“What’s with the atmosphere? Did something go wrong? The show hasn’t even started yet.”
Pay, trying to sound calm, stepped inside. Summer smiled faintly upon seeing Pay, as if relieved. That black hair was quite a mess. When did she start acting so ferociously? Pay approached Summer, still sulking, and worriedly placed a hand on her forehead. “You don’t have a fever. Are you sick?” “Nothing happened. I just got a bit nervous and caused some trouble.” “What? Is that all? I brought you as promised, Summer.” Pay sighed in relief and proudly revealed Summer’s soul, which she had tucked under her arm. The real Summer’s soul looked almost like a faint mist. It was different from the first time anyone saw it, and Summer’s expression darkened. “Is something wrong with Summer’s soul?” “It’s just that it hasn’t found a body for a long time. But it’s okay. I have the ability, you know.” “That’s a relief.” Russell, quietly holding Summer and pulling her outer garment up to keep her warm, asked casually. “Who is the author?” “A witch.” Wait a minute. Wasn’t Pay originally invisible to people? Summer staggered to her feet and grabbed Russell’s collar. “Russell, can you see Pay?” “Is Pay a witch?” “Oh my. You can see Pay? What on earth is going on?” Summer looked up at Russell, her eyes filled with confusion. Russell was looking at Pay. With a very precise and direct gaze. “I can see her.” “Oh dear. It would have been better if I couldn’t see her. So when are we going back?” Pay spoke with a tone that seemed genuinely pitiful and then abruptly turned her gaze to Summer. Summer, as if she had already thought everything through, answered immediately. “When the moon shines the brightest.” “Just say late. Why make it so complicated?” “Haha, you’re right. I’m planning to return a bit late.” Summer took a deep breath. The image of the urn still lingered in her mind, but she tried to shake it off. “Pay. Just in case, can I ask something?” “Why?” “Is it possible to put me in another body?” “What? Was there another body you were interested in?” “Not really. I’m just curious.” “It’s possible. A soul that has popped out can be placed in another empty body. But finding such a body is difficult.” “……Why?” “Because it can only be a body right after the soul has left.” “So it’s not impossible, right? Isn’t that so?” Pay tilted her head and frowned. No matter how you looked at it, Summer seemed too unstable right now. Her anxiety and restlessness were clearly visible. More so than with Selena. “No matter how I think about it, you seem a bit off.” “…….” Summer didn’t deny it either. It was the truth. She was in a state where it was hard to think and judge. A loud crash echoed from far away outside the prayer room. Pay turned her head sharply toward the source of the sound and shouted in disbelief. “Why is that still going on! Seriously!” “Could it be the Pope…?” “Yeah. I’ll take care of that black-haired one and come back, so you just rest, okay?” “……Okay.” “You have the strongest witch by your side right now. Don’t worry.” With a blunt reassurance, Pay took out a small jewelry box from her arms and stuffed Summer’s real soul inside it. “Is that really okay?” “What do you think a soul is? It’s just a lump. You can only think and feel when you have a body.” After finishing her words, Pay put the box back in her arms and quickly left the prayer room. She seemed to be going to soothe the Pope in a rather forceful manner. Knock. Knock. In the cool and spacious prayer room, only Russell and Summer remained. “Summer. Your clothes are wet, so it would be better to go to a room first.” “Oh. I didn’t think of that. Should we?” As Summer tried to get up, she wobbled. If Russell’s large, sturdy hand hadn’t caught her waist, she would have fallen flat on her backside. “Thank you.” As Summer expressed her gratitude, Russell lifted her up effortlessly. The wet dress must have been quite heavy, but Russell showed no sign of strain. “Mr. Russell.” “Yes.” “Did you use a sword?” “If it weren’t for Ian, I would win the swordsmanship competition every year.” “……What?” He looked like someone who only wore glasses and read books. Summer tilted her head suspiciously. “Summer. That look is quite insulting.” “But…….” Russell precisely found the door where the Pope had emerged and stood in front of it. He held Summer with one arm and turned the doorknob with the other, but it wouldn’t budge. “Oh. It’s locked.” Russell said cheerfully and knocked on the doorknob a few times with force. Then, the door opened. “Uh…… Russell. Something is wrong here.” “It’s fine.” The Pope’s room looked exactly the same as when Summer had visited last time. “This is the room His Holiness uses…” “I win against the temple.” “……That’s childish.” At Summer’s mumble, Russell carefully sat her down on the sofa. Russell sat across from Summer and quietly looked up at her. “You used to