Chapter 3
He never expected that a single dose of medicine was no longer enough to maintain his body's condition.
The slanting sun sank behind the western mountains, handing the shift over to the crescent moon.
The wind grew stronger, carrying even more chill.
Kanzaki Tomomu took the chance to slip away for a moment. He urgently increased the dosage, then put on a large white coat and brought an outer jacket for Clarisse.
Clarisse didn't think much of it.
Wrapping her body in the jacket Kanzaki Tomomu had brought her, she greedily breathed in the lingering, reassuring scent that still clung to the fabric.
In the eyes of others, she was a rather unusual girl.
As a child, she always liked asking adults strange questions, which often led to her being teased by children her age and gradually isolated.
Questions like: Where do people come from? Who created humans? How did this world begin?
She would tirelessly pursue stories of the past—things called "history."
Her father had passed away early. Aside from her mother, no one understood why a child would be so obsessed with such things.
Until she met Mr. Kanzaki—the person in this world who understood her and accepted her. Now there was one more.
No matter what question she asked, no matter how absurd it was or whether it had a standard answer, Mr. Kanzaki would always respond with sincerity.
The five years she had known Mr. Kanzaki were the easiest and most beautiful times of her life.
It was also the warmth she could touch in the world outside of the safe harbor that was home.
In his deep brown eyes flowed a gentleness deep enough to make one drown.
Yet the girl faintly felt an illusion—that deep within that gentleness lay a thread of detachment and loneliness.
Every time she tried to get closer to Mr. Kanzaki's heart, she always had the feeling of running into an invisible wall.
Clarisse wasn't sure whether this feeling she had toward Mr. Kanzaki could be called "like" or even "love."
Perhaps… it counted?
Her mother once said that if, in that person's world, you could feel an unprecedented sense of peace, that might be one form of love.
"Mr. Kanzaki, my mother's condition is still worsening, isn't it?" The girl stopped her wild thoughts.
"Yes."
"Is there really no way to cure it completely…"
"Of course there is." Kanzaki Tomomu smiled warmly, giving Clarisse a reassuring pill of comfort.
The girl's eyes lit up instantly, full of anticipation as she looked at him.
"In another two months, I will definitely be able to completely cure Mrs. Durand's amnesia and return a healthy mother to you."
"Mr. Kanzaki is so amazing~!"
The girl exclaimed in delight, unable to hold back a cheer. Her eyes, reflecting the evening glow and night sky, sparkled beautifully and captivatingly.
She had complete faith in Mr. Kanzaki's abilities.
"At that time, you can return to your homeworld on the neighboring planet and won't need to bring Mrs. Durand running back and forth to this remote mountain forest of mine."
"…"
Hearing those words, the joyful excitement on Clarisse's pretty face froze for a moment.
Homeworld…
There was nothing left there worth lingering for.
She didn't want to go back. Otherwise, seeing Mr. Kanzaki wouldn't be as easy as it was now.
She had decided—
Once her mother's amnesia was completely cured, she would find an opportunity to confess her feelings to Mr. Kanzaki.
It might be youthful and naive.
But it was full of purity.
Her mother had said that endless waiting would eventually bring only regret.
She didn't want to leave any regrets.
"Let's not talk about that for now. Mr. Kanzaki, I want to do a fortune-telling for your future. It's very accurate!"
Saying so, Clarisse took out a set of tarot cards.
"How accurate?" Kanzaki Tomomu chuckled lightly.
"Accurate enough that five years ago, I roughly divined the area where your bamboo house is located."
"Oh? That's pretty impressive. Then let's try it. But I don't know anything about tarot cards. Is that okay?"
"It's fine. What aspect of the future would you like to divine, Mr. Kanzaki? How about we start with romance?" Clarisse suppressed the nervousness in her heart, afraid of being rejected.
"Heh… sure. How do I do it?"
"Keep it simple. Mr. Kanzaki only needs to draw three cards from the deck without looking~"
Kanzaki Tomomu didn't hesitate or think too much. He casually drew the cards and smiled, signaling the girl to proceed.
Clarisse eagerly flipped over the first card.
The moment she saw the image, her smile froze for an instant.
It was the Three of Swords…
An inauspicious start.
She continued to the second card.
Ten of Swords!!
Her small face turned slightly pale. Clarisse's fingers trembled faintly as she flipped the final card.
The Star, reversed…
"What's wrong? Did I draw a very unlucky combination?" Seeing her poor expression, Kanzaki Tomomu asked gently.
"No, no! It's very, very auspicious! I'm just shocked that such a rare card combination came up…"
Clarisse shook her head hurriedly, secretly gritting her teeth. She skipped the complicated explanation and gave a conclusion completely opposite to the actual meaning.
"Mr. Kanzaki will join hands with the person he deeply loves in the future. You will become each other's spiritual home. Simply put, it is eternal love."
"I see… Then I'll take the great fortune-teller Miss Clarisse's auspicious words to heart."
Seeing Kanzaki Tomomu's trusting smile, Clarisse clenched her left hand tightly under the table.
The true meaning of this card spread was profound heartbreak leading to the end of a relationship, bringing unforgettable despair.
In the end, the beautiful future she had imagined would lose everything and become reality.
Divination was not omnipotent, and its accuracy was far from 100%.
But… this was the first time Clarisse fell into such deep self-doubt.
Mr. Kanzaki treated patients no matter how severe their conditions were, only symbolically charging a tiny consultation fee.
Over the five years of treating her mother's amnesia, the credits spent were less than one-tenth of what it would cost just to take a spaceship from their homeworld to this planet.
How could someone so kind and gentle toward life face such a future?
…It couldn't be… because of her, right?
No, no, how could she possibly harm Mr. Kanzaki?!
This divination was probably inaccurate this time.
However, the flame of hope Clarisse had for the future in her heart was temporarily extinguished because of it.
The girl's thoughts were simple. The quietly sinking mood was keenly noticed by Kanzaki Tomomu.
He didn't expose it, after all, it was the girl's well-intentioned white lie.
It seemed the divination result was the complete opposite of what she said.
For someone who was about to die, where would there be joining hands with a deeply loved person, and where would there be eternity?
Dying alone quietly in old age was the destined ending he had chosen.
Even a fulfilling life like this could not avoid leaving some small regrets.
As for that research, Teacher probably wouldn't change her mind.
He couldn't persuade her.
Late at night.
Burdened with heavy thoughts, Clarisse fell asleep exhausted, slumped over the table.
Kanzaki Tomomu gently picked her up, moved her to the bamboo couch padded with a soft sleeping mat, and covered her with a fluffy blanket.
After confirming that Mrs. Durand inside the medical pod showed no abnormalities, he entered the folding space to continue his unfinished work.
Looking at the cold parts on the alloy workbench, Kanzaki Tomomu put on his protective goggles and methodically proceeded to the next step.
...
Warm sunlight pierced through the swaying branches, forming golden dappled spots that scattered across the fallen leaves on the ground.
Clarisse's eyelashes fluttered lightly as she slowly opened her eyes.
She got up in a daze, scanning her surroundings, and her gaze settled on the handsome profile of the man sitting by the window, gazing into the distance.
The morning light draped him in a layer of golden amber, dreamlike and illusory.
For a moment, Clarisse gradually lost herself in a trance.
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Bonus chapters
200 Stones - 1 chapter
400 Stones - 2 chapter
600 Stones - 3 chapters
And so on