The Truth That Cannot Be Faked

Love.

That sweet, miserable word brought the elf to tears.

All her life, she had doubted that love was real. When people declared they would risk their lives for it, she would nod politely while privately wondering if they had lost their minds.

Now she understood.

When assassins had killed Theorad, she had felt as though every light in the world had gone out. In one instant, her purpose and the will to go on living had been shattered. It was a nightmare she never wanted to remember.

The pain, the anguish, the crushing emptiness of that moment—every part of it told her what she felt.

A world without Theorad is a world I cannot bear.

Somewhere along the way, love had wrapped itself around her heart like a chain. He had become that precious to her.

Whenever she was close to him, she wanted to draw closer. The more kindness he offered, the more she yearned for it. Time spent apart from him seemed to have no meaning.

That was why, despite her guilt, she had dared to confess. Before Ashley, Theorad's own fiancée, she was asking for the chance to remain by his side.

“…”

Ashley watched the elf in silence. A surge of conflicting emotions made her head ache. Her face remained composed, but her thoughts had dissolved into confusion.

How dare you…?

She almost spoke the rebuke aloud. Then she stopped.

The elf had risked her life to save Theorad. Without calculating any advantage or expecting a reward, she had placed her own life in the balance for him.

Whatever Ashley felt about the past, she could not deny that the love behind that sacrifice was sincere.

She bit her lower lip. Once she subdued her anger and considered the matter rationally, her own demand that the elf leave seemed cruel.

“…I'll bring the documents.”

Ashley turned away, sounding drained. The door creaked open and closed behind her.

Left alone, the elf forced down another wave of grief. Ashley had offered neither permission nor refusal. That frightened her, but she endured it.

Ashley was right about one thing: this was no time to argue over their feelings. The elf would not watch Theorad die again. Dealing with the assassins had to come first.

She wiped away her tears. By the time she had gathered herself, the door opened again and Ashley strode back in, carrying a document with a map drawn upon it.

“Take this…”

The elf nodded and accepted the paper.

“Everything you ought to know is written beneath the map. You probably don't need most of those details, but they're there for reference.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

“Don't thank me. I'm only making use of you.”

Ashley's words were cold, but her voice trembled slightly. She was still too conflicted to feel comfortable with what she had asked.

The elf did not notice. She studied the map, worked out where the Black Dogs were based, and looked up again.

“I've seen enough. I'll leave now.”

“Now? In this rain…?”

“There's nothing to gain by waiting.”

Ashley could hardly disagree. Hearing such determination from someone who had pretended to be a child for four days was strange, but perhaps the elf was finally resolved not to waste another moment.

“Ashley.”

The elf's voice was steady despite her recent tears. Moisture still shone in her red eyes, but her expression was firm.

“Keep Theorad from leaving his room, whatever it takes. Otherwise your plan won't work.”

If the elf attacked the Black Dogs disguised as Theorad while the real Theorad was seen walking around Benelia's villa, the disguise would be exposed.

No one at the villa could be allowed to see him until she returned from the raid. Ashley understood and nodded.

“All right.”

Their purposes now aligned. There was nothing more to debate.

Ashley turned to leave. At the doorway, she glanced back.

Her lips parted, then closed again. After several attempts, she murmured so quietly that the words barely reached the elf.

“Don't get hurt…”

For Theorad's sake. Not yours.

With that small acknowledgment, Ashley left. The elf listened to her footsteps fade along the corridor and smiled bitterly.

“Yes…”

The answer was too soft for anyone to hear.

The elf snapped her fingers. The air near her split open, revealing a space apart from the ordinary world. The fissure shimmered purple.

She stepped through without hesitation. Less than three minutes later, she emerged in Theorad's form.

His face, his build, his hair, even his expression were faithfully reproduced. The simple shirt and trousers looked exactly like his. She flexed and stretched her hands to check the transformation and found no fault.

Then she put on the cloak she had kept with her.

I never thought I'd be using this again…

When she had picked it up in the basement of Pelgaroin Castle, she could never have imagined that her connection to Theorad would last so long.

Shaking off the memory, she crossed to the window.

