"Temaaaar, brotheeeer!"

Flap, flap!

Maybe my voice startled them—birds that had been perched in the tree all took off at once.

Brother Temar smiled, looking a little awkward for some reason, but that was fine too!

"You’re going to trip—! Ren!! You have to be careful."

"Hehe."

It was fine even if he scolded me with that stern face.

Because ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) this was the first time I was leaving with him!! To. Ge. Ther!

Together is a good word.

"Hehehe."

"Good grief..."

Luman, who’d caught up right away, reached over and lightly pressed down on the back of my head again.

I almost smacked his hand away on reflex, but I was in too good a mood, so I let it go. It’s not because I felt bad about earlier or anything. Absolutely not!

"...Luman. What exactly did you just do?"

"What?"

Snort.

The two horses hitched to the carriage snorted and flicked their tails sharply.

It felt like sparks had flown between the two of them for some reason, but it was probably some other thing I didn’t know about, right? I forced down my curiosity and quietly looped my arm through Brother’s arm! His arm, which had always belonged to other people!!

And the carriage was huge too!

We’re going on a trip. For real! I’m leaving with my brother!

I was just about to tug at Brother’s arm—the one he still had turned toward Luman—and tell him we should get going already, when...

"Temar, my boy."

A white-haired old man was standing there with his cane before I even knew he’d arrived.

It was the village head.

"Elder."

"Fuck."

I muttered it under my breath.

Brother Temar couldn’t even see the arm I had hooked around his! My hand was just hanging there awkwardly in midair, so embarrassed that I hurriedly hid it inside my cloak.

"So you’re leaving again, are you?"

"Yes. I’m sorry."

"What’s there to be sorry for? It’s the kingdom calling. Keh-heh-heh. So then, this time Hen’s going with you too?"

"It’s Ren, how many times do I have to tell you, you deaf old fossil!"

I muttered it in a small, timid voice.

Brother, with his sharp ears, probably heard me, but that old man definitely didn’t! He’s too deaf to hear my name properly, too deaf to remember it!

No, but why are you glaring at me!? You old bastard!!

Before I knew it, the villagers had all filed out behind him in a long line.

There was even a guy standing among them, jerking his neck around stiffly!!

The baker’s son! That shameless bastard who was always after my ass whenever he got the chance. The moment I glared at him, he looked away. Pathetic piece of shit! I should’ve smashed him right in that jaw of his. My fist trembled.

"Hen!"

It’s Ren, you senile old asshole!

"What."

"Ren."

Brother Temar rebuked me.

"Ho ho. It’s fine. He’s still just a child."

Fine my ass. You’ve swung that cane at me often enough, you old corpse!! If my forehead weren’t so sturdy, that cane of yours would’ve poked ten holes in it by now!

When I stuck my lip out, the old man widened his eyes, then went back to smiling slyly.

Look at him, that fox-faced old bastard!! He only pretends to be kind in front of my brother!

"What? What do you want!"

"You have to listen to your brother. You need to be a good younger brother. You can’t go staining your brother’s reputation, now can you? We’re the people of the village where you were born, so we understood you and accepted you, but if you go to the capital, it’ll be a serious problem. No one there will overlook you. Understand? You must be a good. little. brother. Worthy of being a hero’s younger brother."

As soon as he finished, the old man grabbed my hand and patted it with his other one.

A shiver crawled down my back.

His wrinkled, damp hand felt like it was sticking to me.

Inside, I recoiled in disgust, but I couldn’t bring myself to yank away. If I shook him off now, right as we were leaving, and he threw himself to the ground making a scene!!

Brother would scold me for sure! What if he said he was leaving me behind?

All I could do was grind my teeth and seethe in silence.

This is bullshit. Total bullshit!

"That’s right, Ren~! You have to listen to your brother!"

"Hen. Don’t cause trouble! Ahem. Your temper’s rather fiery, isn’t it?"

"Fuuuuck... You don’t even know my name, so what the hell are you—"

"Now, now!"

"That’s enough. Come on, line up and give him your gifts."

At the old man’s words, a long line formed in front of Brother.

"Let go already!"

I growled, and the old man let my hand go with that same sly grin. Then he casually brought his hand up to his own nose.

Ugh!! Gross!! What the hell are you doing! Did you just smell it?! Ughhh!! I want to kill him!

"Temar, you’re the treasure of our village. I’m sure you’re worried about your brother, but if Ren goes with you, I’m sure his personality will improve."

"That’s right. Ren’s such a troublemaker, after all."

"Here, some food for the road."

"Let me add a little to your travel expenses."

"Ahem. You’ll come back again, yes? We’ll make sure the shack is looked after, so don’t forget that."

"Thank you, Elder."

"It’s all right. Your thoughts alone are enough, Elder."

"I’ll keep sending it regularly, so don’t worry."

"Brother, sending what?"

If they’re giving you something, you’re supposed to take it, so why are you turning it down! I wanted so badly to snatch the money right out of their hands for him, but I barely held myself back. More importantly, what did he mean by sending it? I lightly tugged at Brother’s sleeve, but once again, once again!! Brother was only looking at the villagers.

God, that pisses me off!

"Temar, take care on the road."

"Yes. Thank you."

"Old man!"

