There is a saying about crocodile tears.
It is said that a crocodile catches and eats people, then sheds tears for its victims.
Tears shed by the very creature that consumed them.
“I… I mean… Lee Han… I missed you so much.”
Seeing Claire’s tears brought that saying to mind, perhaps because those tears didn’t resonate with him.
It’s said that crocodiles actually cry when they eat.
Is it because the nerves for moving their mouth and the nerves for shedding tears are located together?
So, when they chew, tears naturally flow.
“Sniff… I’m glad we could meet. No, thank you for meeting with me.”
Claire burst into tears, as if she could no longer hold them back.
It was uncharacteristic of her.
In the more than ten years I had spent with Claire, I had never seen her shed so many tears.
She had always been rational, forward-thinking, and calculative.
But now, she was lying exhausted, as if all her sharp teeth were gone.
‘Crocodile tears.’
Therefore, Claire’s tears are not crocodile tears.
If she had cried when she killed Lee Han, back when her teeth were still sharp, those would have been crocodile tears.
But back then, she must have smiled instead.
After Lee Han died, she ascended to the position of a hero and gained the opportunity to explosively grow her trading company.
She must have been happy.
In fact, that joy is something Lloyd could understand.
The kind of joy one feels when their political maneuvering succeeds and they achieve what they wanted.
And now, Claire, crying after her teeth have all been blunted.
‘I find it difficult to understand.’
Lloyd coldly opened his mouth.
“Claire.”
“Lee… Lee Han.”
“I no longer use that name.”
“Then…?”
“Lloyd. That’s my name.”
“But… But I’ve always called you Lee Han… Hic.”
“Yes, I suppose you did.”
It’s all in the past.
There was even a death in between.
Lloyd was calm, while Claire rambled incoherently.
“Y-you know. Even with this tea, I remembered when you, Lee Han, would make it for me. Back when we were in the Hero’s Party, you made it every night when I couldn’t sleep. So, when I drank it, even though your appearance had changed, I knew it was you. It’s the taste of the tea I missed.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I never said it, but I really loved this tea.”
Claire sipped from the teacup.
The moonflower that only grows on the continent’s plains.
It has a calming effect on the mind and helps relieve tension.
Whenever the Hero’s Party was trembling with anxiety, he always comforted them with this tea.
“I just wanted you all to be in the best condition possible.”
“… Really, Lee Han, you always took such good care of us.”
“It wasn’t just about skill when it came to defeating the Demon King. Condition, atmosphere, confidence—everything was important.”
“Yes. Everyone knew … how much effort you put into it.”
From strategies to defeat the Demon King to taking care of the team, Lloyd had really taken on everything to lead the Hero’s Party.
Recalling the past, Lloyd spoke without much concern.
“Well, I have no regrets. Thanks to that, we were able to defeat the Demon King. Even though everything afterward was a mess.”
“Th-that… that’s…”
Claire’s lips quivered.
Lloyd took another sip of the tea.
Indeed, it was moonflower tea. His heart quickly became peaceful.
He didn’t regret the efforts he had made to take care of them.
Those were things he had to do to defeat the Demon King.
He only regretted trusting people too much.
That was the extent of his reflection, at least until now.
“Lee… Lee Han.”
Claire, who had been hesitating, carefully opened her mouth.
Even though he had told her his name had changed, she still called him whatever she wanted. That was just like Claire.
Having called him that since they were young, it must have been hard to break the habit.
“I, well… I’m sick.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The doctor said it’s something like a chronic disease called Mana Hypersensitivity.”
Mana Hypersensitivity.
It was a disease he had vaguely heard of.
“Finding something to stabilize the mana is crucial.”
Lloyd listed what he knew.
But Claire seemed to mistake that for concern.
Her expression brightened, and she spoke with a bit of recovered confidence.
“That’s right. I think I’ve found it.”
“Have you? Congratulations.”
Lloyd’s nonchalant response.
Claire, somewhat flustered, asked.
“Aren’t you going to ask what it is?”
“Claire. You’re someone who always takes care of herself. We’re not in the same party anymore. We’re not even friends.”
“Ah…”
The confidence she had just regained vanished, and Claire’s gaze dropped back to the table.
“Y-Yes… No, that’s not it. But still…”
Gulp.
