Chapter 10
“In any case, since everyone calls you a hero, I should call you a hero too.”
“Rufus.”
Rufus replied tersely.
“Rufus? Is that your name?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a nice name—rolls of the tongue nicely. What does it mean?”
To his surprise, Rufus felt better after hearing her casual interest in his name.
So, unlike his usual self, he started explaining.
“Rufus is another name for the Fuchsia flower.”
“Fuchsia flower?”
“It’s a plant that only grows in the Inferna domain, where I was born. It has red flowers that look like fairies.”
“Wow, I’d like to see it.”
“Yeah, it’s a really beautiful flower.”
“But it’s a red flower… did your butt turn very red when you were born?”
In response to the maid’s playful comment, Rufus gave her a sideways glance.
“No, I was named after the Fuchsia flower because my grandmother liked it.”
“Well, my name is also derived from the Sarubia flower…”
“I know.”
Rufus cut her off.
“You mentioned it before. Your name is Sarubia, but your hair is ivory-colored.”
A pause.
The maid’s steps seemed unnaturally slow.
“…You remembered that?”
She looked up at Rufus.
It was just for a brief moment, but she seemed genuinely surprised.
Rufus nonchalantly nodded.
“Of course. You said it before when you told me your name.”
“Did you remember… my name too?”
“What a silly question. If I didn’t know your name, how could I have found you?”
The maid stared at Rufus, momentarily bewildered. It was as if she had experienced something she never imagined.
“Why on earth?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you still remember my name?”
“It’s not that I remember. I couldn’t forget.”
Rufus replied straightforwardly.
“I thought about your name the entire time I was on the battlefield. There’s no way I could forget.”
“My name?”
“Yes. I kept thinking about the words you said to me.”
Rufus stopped walking.
It was an empty path, behind the guest palace where Rufus and his family resided. Aside from Rufus and the maid, there was no sound to be heard.
“…”
Rufus looked down at the maid standing beside him.
“Survive till the end.”
Her words, repeated countless times, echoed in his mind.
For the past three years, he had lived on her words as if they were sustenance.
Willing or not, she had become a part of his life.
“Sarubia.”
Rufus called her name.
At the sound of her name, the maid flinched, as if hearing her name being called was unfamiliar to her.
“You said you were a saintess. You said you could prophesize people’s deaths.”
“Oh… Yes, you remembered well.”
“I need your help. So, can I ask one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“My grandmother is here. She’s not been in good health to begin with, and her condition has worsened due to the long journey from the outskirts to the capital. So…”
“No.”
The maid cut off Rufus’s words.
“You want to know about your family member’s death? I’m sorry, but that’s a bit difficult.”
Even without hearing the rest of his words, the maid could tell. This man wanted to know how much longer his grandmother could hold on.
Looking at his perspective as a family member, she could fully understand his concern.
But…
“You probably wouldn’t be able to bear it.”
Learning about death was a very painful process. Could one bear the pain of knowing that the life of a loved one would eventually come to an end?
“Even if you know about death, you can’t change it. I’m just a powerless human who can’t interfere with destiny.”
The maid turned her head with a bitter expression.
Rufus followed her gaze.
“I understand. Even if you’re a saintess, there’s probably no way to defy destiny.”
“But you still want to know? Why? It will only torment you more…”
“My parents passed away when I was seven.”
Rufus said with a heavy heart.
At that time, his parents, originally from a major city, had moved to the remote Inferna territory to inherit the baron title. But before they could officially receive the title, they both passed away.
The Inferna territory was practically a wasteland. The climate was harsh, and stagnant pools of brackish water were infested with noxious pests. Rufus’s parents couldn’t adapt to the environment and slowly withered away.
After Rufus’s younger brother, Edel, was born, their parents’ health rapidly deteriorated.
Then one day.
Without any warning, their parents never opened their eyes again.
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