Naturally, or as if calculated, my relationship with Anna began to twist abruptly, like falling off a cliff.
From Anna’s perspective, was it a feeling of having crossed a river that could never be crossed back? She left me, who was crying in anguish, as she coldly turned away.
Ah, great.
So, so great.
Since that incident, Anna started to treat everything with such coldness that even a stranger could feel she had changed a lot.
How am I doing, you ask?
Well, that’s…
thud, thud, thud!
“Wanna go make a snowman together~♪?”
“….Go away.”
“….Okay… Sorry for bothering you.”
“…..”
I was still lingering around Anna unnie.
Wow, this isn’t working.
I tried to imitate a scene from my first life, one that was deeply imprinted despite my fading memory, but, of course, it yielded no results.
Winter had come, and the first snow fell, so I invited her to make a snowman, but as expected, I got rejected again.
Is this the 75th time? Tch, an impenetrable wall.
Even with my persistence, Anna unnie’s wall showed no signs of crumbling.
Well, if something like this could take her down, I would be even more disappointed.
It seems her heart has grown even harder against my advances. No, let’s call it a parched, hardened ground instead.
The more that kind of thing happens, the more it’ll just crumble without any time to go back.
Like pottery shattering.
Hehe.
Despite the rejection, I was trying my best to act as if nothing had happened, portraying myself as a cheerful and bright child.
Just, letting on that I was a little struggling.
“….Aris, you were here again…?”
“…..Mm…”
“Haah… Come here, let’s play.”
Hug!
Shiver, shiver, the cold wind was slowly sapping my body heat.
Maybe I should feign fainting from the cold soon, but Remy found me before I could do that.
What a bummer, but this situation is nice in its own way.
Remy rushed over to me after searching and warmly hugged me.
I always feel she is such a warm sister.
I wonder how nice it would feel if she cried?
Every time I imagined her wailing while holding my cold body, I felt that happiness.
Ah, I miss her.
But if I die, I won’t be able to see that sight—how unfortunate that is.
She grabbed my hand, blowing warm breath to gradually melt my coldness. I felt a slight sting, and blood flow started returning.
Hmm, I might have gotten frostbite if I stayed a bit longer. Didn’t realize that. Wow, my hand is turning blue.
Have I been out here for about two hours?
Every time I tried to talk to Anna, the only reply I got was rejection. Later she didn’t even bother to respond and simply ignored me.
The method is definitely effective.
“Anna, you idiot! Fool! Sea Anemone!”
“D-Don’t say that! It’s… all my fault…”
“Aris did nothing wrong! That uptight blockhead is the problem!”
You shouldn’t insult Anna unnie…
Like this, Aris is so good! Ugh! I would rather get a paper cut from reading a book!
I… I wish that wouldn’t happen…
Right!? Such bookworms deserve that!
Remy’s efforts to lift my spirits with remarks about how she would scold Anna made me burst into laughter.
Seeing me laugh, she laughed along. As we laughed, my body warmth returned.
Every time I saw Remy’s innocent actions for my sake, it felt like watching a child’s antics, filling me with joy.
How far from Anna’s mansion had we walked with Remy? Suddenly, she started saying to me,
“I miss you!”
It was a jumbled statement, but by now we understood each other just by our gazes.
Um… That?
Yeah! That!
Though, I don’t really know.
“E-Embarrassed… I’m still immature…”
“Anything Aris does is great! I want to see! Show me your dance~!”
“Uhmm… then… only for you, okay?”
“Aris, I love you!”
And I love you too.
Remy and I maintained a good relationship, essentially sticking to each other like glue.
Actually, since I always indulged her, we had no reason to fight.
When it came to bathing, I would say I was embarrassed and try to push her away, only for her to charge in wanting to see my blushing face, and I eventually gave up.
To be honest, I wouldn’t mind.
It felt like she was always by my side except for two or three hours a day.
Whenever I had questions about studies or assignments, she would teach me. We played together, and at bedtime, she sang lullabies for me, making me feel like a parent.
Though my real parents were busy being king and queen.
It was like a newly hatched chick recognizing a vulture tearing apart corpses as its mother.
