They continued ahead without having any breakfast or lunch, and the sun was about to set when the two of them finally arrived at their destination.
It was on the side of a narrow, paved road, possibly near a highway. An old house with a garage and a small lodge stood side by side. There were no other residences in the area, but the relatively neat appearance of the exterior suggested it wasn’t abandoned.
From a distance, Tsushima confirmed the lights were on in the lodge, then gestured for Lupus to follow.
“Someone really lives here?”
“That’s right. Unless he’s dead.”
“Is there a chance that might be the case?”
“Yeah. He was already pretty old ten years back, so if he’s still kicking, he’ll be ancient.”
“Wooow… Thanks for that amazing, wonderfully reassuring tale. Anyway, as long as there’s warm soup and a chair to sit on, I don’t care where we are; I just want to rest.”
Lupus squinted at Tsushima as if he were far away, then sniffed and nudged his shoulder with her elbow. She seemed to be telling him to hurry up.
“I don’t think anyone would tail us this far, but don’t let your guard down,” he said.
“I know, I know. Walk one step behind you, using you as a shield at all times, right?” Lupus recited the instructions he’d given her the previous night and shot him a cold look.
“Sheesh, you’re not very endearing,” Tsushima muttered, turning his heavy steps toward the cabin.
As the two crossed the road and entered the premises, the cabin door suddenly opened to reveal a bearded, bearlike old man. Seeing the two of them, he raised his hand in greeting, not seeming particularly surprised.
“Oh. You’re that lad, aren’t you? Tsushima? It’s not often I get visitors. You sure have grown since I last saw you.”
“I’m glad you’re still here. It was a bit of a gamble, but it paid off.”
“Oh my. So you’ve been driven to relying on a secluded old hermit, eh? Well, being relied on doesn’t feel too bad.”
The old man looked at Lupus, who blended into the darkness of the forest at night. Seeing her muddy, sweaty appearance, he seemed to grasp the situation immediately and gestured for the two of them to enter the lodge.
“That young lady looks like she needs some rest. Have you been pushing people too hard again? That won’t do. You should show more consideration, ’specially to those weaker than you. Don’t forget you’re not like most people.”
“I got it. Save the lecture for later. I want to let her rest first.”
After watching their exchange, Lupus gave the old man a polite bow.
“Please forgive us for suddenly visiting so late at night.”
“No, no, never you mind,” the old man replied. “If you’re with the lad, you’re always welcome here.”
“Thank you. I’ll take you up on that offer.”
Forcing her tired legs to move after basically dragging them while walking earlier, Lupus stepped into the lodge.
Tsushima followed behind her.
While the old man showed Lupus around, Tsushima decided to take a load off in the living room.
The inside of the cabin could hardly be called spacious. The living room, connected to the kitchen, consisted of a few chairs and a table. Thankfully, the fire burning in the hearth wrapped the inside of the room in a warmth that invited drowsiness.
After a few minutes, the old man returned to the living room. Putting a pipe in his mouth, he sat down in a rocking chair and gazed at Tsushima, as if asking for an explanation.
Tsushima cleared his throat.
“First, I have to thank you. You’ve really helped us out by taking us in.”
“Looks like you have your reasons. I couldn’t just turn my back on you.”
“Yeah. As for why I’ve come to you…”
“For that young lady’s transport, yeah?” the old man said as if predicting Tsushima’s words. He raised his thick, white-streaked eyebrows and exhaled smoke.
“That’s right. I want you to take both of us close to the Middle Sea. Preferably using a method that doesn’t allow anyone to follow us.”
“I see. Should be fine.”
The old man was someone Tsushima had once relied on back when he lived in the Balga Empire. He worked as a courier. Half a century ago, he had apparently been a fighter pilot. His flying skills were excellent.
The old man puffed on his pipe for a while, seemingly absorbed in thought. Tsushima crossed his arms and perched on the kitchen counter.
“This a high-stakes job?” the old man asked slowly.
“It’s best not to ask too many details. If you get caught up in it, you won’t be able to stay in this country.”
“That serious, huh? Pretty flowers have their thorns, but is that girl really worth all this?”
The old man narrowed his eyes and started staring at an old photograph hanging on the wall. When an old person like him started talking about the past, it rarely led anywhere good. Tsushima silently hoped the conversation wouldn’t veer off course.
“But seeing you with a girl her age makes me remember, you know? About Shion.”
Of course he would bring that up, Tsushima thought, but he couldn’t deny what the old man had pointed out.
Tsushima responded as he reached for a cigarette that was on the counter.
