The Weight of Learning

“There’s still much for you to learn.”

At first glance it sounded like a simple remark, but Vanessa had trained under Fren long enough to understand what he meant.

The “training” Fren had given her was severe enough to be called torment.

Even Fren, after years spent in the military, recognized how brutal it had been.

Vanessa had more than enough reason to feel offended by those words.

Fren knew that.

He simply wanted to confirm something.

He rested his chin on his hand and looked at her.

Vanessa nodded calmly.

“That’s true.”

“……”

“I still have a lot of shortcomings.”

As always, her obedient acceptance made Fren smile with satisfaction.

He extended a hand.

“Come here and sit.”

“Yes.”

Vanessa kn knelt at his feet.

Fren placed his hand on her head and asked:

“Aren’t you curious why I made you do something so distasteful?”

Vanessa hesitated briefly before answering.

“…I am curious.”

In truth, she wasn’t.

If it was for Fren, she could do anything.

But because of that very loyalty, she had to ask.

“I’m very curious.”

Because Fren wanted her to ask.

“So why did you order me to do that?”

“I was curious too.”

Vanessa looked up at him silently.

Fren slowly stroked her hair and continued.

“I wanted to see just how far you could break yourself for me.”

Watching her expression closely, he asked:

“Do you feel angry that the reason was so trivial?”

“No. I’m glad.”

She denied immediately, took his hands, and smiled softly.

“It means I could satisfy your curiosity.”

“Really?”

“Yes.
So please—break me as much as you wish.”

Her lips brushed the back of his hand.

“Even if I become so damaged I can never stand again, it’s fine, if it’s by your hand.”

“…Truly?”

“Yes.
If it’s for you, it would be an honor.”

Fren stared at her for a long moment, as if spellbound.

Then he lowered his head and murmured:

“You really are lovely.”

He kissed her cheek—gentle and clean, completely different from the man who had gasped at her feet moments earlier.

Everything seemed normal.

And yet, something felt slightly off.

His body heat felt higher than usual.

Vanessa quickly examined his face.

Sure enough, he was faintly flushed.

She asked cautiously:

“Fren, are you feeling unwell?”

“Hm? No, not at all.”

“You seem a little feverish.”

“There’s no way. I feel better than ever—hm, Vanessa.”

As if something occurred to him, Fren asked quietly:

“Is my face red?”

“Yes.”

“…Wow.”

He touched his cheek, startled.

“Is it very red?”

“One moment, Fren.”

Vanessa stood and leaned down until their faces were almost touching.

Close enough to feel each other’s breath.

She examined him carefully.

“It isn’t extremely red.
If someone doesn’t look at you every day like I do—or aren’t this close—they wouldn’t notice.
Ah—”

His blush deepened.

Vanessa placed her forehead against his.

His body was definitely hotter.

“I think your temperature is rising.”

“No, really, it’s fine, Vanessa.”

“But it could be the fever that’s been going around.”

Recent rumors of a harsh cold among elves made Vanessa tense.

“Should I call a physician?”

“No, no need. It’s nothing that serious.”

“Then at least medicine… untreated fevers can last several days.”

“Vanessa, truly, that’s unnecessary.”

He forced a small smile.

“Just some rest will fix it.”

“…Fren.”

She looked at him with worried eyes, then lowered her head—realizing her mistake.

“I’m sorry.
I overstepped.”

“Why are you apologizing suddenly?”

“If you say you’re fine, then you are fine.
I forgot my place and acted like I could tell you otherwise…”

“You were worried about me.
That makes me happy, not annoyed.”

“…I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Good.
For today… you should probably leave the room for a while—oh, right, we share a room.”

After thinking a moment, Fren requested softly:

“Could you stay somewhere else for an hour?
I just want to rest alone for a bit.”

“Yes, I’ll leave immediately.”

“Wait.”

Vanessa paused.

Fren took out a flat box wrapped in pale pink paper, tied with a red ribbon and decorated with a rose.

He handed it to her.

“The chocolates you liked last time.
You seemed to enjoy them, so I ordered another box.”

Vanessa’s face brightened instantly.

She clutched the box tightly.

“Thank you so much, Fren.”

“I’m glad you’re getting your appetite back.
Enjoy them.”

The truth was she still had no appetite.

She had forced herself to eat for the sake of energy, but now she was truly grateful she had done so.

After bowing once more, she stepped outside.

Away from others, she opened the box.

Sweet fragrance and neatly shaped chocolates greeted her.

She kept the box and rose separately, then swept all the chocolates into a paper bag.

Then she ran toward the s*ave quarters.

Genoise was sweeping the yard when she spotted her.

“Vanessa!”

“You’re not in the kitchen today?”

“Oh, more slaves arrived recently.
They’re still training, so work got dumped on them.
I don’t have much to do now.”

“Really? Then come with me for a moment.”

They went to a quiet corner of the garden.

Genoise sat on the grass, looking curious.

“What’s going on?”

Vanessa handed her the bag.

“Here.
These are for you.”

Genoise opened it immediately.

Her voice rose in awe.

“Wow!
These are—chocolates?!”

Vanessa quickly placed a finger on her lips.

Genoise shut her mouth at once, her large eyes sparkling brightly.

Vanessa couldn’t help smiling.

She checked the bag again.

“There are so many! More than ten!”

“They’re all yours.”

“That’s way too many!”

Her cry echoed briefly.

Then silence.

Vanessa blinked.

“Not happy?”

“No! I mean—of course I’m happy!
It’s just…”

Genoise hugged the bag tightly.

“It’s kind of scary.”

“…Scary?”

The unexpected answer startled Vanessa.

Genoise explained more quietly:

“Chocolates are hard to get even once…
But getting more than ten?
All for me?
It feels…
No, very frightening.”

“……”

“When something that lucky happens, bad things usually follow.
What if something else happens soon—oh, what am I saying.”

She tapped her own mouth like scolding herself.

“Sorry, Vanessa.
You brought them for me.”

“No… I understand.”

Vanessa understood very well.

She herself had learned not to celebrate sudden good fortune, but to distrust it.

So she suggested gently:

“If it’s too many—”

“No!”

Genoise clutched the bag like treasure.

“I’m going to eat every single one.”

“…Why?”

“Because you brought them for me.
No one else.”

“But if something bad really happens—”

“It won’t!
I was just talking nonsense.
And even if something did…
It’s fine.”

She smiled brightly.

“Because you’d still be here with me.”

“……”

Vanessa lowered her head, unable to speak.

Genoise teased:

“Are you embarrassed?
The great Vanessa?”

“…No.
Just eat them.
They’re delicious.”

“Okay!”

Genoise popped one into her mouth.

Her eyes widened with delight at the sweetness.

Vanessa watched her quietly before asking:

“Nothing strange happened lately?”

“I told you—work’s been slow because of the newcomers.
But hey, Vanessa.”

She grabbed another chocolate.

“I went to the sea recently.”

“The sea? Why?”

“The cook messed up a fish meant for Fren.
So they took me along to buy fresh ones.
It was beautiful.
The sea’s always beautiful.
I’m glad we live close to it.
If we lived somewhere else, I might never have seen it.”

“Right.
It’s lucky to have been sold to Fren.”

“Mm, but Vanessa.”

“What is it?”

Genoise’s eyes sparkled even brighter.

“What do you think lies beyond the sea?”

“…What?”

“Exactly what I said.
Aren’t you curious what’s out there?”