Janet gripped both her hands tightly. Her hands trembled but only her gaze was firm. Finally the doctor let out a deep sigh.

“……I can’t take responsibility.”

“If it’s a problem caused by my blood, I’ll take responsibility. Even if I die from having too much blood drawn. So just take responsibility for doing your best to save this person.”

“I understand.”

At the quiet but resolute voice, the doctor nodded. When she went that far, he couldn’t say he couldn’t do it.

Soon Janet and Rihanel entered the operating room together.

Surgery to connect their blood vessels began first. Rihanel still had his eyes quietly closed.

Blink, blink. Looking at his face, Janet closed her eyes.

***

“It should be at the orphanage, right?”

A familiar voice reached Rihanel’s ears. It was something he had heard before.

So, Philodis Cathedral nine years ago.

From Janet’s memory heading there.

Rihanel slowly opened his eyes. One lamp alone shone in the thick darkness.

As expected, what was there was sixteen-year-old Janet.

‘Did I touch blood?’

It seemed he had touched the wound on her arm cut by Tailey.

He had no memory of touching her arm, so it was strange. When the memory ended, he should check how severe the wound was right away.

While he was thinking that, Janet moved her steps toward Philodis. Rihanel looked down with furrowed brows.

Because he already knew what she would experience ahead.

It was better when he watched without knowing. Now he knew how terrible things Janet would experience, and how long a shadow the result would cast on her, but he couldn’t stop it.

Janet gradually moved away from him. Then as if pushed from behind, Rihanel also came to take steps. He didn’t have the qualification to refuse.

Even if he could, he wouldn’t be able to bear sending Janet there alone.

Thus Rihanel watched the entire scene from one step away.

The sight of himself being strangled by Lapel, hiding in the warehouse and facing mortal danger, and finally k*lling Lapel and setting fire to the cathedral.

It was a predetermined sequence.

Rihanel clenched his teeth and tightly gripped his fists. Meanwhile, Janet’s emotions rushed into him and stirred inside.

All he could do while enduring that terrible fear and anguish was pray for the dream to end quickly.

After everything ended like that.

“I’ll wait. You must come.”

After promising to meet at the zelkova tree beyond the maia flower field, Janet turned around.

Is it over now? The memory he saw last time was up to here. Rihanel looked at Janet with his mouth firmly shut.

However, the memory didn’t end.

Janet hurriedly moved her steps toward home. Even in this situation, she was a solid person who made rational decisions about what they should do rather than being shaken.

However, when the cathedral was no longer visible.

Her steps slowed. She was staggering. Tears fell drop by drop from Janet’s eyes.

‘Janet.’

Forgetting that he had just been trying to watch the situation, Rihanel reached out his hand. His hand passed through Janet.

Rihanel Reynes was someone who wasn’t there.

Because this was just Janet’s memory.

‘But……’

What was he doing before seeing this memory?

Only then did he suddenly remember.

The moment when he was penetrated by broken glass while trying to stop Tailey, and his consciousness faded before Janet. The sight of Janet who had turned completely pale looking at him.

D*mn, if he was going to die, he should have died quietly. He made her cry again.

Is this like a revolving lantern? Usually one’s own memories flash by quickly, but do you see a revolving lantern like this too?

“Sob……sob……”

In front, young Janet was crying silently with her hand covering her mouth.

It seemed like it would be a long revolving lantern.

***

“Bo-boss! Boss! Boss has woken up!”

The first thing Janet saw when she opened her eyes was Letsy. Her cheeks, which were rambling in surprise and emotion, had tear stains that hadn’t dried yet.

“Sister! Thank goodness……”

Selize ran over and hugged Janet tightly. Janet who raised her body looked around. In the quite spacious hospital room, Flan and Panianna were also there.

“Hey, Janet. You’ve been asleep for three straight days. Do you know that?”

Panianna spoke bluntly, though her face showed clear signs of concern.

But Janet wasn’t in the mood to respond to any of it.

Three days had passed? Then…

“What about Rihanel?”

