Chapter 5.5

“Are you really leaving……?”

Marie, holding a large trunk bag, sniffled as she looked up at Brienne. Brienne, fiddling with the brim of her hat to hide her face, offered a bittersweet smile and reached out her hand.

“Alright, so give me the bag now.”

“No…!”

Marie shook her head and hugged the bag to her chest. She looked just like a child trying not to have her things taken away, making Brienne chuckle.

“Marie, it’s just four years. I’m not leaving forever, and I’ll come back after that time—why are you making such a fuss?”

“But… Leaving without even telling Master or Madam, this really isn’t right. The Young Master will surely be worried too…”

“Hmm, worried, huh…”

At Marie’s words, a trace of loneliness passed over Brienne’s face. As she took the bag from Marie’s arms, she handed her an envelope.

“I’ve already written a letter. Will you deliver it?”

“A letter?”

“Yeah. Not just this time—I’ll come back to Rontiano every break, and I’ll write letters often. To you, too.”

Marie glanced at the envelope in her hand with doubt. She asked, half-believing:

“…To me too?”

“Of course. The person who worries about me the most is you, Marie. I’ll write countless letters. I bet you’ll get tired of them before long.”

Brienne pulled Marie into a hug and patted her shoulder. Marie’s face turned shy.

“Really?”

“Of course. So, pass on my regards to my parents. And tell them I’m sorry for leaving secretly.”

“Yes, I will…”

“Take care, Marie.”

Brienne smiled softly and walked toward the dock. Watching her retreating figure, Marie shouted:

“Miss…! Please take care of yourself! Don’t get close to just anyone because you’re lonely! You know that, right?!”

At that loud voice, Brienne laughed and paused for a moment, looking at the people waiting for the ship to Roeta. Some had heavy luggage on their backs, while others sat with nothing and stared bored at their watches.

Her heart pounded with nervousness. Now that she was actually leaving, she kept wanting to look back.

‘…No.’

Brienne shook her head, calmed her breath, and stepped forward. She mingled with people, each with their own stories, and gazed out at the sea.

A large passenger ship was approaching the dock to pick up the travelers. Seeing a ship for the first time in her life made her heart flutter uncontrollably.

The ship set off with a blaring horn, creating waves as it moved toward its destination. Carrying a mix of fear and excitement, Brienne boarded and sat in her cabin, constantly looking out the window.

A pigeon sitting on the deck was chased away by a sailor. Occasionally, the tail of a dolphin would leap between the waves. As she took in these fairy-tale-like scenes, it finally hit her that she had left home.

‘So I’m really enrolling at the Academy.’

It had been nerve-wracking ever since she made the decision, but it was still hard to believe. Somehow, it felt like she was dreaming, her whole body light and floating.

Once the view outside became familiar, Brienne got up from her seat. She left her cabin and looked down from the railing, seeing passengers enjoying the breeze on deck. Some were already laid low by seasickness.

‘…That must be tough.’

It hadn’t even been an hour since she left Rontiano, but Brienne had already discovered something new about herself. Unlike Shylo, who suffered from seasickness every time he traveled between Roeta and Rontiano, she felt perfectly fine.

It was a surprise. She hadn’t gotten sick even when rowing with Kaiden on the Bannon family’s lake, but she thought a ship this big would be different.

‘Should I go below?’

Marie had insisted she stay in the cabin in case she met any strange people…

Brienne hesitated for a moment, then headed down the stairs to the deck. It wasn’t night, and she didn’t think anything dangerous would happen in broad daylight.

“Wow…”

Brienne, approaching the bow, couldn’t help but gasp. The ship cutting through the vast ocean felt just like herself.

What would it feel like?

To cross this wide sea.

‘The wind is really strong.’

Brienne held her hat tightly and took a deep breath of the sea air. The fresh, slightly salty smell was strange but invigorating.

But then.

“Ah…!”

The hat she’d been holding onto flew off in the wind. Instinctively, Brienne reached out in front of her. Unable to keep her balance on the swaying ship, her body leaned slightly over the railing.

And at that moment, someone grabbed Brienne’s waist and pulled her back. Suddenly held in a strong embrace, Brienne looked up in surprise.

A faint, familiar scent tickled her nose, and there was that unforgettable face.

“……”

A familiar man stood before her.

* * *

A few hours earlier.

“Sir Herace, it’s time to get up. There really isn’t much time left now…”

Aaron, looking anxious, urged Herace, who was drinking coffee. Herace, gazing down at the dock from the café terrace, replied calmly.

“We’re not late.”

“If you keep this up, we will be…!”

