After Ragi’s funeral, Elly and I took Alto to the castle.
We crossed the bridge over the moat, and a knight waited for us just beyond the gate to guide us to the throne room.
I thought we’d be able to head home right away…
I glanced over at Elly, and she gave a little shake of her head. Apparently, she was wondering the same thing. Why had commoners like us been summoned here at all?
“It’ll be okay,” Prince Eugene reassured us quietly, but I was still tense.
Inside the castle, we were shown to a hall with high ceilings. Various dignitaries from the kingdom stood solemnly on either side of the throne.
Sophia stepped forward and gave her report to the king. Once she was finished, His Majesty began to issue orders in a steady voice. The first was directed at me and Elly.
“The two of you are forbidden from going anywhere near Setsuna until he comes to collect Alto.”
Elly and I exchanged baffled glances.
Why…?
We were completely clueless. As we stood there in stunned silence, the king gave his next order to the contingent from the castle.
“Keith, you are to ensure that this same order be spread throughout the castle. Patrols around Ragi’s residence shall be increased, and the treatment of any who enters the property shall be left to Setsuna’s discretion. I have also requested through the Adventurers Guild for any intruders to be arrested and delivered to the dungeon. This is to be made known throughout the royal household and carried out with the utmost caution. You will also arrange to increase the ranks of the regional guard and brief them accordingly.”
Lord Keith bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Thoughts were swirling through my mind so fast I could barely keep up. Nothing made sense. The king must’ve noticed, because he looked at me and granted me permission to speak.
“May I ask why we are forbidden from seeing Setsuna? Elly and I were planning to help him tomorrow.”
“Did Setsuna refuse your offer?”
“Yes,” I admitted. “He said he could manage cleaning up on his own.” I’d assumed he was only being polite, though. Elly and I had discussed how lonely that house—which until now had been filled with so much laughter—must feel now that Setsuna was there all alone, and we’d agreed to visit him.
“I understand it’s coming from a place of kindness, but your presence would only hinder him now,” the king said.
I wasn’t sure what to say. All I could do was stand there and try not to let the frustration show on my face.
“Norris. I know all too well how you feel, but what you may imagine Setsuna meant as ‘cleaning up’ and what he actually meant are two different things.”
“What do you mean?”
“Setsuna’s ‘cleaning up’ involves eliminating any thieves targeting the home of his late client.”
My vision went a little dim. Elly’s left hand found mine and clutched it, trembling.
“You know about the quest, don’t you? It had been posted on the guild board for a long time, which unfortunately made it common knowledge that once the funeral was over, there would be a house full of unclaimed wealth left behind. Now that the funeral’s over, it will be irresistible to thieves and bandits. It is my own failing that I allowed things to reach such a state, and I regret that deeply.”
“No…” I didn’t know what else to say, hearing the king express such remorse.
“Setsuna wrote to me that he would cast a powerful spell across the property to protect it,” His Majesty continued. “It would make him very sad if you ended up getting caught in it.”
“…”
“That’s one of the reasons he wanted Alto sent here—to keep him out of harm’s way.”
“…”
“There’s one other thing. In his letter, Setsuna also said that Alto had already been hurt so badly by this loss that he shouldn’t have to see the kind of people who’d come sniffing around after such a tragedy. If we were to ignore his concerns and get injured, questions would arise as to how it happened. In which case, the situation would come to light and Alto would be hurt all over again.”
“…”
“That is why, by royal decree, you must not go near Setsuna. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Elly and I both managed to say.
“However, in return,” the king said in a gentler tone, “I shall give you another duty. You will deliver flowers to Alto’s room while he stays here in the castle. Beyond that, you are free to spend your time as you wish.”
We looked at each other, unable to hide our surprise. The king just smiled and nodded kindly to us.
✦ ✦ ✦
The wagon moved slowly along the road on our way home. Today had been filled with events that seemed almost too hard to believe, and now it was drawing to a close.
Elly sat beside me with her head bowed and shoulders slumped. I knew I had to find the strength to comfort her.
Now that I thought about it, it wouldn’t have been unusual for us to lose touch with Ragi and everyone else once Setsuna finished the quest he did for us. But lately…it had started to really feel like we were going to visit family. It was a place we’d grown attached to.
No matter when we dropped by, Ragi always welcomed us with a warm smile. Sometimes he and Alto would come up with a prank and rope us into it. Even that was something we’d grown to love.
That house and Ragi himself had become so dear to us, so of course it felt sad now.
“Norris… Do you think Setsuna will be all right?” Elly murmured, still looking at her lap.
“This was his own decision,” I said quietly.
“I know. And I know how sad he’d be if we got hurt because of him.” She lifted her head, gazing absently at the sky.
“What kind of flowers should we bring Alto tomorrow, Elly?” I asked.
“Something cheerful to make him feel better.”
“Some bright colors, then?”
“Hmm. Maybe something a bit more interesting would be better.”
“Like what?”
“How about a carnivorous plant?”
“That might only make things worse.”
“You think so?”
“Something pretty would probably be better.”
“Then, how about touch-me-nots?” Elly suggested.
“They are unusual, the way they droop when you touch them. But that might make him feel a bit lonely right now, so maybe not.”
I pictured Alto sitting alone in his room, poking a touch-me-not, and the thought of it made me so sad my heart ached.
“Hmm, what else is there that’s interesting?”
“Maybe interesting isn’t the way to go,” I said.
Our conversation drifted off in an odd direction as the wagon rattled along.
A new moon caused the stars to glimmer brightly in the night sky above us, and I struggled to keep the sense of loneliness from swallowing me whole.