The rain and wind raged outside as fiercely as the turmoil in her heart. After watching for a moment, she murmured a short incantation.

A sudden gust shook the furniture as though an earthquake had struck the room. When the air grew still, the elf had vanished.

---

The next morning, Theorad woke in the position in which he had fallen asleep. He pushed his disheveled hair back and sat up.

He glanced out the window. Thin, dark clouds drifted across the sky. Although it was morning, the light resembled early evening, and the sight dampened his spirits.

“Is this the rainy season…?”

The weather had been dreary for days, and his mood had followed it. The elf's condition also seemed no better, which weighed on him still more heavily.

“Ten days now…”

Three days had passed beyond the week Roylen had described as normal. He wished the elf would regain her senses soon, but he could not blame her for taking longer.

One could hardly fault a patient for failing to recover quickly. However long the elf needed, Theorad intended to help her.

Knock, knock.

The sound interrupted his gloomy thoughts. He turned toward the door, wondering who had come.

“Sir Theorad? It's me.”

Ashley.

He hurriedly checked that his clothes were in order and cleared his throat.

“Come in.”

Ashley opened the door. The moment she saw him, she faltered. His hair was pushed back, and even in his rumpled shirt and trousers he looked unexpectedly handsome.

Her delight was quickly shadowed by concern. He had evidently fallen asleep without even changing.

“Are things difficult for you?”

Ashley approached and sat beside him. Theorad watched her with a faint, incredulous smile.

She has had to live in a foreign villa, far from everything she's used to, and she's worrying about me.

“Why would they be? I look after the elf, read her books, and tell her stories. That's all.”

“Even so…”

“Really, I'm perfectly fine. I'm more worried about you, Ashley. Has living here been difficult?”

It had been, of course. Compared with the comfort of her family's castle, Benelia's villa lacked many conveniences. The food, furnishings, and even the servants' manners fell short of what Ashley was accustomed to.

Benelia had prepared the place as a refuge for emergencies, and little more. It was hardly suited to a comfortable long stay.

But Ashley did not tell him that. How could she complain to a man who was plainly bearing even greater strain and still insisted he was well?

“No trouble at all. In some ways, it's more comfortable than the castle. With fewer attendants and formalities, I can enjoy a little freedom.”

“I'm glad to hear it.”

Theorad smiled gratefully, unaware of the kindly lie.

He had little time for conversation. Before taking his next nursing shift, he needed to wash, change, answer the letters arriving from home, select a book for the elf, and read it in advance.

Noticing that Ashley remained beside him, he cleared his throat and tried to excuse himself politely.

“Ashley, I'm so glad you came. I'd happily talk with you all day, but I have so much to do—”

“That can't be helped.”

She cut him off and fixed him with an unusually determined stare. Her lapis-blue eyes made him strangely nervous.

Why was she so insistent? Theorad knew nothing of her agreement with the elf, so he had no way to guess.

…Is she angry?

They had barely spent any private time together over the past ten days. He would understand if she were upset about that.

But she did not look angry. There was something purposeful in her gaze. Unfortunately, knowing that did not tell him what she intended.

As he watched her and began to sweat, Ashley sighed and took his hand.

“I can't explain why, but I'm going to stay in this room with you all day.”

“That would be difficult. Without me, the elf…”

“I've arranged for a woman to take your place. The elf has agreed that it will be fine for a day or so. You needn't worry.”

Every objection had already been answered.

Theorad fell silent and tried to work out what his fiancée meant. There were plenty of places they might spend the day together. Why insist on remaining in a single room?

I never expected Ashley to be this bold…

He was hardly displeased, but he had little experience of handling such an invitation. Sweating, he looked away.

An awkward silence settled over them. Ashley blinked, unable to understand his reaction. Then the implication of her words struck her.

In one room. All day.

She had said it so casually, without considering how indecent it might sound.

She wanted to correct the misunderstanding, but no convincing explanation came to mind.

“Ah… I… that is…”

Her voice emerged in an uncharacteristic stammer. Heat rushed to her face. Unable to master her embarrassment, Ashley lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

She felt as though she might die of shame.