“If we’re late, we’ll just take the next ship.”

Aaron let out a sigh, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. 

‘Was he really talking about being late to the Mage Association’s trial? He should be trying to make a good impression… If His Grace the Duke were here, it would be a disaster.’

“Sir Herace…”

He just wished they wouldn’t be late. Aaron looked at Herace with a face close to tears, hoping this was just a joke, but Herace sat with his legs crossed, leisurely watching the sea.

“The weather’s nice. The wind is warm.”

Just then, a breeze gently tousled his silver hair. Aaron almost cried at the sight. How could someone look so relaxed? Anyone passing by would think he was just enjoying a peaceful day by the sea.

It seemed like Aaron was the only one nervous about the Young Master’s trial.

“……”

But contrary to Aaron’s thoughts, Herace wasn’t as calm as he appeared. The upcoming trial wasn’t the most important thing for him.

‘…Kaiden has safely departed, so my part is done.’

The only regret was not being able to see Brienne before leaving…

How did things end up like this? Herace didn’t want to leave. What if something happened to Brienne while he was away, like that day?

Besides, there were still things he hadn’t told her.

These past few days, Herace had written countless letters to Brienne, but just like in their childhood, he hadn’t sent a single one. No matter what he wrote, he couldn’t bring himself to send it.

Today, he finally sent a simple letter just asking after her. He wanted to check if it had arrived, but there wasn’t time.

‘Maybe she didn’t get the letter…’

Just then, as Herace looked down at the people on the dock with indifferent eyes, his gaze stopped.

A woman holding a trunk, staring at the sea. Under the wide-brimmed hat, pale golden hair fluttered. Herace’s expression stiffened as he saw her holding onto her hat against the sea breeze.

‘…Is this another hallucination?’

Was his longing to see Brienne making him see things? It couldn’t possibly be real, but the vision was so vivid that he wondered if he’d truly lost his mind.

Before getting close to Brienne, it hadn’t been this bad. He’d seen visions of her now and then, but this time it was too clear.

It’s always scarier to lose something you’ve had than to long for something you’ve never had. Herace sighed and stood up.

He was starting to feel so out of sorts that he knew he needed to finish things quickly and come back. Still, his eyes remained fixed on Brienne’s apparition.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh…?”

Herace, who hadn’t budged, suddenly stood up, and Aaron followed him in confusion. He had no idea what was happening.

“I said, let’s go.”

Herace passed the stunned Aaron and headed for the stairs. He was fast. Aaron finally snapped to attention and hurried after him. Whatever was happening, it was good.

“Y-yes…! Let’s go together!”

* * *

‘…So it was just a vision.’

Standing on the dock, Herace looked around with a slightly disappointed face. He watched people board the ship one by one until he was the only one left, but there was no woman with hair like Brienne’s.

Of course, Brienne wouldn’t be here. He knew it was just a vision, but he couldn’t help hoping. Herace gave a faint smile and brushed back his hair.

“……Ha.”

His relaxed demeanor, so different from the people rushing by, left Aaron baffled again. He thought Herace had pulled himself together, but here they were, back to square one.

Feeling uneasy, Aaron slyly snatched the ticket from Herace’s hand.

“Oh, we’re the only ones who haven’t boarded yet. At this point, I’ll just have to force you on…”

Aaron hurried ahead and handed their tickets to the sailor checking them. The sailor glanced at the tickets, frowned, and asked Herace, who was standing still:

“Are you not boarding? We’re about to depart.”

Herace let out a faint sigh, nodded, and boarded the ship. As soon as he entered the assigned cabin and sat down, the horn sounded. Through the window of the first-floor cabin, he could see the bow and the deck. It was a familiar scene.

‘Has it even been a month?’

She hadn’t expected to return to the Holy Kingdom of Roeta so soon after just coming back. The journey, ingrained in her routine for four years, was starting to feel a bit tedious. She didn’t know how long she had been staring blankly out the window.

At some point, someone caught Herace’s eye once again.

‘……Again?’

Once could be a hallucination, but twice made it unlikely. Herace narrowed his eyes. If he wasn’t truly losing his mind, then that person was definitely Brienne Ford.

But why was she here?

Herace abruptly stood up. Having accomplished his goal of getting Herace onto the ship, Aaron seemed to have relaxed and was now dozing off. Moving quietly, Herace slipped out of the cabin so as not to wake Aaron.

With each step toward the woman standing at the bow, gazing out at the sea, his thoughts grew clearer.

Herace’s heart pounded. This was no illusion. It was definitely Brienne Ford.