Chapter 88 - The Moon Walking in the Wake of the Sun (15)

Chapter 88 - The Moon Walking in the Wake of the Sun (15)

"You're not even going to try to explain? What were you planning to do to me?"

Erika let out a small giggle as she addressed Ernst, who said nothing in return.

Ernst hesitated briefly, then tried to calmly explain the situation.

"I was sitting here first."

"Oh really? And how am I supposed to believe that? Maybe a man sneaking around quietly came to peep on a woman washing herself. Isn't that more likely?"

"…"

With things framed like that, Ernst really had no argument. The situation was entirely one that could be misunderstood.

"Why… are you here?"

Erika whispered.

The distance between them was too great for her whisper to carry, and the rushing sound of the swollen river filled the air—but even so, Ernst could hear her voice clearly.

"I fell into the river. Got swept away pretty far. I'm waiting here until someone comes to rescue me."

"…"

Ernst answered honestly.

Erika's face stiffened slightly at his words.

If she really was a Saraan, then this was disturbing news. Instructors from the Imperial Military Academy would be combing the riverbanks thoroughly.

But the emotion that flickered across Erika's face wasn't fear.

Her expression unreadable, her eyes shimmered strangely as she stared intently at Ernst.

"Why are you here?"

Ernst relaxed his body and leaned against the tree trunk again.

He'd told her about the schedule of the Academy—why was she still here?

Where were the man named Werner and the horse Bitber she was traveling with?

Erika held her silence for a moment, gazing into Ernst's eyes. The moonlight made his dark eyes glimmer.

"Originally, we were supposed to head south two days ago."

She spoke with a sigh.

"But the rain came down so hard we couldn't move. So we waited, and once it stopped, we started traveling again. We followed the river today, and we were going to head south tomorrow morning."

She explained without resistance.

"Why'd you fall into the river? Didn't you know it was dangerous with all the rain? Or did you just not realize what a swollen river could do?"

Erika asked again. Her tone was half scolding, half interrogating, and also laced with concern.

"I wasn't trying to go in. My friends threw me."

"…Honestly, men."

Erika muttered, looking appalled.

Even a child would know how dangerous a swollen river was after such heavy rain.

Yet cadets, fifteen years old, had carelessly thrown someone into that very river as a joke.

Ernst thought about explaining how some pampered noble kids might not even know such obvious things—but he gave up. It felt like he'd just be making excuses.

'What a crazy coincidence.'

Ernst realized how layered with chance this situation was and found himself a bit stunned.

Ever since they crossed paths in the village, a series of coincidences had brought them here.

First, Erika and Werner had only one horse, which slowed them down. That allowed them to encounter the transport group from the Academy again.

Then, while Erika should've had time to leave during the training exercises in the forest, the sudden downpour trapped her here.

Thanks to Ernst's negotiation, the forest training ended a day early, bringing them to the river at the same time.

Even so, they had been far apart—Ernst on the north bank, Erika on the south. They shouldn't have met again unless something drastic happened.

And that drastic thing did happen: Ernst's fellow cadets had thrown him with all their strength into the river, and he had been swept here by the floodwaters.

"Hey, what are you thinking about, zoning out like that in front of someone?"

Though it was only for a moment, Erika called out to him in a slightly annoyed voice.

"I just… was thinking it's kind of a miracle."

Ernst muttered as if to excuse himself, before realizing he didn't need to excuse anything.

"That's true. A ridiculous coincidence."

Erika sighed and let her gaze wander over the darkened ground.

Ernst couldn't read her expression anymore—but her eyes still seemed eerily clear.

A moment of silence fell, broken only by the river's murmuring. Erika's eyes slowly rose and fixed on Ernst again, curving gently.

"Come sit over here."

She patted the ground beside her with her palm. Her smiling eyes had a mischievous glint.

"I don't want to cause any more misunderstandings."

Ernest firmly refused.

Sitting next to her in just his undershorts could lead to teasing—or worse, someone like Werner or an instructor catching them and jumping to conclusions.

