CH 50

Chapter 50: It’s far away now 3

Afterward, he succeeded in meeting up with Johan somehow.

Johan was surprised to see Ivan walking on his own, but he just sighed and didn’t ask anything.

Return of the Iron-blood Sword Houn...

Then, when they turned back into werewolves in the next town, he discovered a handkerchief in the luggage that he didn’t recognize.

Ivan took the handkerchief in his hand and looked at it. Although it was stained with blood, it was a beautiful blue color with star embroidery, and it looked like something that girl would make. Apparently, diligent Johan had washed it and put it in the baggage when he had redressed his wounds along the way.

As he looked at it, a strange thing happened, and a smile appeared on Ivan’s face after a long time.

Next time when he visits Bral, he will look for her. If he doesn’t express his gratitude, the name of the werewolf warriors will be tarnished. Although her face was not clear, she might be living in Weisbergk, so he might find her.

Yes, Ivan’s broken heart had been mended by a stranger girl, and he had been bound with a handkerchief.

Upon arriving at the Royal Palace, all the officials had returned safely and were waiting eagerly for the return of the prince. The opposition had been eliminated on the spot, and the pain in their hearts was suppressed and ignored.

Soon after, the king passed away. Ivan succeeded the throne, and he would visit Bral again only once the talks of his marriage had begun.

❂❂❂

As the conversation ended, the treatment was also finishing up.

Ernesta was now carefully tidying up the leftover ointments and bandages, so as not to make any awkward movements.

Is this reality?

She realized the cause of her déjà vu only yesterday. She had received the answer she had swallowed the question for, and the realization slowly formed in her heart.

“I also realized something back then. I actually wanted to understand humans.”

“Wanted to understand…?”

“Yeah. I wanted my comrades to know that humans aren’t monsters. Ever since the day when the child I thought of as a friend pushed me away, I’ve wanted to have a conversation with someone on equal terms. But that was just my personal ideal, and I couldn’t bring it up in politics. It was hard to suppress it even though we coincidentally had the same direction. Before I met you, I had already become accustomed to it and even forgot about it.”

Ernesta could only nod silently at Ivan’s quiet smile.

Yes, this person is gentle and very strong. Despite being betrayed by humans many times, he still desires to communicate with them. And yet, he suppresses his own emotions and thinks only of his country and people.

“In the end, I couldn’t thank that girl. On my visit after eight years, I stopped by Weisbergk looking for her, but I couldn’t find any clues.”

Ivan spoke quietly, but his eyes seemed to tremble with regret. For someone as dutiful as him, not being able to thank her must have become a big burden.

“By the way, I still have the handkerchief from that day. I kept it in case my determination wavered…but I never took it out apart from when I was looking for her.”

“I’d like to see it.”

Ernesta said with great care, trying not to show her impatience. However, Ivan seemed to sense that something was off and tilted his head in confusion.

“I’d like to see that handkerchief. If it’s okay with you, I’ll go look for it.”

Looking straight into his blue eyes, he immediately nodded.

“Yeah, it should be in the bottom drawer of the chest. Will you look for it?”

Ernesta only nodded before getting up, feeling her heartbeat stronger and even hearing a ringing in her ears. She was so nervous that she wouldn’t be surprised if she stumbled with both her right hand and foot at the same time.

The chest was against the wall. Ernesta opened the bottom drawer with shaking hands.

Inside were various small items, and it was not as messy as she had expected. Although the room was tidy, it seemed that he didn’t care too much about the details.

And inside those items, she found a small box with delicate wood carvings. She had no idea what else it could be, so she opened it, almost in disbelief.

Then, Ernesta reunited with her favorite handkerchief after eight long years.

The blue was stained black in places, but the amateurishness of the star embroidery was unmistakably self-made, and the sight of it made her vision blur.

She remembered what Ivan had told her before. That he had someone he could call a benefactor. That when times were tough, he should count stars.

No, don’t cry. She had to quickly take this handkerchief to Ivan and return it to him.

With gritted teeth, Ernesta resisted the urge and handed the wooden box to Ivan. As he took it with a soft smile, he pulled out its contents and spread them out.

“Oh…this brings back memories.”

His warm voice pierced her heart.

Ernesta thought that was enough.

The trivial actions of her childhood had brought her to support this overly kind king. Things that she couldn’t do now, her younger self had done.

Ivan never gave up on interacting with humans, carrying the kindness of a human girl in his heart. He continued to move forward without looking back, even though he walked a difficult path and suffered numerous wounds. At times, he dissolved his anguish by gazing at the starry sky.

——Thank you, God. I am more than happy.

If Ernesta, a sinner, could be of even a little help to Ivan, it would be a stroke of good luck.

“I’m glad you’re safe. It’s a lovely story.”

❂❂❂

The most important thing needed for drawing pictures is concentration, in my opinion.

Feeling the colors of the flowers in front of her, choosing the paint to express it, mixing the colors, and applying them to the canvas as she pleased. Everything was free in the painting, which was why the woman loved it.

When she could concentrate well, she could not hear anything else. The surrounding conversations, distant gazes, the smell of oil, and even her own inner turmoil—everything became like distant memories. That moment was the best condition to be in.

And now was exactly that time. In her mindless state, the woman painted, and her vision was filled with a beautiful rural scenery and her own canvas.

“Ermengarde-sama, right?”

It had been a while since her name was called.

It took some time for her to emerge from the depths of concentration. Finally realizing the situation, Ermengard smiled gracefully at the man with the familiar face.

“So, you found me.”

As she turned around, she saw a man she recognized. He was definitely one of the royal knights, even though he wasn’t wearing armor now.

“What a shame. I was on such a good roll.”

Now that an uninvited guest had arrived, she could never come back to this place again. As she had no intention of recreating it from memory, this painting would remain unfinished.

Despite the gravity of the situation with the runaway princess being caught, Ermengard calmly started to put her paint supplies away. The royal knight looked stunned and bewildered as he gazed at her.

“Well, shall we go? How are His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress doing?”

Ermengard stood up, carrying her luggage. She looked too much like a painter to pass herself off as a true princess from the deepest part of her being.