As I enter, a girl with a sharp impression is sitting like last time.
Kanna Temulain Theodor.
I guess she's called a princess because she's the daughter of a duke. In addition, I heard she's called a cripple.
She's a person with a high possibility of becoming a harvester.
"Hello."
"You're really consistent. Come and sit."
As invited, I sit across from her just like last time. Her clothes are different from before, but they're notably long in the lower body and made of a material that doesn't show what's inside.
She's definitely hiding her legs.
Because the students seen at the Royal Academy are casually showing their thigh skin. Even people in relatively high ranks do this, so it seems this place is quite free in terms of attire, or that's the fashion.
I can't say much yet because I don't have enough information.
Among the harvesters, the one in the highest rank is Aurora, but she collapsed last year so she doesn't know much about trends.
There are also people who lived in the upper class in Bern City, but they were either somewhat old or very young children, so they didn't know much about the current fashion in the capital.
For reference, about 10 years ago during the Royal Academy days, they wore dresses that came down to the ankles even in summer, but the dresses were cut low in the back down to below the waist.
They say bold people wore clothes that showed their buttock cleft, the desire to show off seems similar everywhere.
It's just a possibility, but now I can judge that.
I'll know if I make the person in front of me a harvester.
Thinking like that, I waited for her to speak.
"Last weekend. I heard you went to the slums and changed numerous people."
It was just two days ago. Thinking of the people treated there, is she now trying to become a harvester without hesitation?
"Yes."
"Was that on orders from the royal family?"
Royal family?
It's not strange for a duke family to be mindful of the royal family, but considering the simple order, shouldn't they not have to be so mindful?
"No. That's what the people wished for."
It's only partially true. Because everyone there wished for it after seeing the first person change. That first person never truly wished for such a thing.
They just wanted to enjoy sexual acts pleasurably.
As the saying goes that it's easy to ruin things by speaking carelessly, contract words are powerful. Even though it's a verbal promise, once you affirm it, it's irreversible.
Of course, even if I say that, they won't change if I don't give myself, but there's no way I won't give myself, right?
Give up warmth?
Right in front, when I just need to clench my hand?
That's impossible.
"So that blessing can be used as you please."
Blessing, huh.
It sounds like words used after reading the newspaper. At least as far as I know, they don't use the word blessing in broadcasts. Only newspapers put my photographed image on the front page with big headlines saying saintess or God's miracle.
She must have read that.
"Do you want to receive what some people call a blessing?"
Since I don't think it's a blessing, I asked with an explanation in front. At least she seems to want to have me enough to call it a blessing.
She stares at me intently. I stare back at her.
Kanna Temulain Theodor.
Taller than me. But it's not that this girl is tall, it's that I'm small. Average height. Her hair, which is closer to yellow than golden, is cut slightly longer than shoulder length. And round ears rise above it.
In the worlds of faded man's memories, they'd be called beast-people, but here they're treated almost like a family lineage rather than a race.
Of course, blue skin doesn't exist, so many people consider harvesters with blue skin very alien.
Her build looks small, but that's because her body is hunched. I know the purpose of the elegant cane next to the chair that I thought was just an object before.
It must be for support when walking.
Her body's balance is that distorted.
I see things I didn't see when I didn't know her condition. She asked me in a low voice.
"What do you want?"
It's a question asking what I want in return for doing that. Right. At this point, there's no benevolence without reason. She must be someone who knows that well.
But that's a mistake.
"You're the one who wants the contract. If you want it, do it, if not, don't."
Because I'm taking the position of someone who listens, after all. So if she had asked what I would lose, I would say it's warmth, but.
Gradually, as she seems full of desire to become a harvester, I asked like this.
"I'll give myself to you. Instead, when you finish everything later, I'll take everything you have then. How about it?"
The contract words.
I asked this question the same way every time. So it was published not only in newspapers but also in broadcasts. If someone who hears this answers the question, they become a harvester.
At least people who have encountered me through the media know this.
There's no clause about healing anywhere here, and it says I'll take what you have after you die. You don't lose anything while alive.
This works well for people who live for a day, or people who have nothing to lose, but...
"Taking everything I have when I die, isn't that receiving too much?"
People like this who have a lot to pass down to future generations hesitate. Should I show here through a performance of turning stones into gold that material resources mean nothing to me?
Hmm...
No.
That's being too faithful to desire. It's like I'm trying to persuade her to contract, right?
To continue contracting with high-ranking people in the future, the contract itself shouldn't become what I want.
"This is the contract wording. If you don't wish for it, I won't do it."
This person has read the newspaper. It means she knows the contract words. She'll know that everyone became harvesters after answering those words, and there were no exceptions.