“Hmm~ Hmm~ Aris’s dance~”
“Is it really that good?”
“Of course!”
I took Remy’s hand and headed towards the flower garden.
On the way, I stopped by my room to grab a sword. A sword crafted to my own specifications.
The teacher Fayne said I had nothing more to learn.
I received it as a parting gift on my descent from the mountain.
Haha, the teacher is something else.
Over there, just out of sight, Anna unnie was secretly listening, how sweet to praise me like that.
Could it be… the teacher too?
Well, probably not.
With the unexpected assist from teacher Fayne, I returned to my room in high spirits.
Anna unnie? Well, quietly sneaking back to my room, would she start to worry or harbor negative feelings about me?
It wouldn’t be long before the fondness we shared turned to mixed emotions and hatred.
After that, I pondered how to spend my time. Practicing swordsmanship? I had done it for thousands of years already; a few more years wouldn’t add to the skills.
Caught in my thoughts, I suddenly felt like I wanted to try dancing with my sword.
And now, Remy, who saw me posing alone in the flower garden, is throwing a fit to see it.
Hmmm.
But, the sword is really too light.
Tiiing
“Mmm~ Sounds nice.”
“Really? If you like it, then I like it too.”
“Ugh… you cutie!”
I flicked the sword with my finger. The clear sound filled the garden. The sound was nice, but as for performance… um…
It’d be disrespectful to compare it with future swords.
Just cutting a piece of decent alloy into a sword shape would be sturdier and stronger than most swords in the Royal Palace.
Still, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of disappointment.
But it’s not just about this sword; all swords have been downgraded, so it’s fair to think of it similarly.
I forced a wry smile.
“…Still thinking of Anna unnie…?”
“..Mm? Ah… right…”
Leaving behind Remy, who frowned at me, I slowly walked to the center of the garden.
It felt a bit strange as if I were splitting them apart, but if I thought of it as my existence affecting them, it felt euphoric like flying in the sky.
Ah, I feel alive.
Now then.
“Waaah!! Aris! Aris!”
“Ugh… don’t tease me!”
“Hehe, sorry~”
I posed.
The audience was two.
There, in the flower garden, was Remy cheering for me. Her clapping and cheering didn’t bow down to the blooming flowers around.
She was my regular audience.
And, far in the distance, behind the building’s corner.
“…….”
A spectator gazing at me with empty eyes.
Looks like she wants to watch secretly, so I ought to pretend not to notice. A spectator’s privacy is more precious than anything else. I won’t say who it is.
But just to let you know, it’s a very welcome face.
Clap, clap.
With so many audience members for this shabby dance, this humble performer truly feels happy.
What an undeserving honor.
So, ladies and gentlemen—no, wait, let’s do that again.
Alright, ladies, let’s begin.
With my mouth, I began to hum a fitting tune, without lyrics, humming softly through my nose.
Listening to the melody I produced, instead of moving my body to direct the sword, I moved my body to the direction the sword wanted to go on its own.
One might ask what intention inanimate objects have to move.
Honestly, I think it sounds ridiculous too, but after swinging it around so much, I understood.
Swords have always worked well in the many worlds I’ve lived in. Sometimes as self-defense, main weapon, auxiliary tool, or even as decorations for festive occasions—my dear friend.
I’ve swung it for—what, a thousand years?
Is that an exaggeration? Hmmm, I haven’t counted, so I can’t say for sure.
“…Wow!”
“……~”
As for the dance, right.
The tragedy of Medea—now that sounds good.
The woman of tragedy who killed her own kin ensnared by the schemes of the gods.
Killing her brother cruelly out of love and dismembering his body, throwing each piece into the sea, the protagonist of tragedy.
She might seem like a villain, but in later generations, she was rather evaluated as a female hero.
In a Greek-Roman myth with no dreams or hopes, she successfully achieved vengeance, and her children became kings—she’s a character who met a happy ending.
“Huh—!”
“How amazing…!”
To the protagonist who would become future Medea, applause!
And to me who would become future Absyrtus, death!
In the garden, I spun around with a mirror-like clean sword.
Spin, spin.
Spin.
Spin, spin.
Ah, this is fun.
