TCMED 05

Chapter 05

“Thetis.”

I had been trying to approach quietly, but I was caught after just a few steps. Ion, turning to look at me, wore a smile that was perfectly fitting for a High Priest.

“Did you sleep well?”

Perhaps due to his status, whenever there were people around, Ion not only wrapped himself in that peculiar divine energy but also spoke formally.

Feeling a bit awkward, I scratched my cheek.

“Thanks to you.”

“But your complexion is pale. Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I—”

“S-Sir High Priest! The carriage is ready!”

Just as I was about to wave my hands and say no, Ion’s aide called out to us. My words cut off abruptly, I was led by Ion’s courteous escort and climbed into the carriage.

He boarded after me, and once again, drew the curtains first.

“Titi, are you sure you’re not feeling sick somewhere?”

The moment we were cut off from the outside view, he dropped the divine aura he’d been using for show (presumably), and scrutinized me closely.

The way he pursed his lips and stared intently was so different from a moment ago that I let out a small laugh.

“I’m fine. Just a bit tired from a bad night’s sleep.”

If I said I’d had a nightmare, I’d probably have to explain everything in detail, so I added a little lie. Fortunately, Ion didn’t seem to notice.

“…Your hand.”

He suddenly held out his palm to me.

“Why?”

The sight reminded me of an owner training a dog to do tricks, which felt a bit strange, but I placed my hand on top of his.

Ion gazed blankly at my hand for a moment, then carefully clasped it.

And then.

“…!”

From where our skin touched, a pure white light welled up and overflowed.

Pure, without a single impurity.

The light that manifested it was the brightest I had ever seen in my life, yet it didn’t hurt my eyes. It was simply awe-inspiring.

I stared dazedly at the master of this light.

His face, impassive as if this were an everyday occurrence, illuminated by the light, was as sacred as an angel in a masterpiece.

At this moment, it truly felt like my childhood friend lived in a different world from mine.

Even though it was incredibly beautiful, I felt an oddly sorrowful feeling.

Why?

But before I could find the answer to my question, the light slowly seeped into me and faded away. Warmth had already returned to my cold fingertips.

“Ah…”

The fatigue completely vanished, and I finally felt as if I had truly woken from a dream.

“Thank you.”

I replied in a slightly hazy voice. The exhaustion from before was nowhere to be found.

Ion, sensing it too, smiled brightly at me.

“Feeling better now?”

“Better than ever, yeah.”

“That’s a relief.”

He leaned back against the seat in relief, then slowly slid down to rest his head on my shoulder.

Isn’t that uncomfortable, curling up like that?

“Titi, they say we’ll arrive at the capital this afternoon.”

“So soon?”

“We’ve been pushing on almost non-stop until now, right?”

“I thought it would take at least a week.”

As expected, it was a great stroke of luck to be traveling with the High Priest’s party, who had divine power capable of restoring stamina.

But on the other hand, I also felt a pang of disappointment. It was our first meeting in years, but with so many eyes around, we hadn’t been able to properly catch up.

“Titi.”

“Yeah.”

“I think I’ll feel a lot of regret if I go back to the temple like this.”

“Then quit being a High Priest and get a job as my tour guide? It’s my first time in the capital, so I don’t know anything.”

“Maybe I will.”

“…That was a joke. Why are you so serious?”

As he always did when something displeased him, Ion stubbornly clamped his mouth shut. I chuckled at the sight.

But at the same time, I recalled Ion from the past few days, receiving the utmost care from his High Priests and aides. The sense of distance I’d felt when receiving his divine power resurfaced.

I was still Thetis from Olligoe, but Ion was no longer the grubby disciple of an old ascetic master.

We had met again like this, but I kept thinking that this relationship might not be the same as before.

Feeling the warmth on my shoulder, I asked quietly.

“Will I be able to see you again?”

Surely, a question like this was alright.

I hoped so. Ion was the one who existed outside the text of this novel, the first friend my age who had made me feel grounded in reality.

Feeling the air in the carriage grow heavy somehow, I lowered my gaze.

The other person remained silent for a long time.

Just as the silence was starting to feel a bit overwhelming, Ion lifted his head from my shoulder.

When I turned my head to the side, his face was right before me. My flustered expression was clearly reflected in his green eyes, like a forest during the rainy season.

“If you wish it.”

Absolutely.

The declaration that followed was oddly poignant.

Ion didn’t stop there; he reached into his bosom and pulled something out.

“And this.”

“What’s this?”

“A star chart of the southern hemisphere. You said you were curious about it.”

