Chapter 64

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I plan to update every Friday.

The season is transitioning from late autumn to winter.

The trees, which had turned red and yellow, have shed their leaves and are now sleeping, preparing for the next spring.

On the morning when the first snow in the northern region of the Qifeng Empire was reported, I couldn't get out of bed and was sniffing.

"...It's a cold, isn't it?"

"It's not a cold... *cough*!"

That's right.

When I started feeling unwell.

A few days after creating "Shishi's Star Flower," I had connected with Lord Igor and the second son, and through Maria, I had arranged to pay a visit to the Empress. And now, it's the morning of the audience!

I felt dizzy, my joints ached, and my head was pounding, so when I called for Mr. Rottemeyer, my complexion was apparently so bad that it was clear I wasn't feeling well.

First, Professor Romanov was called, and as soon as he saw me, he called out to Lala.

Lala then performed a physical examination, and the result was a cold.

"This visit today can't happen."

"But... *cough*... I have to go..."

"Vitya and I will act as your representatives. Our status is more than adequate to serve as proxies."

"Yeah, two empire-recognized heroes should be fine."

It's the first time I've heard this!

When I couldn't close my mouth in surprise, Lala tilted her head, noticing my shock.

"Huh? Mancircle, you're surprised. Did you not know?"

"Ah... I don't remember ever being told."

"Eh? Really? The three Elven Empire-recognized heroes are quite famous, you know?"

"Vitya and Fengdie are just not interested in that kind of thing. They love embroidery patterns more than heroic tales."

"So that's why you had that 'dieting is too much trouble' look when you heard my name."

"Ah, I see," was written all over Viktor's face.

Because, you know, even if someone tells me they've slain a dragon, all I can say is "That's impressive."

I've never seen a dragon.

Oh, but Sanzo said that dragon scales make great gauntlets and sword decorations, and Elise said that when crushed and solidified with magic, they become beautiful beads, though they are quite expensive.

"Dragon scales... *sniff*... are great materials..."

"Your nose is all runny, but it doesn't look crooked!"

"More interested in how to use them than how to slay them, huh?"

"To Fengdie, someone who can talk about what can be made from a dragon is more of a hero than someone who can slay one..."

Because, with his coordination, which is so poor that people worry if he can even dance, if he were to imagine fighting a dragon, he'd be killed in seconds.

I let out a hot sigh.

"More important than slaying dragons is getting over this cold. I'm responsible for your health, so I'll leave the representation to the two of them and take care of you."

Lala, who shrugged, left the room to get an ice pack from Mr. Rottemeyer.

As she left, I called out to Professor Romanov and Viktor, "Please take care of it," and they both smiled kindly.

Feeling reassured, I sank deeper into the bed.

Then, a coldness different from the winter chill permeated the room.

My fingertips tingled.

Even though the sun hadn't hidden behind the clouds, the room felt dim.

"...I'm sorry."

"No... *sniff*... I stayed up late... *sneeze*... it's my fault."

From the corner of the room, which remained dark even in the sunlight, a figure emerged with a faint phosphorescence.

The figure had long hair that was dark red, almost black, or seemed to have a hint of purple like silk dyed in moonlight, and eyes that glowed with a blue-silver or ruby light. The figure wore a magnificent military uniform with three decorative cords extending from the high collar to the shoulders and sides, and a cloak with butterfly wing patterns at the hem, which brushed the floor slightly as it moved, making me a bit nervous. But Utsunomiya-san does a great job cleaning the floor every day.

"I'll lower your fever a bit."

"Thank you... *sniff*... but if it drops suddenly, *cough*... it might look strange."

"Hmm, I see... Humans are complicated creatures."

The figure's narrow eyes, which gave a cold impression, narrowed slightly, but it wasn't out of displeasure. It was just that humans are indeed complicated.

When the figure's fingers touched my throat, my coughing and runny nose improved significantly.

"Still, your image isn't stable."

"Ah... because, even the same character can look and feel completely different depending on who portrays them."

"Acting is indeed a deep art."

"Indeed it is."

The figure's cold beauty twisted into a suppressed laugh.

