.jpg)
IBP 178
Prince Gaisa looked up at the high walls of the Ardos estate.
He was currently the center of everyone's scrutiny due to the issues surrounding his mother. His father had ordered him to remain in seclusion, but...
'I had to come here at least once.'
He could hear the people of the Ardos family whispering, "He's the Imperial Concubine's son," and "He might be deposed soon."
He decided to take those words to heart.
'It's true that I couldn't stop my mother. It's also true that I deserve to be deposed...'
However, there was one thing he had to say to the divine beast.
But before he could meet the divine beast, he was blocked by a barrier.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. But before you meet our Coco, you'll have to pass through the gateway that is me."
It was Ruth Ardos.
He looked as if he had rushed over the moment he heard the Prince had passed through the main gate; there was even sleep crust in his eyes.
He was guarding the door to Coco's room like a knight.
"...That is."
He had something he absolutely had to say to Lady Coco.
He couldn't let Ruth stop him...
The timid nature he had developed from being brainwashed by his mother every time manifested now.
He barely managed to open his mouth.
"I-I mean..."
"Hmm, my baby is a bit busy. Your Highness, couldn't you come back tomorrow?"
As Ruth tried to brush him off with a vague excuse, Prince Gaisa's courage shrank.
"...Th-then, I'd like to make an appointment."
"There are many people wanting to meet the divine beast, so please write your name on that list before you go."
The list Ruth handed him was incredibly long. The Prince realized Ruth's intention: don't even think about meeting Coco.
'...No matter how merciful the divine beast is, it wouldn't be easy for her to meet the son of the former Imperial Concubine.'
With his head bowed low, he tried to move his heavy feet to leave.
But it was right then.
Clack—!
With a loud noise, Coco's door swung open.
"Wha? Wha?"
"Oh, my baby. Why did you open the door? Did you want to play with Oppa?"
"Nuh-uh?"
"..."
Coco, having opened the door, shook her head after seeing Ruth's wounded expression.
"It's the Prince! Did you come to see Coco?"
"I, I..."
"You can just come right inside!"
She gave a bright smile and waved her hand toward him.
Watching her, Prince Gaisa barely managed to move his body toward the sofa.
He ended up sitting face-to-face with Ruth and Coco.
Coco busily provided Prince Gaisa with delicious cookies, cake, and even hot chocolate.
Then, she spoke with a radiant smile.
"Now tell me! Why did you come to find Coco?"
After hesitating for a long time, the Prince finally found his courage and spoke.
"I came because I have something to say. I didn't come to s-save my mother."
"Really? Then what is it?"
"...I came to say that I..."
Coco tilted her head. No matter how hard she listened, she couldn't tell exactly what he was saying; it seemed he was merely mumbling inside his mouth.
However, Coco did not rush the boy.
Even though Ruth rested his chin on his hand with a look of boredom and acted restless, Coco silently waited for the boy.
It was the instinct of a divine beast—no, a brave puppy—knowing that the words to follow would be very courageous.
And...
Finally, Prince Gaisa spoke.
"I am a defective product, but instead of my mother, I came to a-apologize..."
"No!"
Prince Gaisa flinched at Coco's firm answer.
Just as a boy who had been conditioned by his mother's scream-filled outbursts.
"...I-I'm sorry."
It was a habitual apology. But Coco shook her head and said,
"You don't have to apologize! You should apologize to yourself, not to Coco."
"My... self?"
"Why are you a defective product, Your Highness?"
"That's..."
Prince Gaisa stammered as he explained.
"I-I am sick. And I'm weak, and timid. I'm easily affected by my mother's b-brainwashing black magic..."
"..."
Coco was silent for a long while. However, the Prince welcomed that silence.
Until now, no one had ever listened to him so quietly. Whenever he tried to say something, his mother would shut him up, saying, "Be quiet."
"...I'm pathetic. I have no supernatural ability... I'm not fit to be a member of the Imperial family."
