Episode 38
“It really is the core. What a relief.”
He mumbled that it was worth getting injured even down to his shoulder. Finding the core for his father was certainly a joyous matter, but I didn’t feel good at all.
“Hey, are you listening?”
“…Yes?”
“Why do you have that expression when it was revealed to be the core?”
“Ah…”
I fidgeted with my fingers for no reason.
I know, it was definitely a good thing.
Since this is the second core. It means only three cores are left for Dad now.
“Is it because of Star?”
A sigh can be heard. I know Aidan will disapprove of me having empathized with a mere horse.
So I shook my head, denying it, but naturally there was no way he would believe it.
“That horse no longer has value as a racehorse, you know.”
“…I know.”
“I heard that let alone running, even walking might be difficult.”
Aidan said while crossing his long legs.
“For a racehorse to be unable to run is no different from being unable to breathe. It’s already a worthless horse.”
Aidan continued his words coldly.
“If Star were a gentle horse at least, someone might buy him, but. As you know, he had a sensitive personality as well.”
“That’s true…”
“Rather, if he were a white horse, there would at least be a possibility that some clueless noble lady might buy him, saying he’s pretty.”
Every time I heard the continuing explanation that Star had lost all value as a horse, strength went into my fists.
Is Aidan really devoid of both blood and tears?
Even so, it’s practically thanks to Star that we obtained the core, so how can he only talk in that kind of way?
Does he really think something is unneeded if it has no functional value? Is that the way nobles think?
“Even so, are you really that sad?”
“…”
I wiped away my tears in silence.
“Having so much affection like that, what are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry, because I have no affection to give to you, Young Lord.”
“What? I’m worse than a horse?”
I just closed my eyes.
Even though I actually knew that it couldn’t be helped.
I know that Aidan cannot heal Star’s leg, and that it isn’t his fault either.
Yet, I still keep wanting to blame him. Even though I can do nothing for him myself.
As I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep like that, it seemed I had fallen into a real sleep before I knew it.
When I faintly opened my eyes, the outside was already dark, and the carriage was running through a familiar street.
“Hey, we’ve arrived.”
“…”
Along with Aidan’s words, the carriage door opened. Without saying a single word of farewell to him, I got off the carriage just like that and went straight inside my house.
“You’re really childish, Cynthia.”
Why am I being so childish?
“I can’t do anything for Star either anyway.”
How much money goes into buying just one horse. I’m even bending my back right now trying to pay off the interest on this house loan…
“However, since Star is a horse that can no longer run, will the price be a bit cheap?”
How much money do I have saved up right now?
I hurriedly rummaged through the drawer.
“My salary is like this, and my additional side income from working in the Special Audit Department is like this, so…”
Although it’s a 20-year repayment loan, since my income has increased, it seems like it could work out somehow?
I hurriedly dialed Melliot’s number.
“Ah, Melliot. It’s Cynthia.”
-“My? What’s going on?”
“Because I have something I’m curious about. About how much the price of a racehorse is, by any chance?”
-“You’re trying to buy a racehorse? The price is enormous.”
The moment I heard the price Melliot mentioned, my mouth gasped open.
“W-Would a racehorse that became unable to walk be that expensive as well?”
-“Don’t tell me you’re trying to buy Star?”
“Yes… I have about 100 gold in spare cash right now, will it be possible with this?”
-“It’s true that Star was once a well-off horse, but with an amount like that, it will be more than enough to buy him! That’s really great. I was so worried about Star too.”
“Um, then I have a favor to ask. If I bring Star along, can you raise him instead?”
-“Me?”
Melliot’s surprised voice was heard over the receiver.
“Our house doesn’t have space for Star to stay. Naturally there’s no stable, and we don’t have a yard either.”
-“Ah.”
“And the capital is too different from the environment Star grew up in.”
Thinking that Star would miss the wide open fields in the West for the rest of his life, I couldn’t bring him here even out of apology.
“Because Star will be happy staying in the West.”
-“If Cynthia entrusts him to me…”
After pausing for a moment, Melliot spoke in a firm voice.
-“I think I would be so happy as well. As much as I am grateful to Star, I can raise him with all my affection.”
“Understood. I will go to Turtlely again tomorrow.”
-“Tomorrow?”
“Yes, so Melliot. Could you go to the association right now and tell them not to put Star down, and that I will go and purchase him tomorrow?”
-“Of course! Just trust me.”
Melliot said she would go right away and hung up the phone.
Don’t tell me they already euthanized him, right?
I waited anxiously for Melliot’s call.
-“Ah, Cynthia! It’s Melliot!”
Her voice was urgent. My heart thumped nervously for no reason.
“What happened?”
Don’t tell me already? By the time my vision blurred, Melliot’s voice was heard.
-“They say Star has already been sold!”
“He was sold? Who on earth bought him?”
Since he didn’t die, is it a relief? But who on earth would buy a horse that won’t even be able to walk properly? Don’t tell me bad guys bought him to abuse him? If a guy like Drodons purchased him to torment him!
-“Well…”
Melliot answered as if it was strange.
-“They say Young Lord Winslow purchased him.”
“…Pardon?”
I doubted my ears and asked back.
“Who bought him? Winslow?”
-“Yes. I couldn’t believe it either and asked again, but they say Young Lord Aidan Winslow really purchased him. And he paid as much as two hundred gold for him, too.”
“T-Two hundred?”
Aidan, who is famous for being reasonable, purchased a horse that might become unable to walk, paying two hundred gold?
-“They say so. Even at the association, they suggested how about purchasing another horse since this horse had no value, but the young lord rejected it. Cynthia, you didn’t know either, right?”
I didn’t know at all. After telling her I would look into it first, I hung up the phone.
“Aidan really bought Star?”
However, on the way back, Aidan didn’t give off any such sign.
Far from giving off a sign, it seemed like he didn’t care whether Star lived or died.
“Melliot must have misheard the name.”
Otherwise, it couldn’t be like this.
Mumbling to myself, I tried to get some sleep.
The next day.
Since there was a long-term business trip and the core was found, Aidan was sure to report the situation to the Emperor early in the morning.
“Haah.”
I opened my eyes after practically staying up all night. My face reflected in the mirror had sunken features and was in no state to be seen.
At this rate, I didn’t think I could get any work done.
Dressing roughly and opening the door to the Special Audit Department’s office forcefully much earlier than usual as I entered, Aidan was filling out documents with a relaxed posture, as if he had been waiting for me.
“…Young Lord.”
At my rough breathing, he slowly raised his head. Seeing me with dark circles under my eyes, his eyebrows rose slightly.
“Were you very tired because of the horse riding competition? Your face is a mess. You didn’t need to come to work early as well.”
“Star.”
I had no leeway to beat around the bush. I took large strides up to his desk and slammed both hands down on it.
“Star, did you buy him, Young Lord?”
The hand that had been wielding the pen relentlessly paused. However, soon as if nothing had happened, he wrote down words on the plain white paper again, mumbling softly.
“Yes.”
As he nodded his head as if it were completely natural, I opened my mouth in disbelief.
“Why on earth?”
Aidan glanced up at me. It was still a green gaze that seemed indifferent, but somewhere inside, it looked warm.
“If he dies just like that, you’ll be sad.”
And from Aidan’s mouth, words that were truly beyond expectation popped out.
