NOVEL NEXT #24
#24
The meaning of engagement…
Jersian thought about the dictionary definition of that word in his head and said:
“…Come to think of it, if I get engaged, it won’t be very good for you either.”
“Is that so?”
Kain Starchis’s warm emerald eyes moved slightly. The elf showed no sign of being fazed, as always.
Jersian, secretly hoping that his words would disrupt the elf’s peaceful composure, explained:
“An engagement is a declaration of intent to marry in the near future.”
“…”
But Kain Starchis’s expression remained unchanged. There was not a hint of surprise on his face.
“A declaration… of intent to marry, you say?”
He repeated the explanation he had just heard like a parrot, as if doing so would make it easier to understand Jersian’s words. Hmm, Kain Starchis’s sharp brow furrowed slightly. Then, placing four fingers on his chin, he spoke:
“A declaration… of intent to marry… in the near future.”
“…”
No way. One of Jersian’s eyebrows shot up.
Jersian, vaguely realizing why Kain was drawing out his words, opened his mouth:
“Don’t tell me you don’t even know what marriage is?”
Kain Starchis immediately replied:
“It seems I don’t.”
Engagement and marriage were concepts entirely unnecessary for elves, whose mates were determined by the Galia tree. So for Kain to understand the difference between the two at once, some explanation was needed.
Jersian briefly made an expression as if to say ‘Are you serious?’, but noticing that Kain really seemed to want to know the meaning, he spoke:
“It’s when two people vow in front of everyone that they will be together forever. That’s what marriage means.”
Well, there were also additional meanings like legal issues and the union of families, but explaining such things to this elf would only make it harder to understand. A strange light flickered in Kain Starchis’s eyes as he heard Jersian’s words.
“…Together forever.”
“It might sound grand when you first hear it, but in the end, it’s just a verbal promise. Even after marriage, the parties can always separate if they want to.”
“What?”
Kain tilted his head as if he had heard something strange. His platinum white hair cascaded down past his shoulders. It was an innocent reaction that an unknowing child might show.
“Then… isn’t it not forever?”
Destined partners were the only two in this world, and elves with a mate stayed together until the end of their partner’s life. There was no room for other beings or events to intervene.
Ha, Jersian scoffed briefly at Kain’s innocent question. After all, he had no interest or passion for such formalities as marriage or engagement to begin with.
“That’s how it is. There’s nothing truly eternal in this world. Not marriage, not engagement.”
“Then why do it?”
“What?”
“I’m curious why humans get married, saying they’ll be together forever, when it’s not going to be eternal.”
“Obviously, at that time, they believe it. That they will always be together forever, at that moment.”
Jersian said, picking up a rolled parchment from the table.
“It’s a foolish thought.”
The parchment contained various complicated tasks that Jersian had to deal with immediately. It was a report document from informants scattered across the continent. It was far more important than explaining the meaning of marriage or engagement to an ignorant elf.
Just as Jersian was about to take out a quill pen from the table to reply to the informant:
“It might not be a foolish thought.”
Jersian’s fingers stopped abruptly at Kain Starchis’s words.
“What?”
“Eternal things. Because there are eternal things in this world.”
“…”
It was a clear voice.
At Kain Starchis’s confident voice, Jersian’s hand slowly rested on the table without reaching the quill pen. The edge of the parchment he had been looking at curled up again.
“For example, fate is eternal.”
A bright ray of sunlight was shining behind Kain’s back as he sat by the window. In sync with it, Kain’s snow-white hair shone brightly.
It was a sight like a messenger sent by God.
“You seemed so certain that there was nothing.”
He added with a very gentle smile towards Jersian, who was looking at him:
“Wouldn’t it be too cruel to think of this world that way?”
Jersian, who had been listening intently to Kain’s words, grimaced. He snorted briefly and responded coldly:
“Didn’t you know? The world is inherently cruel.”
It was a short sentence.
But it was enough to feel Jersian’s emotions. In reality, for Jersian, the world and fate had only been cruel.
The storm that had blown fiercely enough to sweep away his entire body on a pitch-black night. And his mother, whose face he could barely remember now. The Marquis’s tests that had constantly pushed him to his limits after being adopted into the bleak Gerold family where he knew no one.
Even his name, which others took for granted from birth, was like that. Jersian had to fight with everything he had to reclaim his name.
“…”
Kain’s gentle gaze turned towards Jersian. Jersian was looking in another direction as if trying not to meet his gaze.
Kain silently rose from where he was leaning by the window and walked towards Jersian. Jersian, sitting at the desk with his chin rested on his hand, silently allowed Kain to approach. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he let him approach to see what he was trying to do.
Kain, who had come close, stretched out his arm. Then, thud, he covered the back of Jersian’s hand that was resting on the table with his palm. The rough skin and warm body temperature befitting an elf who had been shooting arrows could be felt.
“…What is it?”
Jersian reacted gruffly. But Kain didn’t remove his hand despite Jersian’s reaction. Instead, he confidently fiddled with Jersian’s hand, which was still small compared to his own, as if fascinated. As Jersian subtly tried to pull his hand away, Kain pulled it back and opened his lips. It was a soft voice.
“I could feel that you were sad.”
“Me?”
At Jersian’s sharp tone, as if it was nonsense, Kain slightly stretched his lips into a smile.
The boy who had just spoken about how cruel the world was was so immature that he didn’t even realize how lonely he looked while saying those words. He was still young. Jersian was a boy who had never allowed himself to be fully sad. That’s why he was so unstable and sharp. It was natural that he couldn’t believe in anything eternal.
Kain lowered his gaze to look at the boy’s small hand and continued speaking:
“Yes. It’s not complete yet, but… I have a mark on my side. Through this mark, I can vaguely sense your emotions.”
“…”
What’s that? Jersian lifted his head discontentedly. It was an effect of the mark that had never been mentioned before. Being able to freely sense the other person’s emotions was unacceptable from Jersian’s perspective. Normally, he would have forcefully pushed away another person’s hand that was arbitrarily covering the back of his hand from the start.
As he raised his gaze irritably, he came face to face with Kain Starchis, who was looking down at him with a warm expression. Jersian’s hand trembled slightly. But he neither tried to pull his hand away nor actively grasped Kain’s hand.
This much was enough for now.
Kain Starchis showed no dissatisfaction with Jersian’s reaction. He simply stood right next to the desk, intently looking down at Jersian, who was sitting silently. His gaze was as soft as grass leaves full of warm sunlight. He didn’t add any unnecessary words of comfort or try to sugarcoat anything for Jersian.
Kain maintained his posture for a very brief moment, then smiled once and raised his upper body again.
“You seem to feel a bit better now.”
Swish – Kain’s hand that had been on the back of Jersian’s hand slowly slid off. Jersian’s red eyes scanned to the tips of Kain’s neat fingers and then stared at his own hand still on the desk.
A subtle feeling stirred. Although Kain’s palm had only been there for a brief moment, it felt like an eternity.
Impossible.
“…”
The boy who absolutely didn’t believe in the existence of eternity in this world felt that way for a moment. That was the crucial point.