The sudden spring rain seemed to show no signs of stopping even as time passed.

Rather than stopping, it seemed to be pouring down even more madly than before. Like a midsummer downpour.

“They say the stream in the valley has risen severely, Sir Sinclair.”

The one who carefully knocked on the window was none other than Schuler. Schuler continued speaking, unable to hide his rather perplexed expression.

“There’s a side path leading to the Empress’s villa, but even that path seems to be completely submerged. I just came back from checking.”

“……”

“If the rain stops overnight, the water should recede by morning, but it seems difficult to proceed any further for now.”

Sinclair showed no reaction to Schuler’s words.

He just stared at the valley visible through the window.

The valley where he had lost Ellie forever.

Why did it have to be this place?

And at this moment, with you.

“We brought the largest carriage possible just in case, so if you’re alright with it, wouldn’t it be best to wait here and see how the situation develops?”

Schuler’s words made sense. The carriage Sinclair and Elaina rode in was so large it was rarely seen even in the imperial palace. So it was possible to lie down and rest comfortably, stretching out one’s legs, for a day or so without any trouble.

Of course, under normal circumstances, Sinclair would have chosen to return. It was raining, and of all places it was that valley… and Elaina was with him too.

But especially today, he couldn’t do that. After all, something very interesting was about to happen in the imperial palace soon.

“The place where we parked the carriage is on high ground, so there’s no need to worry about water rising up to here. What do you think?”

“…Alright.”

Sinclair said in a voice that was somehow much lower than usual.

“Since there’s no other option. Let’s do that.”

“Yes, then I’ll inform the knights and Duke Connor’s private soldiers as well. We’ll keep watch continuously, so Sir Sinclair and Lady Elaina, please don’t worry about anything and rest comfortably.”

Having finished speaking, Schuler bowed politely in front of the carriage and hurriedly disappeared. He seemed to have a lot to do, as he needed to create conditions for others to take shelter from the rain as well.

Soon, a slightly different subtle silence settled in the carriage where only Sinclair and Elaina remained.

Elaina didn’t know yet, but this place wasn’t special only to her.

“……”

As time passed, the only sound that pierced their ears was the relentless rain hitting the carriage. Sinclair was still continuously looking out the window, and Elaina was quietly watching him.

“Do you have any special memories of this valley, Sinclair?”

“…What?”

Sinclair visibly flinched at the sudden question that flew in, which, although the asker herself was likely unaware, was incredibly sharp.

“I just asked out of curiosity. You’ve been staring outside continuously since earlier.”

At Elaina’s words, Sinclair finally turned his head to face Elaina sitting next to him.

“Then you…”

And then he asked.

“Do you have any special memories? Of this valley.”

This time, Elaina flinched.

“You were staring at it continuously earlier too.”

Sinclair’s words were not a lie. Elaina too had been staring endlessly.

At that valley where she had permanently damaged her right leg sometime in the past.

…At that valley where she had lost Ren forever.

“Just.”

And Elaina slowly moved her lips.

“Rather than special memories, it reminds me of the old days.”

The days with Ren were always special.

Even if they both looked a mess.

The times spent together always shone brightly like stars lighting up the night sky, and like the horizon of a deep sea with no end in sight, they kept making her heart race for reasons she couldn’t understand.

But now that specialness had disappeared.

Those old memories that had lost their sun-like radiance…

Were now just thoughts of the past.

That’s why Elaina said it like that.

“But I do know this place well.”

…I suppose so. During that short time, we came here almost every day without fail. Sinclair thought with a bitter expression.

“I came here recently too.”

“…What?”

“To be precise, it was about last year.”

Why would you come to this place that must be terrible for you?

What good memories could there be?

Sinclair’s golden eyes, gazing at Elaina, rippled like waves.

“Why… did you come? To this valley.”

Instead of answering immediately, Elaina looked out the window, just as Sinclair had done earlier.

She could see the blackened, swollen stream of the valley, the water flowing rapidly without rest, the valley with an atmosphere completely different from the summer spent with Ren.

