WTBFCY Chapter 30

"Actually, when I wrote to my parents, I also wrote to Margaret. I never expected to get a reply, though. Oh, of course I didn't send it under my own name! I sent it saying I was Regina's friend."

"...There's an order to delivering information. Right, now I understand everything. So that's the letter you received?"

"...Yes, but my heart's pounding so hard I can't bring myself to open it. What if she accuses me of impersonating Regina's friend and condemns me? Oh, I know! Could you read it for me instead?"

"Why would I? I don't make a habit of reading other people's mail."

Noah had relaxed his shoulders after confirming Regina wasn't showing symptoms of becoming a black faerie. He waved his hand in refusal. But Regina pressed the letter against his chest with both hands, pleading.

"Please! I'm dying of curiosity here!"

"Then open it."

"I want to, but I'm too scared!"

"……."

What was he supposed to do about that? He wanted to escape this situation, but he was currently waiting for the errand boy. It suddenly dawned on him that Regina would repeat this same conversation infinitely until the boy returned.

Even while Noah maintained his silence, Regina stamped her feet, desperate with curiosity about the letter's contents. Under her earnest gaze begging him to read it quickly, Noah finally threw up both hands in surrender.

"Fine. You just want me to read it, right? But I'm not reading it out loud."

As Noah plucked the letter from her hands, Regina puffed out her cheeks and closed her mouth—she'd been about to ask him to read aloud. But that lasted only a moment. The instant Noah unfolded the letter and began reading, tension flooded Regina's face.

"...What, what does it say? Does she call me a fraud? Is she angry or anything?"

"……."

Regina had been staring fixedly at Noah's downcast eyes, but she couldn't bear even that brief silence and asked urgently. He skimmed through the letter, then wordlessly folded it and held it out to her.

"Why aren't you saying anything? What does it say?"

"Read this yourself. She didn't call you a fraud and she's not angry. Damn, reading a teenage girl's writing made my whole body itch. Don't ask me to do weird things like this again."

Noah shuddered as he placed the letter directly in Regina's hands. She accepted it reflexively, glancing between Noah and the letter before unfolding it with trembling hands.

—To Regina's dear friend.

That was how the letter began.

To Regina's dear friend.

I didn't know how to begin or what to say, so after discarding several sheets of letter paper, I decided to simply write what came to mind.

Autumn has already ended here and winter has begun. Yesterday, frost appeared on my bedroom window. Seeing that frosted window brought back memories of drawing pictures on it with my finger alongside Regina.

Baron Evelyn and the Baroness are both still deep in grief, but fortunately their health hasn't deteriorated significantly.

...Regina has been my friend since I started walking. I have memories of us fighting, but what comes to mind first is how she always came to apologize. Even now, whenever memories of her come flooding back, I can't breathe.

So each time that happens, I've decided to think as you told me to. That Regina has gone on a distant journey. That she's adventuring through the wide world together with you, who carries her memories.

Yes, you've probably already noticed, but I remember you. The girl with violet eyes and black hair. I'm not sure of the exact reason—whether it was because a few drops of the faerie water you gave me to apply around my eyes entered my mouth, or whether some miracle simply happened to occur for me alone.

I just have vivid memories of how naturally you acted and spoke like Regina.

Then I suddenly thought: if you really are the black faerie I'd only heard about in stories, and if you carry Regina's memories, you must be terribly lonely. So I've decided to call you, who carries her memories, Regina.

Another Regina, traveling with Regina's memories.

Please stay healthy. Don't hurt yourself on this unfamiliar journey. Don't think you're alone. If you need my help, let me know anytime. And when you think of it, write to me even if only occasionally. I'll always be glad to wait for news from you.

— From your eternal friend.

P.S. 1: 'Regina Evelyn's really close friend' is me. From her best friend, Margaret Jenkins.

P.S. 2: Next time we meet, only call my name once. If you call it three times, I won't answer.

Real final P.S.: Stay healthy, Regina. I really miss you.

Noah clicked his tongue in discomfort, standing before an 18-year-old girl who was clutching the letter to her chest, head tilted back, sobbing loudly. He could feel everyone in the train station glancing their way. A security guard who'd begun viewing them suspiciously had just started walking over when, fortunately, the boy he'd sent on the errand returned to the station.

"Sir! I gathered information from the security force. Should I tell you right away?"

"Yes, tell me now."

Noah welcomed the boy enthusiastically and approached him. Regina, who'd been crying noisily beside him, also stopped her loud sobbing, apparently curious about the boy's answer. Noah felt genuine relief.

