It was a voice that seemed like a dream.
“I want to be with you forever.”
Ronée thought it might really be a dream.
It was such a beautiful, calm night. If only the knights below her window weren’t collectively insisting on killing her and Nabel.
“…But.”
Ronne opened her mouth.
“How can you send such a person to a sacred place!”
“Call the heretic inquisitor of the temple right now…!”
Outside, voices could be heard as they discussed how to ‘kill’ her.
“Quiet! The master told me not to say anything!”
“…”
Ronne closed her mouth.
The Count must have done something. When he heard about the fox, he must have told them to keep silent. She knew why he did it. The Count wanted to somehow send Ronée to the temple.
And once she was washed of the ‘nobility status’, he was thinking of selling her to a merchant family.
One merchant family in particular, preferred to serve money rather than distant gods, so they suited the count’s taste.
“…… But, you and I can’t.”
Ronée swallowed her bitter feelings opened her mouth again. She didn’t realize she was touching Nabel’s hand.
“My father is going to try to sell me to a better place, so I will oppose it.”
But the results would be the same. There was no way to protect Nabel against so many knights. Ronée closed her eyes and suppressed her desires as she always did.
“I like you too.”
If she was sold as the Count intended, they might be able to meet again. But if the temple labeled her as a true heretic, she would be burned at the stake.
Then this was a goodbye.
“…”
Nabel slowly closed his eyes and opened them. Over his shoulder, a fox into his arms, as if to comfort him.
He watched at its wiggling tail as he returned the fox cub to Ronée.
“I will surely repay your favor.”
It was the same thing he mentioned before, but he said it again.
“I do not forget kindness.”
The fox leaned into Ronée ‘s arms. Nabel dared not reach out to Ronée. It was a refusal, but not a refusal, as now was not the right time. Instead, he continued speaking while stroking the fox in her arms.
“This fox will only follow you, sister. Sometimes it will disappear, but other times it’ll be like this.”
Nabel reached out his hand and touched Ronée’s shadow. The fox made a pleasant sound like he was stroking its body. Ronée eyes widen.
“Stroke the shadow. Then it will come out.”
“How…”
‘Do you know this well?’ Ronée wanted to ask. She wondered where he came from, but slaves rarely tell.
“Where I was before, I could see it, but rarely.”
Nabel bowed his head briefly.
“I will become a family member that only follows master, only supports master, and will protect you with all my life. I will never leave my sister alone.”
