Maldie and Gari tried to comfort him somehow.
Worried about Haru's health, Maldie suggested he go back to bed. A moment later, the maid tucked him in all the way up to his neck.
"Gari," Haru said weakly, "you remember what happened, right? That I was taken, and then Shion saved me and we came back to the palace together?"
Haru was looking for a little reassurance, some comfort. But Gari only gave him a puzzled look.
"Sorry, boss. Nothing like that comes to mind."
Haru, unable to handle it, laughed nervously.
"I see," he said, turning his eyes back to the canopy above him.
Thrown off, Gari caught Maldie's gaze, which silently told her to leave. The half-dragon left the room in silence.
"Haru," Maldie said, "I'm calling you by your name because I want you to tell me exactly what happened." She took his thin hand in hers. "Can I call you by your name when it's just us? If I'm going to be your makeup artist, I'd also like to be your friend," she added with a smile.
Haru's lips quivered; he almost burst into tears again.
He took a deep breath to hold it back, then told Maldie everything. The whole adventure with the gods, the kiss with Shion, and how frustrating it was that no one seemed to remember anything but him. From time to time, Maldie fed him small spoonfuls of soup while listening carefully.
When Haru finished, Maldie didn't judge him. She simply listened.
That was enough for him.
"Thanks. I feel better," he said in a tired voice.
"Get some sleep. You've been through a lot these past few days," she replied warmly.
Haru's eyelids slowly closed, and the maid quietly left his chamber. She exchanged a glance with Gari.
"You really don't remember what happened? What Haru told me sounds like an adventure no one could forget," she asked.
"Not at all. It feels like I just spent the past few days looking after the boss while he was sick, sleeping, hanging out with friends… you know, the usual."
"Mhm, I see."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make him feel worse. But I didn't want to lie and say I have memories like that, either," Gari said, staring at the floor with sadness.
"I know. You may be a dumb big lizard, but you've got a good heart. I like that about you," Maldie answered before walking away.
Someone told me that for the first time…
Gari thought, her face turning red.
*
Two days later…
Haru felt better, though he was still lying in bed. He often cried, but so as not to worry Maldie or Gari, he did it quietly at night.
I don't get it. I shouldn't care this much. After all…
… we barely even know each other.
And yet I feel so angry and disappointed.
Why? Why do I even want him to remember?
Maybe it's for the best. We'll go back to how things were, and then, slowly, again…
Who am I kidding?I'm probably hopeless with him…
Haru sighed.
Then he heard Gari's voice.
"Boss Haru, someone wants to see you. It's Shion's sister."
"Please come in," he answered with a slightly disappointed tone.
When the half-dragon started with "someone wants to see you," he had secretly hoped it would be Shion.
Of course it's not him… He probably has more important things to do…
Ayame, her eyes ringed with dark circles, dressed in a plain gray dress – a bit too plain for a royal family member – walked up to his bed.
"Haru, you have to help me," she said, sitting on a chair beside his bed.
"In this state, I can't do much. Honestly, I couldn't do anything anyway," he replied sadly.
"I know how you feel right now," she said with sympathy in her voice. "But this is about the mark on my brother's finger, a scar that keeps haunting me. I noticed it right after Shion returned to the palace with you."
Haru gave her a startled look.
"You… you remember? So it wasn't just a dream?"
"Yes. But apparently, only me. I managed to get Shion to admit you had an argument recently, and that you told him about clouds, a mountain, and your first kiss…"
Uh, I could just die of embarrassment, Haru thought, blushing strongly.
"…so it seems we're the only ones aware of how it actually went."
Haru turned his head toward Ayame.
"Please, tell me everything. I need to know every single detail."
Haru sighed, a faint smile touching his lips.
I was sure it had really happened. Every time I think of it…
… my chest tightens and my heart pounds… it had to be real.
It's strange, but also amazing, that the reassurance and relief came from someone I barely know.
Haru told her everything from his perspective. He spoke of the gods' conversation, how he nearly died, and how Shion saved him.
"The wind god?!" she exclaimed. "Why did my brother have to be so reckless?! I warned him so many times! The prophecy! He completely forgot it! It said: don't trust the wind! Why did he decide to make a deal like that?! "
Haru stared at her curiously. He noticed that although Ayame didn't look ill, her face seemed more worn than his own.
"Are you okay?" Haru asked worriedly, "You look like you've been through a worse sickness than mine."
"Oh, sorry, it's just the... you know. Shion has cursed eyes and feels constant physical pain, but mine is a mental agony. I have prophetic visions, but every night I dream of nightmares and traumas that aren't mine. You don't even want to know what the nightmares of demons and gods are like," she added, her voice trembled from dread.
"I didn't know there were things even worse than gods and demons," Haru muttered thoughtfully. Then his gaze drifted back to the canopy.
Wait, did she say Shion… suffers? Is that why he's so cold?
"You said Shion feels pain. Could you tell me about that?"
"I'd rather focus on what to do about the wind god, but fine. You should know. The rulers of our family always had several children. They were sure having many children weakens the curse, which is only partly true. If you have several children in one generation, the curse's effect spreads among them, but in the next it returns twice as strong, making your grandchildren going through more torment than anyone before. It's an unbreakable cycle…" she added, staring sadly at the floor. "Oh, sorry for that rambling. Anyways, back to the main topic: I was very lucky, but Shion… when he was little, he cried every day from the pain. He slowly learned to live with it. From the age of seven, I never heard him cry again –he didn't want to be a disgrace or a burden. You can imagine the lack of respect he'd face if they called him 'the crying prince'."
Shion, I'm sorry. I didn't know…
I thought you were just distant.
Is your face a mask you learned to wear, or did the cold steal away part of who you are?
Maybe one day I'll find out…
"Thank you for sharing that with me," Haru replied, turning back to Ayame.
"Haru," Ayame said gravely after a moment, "what Shion did was impulsive, not like him, but I understand he wanted to save you at any cost. I don't know what the wind god offered him, but our. The curse can't be broken by anything except the key's magic That means one thing. Since we're the only ones who remember what happened, we'll have to trick the wind god."