"Uh, yes. The man named John was found as a corpse in the forest of the Evelyn territory, and there was information that the woman named Rose was spotted in the Hoern territory."

"That can't be! Hic, we just came back from there because there was information that both John and Rose were spotted in the Epola territory, but now John is dead?!"

Upon hearing this, Regina looked up in shock, wiping her reddened eyes, and asked the boy. The boy's eyes widened as he pulled his head back, then looked up at Noah. At the silent question of whether she was with his party, Noah nodded.

"Ah, yes. From what I heard, they said it's certain that the person named John is dead. They said the body was even transferred to the security force."

"That's impossible! I can't believe it!"

"Even if you say that to me..."

Only after receiving Noah's confirmation did the boy answer Regina's question. When she shouted at the unbelievable fact, the boy held up both palms and stepped back as if to calm her down.

"Then the information we saw on the security force bulletin board a few days ago was likely wrong. That woman Rose might be connected to John's death. They probably deliberately revealed their identities in the Epola territory to hide that John died."

"...Um, sir. May I leave now?"

The boy, who hadn't understood Noah's words at all, was just watching for a chance to leave. Noah nodded and asked him one last question.

"Yes, just answer one more question. What's the name of the forest where the man John died?"

"The exact name of the forest wasn't written on the paper posted on the bulletin board, but they said people in that area call that forest the 'Faerie King's Tomb.'"

"……!"

Regina's eyes widened. That was the forest where she'd first opened her eyes, abandoned there with the carriage. So John had also died in the forest where she'd gone missing. What on earth had happened there?

"...Now only that woman Rose knows the truth of the incident."

Noah said this and gestured that the boy could go. The boy bowed at the waist in greeting, then ran off to another area and lingered around gentlemen in suits to receive another errand.

"What on earth happened?"

Regina asked, her face shocked enough that her tears had completely dried up. Noah shrugged.

"Who knows, but Hoern is also in a region along the northern train line. Let's head there first. If we catch that woman Rose, we'll know the full story of the incident. That is, if she's definitely the one who killed you."

"……."

At those words, Regina nodded. Noah looked at her briefly, then turned and went to buy train tickets. Their next destination was the Hoern territory.

Orben Street in the capital was quite luxurious, densely packed with the town houses of nobles.

The oldest mansion at the very back had recently changed hands. The surrounding residents were curious about who had purchased that antique mansion, but unfortunately had never encountered its owner. Even so, sometimes at night the windows would light up and people's shadows would appear, suggesting the mansion's owner had returned.

Just like tonight.

"Lord Sashar, we've lost contact with Owen. It appears he failed the hunt you ordered."

The drawing room was spacious enough to easily accommodate ten people. Though the overall atmosphere was somewhat dark, the ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling dispersed that feeling. The large mirror above the fireplace reflected the chandelier and the silhouettes of four people in the drawing room.

On the long velvet sofa in the drawing room sat a young boy and a pale-faced woman side by side. Sashar stood before the fireplace gazing at the flames. And the one who'd just made the report was Cedric, a white-haired old man standing at attention beside Sashar.

"Really? I heard it was still a young specimen, but it must be quite powerful. Lord Sashar, shall I go personally this time?"

The one who answered Cedric's report instead was the young boy. He might have been five or six years old—his plump cheeks and small hands and feet were still cute, but the boy's eyes weren't those of a child. As he swung his seated legs and asked, Sashar shook his head.

"No, Asel. That won't be necessary. I'm planning to go personally. I just heard news that he's returned to the capital."

At those words, the butler Cedric stepped forward with a surprised expression.

"There's no need for Lord Sashar to take action. If you don't trust Asel, I'll go."

"Untrustworthy, Cedric! Such harsh words! ...But what does that mean?"

"It means you're not reliable, Asel."

"Ah, thanks. Abi."

Abigail, who sat beside him, first got angry then answered Asel's question about the meaning while patting his head. With her silver hair and pale sky-blue eyes, she was extremely beautiful, but looked so sickly she might collapse at any moment.

"Cedric! How dare you say I'm unreliable—who are you to say such things to me?!"

"I merely stated a fact, Asel."

"What?! You insolent—! You're younger than me!"

"Though our appearances say otherwise."

"...Asel, don't get too excited."

When Abigail gently patted Asel's back with her slender fingers, Asel closed his mouth as if swallowing his anger, having been about to shout at Cedric again. Then Sashar turned to everyone and spoke soothingly.