Prince Gaisa's shoulders slumped. No matter how warm and kind the divine beast was, there was no way she would reach out to the defective son of someone who had tried to kill her.
...Coco, being a divine beast, must be tired of these kinds of confessions. Ruth, standing behind Coco, already had a look on his face that said, 'So what?'
But then.
"There are many people who use supernatural abilities for bad things, so why is not having one a problem?"
"..."
"Your Highness is a good person, and someone who knows how to apologize on behalf of others! You shouldn't call a person a defective product."
It was the first time he had ever heard such words.
Having finally gained courage, Prince Gaisa quietly bowed his head and murmured.
"I-In that sense... I-I have something to tell you."
"Something to tell...?"
"M-My mother's supernatural ability is a curse. But two of the 'curse potions' she made have disappeared. Someone m-might have come into contact with them. That person—no, those two people—could be in danger. So..."
Coco's eyes widened.
'Grand Duke Rivera was healed. That means there could be one more victim.'
But before investigating the victim, there was something she had to do.
Coco reached out her hand toward the boy who had bravely summoned his courage.
"You did well, Your Highness."
"What...?"
"You bravely came to apologize, and you gave me great information. Because you hoped no one else would be sacrificed, right?"
"..."
Only then did Prince Gaisa finally lift his gaze from the floor.
Coco was looking at him with a brilliant smile.
"Your Highness is absolutely not a defective product. If you can't believe it, I—Coco—will guarantee it!"
"..."
For a moment, Prince Gaisa's eyes welled up.
But right then.
The door burst open, and Grand Prince Caligo Rivera appeared.
"Coco, are you okay?"
With flushed cheeks as if he had run until he was out of breath, and blonde curls clinging to his forehead with sweat...
"...Huh? Caligo?"
...Yes, it was Caligo.
* * *
Prince Gaisa and Ruth quickly vacated the room.
I was thrilled at the thought of having a pleasant conversation with Caligo, whom I hadn't seen in a long time.
But...
"...Sorry, Coco. I have to go now."
After confirming that I was safe, Caligo quickly bid me farewell.
"Huh?"
I wanted to ask what had happened and why I hadn't seen him.
I looked at Caligo with a bewildered expression and gathered my courage to reach out.
"Caligo! L-Listen."
I really just reached out and grabbed the hem of Caligo's sleeve.
But...
As if he had seen a bug, Caligo hurriedly shook off my hand.
"...Go away, Coco. Don't touch me."
"Huh...?"
"I'm leaving now."
Caligo stood up abruptly and tried to go out the door. Wanting to stop him, I ran toward the doorway.
However, it was difficult to stop Caligo as he tried to open the door.
So, I barely managed to speak.
"Don't go."
"...I have urgent business."
I stood frozen in front of the door, staring at Caligo.
It's strange.
My heart aches and my head hurts.
Just like when I thought I had been abandoned by Big Sister.
'...Was Caligo such a precious existence to me?'
To the point that it reminds me of those long-ago days when I thought Big Sister had left me?
Then, Caligo carefully opened the door, making sure not to touch me at all.
My instinct as a divine beast was telling me.
Caligo does not want to meet me.
It might be a leap, but today might be the last time I see Caligo.
Thinking that made me feel sorrowful for some reason.
"...Caligo, do you n-not want to be close with Coco anymore...?"
"N-No. It's not that."
But Caligo absolutely would not take my hand, which had been brushed aside.
For some reason, I felt my eyes growing hot.
"Hee-ing..."
But...
I'm really not acting like a brave puppy. I'm talking like a ten-year-old child throwing a tantrum.
If I do this, Caligo will hate Coco even more.
I felt happy as if I had everything after becoming a divine beast, but thinking that Caligo would disappear made me feel depressed, as if the floor had dropped out from under me.
It was just as a tear escaped my eye.
'Huh? Caligo... he seems to be in bad condition.'
That was when I discovered a subtle power around Caligo's hand.
The moment I reached for Caligo's hand again...
