Chapter 19
"Huh?"
Clarisse instinctively touched her cheek and felt moisture.
"Strange… why am I suddenly crying…"
Only when she looked down at the half-eaten plum-preserved soybean cake in her hand did she understand the reason.
Kanzaki Tomomu followed her gaze.
"Does it taste bad?"
"No, it's not that!"
Clarisse's expression was complicated, as if she could barely sort through the emotions surging inside her.
"…How should I put it? I can't find the right words. It's like the moment I ate it, every regret from the past suddenly gathered into a wave and crashed straight into my heart."
"Really that powerful?"
Even Kanzaki Tomomu had not expected the plum-preserved soybean cake to have such an effect.
Under the girl's gaze, he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. As he chewed, his movements gradually slowed.
Clarisse noticed his eyes lose focus, his thoughts clearly drifting far away.
A single clear tear slipped silently from the corner of his eye.
"Mr. Kanzaki…?"
"…Mm."
Kanzaki Tomomu gave a soft reply. He pressed the back of his hand to his chin to catch the falling tear.
He looked down at the wet streak on his hand, closed his eyes, and savored the moment.
The taste itself was flawless — even better than any pastry he had ever made before. It was unforgettable.
Yu Qingtu's request had been perfectly fulfilled.
But why had it turned out like this…?
Kanzaki Tomomu guessed… only by becoming a consumable curio could it gain such an unexpected special effect.
Never mind. There was no point dwelling on it.
Even if it had become a curio, at its core it was still a carefully crafted pastry.
Purpose: to be eaten.
That was all.
"No need to overthink it. Life is full of surprises. Just treat it as an extra gift."
"Oh… how did you come up with something so special, Mr. Kanzaki?"
"Hm… it felt as natural as clenching my fist. I don't remember researching it. If you like it, take the whole plate of plum-preserved soybean cakes home with you."
"…I do like it, but every bite makes me cry. Won't I end up with dry eyes?"
"Dry eyes usually aren't directly related to how much you cry…"
In the end, Clarisse carefully packed the plate of cakes and waved goodbye to Kanzaki Tomomu.
"See you next time, Mr. Kanzaki~~"
"…See you next time."
Kanzaki Tomomu smiled as he watched the girl leave.
He could still speak… but perhaps this would be the last time.
When the day came to say "see you next time" for the second time, he probably wouldn't open his mouth.
He didn't want to break a promise.
If he could absolutely do something, he would never be vague about it. If he couldn't, he would rather not give others hope and cause needless disappointment.
"Meow~"
Little Orange rubbed its head against his leg.
Kanzaki Tomomu bent down, lifted the cat onto his lap, and gently stroked its back.
"Thank you for staying with me these three years. In a few more days I'll be gone, so I won't be able to take care of you anymore."
"Go find a new owner. If you want to leave, you can go anytime."
"Or, if Clarisse is willing to take you in, you can go with her. But no matter what, you really need to lose some weight…"
"When she comes next time, I'll ask her for you, okay?"
After he spoke, Kanzaki Tomomu waited a long time but heard no reply from Little Orange.
The cat wasn't asleep. It simply stayed quiet with half-closed eyes, its round body pressing even closer into his arms.
"I see…"
Kanzaki Tomomu seemed to understand. He let out a soft sigh.
Soon afterward, the long, drawn-out notes of a stringed instrument drifted from inside the bamboo house, carrying a faint trace of loneliness.
...
Winter days are always shorter.
As evening approached, a spaceship descended silently onto the snow-covered clearing. Its hatch opened slowly.
A man dressed in luxurious, flamboyant clothing stepped out and walked straight toward the bamboo house.
Living deep in the remote mountains where travel was difficult, Kanzaki Tomomu rarely received visitors.
The few who did come were usually patients suffering from incurable illnesses who had exhausted every other option.
After falling into despair, some of them would place their last hope in the old saying that true masters hide among ordinary people.
Kanzaki Tomomu had lived in seclusion here for over a hundred years. To keep his peace, he always asked patients not to spread word of his existence.
But over time, rumors inevitably leaked.
So the unverified stories circulating in the cities eventually reached the ears of those who had nowhere else to turn and were willing to try anything.
Anyone who managed to find him, Kanzaki Tomomu would treat if he could. If he couldn't… well, so far he had never encountered a case he was completely powerless against.
All in all, three or four visitors a year was already a lot.
Aside from extremely rare cases like Mrs. Durand, he could usually complete treatment on the same day.
Of the very few remaining cases, there was only one person.
"It's been a long time, Mr. Kanzaki Tomomu."
"Nine years. That is quite a while, Mr. Dragon Crystal." Kanzaki Tomomu set down his stringed instrument.
Dragon Crystal belonged to the Strategic Investment Department of the Interastral Peace Corporation and was one of the ten Stonehearts serving under the Diamond Director of the Preservation Path.
Of course, it was only a codename.
Kanzaki Tomomu did not know his real name, nor did he need to.
"I thought your condition had relapsed and you had already passed away."
"…Hey, is that really the first thing you say after not seeing each other for so long?"
Dragon Crystal rolled his eyes and sat down casually.
"I've been your patient for over forty years. That should at least make us friends, right?"
"I wasn't cursing you. Nine years ago, the medicine you took was only enough for eight years. When you didn't show up last year, I simply assumed the Stoneheart known as Dragon Crystal had been replaced." Kanzaki Tomomu stated the facts.
Dragon Crystal paused, realization flashing across his face. "No wonder I didn't see any delivery request from you this year."
Every late autumn, Kanzaki Tomomu would send him a delivery request — a high-priority express package destined for a remote, uncivilized planet in the far reaches of the universe.
It was not ordinary mail. It was the highest-grade service offered by the company's delivery department.
One could say that unless a Star God or an Emanator took personal interest, nothing would go wrong.
So that was why… wait!
Dragon Crystal suddenly remembered that before coming here he had checked the delivery department's records. There had been no order from Kanzaki Tomomu this year at all!
"Did you go to that planet yourself this year?"
"No."
"…You don't need to send anything anymore?"
"Not at all. I simply asked a senior who was heading that way to deliver it for me. You're a busy man — you didn't come all the way here just for this, did you?"
"That's part of it, but not everything."
Dragon Crystal reached for the teapot, but Kanzaki Tomomu stopped him with a hand.
"…You won't even offer me a cup of tea? Is it that serious?" Dragon Crystal looked astonished.
Kanzaki Tomomu chuckled. "Of course not. Today we're not drinking ordinary tea."
With that, he took out a jar of plum blossom brew from his folding space.
A tempting fragrance wafted from the sealed jar, instantly capturing Dragon Crystal's full attention.
"Whoa, the sun must be rising in the west today. You're actually willing to bring out this treasure to treat me…"
"Heh…"
Kanzaki Tomomu offered no explanation. He pushed aside the small teacups, replaced them with large bowls, and poured the wine with a bold, decisive motion.
The rather bold gesture left Dragon Crystal even more surprised.
Something was off… Had he noticed something?
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