The sight of that black coffin far off in the distance hit me like a ton of bricks.
'The dad I knew... maybe he actually died back there at the labyrinth.'
As I was holding back tears alone, a soft touch reached my cheek.
"Theo?"
A small hand, like a maple leaf, tapped my cheek.
He didn't understand what was going on, but he could tell I was upset—the little guy's face was completely glum.
"Theo-ooo."
I bit my lip and hugged Theo tightly. Next to me, Aunt Masha was dabbing at her eyes and sighing as if she was heartbroken.
"You know, our dad is gone now."
"Buu..."
"The dad who was kind, gentle, steadfast, and humble, a top-notch dad, is gone... he's gone..."
Goodbye, Dad Alec... I had fun with you.
Rest in peace for now, but hurry up and find your memories and come back!
"Oh my! What are we going to do with these poor children! Alec! Noooo!"
Aunt Masha collapsed onto the coffin, wailing. Even the junior priest watching us was wiping away tears.
"Oh, God. Please watch over these poor... young ones, sob. We don't have much, but our temple, clears throat, can handle the funeral arrangements."
I also couldn't hold back the tears that were welling up anymore and cried out loud.
"Thank you, thank you... Please make it as fancy as you can..."
"Alec, Alec! Noooo! Who's going to find our cat now?!"
"*Sob*. Not even the cat detective... sob."
Once the crying started, I couldn't stop. At that moment, a strange magic touched my fingertips, the ones I'd just shoved in the basket.
[Hey, wait a second. Hey, that's not your dad!]
It was the voice of the plant in the herb pouch. It seemed to be speaking to me through the last bit of magic left in its roots.
[That guy in the coffin was just some herb gatherer who lived alone up in the mountains... Sheesh. Well... I guess it's kind of a good thing, since he didn't have anyone to do a funeral for him.]
The voice, sounding totally weirded out, trailed off and then disappeared.
"Dad-aaa... Goodbye..."
"Oh my, Alec, oh my!"
"*Sob*, our temple will prepare the funeral, sob...!"
"Waaah... Waaaaah!"
Even Theo, who had only been pouting, finally burst into tears, turning the whole place into a complete disaster zone.
"What's going on?"
A man was hiding behind a pillar.
Calyx let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.
"Why's she crying like that?"
He frowned, staring hard at the room where they were keeping the body. He was wearing a hooded robe and had pulled up his collar to cover his face and head.
'Why is she crying so sorrowfully?'
In the distance, he could see the back of a head like a little gumball, sobbing with tears and snot.
She was wailing, "Dad— Dad—" and it was just heartbreaking.
"Dad-aaaa! I'm here!"
Just yesterday, she was calling me Dad.
'I'm not dead.'
Calyx looked completely flabbergasted.
It seemed like she was just acting to fit the situation, but she was crying so hard that his fingertips were tingling just watching her.
"Ha, this is ridiculous..."
He leaned against the pillar, watching the child's tears with a complicated expression. He was also kind of making fun of himself.
Yesterday, Lirin had stormed out as if she would return immediately.
Since she had the ring, he was going to reluctantly open the mansion door if she came back.
But she didn't come.
Not in the late afternoon.
Not in the evening.
Not at night.
Not at dawn.
Not even when the morning sun rose brilliantly.
Not until now.
Calyx twisted his lips into a smile.
"She's so tiny, but she's a good actress. Can you believe she got me to chase after her like this?"
Just then, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, sir. I'm sorry, but you must take off your robe inside the main temple."
It was a passing priest.
Calyx was the most famous person in the capital, with his every move watched. He wanted to avoid situations that would become troublesome in many ways, so he had come to the temple in disguise.
He covered his face more deeply and muttered.
"...I have some pretty bad scars on my face."
"Oh, I understand. Sorry about that. God bless."
"Thanks for understanding."
Calyx habitually smiled, then stopped abruptly.
'What is this?'
It's weird how easily I'm lying.
