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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 92
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***
—Happiness.
There was a time when the word "happiness" was easily accessible to Karitte. A wonderfully good family, kind parents, and warm household servants—even her innate talent seemed to bless her, allowing her to spend a happy childhood.
But at a certain point, all that happiness completely vanished.
Anxiety and restlessness suddenly appeared. No matter how skilled the priests and healers, or even the rare holy water, they couldn't cure the curse-like phenomenon that had suddenly afflicted Karitte. As this continued for four years, her once-kind family began to look at Karitte with strange eyes, and even her innate talent, as she became emotionally unstable, faded as if it had never shone.
And what filled the void left by that light was darkness. A terrible, suffocating darkness.
For years, as if trapped in that darkness, Karitte couldn't experience true happiness. Beyond anxiety and restlessness, the unidentifiable symptoms of mental instability worsened, and eventually, strange hallucinations tormented Karitte endlessly.
But today.
Karitte was feeling "happiness" for the first time in a long while. Even to herself, each moment felt as if it were enveloped in light, as if she were bathed in a rare, warm glow. And that light felt so intensely bright, illuminating her, that it almost didn't feel real.
…
"...Rie. Karitte?"
"Oh, huh...?"
She answered the call belatedly, still staring blankly at Han Cheonsung.
"The rabbit came closer. What on earth are you thinking about so deeply?"
"Nothing... just meaningless thoughts."
As she answered, her gaze fell upon a pure white rabbit that had approached unnoticed. It was approaching her hand, which held some feed hay, and diligently munching on it. Watching it, she felt as though she was only now returning to reality.
'I was feeling happy.'
The feeling of happiness, experienced after so long, was so unfamiliar that she momentarily forgot reality. Han Cheonsung and I were currently in a section of the academy grounds where various animals could be seen. It was the first time today she'd learned such a place existed, but just seeing the rabbits here felt as if her heart was slowly healing.
And having someone by her side like this was a great source of comfort.
"..."
She glanced at him, then unnecessarily pinched her thigh with her other hand. The pain was distinct.
'This isn't a dream.'
Indeed, this wasn't a dream.
Rustle!
Soon after, as the rabbit finished its grass and moved away, a small laugh escaped her.
"Rabbits are quite heartless, aren't they? Just eat and run off."
"Well, they're animals. They just act on instinct."
Even as she said it, she didn't feel much disappointment. She was grateful just that the animals had come to her. Then she watched as Han Cheonsung extended his hand. His hand held more feed hay than hers.
Instantly, a group of rabbits swarmed Han Cheonsung's hand.
"...Oh?"
Han Cheonsung, who had extended his hand, looked surprised, and Karitte, equally surprised, found her gaze drawn to him.
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
Three pure white rabbits competed, rapidly eating the hay in Han Cheonsung's hand. It was fascinating to watch.
"Do rabbits pick and choose people?"
It wasn't just Karitte and Han Cheonsung who were present there. Among them, there were other students holding more hay than Han Cheonsung, yet the number of rabbits swarming his hand was undeniably the highest.
"Karitte. Rabbits wouldn't pick and choose people. It's probably just because I'm holding a lot of hay."
Seeing his nonchalant reaction, she wondered if that was true, yet found herself gazing at Han Cheonsung intently. He watched the fluffy rabbits huddled in his hand with a faint, fond smile, and just seeing that made him seem incredibly genuine. Someone animals like couldn't possibly be evil.
'He feels kind.'
Though one couldn't definitively judge a person's true heart, that was simply her feeling when she looked at Han Cheonsung. To her, Han Cheonsung seemed like an incredibly good person, and her wish that he would be so was mixed in to some extent.
She casually recalled the voice he had offered her in the cafe.
—Because I want to, because I care about you.
Just recalling those words made heat course through her entire body again. They weren't even that many words, yet in that moment, her mind soared, and she felt a vague sense of happiness. When was the last time someone had told her they wanted to be with her...? Even her family had eventually avoided her, as she became irritable due to her anxiety. The words Han Cheonsung had just said felt more significant than anything else to her.
"Karitte."
"...Hm?"
"While the rabbits are distracted by the hay, do you want to try stroking one?"
"But what if they run away if I do that?"
"Don't worry so much, just try it."
Han Cheonsung smiled lightly and pointed to his hand, where three rabbits were completely engrossed in the hay. Encouraged by his words... she cautiously extended her hand.
She brought her hand forward very carefully, yet still felt unnecessarily nervous. Hoping the rabbit wouldn't flee from her touch, the moment her hand made contact with the back of one of them—
—!
The rabbit startled violently and darted away from her hand.
"..."
She paused for a moment, then awkwardly withdrew her hand, her lips trembling.
'I tried to be careful. Was my hand really that sudden?'
Naturally, negative thoughts crept back in. Was it because it was *her* hand that reached out, that the rabbit ran away? Without hay, animals must dislike her touch, too... Even over such a trivial matter, negative thoughts needlessly consumed her mind.
"That's a shame."
At the sound of his voice, she nodded blankly.
"Karitte, wait a moment. Let me try."
"...Okay. Go ahead."