But Elaina… remembered without missing a single detail both the summer valley with Ren and the spring, autumn, and winter valleys without him.

She had no choice but to.

“I was waiting for someone.”

Because she thought Ren would come someday. So when it became truly unbearable, when she felt like she couldn’t endure anymore, she would come here limping as if possessed by something.

Expecting Ren to call out “Ellie” with a smile at any moment…

“But no matter how long I waited, he never came. Never again.”

“……”

“That’s all there is to it.”

“…So do you resent that person?”

Even after becoming the Crown Princess, Elaina continued to think about Ren. Even more so than before.

It would be a lie to say she didn’t resent Ren. After all, from Elaina’s perspective, that young boy ultimately didn’t take the small hand she extended asking for help, and ran away alone.

He abandoned Elaina forever like that. He fled cowardly without even showing his face.

“Yes. I resent him. Very much so.”

“……”

“But lately I’ve been wondering about something.”

“About why he didn’t return despite you waiting like that?”

“No.”

Elaina said, slowly shaking her head.

“I’ve already had that question countless times. So I know it no longer has any meaning. Just, only…”

“…Only?”

“I wonder if he’s doing well.”

“……”

“He ran away forever without even showing his face, but what if, despite that, he’s still not doing well?”

Elaina laughed faintly.

“It’s such a presumptuous curiosity. A stupid and foolish wait.”

At her words, Sinclair didn’t offer any response. Or perhaps he couldn’t. Not even a single word…

You know, Ellie.

I wanted to return to your side. I wanted to apologize and say I’m sorry. I wanted to convey my true feelings, that I missed you so much.

I wanted to tell you that since the day we parted, I haven’t grown a single day, that I’ve been stuck in that time, neither living nor dying, just enduring.

That every day, every moment, I never forgot you for even an instant and always longed to see you…

Sinclair bit his lip with all his might. Afraid of those words that seemed about to pour out like a flood. Afraid of this emotion that seemed to remain even after uttering those words.

…And anxious about how Elaina would look at him if she knew the whole truth…

“It hurts a little.”

Elaina, who had been looking out the window at the valley, slowly looked down at her ankle and muttered.

“The pain tends to get worse when it rains. If I had known, I would have brought medicine separately.”

“……”

“It’ll be fine once the sun comes out again tomorrow… Sinclair?”

Elaina stared at Sinclair with round eyes full of surprise as he did something unexpected before she could finish her sentence.

Without any response, Sinclair had reached out and placed Elaina’s damaged leg on his knee.

“What are you…”

Elaina flinched greatly, startled by the warmth touching her bare foot after removing her shoe and lifting her dress, but Sinclair showed no reaction.

“You, you don’t have to go this far.”

“……”

“Sinclair?”

Instead of an answer, what came was a warm touch slowly massaging her stiffened ankle.

Sinclair’s hands, with blue veins protruding, were so large like his body that they seemed to swallow Elaina’s small foot whole, but he didn’t seem to care about that at all.

“If I loosen it up like this.”

Sinclair continued to gently knead Elaina’s foot as he murmured.

“It might get a little better.”

“……”

“The pain might subside too.”

Get better, and the pain subsides.

And if that’s not enough, if I pray with all my might while massaging your leg all night like this, and when you open your eyes it’s completely healed as if by a lie. If it heals without a trace as if it had never been damaged at all, that would be nice.

But Sinclair knew better than anyone that such miraculous things never happen.

Nevertheless, Sinclair continued to endlessly massage Elaina’s stiffened leg. As if there was nothing else he could do.

“……”

Elaina still clearly showed her surprised expression, but in the end, she didn’t coldly push away his touch.

Or perhaps she couldn’t push it away.

Because his hands gently massaging her damaged leg were so kind and tender. So gratefully touching.

But it’s strange.

Why do I feel my heart growing sad at your touch? Why does it feel like it’s burning?

Elaina, who now had the same eyes as Sinclair looking down at her damaged leg, quietly watched him, but Sinclair never noticed this fact.