---

138th Chapter

There were only a couple of people waiting in front of the skewered food stall. Despite the appetizing display, the lack of customers seemed to be a result of the recent terror incident.

On what should have been the most bustling last day of the festival, the owners of the skewered food stall appeared somewhat gloomy.

“What would you like to eat, Reiner?”

“……I’ll have the same as Kashmir.”

Reiner spoke, his expression showing that he felt out of place here, even if it wasn’t overly obvious. He looked like he had no idea how to place an order, which made me chuckle inwardly.

“I’ll have two fish skewers and two meat skewers, please.”

Reading the menu, I placed the order naturally. Since Reiner and I were sword-wielders, two skewers each wouldn’t suffice, but we decided to start with a small order to check the taste first. Reiner paid the bill.

The food stall had no seating. We waited for our food in a corner to avoid disturbing other customers who were ordering. Soon, the owner came out and handed the skewers to Reiner.

The skewers looked delicious. They appeared cleanly prepared, and I thought it wouldn’t be difficult for Reiner to eat them.

The problem was me.

‘Damn… Now I can smell it…

I sighed to avoid being overheard by those around me. I had been too distracted talking to Reiner.

The skewers emitted a faint scent of turmeric.

‘How is it that I’m the only one who can’t stand this spice…

I swear I’m not picky. I could eat a shoe sole without complaint.

Having grown up in poverty, I had no particular taste for food, and with a body that could eat iron without dying, I believed I could eat anything as long as it wouldn’t kill me.

Yet the only spice I truly disliked was turmeric.

It wasn’t due to any bad memories; otherwise, I would have reacted more sharply to the smell and wouldn’t have come near this place. I merely didn’t like its unique aroma.

‘What should I do…

As I hesitated after catching a whiff of turmeric, Reiner innocently blinked his eyes and handed me a fish skewer.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Ah, yes.”

I accepted the skewer reflexively, and Reiner narrowed his eyes slightly at my vague demeanor.

‘How could I refuse something he bought for me…

Besides, it was something I had asked him to get.

At this point, it felt too morally solid to turn it down based on taste.

I tried to keep my expression neutral despite the rising odor of turmeric, closing my eyes slightly.

‘…Let’s eat it quickly.’

I didn’t have any allergies, so I could just hold my breath and swallow it. I didn’t want Reiner to worry about me over something so trivial.

As I maintained my blank demeanor under Reiner’s watchful gaze, I took a bite of the skewer.

‘Why did humanity start consuming something as evil as turmeric?’

The taste itself wasn’t bad, but the flavor that spread in my mouth was horrific.

As I chewed with a slow, deliberate motion, pondering its Latin name and whether it was akin to the smell of devil’s feet, I met the golden eyes staring at me.

“Reiner, aren’t you going to eat?”

I awkwardly implied that what I was chewing resembled cotton candy, which looked like Aria’s hair, and Reiner, holding onto a meat skewer, pressed his lips tightly together and set his skewer down into the bowl.

Then, his large hand extended towards me.

“Spit it out.”

Reiner, appearing somewhat displeased, spoke without hesitation.

“….Huh?”

I was dumbfounded, showing the fish fillet with its unpleasant aroma stuffed in my cheeks. I thought I was eating without showing how much I disliked it, but perhaps I had failed at that.

‘No… But I look completely normal…

As I slightly turned my head to check the mirror hanging beside the stall, I became even more perplexed. The reflection displayed my usual expression, which Aria once compared to that of the Duke of the North.

With multiple question marks floating over my head, I looked up at Reiner, who sighed heavily.

“That, you don’t want to eat, do you?”

“How…?”

I asked with my mouth closed to hide the food inside, like a ventriloquist, and Reiner faintly smiled.

“I think you believe you’re hiding your expressions well, but Kashmir has a habit of crinkling his nose when faced with something he dislikes. You did that as soon as you saw the food.”

‘Do I do that regularly?’

It was a habit I wasn’t even aware of. I blinked in surprise.

“Reiner… You’re really observant.”

Rather than feeling embarrassed, I was intrigued by how meticulously he had observed and remembered such details. Just as I thought he was a kind person, Reiner chuckled softly.

“Actually, being kind or thoughtful is the first time I’ve heard that from Kashmir.”

“Really?”

‘That can’t be… how kind Reiner is.’

The Reiner I had known had a rough exterior but was caring, quiet but gentle, and while not vibrant, he radiated clear primary colors. So I had expected that he would have received many compliments of this sort, and his statement was shocking.

Reiner nodded quietly, gazing at me with his warm, golden eyes.