The apothecary!! I’d seen him at dawn, but I was still so stupidly happy to see him again. Leaning on his cane, he made his way over on those thin, trembling legs.

"Your legs hurt, so how’d you come all the way out here!?"

"Ren! Don’t be rude—"

"You little rascal. Tsk, tsk. I keep telling you life will be hard if you don’t fix that nasty mouth of yours. Hmm? Tsk, tsk."

"Hehe."

The old man rubbed my head a few times.

The apothecary’s back was bent, so he was shorter than me. When I lowered my head and leaned toward him, he smiled and stroked my hair with both hands.

"..."

Brother and Luman were both looking at me strangely, but I didn’t care.

This old man was the only one who ever took care of me! He’s not like those people who only know how to run their mouths. Look at him now. I saw him at dawn already, and he still came out here to see me again. Snff. I cleared my throat and secretly swallowed my snot.

"Here, take this."

"..."

The old man held out a small bundle. His eyes were full of worry.

"So you’re going to the capital?"

"Well... apparently."

I answered grumpily. Since he’d agreed to keep my illness a secret, the fact that we’d met at dawn was a secret too! He already gave me so much earlier. What was he giving me now? I hesitated instead of taking it, and the old man pressed the bundle into my arms himself. It was pretty heavy.

"I see. Be careful, then. Ren is frail, after all. Temar, you must take good care of Ren. Hmm? Ren is very fra—"

The old man kept going stubbornly, staring straight at Brother.

"Old man!! Knock it off!!"

My brother’s too dense to notice, but still!!

When I grabbed the old man by the forearm, he let out a sigh.

"Ren. Ren."

Wouldn’t it be better to tell him? Hmm?

I knew what words he’d swallowed back.

The hidden message in his dark eyes was the same thing he’d told me countless times over the last ten-odd years. The same thing he’d told me again just this dawn.

Tell your brother. Tell him that once we get to the capital, we should look for a cure.

But I don’t want to be a burden on my brother! Even if I told him I was sick, he’d still go do his mission. To my brother, being a hero was something like a cause, the very reason he lived. And if his mission got thrown off because he was worrying about me... I wouldn’t be able to bear it.

"Keep the secret for me."

I whispered softly.

"I’m really, really grateful to you, old man."

And absolutely no giving it away with your eyes either, old man!!

I gripped his arm tightly so he wouldn’t keep glancing toward Brother Temar.

The only reason my attacks had been delayed this long, the only reason I’d managed to hold my body together at all, was because the old man had gone up to the capital again and again, investigated, tracked things down, and made medicine out of whatever he could get. If it weren’t for his devotion and stubborn persistence, I probably would’ve died years ago. It wouldn’t have been me waiting to welcome Brother back. It would’ve been my grave.

"Old man..."

My chest tightened all over again. You already sobbed your guts out at dawn, wasn’t that enough! I bit down hard on my lip.

"Heh heh. So you’re staying in the capital?"

The old man stroked my face as he asked Brother Temar.

"Yes."

"I’ll come visit sometime, hmm? Until then, live well. All right? Eat properly too. Hmm?"

"...Okay."

"That’s right, that’s right."

The old man squeezed my hand once, hard, then let go.

He really was different. Everyone else told me to be a good younger brother, but the old man wished for my well-being.

"...? Heh heh heh. So Ren even knows how to act spoiled."

"Old man... don’t die."

A bolt of fear went through me all at once. People can die any time. You never know when.

"Ren."

"You hear me? Stay alive and healthy. You don’t have to come to the capital or anything..."

"Yes, yes."

Brother called for me, but I didn’t have the presence of mind to look at him.

I know telling someone “don’t die” isn’t exactly a normal goodbye! But... to me, that’s the best well-wishing there is.

Because both me and Brother are the kind of people it wouldn’t be strange for death to take at any time.

As if he understood, the old man gently patted my back when I threw myself against him.

"All right, Ren. You have to go now."

"..."

The old man shielded me so I could secretly wipe away my tears.

"We’ll be going. Thank you."

Brother bowed his head in farewell.

I stood there awkwardly and gave a silent bow meant only for the old man. It looked like his eyes were a little red too.

Will I ever see him again?

If I think of this as goodbye forever, I don’t think my feet will be able to move. Could I write letters or something? My chest was hammering, and breath kept puffing out through my nose. Don’t cry! No fucking way am I crying in front of the villagers!

"Done yet?"

That cold voice dumped icy water over everything.

Luman opened the carriage door in a flat, emotionless voice. Why did his gaze feel cold too?? Why? Did I do something wrong? The moment our eyes met, his expression softened a little. Then why are you in a bad mood??

I was climbing into the carriage with a confused look on my face when someone suddenly burst out of the crowd.

"Rennn—!!"

A big, shaggy-haired guy.

That bastard from yesterday.

He came charging forward through the crowd with a box full of bread in one hand. Even when the baker grabbed at his clothes and tried to pull him back, it didn’t do any good. It only stretched his clothes out all ugly!

"Reeennn!!"

The second I saw him shouting my name like that, everything from last night and all the older shit came flooding back, and I was just thinking maybe I should kick him in the shin or something when—

His face came way too close, way too fast, right as he seemed to be holding out the bread box.

"?"

Something soft pressed against my cheek with a little mwah.