Chapter 458 – Shiba’s First Companion (1)

“Close protection duty?”

Evening, the hour when all retire to their slumbers.
Shiba queried Soo-yeon’s directive for her to keep guard.

“Indifferent as I am to this… why should it be me instead of you, sister? I don’t mean to belittle, but there’s substantial disparity in our prowess.”

In the event of an adversary intruding into the mansion, the logical front-line defender would be the mightiest among them, Kim Soo-yeon.
Shiba’s contention was valid, yet Soo-yeon shook her head.

“I have other matters to address first. I cannot place my faith in the servants here, therefore, I must take the initiative.”
“With Saku too, and him?”
“Yes.”
“I saw him wielding a chainsaw. Is he genuinely capable of combat?”
“He fights rather well, particularly when he believes he’s leading the battle… But Shiba, do you harbor any resentment towards him?”
“Sister, it’s not that I… dislike him per se…”

Unable to voice her resentment for being the butt of jokes due to her father’s heresy, Shiba protruded her lips in a slight pout.

“Try to get along, he’s rather adorable.”
“Adorable, him?”

Shiba scowled, her eyes tightly shut. She wasn’t one for self-praise, but honestly speaking, wasn’t she more appealing?

“…Comparing him to you is surely excessive.”

Soo-yeon, who had gingerly clasped the sword at the table’s side, trembled, her shoulders shuddering in alarm. She diverted the conversation back to the matter at hand.

“Ideally, I’d want to investigate each one, whether a gardener or otherwise. However, as this is not feasible, we must be the ones to take action.”

Soo-yeon licked her lips, her face displaying a hint of unease.

Some time ago, she had proposed an investigation into the identities of all servants within her dominion, a notion Dongbaek had previously rejected.

-“The staff of this estate were personally selected by me through interviews. If I can’t trust them, who will have faith in me?”

Given Dongbaek’s usual acceptance of others’ opinions, her response was unexpected to Soo-yeon.

“She’s fearless, unaware of the value of her own life. Well… I suppose that’s why we must protect her. Nobles of her ilk are rare in today’s world.”

A benevolent influence.
Despite finding herself in a more desperate situation than anyone else, she never hesitates to give.
Such had become Dongbaek’s image.

“… Sister, don’t you find this slightly peculiar?”
“What do you mean?”
“Rather than an act of despair, isn’t it more of a refusal to succumb to such circumstances?”

This was not intended as sarcasm.

“…What I’m trying to say is, I suspect there might be significant internal decay.”
“Why would you think so?”
“It was the way she dismissed your opinion outright. ‘The staff of this estate were personally selected by me through interviews. If I can’t trust them, who will have faith in me?'”

This could be seen as an admirable mindset for a noble head of house.
Who indeed could withhold their respect for her?

However, let’s consider the situation from a different perspective.

A young girl, her limbs severed, her sight taken.
Even Camellia, due to the loss of her family, assumed the mantle of the household.

“If there’s no one around you, you won’t be able to carry on with your daily life…”
“…So, you’re afraid to doubt?”
“In a world where you can see nothing, it must feel as if you’ve lost your lantern. The inability to trust people you once believed were on your side.”

Shiba is a student of the humanities.
She often prided herself on her expressive skills.

“Do you think the reason you contradicted my opinion this time is because you were worried it might inconvenience the servants?”
“…Well. Something like that.”

More precisely, she was afraid the servants might be disappointed in her.
One could see it as her clinging desperately to people, trying to prevent them from leaving her side.

“So that’s what you think. Then… what do you wish to do?”

In response to Soo-yeon’s question, Shiba contemplated and then shrugged.

– Swoosh.

The branches atop her head trembled as if making a decision.

“I want to help.”
“Then it’s right for you to take the night watch.”
“Oh.”

Today’s duty was thus decided.

* * * * * * * *

– Squeak.

– Twist and turn.

Left is good, right is good.
Shiba, who opened the door and peeked out her head, murmured in a soft voice.

“Ah, hello there~”
“This voice, ah. It’s Shiba.”

Camellia, lying on the bed, struggled to get up.