And I'm not the type to put on some fake, gross smile.
But right now... it felt like I'd done this a million times before.
'And...'
He stared down at his gray robe. It was made of cheap fabric, worn to pretend to be a pilgrim.
'It's weird; it feels as comfy as my own skin.'
Thinking that, he was startled.
Used to these rags? Me? I was born and raised a noble!
"..."
He remembered that ordinary-looking guy he'd seen on the video orb yesterday.
'Damn it... What? Alec Balte? Give me a break.'
He clenched his fist tightly.
Guess there's some truth to that whole 'body memory' thing.
'So, it looks like he used that magic thingy to change how he looks.'
He hadn't missed what had appeared in the video orb yesterday. And with that weird habit I've got now of messing with my ears, it has to be true.
'Even the mages at the Magic Tower don't know much about appearance-changing magic tools. Where the heck did I get one?'
That's the kind of thing only the top dogs, like the Head Mage, would have.
'I need to get my hands on that and figure it out.'
His sharp eyes narrowed.
Lirin was clutching the earcuff tightly in one fist while she sobbed.
Even though she was crying her eyes out, she rummaged around in that turtle-shell backpack of hers, stuffed the earrings and keychains inside, zipped it up, and slung it around to the front.
Looks like she knew something was up.
'...I guess I should get that ugly bag away from her first.'
But stealing... that's a bit low, even for me, to do to a kid.
'I'll sweet-talk her, get the ring, and then find out where that magic tool came from.'
I'm Calyx Winterwald.
I always get what I want.
Completely clueless that she was already running circles around him, Calyx stuck his chin out arrogantly.
"Lord Calyx, I didn't expect to find you here."
Ruska belatedly found Calyx and quietly approached.
Calyx turned coldly, taking his eyes off Lirin's reddened face.
"Hmph. Ruska, wait for the funeral to finish, then bring those brats to the mansion."
"Yes, I understand."
Ruska, answering him, tilted his head slightly.
"But... whose funeral is it?"
Calyx frowned and said.
"...Mine?"
"..."
After a beat of silence, the secretary calmly pushed up his glasses and said, with a look of rare excitement.
"I'll pay my respects."
Has he lost his mind?
I came out of the temple with swollen eyes.
'Ah, I was really sad, but somehow I feel like my mind is clear now.'
I tried to act like I was fine, but I guess I was way more confused and exhausted than I realized.
Anyway, bawling my eyes out made me feel a little better.
"Lirin?"
As soon as I stepped out of the temple, a long shadow fell in front of me.
"Yes? Who... Ah."
I blinked my heavy eyes and looked at the man.
It was that secretary guy who was with Dad yesterday.
He was dressed way more casually than he was at the Duke's place. Like a regular person. And there was a simple carriage parked behind him.
"I bet you can guess why I'm here. Ready to go?"
Oh, as expected.
'I knew Dad would be freaking out about the ring.'
I scrubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. Then I looked up, all bright-eyed.
"I'll go!"
All better!
The guy raised an eyebrow and held out a paper.
"Great. Sign here to show you got in the carriage."
"Huh?"
The lenses of his glasses, which he pushed up, gleamed.
"I always have to have proof for everything I do. Thanks for your help."
Ah, so his boss is one of those guys...
"Yes, yes."
Scribble, scribble. I wrote my name all messy.
"And can you have the... uh... potato bread? person over there sign too."
At those words, Theo's cheeks, who was holding my hand tightly, puffed up.
Since he's so round and cute, people were always calling Theo stuff like 'king potato,' 'honey bread,' 'chestnut burr'... basically, anything but a human.
"Not bread, Theo..."
"Ah. My apologies."
Theo put ink on his finger and left a pathetic fingerprint on the paper. Then he wiped it on the guy's pants to get back at him.
No surprise whose brother he is. So smart.
"Lirin? Sweetie, who is this?"
At that moment, Aunt Masha, who had been watching quietly, couldn't hold back anymore and asked.
