Chapter 34

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A few days after the tea party at the mansion.

Jill stood on the road with Karappa.

This was the main road leading from Shelland to the capital, and travelers occasionally passed by.

The travelers were surprised by Karappa's appearance but felt relieved when they saw Jill standing next to him.

The presence of a harmless monster meant there were no dangerous monsters around.

Some travelers merely nodded at Jill.

Others struck up a conversation.

Some asked worriedly if there were any monsters or bandits around.

And some tried to flirt with Jill, only to be intimidated by Karappa and flee.

Or, they might recognize a familiar face and stop to chat.

"Hey, Jill. Did you come to see me off?"

"Something like that. I also have a few questions."

With that, Jill mounted Karappa.

He walked alongside Ionia, who was on foot.

"I didn't know you were leaving today."

"Well, I only told a select few. You're quite observant."

"Matthew told me."

"Traders are always well-informed. I might even consider recruiting him."

"There might be bandits around. I'll see you off a bit."

"No, no, you'll be alone on your way back. That wouldn't be right."

"I'll be fine. This one is strong."

Karappa clicked his scissors, as if to say, "Leave it to me."

"…That's true. Then I'll take you up on your offer."

The sky was clear.

But the air was a bit damp.

"Clouds are forming to the south. It might rain tomorrow."

"Well, a little rain is good sometimes. I don't like it when it rains all the time, though."

"It won't rain continuously. Still, you should be careful not to get your luggage wet."

"Taking care of gifts is a good thing… Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it, Jill?"

"Do you intend to kill your sister?"

Under the serene sky, Jill's words were dangerously precarious.

But Ionia shook his head.

"No. Elinna is not the enemy, and killing her would only cause greater turmoil. Even if such a suggestion were made, I would reject it."

Ionia answered frankly. By denying the intention to kill, he implicitly admitted that he was in a place where the idea of killing Elinna could arise, confessing that he was one of the rebels and held a high position.

"Is that your judgment as a rebel?"

"Hardly. My contact with Elinna is a secret known to only a few. Many think the royal family of Dylar is repulsive… but I don't agree."

Ionia sighed, a theatrical gesture.

But there was a hint of genuine anxiety and fatigue.

"Besides, she is one of the few who appreciates my paintings. I have no intention of harming her."

"Then that's good. It seems you're having a tough time. Elinna can be quite demanding, you know? She's not malicious, but she's not easy to work with."

"That's understandable. Sometimes, strange circumstances lead to solutions, so there's no need to complain."

"True, I did have a hard time this time."

"Thanks to you, something wonderful was created. The dressmaker and Elinna will be surprised."

Ionia murmured, satisfied.

Ionia's gift was just a means to get close to the royal family, Jill thought.

But Ionia was seriously trying to give the best gift as an artist.

It was a strange situation.

"…Why are you plotting a rebellion?"

"You already know the answer. If things continue, a warring era will come in a few decades."

"Are you trying to stop it?"

"Stopping it is a means, not the goal. I want to enjoy my life by painting and appreciating the beauty others create. But if things continue, many patrons will die, and even if they don't, they won't be able to indulge in art and objects. That's a problem."

"…I agree with that, but I thought there would be a grander reason."

Jill sighed.

"Oh, did I disappoint you?"

"Yes. I was a bit disappointed because I lost a reason to stop you. I was going to say, 'With your talent, you could escape anywhere and live a happy life painting,' but if you're working hard for a happy life, I can't stop you."

Ionia almost burst out laughing at Jill's blunt words.

"Ha ha ha, that's the opposite of when we first met."

"Stopping someone who might die isn't a bad feeling."

"Then how about I become your apprentice or a guest?"

"I have extra rooms."

"…That's the most tempting offer I've ever heard."

"Ah, but it might be bad to have a male artist and my sister fighting over you. There was a case where a fight over a favorite musician ended in a murder."

Jill's words made Ionia feel oddly deflated.

"Oh, as a resident artist, I see."

"Having a leatherworker, a merchant, and a painter as friends would add depth to the workshop. I'd also like to have a carpenter and a blacksmith as friends."

"Jill, you should be more cautious. Having a man live in the mansion could cause misunderstandings."

"Huh?"

Jill was taken aback by Ionia's words.

Then she understood the meaning and realized she had made a careless statement.

"N-no, I didn't mean it that way!"

"I know. But even if that's not the case, it's not good for us to be in the same place for too long. We might be targeted."

Ionia's tone was oddly melancholic.

Jill was uncomfortable with this side of Ionia.

He seemed to see through everything and had given up on something.

Yet, his actions, if interpreted without his words, were genuinely good.

Jill was torn between anger and gratitude.

"…That's why your actions are so confusing. You rebel against the country, but you also protect me. It's contradictory. Why?"

"Because I want you to live. I want you to smile and enjoy life. You should be far from bloodshed and experience happiness. That's what I wish for."

Jill was taken aback by Ionia's unexpected words.

She had given up on getting a direct answer to her question, thinking it would remain a secret.

"Have we met before?"

"No. But I knew about you."

"Where?"

"…Jill, isn't life full of unpleasant things? There's not much to be happy about."

"Answer my question."

"I've been learning to paint since I was young. I didn't enjoy it. It was more of a cultural pursuit, an obligation. I started to find joy in it about seven years ago."

"Exactly!"

"Seven years ago, when I saw your painting. That's all there is to it."

Seven years ago.

A year Jill could never forget.

Conrad went to war and died there.

From then on, Jill's life became dark and gloomy.

"I'll tell you more when I come back. If I can't, I'll write to you."

"Wait, just a moment…!"

Ionia took something from his pocket.

A palette and a large brush, like a paintbrush.

Ionia waved the brush.

Or rather, he painted the empty space.

"Farewell."

The place where the brush painted turned the same color as the landscape.

The sky-colored areas became sky, and the earth-colored areas became earth.

The painted area quickly expanded, hiding Ionia's figure.

The place where Ionia stood was covered by the scenery on the other side.

Finally, Ionia's figure completely disappeared, leaving only a quiet, empty landscape as if no one had ever been there.

"Hey, wait, Ionia…!?"

Jill immediately realized it was an illusion spell. But she had never heard of such a powerful illusion spell. One of the brush or the palette must be a magical tool. It wasn't as powerful as the 'Acacia,' but it was still a very strong tool that Ionia could use skillfully.

Still, it was just an illusion.

He hadn't disappeared instantly to somewhere else.

He wasn't far away yet.

Jill instantly understood this and called out, annoyed.

"…If you come back, I won't let you into the mansion!"

"You said you would let me in if I told the truth, didn't you?"

A voice came from a distance.

Jill realized he had continued walking without looking back and called out, a bit irritated.

"Bring me some exotic souvenirs!"

"Alright, I will!"

The voice was a bit farther away.

Jill sighed.

She decided to say something sarcastic when he returned unexpectedly.

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**The Merry Wits of Shelland** - End

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