# 49
“Sirius, Sirius...”
Sirius was surprised at one point that he was on his knees on the ground, hugging Dearyn's waist.
Deyarin was hugging him and patting him on the head, trying to calm him down.
Sirius focused on Dearyn's touches flowing through his locks.
Over time, the annoying sounds that were echoing in his ear began to fade away.
His rapid breathing gradually began to calm down.
“Huh...”
“Breathe deeply… Everything is fine, everything is fine. There is nothing to be afraid of here. This is not a battlefield.”
Deyarin's voice was completely clear. Just then, Sirius nodded and adjusted his pupils. His breathing gradually began to calm down. He wasn't in the car anymore. The fragments of memories that were echoing in his head faded. Sirius soon forgot even what he was thinking. What he could see was only two houses.
“……Ah...”
“…Did you regain consciousness?”
Dearyn looked at Sirius happily.
Thanks to the wind, the tears that had gathered in the corners of Deyarin's eyes flowed out and fell down her cheeks.
The street lights reflected in her eyes like stars.
Sirius's eyes took in the scene. Dearyn looked at Sirius thoughtfully, the wind ruffling her hair. The feeling of hair touching his cheeks brought Sirius back to reality.
“……”
Dearyn remained silent and faced Sirius with that fixed gaze. Although tears fell, her bright eyes did not disappear easily.
“Are you better now?” Dearyn asked, letting go of Sirius' cheek she was holding. Cold air entered the place where Dearyn's hand was. Sirius didn't like the cold breeze, so he frowned.
"Don't you? You still don't feel better?"
Diaren reacted sensitively to Ceres' change in expression. Her hands, which were caressing his head, and the holy ability, felt like they regained their strength. Sirius surrendered to the warm atmosphere surrounding him and closed his eyes.
“……Dyaren.”
“Yes, I am here.”
She answered when he called. The corner of Sirius' mouth twitched. He felt comfortable. After being unable to bear even the softness of the bed behind him, he was now searching for warmth. After Sirius completely regained his stability, he raised his body that was leaning on the ground.
“Are you better now?”
"Yes."
“Oh, thank God……”
Dearyn tried to pull her hand off Sirius' body, but before she could do so, Sirius grabbed her hand and placed it back on his head.
“Why?”
“I want more.”
“……?”
There was nothing unusual, so why? Dearyn looked at Sirius with a skeptical face. But Sirius, his eyes steady, insisted firmly without hesitation.
It felt like Sirius was threatening that he would become a stranger if he didn't get what he wanted.
“Okay, okay.”
Dearyn eventually gave in and began to slowly comb his hair several times. The tears disappeared completely. Her touches became rough with frustration. Sirius' nose wrinkled.
No, this is not enough.
Facing Sirius's solicitous gaze, Dearyn smiled wryly. It seems that this little pup is now starting to ask directly as well.
Despite this, Deyarin's hand continued to move earnestly.
“And this too.”
Sirius pointed to his cheek. Even in the midst of chaos, the sense of Diarin's spontaneous touches remained present. The source of warmth that drove away the fear was those touches.
“……This is not done randomly!”
“If it wasn't random, it wouldn't be a problem, right?”
“No, I mean, you're not supposed to do that anytime!”
This was an emotional touch given the emergency situation they were in.
But Sirius was completely determined.
“If now isn't a random time, is it bad?”
“……What nonsense?”
Dearyn suddenly realized that she was talking like she was dealing with a little dog spouting nonsense. But she wasn't able to keep listening to everything.
“You seem to be fine now that you're saying such things.”
Deyarin strengthened her gaze and forcefully removed the hand that was on his head. Although Sirius protested with his gaze again, it had no effect.
“Let's go back now.”
It was too much to expect Sirius to be able to enjoy the festival. Even if he had become more adapted to people, he also had to take the variables of changing place into consideration. It was best to return quickly as soon as the situation improved to ensure everyone's safety.
“Are we going now? We better hurry.”
The driver urged Sirius and Dearyn when he saw them returning.
“I'm sorry, we have to go back now.”
“Oh, there seems to be a problem. But if we go back to the other side of the festival, I'll have wasted my time...”
It was helpful for the driver to pick up passengers leaving the festival early.
“I will pay you the full fare back and forth.”
This was not the time to save. Other than what she gave her mother, this was the biggest luxury in Deyarin's life. But now she doesn't need the money urgently, and she doesn't need to save.
