Chapter 35
Speaking indirectly is what unproductive socialites do.
Researchers should always exchange only the essence of the problem.
…After throwing out the main point with that mindset, Nathan slightly regretted his choice.
He couldn’t see Fiore’s expression in response to his question.
His cheekbones were still in place, seemingly maintaining that pretense of a friendly smile.
After a brief pause, Fiore spoke in an unbroken, almost melodic tone.
“Did Alice say that? Wow, I thought she was someone who avoided such delicate topics.”
“I too thought Alice had no interest in emotional matters. But it seems she’s grown attached to Reki and is concerned about her relationships with the villagers.”
“How admirable. Though it doesn’t suit her.”
“Indeed it doesn’t. Though you’re hardly in a position to call her admirable.”
“Ah, I apologize.”
Fiore bowed at the waist and made an exaggerated sweeping gesture with his right hand inward. His imitation of a gentleman seemed somehow mocking. Though he was apologizing, there wasn’t much to criticize about it.
“To answer your question, I wasn’t avoiding her. Let’s say I realized too late that I’m not worthy of being her friend.”
“‘Someone who should’…? Alice is simply a rational person. She doesn’t pick her friends based on some hierarchy. I hope you’re not misunderstanding her character.”
“‘Misunderstanding’? You speak about her like she’s family.”
Fiore turned his body at an angle. Finally, half his expression was visible. Up there, the tall young man’s clean-cut features and playful eyes created a strange atmosphere.
Though he was clearly smiling, it felt unpleasant probably because of his looking down from above. This was purely physical. Nothing could be done about it.
Nathan convinced himself of this and said.
“We’ve been together for a long time.”
“You said she wasn’t your fiancée.”
“That’s right. I was friends with Alice’s father, so perhaps we’re closer than a typical teacher-student relationship.”
“Actually, I thought you were even closer. The last time I went upstairs to fetch you, you came out calling Alice’s name—dressed a little too comfortably. I was shocked, to say the least.”
“Ah.”
An unpleasant memory surfaced. That must have been the day when Arno, who had fainted from the herbs, was placed on the clinic table.
If so, he could guess what kind of question this fellow was building up to.
Nathan shook his head.
“A research lab is no different from a stable – spend enough time there together, and you start seeing each other as fellow calves. That’s different from the characteristics of a relationship that crosses boundaries between men and women.”
“A stable, what an interesting metaphor.”
“I’m glad you understand this metaphor. Therefore, please don’t misunderstand me as someone who takes advantage of a student with nowhere else to go!”
Nathan spoke firmly while widening his eyes as much as possible. He absolutely refused to be misunderstood at the level of a street ruffian.
Now, did he understand?
That face which might have suited a gigolo if not for his excessive height still wore a relaxed smile, making it impossible to read his thoughts.
“How could I misunderstand a professor who seems to have devoted his life to academia? I’m relieved my impression wasn’t wrong.”
“…Right. I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of—not even to my fiancée.”
“Oh, you have a fiancée?”
“There’s a pure lady waiting for me in the capital. Five years younger than Alice.”
Fiore’s mouth seemed to twist slightly at the mention of the fiancée. Displeasure rippled in Nathan’s stomach.
…Did this man not believe him?
He didn’t regret dedicating his youth to academia. But it did make his skin crawl when men who had clearly lived indulgent lives gave him those subtle looks—half-pitying, half-dismissive.
“Ahem, my fiancée made a wise choice despite her young age. It’s not easy to find a man who’s both accomplished in his field while remaining morally upright.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I feel guilty about only one thing. That I couldn’t return someone’s pure affection in the same way… And that I won’t be able to.”
Damn, he said it.
Even approaching forty, these words still come out like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
I wasn’t some pathetic fool shut away in a lab because no one loved me!
I’ve been loved before!
Even now.
Fiore must have caught the implications of that sentence. It was practically begging to be understood.
His eyes widened.
“…Ah. Your relationship is more complicated than I thought.”
“Emotionally, maybe. But reality is another matter. We are both servants of reason. Nothing will change.”
Yes.
Alice is not a woman who becomes foolish because of love.
Even in university, she never confessed her feelings to Nathan. A wise choice.
In the lab where they spent over ten hours together daily, if he had heard affectionate whispers during those dawn hours when reason grows hazy, even Nathan might have made some mistake.
Although Alice never directly revealed her feelings-
‘How could she not have loved me?’