“No, no, please lie down. It’s my duty to watch over you while you sleep.”
“Oh… that’s okay. It’s my hobby to chat with the guards. I can’t see… Is there some refreshment next to you? If you’d like to have some–“
“Really, it’s fine! You don’t have to bother.”
“No, no, no…”
“No, no, no!”

A shy verbal tussle between two timid souls.

Shiba and Camellia simultaneously blurted out similar words, fell into a momentary silence, and then burst out laughing.

“Huff.”
“Hee-hee.”
“Well, I’ll lie down then. Shall we chat a little?”
“Hee-hee, that… wouldn’t that be okay?”

– Swoosh.

Shiba naturally leaned against the wall next to the bed, and Camellia also gently laid back down on the bed.

“You came as the escort you mentioned before…?”
“Yes.”
“That must be quite tiresome. Normally, the Camellia would have protected me but… she needs her rest too.”

An awkward atmosphere.

“…….”
“…….”

It would be so much more comfortable if she would just go to sleep now.
Contrary to Shiba’s thoughts, Camellia’s mind was wide awake.

“…Does the escort duty ever tire you?”

About 40 minutes later, Camellia asked.

“I’m here because it’s tedious. I’m the youngest, after all.”
“Oh, hehe.”

Camellia gave an innocent smile at Shiba’s honest words.

“Then… may I share something?”

“What’s the matter?”
“… Aren’t you curious how I ended up like this?”

An untimely intrusion by Tallulah. Shiba, stiffened by surprise, fiercely shook her head. Even before the sightless, she vehemently denied.

“No, no, no, no!”
“It’s okay. Everything has been sorted out now.”
“….”

Camellia drew a breath. Flowers adorned the room, and every inhalation was imbued with their sweet aroma.

“It happened about two years ago. I was traveling with my parents… and something black burst forth.”

The American Civil War. The world split into pro and anti factions, still spattering blood in a ceaseless conflict. So notorious was the event that even Shiba was well aware of it.

“At first, I didn’t realize… It must have been a magical weapon, prohibited by the treaty.”

A weapon of war that could transfigure the magical essence pervading the body, rendering it untreatable and causing various complications. Camellia had been exposed to this weapon, more destructive than nuclear power, for a fleeting moment.

“It was very brief.”

Boom.

With a short reverberation, she lost her vision in a blink.

“I was barely able to see with one eye… but not for long. The transformation persisted and ultimately, both my legs and arms were amputated.”
“…..”
“Of course, the internal changes were extensive too.”

Artificial organs would have been indispensable.

“My body was lost, and with it, my life changed. The hardest part at first… was coming to terms with the loss of my parents.”

She had cried a lot. Camellia admitted this with a faint smile. Her lips, gently curved in a crescent moon of a smile, paradoxically seemed steeped in sorrow.

Witnessing Camellia’s expression, Shiba instinctively bowed her head. Her hair fell onto the floor.

Somewhere, there must be something to say. Seeking the right words, Shiba cautiously opened her mouth.

“I think I understand your feelings. Although, compared to your experience, my heartbreak is insignificant.”
“…..”
“Not long after I was born, my father passed away.”

Perhaps she was moved by Camellia’s words, overcoming her pain. She slowly unveiled a truth she had never shared with anyone else.

“He was a very kind and remarkable person, or so my mother always says. I think I cried a lot too… but strangely, I don’t remember now.”
“…It must have been heartbreaking.”
“Heehee. It’s alright.”

Shiba placed her hand over her heart. She couldn’t recall the memory, but whenever she tried to dredge it up, her heart inexplicably warmed.

“We have a resemblance, in a way.”
“Do we? That’s the first time I’ve heard that since my transformation. In what way are we similar?”
“Well, we both lost something… and our beauty?”
“Beautiful… Ha.”

Camellia chuckled softly, tilting her head.

“You have a beautiful face, just like your heart.”
“And so do you, my Lady.”
“I’ve forgotten my own face. I won’t ever see it again.”

A solemn declaration.

Shiba, as was her habit, was about to seal her lips, when a thought struck her and she found herself gazing at Dongbaek’s face.

Her skin was the color of fresh snow. Her lips, though tinged with an unusual blue hue, only added an enigmatic depth to her beauty. Her hair, unlike yesterday, had transformed to a pure white shade, a change she claimed was influenced by her moods.

