Telling Pel the story about how someone would have intentionally destroyed the boundary stone; about the changes that had occurred when it had been destroyed. These stories could all become Kraiden’s weakness. Perhaps this is her giving Kraiden’s weaknesses to Pel, who will break them down in the future, thought Levisia.

“It’s fine if it’s too difficult for you to say.”

“……..”

“Don’t bend over backward trying to remember.”

Pel, who had no idea what she was thinking, comforted her with those words.

His face was twisted. Gathering her knees under her blanket, Levisia buried her head between them, wanting to hide this expression only from Pel.

Feeling his close presence, she mumbled with her head in the blanket.

“…went to the pier, then the sea-monster appeared.”

“……..”

“There was a ship returning to the dock, and the monster attacked it, then the people onboard were scared and ran away… It was madness.”

“I see.”

“Marchioness Vinhol started to order everyone to evacuate. But among them were a child and her mother. They said the father was on the ship. Elizabeth heard that and was the first to run; the others followed behind her to block the sea monster…”

Levisia felt his presence sitting in the chair next to the bed. She continued, feeling relaxed at his presence.

“There was nothing I could do. Then, some knights came and started running around, to help the people evacuate. Amidst everything, I ended up finding a lighthouse. I was conflicted. Because right next to me were people fighting the monster.”

“……..”

She talked about how she’d met the old lightkeeper and how the lighthouse had collapsed while she had tried to escape with him.

“I was certain we were going to die. And then I heard a voice.”

“A voice?”

“Yeah. It asked me, ‘How do you want me to do it,’ and I asked it to get rid of anything that threatened my life. But then the wreckage turned into debris and the sea monster even died and disappeared under the sea.”

“……..”

“It was when I saw that I blacked out. As a result, I returned unharmed.”

The story ended there, with her omitting the part about the boundary stone.

‘But I am not sure.’

Mumbling to herself excuses that would fool no one, she looked at Pel with her head on her knees.

“Kind of a bland story, huh?”

“Yes.”

“So honest.”

“That’s not what…”

Pel, after sighing, rubbed his fingertips over the blanket. Then he withdrew at the same time Levisia felt something tingly.

“Return unscathed—Do you know how many minor wounds you have?”

“…that I do not know.”

She looked like she’d been brushed by the falling debris of the lighthouse. Levisia was rubbing the area where Pel’s hand had touched when she just stopped.

“Don’t touch it, Levisia. It’ll get infected.”

“Why is it okay for you to touch it and not me?”

It was a question thrown with no special meaning. But after hearing that, Pel made a face as if he was at a loss of words. And that too prevented Levisia from not speaking. Why’s he making that face? Maybe he too had touched her without realizing it.

Pel’s eyes widened like he had figured out what she was thinking. Or, they might have thought the same thing.

Levisia asked in a careful voice, melting the silence between them,

“…didn’t know?”

“What…”

“That you habitually touch things. Your face—oh, I mean my face.”

He stood up without replying. Levisia mumbled as she tilted her head up to him,

“Isn’t it a bad thing to toy around with your hands?”

“Oh, that’s not it.”

“You have touched my face without me knowing, have you?”

This time also she spoke without any particular thought. But Pel suddenly stopped as if he were caught in a jagged stone. His reaction was affirmation. Affirmation that he’d been caught.

Levisia asked with her eyes wide,

“Don’t tell me it’s true!?”

“No, no. I’ve never…”

“Then why are you so surprised? Trying to confuse me.”

“No one is trying to confuse anyone right now…”

His voice sounded like he was spitting. He shouldn’t get any more surprised. His thoughts and behavior, however, somehow did not correspond.

“All right. You can touch, but I won’t. Although it is my face.”

Pel glanced at her with a sharp look in his eyes. But the look was not only unscary but Levisia felt it was a bit cute. It wasn’t this easy to see Pel fly off in a rage like this.

“Let’s stop, Levisia.”

“M’kay. But I can touch myself when I put ointment on, right?”

“Oh…”

He turned around as if he didn’t even want to say anything back. His ears were bright red as he quickly walked away.

“…getting out of here, so please rest.”

“All right.”

Pel had closed the door and was gone before she could finish the sentence.

And the next morning she laughed after seeing the ointment on her nightstand.