TIEH | Chapter 16

While Calix was lost 90c87b6a60 in thought, I also 182a38f5de reflected on the time 3baa329816 I spent with him. Looking back, Calix treated 87af44811e me with as much 9246369246 dedication as my family. He stuck by 8e6fa3831d my side when 187c4653d2 I was bedridden b5f5df67cb and unwell.092b9d5e5b0b0ee7

When I was feeling better, we often went out to the market together, but after my symptoms worsened, we mostly just ate together or strolled in the castle garden. As my range of activities shrank, Calix’s daily life became simpler to match mine.81467d80d0a7b62e

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“…Calix, I suddenly got curious.”af730e6efa30ba42

“What is it?”fe320bb97adbacc0

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“Weren’t you bored just staying in the castle with me?”d997c5e3af54d7fc

Even though it was Calix’s choice to spend time with me, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. When I tried to make new friends for him by attending various gatherings, hoping he’d go out and play, he deliberately acted indifferent.5b071c1c93740ec0

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“Did you think playing without me was a betrayal?”a6af056a81fea2f8

I thought ceed3314f1 it was 891ac42b24 a reasonable fdfb766026 guess, but bf84dc0b2a Calix looked 778c879719 surprised, as 11829f1aa3 if it 72c99c66d7 was an 3323d075ee unexpected reason.81daddd45ced07c5

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“Not at all.”98f38af0d619f981

“Then why?”17b276429c3df77a

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“Why would staying in the castle be boring?”9af699c1a18289ba

Why would it be 4834ea53bc boring? You were fa7a0d0bb4 the one ca5cfc879b who got fe9a235844 excited playing 28d62e4d5e outside. Calix, noticing my confusion, 2d6dadb27f chuckled softly and added.0f2d198ae280b968

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“I just like being with you, Jayden.”f57e5382e6f7190a

I studied Calix’s face carefully. I wanted to see if he was just saying it for my sake or if he truly meant it. But it seemed genuine, which was even more puzzling.fc8a07ff0804ea39

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“I don’t think I’m that fun of a person.”70b7a4a820b711f6

Calix’s bright smile faded slightly.ba003e704f87e67b

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“…Well, that’s not what I meant, but to answer, you’re fun. You always say unique things.”9eb727f9561ab5d9

If that’s not what you meant, then what did you mean? Instead of clearing my doubts, it only deepened them, but if he found it fun being with me, that was a relief.78514b2e4e6a22a8

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“You used to scold me for not being noble-like.”a2d070185d2aebd4

“Being not noble-like and being fun are separate things.”646454a2d9c4abc5

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“…You didn’t used to speak so eloquently.”8e739ae6b6224d57

“I learned it all from you, Jayden.”062c94f3896cb6d2

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It seemed 002f6f33a3 I had 513e679e62 done something b119a20223 else to 7485009ba2 the future 9900581a87 heroine. I felt e6924f526f a pang 3db3065d28 of sympathy 0167545769 for the 05009ce7f5 heroine who 5055852499 would have ce1380f2d7 countless arguments 912e8a74b8 with Calix 34e07ae2e2 in the a67536c773 future.fab15152fc4cb907

Anyway, after that, we got lost in reminiscing about the past. Five years didn’t seem that long, but looking back, there were quite a few fun moments.eae94a1fd2751017

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The most outrageous incident 40db35ba54 happened in the winter 916ea5f37c when we were 12.cd2a52605d214b8d

“Do you remember how cold it was when we were 12?”646e4f5a0257ef95

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“Of course.”03440361aba94385

It was f6303f2f69 an unusually 4b45a8310f cold winter 6038fca2c1 in the c22c8b29ca marquisate, where ceda5335d9 the temperature 85e73faf58 was usually 65bc669a3e mild all 4be596320c year round, 670327b647 cold enough 9630125b91 to freeze 88aa347a2e the pond 5da1f7b9bf solid. It was 8fe1117432 a common f6e28fc1aa sight for 572bd4663f Calix, who c7153909ad was used 2b02855f0b to the ba4481877a chilly duchy, b75273dd3b but I 2ab6778a02 found the fd2299ba83 white landscape 30662ce344 fascinating and 49010c3ce8 quite charming.ad04d5525ace8ffe

