?"
Priorities (1)
The villa was as quiet as if no one were there.
Amy sat on the sofa by the fireplace; Rian and Tess couldn't bring themselves to speak, watching her expression.
Shirone hadn't come. It had already been two hours since he'd gone shopping; unless he was out fishing, he should've been back by now.
"Sh-Shirone's late?"
Tess tried to break the frozen mood and jumped at how loud her own voice sounded.
Still, Amy didn't move—she stared into the dimness without a twitch.
'Ugh, it's like walking on thin ice.'
Tess shivered. Amy didn't look well; there was a coldness in the air you could almost feel.
As a fellow woman, Tess understood. Beyond being a couples' trip, wasn't this supposed to be a thrilling first vacation for them?
'Shirone, that was really thoughtless. I'm disappointed this time too. Tch!'
Tess took Amy's side. She knew how much Amy had given up for Shirone.
Even after the spat at the harbor, Amy had offered to cook. Men might think that's no big deal, but to a woman it was the most honest way of saying "I want to make up with you quickly."
But Shirone was an hour later than Rian. If he'd gotten lost, that would be understandable—so it wasn't yet time to worry—but Amy wanted him to be responsible even about small things.
"I'm starving. Why hasn't he come? Should I go out and look for him?"
Rian muttered, clutching his stomach without tact. He wasn't the sort to keep strict meal times, so an hour's wait was already long.
"Don't. You'll just miss each other."
"Really? Then can I eat the potatoes I brought?"
Tess narrowed her eyes and snapped.
"Why are you so oblivious? Think about Amy."
"What's so serious about it? He had more to buy than me. He could be late."
Tess bristled. Shirone wasn't her partner, but she'd already bonded with Amy and even Rian started to irritate her.
"Even if Shirone had more to buy, he's smarter than you—so he should've been back sooner. This is a big deal! Go gnaw on your potatoes or chew scallions in the corner for all I care."
"Why are you so mad? What did I even do?"
Rian scratched his head like a bear. He was indifferent to being scolded; it wasn't exactly selfishness—it was just him.
Amy spoke for the first time, apologetic, forcing a smile as if to make amends for the mood.
"I'm sorry, it's because of me. You two go start cooking and eat. I'll eat when Shirone gets here."
"That won't do. It was a cooking contest, remember?"
"But Rian's hungry. Besides, it's Shirone's fault for being late. Let's call it our loss."
Tess tried to comfort Amy with a teary face.
"It's okay, Amy. Honestly, I'm not hungry at all. Just deal with that food parasite over there."
Rian was actually chewing on a raw potato in the corner. He wasn't slick with finesse, but his brute strength matched the type.
To keep that kind of power he probably burned far more calories than normal; in a way it was pitiable.
With no decision reached and silence stretching on, Amy put her feet up and rested her cheek on her knees.
'Why hasn't he come? Could something have happened?'
He wasn't the type to break promises. Nor was he foolish enough to make a mistake that'd delay him an hour.
There must be unavoidable reasons.
Still, no matter how she steadied herself, the hurt wouldn't leave.
'You brought me here. You're the only one I didn't already know before today.'
It stung. Though she'd grown close, Rian and Tess were partners with a bond. There was no room for Amy to wedge herself between them.
Knock knock. Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door. Tess brightened and Rian clenched his fist at the thought they could finally eat.
"Shirone? Wait a—!"
Before Tess could finish, Amy went to the door. She raised her eyes and flung it open in a huff.
"Hey! Where have you been—… huh?"
Amy blinked, frozen with the door thrown wide open.
It wasn't Shirone. It wasn't someone unknown either. The clear fact was that this was someone who shouldn't be here.
Jis, the one who'd caused the commotion at the harbor, stood there.
"What are you doing here? How did you find us?"
Jis's face flushed. Of all people to open the door, it had to be her.
Recalling the day's events made Amy grit her teeth, but seeing Jis in casual, unfamiliar clothes made her heart race again.
Pulling herself together, Jis looked around the villa brazenly. Her abdomen still ached from Falcoah's blow, but her expression was composed.
"Wow, this is really nice. Nobles really are different, huh?"
"I asked what you're doing here. How did you know we were here?"
"I asked around until I found you. If Jis, the ruler of the harbor, sets her mind to something, that's nothing. Now you know how thorough I am about this island, right?"
"So? You came just to show off that trick?"