296 – Monsoon -2-

– Bang bang bang.

In the late night of pouring rain.

A loud knocking echoed at the desolate entrance of Hamel village.

– Bang bang bang.

It was a time when no one should be awake.

3 AM was when everyone was tucked in bed.

– Bang! Bang! Bang…!

“Is anyone there!”

Yet, the man was desperately knocking on the door, cutting through the heavy rain.

-…

Grinding his teeth at the lack of response.

The man looked anxious.

Even without an umbrella, he faced the downpour, glancing back anxiously, worried that someone on his back might get soaked, adjusting the layers of rain gear he had wrapped around himself.

“Please…”

– Bang. Bang. Bang.

The man kept knocking on the door that wouldn’t open.

Pressing his head against it, desperately.

He only knocked.

*

An hour earlier.

“Haah…”

I was walking toward the young lady’s room, unable to sleep. I was worried she might not be able to rest due to a cold.

The coughs I heard were harsh.

And the faint, heated moans that drifted through the air were impossible to ignore.

– Cough… cough.

“It seems like she can’t sleep.”

Carrying a basin of water, I paused in front of the young lady’s door. I hesitated, wondering if I might wake her unnecessarily.

– Haah… haah…

The young lady sounded like she was in great distress beyond the door. The breaths she exhaled were heavy, like those of a patient suffering from a severe cold.

– Knock. Knock. Knock.

She didn’t seem to hear my knocking.

Even when I called her name, there was no response.

In my frustration, I took the liberty of opening the young lady’s door. She hadn’t replied no matter how much I called.

– Bang!

“Miss!”

I frowned at the warmth that enveloped the room, feeling it intensely.

“…Miss?”

The hand I placed on her forehead felt as hot as touching a fireball. It was almost too hot to bear.

– Ugh…

She had said she wouldn’t be in pain.

Having made a promise and even sealed it with a pinky swear, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the sight of the young lady suffering.

I hurriedly moved my body.

– Crash…!

I had to take her to the hospital.

I wasn’t a doctor who could cure her cold, and I was too much of a coward to face the young lady in pain with a clear mind, so I ran without thinking.

– Splash.

—

The rain had left the roadside thick with mud. I gritted my teeth as I sank into the muck, as if the earth itself refused to release my soaked shoes. If my body swayed, it would surely trouble the lady.

“Ugh…”

At the faint sound of the lady’s groan, my heart raced, and my thoughts narrowed. Like a fool.

Surely, there was a better way, but my urgent heart left no room for contemplation.

As I ran, I glanced back at the lady, wrapped in a deep green raincoat.

“Lady…”

“Hah… Hah…”

“…”

I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed through the rain.

Please, I hoped, respond to the knocking that echoed with desperation.

—Bang! Bang! Bang!

I knocked on the door that would not open.

***

“Cough…”

Olivia was dreaming.

—aaah! A witch eating chocolate!

—Stop eating! How much do you plan to consume?

—Save me! Save me!

Chocolate soldiers surrounded her.

Standing alone in the palace, she faced the citizens of the chocolate kingdom, who were throwing chocolate at her.

Despite hearing the scorn of countless chocolates, Olivia licked her lips. She was trying so hard to conquer them, yet the rebellious citizens displeased her.

—It’s noisy.

—aaah!

—I’ll eat it all.

The chocolate kingdom was on the brink of destruction.

In the midst of the ongoing massacre.

Suddenly, the sun rose brightly in the sky, and the chocolate soldiers began to melt.

Olivia reached out in disappointment to catch them, but their fragile forms slipped away in the heat, melting before her eyes.

—Why is everyone disappearing?

Olivia pouted, clenching her fist.

—

-It’s boring.

My body began to tremble.

As if I were riding in a carriage at full speed, my restless body swayed uncontrollably.

“Ugh…”

With the ongoing motion sickness, Olivia slowly began to awaken from her dream. She felt as if she might be swept away into a melting chocolate land if she forced herself to stay asleep.

“Ugh…”

Leaving the sweet dream behind, Olivia slowly opened her eyes.

-Haah… Haah…

‘Horse…?’

With her eyes half-open, Olivia groaned, feeling a throbbing headache. She felt so dizzy that she thought she might throw up.

“Ugh…”

Her body was hot.

Her head was spinning.

Just a little while ago, the pain had been bearable, but now her condition had deteriorated rapidly, and she let out a shaky breath.

‘Yikes…’

Her throat felt scratchy and painful.

Her body shivered from the cold.

