There was no one left to hear him, so Ren had only been shouting into empty air.

For the first time in a very long while, Ren sulked like a child.

“Ren—!”

Jepeto, who had stepped out to borrow a rare medical text from the royal physicians, came running in late in complete panic. Seeing Ren furious, he apparently misunderstood something and immediately began apologizing frantically. When Ren stayed silent, the fidgeting Jepeto finally confessed that he had actually stolen the medicinal sweet jelly from Ren’s belongings in order to determine the exact reason behind Ren’s last collapse.

Truly angry now, Ren did not even listen and chased him right back out.

“Ren! So you didn’t know! I’m sorry, but I didn’t have a choice—!”

Like Ren’s earlier shout, Jepeto’s voice only echoed uselessly through empty air.

***

After washing up and sleeping peacefully through the night, Ren felt much better.

Once he finished breakfast, he quietly wandered through the garden.

Luman had said the snow that fell on their way to the capital would probably be winter’s last, and it seemed he had been right. The wind no longer felt quite so cold.

“.......”

Ren puffed out his cheeks irritably. He had been adjusting his cloak when he remembered Luman had given it to him. Everything had been such a mess at the time that he had lost the chance to thank him properly.

“I was really looking forward to it.”

What a waste!

It would have been nice to accept it happily and thank him properly. Of all times, why did I have to collapse right then?

After grumbling at his own body for a moment, Ren shook his head.

He had already experienced enough to know that each day he stayed alive was practically a miracle, so he decided not to complain about things like that anymore.

Anyway!

Ren retraced what Luman had said while giving him the cloak and suddenly remembered that Luman had hidden something while pulling it away.

“Hm.”

Alright. I’ve decided.

Ren stopped walking, and the servant quietly waiting beside him looked at him curiously.

He was going to bother Luman until he told him what he had hidden.

And Luman would definitely enjoy it.

After staggering on the balcony yesterday, Ren had not seen him again. They all seemed extremely busy. Important-looking nobles and priests had been coming and going through the royal castle constantly. There was clearly something serious being discussed.

And wherever there was something important, Heroes were always involved.

No one had explained anything to Ren yet or called for him, but he suspected his situation was probably tangled up in the middle of it too.

I should mess with Luman a little.

He felt like he had been seeing Luman’s worried expression far too often lately. He could barely even remember the last time Luman had smiled with that sly amusement of his.

He used to hate that teasing grin and those quiet chuckles.

But perhaps he had already grown attached to them without realizing it, because now Ren wanted to see Luman smiling again.

Yesterday, thanks to Geloman’s tactless comment, Ren had briefly felt as though he was agonizing over something insignificant.

But it was not something so light or simple, and the depression that squeezed around his throat kept creeping back in.

Even so, there were moments when Ren managed to shake off those feelings and drift along thoughtlessly. Maybe there was comfort in acting childish and ignorant of complicated circumstances once in a while.

“Young master. The wind is cold. Shall we head back inside?”

“Can you maybe stop calling me ‘young master’?”

“...Pardon?”

“That title just feels weird.”

Ren normally disliked inconveniencing other people and would have let it go, but hearing himself called young master over and over was unbearable!

What young master?!

Every time someone called him that, Ren felt horribly embarrassed.

And it made his skin crawl too!

I hate it. Seriously hate it!

“It makes me uncomfortable. Just call me by my name.”

“I couldn’t possibly address an honored guest that way.”

But whether Ren hated it or not was apparently his own problem.

“...Forget it.”

“What would you like for lunch?”

“I’ll eat in my room.”

Ren turned to head back.

“Hm?”

“What is it?”

For a brief moment, he thought he had seen a strangely familiar figure between the gardens.

“Did I imagine it?”

It had looked like the old apothecary...

Maybe he was just seeing things because he missed him. There was no way the old man would actually be in the royal castle. Even hearing that his message had been delivered would already be lucky enough.

Ren shook his head and said it was nothing before heading back to his room with the servant.

The warmth inside quickly thawed his cold cheeks.

As the servant took Ren’s cloak and moved to help him change, a knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Geloman. May I come in?”

“Come in.”

Ugh! That way of speaking still sounded so strange every time.

A low, mature voice completely mismatched with such gentle phrasing.

