Jean seemed confused about whether to believe me or not. Anyway, Rue wasn't there, so I couldn't prove it. I'd have to face her with a sword later. I looked for a suitable pen on Rue's desk to prepare a reply to the letter, but suddenly I remembered the presence I had forgotten and raised my head.
—But why are you here?
Andert, with a look of disgust, was sitting on the sofa staring at me.
—That you ask now…
He touched his forehead once and asked in a cautious tone, accompanied by a brief sigh.
—You know me, don't you?
This crazy idiot.
—You? Am I your friend? Call me sister.
—Are you crazy?
—You're the one who's crazy, insolent brat. When you get your memories back, you'll want to crawl underground for what you did in Willow Grove. You must have come looking for advice about your memories, but wake up. I have no stories to tell a child who can't grasp hierarchy and addresses me as a friend of his.
—Wow! —Jean exclaimed in admiration—. I've never seen you talk so much.
Andert's confusion accentuated in his gaze. It was a reaction of surprise, maybe because I overdid it too much. He took a look at my sturdy and neat shoulders before finally opening his mouth with an expression that showed he couldn't understand what was going on.
—Who the fuck are you?
—Sister.
—Who?
—Sister.
—Damn it. Did I have an enemy in my past life? For me to get entangled with a crazy person like you…!
Andert, in a fit of irritation, picked up his hat and threw it, criticizing me.
—Why should I call you sister? At least explain it to me!
—Why should you call me sister? First of all, I know you very well. I know you better than your mother, better than your father and better than your friends. No one knows you better than I do.
I began to fill the letter paper I found in the drawer, using a slightly altered writing style with a masculine touch, and continued with the final words.
—How well do I know you? Enough to know secrets about your body that you don't even know. Are you curious to know what they are?
Andert, extremely annoyed, replied without hesitation.
—What is it?
—Can I say it here?
—Go ahead.
—Really?
—Yes.
—I'm serious.
—Yes.
—Really?
Andert's face tensed slightly, showing signs of uneasiness.
—Stop dancing around the subject and say it!
—Your butt cheeks… They're just soulmates.
A heavy silence descended. Andert remained stiff, unable to utter a word. Of course, why would he? He must feel pierced to the core!
—Now, can you believe me? I am older than you, someone you served as a master, as if I were a slave. If you don't like calling me sister, then call me master. If not, don't expect any indulgence or tolerance for your desire to know the past or anything else.
Andert's expression turned violent. I wasn't sure if it was because of my comment about soulmates or if it was because I had become stricter myself. One thing was for sure: I didn't want to explicitly reveal that I was his sister.
Why? Because it seemed unfair to me. "I suffered for 14 years and then died on the battlefield. And yet, the culprit was alive and well, enjoying a life of luxury?"
Of course, to some extent I recognized that I dug my own grave. However, it wasn't entirely my fault, was it? I had no intention of easily revealing the forgotten past to Andert. "You should suffer a bit... Like persistent fish poop, keep chasing me. If you behave well, I might throw you some treats."
Andert, who had been frowning for a while, left the room. While I looked at the closed door, Jean muttered with a slightly grim expression.
—It must be true. Thanks for sharing such uninteresting information.
I'm sorry. After carefully placing the completed letter in an envelope, I sent it immediately to Yeager through a member of the pub organization. Hopefully there will be a positive response.
The following night. The agent sent to Yeager returned. His response was: "All good." Coincidentally, the aircraft bound for the Kingdom of Astrosa would pass through the Midwinterre high-speed air station tomorrow morning, so we decided to join him at the station. However, Yeager mentioned that an unexpected companion had been added to his side, so he recommended adjusting the companions on our side from two to three.
Regarding someone who can help me with my psychological stability and identity security… "Psychological stability and identity security, eh?" Was it because of the border? Today, the head maid exercised the power of the Weatherwoods, a member of the noble council, to obtain the identification for "Daisy Fager." Although I appreciated Yeager's concern, it was unfounded. "But it's lucky there's room for other people. I can take Jean without it attracting too much attention." The biggest advantage was that I could take up to 3 people.
