GDTEA Chapter 143

Left Ring Finger

This autumn had grown cold far more quickly than the year before.

With each passing day, the atmosphere within the Great Empire of Neweiton was no different from treading on thin ice, owing to the precarious tug-of-war between those in power.

Yet for a man and a woman living in a mountain valley — in a small log cabin set apart from the village, at that — none of it mattered in the least.

The groom-to-be, in particular, was spending each day in a whirlwind of activity with his wedding fast approaching.

“Thank you.”

“Ha ha. Are you that pleased?”

“Yes.”

Ren could not hide his joy as he gazed at the small jewel box that fit snugly in his hand.

He opened the slightly stiff lid to reveal a pair of wedding rings.

They were slender bands, each set with a single gemstone no larger than a tiny grain.

“The stone is small, but at any rate, I set it with the gem you wanted.”

The price of gemstones used in wedding rings varied depending on their size and color.

Because of this, the size Ren had imagined was entirely out of reach.

Even so, thanks to a jeweler from a neighboring village — who had heard the rumors of Ren diligently working to save up for wedding rings — agreeing to match the price, he had managed to obtain even a diamond no larger than a speck of dust.

“You said the wedding isn’t far off now?”

“Yes.”

The jeweler looked at Ren with a worried expression as he continued to stare intently at the rings.

“Have you heard the news that heavy autumn rains are pouring down in other regions?”

Ren, hearing the late-season monsoon news for the first time, lifted his gaze.

The jeweler shrugged.

“Well, there’s no sign of it here yet, but rain clouds keep moving, as they do. Keep it in mind, just in case.”

“……Yes.”

Having received the ominous news, Ren looked up at the sky the entire way home.

Here, the weather was clear without a single dark cloud in sight.

But just as the jeweler had said, there was no telling when rain might fall.

Ren tucked the jewel box into his pocket and forced down his unease.

‘At least the rings are secured.’

Since they had planned an outdoor wedding, news of rain was devastating — but at the very least, the most important thing, the rings, had been obtained, which was a relief.

The problem was himself — unable to move normally on rainy days.

‘If only there were some medicine.’

He had Sharti’s sedative, but it also contained a sleep-inducing component, so he couldn’t take it during the wedding ceremony.

‘……Perhaps—’

Ren, who had been leaping over rocks, paused and looked around.

There had been no one he had crossed paths with while traversing the mountain, nor any presence he could sense.

Yet there was always a gaze watching him from somewhere nearby.

“I have something to ask.”

Between the gusts of cold wind, the sound of someone stepping on grass slipped in.

Just as he had expected, the swordsman with light blue hair revealed himself.

Ben looked up at Ren.

Ren’s brow furrowed at that anticipating gaze.

He wanted to snap at him — haven’t you given up yet, how long do you intend to keep watch — and drive him away, but for now, he held back.

“There should be medicine I used to take whenever it rained. Do you have it?”

“You remember that?”

The implication behind the question felt unpleasant, and Ren let out a short sigh.

“Forget it.”

Without hesitation, Ren dismissed Ben entirely and walked away.

Left alone, Ben reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the sedative Ren used to take.

“Maybe I should offer this in exchange and ask him to at least speak with Hiro on the commander’s behalf.”

Of course, he couldn’t bring himself to call out to him, knowing the refusal would come the moment he opened his mouth.

Ben scratched his head.

“I should’ve just said I’d give it as a wedding gift for the commander.”

He still wanted to bring ‘Leodelt Gwendhill’ back to the grand ducal residence, but that aside — wasn’t this the commander’s first wedding?

The sight of ‘Leodelt Gwendhill’ taking on thankless work and earning money among commoners for the woman he loved stirred many emotions in Ben.

“Wouldn’t Jed and Hiro want to see the commander’s wedding too?”

Unlike Hiro, Jed harbored a poor opinion of Sharti — but surely, seeing the commander joyful and excited, he would want to offer his congratulations.

“……Do I need to prepare a separate gift for that doctor, too?”