If she can receive information from the royal family and knows the moment Aurora contracted, she'll know this sentence is always the same.
I pretended to be calm and said I won't do it if she doesn't wish to contract. Unless it's a moment I can grasp directly, I can endure at this point before contracting.
For the future, to steadily gain more warmth.
If not that, I could pour myself into this world and obtain warmth wholly the moment I'm summoned. But if that happens, I won't exist after that.
If I cross that line, I won't wait like this ever again.
If I get on top of the world, I'll immediately destroy the world and eat the warmth.
Like being addicted to psychoactive drugs, I'll move following impulses, losing rationality.
The heat at that time is truly ecstatic...
Yes. My personality will melt away. Surely.
So I wait patiently. Not for extreme pleasure, but truly moving with the future in mind. I'm not stupid enough not to know that, and my consciousness is. Yes.
This has certainly gone mad. I'll be crazy forever. I'll think crazily in a crazy state. Still.
Because there's wisdom, I grit my teeth. I can never feel that infinite cold again. That eternal cold where not even a tiny bit of warmth exists, where even dying is impossible, never.
While I'm steeling my resolve, the girl in front is agonizing.
She's trying to hide her expression, but because she's human, it's impossible to hide completely. Her breath, heartbeat, skin, everything is clearly visible.
Moreover, though unintended, there's a time limit attached. She probably already knows the fact that I'll have an escort, since I mentioned it earlier during lunch.
When the escort provided by the royal family arrives, could they stop this contract?
I'm really lucky.
As if I'm just thoughtless, I wait thinking I'm just a harvester vending machine.
And finally.
She answered.
"Okay. Let's contract."
The contract is established.
I reached out to the light and filled myself into it.
At the same time, I obtained Kanna's memories.
Theodor Duchy. I thought they were a cadet branch of the royal family, but surprisingly, they were on the side of the Northern Grand Duchy.
This country is shaped like a crescent moon. It means it's a circular shape with the left side empty. Looking at the map, the capital is in the upper left, and Bern City is in the lower left.
That's why going by ship is the fastest. If you go by land, you have to go far around.
Above there. That is, it's a duke family in the north, but it's not a neighborhood that meets snow. There's just a long border line. If that was all, they wouldn't have called it the Northern Grand Duchy.
A warlord family. It means it's a family that values martial arts regardless of age or gender. As a result, Kanna wasn't treated as a full-fledged member of the family.
Her mother died while giving birth to her, and perhaps due to the effects of difficult childbirth, one of Kanna's legs was almost immobile. It's natural to be ignored in a warlord family if you can't move your body.
But they weren't harsh. Maybe because she wasn't threatening to her siblings, they treated her comfortably. Of course, Kanna's efforts were hidden there too.
The bloodline itself is physically excellent, but since she didn't move her body, it went to her head.
She mediated between siblings and worked to create a good family relationship, and even succeeded.
But not being able to use her legs remained her inferiority complex. From childhood until now, there were many things she had to give up because of her legs.
And now.
"I really can walk."
As her skin cracks like pottery and crumbles like dry sand, Kanna naturally takes steps while brushing off the dust that came out.
Her yellow hair turned purple, and her skin became even whiter. But her damaged legs were healed. Even better than the body she would have had if it had been fine.
Hop.
She jumps from that spot and touches the ceiling. It's about three times my height, but she reached it with a standing jump.
And after freely moving the leg that hadn't moved, she moved here and there for a while before standing still.
She's not crying out loud, but tears keep flowing from Kanna's eyes.
The hardship that should have been insurmountable has disappeared. It means there are no more obstacles blocking her way now. Humans yearn for the next thing once they've tasted something they had desired.
What will this person do now?
Hehe.
I waited quietly in my seat until she wiped her tears and sat down.
"Kanna Temulain Theodor. I hope you'll live doing what you want to do from now on. If there's anything I wish for you, that's all."
I put down the empty teacup in front of me and stood up before she could speak. Then suddenly remembering, I said to Kanna.
"People should smile when they're happy."
As I say that, I approach the entrance and grab the doorknob. It's not originally polite, but at times like this, it's right to give time alone.
"But it's okay to cry too. If there's any resentment there, no one will say anything if you pour it out."
I opened the door and went out.
Shekal stares at me intently.
"Please give her time to wipe her tears."
I said that while pointing behind me and moved my steps to leave that place. At that moment, Shekal spoke from behind.
"My name is Freesia Tabakian Shekal. Thank you, Belle."
I waved at the refreshing greeting, which was different from her face and attitude, and returned to where I'm living.