"Even when I'm the one asking?"

"Yeah."

"Then I guess I'll have to scream."

"…What?"

"Scream that a naked man tried to spy on me while I was washing."

"…"

"Come on, sit down. We don't have that much time."

Still smiling slyly, Erika patted the spot beside her again.

Ernest hesitated, then sighed and carefully sat next to her.

She had to escape before the instructors arrived. It would've been smarter to leave immediately, but for some reason, Erika seemed to want to talk to him.

"So, Ernest."

As he sat down to her right, Erika raised her left knee and rested her head on it, gazing at him.

A drop of water clung to her white foot and slid slowly down.

"What kind of pretty words are you going to use to praise me?"

Erika curled her toes and giggled, as if something was tickling her. Her voice was filled with anticipation—not for the compliment itself, but for the reaction of a flustered Ernst.

"…"

And indeed, Ernst was too flustered to say anything.

He didn't know why this strange girl was being so friendly and playful with him.

And secondly, he'd never once in his life complimented a girl. He had tried to think of something nice to say, based on Ferdinand's advice, but now felt unsure.

Avoiding her gaze, Ernst listened to the sound of the flowing river.

He hesitated a long while, then finally murmured,

"Your eyes…"

"My eyes?"

Erika's voice pressed in on him, softly probing, her narrowed eyes full of amusement.

"…They look like a crescent moon."

Ernst let out a small sigh and spoke in a calm voice.

Her smiling eyes, so clearly visible even in the dark, really did resemble a crescent moon hanging in the night sky.

"I'm disappointed."

Erika stifled a giggle, failing to hide the joy in her voice.

"You stole that from my song, didn't you?"

Ernst had actually thought it even before he heard her song.

But since the lyrics of her song mentioned her smile looking like a crescent moon, it now felt like he'd just copied her words.

"No, I didn't mean it like that…"

He began to explain, but stopped—any explanation would only make it worse.

"So what, were you sitting by a sunset river, watching the crescent moon follow the setting sun, and suddenly my eyes came to mind?"

"…"

Ernst said nothing.

She was exactly right—but if he admitted that, she'd definitely misunderstand. So he chose silence.

"Ahaha…"

Erika's laugh was ticklish.

She lifted her head, turned slightly, and looked at the river.

She raised her left hand and pressed the back of it lightly to her right cheek, then brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Why are you being so friendly with me?"

Ernst asked, glancing at her moonlit nose bridge, her shaded right cheek, and the barely visible contour of her right ear.

Erika flinched as if about to turn, then spoke while still half-hidden in shadow.

"Oh my, look at you. When did I ever act friendly with you?"

"I mean, even now…"

"That's just what you think. I've actually been very mean to you."

"In what world?"

She had been nothing but warm and teasing—how was that supposed to be "mean"?

Erika giggled softly.

"Are you… interested in me?"

"What kind of interest?"

"You're really bad at pretending not to know things, huh?"

"…"

"Only the second time we've met, and you're already mistaking a woman's friendliness for affection—and worse, you're telling her that."

She reached out and poked Ernst's left shoulder with her fingertip.

"How embarrassing…"

"…"

Hearing her words, Ernst realized this might actually be a very embarrassing situation.

Was he just babbling based on some wild misunderstanding?

"…"

"…"

Ernst flinched.

Erika, who had been gently pressing his shoulder with a fingertip, suddenly spread her palm and softly held his shoulder.

His shoulder, wet and cold from drying after the river, was surrounded by her warm touch.

In contrast, Erika's palm—cool and damp with sweat—rested against him.

Her hand slowly slid down his arm and let go. Ernst could sense her tension in that touch.

Despite all her teasing, Erika was trembling, her hand cold and slick.

"…The song."

Erika whispered.

Her face, tilted away from the setting crescent moon, was hidden.

"Don't tell anyone. Okay?"

But her eyes still shone vividly.

"Is it a song from the Saraan people?"

Ernst forced a casual tone as he asked.