“I’ve only heard throughout my life that I am indifferent and unyielding. I think that of myself as well.”

Reiner downplayed himself so casually, brushing back the hair that had fallen on my face while I was eating.

I found it hard to believe those words. His gaze and touch directed towards me were undeniably affectionate.

“It’s not that I’m kind or thoughtful; I just have a strong interest in you. Still don’t you realize that?”

Reiner’s quiet words weighed heavily on my heart. I was about to say something, my mouth moving in surprise, when Reiner reached out nearer.

“So spit it out. I don’t want you forcing yourself to eat something you dislike.”

It was somewhat reminiscent of scolding an immature puppy who ate something inappropriate.

Looking down at Reiner’s large hand, I hesitated, unable to spit it out or swallow it.

“It’s dirty…”

“Just spit it out; it’s fine.”

Reiner’s gentle urging made me feel even more embarrassed, my ears flushing.

If I could, I would swallow it whole as if it were poison, but I suspected Reiner would force me to vomit it back up.

‘Oh, Reiner…

Eventually, I squeezed my eyes shut and spat the fish skewer into Reiner’s hand. My face burned with intense shame.

‘Damn it, I’ve never done something like this since I was single digits in age…

I hadn’t been the type to whine or throw tantrums. There had never been anyone to indulge me in such things.

‘…Feels like I’m acting like a child after a long time.’

That realization washed over me.

Regardless of whether I was squirming from embarrassment, Reiner skillfully cleaned his hands at the faucet prepared at the side of the stall.

“I’m sorry for not being able to eat what you bought for me.”

I mumbled bashfully, sneaking a glance at Reiner. He shook his head while wiping his hands with a handkerchief.

“It’s my fault for not knowing Kashmir’s preferences in advance. By any chance, are you allergic to seafood?”

“No, I just don’t like turmeric…”

“I see. I’ll make sure to remember that.”

Reiner’s usually sharp gaze softened slightly as he looked at me.

“When next we eat, let’s avoid dishes using turmeric as a spice.”

His voice smoothly hinted at a future encounter, gentle yet calm.

In the end, all the remaining skewers were eaten by Reiner. After he quickly devoured one and suggested we leave, I sensed his consideration for my aversion to turmeric.

I had insisted I was fine, but Reiner seemed worried about me, buying various street foods as we walked past vendors. It was another kind of fun watching him ordering food, fumbling though he didn’t know much about street food, just to feed me.

After wandering for quite some time, I realized it was nearly midnight. Reiner and I both preferred quieter corners, and I assumed the lakeside would be less crowded, so we began to head in that direction.

“Oh, Reiner. I have a question about swords. May I ask?”

“Of course. I’ll answer as much as I know.”

In the relaxed silence, I opened my mouth to voice the question that had suddenly come to mind.

Since Reiner was a notorious sword fanatic, he might have an answer. Just as I thought, he willingly accepted my query.

“Have you heard of a case where a swordsman has two aura colors?”

As I asked hesitantly, Reiner’s eyes lit up with interest. Indeed, he seemed most lively when discussing swords.

In truth, my question might sound ridiculous to the average person. A swordsman is generally believed to have only one distinct aura color. I had searched through books in the library of Crisis, but found nothing about a swordsman with two aura colors.

‘But I saw it with my own eyes, so Reiner… maybe he could know.’

I still wasn’t sure if what I saw was real, but I wanted to confirm. Accompanied by the hope that Reiner would provide an answer, I awaited his response.

After a pause, he slowly began to speak.

“As you know, typically, a swordsman has one aura color. It is theoretically considered impossible for anyone to have more than one. I’ve never seen such a case in my lifetime, but…”

“I see.”

“I have read a single ancient book that touched upon cases of swordsmen having more than one aura color.”

“….What?”

Just as I was about to conclude that I had misread, Reiner mentioned something astonishing. My eyes widened in surprise.

“I can’t recall the name of the book. It was an old, ancient text that resembled a novel listing mystical theories, so its credibility is questionable, but there was indeed a story about a swordsman with two or more auras.”

Reiner slowly recalled the distant memory, and I strained to listen closely.

“‘Swordsmen who practice normally and swing their swords in accordance with the flow of nature have but one aura form. One truth is the natural order. However, when the purest flow of auras in the world mixes with another power, the natural order distorts, and numerous errors will be recognized as the truth. I have seen a swordsman with two aura colors. He possessed the most unclean energy of any swordsman I had ever seen in my life.'”

As I absorbed Reiner’s words, as if he were reciting a thesis, I wiped my stiff mouth. My mind turned into a whirlwind.

 

---