“She doesn’t look anything like her, but for some reason, she reminds me of her. And because of that, here we are.”
“Ha. Men have been easily swayed by women throughout the ages.”
“That’s some wisdom right there.”
Tsushima saw the corners of the old man’s lips curl slightly upward in a smile behind his pipe. At the same time, the man’s eyes got a faraway look, and he blew smoke into thin air.
“I’m glad you’re still alive,” the old man said. “The War of Independence was never one we had much hope of winning. When Shion died, I thought you wouldn’t last long, either, but I’m glad you grew up unharmed.”
“Unharmed, huh?”
Tsushima finally found the small box he’d been looking for. He pulled out a match and lit it, making a relieved sound as he inhaled cigarette smoke for the first time all day. The old man turned his head at Tsushima’s voice.
“What’s this? You’ve taken up smoking, too? That’s strangely similar to Shion.”
“There’s more to it, Gramps. It’s not like I do it because I enjoy it.”
Seeing Tsushima flash his signature spiteful grin, the old man rose from his chair with an expression like he was dealing with an unruly kid.
“Cigarette toxins wear down Informationists, right? You should quit.”
“Technically, it disrupts the brain’s Code construction process. It’s not like smoking causes me any major impairments anyway—if anything, that’s kind of the point.”
“Confident as ever, I see. Want some alcohol to go with your smokes?”
The old man stumbled to the kitchen on unsteady legs, pulling out a bottle filled with light brown liquid from a shelf. Probably whiskey or something similar. Tsushima grimaced and shook his head.
“I’m no good with alcohol. I’ll pass.”
“Oh. So you’re not like Shion in that way. She could handle her liquor as well as I can.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. She was technically underage at the time.”
“Ha. Well, it was during the war, so the statute of limitations has surely run out.”
As the old man let out a distinctive cackle, they heard the sound of a door opening at the back of the room. It seemed Lupus had finished her bath.
She appeared with a pattering of footsteps, dressed in an oversize shirt and pants. Her long silver hair spilled out from beneath a towel on her head, and her outfit made her look much younger than she really was.
“I’m done. The water was just the right temperature. It blew away my fatigue,” Lupus said contentedly. She looked at Tsushima and tilted her head in confusion at his weird stare.
“What’s wrong? Do I look weird or something?”
Lupus stretched out her arms to check her appearance, inadvertently revealing the flawless white skin at the top of her chest. Though she seemed unaware of it, it was clearly too tempting a sight.
Unable to figure out the reason for Tsushima’s staring, Lupus looked back at him, tilting her head with a puzzled expression. That was also utterly captivating.
Her carefree demeanor most likely reflected her true self. However, she inspired in Tsushima the strange desire to protect her. Unable to bear it, Tsushima averted his gaze and exhaled smoke.
Through the swirling smoke, his eyes met those of the old man, who shook his head as if saying, Oh, good grief!
Annoying old geezer, Tsushima thought bitterly.
“Hey, what’s with the attitude?” Lupus asked. She approached him unguarded, giving off a squeaky-clean aroma. Tsushima held up his hand to stop her and spoke as if the situation was serious.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Don’t come near me—I’m smoking.”
“Aren’t you always? But more importantly, what was with that look in your eyes just now? You’re hiding something again, aren’t you?”
“Again?”
“Yes, again!”
Although they were having a conversation, Tsushima never once looked at her, making Lupus feel even more suspicious. As she steadily closed the distance between them, Tsushima found himself backing away from her under the pressure.
Feeling insecure due to his behavior, Lupus sniffed herself.
“Huh? Could it be that I still stink? But I washed myself properly.”
“Nah, you don’t smell.”
“So why are you running awayyyy?”
With her arms crossed and eyes narrowed, Lupus looked up from beside him. But Tsushima stubbornly refused to return her gaze—because from that angle, he could see something he shouldn’t.
As Tsushima desperately endured his exchange with the oblivious Lupus, the old man finally sent in a lifeline.
“Young lady, you’ll get cold after your bath. Here, put this on.” With a warm smile, he handed her a thick cardigan. Lupus likely didn’t pick up on the true meaning of his grin.
Following his advice, Lupus began putting on the cardigan. Tsushima extinguished his cigarette and stood up to get away from her.
“I’ll use the bath as well. Oh yeah, Gramps, don’t let this kid drink anything weird. Especially not alcohol. She’s underage,” Tsushima warned him. Raising his hand to say he understood, the old man tilted the whiskey glass he had poured for himself.
A little uneasy, Tsushima walked quickly to the bathroom, deciding to finish bathing as soon as possible.