As she replied, her mind felt simply numb. This moment was so wonderful, yet she felt pathetic for letting her heart waver over such a trivial thing.
*Rustle.*
Then, as Han Cheonsung slowly extended his left hand while offering hay with his right, she found herself unconsciously watching with intense focus.
'If it's Han Cheonsung's hand, not mine...'
Would the rabbit remain still? A strange curiosity filled her. And then Han Cheonsung's hand made contact.
"..."
For a moment, she was utterly speechless.
'Really...'
When Han Cheonsung's hand touched it, the rabbit didn't run away. As if enjoying Han Cheonsung's careful strokes on its head, the rabbit remained perfectly still, even while devouring the hay. They had touched different rabbits. And it was such a trivial matter. Logically, she understood it all. Yet, a gloomy feeling swelled within her heart like a tide.
'Just as I thought.'
She couldn't do it... it was clear that even animals rejected her touch. She was definitely under an unbreaking curse.
"Karitte."
"...Huh."
She answered in a voice that had unknowingly sunk low, suppressing her emotions. ...Just suppressing these rising negative emotions made her feel mentally exhausted again. But her heart remained heavy. This reality seemed to show her exactly where she stood. That she was different from others. A distinct, separate existence... Therefore, it was her reality to be shunned even by animals.
"Hold out your hand."
"Hm...?"
"Quickly, hold out your hand to the rabbit I'm stroking."
When Han Cheonsung urged her, she, who had been blankly blinking, belatedly understood the meaning of his words.
*Stroke, stroke.*
Even now, Han Cheonsung's hand continued to gently stroke the rabbit's head with a steady rhythm. And he was trying to create an opportunity for her, too... to stroke the rabbit. Naturally, she slowly extended her hand, her gaze drawn to Han Cheonsung's profile as he focused on the rabbit.
'...He's different.'
Han Cheonsung was definitely... different. Watching him, emotions swelled within her to an unusual degree. And... in that moment, she was certain. Han Cheonsung was giving her attention and truly caring about her, which was why he was with her like this. It was as if he was directly showing her, through both words and actions, that what he had said to her in the cafe was sincere.
*Stroke.*
As her hand moved towards the rabbit Han Cheonsung was stroking, he carefully shifted his hand, making space for her to stroke it. And then, she was able to touch it.
"..."
Just as Han Cheonsung had done, she carefully stroked the rabbit's head, and the rabbit did not shy away from her hand. Of course, it might have been because Han Cheonsung's hand was carefully caressing another part of the rabbit, but the rabbit was accepting her hand too.
"How is it? It's really soft, isn't it?"
When Han Cheonsung whispered to her, she nodded, her gaze now fixed solely on Han Cheonsung, not the rabbit. He smiled softly, as if genuinely pleased to see the rabbit accepting her touch.
...Yet, even as she watched him, emotions continued to surge within her.
'Such a truly good person exists...'
Even seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn't believe this reality. It continued to feel like a dream, simply unreal. Unconsciously, she bit her lip, feeling the pain. And that pain felt incredibly pleasant.
Because it was real.
Among all the images of Han Cheonsung she had hoped for over the past two days, none of her expectations had included him being like this. ...Kind, gentle. The Han Cheonsung who was now caring for her and showing her consideration was a reality. And even that demeanor wasn't one of being self-conscious or burdened by her. Even while with her, he approached and spoke naturally, as if comfortable, and smiled gently just like this.
Because he showed it through his actions, too. No matter how much anxiety enveloped her or how foolish her thoughts became, she could trust Han Cheonsung.
Rustle!
Then, as the rabbit she felt in her hand vanished, she blankly lowered her gaze.
"See? Rabbits really are heartless, aren't they?"
Han Cheonsung chuckled as he spoke, his hand now completely devoid of hay. At his words, a laugh involuntarily escaped her, and she nodded.
"...They might really be heartless."
"Still, this is good enough, isn't it? We got to pet them to our hearts' content in exchange for hay. Was it not enough for you, Karitte?"
"No, I'm perfectly satisfied with this."
Even as she answered, she didn't wish for anything more. ...No more happiness than this moment. And the way Han Cheonsung looked at her right now, so purely, simply filled her with contentment... and then some.
"You look prettier when you smile."
"...Hm?"
"I said you look prettier when you smile. If you smiled like that more often, other students would surely try to befriend you."
At his continued words, she unconsciously touched her own face.
'Did I... smile?'
Even as she thought it, it felt plausible. Han Cheonsung had said so. She definitely felt like she had smiled.
"It's hard to smile like this normally."
"That will get better over time."
At his incredibly natural words... she unconsciously looked at him and nodded. The words Han Cheonsung casually uttered. Words that surely seemed like nothing special... ...held far more credibility than the high priest brought in at great expense in the past. While the high priest had only given her a few minutes of calm, Han Cheonsung had been giving her this warm feeling for hours now.
"Thank you."
"Suddenly?"
"Just... because I'm so grateful to you."
Watching Han Cheonsung smile as if her words were strange, she felt her heart regaining its strength. In those difficult, unbearable days, the reason she could endure each day, looking forward to tomorrow...