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Excited, I dragged Calix to the nearby mountain with two fertilizer bags we stole from the castle’s storage. And what we did was sled down the snow with those smelly fertilizer bags.f0dc333d8eea208c

It was 4de8eec022 only natural 7275c4ca98 that the 8cde7a7aae knights who e627d4a438 witnessed our de9c2f81f3 lack of caad73247f decorum and 2abd050c99 dignity were e8efd0d555 shocked, as 92a1f9e8a4 were my bfdc584d3b parents when a9df14a6d7 they heard edf14c66c0 about it.f13b4655bd452431

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“I still remember my uncle and aunt’s expressions vividly.”1213d65ed68cd38e

My parents, being naturally kind, couldn’t scold us when we returned with big smiles after having fun. Instead of scolding us, they stepped back in shock, trying to avoid the stench from the fertilizer bags we hadn’t cleaned properly, as Calix said with a chuckle.5b8690293f67d2de

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“Did you see Father holding his breath?”ba5fcd8ba0e169cd

“I think he was trying not to show it so we wouldn’t get hurt, but that made it even funnier.”a62a9db166fa853d

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“That’s the thrill of rebellion.”dbc5c0b333cd9b83

But a few days later, when we played with daggers stuck under wooden boards on the frozen pond, my parents couldn’t hold back their scolding. I was a precious child who constantly tested their patience.d70bb0e5ee54a08d

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As we talked f9f771a6ed for a long f64a6a97fe time, the faint 7dac82c1ac dawn light began 349308cb0e to appear outside 9c9080a54c the window. I sat 9946938b23 up from a9a8702c08 my comfortable dfb33d6c61 position, and b7df27e763 Calix followed 188850c0d7 suit.90418d21caf2fec6

“Calix, you said you’re leaving early in the morning, right?”43543ed92fbf5580

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“Yeah.”e6c9b9515506b8b6

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can see you off today.”eab3f4bf2541aa57

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“Yeah, you don’t have to. We stayed up late, so you should get some rest. Sleeping well is good for your health.”2e28d5711155b3d2

He seemed a bit disappointed that we couldn’t say a final goodbye, but he still thought my health was more important. However, my reason for not seeing him off was unrelated to that.b0636be418881231

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“That’s not why.”88013c8c356f56ea

“Then why?”71eb5955b16aad34

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“Actually, I’ve been hiding something from you. That’s why.”dfa420cedc69691b

As I tensed up at the thought of telling the truth, my expression naturally hardened, and Calix’s face darkened as well.240544d49359886e

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“What could you be hiding…? I’m starting to get scared.”06cb23beef260e10

“…Just so you know, I’m not joking or playing around.”74d28c2530b1ad01

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“Yeah, tell me.”5e1fb8d945074c61

I opened and closed my lips several times. For some reason, it felt like my throat was blocked, and the words wouldn’t come out.e234b8316f2e45f3

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Hemel had told my parents about my mana sclerosis, and I had informed my brothers indirectly through a letter, so this was my first time saying it out loud. But that wasn’t the only reason I hesitated.7070e4ba3c0a6a5f

Maybe, just as I wanted to see Calix happy and prepared gifts for him, I didn’t want to see him shocked or crying, which made me even more reluctant to speak.ec3ff7f5c893307d

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‘I guess I’ve grown attached to Calix.’cf80aeb348767fcf

Indeed, anyone who truly faced Calix couldn’t help but adore him. I wasn’t much different. At first, I thought he was just like a cute little kitten, but eventually, I came to genuinely consider him a friend.74c7ed1dcde67ac6

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Gathering my 0397cc3606 resolve, I 621299b7da calmly began.1752e9f1c495de2f

