Unnamed Memory - Volume 2 - Chapter SS

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After Awakening from a Dream

The witch was still asleep after Oscar returned from his bath. Her breathing was just as gentle and even as it had been when he’d left.

While Tinasha’s wound may have healed, she was clearly exhausted. Oscar kept an eye on her as he sat next to her on the bed. Then he started going through the papers he’d brought. From time to time, he’d ruffle her hair just to reassure himself that she was still there.

He could still feel in his hands what it was like to stab her with the royal sword.

Oscar had felt the crystal ball breaking, but more than that, he’d sensed the blood gushing forth. It’d left him shuddering, even though he’d known it would happen. While exhorting Tinasha not to pass out, he’d raked out crystal shards and forced the wound closed. One experience like that was more than enough for him. Just remembering it made a shiver run through his body.

“Next time, we won’t resort to such a drastic method.”

At the very least, Oscar hated the idea of subjecting Tinasha to the exact same pain she’d suffered as a young girl. Even if she smiled and said she was fine, he wasn’t.

If something like this ever happened again, Oscar would make sure they had another option. He only had to amass the power to make sure he could.

“Is she planning to sleep until morning like this…?”

Tinasha looked like she was sleeping comfortably; she was virtually motionless. She wasn’t going to wake up. Oscar thought it wrong of her to be so careless, but he knew Tinasha wouldn’t understand if he tried to explain. She trusted him too much.

Oscar gazed at the sleeping witch. He reached out to touch her cheek, but she didn’t appear to notice it at all. Even a light poke didn’t faze her.

“You really are so… Well, I guess it’s better than you not trusting me…”

Tinasha treated him like a family member. That was preferable to being strangers, though. Oscar drew one lock of long black hair to his lips and pressed a kiss to the glossy strands. A waft of light floral scent filled his nostrils, setting him on fire.

Oscar merely sighed and tamped down that fire of passion. Then he returned to his documents.

“So then, what’s going on with Miss Tinasha?” Lazar inquired.

“She hadn’t woken up by morning, so I just left her,” Oscar answered.

The Ito duel and its aftermath had put Oscar behind on his paperwork. Now that Lazar was here, however, he was quickly making up for lost time. As Oscar continued handling the documents, he added, “She’s been sleeping nonstop. I think she’s just extremely tired.”

When he’d woken up that morning, Tinasha had been in a deep sleep. She didn’t stir even when he tugged on her hair or shook her shoulders. Oscar had to wonder if she was truly unconscious or not, though, as Tinasha had erected a barrier to keep him from shaking her.

He could break the barrier if he wanted to, but drawing Akashia just to wake someone up seemed like overkill, so he’d admitted defeat.

However, the clock was about to chime noon. Maybe he should go check on her when he reached a good stopping place.

As he was pondering that, Lazar piped up hesitantly after dithering for a while. “By the way, Your Majesty, I heard you and Miss Tinasha are sleeping in the same room. Does that mean the wedding is…?”

“Oh, that,” Oscar remarked, looking up and gesturing to Lazar to come closer. The attendant looked suspicious but approached his king, who indicated that he should bend over. Abruptly, Oscar ground his fists into Lazar’s temples. “Just because we’re in the same room doesn’t mean we’ve gotten to that stage!”

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!”

“My self-control is the only thing that’s advanced a stage! What the hell is she playing at?!”

“Y-you should ask her that…,” Lazar grumbled, teary-eyed now that Oscar had released him.

The king picked up on a scandalized yet somehow sympathetic tone in Lazar’s voice. Lazar was the only one he could vent these grievances to, but it was just as aggravating to have his friend pity him. Oscar forced himself to calm down. He rested his chin on one palm. “Well… It’s fine. It’s like I have a big pet cat. That’s fun in its own way. I’m never bored.”

“There’s only three more months until the contract is over…,” Lazar reminded him.

“And then I can just climb the tower again,” Oscar stated, easily proposing a solution.

Lazar’s eyes grew wide. For a few beats, he didn’t know quite how to respond. “I think that might make her dislike you a lot…”

“She already hates the people who climb her tower. I’ve heard her complain about how annoying it is to reset the traps. But she’s the one who decided to grant wishes to those who complete the task.”

If Tinasha had heard Oscar say that, she’d probably shout something like You’d teleport to the first floor even if the door was locked! That’d be a less chaotic method of entry than using Akashia to smash open an entryway, though.

Lazar looked like he wanted to say something, but he gave up and just shook his head slowly. “Then I suppose there’s no problem. Take your time advancing your relationship.”

