GDTEA Chapter 133

Just Do It First

The journey went smoothly.

As they passed through the forest zone where plundering and raids were said to occur most frequently without incident, the merchant company members felt greatly relieved.

After that, an old wasteland stretched out before them, and with the cloudy weather continuing, strong winds blew and slowed their pace.

Fortunately, Sharti, being a doctor, had prepared medicine for them, so no one fell seriously ill — only the occasional sniffle.

Even the employer’s wife, who had been the greatest concern, was fine.

“My husband’s entire salary goes to these magic stones.”

The carriage the wife rode in was so full of magic stones that not even a cold breeze dared approach.

Thanks to that, Sharti stayed warm throughout the long journey.

“Ren, come here.”

Instead, every time the carriage stopped to rest, Sharti would call Ren over, if only for a moment.

Whenever she slipped her warm hand inside his hood, she wanted to warm even a little of the cold cheek she felt there.

“That’s warm.”

“The magic stones are warmer. So stop being stubborn and use one.”

For the long-distance travel, everyone in the merchant company carried personal hand-warmer magic stones.

Sharti had one too — a magic stone that radiated heat.

But despite Sharti’s urging, Ren did not keep a magic stone on his person.

“Sha, your hands are warmer.”

“Say something that makes sense.”

At Sharti’s scolding, Ren smiled without a sound.

Sharti shot him a sideways glance, then, feeling inexplicably apologetic, diligently kneaded his hands.

Fool.

Sharti also knew why Ren wasn’t using his magic stone and was saving it instead.

As a doctor, she was stationed at the wife’s side from morning until night.

She had to sleep in a tent, just like the rest of the merchant company.

However, since small campfires were lit in each tent to ward off the cold, Sharti had to sleep separately in the cargo wagon every time.

Ren accompanied her as if it were only natural.

‘I’m fine though.’

Like the nights they had slept outdoors in the mountains, whether Ren held her in his arms or draped his share of the blanket around her, it still wasn’t as warm as even a small magic stone’s heat.

But this journey would last at least a month. Conserving the magic stones was the only way to avoid freezing to death at night.

“……Sorry. It’s winter, so I should have prepared more magic stones.”

She had been making Ren suffer just to save money.

“I’m fine as it is. Being able to have your touch to my heart’s content under the excuse of the cold isn’t so bad.”

Ren pressed a finger firmly between Sharti’s furrowed brows.

Then he gently lowered the scarf she had wrapped around him and briefly pressed his lips to her forehead.

“And I can do things like this.”

“……!”

Before Sharti could even react, laughter burst out all around them.

“Oh my, how miserable to be without a lover~”

“Sob sob, the only warmth for these lonely hands is this magic stone.”

“Young people these days seem too reserved with their affection. The forehead? You should be planting a proper kiss on the lips!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, mister.”

The merchant company members each tossed in a remark as naturally as if they’d watched Ren and Sharti’s displays of affection more than once or twice.

The wife, who had been watching the scene from behind Sharti, smiled softly.

“Can I do it on the lips?”

In the midst of all this, Ren’s shamelessness in seriously asking for permission made Sharti pinch both his cheeks.

Whether even that pleased him, the corners of Ren’s mouth stretched wide.

It was Ren’s foolish expression that only she could see.

Sharti, who had been embarrassed, finally broke into a small laugh.

Only one person — the swordsman still wearing his large hat — had failed to absorb the mood and stood there bewildered.

“No way…….”

‘Our commander isn’t like that……!’

Someone’s unspoken cry of denial faded away with the strong wind.

The carriage set off again.

Sharti quietly opened a book at the sleeping wife’s side.

Then, for a moment, she turned her head and took in the wasteland scenery.

‘Wasn’t this land conquered by the Great Empire of Neweiton through war?’

She still felt a chill in her chest every time the word “war” crossed her mind.

On top of that, the merchant company members frequently mentioned Grand Duke Gwendhill whenever they gathered, so her sleep had been troubled for several days.

‘He’s already dead, so I should just forget him by now.’

She couldn’t understand why she kept failing to shake it off.

The thought of that existence, who had died so pointlessly, still nagged and irritated her like a thorn lodged in her flesh.

[But apparently Grand Duke Gwendhill is actually alive.]

[What are you talking about? The rumors are everywhere. It was even in the newspapers.]

[There’s been no official announcement yet. The rumors could just be something the nobles who dislike Grand Duke Gwendhill made up.]

‘……He must be dead. That’s why Grandmother told me.’

Sharti shook her head to clear the stray thoughts.

It seemed better to organize her bag instead.

Taking out items from her bag one by one and examining them, Sharti scratched her cheek.

Hmm……

It was packed with a remarkable variety of items that would put a general goods store to shame.

But every single one of them was either something needed for everyday life or essential medical supplies.

Staring blankly at the shovel she carried to dig up herbs wherever she went, Sharti felt a little embarrassed.

“As I thought, I have nothing to dress myself up with.”

The only thing she had by way of accessories was a plain black hair tie.

As for cosmetics, all she had was the lotion and lip balm she had made herself. There were no color cosmetics.

Sharti rubbed her silver ring with an embarrassed look.

‘For the lips — I think I received one from Virena a long time ago……’

The fact that the memory was so hazy made it quite likely the item was just sitting somewhere in her house, left behind.

Sharti let out a deep sigh.

“Come to think of it, truly……”

She had complicated feelings.

“My, is all this Miss’s luggage?”

“Yes?”

Startled, she looked up to find the wife, who had woken from sleep, looking at Sharti’s belongings with curious interest.

When Sharti smiled awkwardly and moved to put things away, the wife beckoned her to come closer.

