The fever still pained her, but her head felt clearer after a full day of sleep.
The room was dark, and she could tell it was nighttime.
She’d had breakfast, but she’d skipped lunch. Her tummy growled.
She had to call an adult and tell them she was hungry, or she would get nothing to eat at all.
Nadeshiko sat up sluggishly. Then she noticed an unnatural gap in the blankets.
Rindo.
She could smell his lingering scent right away. He must’ve been sleeping next to her.
He always looked after her when she was sick, which would explain why he was there next to her.
“…”
Nadeshiko’s lips curved into a smile in silence, and warmth enveloped her heart.
He worried about her even though he was so busy. It made her so happy.
She had to tell him she was feeling much better as soon as possible. Touching her forehead, she could tell her fever had gone down.
Nadeshiko got up from the bed gently. Her guard dog was snoozing in his bed, too.
Hanakiri must have also been watching over her. She patted his head.
A storm brewed in her chest as Liam’s proposal crossed her mind, but she tried not to think about it.
After they returned to the hotel, Rindo had promised her he would not let her marry.
She would be fine, thanks to him.
Encouraged, she tottered over to the door.
As she reached for the doorknob, she heard men talking in the hallway.
“We don’t need your concern. Please just go.”
“Okay, I’ll go. They won’t send me to the Church, but my subordinate will be there. Be nice.”
They seemed to be arguing. She immediately recognized Rindo’s voice. The other had to be Kikka Azami.
Rindo’s father.
Nadeshiko’s room was halfway down the hallway from the entrance to the hotel’s rooms.
The location allowed for swift escape if anything happened, but in return, the noise of people coming and going was constant. She could even hear the adults talking in the parlor room if she listened hard enough.
It was around dinnertime.
The escorts were probably having a nice chat over their meals.
I want to go there.
But Nadeshiko felt it would be wrong to interrupt the father and son’s good-bye.
She decided to go out once they were done.
Nadeshiko waited restlessly while the other two kept talking.
“Be careful when you go to the Church. They’ll ask you to remove your weapons, but there’s no rule they can enforce. Make sure Ms. Aragami is with you. There’s also been a surprising number of robberies nearby. I gathered some documents for you. Use them if they tell you anything about why.”
“…Thanks, I guess, but I’m not forgiving you for taking this job without telling me.”
“I just wanted to give you a little surprise. And I wanted to see my dear son at work.”
“I don’t like surprises or flash mobs.”
“Are you really my son? I love both of those.”
It sounded like Kikka had visited Rindo out of concern.
They must have been unable to have a real conversation yesterday after all the fuss with the proposal.
They were in a foreign country on the same job, so naturally they would want to talk.
This father also seemed to care deeply for his son. Rindo insisted that the sentiment was not mutual, but the way Kikka took his son’s retorts in stride was proof of how close they were.
This back-and-forth would never happen in a distant family relationship.
That’s good to know.
Nadeshiko was sincerely relieved to know Rindo was a loved child.
Kikka stayed put; he had more to talk about. She could easily picture Rindo glaring at his father.
“…Rindo, let me remind you again. If you ever want me to, I can convince your grandpa and grandma. Have you thought about it?”
“That again? I told you, it’s fine already.”
“But you hated it so much.”
The warmth in Nadeshiko’s heart suddenly vanished in the following moment.
She was reminded of how wrong eavesdropping was, even if she didn’t mean any harm.
“You hated the idea of being a Guard.”
Even if she didn’t mean it, this was eavesdropping.
She was listening in on a conversation she would normally have no awareness of.
“…”
Nadeshiko stopped breathing for ten seconds. She covered her mouth so they wouldn’t hear when she started breathing. She couldn’t let herself be found out now.
“How long ago was that…?”
Rindo’s voice was a blend of anger and pain.
“Not very long, in my mind. What happened, son? All of a sudden you said you’d stick with the job until your retirement… What changed while I was gone? The last time we met, you were whining about quitting as soon as someone was found to succeed you. I’ve been keeping a post open in my department…”
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have been whining to my parents; I know I’m not a kid anymore. But stop insisting, Dad. I’ve decided to protect Nadeshiko. She’s my reason to live now. Please don’t bring up all that nonsense from back when I was so ignorant… I was so stupid… I feel so bad for Nadeshiko…”
No matter how hard Rindo denied it, it would have no effect.
He doesn’t want to be my Guard.
Negative statements left a stronger impression.
Rindo didn’t want to.
It was the same for Kikka.
“…You weren’t stupid. Your grandpa and grandma got all giddy recommending you while I was away from Yamato. They went on and on about the honor of the family, but they didn’t have to sacrifice anything.”
“Being with Nadeshiko is no sacrifice. And that’s just how values were in their times. I don’t blame them. They were just happy to see their grandson get a feather in his cap, that’s all.”
“No, they’re in the wrong. They don’t get it.”
“…Dad…”
“The Agent of Autumn tends to be isolated. I feel for Lady Nadeshiko, really I do…but the power of Life Putrefaction drives people away. You’ll end up isolated in the Town, too. A lot of people quit after the attack last year, right? And not all of them were harmed in the collapse of the villa, were they?”
Nadeshiko tried to back away from the door.
“If I’ve heard about it, everyone in the Town must know.”
I should hear this.