Chapter 460 – Shiba’s First Friend (3)

It had been a week since Camellia was coerced into her new job.

“Hello, Mr. Widen. It seems we’ve been meeting quite frequently lately.”
“Today is another good day, Miss.”
“Hehe, when I hear what Mr. Widen says, I can truly feel his sincerity. Oh, I hope you’re not struggling with your work? You’re welcome to visit our mansion for a moment, have a cup of tea, and be on your way.”

As always, Dongbaek smiled innocently like a gentle sheep.
I answered while organizing the equipment.

“A cup of tea? It’s tempting, but I’m afraid that the person in the back might catch up… Haha.”

As I spoke with a slightly awkward smile, Camellia’s eyes furrowed.
We exchanged glances without Dongbaek noticing, and made gestures filled with our respective emotions. Unaware of this, Dongbaek simply responded with pure innocence.

“Camellia? Hehe, surely not.”
“…Miss, it’s nearly time to leave.”

Camellia’s anxiety was palpable as she tapped the handle of her wheelchair several times.

“…”
“…Ugh.”

As I gazed intently at her, Camellia, startled, hastily withdrew her hand from the wheelchair.

It’s said that a thief has a guilty conscience.
She had no reason to be concerned, yet she overthought the situation and distanced herself from Dongbaek.

“Camellia…? What’s the matter?”

Dongbaek asked with curiosity, sensing her hand had been removed from the wheelchair.

Regardless, Dongbaek couldn’t see anything.

“It’s nothing. Just….”

Camellia glanced at me.

“…A bee landed on the back of my hand, and I was momentarily startled.”
“Camellia, you say? Hehe, I’d like to see that expression of yours.”

If her hands were healthy, she might have brought her lightly clenched fist to her mouth and chuckled in a refined manner.

Camellia’s laughter was so full of grace that it naturally led to such thoughts.

“Let me see, your face seems a bit flushed. You’ve closed your eyes, perhaps feeling embarrassed.”
“Really? It feels somewhat familiar too…”

Camellia responded as soon as I spoke up. Only her complexion appeared to grow tense with concern.

“Oh, right. What does Camellia think of Mr. Weeden?”

What an intriguing question. I gazed at Camellia, while she observed me with a slight tilt of her head, seemingly unable to straighten it.

“Mr. Weeden… are you referring to him?”

A look of humiliation spread across Camellia’s face.

“…I think he is a good person.”

It was a truly sorrowful lie.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Camellia, did you get scolded by your mother again?”
“I’m sorry, Miss. I’m still inexperienced in my work. I’ll get used to it soon.”

Twisted curly pink hair, an innocent face.
Camellia from Dongbaek’s childhood memories was very simple and adorable.

“And, the candy in my room disappeared again.”
“…That, um, that was me, Miss.”
“Hehe. It’s all right.”

In the lands ruled by King Mokryeong, it was normal for children in the ‘district,’ who faced discrimination, to suffer from starvation to the point that it wouldn’t be strange if they died at any time.

Camellia was also from there.

The reason she, who once raised livestock, caught the eye of the family head, gained a new status, and came all this way had been due to Camellia’s talent, but it wasn’t strange to consider it pure luck as well.

“I got this cake from my father. Let’s eat it together.”

In her childhood, Camellia had bad habits and would sometimes steal and eat candy out of curiosity.

Embarrassingly enough, Shiba forgave all of Melia’s actions.

Now, her family was almost unique in its existence.
It applied to Melia as well.

– Thud.

The candle went out, and the story came to an end.

“The reason I managed to survive… was also thanks to Melia.”

That evening, Shiba understood the special relationship between the two from Melia’s past story. There was a reason why they seemed so close and cared for each other so much.

‘Have I ever had someone like that in my life?’

A person who could be called family even when they weren’t related by blood.
Her second mother, aunts, and her teacher. The teacher was Shin Hye-young, Shiba’s private tutor.

“Now that I think about it, what did you say we were doing today?”

As Melia finished her story and asked, Shiba spread her hands wide.
A game that Shiba had prepared for the sightless Melia!

