Time Healer Ceres

Chapter 9: A Walk

“I heard you attended the last Imperial Council?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you must’ve seen Grand Duke Persia?”

“...I did.”

“What was he like?”

“Don’t even bring it up. I don’t want to think about it.”

The mercenary, who had been eating his stew, suddenly grimaced. Just recalling the Imperial Council he had attended with the guild master made his skin crawl.

He set the spoon in his hand back down on the table.

“Why?”

“It was the first time in my life that nobles actually looked pitiful.”

“What?”

“Your Majesty, that request is far too—!”

CLATTER!

“Ghk!”

“My apologies. My foot slipped. Go on.”

“Th-that...”

“I said continue. Don’t drag this out. Though the meeting’s already running twenty minutes longer than the first day, you still have something to say, don’t you?”

“...No. I have nothing further.”

“He looked like he could kill someone with just his eyes.”

“Was it really that bad?”

“I’m telling you, even my guild master couldn’t get a word out.”

“Your guild master never talks much in meetings. He’s always too busy watching the nobles.”

“Shut the hell up...”

“So? What about his face? I heard he’s ridiculously handsome.”

“I wouldn’t know. He looked half-dead.”

“Is his hair really white? I heard your whole body freezes just from getting close to him. Is that true? People say the North is so cold because of the Grand Duke’s magic.”

“I don’t know. But his hair really was white.”

Clink.

“There wasn’t a single other color. Even his eyes were strange... silver, maybe? Ah, he looked like—?”

The mercenary, who was recalling the face of the Grand Duke he saw that day, suddenly noticed someone entering through the door and snapped his fingers.

A man who looked exactly like Grand Duke Persia was walking toward the tables.

“Huh?”

...What is this? Isn’t that a little too similar?

That white hair...

As the figure got closer, the mercenary’s mouth fell open unconsciously.

Step, step.

“Uh... uh...? H-h—?!”

His eyes widened further and further. A strangled gasp burst out.

That wasn’t someone who merely resembled him. It was Grand Duke Persia himself!

“Pfft!

“Ghk—! Cough—!”

The others who noticed him reacted in much the same way.

What is he doing here?

Why is someone like him in a place like this?

Surprised and curious gazes gathered all at once. Even those lined up outside the shop forgot to stop him from cutting ahead, instead crowding against the windows just to get a look at the Grand Duke.

“......”

The man briefly swept his gaze around as if searching for an empty seat, but his eyes soon came to a stop at the table where the mercenary who had first noticed him was sitting.

W-what? Why is he looking at me?

Under the unrelenting gaze of the Grand Duke, the mercenary swallowed dryly.

Was it possible he remembered him from the last Imperial Council? But it wasn’t like he had done anything particularly noticeable that day.

“Khmm.”

“C-Cough!”

Contrary to their expectation that he would soon look away, Kainel remained standing there with his arms crossed. In the end, the two mercenaries had no choice but to set down the spoons they were holding.

“H-here! The bill!”

“W-we’re done eating!”

The two mercenaries practically threw their money onto the table before scrambling to their feet, leaving behind a third of their stew. It was something they would never normally do.

Kainel slid into the vacated seats as if nothing had happened and sat down.

“.....”

Leaning back with his legs crossed like he were in his own office, he swept a casual glance around the room.

“H-here! The bill!”

“Me too!”

“Ah, right, I just remembered I have an urgent appointment!”

“That appointment... you’re going, right? Let’s go together, come on!”

As soon as their eyes met his, they all rushed to their feet and fled outside without hesitation.

“But why are we running?”

“Shut up! You think food’s going to go down with that terrifying guy sitting there?”

“Damn it... I wasn’t even halfway done!”

“They say his temper’s insane. If you get on his bad side, he’ll take your head off on the spot. Just stop talking and run!”

“Ugh, I’m still hungover! I need that food to fully recover...”

“Seriously! If you don’t want to end up frozen, just move!”

The people outside the shop were no different. Even though seats had opened up, not a single person came in. Everyone hurried off, claiming they suddenly had somewhere else to be.

At the very least, they wanted to eat in peace.

“Uh...?”

Staring at the now-empty shop, littered with half-finished dishes, the maid Jay couldn’t hide her confusion.

What on earth just happened? Why is everyone acting like that?

“Order.”

At that moment, a low voice carried clearly through the silence.

“Y-Yes!”

Jay quickly made her way over to Kainel, the only one still seated.

“One stew.”

“Of course. Please wait a moment.”

Though Jay had no idea what was going on, she responded with her usual smile as she took his order.

“Jay? What’s going on...?”

Jay wasn’t the only one who sensed something was off.

Noticing how suddenly quiet the shop had become, Ceres stepped out from the kitchen and tilted her head at the sight of the empty room. Where did everyone go?

“Ah...”

Her eyes widened when she spotted the lone figure sitting calmly in the center.

Kai...

Is he really Kainel?

Wow...

How long has it been since she last saw him?

To her, it felt like no time had passed since she died. But in reality, three hundred years have gone by.

A faint smile of recognition almost formed on Ceres’s lips before she caught herself, her steps halting just as she was about to move closer.

...He wouldn’t recognize me, would he?

If anything, it would be stranger if he did. She swallowed down the sigh that nearly escaped her.

How have you been all this time? Why did you stay shut away in the duchy for so long? What happened to you?

There were so many things she wanted to ask. However, she couldn’t voice any of those personal questions.

Of all people...

It had to be Kai who was in front of her.

Why has he gotten so thin?

Has he not been eating properly again?

Thinking back to how he’d always had such a small appetite since childhood, Ceres shook her head.

More importantly... why is he here?

The sight of Kainel sitting with such composure inside a shabby shop felt out of place. But somehow, it suited him.

As if sensing her gaze, his indifferent eyes that had been sweeping the room shifted toward where she stood.

Those silver eyes were still shining beautifully.

“Kai, if you die first, can I have your eyes?”

“Because they’re pretty?”

“Yeah! Give me one.”

“Alright. I’ll give you both.”

“...Hey, could you two please stop saying things like that so casually?!”

“Arti, want me to take yours too when the time comes?”

“Aaaah! No! I don’t want that! Stop eyeing mine!”

Arti nearly lost his mind back then.

She was only half-joking. Who would’ve thought he’d react so strongly?

Ceres tried not to laugh as the memory surfaced.

At the same time, she realized something.

Ah.

Kai is in a bad mood right now.

As though irritated by her stifling laughter, one of Kainel’s brows lifted slightly before settling back into place.

Catching on immediately, she hurriedly wiped the smile from her face.

He’s still just as prickly as ever.

“Lady Ceres, the customers...”

“Mm.”

Having already grasped the situation, Ceres simply nodded at Jay, who approached with a troubled expression. There was no need for her to explain.

They’ve got sharp instincts, after all.

The mercenaries, that is.

People who had survived all kinds of dangers tended to develop an instinct to flee from anything threatening. No one wanted to sit down for a meal in the presence of someone who felt like an apex predator.

“Is he a guest?”

“He ordered stew.”

“Really?”

Ceres’s gaze drifted back to Kainel once more. It was true that he used to enjoy the stew she made.

How did he find this place?

She was curious. Has he heard about it somewhere and come looking?

But he’s not the type to go out of his way to eat somewhere like this...

“Do you have something to say?”

Kainel spoke first, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips. But Ceres knew better than anyone that there was nothing friendly about that expression.

That guy always smiles like that when he’s in a foul mood. It seemed he didn’t like the way she kept staring at him in silence.

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