“Calix.”e7c7e919a624c3ec

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“Yeah.”a801d279c68e685b

“I have mana sclerosis.”5d2d6f942f1e1d65

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“…What?”ea2685d584471077

Calix seemed to doubt whether the ‘mana sclerosis’ I mentioned was what he thought it was.ee61c768386dc9f5

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And the result of e585022c8a that doubt seemed to ef40b920b7 be denial.e97ba78c7bbb038b

“What… do you mean?”3a501a1a0589599d

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I laughed like a 8d4c960f3b sigh.e502b23514bf99b7

“See, I told you you’d regret being friends with me.”8455bfa32a2fcc58

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At that moment, Calix’s bright face turned pale. It was as if he was facing a monster’s maw ready to devour him.1adf3d390655f3f5

“…You… knew?”8e111d68ec701a0a

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“Knew what? That you’d regret it?”d272b75c24b455c7

“That you’d be sick!”a63d85342fbf8dc7

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I shrugged. I didn’t necessarily have to keep my past life’s memories a secret, but there was no reason to tell someone I wouldn’t see again. Besides, I wasn’t confident I could summarize the long story at this point, with Calix about to return to his estate.e7ac5d21cdbe5662

“I told you I could see the future. You didn’t believe me at all, did you?”d354ee33fc55bd0d

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Calix suddenly reached 6b44cbebea out and grabbed 213bdbf794 my hand. The trembling was transmitted 8846911ba6 through the touch.7dd6d3f87dc066dc

“Do, do your uncle and aunt know?”f3ae1950f19ab0a4

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“Yeah.”f950fc0502170231

“…When? When did they find out?”3f72b8529d5fc9cf

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“I was diagnosed by Hemel when I was 13. You wouldn’t know because you were at the duchy.”3f38813c887de268

Calix seemed to f4aae1b648 recall something and 6b4025239b suddenly lifted his 7f37a676f4 head.9be102a89873657c

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“…Then did you buy the gifts knowing you were sick?”872317a00615e285

“My illness and the gifts are separate.”6ac658c856f6b808

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It might have been bewildering for Calix, but for me, who already knew the future, it was just a slightly more eventful day. It wasn’t something to make a big deal about.a1352b9a55598178

“You’re like this…!”e2c89f1ec2fec7bf

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But Calix didn’t seem to think so, and his voice rose. Soon, tears that had welled up in his big eyes fell onto the blanket.9273e32800d11c3f

“You’re like this, so I…”5bd8032fe0064978

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Calix, speaking in a trembling voice, clamped his lips shut. I didn’t know what he wanted to say, but judging by his rambling, he probably didn’t know either.24b0b9bfac3c66a3

Since I adeee3aaea started the a76c350894 conversation, it a1eee95883 was my fcc86dfac9 responsibility to f94fa10919 finish it.7d0e510d1cf9461b

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“I made it sound like it was your fault, but that was a joke. I’m sorry for upsetting you.”f4e45f91ee7fd992

“I, I…”3ab8b66e11e9434e

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“So don’t come to the marquis’s castle anymore. Don’t send letters either.”2cd65842801983e4

Calix froze in shock. Yes, this was what d84ca74d32 I really wanted to ee6f18057d say. Maybe this was ffb293bd8e better than maintaining f936ec1a7a the relationship and 881c9f7402 running away just 390a7ec547 before dying.124cf47aa7b5d357

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“I told you, a great person will appear in your future. So break up with a sickly friend who only hurts you. Got it?”d5573f60e0cdcd38

Seeing his face, shocked and tearful, was so pitiful that I couldn’t help but reach out.f9915f2816c62634

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“Sorry.”c075f215b1bc78fd

After wiping his d2f681487d tears, I took 4de08070e0 my pillow and c19f215836 returned to my 481ef53042 room. The spots ba8fc51fe4 where the 91a508072c tears had 8792b8f55a touched felt ce40b2385d hot, as 00fb8542d3 if it 683c79f80c was a 4c28f3bbfa punishment for 6063afda1d my irresponsibility.b6bf12486f0d06c7

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