Recalling how Sharti would leave cold medicine behind every time she climbed the mountain to gather medicinal herbs, Ben scratched at the oddly ticklish spot near his chest.

Feeling unexpectedly lighthearted, Ben did not chase after Ren. Instead, he quickly descended the mountain to find a gift for the bride.

With the wedding rings secured, all that remained was writing the vows to be recited.

Everything else was being prepared by Vireta’s family.

“……Ren, what exactly did you write here?”

“Is there a problem?”

Sharti smacked Ren’s forearm and pointed at the vows he had written.

“You intend to recite this in front of people?”

“Wasn’t it said to be a place of oaths and promises?”

“T-that’s true, but! This is far too embarrassing!”

[In order to be a couple deeply in love, the groom shall, night and day without distinction, devote his whole body and heart sincerely for the bride.]

“What’s embarrassing about it?”

Ren tilted an eyebrow, genuinely not understanding Sharti’s reaction.

“Can anyone guarantee that becoming a married couple means never once making one’s wife angry or upset? There will surely be areas where we don’t match, and days when stubbornness leaves us both in low spirits. Even if we sincerely apologize and resolve things each time, who’s to say the brief flash of resentment felt in those moments won’t remain somewhere in your heart, Sharti?”

“……So?”

“That is why I intend to swear — not merely in words, but in action — to soothe my wife’s heart.”

“……”

Sharti found herself with nothing to refute against Ren’s smoothly delivered reasoning.

It was an explanation that, while leaving her wordless, was rather convincing.

Ren, having cleverly packaged his ulterior motives, continued writing the vows.

[Even if you cannot stand the sight of each other, always sleep in the same bed.]

[Even when angry, do not banish your husband from the room.]

[When making up, you must always do so while holding hands, just the two of you.]

[Should this be violated, the wife shall spend one full day in her husband’s arms.]

“I’m feeling strangely complicated about all of this.”

Sharti glanced sideways at Ren.

“But what were you about to write at the end and then stopped?”

“Ah.”

Ren shrugged.

“I was going to write that the wife must always think of her husband first — but on reflection, that seemed self-evident, so I left it out.”

“Ren, you’re not first.”

“……”

The previously composed Ren’s eyes went wide.

Taking a certain satisfaction in it, Sharti let out a small giggle.

“……Your teasing has improved—”

“Tein comes first, obviously!”

“……”

Tein was Sharti’s one and only precious apprentice and assistant.

Having been rendered speechless by the number one priority, Ren urgently asked about second place.

But the next was a friend, and the one after that, a benefactor.

“……”

Having been pushed to fourth place, Ren’s expression darkened.

Seeing that Ren’s reaction was more serious than expected, Sharti stopped laughing.

Needless to ask — in Sharti’s eyes, Ren was priority zero.

She was about to laugh it off and tell him the truth, wondering how he could possibly not know that.

“The finger the wedding ring goes on is also the fourth one.”

“Hm?”

“It’s the first time being fourth has made me glad. Because that means I’m the left ring finger.”

“……”

Ren, having found meaning in it himself, had already recovered and was smiling.

Sharti, who had been about to correct him with the precise ranking, quietly affirmed it at the sight of his content expression.

“I think I only need to write up to here.”

This time, Ren glanced over what she had written.

Unlike his, hers was filled with modest, simple wishes.

[Never take off the wedding ring.]

[Always say goodbye before going out.]

[Always eat dinner together.]

[When you’re hurting, always say so.]

[On joyful days and sorrowful days alike, be together.]

[Never hold back the words ‘I love you’ or ‘I like you.’]

“……Good.”

Having gazed at the vows for a long moment, the corners of Ren’s eyes curved gently.

“……”

And Sharti quietly tucked away a small note she had written in secret.

[I swear. Even if you forget me someday, Ren — I will be the one to come find you first.]

It was a vow belonging to her alone, one she had not been able to include, feeling it did not quite fit as wedding vows to be read aloud at the ceremony.

