Julius's death

Two people sat beside the counter.

One was a purple-haired knight.

The other was Ferris.

The purple-haired knight sat upright, his white knight's uniform neatly arranged. He held a wineglass and seemed to have just said something to Ferris.

Ferris had his head lowered, without his usual smile.

Outside the screen, Ferris's expression changed the instant he saw himself.

[Ferris: Why is Ferris there?]

No one answered.

The purple-haired knight in the scene raised his glass.

He suspected nothing.

An old friend had invited him out for a drink, so he had come.

The wine passed his lips.

At first, his expression remained calm.

But soon, he stopped moving.

The glass slipped from his hand.

Crash.

The glass shattered on the floor.

The purple-haired man slid to the floor just like that, the color draining from his face little by little as his lips gradually turned blue.

He tried to prop himself up, but he could not even muster strength in his fingers.

Ferris finally raised his head.

Tears were already falling.

"I'm sorry."

"Julius, I'm sorry."

The knight on the floor struggled to look at him.

There was anger in those eyes, and doubt, with traces of sadness, confusion, and shock in his pupils.

But the first person he looked at was still Ferris.

He wanted to know why Ferris had become like this.

He also wanted to know who had driven Ferris to this point.

"Fer... ris..."

His voice was almost inaudible.

Just then, footsteps came from beside them.

A boy with black hair and black eyes emerged from the shadows.

Natsuki Subaru.

He walked over to Julius and looked down at his agonized struggles.

Then he reached out and put an arm around Ferris's shoulders.

Ferris's body trembled.

Natsuki Subaru raised his hand and stroked his flaxen cat ears.

That alone subdued some of the pain on Ferris's face.

He looked up at Natsuki Subaru, a hint of dependence appearing in his eyes.

Outside the screen, Ferris stared blankly at the scene.

[Ferris: Don't touch me.]

[Ferris: Don't touch Ferris like that.]

The Natsuki Subaru inside the screen could not hear him.

He looked at Julius on the floor.

"Trust really is a sweet poison."

"An old friend invited you out for a drink, and you actually came."

"And now you're dying here, all because of a single glass of wine."

Julius's fingers clawed at the floor.

He wanted to draw his sword.

But his body no longer obeyed him.

Natsuki Subaru crouched down, his voice calm.

"Don't worry."

"As long as you die here, I won't harm Anastasia."

The look in Julius's eyes changed abruptly.

Natsuki Subaru continued:

"You're still easier to deal with than a royal selection candidate with guards around her at all times."

"The finest knight."

"You're standing in front of her, so I'm dealing with you first."

Julius's anger intensified.

But he could no longer speak.

He could only look at Ferris.

Ferris knelt beside him, afraid to look at him, crying so hard he could barely breathe.

"I'm sorry."

"Ferris really didn't want to..."

Natsuki Subaru looked down at him.

"Ferris."

Ferris stopped immediately.

Natsuki Subaru stroked his cat ears, softening his voice a little.

"You did very well."

Ferris raised his head, tears still clinging to his face.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Ferris... did very well?"

"That's right."

"This is enough?"

"This is enough."

Julius watched the scene.

The anger in his eyes was gradually overwhelmed by sorrow.

He could tell.

Ferris had already been broken ever since the battle against the White Whale.

This old friend had been seized by his most painful vulnerability and was being led along by a single word of affirmation from Natsuki Subaru.

Julius wanted to say something.

But the poison had already robbed him of his voice.

At last, his fingers stilled on the floor.

The tavern fell silent.

Julius Juukulius was dead.

There was no battlefield.

No sword drawn.

He had died from a glass of wine offered by a friend.

Outside the screen, the comment area remained silent for a long time.

They had seen Julius's death.

They had also seen what Ferris looked like after being used.

[Ferris: Why...]

[Ferris: Why would Ferris listen to him?]

[Ferris: Why exactly did that Ferris become like this?]

Julius himself watched his dead self in the scene, and only after a long time did he write a line.

[Julius: Ferris.]

Only that name.

For the moment, he could not write anything more.

Just then, the tavern door was pushed open.

A gray-haired man walked in.

He was slender, dressed in a black suit, with little expression on his face.

He glanced at Julius on the floor, then at Ferris.

Finally, he looked at Natsuki Subaru.

"Am I right on time?"

Natsuki Subaru stood up.

"Exactly the time we agreed on for collecting the body."

The gray-haired man nodded.

"Time is money."

"That's a fundamental truth for traveling merchants."

Natsuki Subaru looked at him.

"You're still calling yourself a merchant at a time like this."

"I am indeed conducting a transaction."

The gray-haired man walked over to the body and crouched down to examine it.

"The poison has taken effect."

"The body can be disposed of now."

Natsuki Subaru looked at him and suddenly asked:

"What's your name?"

The gray-haired man paused.

"You don't need to know."

"Why?"

The gray-haired man raised his eyes to Natsuki Subaru.

"Becoming friends with someone like you is too risky."

His gaze fell on Julius on the floor.

Natsuki Subaru followed his gaze.

Julius was already motionless.

After a while, Natsuki Subaru smiled.

"You really dare to say it."

The gray-haired man did not argue.

Natsuki Subaru looked into his eyes, which held little life, and seemed very pleased.

"What a shame."

"If we could become friends, we would probably get along very well."

The gray-haired man put on his gloves.

"Friends impair judgment."

"I don't have that kind of leeway."

Hearing that, Natsuki Subaru seemed even more pleased instead.

"That's why I said it's a shame."

Outside the screen, Otto watched the gray-haired man, the color draining from his face little by little.

He did not comment immediately.

That face.

That voice.

And that familiar way of speaking.

He knew them all too well.

[Otto: ...That man.]

After the words appeared, they stopped again.

The gray-haired man had not given his name.

But everyone could tell that he was Otto.

The gray-haired man inside the screen began dealing with the body.

His movements were practiced and quiet.

Ferris knelt beside them, looking at Julius's hand.

Outside the screen of light, Natsuki Subaru watched the scene.

One friend had died from poisoned wine.

The Blue Mage was tethered in place by guilt.

And there was another future friend who would not even tell him their name.

The Natsuki Subaru inside the screen of light did not linger long.

He turned and walked out.

The gray-haired man asked:

"Is there another commission?"

Natsuki Subaru did not stop walking.

"The obstacles along the way haven't all been cleared yet. You'll have plenty to keep you busy for a while."

The tavern door closed again.

The bell gave a soft chime.

Outside the screen of light, still no one spoke right away.