“Well, that’s…”

Though it might be somewhat childish, she spoke honestly.

“Painting?”
“Mhm.”

Nodding.

Dongbaek couldn’t help but feel troubled by Shiba’s sudden suggestion. For her, who had neither arms nor legs and couldn’t even see, art seemed nearly impossible.

Dongbaek wriggled her body to convey her situation.

“I appreciate the thought… but I don’t think I can do that.”

Her prosthetic arms and legs were immovable. Her body was unable to connect even nerves, including magical circuits. She had attempted to attach a magically engineered arm that could receive brainwaves and move, but for some unknown reason, it only malfunctioned in Dongbaek’s body.

“It’s alright. Come here for a moment. Turn your back too.”

Shiba, who responded with a smile, sat on Dongbaek’s bed and guided her by the shoulder. Dongbaek assumed a posture with her back facing Shiba. Shiba then poked Dongbaek’s back with her finger.

“What are you doing?”
“Flower.”

Shiba’s fingers moved playfully, like middle school students teasing one another.

“……”

Camellia, who had been sitting still, shuddered her shoulders.

“It’s a bit… ticklish.”

A white drawing took shape from the sensation on her back.
Following the black canvas within Camellia’s line of sight, a small, simple image emerged.

“Did you draw a flower?”
“…Yes. I thought it might evoke some memories.”

Even if she didn’t draw it, she would have a general idea.

Before losing her sight, she had lived her life surrounded by beautiful flowers.
If she wanted to reminisce, she could always recall the appearance of the flowers she knew.

Camellia remained silent for a moment, then the corners of her mouth curled into a smile.
For some reason, Shiba’s face seemed to appear before her eyes.

She had mentioned last time that her hair was light green.
Short-haired, with large eyes on a branch. Despite her timid nature, her mouth still twitched.
Most of all, wasn’t it incredibly endearing to have thought of this in the first place?

“…Not good?”

Dongbaek answered Shiba’s question.

“Uh-huh, I really like it.”

People are warm.

“Hehehe. That’s a relief.”

Whoosh!
When Shiba hugged Dongbaek, he had no choice but to hug her back without any resistance.
A back hug. Although Dongbaek couldn’t see anything, he could feel the warmth of another person.

How long had it been since he had been embraced like this by someone? Dongbaek gently pressed his cheek to Shiba’s arm, which rested on his shoulder.

“I’ve never hung out with friends before…I worried a lot about what to do.”

Watching movies, reading books.
Talking about idols or singers, or going outside and experiencing something new.
That would have been the right thing to do, but he couldn’t. Dongbaek felt sorry for Shiba.

“Shiba.”

“Hmm?”

It had already been two weeks since they became friends and started sharing stories.
The king’s activities had not yet been observed.

But what if,

What would happen if someone were to walk in at this very moment?

Dongbaek knew that Shiba was a good person.
Therefore, he couldn’t just stand by and watch things go awry.

“Um, it’s nothing.”

This couldn’t continue.
With that thought, Dongbaek clenched his teeth.

* * * * * * * * * * *

“So, inside there are these guys called the Tree Knights?”
“Yes.”
“And there’s one named Shiba among them?”
“…Yes.”

I rubbed my forehead with my hand.

“Life is something else.”

The formation and movements of the Tree Knights had been observed for quite some time.
Being akin to an organization under the direct control of the World Tree, I had anticipated they would act this time as well.

“Damn it.”

Shiba was there, too.

I refrained from sighing and instead took a sip of tea. No matter how much tea I drank, the astringent taste in my mouth wouldn’t dissipate.

“…Aside from that, has there been any movement regarding the World Tree? Like taking your master to the fortress.”

“There were many rumors about that. For now, assigning a few escorts should suffice.”

“I see.”

Considering the two national champions from three years ago, they could now be viewed as S-class or higher.

Kim Soo-yeon and Saku would surely pose significant obstacles.

‘Unless I take direct action, there will be no suitable opponents among those under my command.’

Gu-seul could be a contender, but she tends to cause too much commotion.