laugh at my jokes often, but it seems you won’t today.” “I’m not in the mood to laugh.” Summer said that and avoided Russell’s gaze. Russell stared at her for a while, as if trying to read her thoughts, then stood up. Russell rummaged through the Pope’s room as if it were his own, pulling out a robe and spare priest’s clothing. “Are you going back?” “Yes.” “Is it really correct to go back?” “……Yes.” “What was that you said earlier? That you saw the grave.” I knew you would ask. Summer took a small breath and confessed. “The mother of the Duke of Lancaster. She was also an outsider like me. The Pope was curious if she returned well.” “…….” “So she asked me, but I lied. I said she returned well. In fact, she died in this world and the other world.” “……Summer.” Russell, who had returned in front of Summer, softly called her name. Summer could easily tell what he was thinking. She was thinking the same thing. “I will go back. I will definitely go back.” If she couldn’t return to her original body, she would enter another body. There was no option to not return. Summer completely blocked out any other possibilities, like a racehorse running straight ahead. “Summer. If you return to that world, will we never meet again? Or is there a way to contact me?” Russell began to dry Summer’s wet hair. Summer quietly allowed him to do so. Russell’s touch was so gentle it tickled. It felt as if he cared for Summer rather than himself, twisting her insides. If she could, she wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, asking. Even if I’m just a nobody with black hair, can you treat me so carefully and precious? “There’s no way. So just forget about it.” That couldn’t be true. Summer replied coldly, as if she were consciously trying to distance herself from him. But Russell was not the type to be swayed by such emotional things. “I’m quite scholarly. I won’t stop until I’ve read every piece of writing that hasn’t been deciphered.” That meant he wouldn’t forget. He would read and read the piece called Summer until he could understand it. He wouldn’t stop remembering and thinking about her. Summer had no choice but to ask, even though she knew. “That piece of writing…… is it me?” “That’s right. You are the writing to me.” “Without even knowing my name.” Summer mumbled bluntly. After drying Summer’s hair, Russell began to wipe the moisture from his arms. Mary and Daisy never did this for her. “I’ll do it.” Feeling strangely awkward, Summer quickly snatched the cloth from Russell’s hand. Only then did Russell’s eyes turn to Summer’s face. “Can you tell me if I ask now?” “You’re not asking if Summer Lindsay is your name.” “Your name is probably the real name.” “…….” Summer fiddled with the end of the useless cloth. “I won’t look, so change with this.” Russell handed her the robe and turned to face the wall. Summer slowly began to untie the strings and peel off her wet dress layer by layer. Struggling to undress alone, she fumbled for a while before finally managing to take off the dress and grab the robe. “Russell. I’m dressed.” “……Here.” Russell quickly approached and adjusted the disheveled robe. In that brief moment, one of the straps had loosened, causing one shoulder to slip down. Russell added more firewood to the fireplace and laid Summer’s clothes nearby. “Oh, it’s fine…” “Wasn’t it the outfit you wanted to wear when you return?” “That’s right. But, anyway, when I go back, this body will…” “Stop. You don’t have to talk about it anymore, Summer. I know enough.” Russell’s voice trembled for a moment. This time, Summer noticed Russell’s agitation and fell silent. In that moment, she couldn’t understand why the impulse to provoke him surged within her. “I will remember, even if you ask me to forget.” Russell seemed not to realize what he was saying. Knowing the truth, Summer let out a hollow laugh. The world would manipulate the memories of those involved the moment Summer returned to her original world. To say he would remember her was akin to defying the will of the world. “You’re pure, Mr. Russell.” “I’ve never heard that before.” “Puhuh. No matter what, you will inevitably forget me.” “Why do you think that?” “Because you are quite an important figure in this world. So the world won’t let you remember someone like me, an outsider.” “Then I guess I’ll have to deceive the world again this time.” “……Deceive it?” Russell’s tone, saying he would deceive the world, was remarkably calm. It was as if he were saying, “The moon is bright tonight.” Russell rummaged through the Pope’s desk and soon brought a pen and ink in front of Summer. Summer had no idea what he was up to and just watched him blankly. “I plan to try everything I can.” Russell handed the pen and ink to Summer as if placing them in her arms. Caught off guard, Summer received the items and then looked back at Russell in shock, closing her eyes tightly.