Chapter 68
Today, the girl took two pieces of bread and ran into the laboratory.
“I hope you understand, Doctor.”
But today, there was another visitor who had come to see Nergal besides the girl.
The girl noticed a large man with a stern appearance. The man, who possessed an overwhelming presence that even surpassed Nergal’s, was speaking to him in a strict voice.
“There will be no halting of the NOK One research.”
At the man’s words, Nergal furrowed his brows slightly. The girl was startled to see this unfamiliar expression on her father’s face.
“But NOK One is dangerous.”
“You’re the one who jumped into the research fully aware of that, Doctor.”
“NOK One is on a completely different level. It will kill people, kill the land, and drive all living creatures to extinction.”
“Doctor.”
The man glared at Nergal coldly.
“NOK One is also a shield to protect Toramde.”
“……”
“We won’t hold you accountable for anything, so just complete it first.”
That was the end of the man’s words. Nergal, hesitating and unsure, didn’t respond and continued to move his fingers. Watching this scene through the gap in the door, the girl’s chest felt cold and heavy. She hid under a desk in the laboratory, fearing she might be discovered by the man.
“I’ll see you again, Doctor.”
The man opened the door and stepped out. The girl curled herself up even more. Instead of leaving immediately, the man looked around the empty laboratory. His gaze lingered the longest, of course, on NOK One.
The girl held her breath as she sensed his presence.
“……”
But it didn’t last long. Because she was crouching so tightly, her left leg began to go numb. Feeling a tingling sensation, she tried to stretch her back slightly but ended up bumping her back against the desk leg.
“Hmm?”
The man turned his head. The girl covered her mouth with her small hand and regretted her action. However, the numbness in her leg didn’t go away.
“Is someone there?”
The man approached where the girl was hiding. She turned pale as if she had been caught stealing. Just as her heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst through her skin, the sound of a door opening from inside the laboratory broke the silence first.
“Don’t touch anything.”
“Doctor?”
“If you so much as touch my documents or tools, I’ll be very angry. If you want me to complete NOK One, leave immediately.”
Nergal spoke in a trembling voice. Though his voice grew quieter, his words were firm.
“…I’ll be watching you, Doctor.”
The man turned and left the laboratory. As the sound of his footsteps faded, the relieved girl looked down at the bread squashed in her arms. The bread was so misshapen it didn’t look appetizing enough to give to Nergal anymore.
“You can come out now.”
“…Father.”
The girl looked up to see Nergal standing in front of her. He was gazing down at his daughter hiding under the desk.
“Benny.”
“…M-my leg feels strange. It’s all tingly, like it’s not part of my body anymore.”
“That’s just poor blood circulation.”
“Blood circulation?”
When the girl tilted her head in confusion, Nergal extended his hand instead of explaining. The girl hesitated but eventually grabbed her father’s hand tightly. Thinking he would help her stand, she was surprised when he began massaging her hand instead.
Nergal pressed each of the girl’s fingers and then stretched her arm. Finally, he pulled on the girl’s tingling leg, looking at her as if to ask whether the symptoms had improved.
“…It feels better now.”
“Good. Now, stand up.”
Without offering his hand this time, Nergal simply watched her. Though she had hoped for his support, the girl stood up on her own without showing her disappointment.
“The bread.”
“…What?”
Nergal pointed at the bread in her arms. The girl’s face turned red as she looked at the misshapen bread.
“I-I’ll bring a new one.”
“Why?”
“It’s ruined.”
“It’ll taste the same regardless.”
“But it looks weird…”
“It’s fine.”
Nergal snatched the bread from her arms. He didn’t seem to care about its appearance at all. In fact, he looked as if he couldn’t understand why the girl was so flustered about it.
“Have you been the one bringing me bread all this time?”
The girl nodded in response to Nergal’s question. Nergal opened the bread bag and took a bite. It was thanks to the two pieces of bread the girl brought him every day that Nergal hadn’t collapsed and had endured so far.
“Thank you.”
“…What?”
“Thank you, Benny.”
The girl looked at him with disbelief. Nergal stared back at her.
He reached out and patted her head this time. It was an attempt to imitate Tiago, who had once patted the girl’s head at the dining hall.
“…It’s really soft.”
That was Nergal’s impression after feeling her hair.
Apparently liking the texture, Nergal ran his hand through her hair several times. Though his rough handling left her hair messy, the girl didn’t seem to mind.
Her face turned red.
“N-next time, I’ll bring dessert!”
You must be tired of eating only bread…
At her words, Nergal unknowingly smiled faintly.
“Alright.”
***
She opened her eyes.
What she saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. The cold had disappeared, replaced by warm air that enveloped her body.
When she lifted her arm, she noticed an unfamiliar outfit and pale hands. A soft bed and even a blanket. From nearby, the smell of warm stew wafted through the air.
“…Costance?”
“Benny.”
Costance called her name.
“How do you feel? Are you alright?”
“…”
“Benny.”
Costance reached out and placed a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. Seeing that it wasn’t hot, his expression relaxed.
“I thought something terrible had happened.”
“I-I’m alright.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Costance let out a breath and relaxed his body.
She looked around. It was a small house, but everything necessary was there.
“Where is this…?”
“It’s a cabin. I rented it under a false name, so no one will find us.”
“…”
“I drove straight here.”
“…My clothes.”
She was wearing unfamiliar pajamas. She had definitely been drenched in rain-soaked clothes before…
“There was no other choice.”
“What?”
“If I left you like that, you might have gotten frostbite…”
“That’s true.”
“I cleaned your body myself, but I didn’t do anything inappropriate.”
Costance explained defensively, even though she hadn’t asked.
When she pulled back the blanket and lowered her legs to the floor, her head spun. Her body lost balance. As she tilted sideways, Costance immediately grabbed her arm.
“Are you alright, Benny?
She avoided Costance’s gaze.
“I-I need to go.”
“…Where do you think you’re going?”
Costance’s expression twisted as he spoke.
“With legs that can barely hold you up? Damn it.”
Costance knelt by the bed and grabbed her legs. Before she could stop him, his large hands were already massaging her legs.
“Costance!”
“Where does it hurt? Here?”
As he kneaded her calves, he looked at her face. When she didn’t react, his hands moved up to her knees. In one swift motion, he grabbed her thigh. She frowned slightly.
Costance focused his attention on that spot.
“Ah, Costance!”
“Here?”
“Hngh.”
“Or is it higher?”
“It feels strange.”
At her words, he immediately stopped. Her face flushed. She stared at Costance’s hand on her thigh before lowering her head. His touch, firm and deliberate, left a lingering warmth.
“…Benny.”
He called her name cautiously, his tone full of longing.
“Where are you trying to go?”
“…I’m going to the Papal States alone.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I don’t want that.”
“Benny.”
From the kitchen, something began to boil over. At the sound, Costance reluctantly stood up.
“…I made stew. You can’t move in this condition anyway. I’ll bring it over shortly, so please eat.”
He hurried to the kitchen to fetch the stew. Watching his retreating figure, she debated whether to run away right then and there. But beneath her, she felt a familiar presence.
“Meow.”
Irini climbed onto her lap. The moment their blue eyes met, she hugged Irini tightly. She had thought they would never meet again.
‘Not only did you appear before me, but you brought Irini here as well…’
Tears welled up in her eyes again.
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