Claire swallowed hard as if making a resolve.
Then she lifted her head and looked in his direction.
“It seems like it’s you. The reason I’ve been stable all this time. The reason I didn’t know I had Mana Hypersensitivity. And when I consider the time we’ve been apart… in the end, there’s only one answer.”
Her gaze dropped again.
All the confidence and sharpness melted away, disappearing completely.
Biting her lip with her head bowed, she looked nothing like the Claire he knew, but more like a toothless crocodile.
“Lee… Lee Han. I need to be by your side to calm my mana. I… I didn’t know that. I was so foolish, taking your presence for granted. I stupidly assumed that being fortunate was just a given.”
It made sense.
Mana Hypersensitivity is a congenital disease.
The reason she hadn’t shown symptoms before was probably because I was always by her side.
Enough time had passed since I died for her symptoms to worsen.
Claire mumbled as if in confession.
“Yes, I took you for granted. You were always there for me, helping me when I was struggling, giving me advice, and handling difficult tasks for me. I always thought I was smart, but it was really because of you that I appeared that way. But I didn’t realize that, and I just basked in my own pride… I was the real fool, the idiot.”
Crunch.
Her clenched fist started turning white.
Even so, Claire didn’t release her grip.
Her hand, pale to the point of trembling, started to shake violently.
Her lower lip, which she bit as if suppressing something, had already started bleeding, with drops staining the table.
He hoped it woudn’t leave a stain.
As he thought about that, Claire barely opened her mouth.
“I-I’m sorry, Lee Han. I was wrong. I’m sorry for being so foolish. I’m sorry for not recognizing your sincerity. I’m sorry for not taking better care of you. I’m really sorry for everything…”
Thud.
Tears mingled with the blood that had already fallen.
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry.”
Claire repeated those words like a broken machine.
Her trembling shoulders.
Her disheveled hair.
If it were the old Hero’s Party, he might have comforted her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
But now, for some reason, she just looked like a robot or a mannequin.
No words of comfort came to mind.
“Clean yourself up.”
Lloyd handed her a handkerchief. He also wiped the table, which was getting wet.
Despite this, Claire couldn’t control her emotions, but he felt nothing from it.
What remained was only the purpose of her visit.
“So, you came here to request something. I suppose calming your Mana Hypersensitivity is part of it, right?”
Infinitely businesslike speech.
Claire lifted her head, tears streaming down like a child.
“N-no. That’s not it…”
“Then why did you come to see me? You must have had some objective. Some benefit you were seeking.”
“I-I really wanted to see you. It’s not just something I’m saying. I-I really mean it.”
“Hmm.”
Lloyd tapped on the table.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t particularly miss you.”
“Sniff… Sob!”
Claire’s expression crumbled instantly.
Lloyd didn’t really understand her appearance.
“And I thought you would be the same. You’re a smart girl, Claire.”
“No, I’m not. I’m an idiot…”
“Listen, Claire. I’m not asking because I hold a grudge; I’m just curious. When you pushed for my execution. Didn’t you calculate and predict enough? What would the future hold?”
“Th-that…”
Claire’s tears started to dry up.
Whether she had run out of tears or her mind was working, he couldn’t tell, but it didn’t matter.
Honestly, it was disappointing.
“Claire. I hoped that at least the Claire who sought me out would still be as sharp as ever. If you were cold enough to have me killed, you should have succeeded based on that judgment.”
“No, no… Lee Han, please…”
“I always thought our relationship became one of calculation from that point onward. That’s why I was prepared to accept you if you ever sought me out—if you still had value in my calculations.”
“No, it’s not about calculations. I wanted to apologize… I wanted to beg for your forgiveness.”
“Claire. Where did that arrogant side of you go when I asked you to reconsider back then? Are you so weakened now that you’d cling to the person you had killed, just because you’re unwell?”
“T-That’s!”
Claire trembled, her eyes desperately looking at him as tears welled up again.
It was unfortunate.
There was nothing to gain from this overly emotional Claire, who seemed to have lost all her sharpness and intelligence.
Only one thing.
The timing for attacking the Seventh Death Squad—informing her of that was enough to fulfill her role.
“But Lee Han…”
Lloyd sighed as he watched Claire still looking up at him with vain hope.
“Go back, Claire. There’s nothing I can do for you.”