“If so, then with great pleasure...” said Diaren generously.
“Oh, if you do that, I will agree immediately.”
The driver quickly bowed and accepted the offer.
Dearyn stood in front of the carriage door and looked at Sirius, but he did not seem to follow her.
“Sirius?”
“No, I don’t want to.”
"What?"
Sirius was backing away.
"……I don't want."
Even if he couldn't remember accurately, the feelings left behind by the old memories were holding him back. He felt bad once he saw the cart.
"The cart? Do you hate the cart?"
Sirius nodded.
“Until now, all transportation was done by cart or horseback. Ah.”
Basically, all means of transportation was horse or cart.
Surely everyone has used a stroller at least once in their life. Diaren, speaking from what she knew from personal experience, realized too late that Sirius' situation was special.
In combat zones, movement is either on foot or on horseback. Wagons are usually used to transport goods, and people rarely ride them. Since Ceres's entire life was on battlefields, it is unlikely that he ever rode a chariot.
'Maybe he didn't know her because he was drugged during the transport to the palace.'
Although the distance to the palace was long, it was not too far to walk. After seeing Sirius trembling with fear, Dearyn felt no incentive to convince him again.
“I'm sorry. I'll get off here.”
Diarin paid the full fare and sent the carriage away. Since she had given the driver enough to get to the festival site, he did not object to waiting for her.
“Looks like we're going to have to walk a long way.”
Dearyn stretched her back and looked towards the palace in the distance. But there is a problem.
“……oh.”
“……Dyaren?”
The problem was that Dearyn had used up too much of her sacred ability to calm Sirius down.
The moment she took a single step, the ground shook under Deyarin's feet. Dearyn grabbed Sirius's body with difficulty and regained her balance.
“Oh, I feel dizzy. I think I need to eat something before I can walk. Wait a minute.”
Her breathing became difficult due to low blood sugar. Now, it was Ceres' turn to be the observer.
Sirius tilted his head as he looked at Dearyn who was trying to regain her breath.
“Can't you walk?”
“Yes, I feel dizzy...”
“Then, I will carry you.”
"……What?"
Sirius showed his willingness to act rather than talk. Deyarin's feet suddenly lifted off the ground.
“Oh!”
The pressure of walking on Sirius's broad shoulders compressed Dearyn's stomach, causing it to make a muffled sound. She was almost nauseous, but she managed to control herself.
Not only that, but Sirius immediately started running.
"Wait, a minute. No, that's not what I want!"
"……not so?"
“Respect my dignity as a human being too!”
Sirius didn't know how to respect that because he had never experienced it.
Deyarin finally succeeded in lowering him to the ground after pulling his hair.
“At least carry me in a more respectful manner.”
Sirius tried methods such as holding her in his arm like a baby, holding her in a “princess” manner, or even lifting her by the back of her head. All of these methods were inappropriate for preserving Dayarin's dignity.
“It is better to carry on your back...”
In the end, Deyarin proposed a settlement. Sirius hesitated a little about carrying someone on his back, but since the person in question was Dearren, it didn't take him long to think.
“Oh, that's good.”
Sirius's back was more comfortable than the carriage. It was wide, soft and warm. There were no vibrations when moving.
“Sirius, you're getting better at carrying people.”
Deyarin wanted to offer some compliments. But after just a second, Deyarin changed her mind.
“……No, you can’t carry anyone anywhere.”
It was not appropriate for a person to carry anyone else, even if today was an exceptional day.
“Only in this special case, and in very special cases, however. From now on, never carry anyone.”
"Understood."
Even without Dyaren's reminder, Sirius would have felt uncomfortable just thinking about carrying someone other than Dyaren.
“Um, wait a minute.”
The carriage he had taken earlier had used a side road a block away from the main street where the festival was being held.
From this side road, the main street could be seen between the alleys. The main street was getting brighter as multiple stalls appeared.
Although this place was a little far from the festival center, the density of the crowds made the stalls reach here as well. There weren't many people there yet, and the stalls were only scattered. As time passed and the crowds increased, the place would turn into a crowded arena, but now the parade could be enjoyed comfortably.
“Let's get something from there.”
Dayarin pointed to one of the stalls that was emitting a strong smell.
Hunger was also an emergency. If something is not eaten quickly, she may run out of energy and pass out during pregnancy. Although she had never experienced this before due to her sacred ability being drained.
“Sirius, wait here…”
But suddenly, Deyarin stopped talking.
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