Laetitia was continuing to weaken in her slumber. With each moment, they drew closer to the inescapable end. If it was possible, Lucian wouldn’t hesitate for a second to trade places with her, even if it meant losing his own life.
But reality wouldn’t allow Lucian to exchange his life for hers. Slowly, it was leading Laetitia down the path to her death.
“I’m…so sorry…!”
All he could do was desperately apologize. He did it knowing his pleas, his words, none of it would ever reach her ears.
Unable to find the words to say to Claude and Lucian, Glenreed remained silent. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, clenched his fists, and reflected on the situation. Then he raised his head.
“I’m going to call Laetitia back.”
It was a declaration to the two men, and to himself.
“I won’t allow it.” Claude immediately answered Glenreed, the king, with an outright rejection. “Letty’s soul is wandering outside of this world right now. It’s a mysterious place ruled by different laws than ours, too dangerous for you to set foot in.”
“What’s your point?”
“What if you’re unable to make it back to this world either, King Glenreed? That’s the last thing Letty would ever want.”
“Well I want it.”
That was Glenreed’s desire. He lashed out at Claude with all of his feelings—pride, selfishness, and sincerity.
“Laetitia doesn’t want it? I’m well aware. She’s a kind person who wouldn’t want me getting hurt for her sake. I know she’d never forgive me…”
This desire was an ugly one.
It was pure, unredeemable foolishness.
He felt too much passion to stop himself from shouting this time.
“But what the hell do I care about any of that?! I want Laetitia! Whatever it takes, I have to bring her back!!”
I want to see Laetitia again. I want to hear her voice. I want to stare at her smile. I want to eat with her for the rest of my life and tell her how delicious the food is.
His unyielding emotions poured out into his voice.
I’m in love with Laetitia.
Glenreed suddenly felt it deep in his bones. This was a messy, passionate, ugly sort of feeling. It wasn’t what Claude felt for her.
Just as Claude’s heart was full of love for Laetitia, Glenreed felt a powerful love for her too. But Glenreed’s was difficult. These were romantic feelings, so strong they drove him to sheer foolishness.
Maybe Claude had given up out of respect for her wishes, but Glenreed was never willing to abandon hope.
“Spit it out. Tell me already. You know the curse that will send me to Laetitia to bring her back.” He approached the still-slumping Claude and grabbed him by the shoulders. “You’re desperate to go and save her too, aren’t you?!”
“…! Of course I am!” Claude grabbed Glenreed back by his shirt collar. “But I can’t! I can’t do it! Curses aren’t just little miracles when you need them! You can’t overcome everything just because of how strong your feelings are! If something’s over, it’s over! There isn’t going to be a miracle! I can love Letty all I want, and it’s not going to do anything!”
“So you’re going to give up without even trying?!”
When the king challenged him, Claude’s voice rose to a scream.
“Yeah, that’s right! What other choice do I have?! I couldn’t find Letty’s other name! If I ended up creating another victim just because I wanted to pretend there was hope, I’d never be able to face Letty aga—”
“Liar!”
“Ngh!”
Glenreed slammed Claude against the wall. He wasn’t going to let him escape. Wasn’t going to let himself be deceived.
“If that’s true, why come to this place and start babbling on about curses? You wouldn’t have done that if you’d truly given up!!”
“…!”
It seemed Glenreed had gotten to the heart of the matter.
“I know you can’t give up yet either. So let me do it. Teach me. How do I get to her?! Tell me, damn it!” He howled with all the might of his passion and his love for Laetitia.
“……!”
“……”
The two men glared silently at each other. But then…
“Meow!”
Both of them dropped their gazes when they heard a charming cry at their feet—something entirely unfitting in that situation.
“Laetitia’s Gardener Cat…”
The Gardener Cat with the gray tabby-like fur, Berry, looked up at the humans.
“Why…are you holding out a strawberry…?”
Balanced on Berry’s right paw was a glossy, bright red strawberry at the perfect ripeness.
Does she actually think this will break up a fight between humans?
Glenreed was confused. Lucian was the one to interpret the cat’s actions.
“If you’re going to call Lady Laetitia back to us, then take this strawberry with you. It will definitely be of use…at least, I believe that’s what she’s saying.”
“Meow meow!”
“What a wise man you are!” she seemed to say as she nodded.
She tugged on Glenreed’s pant leg and held out the strawberry.
“Right, very well. I’ll take this strawberry and call Laetitia back to our world.”
Glenreed took the strawberry, carefully bundled it up in a cloth, put it in his breast pocket, and turned to look at Claude.
“Now tell me that curse already. I’ll reach out to her not just for me, but for you and the Gardener Cats too. Fortunately, my soul is supposedly a special variety since I have ancestral reversion powers. Chances are better that I’ll last longer than you would in a world outside of our logic. I’m certain I can bring Laetitia back too. …So take a risk and send me away while you wait here for Letty’s return.”
“…Thank you. I’m counting on you to bring Letty back.”
With the look of a man who’d been overpowered, like this was his last hope to cling to, Claude let out a deep breath.