“Judging by the fact that they haven’t mobilized the Knights… What other schemes are at play?”

“….”

“How does your master react?”

“….”

Seemingly hesitant to speak, she gradually increased her magical power. The oppressive aura caused Camellia’s hands to perspire.

“…Lately, it’s been said we must head to the fortress. To change our hearts again-“

“Has your mind changed?”

What could have caused such a change of heart in Dongbaek, who always seemed so immovable and held great significance to the garden in Descanso? Could it be that Shiba had done something?

“Well, it is her way of minimizing the number of victims.”

One could resolve the situation without encountering Shiba if they simply ambushed the road to the fortress. Of course, it couldn’t be helped if accompanied by the Tree Knights.

Even I am reluctant to go to the fortress. It was fortunate that Dongbaek was the only one revealed among the Four Great Demon Trees. It allowed us to concentrate our efforts on one location.

It was evident that Dongbaek had made a significant decision.

– Creak.

In that instant, the door opened. Startled, Melia raised her head.

“Don’t be surprised. I called for you.”
“What…?”

Just in time, I had called for the one who had finished their business trip.

– Pop!

A pale hand suddenly emerged through the crack in the door.

The fellow who casually waved his hand opened the door and revealed himself in an impolite manner.

“Hello, hello, is this her?”
“Yes.”
“That haughty lady’s maid… She certainly is pretty.”

Bouncy and cute.
Muttering to herself, Gu-seul stealthily moved behind Melia and abruptly slipped her hand between Melia’s armpits.

“?!”

*Scream*

Gu-seul groping Melia’s breasts. Startled, Melia shook her shoulders.

“Um~”
“What are you doing?”
“Inbody check.”
“…?”

Do people usually call it an Inbody check?
Sometimes, it seems like she’s even worse than me.

“So this is what a lady’s maid feels like.”

During the Victorian era, a person responsible for attending to a woman’s makeup and personal care.
Naturally, such professions still exist in this place where the caste system persists.

“…”

Melia endured with wide eyes, and the continuous teasing soon stopped.

“Quite impressive.”

Guseul, who had compared herself to Melia by touching her own breasts, emphasized her point to me by tapping on Melia’s intimate parts.

“Already done it?”
“I feel like I called you for no reason.”
“Hehehe.”
“So, what do you have to say?”

With a thud, Guseul slumped down next to me on the sofa, her shoulders rolling as if weighed down by a heavy burden.

“Ugh, it’s so exhausting. My shoulders are stiff from cleaning up someone else’s mess.”
“Do you want to say it after getting hit, or do you want to just say it?”
“Tsk. You already know. Why should I have to say it again?”

I could see the sweat stains under her clothes, making it clear she had just returned from work. However, the damp discomfort it caused was unsettling.

“Don’t cling to me.”
“Why not?”

She was wearing a butler’s uniform, which wasn’t very breathable and felt damp. When I tried to push her away, Guseul resisted. Melia stared at the two of us in astonishment.

“This closeness is a reward for men, but our king here doesn’t appreciate it.”
“Fine. Just tell her about it.”

“…Ugh, fine, I got it.”

As Gu-seul nodded, she removed her white gloves and spoke. Her hand, glistening in the lamplight, felt slightly damp.

“The ATU scoundrels have started to move. They’re headed this way.”
“…!”

ATU—a coalition of countries siding with the Flower faction.

Despite being high-ranking nobles, it was astonishing to hear that several nations were mobilizing. As Melia attempted to rise, her shoulders trembling, my magic held her down.

– Thud!

“Ah!”
“Why did I ask you to tell me that?”

This information was quite valuable. Melia, frowning, looked at me.

Though she followed my words for now, an enemy was still an enemy. The reason for informing Melia was simple.

“You, just stay put. It’s no good if you die meddling in this.”

Gu-seul, who took a bite of the Kukdas in the center, nodded.

The ATU fiends possess a certain power, rendering them impervious to Melia’s abilities.

“So then, my lady…”
“Just this once.”

Upon hearing my words, Melia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I must resolve this matter myself.”