Chapter 259 – The Leaf’s Choice (3)

“It’s because of you!”

Marronnier exclaims accusingly.

“…If only that incident hadn’t happened back then. Just holding hands… It feels strange.”

She moves away from the table, breathing heavily as she gazes at me. Her eyes are swirling in apparent confusion. I’m not sure what has transpired either, and I remain frozen with a bewildered expression.

Sighing, Marronnier takes a deep breath. Her flushed red face gradually fades to a soft pink hue.

Her rambling doesn’t cease.

“…Don’t, don’t hold hands. Let’s just talk, only talk.”
“Uh, uh, okay.”
“Sit down.”

I sit quietly.

“Blanche, what on earth?”
“Don’t call me by that name.”
“Ah, okay. Understood.”

We had to be here together for about two hours. I checked Marronnier’s condition while using as few words as possible.

Had the events of that day left her traumatized?

Marronnier’s breathing was harsh. The pounding of her heart was audible despite its distance, and her blue eyes, tinged with a hint of lavender, roved around the room.

Teacups. Teapots.

Her gaze fixated on such objects before flicking to my face in a blink of an eye and then turning to look elsewhere.

“Is it trauma?”

“… More than that… No, it’s nothing. It does seem like trauma.”

“Drink some water first.”

I took cold bottled water from the mini-fridge beside me and poured it into a glass.

– Gulp.

Marronnier, who drank from the cup held in both hands, exhaled a breath mixed with lingering resentment, her face noticeably calmer than before.

“Phew.”

“Feeling better? What brought this on all of a sudden?”

“… If I knew, would I be like this?”

She gazes at me, her hands resting on her knees, utterly perplexed by the transformation her body has undergone. Marronnier quickly composes herself, wiping away the lingering tears with a tissue and tugging at her collar as if feeling overheated.

“Shall we just speak our minds and leave today?”

It doesn’t seem like a situation for conversation. In response to my question, Marronnier hesitates for a moment before answering in a voice barely above a whisper.

“…That’s also a problem, so let’s just stay.”
“Why? You’re not in a good state right now.”
“If rumors spread that Kookmok left within five minutes to avoid mingling with humans, it’ll only be a nuisance for me.”

I immediately understand her point and take my seat cautiously. After all, Marronnier is the living embodiment of a nation. Every action she takes has the potential to become an issue. Things that others might easily overlook can’t be ignored in her case. It’s as if one must tap a stone bridge dozens of times before daring to cross it.

‘With my body in this state, it should be a sufficient excuse.’

There must be people who would maliciously spread rumors, so they are probably worried about that. In the end, I was responsible for setting the table. I arranged it in the manner I had learned from Se-Young or Azalea in the past, and filled a teacup with black tea. The modest greenhouse was filled with an abundance of freshly baked snacks, so I laid them out generously on the table.

“…Thank you.”

Marronnier sipped her tea while fanning it with her hand. I sat quietly until she spoke.

She said after a short while,

“…Tell me an amusing story.”

When she suddenly says something like that.

Hmm. That’s a challenge.

I wonder if this is how a father feels when his young daughter, unable to sleep and whining, asks for a story from the past. An amusing tale. What was the story that captivated Marronnier’s interest?

As I rummaged through my hazy memories, I found a fleeting recollection of a conversation with Marronnier.

Ordinary, everyday stories.
Marronnier enjoyed hearing about experiences she had never had, events that seemed to pass by others like a gentle current. Was it appropriate to bring up such things in this situation?

It seemed right to break the awkward silence. I cautiously broached a topic.

“Do you know about…?”
“What?”
“Stories of cults. They’re quite famous in Korea.”
“What kind of stories?”

Cult-related true stories.

Awkwardly mingling, only to be caught up in the madness.
Feeling that something was off in the casual atmosphere, attempting to leave, but being followed by a few burly men.

I began to tell the story.

I pieced together incidents commonly encountered in online communities, presenting them as if they were my own experiences.

“If you’re not careful, you never know when a cult member might approach and start talking to you.”

In the world I came from, such things were mere rumors, but here, it might be even more plausible. With magic and mana at play, it wouldn’t be strange for someone to chase after a fleeing person and shoot sparks in pursuit.

So, I decided to mix some falsehoods with the truth. As a result, it was clear that it wasn’t entirely true, but I managed to create a thrilling short story.

“You lure people in like that. If they don’t comply with your demands, you threaten to report them to the police… And if you decide that nothing else will work, you resort to threatening their lives.”

Marronnier had been fully focused on my story, and when it finished, she cautiously asked,

“…Is that really true?”

She actually believed it.

“No? It’s a lie.”
“… …”

Marronnier’s eyes narrowed instantly.

“Are you treating me like a fool?”
“I just thought you were really into the story. Most of it is true, though.”
“So, you’re saying it actually happened?”

Marronnier nodded and sipped her tea, lost in deep thought.

“…Korean people always live in such danger.”

She said that seriously, but she herself was somewhat fascinated by Cornus. As I looked at her face with a smile, Marronnier noticed my gaze and stared back at me, startled.

