When I arrived at the palace, I rushed to Gramps’ room, clutching the bottle containing the spotted disease dicine.
I was so determined to get there as soon as possible that I found myself walking at full speed. I’d been to the palace several tis before, so I made my way to Gramps’ room without hesitation.
My breath was caught between excitent at the completion of the cure and impatience to get to Gramps’ room as soon as possible.
Just as Gramps’ room ca into view, the door opened with a clunk.
Henry ca out from inside, carrying a thick stack of docunts.
What was Henry doing here?
I stopped and stared at him. He must have noticed my gaze, and our eyes t.
“Gilles!”
He smiled happily as he approached .
I had been holed up in my room for so long that I hardly ever saw Henry. I think he was trying to keep out of the way.
“How are you?”
It was a strange question, even though we lived in the sa house.
“Ah, I’m fine… What were you doing in Gramps’ room?”
“Well…”
Henry trailed off at my question.
“Are you hiding sothing?”
“No, not really… It’s just…”
“Just what? What were you doing with Gramps? What’s with the paper?”
I pressed Henry so that he couldn’t run away. He seed to have given up and opened his mouth.
“It’s a docunt I got from Will-sama.”
Feeling a little uncomfortable with the unfamiliar na “Will-sama”, I silently listened to Henry’s story.
“…He’s not going to be around much longer. So I’m desperately trying to do what I can while he’s still alive. I have a lot of docunts that I need to get to him, such as the docunts for giving the residents of the impoverished villages jobs so that they can live independently in this country, and the docunts that contain detailed information about the villagers that Nate, Rebecca, and the others have researched. Of course, the real criminals who were in the village were already housed elsewhere. It’s a very thorough plan, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
I couldn’t understand anything Henry said.
Had things gotten that bad while I was gone?
“Can I go into the room?”
Henry looked a little apologetic at my muttering.
“Will-sama doesn’t want to see you. He doesn’t want Gilles to see him in this state.”
“Why! Gramps doesn’t like anymore? This is terrible! That’s just too much!”
I raised my voice and hit Henry. He didn’t say anything.
“You don’t want to see him in such a bad state. Does that an I’m a stranger? I’ll stay with him no matter what he looks like!”
“You should understand. He doesn’t want Gilles to see him weak. Doesn’t that an he wants Alicia and Gilles to admire him all the ti? That’s what Will-sama wants.”
For the first ti, Henry was expressing himself to .
I knew what he ant, but I didn’t want to understand. I would hate to never see Gramps again.
“That’s just ego! …Hey, Henry, I’ve developed a drug with the sa effects as Maddie.”
Henry’s eyes widened. He was at a loss for words. I suppressed my emotions and continued talking.
“Finally, I finally finished it. So I’m going to help Gramps. Then I will get a lot of complints…”
My voice trembled. I turned over, fighting back tears.
“Surely it’s Will-sama’s ego to say that he doesn’t want to see you. Go ahead and throw your feelings at him. But keep in mind that Will-sama cares about Gilles more than anyone else.“
Henry’s warm hand caresses my head.
I was often patted on the head by many people. It fills my heart with joy, as if I was being praised.
The person who stroked my head the most was Gramps. His hands reassured more than anyone else’s. Every ti that big, stubbly hand acknowledged , I tried to do my best.
“I’m going to go see him.”
“Go for it.” Henry murmured gently and took his hand off my head.
I stood in front of Gramps’ room. I took a deep breath, holding back the tears that were threatening to well up.
I couldn’t let Gramps see sobbing.
I pulled myself together and slowly opened the door without knocking.
“…You’ve accomplished a trendous feat.”
Henry blurted out sothing, but I didn’t catch it.
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