Yet, the tragic irony was that Dongbaek couldn’t behold her own exquisite visage.

‘Could I…’

Could she offer any help? As this thought sprouted within her, Shiba closed her eyes and released a sigh, careful to keep it from reaching Dongbaek’s ears.

What could Dongbaek possibly desire?

To be in a world devoid of sight, she must feel like a mariner who has lost her lantern in the vast, unending darkness, mistrusting even those she once believed to be allies.

Remembering her own words, Shiba hesitantly allowed her eyelids to flutter open.

There was little she could do. She was not as physically strong as her sister Soo-yeon. Unlike her sister Saku, she could not perk up spirits with her endearing charm. Nor did she wield the power to lead others like her mother.

Her temperament was far from pleasant, and she lacked the resilience of the young girl before her.

“I… I think I spoke too pessimistically. Was it distasteful to you?”

Late in catching on to Dongbaek’s discomfort, Shiba’s hands involuntarily clenched into fists.

“No.”
“Oh. What a relief….”
“I was lost in thought for a moment.”
“About what?”
“About how to describe your beautiful face to you.”

Stumbling over her words, Shiba spoke. She had never been adept at conversation. From childhood, she seldom mingled with others. Despite being only four years old, as far as her physical age went, she hadn’t made a single friend in her 20 years of perceived lifetime. The only companion she had ever known was an inanimate doll named ‘Sva’ that resided in her room.

“Um, my face?”
“Yes.”

Communication. Some may dismiss it as trivial, but Shiba had always moved to her own rhythm, even at the Academy.

“Your skin… it’s incredibly fair. Your nose is cute, and your lips a little blue. They’re beautiful. You are… truly beautiful.”

In her own clumsy way, she tried her best to convey her thoughts.

“If you can’t see it, I can tell you. Is that… strange?”

Dongbaek fell silent, her head bowed. A certain emptiness clouded her expressions.

“Is it?”

She wondered, with a pang of anxiety, if her words had been inappropriate.

Her heart pounded in her chest.

Worried, she could feel the throbbing of her own heart as she squeezed her eyes shut.

“Did I… say something out of line?”
“Thank you.”

Sometimes, kindness could be a double-edged sword to those with disabilities. But Dongbaek’s response was a gentle word of gratitude.

“Could you… describe what flowers look like to me next time?”

Relief washed over Shiba’s face.

“Definitely!”
“…Haha. This is the first time I’ve heard something like that. It made me a little nervous.”

Dongbaek turned her head away, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Her face was turned towards the spot where Shiba was leaning, a hint of sadness commingled with joy etched on her features.

“Shiba… you seem like an old friend.”
“A friend. Ah, a friend…”

– Snap.

“So, do you want to be friends? The truth is… I don’t have a single friend.”
“…Oh.”

Camellia stuttered, her words embarrassingly servile, which provoked a chuckle from Shiba.

“Hehe. So, shall we be friends?”
“As sure as carrots!”
“Carrots…? Hehe, I heard you’re my age, Shiba. So… informal speech might be more fitting, right?”
“Beep! Is that so?”

Shiba’s happiness circuit kicks in!
The branches above sway in a dance, and Camellia bursts into laughter at Shiba’s peculiar phrasing.

“Beep. Beep. Such a cute way of speaking. It’s like watching white snowflakes scatter.”

Camellia’s casual speech was quite unfamiliar, but her youthful voice was endearingly girlish.

It felt strange, but if it feels good, what’s the harm?

“Hehehe.”

A gentle smile spread across Shiba’s lips.

* * * * * * * * *

– Bang!

Suddenly.

“Figures.”

The ceiling trembles and silica sand falls. Inside the room, faint with the smell of lime, I raise my heavy head.

“You’re quick on the uptake, aren’t you?”
“……”

Her pink hair, soaked in blood, droops. Her eyes, aggressive, seem ready to pounce at any moment. Slowly, they fill with magic.

I place my fingers on her forehead.

– Thud.

Her head snaps back.
The moment I interfere with her magic circuit, her magic power disintegrates instantly.

“You’ve chosen the wrong opponent. You should never have come in alone from the start.”

I rip the necklace from the woman, who’s losing consciousness.

“Camellia.”