“I can’t take too much time, though. It’s not like I have a hundred years at my disposal.”

“I would think you could extend things for at least another ten years,” Lazar assured him.

Ten years felt entirely too long to Oscar, but that witch was really no different than an inexperienced girl when it came to interpersonal relations. Oscar couldn’t get impatient or try to rush her. Just like how she’d trained him, he planned to do the same with her.

That’s why the problem actually lay in another area.

“Lazar,” Oscar started.

“What is it, Your Majesty?”

“Do you think I can handle a woman like her?”

Ordinarily, the king would’ve kept this sort of worry to himself. It was the sort of thing he could only ask his close friend.

Tinasha was the most powerful witch. How relentless she was with her enemies was tied to how deep her feelings ran.

The previous day’s events had served to remind Oscar of that. Tinasha would’ve killed each and every Ito on sight with no hesitation. That was what she was capable of. What’s more, Oscar believed that intensity of emotion was greater when it concerned him and those close to him.

If Tinasha ever let those emotions drive her to cross a line…

Could he be the one to stop her? Could he be a force to keep her in check?

If he couldn’t, then he’d never been qualified to bring her down from the tower. The witch had chosen to live in such an isolated place precisely because she wanted to avoid that kind of situation.

Oscar knew he should never have voiced this worry. He’d never be able to forget it once he did. That insecurity would weaken him.

Even if it did, Oscar thought it the height of arrogance to never doubt himself.

Lazar gazed at his very well-rounded king in wonderment at his question…then smiled. “I think you’re the one who could, Your Majesty.”

“You think?”

“Yes. And I think Miss Tinasha feels the same way.”

It was true. That’s why Tinasha had trained Oscar herself. It was also why she’d agreed to remain under his watchful eye after she’d fulfilled her long-standing desire to release the magical lakes.

Tinasha thought quite highly of Oscar and entrusted him with many parts of herself. She thought that he was someone who could use her well.

The young king, still with his chin in his hand, let out a huge sigh. “…Guess all there is to do is to try and live up to that expectation.”

“She also hopes that you won’t act recklessly,” Lazar admonished.

“That’s a different issue.”

“Why won’t you reconsider your actions when she gets upset with you every single time…”

“Maybe because it always works out in the end?”

Just then, there was a light rap at the door. Oscar called out for the person to enter. It was none other than the witch. She was wearing her formfitting mage’s outfit and pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. “I slept too much… I’m so sleepy…”

“You can keep sleeping,” said Oscar.

“I came to check and see if you still have things to take care of after what happened. If any problems have popped up, I’ll handle them.”

Tinasha’s dark eyes gleamed slightly with the desire to go out and fight. She wanted to know if any Ito had been spotted.

Oscar waved a dismissive hand. “There’s been nothing. It’s all fine. I’m going to finish things up quickly, and we’ll go back to the castle at dark.”

“Okay,” Tinasha sang, rubbing her eyes as she leaned against the nearest wall. There was a couch for her installed in the castle’s study but not in the fortress’s.

She looked like she was going to pass out standing up, and Oscar frowned at her. “If you’re going to sleep, go back to the room and do it there.”

“I have to keep my eye on you… If something happens and I’m not around…I’ll be in trouble…”

“I told you, nothing is going on. If you want to sleep, come do it here,” Oscar insisted, beckoning Tinasha over. Since there was no couch, she could just turn into a cat and sleep on the desk.

Nodding, the witch tottered over toward him. Like a little kid, she clambered into his lap, snuggled into his chest, and closed her eyes. In an instant, she was fast asleep. Oscar looked down at her, jaw open in amazement, then came to his senses and patted her on the back. “Tinasha, I can’t work like this.”

“…Hmm…? Sorry…,” she whispered as a yawn escaped her lips. Then she changed into her black-cat form and curled up on his lap again.

As the sounds of the cat’s breathing floated on the air, Lazar asked again, “You really haven’t gotten to the next stage…?”

“What’s going on with her…?” Oscar muttered.

As he reflected on the past few days, he realized that Tinasha was becoming quite the sleepyhead. Whenever she was groggy and out of it, she behaved like a cat—spoiled and clingy.

Tinasha was about to slide off his lap, but Oscar nudged her back to safety.

“She’s cute, so I’ll allow it.”

“I think you’re the only one who would say that, Your Majesty.”

“Who wouldn’t think she’s cute?” Oscar shot back in confusion. Lazar held his tongue.

The king smiled at the sight of the powerful and fearsome witch sleeping peacefully like a sunbathing cat. He gently stroked her dark fur.