Ricardo had told her not to kick off the blanket, so she had wrapped herself tightly in it… but now it felt as if she were in the middle of an ice field, it was so cold.

‘Ugh… I can’t be sick.’

Olivia muttered softly, recalling the promise she made with Ricardo.

“If I get sick, I’ll be in trouble…”

She had made a pinky promise with Ricardo, and now she had broken it beautifully. The thought of him worrying made Olivia’s face crumple in distress.

It seemed she had caught a proper cold.

“It’s cold…”

Her body was burning. Very much so.

Yet, despite her shivering, Olivia forced a bitter smile. Her current state seemed paradoxical to her.

“Ugh…”

Olivia wished that Ricardo would place a damp cloth on her forehead. That would ease her headache, even if just a little.

But.

-Swoosh…

Ricardo must be sleeping, so he won’t come.

“Cough…”

Olivia tried to open her tightly shut eyes while coughing. She felt sorry for Ricardo, but it seemed she had to ring the bell. She had tried to hold on for as long as she could, but it seemed she had caught a terrible cold.

“Muul…”

Olivia struggled to lift her eyelids.

And then.

– Splash. Splash.

She opened her eyes in an unfamiliar place.

“Huh…?”

It was dark all around.

She was sure she had been sleeping in a room, yet it felt as if she had stepped outside; the sky was dark, and rain was pouring down incessantly.

– Swoosh…

She could hear the sound of frogs croaking in her ears.

– Splash… Splash…

The sound of someone stepping in mud kept echoing.

“Where am I…”

Where is this place?

Her mind raced in confusion, but her thoughts were slow to settle. Her head hurt too much.

– Splash.

She could hear the sound of wet pants brushing against something, and a man’s rough voice reverberated in her head.

Strangely enough,

– Please open the door! I’m burning up…!

‘Huh…?’

Only after the throbbing headache in her mind quieted down a bit did Olivia start to regain her senses.

– Please.

Now she understood.

That this was not inside a room, but outside. And it didn’t take long for her to realize that she was being carried on someone’s back.

– Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Is anyone there?!”

– Bang!

“Ha… damn it…”

Olivia saw the red hair. Hair soaked in rain, droplets falling from it.

She felt a pang of sympathy for the man running, as if he looked more pained than she did, despite her own suffering.

“Ha… please!!!”

‘Don’t be angry… I’m scared.’

The man carrying her seemed incredibly angry. His breathing was rough, and his voice a bit strained. Yet, strangely, her heart felt at ease. It almost felt safer than being at home.

– Whoosh.

The broad back of this man felt so warm and comforting.

The rain continued to pour.

And the raincoat was shielding her from it.

“Ugh… cough… cough.”

“Miss!?”

“Um…?”

“Thank goodness… just hold on a little longer.”

Olivia rubbed her eyes at the familiar voice.

And she locked eyes with the man who let out a sigh of relief.

Red hair.

A broad back.

And a warm presence.

“Ricardo…?”

Olivia called out to Ricardo in a trembling voice. He wasn’t wearing a raincoat. He had draped it over her while he himself wore nothing, and Olivia’s eyes widened in shock.

“Ricardo… you’re getting wet.”

“Ha… ha… I’m really glad.”

His clothes were getting soaked in the pouring rain, yet Ricardo wore a relieved smile. He was going to catch a cold at this rate.

With a pout, Olivia said to Ricardo, “Put on some clothes. You’ll catch a cold.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. Ricardo… cough… cough…!”

“I’m fine. You’re the one I’m more worried about.”

Ricardo turned his head with a small smile.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

“Yeah… my head hurts.”

“Just wait a little longer. I’ll do my best to help you.”

“I’m really cold, too. It feels like I’m completely naked and buried in the snow… I’m shivering.”

“…Your expression is quite vivid.”

“And…”

Ricardo was busy moving around, listening to the sweet words he was uttering. His eyes were trembling with fear, and the sight of him trying to act strong truly broke my heart.

“Ricardo…”

“Yes.”

Olivia bit her lip and spoke, hoping to convey that she didn’t want him to worry any longer.

“I’m not in pain.”

“…”

“I’m all better now.”

Ricardo slowed his hurried steps and came to a stop. He looked at her with trembling eyes and spoke in a slightly angry voice.

“Miss.”

“…”

“I’m fine. So please, no more lies.”

“…”

“Don’t say that.”

Olivia tightly embraced Ricardo’s neck and nodded.

“I’m sorry.”

Ricardo continued to run silently.

Until the pouring rain ceased.