She wished only that, just as the simple vows contained only ordinary hopes, they would spend their whole lives loving each other in ordinary, peaceful ways.

The wedding that would make her and Ren husband and wife was now just around the corner.

****

The monsoon rains that had been falling only in certain regions finally began to pour across the entire Great Empire of Neweiton.

Contrary to Ren’s hopes, the rainfall steadily intensified into a downpour.

Shhhhh—

“……”

Drenched in cold sweat, Ren lay alone in bed, staring out at the rain streaming past the window.

The wedding, which was only days away, showed no sign that the rain would stop.

The wind was unsettling as well — as though a typhoon were on its way.

At this rate, not a single flower would remain on the mountain.

Damn it……

Ren bit down on curses, desperately clinging to the fraying threads of his consciousness.

Having improved thanks to Sharti’s presence, Ren no longer lost his reason even in the rain.

Sharti had been relieved that his symptoms had improved, but he himself was still uneasy.

Cursed timing, of all times……

With only days left until what should have been the happiest day of his life, how had it come to this.

Curled up like a beast, writhing in a feverish heat, everything before his eyes spun.

Ren bit the inside of his cheek and pulled the jewel box from his pocket, cradling it in both hands.

Sharti……

Caught off guard by the sudden rain, he had been unable to go out to meet her.

She had gone down to the village briefly as her wedding dress had been completed, so it was nearly time for Sharti to return.

She might slip on the wet path.

Ren desperately tried to push himself upright, only to collapse straight onto the floor.

With a thud — just as Ren was about to grimace —

“……!”

A killing intent sharp enough to sting his skin made Ren snap his head up.

There was someone outside the window.

And that someone, wearing a black mask, was scanning the inside of the house with piercing eyes.

“……Ugh……”

Having sensed the danger, Ren fought desperately to stand.

But his body refused to cooperate with his intentions, growing heavier and heavier as his mind tangled.

Creak……

“……!”

The sound of the door at that moment made Ren’s heart plummet.

Whether it was Sharti, that was a problem — and if it wasn’t her, that was a problem too.

Ren braced against the bed and forced strength into his legs.

At that same moment, the bedroom door swung open, and a figure in a black mask appeared.

“Are you all right, Master?”

“……?”

He thought he heard a voice he had encountered somewhere before — and then the black-masked figure crumpled as though the strings holding it up had been cut.

Along with the sharp scent of blood, a swordsman with grey hair stepped into the bedroom.

“……You……”

“I heard you were looking for me, so I came.”

“Wha……what……”

Ren let out a ragged breath, his face twisting.

Jed, unperturbed, reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a small medicine vial.

“I’ve brought a sedative.”

Ren’s eyes wavered.

“There are still many assassins hiding in the area.”

“Ass……assassins?”

“Are they not here targeting Master?”

“……!”

The color drained from Ren’s face.

“Sha— Sharti first, save her first—!”

“Ben has gone to the doctor. So please, attend to your own body first, Master.”

Jed extended the medicine vial toward him with a composed expression.

Through his swimming vision, the vial somehow looked like the kind Sharti often used.

Just as Ren hesitated, Jed murmured quietly.

“In your current state, you cannot protect anything — including that doctor.”

“……!”

Ren reached out with trembling hands and took the vial, and Jed helped him swallow the contents.

The eyes that checked to ensure not a single drop was spilled were cold.

“Hah, ugh……. Ugh……”

“……”

Jed observed Ren closely.

Ren quickly steadied his breathing, repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist.

Along with an inexplicable chill creeping up his spine, his heart began to race.

Sensing something was wrong, Ren looked up.

“It seems Marquis Bridend has discovered your location, Master.”

Teal-colored eyes trembled.

It was not a sedative.

“It is time to return, Master. No—”

Jed lowered himself onto one knee before him and presented the sword Ben had brought.

“……Your Grace, the Grand Duke.”

Pain as though his heart were being torn, and terror crashing down upon him all at once.

What he had swallowed was something he had seen before — the antidote that Sharti was said to have made.