“…”

“…Honestly, I don’t really know how to read the stars, so I just drew what I saw. Is that okay?”

On the smudged paper, centered around the South Celestial Pole, were circles drawn here and there.

Large circles for stars that looked bright, small ones for those that looked dim.

It was an amateurish drawing from which it would be hard to glean any meaningful information, but the effort put into it was palpable.

My nose tingled.

If you do this, then I look so foolish for just earlier going on about distance and circumstances.

“…This is more precious to me than any gift I’ve ever received, Ion. Thank you, truly.”

I squeezed the hand I was still holding. Though my words and actions were clumsy, I hoped my sincerity would reach him.

Ion silently took in my smiling face.

Then, his white lashes trembled slightly, and a faint smile spread across his face. With a careful touch, he took a lock of my hair in his hand.

“I’m the one who should be thanking you, Titi.”

He pressed a kiss onto my dark blue hair.

My eyes widened.

“It’s because of what you said back then that I’ve been able to last until now.”

“Oh, r-really? I’m glad.”

What on earth did I say to him?

As if spellbound, I stared into his green eyes, then whipped my head away.

Suddenly, the atmosphere felt a little strange. I just rolled my eyes aimlessly and, for no reason, cracked open the carriage window.

Cool outside air rushed in, and I briefly heard Ion’s laughter as he sat back up straight.

After passing through two checkpoints, we arrived at the capital, Milet.

Due to Ion’s circumstances, our farewells had to be finished inside the carriage. The temple group dropped me off and then hurried away to their destination.

“I’ve finally made it…”

After hurriedly leaving Maximus at the stable recommended by Ion’s aide, the immense scale of the plaza finally caught my eye.

I stretched my shoulders, which had involuntarily hunched up.

“Now, to find my lodging.”

The academic conference starts tomorrow, and the celestial telescope demonstration I’m aiming for is on the second night of the conference.

Besides, I couldn’t just come all the way to the capital and only do that; I needed to find a room to stay in for at least a week.

“Oh dear, what a shame! The very last room just went out a few tens of seconds ago!”

But was it always this hard to find a place to stay?

This marked my fifteenth rejection. A look of dismay settled on my face.

“Miss, I take it this is your first time in Milet?”

“…Yes. I should have researched a bit more before coming.”

As I gave a bitter smile, the innkeeper let out a sympathetic sigh.

“There are so many events around this time of year that it’s usually hard to find a room. There probably won’t be any vacancies left on the main streets.”

“Should I try looking in a more secluded area?”

“No, the capital can be dangerous! Just wait a moment.”

The innkeeper pulled out paper and a pen from a drawer under the counter and began to draw something intently.

Standing on my tiptoes to sneak a peek at the paper, I saw it was a crude map.

“Here, take a look. This is our inn. If you follow this road, you’ll reach the Milet branch of the Fylia Trading Company. Go there and ask one of the employees to direct you to ‘Renasso.'”

“…Renasso?”

It wasn’t that I was asking because I didn’t know.

Fylia Trading Company, Renasso. They were all familiar names to me.

It wasn’t just because the Fylia Trading Company, which had appeared a few years ago, rapidly grew into the empire’s largest enterprise and gained fame.

Its owner was the protagonist’s greatest ally in the novel. So, as a reader, I naturally knew the place well.

“You probably wouldn’t know, Miss, since this is your first time in the capital. The Fylia Trading Company recently started a new business. It’s called Renasso, and as long as you pay the fee, they’ll handle just about anything, except for illegal stuff.”

“…Oh, is that so?”

“Of course! So go there and ask them to find you a safe place to stay. It’ll be much better than wearing out your own shoes, even if you have to pay a brokerage fee.”

And Renasso is the empire’s first legal intelligence agency, and the place where the protagonist works in exchange for support.

Perhaps it was because I’d been living away from the novel’s main stage all this time. The innkeeper’s words sounded quite new and surprising to me.

“But they close up shop whenever they feel like it, so you’d better hurry. The sun’s already setting.”

His words snapped me back to reality. I’d momentarily forgotten that finding lodgings was my most pressing issue.

“Yes, you’re right. Thank you so much for your kind guidance.”

I took out a silver coin and gently slid it towards the innkeeper. I’d even received a hand-drawn map, so this was my small token of appreciation.

He seemed surprised; his eyes widened, and then they curved warmly.

“Oh my, thank you kindly. May the god Mithev bless your journey!”

Receiving the innkeeper’s blessing as he saw me to the door, I took to the road once more.