The waiters all retreated when the table was full of food, and the two of us were the only ones left in the room. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

The table was big and long, and although we sat across from each other, we were far away. The room was dimly lit and I felt a little cold. Those fine foods also become hard to swallow.

"What's wrong?" Rand looked at me and asked strangely.

“…… Nothing, I'm just a little tired. I reluctantly picked up the fork in my hand and stuffed it in my mouth, but it tasted like chewing wax.

After that, neither of us spoke, and the scene was a little cold. I wanted to break the coldness, but I didn't know how to say it. Suddenly, I realized that there seemed to be no common ground between us.

Except for the day I woke up, we haven't been in touch since. I wonder why he suddenly asked me to meet me today? Do you just want to meet me?

We're both young, but it seems like we're all but reminiscing about the past together. We move forward together in the future, I don't see.

He's going to be king, and I'm no longer going to be able to go with him. I understand these facts, and he understands them.

And the knot in my heart at the beginning can never be untied, and it is a nightmare that I want to forget but can't forget. He knew I wanted to leave, but he didn't support or keep me. Now the biggest tacit understanding between the two of us is probably only not to mention that matter. Because we all know in our hearts that if we must sort out the cause and effect, the last thing that will be broken can only be the already fragile friendship between us.

I saw the bandages on his cuffs and asked, "How are your injuries?" ”

Hearing my words, Rand seemed slightly stunned, and then he began to fumble with his wrist: "Oh, it's much better. ”

When he said this, Rand was expressionless, which is very rare. Then he stood up and walked with his back to me to the ledge, where he stood in the moonlight for a long time. Apparently he wasn't much interested in the dinner either.

I looked at his back and felt that the person in front of me was very strange. Today, Rand was not wearing a formal suit, but a loose robe, and his hair was loosely pulled back of his head, which looked somewhat careless. But even so, I could see that he had become more capable than before, and that the gentle boy seemed to be gone. And in that ability, there seems to be a bit of indifference.

I don't know if it's because what happened these days has changed his mind, and although there is no right or wrong, such a result will still make people feel embarrassed.

"Rand, how did we get back to Doddro that day?" I asked tentatively.

Rant's body froze slightly, and then he slowly turned around, and his eyes flickered at me, and I felt that the familiar friend seemed to be back. He said slowly: "That day...... After the explosion, we fell off the wall. Augustin's fight with Tyrion came to an end, and Tyrion was beaten half to death. Later, Augustine decided to pick up the pieces and banished all the other creatures from the city of Evenger, including us. I remember that we were blown out by a demonic wind, and we landed on a hillside far away from the city of Evenger. I saw a turbid spring, felt thirsty, and got closer, and I was swept into it. When I woke up, I found that we were back in Dordro. ”

I see. That makes sense.

I was still wondering how Rand dragged my broken leg back, but now that I think about it, it makes sense.

While I was thinking about it, Rand had already poured himself two glasses of red wine and handed me one. I took the wine, only to find that somehow Rand's hand was shaking.

Is it my delusion?

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I didn't ...... It's nothing, it's just that it's cold and my body is a little uncomfortable. Rand said, raising his glass and touching it with me, then drank it all.

I watched as he didn't speak, and drank the wine from the glass.

To be honest, the meal was not pleasant.

When I came out of the palace, it was already snowing heavily. The moonlight reflected on the ground, making the night brighter than usual.

Gray waited for me at the agreed place early as we agreed.

"No one saw you, did they?"

"Nope! And don't look at who I am. But I waited for you early, but I didn't even have time to eat dinner! Gray rubbed his hands together with a white breath.

"Didn't eat dinner?" I looked at Gray's somewhat reddened face and smiled.

I said, "It's still early, so let's go get something to eat!" ”

"Haven't you eaten it?"

“……”

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

In the alley of the house, a small noodle restaurant called "Happiness" is open with a glimmer of light.

I took Gray into the house and sat down, and the shopkeeper's mother-in-law smiled at me kindly, "Is it still the old rule?" ”

I nodded, and said, "Two copies." ”

The mother-in-law's back was already slightly bent, and her small figure was busy shuttling around the store.

In a short time, two bowls of steaming noodles were served to the table, and the tangy aroma stimulated people's taste buds all the time.

Gray was already hungry. He finished pulling the noodles in three or two bites, and shouted in his mouth: "It's delicious!" Mother-in-law has another bowl. Then he said to me: "I can't imagine that the craftsmanship of this street shop is no worse than that of a noble mansion!" By the way, how did you find out here? ”

I stirred the noodles with a fork and said, "I've been eating here since the year Rand turned sixteen years old. Strange to say, the noodles here don't have anything special in terms of taste, but I just like it. That kind of simple, rich feeling is not found in the best ingredients. Later I learned that that feeling was called home. ”

Seeing that Gray still didn't understand, I pointed to my mother-in-law's back and continued: "This mother-in-law, her children are scattered in various countries because of business, and it is rare to see her once in a long time. But she never felt lonely. For her, every guest who comes here is like her child, and she likes to be affectionately called her mother-in-law as if she were her own child. So every dish she cooks is made with the mood of making it for her own children. The royal family is indifferent, and I think even Rand doesn't know what family affection is, let alone an orphan. But just staying here, I feel like I'm going to be able to get closer to that feeling. ”

"Hmm!" Gray took the second bowl of noodles from his mother-in-law and continued to eat. He said while eating: "So, in my seat, I used to sit in the rand?" ”

Listening to his words, I was a little stunned. After a while, he slowly spoke: "He doesn't know here." ”

Yes, I never brought him here.

After coming out of the small noodle shop, the two of us quietly arrived at the residence of the Minister of Economy, Doru. The last time I was here, I didn't look into the situation because of Rand's dissuasion.

Gray asked me, "What are you doing here?" So you're suspicious of the rand now? ”

"Not a suspicion, I'm sure." I looked at him and said in a firm tone: "Originally, I was just guessing, but when we met just now, his behavior was obviously a little abnormal, and he must be hiding something from me." ”

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