“Oh, I’ll put it away right now!”

“Then put this in your bag too.”

What the wife held out was a flat, round container about the size of a child’s palm.

When Sharti looked puzzled, the wife opened the lid to show her.

“Adding something like this won’t be too much weight for your bag, will it?”

“Oh……”

It was a deep pink rouge with a reddish tinge.

“I’m getting on in years, so a color like this doesn’t suit me anymore, but my husband still thinks I’m young — he keeps buying me colors like this.”

“……”

“Tell him to buy me something I actually like — so take this, Miss.”

“Oh, no! I can’t accept something this expensive. Once I earn some money, then……”

“Use the money you earn to buy something even prettier. You’d be surprised how much money goes into looking your best when you’re young.”

It felt shameless to readily accept the wife’s kindness.

The color of the rouge was vivid and deep, and even the container was luxurious — it was clearly quite expensive.

“Miss, it’s alright to accept it.”

The wife pressed the rouge into Sharti’s hands and smiled warmly.

“When you’re young, it’s alright to be a little shameless and bold. You’re at the age where that’s perfectly fine.”

“……”

“You don’t have to try so hard to act grown-up in front of real adults. I was young once too. I understand everything.”

She thought of Vireta.

The gentle lesson, conveyed with a different kind of warmth than hers, stirred something in her heart.

“As you grow older, there are things you come to regret. I wish I had done more of what I wanted back then. I wish I had just gone ahead and done things first rather than worrying so much. I wish I had spent more time thinking happy thoughts instead of agonizing.”

Fingers as withered as an old tree, thin and gaunt, patted the back of Sharti’s hand.

“Don’t overthink it. It’s as simple as: you received something nice, it made you happy, and you say thank you. That’s all there is to it.”

The wife, who had been gazing quietly at Sharti, deepened the smile in her eyes.

“Don’t cry though. Your laughing voice is much prettier.”

“Thank… you……”

Sharti bowed her head low, on the verge of tears.

Inside her, the girl who had grown big in body but tried so hard to force herself into adulthood smiled.

It was not because she had come of age that she had to hold everything together — she still needed to cry beneath the shelter of someone older. Sharti came to understand this in the midst of that gentleness.

Her eyes were puffy.

Thanks to the magic tool that obscured facial recognition, no one noticed, but Ren detected it keenly.

“Who made you cry?”

As Ren snapped his head around, about to glare at the wife inside the carriage, Sharti covered his eyes with both hands.

“I wasn’t crying.”

“I can tell just from your voice.”

Ren scoffed, as if to say, Don’t lie to me.

“I was yawning.”

“If someone gave you trouble, I’ll——”

Thinking she was hesitating because it felt like tattling, Ren turned as if he were about to go confront someone on the spot, and Sharti grabbed his scarf tightly as if seizing him by the collar.

“Stay still.”

“……”

The mouth visible beneath his hood pressed shut.

Then he slowly lowered himself to her level and became meek.

‘What is he misunderstanding……’

Sharti swallowed a laugh at his shameless expectation.

But since it looked rather cute, Sharti glanced around at the people busy with dinner preparations.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she lightly caught her lip between her teeth, then pressed a quick kiss to Ren’s lips.

“……!”

As Sharti’s lips suddenly closed in and then pulled away, Ren drew in a sharp breath.

Watching Ren’s reaction — clearly caught off guard — Sharti giggled.

She was about to let go of the scarf now when Ren leaned his face in once.

“Hm?”

“……”

As Sharti just stared at him blankly, Ren moved his lips.

The corners of his mouth moving this way and that made him look as though he were grumbling.

Sharti burst into a laugh at his unmistakable expression of want, then gently folded back his hood and stretched her head forward.

Just as he’d wanted, this time she pressed her lips firmly against his as if stamping a seal, then pulled back — and she could see the corners of his mouth twitching upward, impossible to contain.

Sharti broke into laughter at the sight of Ren’s lips bearing a red stamp and shook her head.

“Go wash up quickly.”

“I washed my hands earlier.”

“No, I mean your lips.”

“……?”

Ren furrowed his brow.

“Why would I wash my lips for something like this?”

“That’s not what I meant, on your lips there’s——”

Ren turned sulky, looking offended, and Sharti reached out to wipe his lips for him.

It was then.

“We’re under attack!”

“……!”

Starting with someone’s shout, the sound of explosions erupted from all directions.

In the sudden chaos, Ren swiftly pushed Sharti into the carriage and shut it firmly.

“……Ren!”

Startled, Sharti was about to call out to Ren when a bomb hit the campfire that had been lit for meal preparations, and flames shot high into the sky.

Whoooosh——!

The moment her mind registered the fire, Sharti urgently ducked down.

Along with a choking sensation in her throat, the seizure symptoms began without fail.

Even as she reflexively covered her ears, the screams of people outside and the sound of something burning pierced through.

Of all times, Ren wasn’t by her side.

“……Ugh, hk, ugh, p-please, save me, hhk……”

In a situation that felt like it might drive her out of her mind, Sharti bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood.

It was a desperate struggle not to open her mouth — not to let the words please save me escape.

‘If I use my voice, if my throat is hurt, I might revert to my old voice.’

Even as she was losing her reason, what she feared most was not the flames outside, but losing this voice she had only just found.

But when the terror of five years ago finally came crashing over her as well, Sharti, who had been desperately clinging on and clawing at the floor, crumbled.

Just as she was about to follow the agonized scream — whoever it belonged to — something heavy came crashing down on the back of Sharti’s neck.

“……”

Sharti lost consciousness and went limp.