“Why, why what?”
“Well, just. Don’t you have any other questions?”
“Curious things….”

After pondering for a moment, she cautiously asked.

“What kind of food, like rice, do you eat?”
“Rice? It varies between households. Koreans eat rice, usually with side dishes or soup, you know?”

I wasn’t sure how to translate side dishes or soup, but she nodded her head with great interest, so it must have sufficed.

“In a large pot, there’s stir-fried pork with onions and bean sprouts… There are many homes that prepare just one dish like this and eat it… Or there are homes that make a variety of small side dishes and lay them out to eat.”
“And you?”

“I’m similar. At home, I might stir-fry eggs with some meat and put it over rice. Lately, I’ve been eating bread and sandwiches too.”
“Do you not go to restaurants?”

Restaurants…

It’s typical to avoid the more expensive ones.
Those places are usually frequented by couples with deep pockets, people who snap photos for social media, or those who come from wealthier homes. It’s not uncommon for people without a significant other, stuck at home and managing their meals, to have never visited such places.

“Did you used to go?”
“Me?”

I’ve been to many.
I went so often in my childhood that I grew tired of it.

“Not anymore. But I used to live quite well.”
“I see.”

As we talked, Marronnier’s tension seemed to ease, and a faint smile graced his lips.

His now-relaxed gaze fixed on my face.
Our eyes met intensely, as if trying to pierce through each other’s masks. I popped a snack from the table into my mouth and chewed.

I’m grateful that you’re listening to the story.

Thanks to Marronnier, I, too, was able to continue the story at a leisurely pace.

“Are you quite curious?”
“I am curious…”
“Is being a Kookmok really difficult? To the extent that you’ve never experienced anything like it?”

Marronnier narrows his eyes as if to say nothing in response to my words. A slightly somber voice escapes his lips.

“…Honestly, it’s hard.”

He abruptly stuffs a cookie in his mouth and chews vigorously.

“Enduring it is tough. Ah, I’m only telling this to you… Don’t tell anyone else, okay?”
“I understand.”
“The national tree symbolizes the country. It’s fair to say that their reputation is carried on their backs… If I falter, the country falters as well. Sixty million French citizens could be criticized if they do something wrong. Do you think those tree-like people have freedom?”

There would be none. From diet to training and free time, they would be intruded upon in every aspect of their lives. As an introverted Marronnier, it was nearly impossible to bear.

“Even time alone… It’s practically nonexistent.”

“Can’t you escape for a moment? Perhaps with a disguise or something.”

“The maximum break time available per day is only one hour. How can I slip away and enjoy that time?”

Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible. Unlike me, who carelessly squandered my life, Marronnier had grown up enduring the harshness of society. It was only natural they would feel such a void.

“To be blunt, if only I could teleport.”

“It’s possible.”

“…What?”

I reflexively responded to Marronnier’s murmur.

“Spatial magic.”

“You can do that? Don’t joke around. The wise man put their heart and soul into creating it…”

“Will you believe me if I show you?”

There was a time when I used spatial magic to fill the longing of the young Baekdo, Hwangdo, and Cheondo.

“The Zodiac did teach me something truly valuable.”

When I was forced to memorize something akin to a thesis all night, I wondered if I could actually use this knowledge. But now, it has become the most useful magic among all the techniques I possess.

“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
“…How on earth, no, even if that’s beside the point. Are you saying you can use spatial magic? Are you bragging?”
“No, I’m saying that if needed, I can take you there. In an hour, we should be able to find at least one place to eat, right?”

All I have to do is take Marronnier, and then I can go about my own business. In an hour, if we return directly to France, I will have done Marronnier a significant favor.

In exchange, borrowing Marronnier’s powers also benefited me. Since there’s a valid reason to find Flower, it certainly isn’t a bad proposition for Marronnier.

Having organized my thoughts, I looked at Marronnier again.

I saw Marronnier’s face, slightly flushed.

“……”

“Why are you acting like this again?”

“…Are you suggesting something?”

What suggestion?

Ah, a date? She blinked and averted her gaze, fidgeting with her fingers. Whenever something like this came up, her reaction was anything but ordinary.

Just by observing her response, one could be misled. No way. It couldn’t be. It’s a bad connection. It can’t be possible with Lee Se-Young.

“So… you’re asking me-“

“I’m just taking you there. I have my work to do. Or, if there’s something you want to see, I can introduce you to it.”

“……”

“Actually, there are a few things I wish for as well.”

Upon hearing my subsequent words, Marronnier snapped out of it, glaring at me while cooling her anger.

“W-What do you want? What were you aiming for from the beginning?”

“Absolutely nothing bad.”

It’s beneficial for me, and it’s beneficial for you too.

Being able to read thoughts was something only Marronnier could do.

Occasionally, when there are individuals who entertain indecent thoughts, isn’t it possible to offer them a subtle hint?

Presently, I began to recite in detail the circumstances I found myself in, striving for utmost persuasiveness. Marronnier appeared quite astonished as she listened to my words.

It wasn’t long before I could hear her response.