Her eyes, tight with tension just moments before, softened again into a gentle crescent-moon shape, filled with something hard to name.

"Yeah. It is."

A ticklish whisper.

"It's a song a man sings when he proposes."

"Then why did you, a girl, sing it?"

At Ernst's question, Erika's breath grew shallow.

A faint tremor.

Then a giggle.

"You're really asking because you don't know?"

Her voice was strained, almost like the wind.

Then she abruptly stood up. Ernest looked up in surprise, but Erika didn't show her face.

She turned to leave—but paused.

Just like before, she covered her face with her left hand and lowered her body slightly, grabbing her boots.

"Where are you going?"

Startled, Ernest called out to the quickly retreating Erika.

She stopped mid-step.

Her pale toes twitched, hesitating.

"…You really are an idiot."

Then she turned and briskly walked away.

Sitting by the river, Ernst stared blankly at her retreating figure as she disappeared into the night.

"…Why am I an idiot?"

No answer came.

The one who could've answered had already vanished into the darkness.

And perhaps he would never hear the answer.

Their meeting had been miraculous—and it was unlikely they'd meet again.

Their meeting had been a miracle. It wouldn't happen again.

***

"Kruger! Kruger!"

"Ernst! Wahhh! Ernst!"

Ernst jerked up in shock at the voices calling him.

Only then did he remember he had fallen into the river and was waiting to be rescued.

How could he forget something like that?

"Over here! I'm over here!"

"Kruger! Can you hear me?"

"Yes! I can hear you! I'm across the river!"

Recognizing Thomas's voice, Ernst stood and waved his arms with relief.

Soon, pale light from a Balt lamp appeared between trees, rocks, and bushes.

"Ernst! You're safe, right? Right?!"

Robert burst out ahead of Thomas, who held the lamp.

Robert was practically crawling on all fours and almost fell into the river until Thomas grabbed him by the collar and tossed him backward.

"I'm safe!"

Ernst answered to calm the sobbing Robert, who began wailing in earnest where he sat.

Robert had truly thought Ernest was dead.

Anyone swept away in a flooded river was considered as good as dead nine times out of ten.

Even if you survived, you'd likely be injured by rocks or debris along the way.

Thomas raised the Balt lamp high and peered across the river.

Seeing Ernest standing upright and waving both arms, he let out a long sigh.

It was a miracle—Ernest had made it out completely unharmed.

"I've found Kruger!"

Thomas shouted, cursed at the collapsed Robert, and approached the riverbank cautiously.

There was no bridge nearby. The water was shallow, the current slow—it was better to swim.

Thomas, ever prepared, tied a long rope to a branch and swung it around his head before throwing it hard. After a few failures, he cursed and gave it all he had—the branch finally reached Ernest.

"Tie it tight!"

"Yes!"

Ernest tied the rope around his waist. On the other side, Thomas fastened his end to a tree.

More instructors arrived, and Ernest jumped into the river without fear.

With six trained soldiers pulling the rope, Ernest didn't even need to swim—just had to keep his head above water.

When he emerged safely on the other side, the instructors sighed in relief.

Their faces were beaded with sweat in the moonlight.

But Ernest, despite almost dying, was incredibly calm.

He brushed back his wet hair, shivered at the night chill, and casually untied the rope.

"…He's way too calm."

The instructors felt almost deflated.

He'd warned others about the river repeatedly.

He knew how close he'd come to death.

"Turn."

"Yes."

At Thomas's command, Ernest turned.

Thomas held the light close to check for injuries.

In battle, adrenaline made people forget pain.

Some ran on broken legs without knowing.

But Ernest had no injuries.

He was miraculously unharmed.

"Heading back."

Thomas nodded and gave the order.

"Ernest, you're really okay, right?!"

"Yeah, you idiot."

"Waaaah…"

Ernest answered calmly, and Robert broke into fresh tears of relief.

Though Ernest could walk, he had no shoes—and might have unseen injuries.

So an instructor carried him.

Robert, exhausted from crying, was carried too.