It's a fraud.

I couldn't help but give the figure a sidelong glance.

It all started on the day I found a seasonally out-of-place firefly.

As soon as I got into bed to sleep, the figure entered the room, which was lit by the moon.

Startled, I couldn't even make a sound. A vivid image formed in front of me, and a strikingly handsome figure appeared.

I recognized this handsome figure.

It was the Yomi Emperor who loved the Empress wearing "Shishi's Star" and was tormented by the "love" that he was not supposed to have. His name is...

"To... Tom... *gag*...!"

"That's not his name. It's better not to call it."

The figure covered my mouth with a cold hand, and I shuddered. But you see, I'm a bit of a face person.

The figure was so handsome that I was mesmerized, and his hair color kept changing from dark red to silver, and his eyes, which resembled a cat's, kept shifting from red to gold to blue-silver, never settling.

"Hmm... Your image isn't stable. What image do you have of <<Death>>?"

"Death, you mean?"

"Yes, the end that comes to all things. That is what living beings call <<Death>>. That is what I govern."

No, that's not it.

It's just that the model for this figure is the personification of <<Death>> and the Yomi Emperor, a vivid character that has stuck in my mind.

And as with any role, the impression and appearance can change completely depending on the actor.

"...So, the shape of <<Death>> for you is the beautiful appearance of those actors?"

"Ah, yes... it's like a purification of the eyes, thank you."

"You are a strange child."

The voice sounded very distant, even though it was right there.

It felt strange to say it was distant when it was right there.

Perhaps sensing my confusion,

"<<Death>> is like that. It is distant, yet it is also close and abundant around us."

"Is that so... By the way, may I confirm something? Are you a god?"

"You are perceptive. Indeed, humans call me that."

So, this must be Princess Binglun.

When I guessed, she responded with a playful "Yes."

"Why did you know?"

"Because you said you govern <<Death>>. But, I still haven't quite accepted it."

"Even though I have admitted it?"

"Because... 'Princess' is a title given to women. But, you... look like a man."

"Ah, I see. That's... a long story, but I'll tell you if you want to hear it."

The figure's smile was beautiful, and I beg your indulgence for my mesmerized state.

Sitting at the edge of my bed, Princess Binglun spoke elegantly.

She said that just as the moon changes shape every night, she has no fixed form. Her appearance is a projection of the image of <<Death>> that people hold.

So, in truth, Princess Binglun is neither male nor female.

However, she is often perceived as female because when she appears before humans, it is usually when they are about to die.

"Hmm? Why is that?"

"When people see me, they usually die, but there are exceptions. Where do you think these exceptions occur?"

"Where? Why, not where?"

"Where. If I give you a hint, more men die in this place than women and children."

"More men die than women and children..."

What is that?

More men die than women and children, which must be something humans can control.

Plagues and disasters don't allow for the selection of victims based on gender, so it's hard to say which gender is more affected.

If more men die, it must be something humans control.

Thinking about it, I arrived at a human-caused event where many people die.

"War...?"

"Ah, you've reached that conclusion."

"In war, more soldiers, who are men, die than women and children."

"Indeed. The battlefield is a place where <<Death>> is prevalent. In such places, there are rare instances where people see me without dying. And when men die on the battlefield, they often wish to return to their loved ones left behind. This wish is projected onto me, and I appear as the wife, lover, or mother of the soldier. This is shared by soldiers who are not destined to die, leading them to think of me as a woman."

"So, the image of <<Death>> is also about wanting to be welcomed or seeing the person you want to see at the end?"

"Yes, but you seem different."

That's because I love the garden of violets and the musical based on it.

Princess Binglun came because she was interested in the musical about the Yomi Emperor and a human woman, which I had been talking about with the princess to pass the time.

So, I explained the musical to Princess Binglun, singing and acting out as much as I could remember.

Before I knew it, I had been doing this every night until the third hour of the night for several days.

Of course, I changed the performance every day. After all, she had shown interest in theater. I thought this might be a good opportunity to get her hooked on theater.

As a result, I caught a cold!

How silly.

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