A completely hoarse voice came out. At those words, Panianna tilted her eyebrows with a pitiful expression.

“……He’s still.”

It was Flan who answered instead. Janet looked where his gaze was directed.

The bed across from her, a man was lying there.

Janet shot up from her position.

“Hey! You also need absolute rest right now.”

Despite Panianna’s restraint, Janet approached Rihanel.

“……Rihanel.”

He didn’t answer. The quietly sleeping man was pale without any color.

Janet took his large hand. The hand that was usually warm was cold.

Is he okay? Is this alright?

She held her breath and gripped Rihanel’s hand tightly.

“They said the surgery went well. No side effects from the blood transfusion have been observed so far either. He hasn’t woken up yet, but……”

Flan who was explaining the situation to Janet trailed off. His face was tinged with sadness at the thought that they didn’t know when Rihanel might be able to wake up.

However, even just that story made hope bloom for Janet.

He hasn’t woken up yet.

Yet…… so still yet.

“……Rihanel will wake up soon.”

Janet spoke as if making a vow. Panianna nodded and rambled on.

“Right. You woke up too, didn’t you? You’re really tough too. They say most people would die if they had that much blood drawn. Blood vessel connections often don’t work properly either, causing lifelong suffering from complications. But it was strangely cleanly connected.”

Words like being tough or usually dying weren’t appropriate for someone who had just woken up, but there was no one to stop Panianna now.

Fortunately, Selize who had been restless hurriedly picked up the conversation and led it in a good direction.

“According to the doctor, he said it was a miracle. Both that the blood transfusion went so cleanly, and that the surgery ended successfully despite losing so much blood — he said it was the first time he’d seen it.”

“That’s right, boss! So His Grace will wake up soon too!”

Letsy also clenched her fists and encouraged Janet. Janet lightly raised the corners of her mouth.

“Yes, definitely.”

Her heart still wasn’t calmed. Fear surrounded her like fog.

However, Janet believed in the power of words. If she repeated that it was okay, that he could wake up, Rihanel would really open his eyes.

Perhaps even now, he might just lack the strength to lift his eyelids or open his mouth, but be listening to their stories.

She didn’t want to plant even a little anxiety in him. So Janet caressed Rihanel’s cold hand and whispered brightly that it was okay.

***

“This is the oldest clock tower in Silonya.”

A square crowded with people. At Theo’s words, the young-looking group showed interest. They all seemed to be the same age, and from their well-dressed appearance, they seemed to be children from upper-class families.

There was a small door attached above the clock. Looking at it, one of the group asked.

“It’s almost the hour. Does a cuckoo come out?”

Theo grinned.

“No. See what comes out.”

They went close to the clock tower and watched it. Everyone’s gaze was full of expectation.

However, Janet’s gaze was dry even there.

Seeing her who seemed to be thinking of other things, Rihanel spoke words that wouldn’t reach.

‘Janet. Not fun?’

The words scattered like bubbles, and Janet didn’t answer. She just stood beside the people with a face where no emotion could be felt.

‘Even so, you’ll remember everything, right? You like it. New things, unusual things.’

Rihanel smiled bitterly. Seeing how she came all the way here with that face, she would surely do that.

‘Now, it’s about to come out.’

Rihanel pointed to the clock tower. Soon the bell sound announcing the hour was heard, then two boy and girl dolls popped out.

The pair of dolls began to show various poses in time with the bell sound.

Though the background was different each time, the dolls wore similar outfits and held similar props, matching each other.

The boy would hold a ladle and the girl a pan while wearing aprons, or the boy would sit at a piano while the girl played violin.

It was the next scene that brought interest to Janet’s eyes as she watched with a dry gaze.

The sight of two people kicking a ball together.

Unlike the previous dolls who each held props, there was only one ball.

It was natural. Ball kicking was originally a game played by passing the ball back and forth together.

Janet stared at it intently. Even after the dolls went back in and until the next dolls came out, she didn’t take her eyes away.

And Rihanel quietly watched such Janet.

She seems interested in this.