Since Alice’s successful admission to medical school, that sparkle in her eyes whenever she saw Nathan couldn’t have been anything but love.
In a lonely world where she had lost even her family, how could she not love the man who was always by her side, especially one so exceptionally wise?
It must have been true then, and must still be true now.
‘When I asked about her relationship with Fiore, she panicked and denied it.’
Pride in himself suddenly welled up in Nathan’s chest.
Wasn’t he Alice’s long-time confidant, teacher, and colleague? The few years of lost contact could easily be covered by these few weeks of shared hardship.
Nathan straightened his back and said.
“It’s your freedom to avoid Alice. But please withdraw any worldly misunderstandings. I don’t want to trouble a child whose mind is already complicated.”
“Yes. Thank you for sharing such insight. Though it was a bit too high-level for a vulgar fellow like me, anyway-“
Fiore grinned. Before Nathan could register his strange tooth arrangement, the man shook the money pouch.
“So you’re saying I can either bring the items to you or give them to Alice?”
So that’s what he took away from all that.
Nathan gave up trying to explain further.
“That’s right. I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yes, I’ll bring them by tomorrow. Anything for the professor’s noble research.”
For all his smooth talk.
Fiore folded Nathan’s memo into a paper boat and stuffed it into his pocket.
Though Nathan was dumbfounded, before he could say anything, Fiore had already turned sharply and walked ahead.
Nathan watched his retreating figure with a furrowed brow.
‘That bastard! The only thing he’s good for is whining to me when he’s sick!‘
***
Arno regained his spirit after a long time.
The change came right after hearing the news about the fugitive murderer.
Alice clicked her tongue.
“You seem excited, Arno.”
“Of course! Any fortress reveals its weaknesses the moment an intruder enters. If we want to escape, we need to watch carefully and not miss that moment.”
“That would make sense if this were a prison. But no one’s actually monitoring us to prevent us from leaving.”
“Don’t be so boring. Either way, we’re still trapped in this village, aren’t we? It would be good if we could spot a gap in whatever this curse is.”
Arno muttered in a low voice.
“At the very least, it would be satisfying to watch if one of the residents died. That would feel good.”
“Arno!”
“Ah. You heard that?”
“Were you talking to a jar or something? Of course I heard! Who the hell are you hoping to die-“
“Obviously I mean one of the residents. Only ‘our’ side has been dying so far, can’t I even say this much?”
“…”
Alice started to speak but closed her mouth. Not because she had nothing to say, but because she had too much. Moreover, every sentence held the spark of an argument.
What was more irritating was that Arno also wore an expression of ‘putting up with her.’
“The way you’ve been going around lately gathering information…Honestly, it just looks like you’re using it as an excuse to goof off— Never mind.”
Just as Alice was about to flare up, Arno quickly changed the subject.
“Shall we talk about something good? When the day comes to leave this village, let’s dig up that arrow-leafed tree behind the blind woman’s house. If you grow it well, it’ll fetch enough for a house.”
“House? I did think the vegetation around here was unusual, but is that plant really worth that much?”
“It’s a shrub that’s only imported from the southern continent. Last time I saw it in the black market, a branch the size of a finger had a price tag of 50 gold.”
The unexpectedly large amount hit Alice’s head like a hammer.
“Wow… That’s more than my monthly income. Could it have come from the shipwrecked cargo vessel?”
“Probably. As soon as news of the shipwreck spread, treasure hunters rushed to Reki hoping to find things like this. One of them even bragged that an elephant must have sunk the ship, saying he’d bring the beast back.”
“Hahaha, how could an elephant board a ship!”
“Right? Well, if not an elephant, maybe some other animal… *ahem* Speaking of elephants, that reminds me.”
Arno’s voice suddenly turned serious.
“Don’t laugh, but listen. Remember when I brought up werewolves to the doctor before?”
“…Yes, I remember.”
He had said that when he almost got into a fight with the resident named Doki, it felt like fighting a large dog.
The memory seemed too intense to forget after one scolding. He spoke with an anxious expression:
“As a doctor, don’t you know anything? Like a disease that makes people behave like dogs?”
“…”
“It’s really bothering me. I’ve fought all sorts of people, young and old, but that woman was truly strange.”
Alice knows. She had reached this conclusion long ago. That Doki showed behavioral patterns similar to a large dog.
And not just her, but most of the other residents too…
Should she tell Arno now?