—Andert, come with me to Rogue.
He countered sharply while staring at the chessboard.
—Why should I?
The day of this leech seemed very one-dimensional. After finishing work and returning to Rue's mansion (these days, I spent time until dawn at Rue's house instead of in my room), he bombarded me with silly questions ranging from "Hey, do I like seafood or not?" to "Hey, do I have insomnia or not?" before leaving to do whatever his job was. Judging by how he wandered around Midwinterre, he was probably trying to gather information about me. Sorry, but this neighborhood was already in my hands. The agents had alerted the merchants in advance, so there wouldn't be any unnecessary leakage of information.
—Rogue, you haven't been there.
—How do you know if I went or not?
A characteristic of Andert is that he would get defensive when poked. Another characteristic of Andert is that he would get angry when proven the previous fact. As dealing with the agitated Andert was annoying, I presented him with a story that would pique his interest.
—Perhaps you can find out more about the person who killed you there.
The expression of the man who was rolling the chess pieces with his hand turned cold.
—I… was killed?
—Yes, I was surprised to find you alive and well. Surely you must have lost your memory after what happened. I'm sure of that.
—Who killed me?
—The great mage Mephisto.
His mouth closed in a straight line. He seemed shocked by the unexpected name.
—Take a vacation and come with me. Even if you're the successor, you still have a vacation, right?
Without listening to an answer, I turned my head the other way, away from Andert, who seemed to be agonizing over it. While I started to iron the maid uniform, I remembered the question I had asked Malcolm the day before returning to Weatherwoods.
—Grandpa, in Rogue do they refer to precious objects as "hearts"?
—Hearts?
—Yes.
—In Rogue, indeed, there is an object called the "Heart" that is considered precious. It's something like that.
—Exactly, the pearl! That's what I was asking.
—It seems you're misunderstanding something. It's not a pearl, but a Heart Crystal. More precisely, it is a crystallized heart that is created through a process that is passed down from generation to generation.
—Crystallized?
—In Rogue, when a family member, mentor or close friend passes away, we crystallize their heart and preserve it. It is believed that this allows the loved one's soul to ascend properly.
Upon hearing those words, I suddenly realized something. The heart Rue sought on Queen Island. Could that heart be the reason Mephisto burned Queen Island? "Mephisto's army was mainly composed of mutineers from Rogue, so it is very likely that its leader, Mephisto, was also from Rogue." Of all the vast lands, Mephisto specifically chose Queen Island for his attack. Shortly after, Rue visited Queen Island, which had been reduced to ashes, to find that heart. It didn't seem like a mere coincidence. Undoubtedly, some connection existed between both events, unknown to me.
While I was quietly writing in a diary, Jean asked me a question.
—Do we really have to bring that guy with us, senior?
—Yes.
—In that case, it is not necessary for me to ask for permission separately. The fact that he has been spending time here for two whole days is proof that he has already requested a prolonged leave.
Really? He already asked for permission? Just to come see me? "He must be really desperate." I thought. A desperate Andert. He would be perfect as my second luggage carrier.
—Andert, are you embarrassed to have lost your diary to Rue?
Andert's green eyes gleamed.
—Who is what now?
—Who are you staring at? There is no need to feel embarrassed... It's not easy to meet an extraordinary mage like Rue in your life.
Andert couldn't argue on this point.
—Mr. Rue is a mage of Rogue and, as you know, Rogue is a group of individuals who have crossed at least the first wall of mind-body unity. Isn't it common sense to take any opportunity to face the strong, even if it means paying for it? Surely it will be beneficial for you too. The same applies to Jean. So why don't you come with me? I'll make sure you enjoy your well-deserved vacation.
Andert didn't reply and turned his head back to the chessboard, but in the end he didn't refuse. And time passed fast, until the day arrived when we set off for the Kingdom of Astrosa.