At some point, hearing Geloman talk like that had started making Ren strangely self-conscious. Whenever Geloman spoke to him that way, he felt like a child.

Not even a good child either.

More like some terrible brat constantly whining and refusing to listen while adults struggled to soothe him.

“Lord Geloman.”

The servant bowed deeply. Geloman gestured for him to leave, saying it was fine.

“I found Veron.”

“Veron?”

“Yes. Veron.”

“Who’s Veron?”

“.......”

For once, Geloman’s face showed a noticeably stronger expression than usual.

Complete bewilderment.

Ren looked just as dumbfounded.

What do you mean Veron? I’ve never heard that name in my life!

Staring at Geloman suspiciously, Ren finally remembered the favor he had asked yesterday.

“Wait! The old apothecary?!”

“The old apothecary?”

“Yes! My grandfather! So his name was Veron!”

He had lived in the village that long and never even learned the old man’s name!!

I should apologize when I see him.

More importantly, he actually kept his promise! I can’t believe he really delivered the message! The old apothecary’s amazing!

Watching Ren beam excitedly in admiration, Geloman let out a quiet snort of laughter without realizing it. Had Ren seen him, he probably would have demanded to know whether he had just mocked him.

“Have you eaten yet?”

“No! I was just about to.”

Ren’s entire face softened with obvious delight. Seeing the gentle curve of his eyes, Geloman spoke.

“You look better like this.”

“...What looks better?”

“Your smile.”

“......!”

Wh-what kind of thing is that to say so casually?!

You’re the one who said it, so why am I the embarrassed one?!

Ren’s cheeks flushed bright red. He turned his face away and grumbled furiously.

Seriously, why does he keep blurting things out like that lately?!

He wasn’t like this back in Tempesto Village or on the way to the capital!

Wasn’t he supposed to be the serious, blunt type?!

“Why do you keep teasing people? I don’t really like hearing things like that.”

Once again, Geloman merely nodded.

There was no way to tell whether he actually understood or was simply too lazy to respond properly.

Ren glared at him with his lips pressed tightly together. Suddenly he wanted to get back at him somehow.

But the moment Geloman spoke again, that urge vanished completely.

“You can eat with the old apothecary.”

“...?”

Geloman gave a small grin and explained again.

He had already brought Veron, the old apothecary, into the castle. Searching for the exact letter would have taken time, but once they narrowed it down to people from Ren’s home village, they had found him quickly.

“Th-that’s allowed?!”

He’s not a guest of the Heroes—he’s my guest!

You can really just bring someone into the castle because I said I missed him?!

Geloman looked deeply into Ren’s shining eyes before nodding solemnly.

“You’re the kingdom’s Hero.”

“.......”

Ren nodded back with an equally serious face.

Geloman really did have a habit of cutting his sentences in half.

So what does that even mean?! Because he’s a Hero, what?!

Well, it probably meant he was being treated that well, but still! That explanation communicated absolutely nothing!

Since he was grateful Geloman had brought the old apothecary here, Ren decided not to pick a fight and simply nodded back instead.

Seeing Ren’s solemn expression, Geloman grinned and awkwardly imitated Luman.

“If necessary, I’ll just write a report afterward.”

The sly smirk looked so completely wrong on his face that Ren froze stiff like he had just seen a ghost.

Meanwhile, Geloman looked oddly satisfied with himself.

“S-so if I go to the dining hall now...?”

Ren hurriedly grabbed the cloak he had tossed aside. He did not even bother putting it on properly, simply clutching it in his hands instead. Geloman jerked his chin toward the door.

“Why......?”

Wait.

Don’t tell me he’s standing outside the door?!

Ren suddenly remembered how Luman and Kirky had once tricked him by pretending Luman had died. Since he had already been fooled once, he tried not to get his hopes up again.

But he could not stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.

Nor could he stop his trembling heart from pounding wildly.

Muttering that maybe no one was there after all, Ren walked toward the door.

The moment he stepped into the hallway, he saw someone’s back.

The robe made it difficult to make out the figure clearly, but—

The voice speaking with the servant.

The familiar way he talked.

The sturdy oak-colored cane planted firmly against the royal castle’s red carpet.

Ren could not even see the man’s face, yet he knew immediately who it was.

Unable to hold himself back, Ren shouted loudly,

“Old apothecary... Grandpa!!”