"So composed," Thomas muttered.

Considering his friends had nearly killed him, Ernest was shockingly calm.

"Panicking won't help, so it's best to stay still."

Ernest replied weakly.

But when he'd first emerged, he had been shaking with fear and cold—and had sworn to beat his friends senseless.

Now, he couldn't even feel angry.

Not because of Robert—but because of Erika.

Talking to her had absorbed all his attention.

He'd even forgotten he was waiting to be rescued.

It felt like a dream under the moonlight.

Now that he was rescued, none of it felt real.

He just sighed, "Ugh, those bastards…"

Ernest returned safely to camp, and the panicked cadets finally calmed down.

"I-I'm sorry, Kruger. I didn't think you'd go that far…"

"It's fine. Just don't do it again."

"…Okay."

They'd all expected him to lash out or demand duels—but Ernest accepted their apologies calmly and let it go.

"Good thing we didn't leave," Wilred sighed.

"You only survived because it was you. Imagine if it had been me."

"No one but Robert would toss you."

"Robert might drag me in on his own."

He joked to ease the tension.

"I'm sorry. I should've stopped them."

Ferdinand, his bare feet torn and bloody from chasing after Ernest, apologized.

He hadn't joined in—but he felt responsible.

"I'd worry more about your feet."

"It's just the soles. I'll get treated on the way."

Ferdinand remained composed.

Such wounds could fester—but he, as the grandson of the 2nd corps Chief of Staff and a cadet at the Royal Academy, could easily receive first-rate treatment.

The situation had ended well.

But the cadets would never forget how they nearly killed a fellow student.

The word death had never felt heavier.

The instructors tightened their control.

With more rain coming, they gave up camping and let the cadets sleep in vehicles or town.

Thanks to Ernest's near-death, the Academy avoided worse.

The second-years returned early.

The upperclassmen continued their training in the rain.

Thomas submitted a full report.

He should've faced severe punishment—but with help from Brigadier General Kramer Schäfer and Headmaster Armin Mannheim, it ended with half a year's pay docked.

That was light, considering he could've lost his position.

***

The second-years resumed normal school life.

"Where's your homework?"

"…I forgot."

"Bring it tomorrow."

"But it's every three days…"

"Tomorrow. Got it?"

"…Okay."

Ernest didn't mention the incident to Marie.

She was just happy to see him back—and got caught up in an awkward situation.

She had studied diligently in his absence.

Finished the homework early, too.

But getting it checked was another matter.

"Do your best tomorrow, Marie."

"…You too, Ernest."

She grumbled, but still replied warmly.

"Is there anything I can do?"

After Marie left, Robert hovered nervously.

His prank had nearly killed Ernest.

Ernest wasn't bothered anymore—but Robert clearly was.

"Can you stop acting like that?"

"Please… just give me something to do… or beat me up… anything…"

Robert dropped to his knees and murmured.

"I said I put it on your tab."

"That's worse! I feel even more guilty!"

"Hit me!"

"Get lost. You're disgusting."

"Why won't you hit me?! You used to hit me all the time!"

"When?"

"You did! I remember every time!"

"That's because you earned it. And I never hit you seriously. If I had, you wouldn't still be rooming with me."

"This time I really earned it!

Just hit me already!"

"…Seriously, stop. You're gross."

Even at school, Robert kept begging to be hit.

Maybe he thought it would clear his conscience.

Eventually, they were called in by the disciplinary officer. After some stern, disgusted words, Robert finally stopped.

"You almost got me in trouble."

"I don't like that either… unless it's with a pretty blonde, like Major Kirchner."

"You're disgusting."

Leaving Robert behind, Ernest thought about that day again.

And what he remembered most—was Erika.

He replayed their conversation in his head for a long time, chewing on one lingering question.

'So why am I a fool?'

Ernest had lived his whole life far from that word. Erika's comment baffled him.

Maybe she was just nervous and misunderstood something.

But come to think of it—why had she been so tense?

She hadn't seemed afraid.

Women… are impossible to understand.