"N-No."
Caligo hurriedly pushed me away and left for the hallway.
Left alone, I stared blankly at Caligo's retreating back.
And...
Suddenly, I remembered a long time ago when Big Sister entered me into a canine agility competition.
When we were doing the 'Find the Bone Between Obstacles' event, Big Sister had said:
"Coco, when things get hard, you mustn't cry and bark. Like a grown-up puppy, you have to defeat the bad things. Got it? Now, aim for the bone!"
"Woof! Woof!"
Although I was a silly puppy back then and came in last...
Only today did Big Sister's words come back to me.
I must not cry; I must bravely defeat the bad things.
And so, I ran toward Caligo, who was still near the hallway.
"Still, Caligo! Please, at least get treated before you go."
At those words, Caligo's eyes widened.
"...Eh?"
I barely managed to get close to Caligo, grabbed his hand firmly, and whispered.
"Listen, Caligo. I think you're a little sick. E-Even if we c-can't see each other for a long time, I want to treat you..."
It was when I gripped Caligo's arm with my head bowed low.
Caligo's poker face shattered instantly. His cheeks, which were like green apples, and his earlobes, which had been pale, turned red all at once.
"Huh?"
I haven't even put in the healing power Coco has yet?
'Now I'll start!'
I blinked and exerted my power. Then, a halo of light slid and was sucked into Caligo's body. Up to this point, it was within the normal range.
But...
'What? My power is being sucked rapidly into Caligo's hand!'
This is...
'It's the same as when I treated Grand Duke Rivera!'
I thought he was simply unwell...
I stared intently at Caligo. Only then did Caligo's eyes widen.
"...Coco? H-How..."
I tilted my head and gripped Caligo's hand firmly.
The moment the halo of light spread over the back of Caligo's hand and ancient characters similar to a magic circle spread across his forearm, I realized.
"Caligo!"
The victim Prince Gaisa mentioned. That was...
"Were you cursed? Did it hurt a lot? Why, why did you endure it?"
At those words, Caligo's eyes widened.
Seeing the glistening tears pooling in Caligo's eyes...
That wicked Imperial Concubine—no, former Imperial Concubine Hervezette!
Feeling Caligo's voice tremble, I raised my hand firmly.
"Don't worry, Coco will fix it!"
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Caligo's heart.
'I can see something black, like a twisted knot!'
Should I say it felt like a mana circle, or like a twisted knot embedded somewhere in the heart?
And I instinctively realized.
'I just need to get rid of that knot!'
As I raised my hand and placed it near Caligo's heart, a pure white halo of light appeared and then vanished.
Caligo let out a pained groan.
'I'm worried, but I have to do this.'
...How many minutes passed?
By the time beads of sweat had formed on my forehead, I felt a strange sensation.
There was a tiny, fingernail-sized bit of black power left, but strangely, no more power flowed from my hand.
'What? Why isn't it working?'
I tilted my head in confusion.
If I leave that, he'll still struggle with lingering pain! I have to fix it quickly!
Then, Caligo grabbed my hand.
"Coco."
"Yeah?"
"...If you've healed me this much, it's enough."
...Was the treatment not working because Caligo was rejecting it?
I looked at Caligo with a shocked expression.
Come to think of it, yesterday, while preparing for the <Festival for the Divine Beast>, I heard a new slang term from Jjek-jjeki.
"People these days say 'it's like eating a sweet potato' when they feel frustrated."
"W-Why would you feel frustrated while eating such delicious sweet potatoes? People are fools...!"
"...But you're human now, so you should know."
'Like eating a sweet potato.'
I had memorized that word while being incredibly shocked back then...
"...What's wrong? Caligo, are you perhaps a sweet potato?"
...Now was the perfect time to say that to Caligo.
"It's not that I'm refusing your healing entirely."
"Then...?"
Then, Caligo gave a refreshing smile and shook his head.
"...I've thought of a way to get my final revenge on Hervezette."
.jpg)