657,

Back in the room, Cyclone took out a silver box.

The box had no elaborate decorations. Aside from being about the size of a baby, Elyse couldn’t think of another way to describe it.

Given the circumstances, Elyse knew what was inside the moment Cyclone brought out the box. He didn’t even have to say a word.

Elyse covered her mouth with the back of her hand. The redness at the corners of her eyes grew more pronounced.

“……”

Cyclone wanted to say something, but in the end, the words never came.

They sat down on the bed, and Cyclone tried to place the box in Elyse’s arms.

“Don’t open it. I kept it frozen, but still…”

Elyse didn’t listen. She’d already opened the box.

Inside lay a baby with skin as pale as snow.

The baby lay quietly in the box, still curled up.

Elyse reached out and tried to gently stroke the baby’s face.

It was cold. There wasn’t the slightest sign of life.

This was a dead baby. He was also the son who had taken shape in Elyse’s womb—Little Wind.

He wasn’t dressed, but neither was there any bloody scene.

Cyclone must have bathed him after taking him out.

Cyclone watched Elyse’s expression, thought for a moment, then slapped his own cheeks with both hands.

They were going to cremate him. After that, she’d never be able to hold him again.

Just for one day, it should be all right.

“Come on. Didn’t we buy some clothes? Let’s dress Little Wind~”

Cyclone smiled as he suggested it to Elyse.

The suggestion left Elyse stunned.

Even though the baby was already dead, even though it was far too late for this, it was a step Elyse had never imagined taking.

Looking at Little Wind’s closed eyes and still form, Elyse began to cry again.

But this time, she was crying as she nodded.

“Mm……”

Finding comfort in her sorrow and redemption in her mistake, Elyse lifted Little Wind from the box and held him in her arms.

“Little Wind… my Little Wind… there, there…”

While she was pregnant, Elyse had often practiced with a little pillow. She never thought that now, the moment she picked up Little Wind, she’d instinctively start rocking him.

“There, there, Little Wind~”

Her happiness lasted less than two seconds. Elyse understood that the baby in her arms was, in the end, only a dead child.

But Cyclone picked up some clothes—little outfits he and Elyse had bought earlier.

“Hehehe~ Come on, Little Wind’s been waiting for you to put him in my handsome little outfit~”

“Cyclone……”

“What is it?”

Cyclone set aside the thought that Little Wind was dead. For the time they had left, Cyclone decided to care for him as though he were alive.

Perhaps moved by that resolve, Elyse tried to do the same.

She tried to smile as she looked at Little Wind.

“Little Wind… Mommy’s going to help you put on, put on your new clothes…”

As she spoke, tears began to fall.

“Does that sound good?”

There was no answer. Of course there wasn’t. How could someone who had died possibly reply?

But Cyclone said,

“Honestly, are you silly or what~?”

Cyclone asked Elyse with a smile.

“Little Wind was just born. How could he possibly talk?”

“Th-this…”

Elyse stared blankly for two seconds at Cyclone’s clever remark.

“…Oh, right… That’s right! Mommy—Mommy’s just so happy~”

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”

This time, Cyclone called out loudly, just like he usually did.

The door opened. It was Little Dragon.

Little Dragon glanced at what was happening in the room. It was a little surprising, but they smiled and said,

“Yuna sent word. We’re moving tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Mm……”

“Yeah……”

There really wasn’t much time, but Cyclone couldn’t say that.

“We’ve still got half a day, right~?”

Little Dragon was momentarily at a loss for words at Cyclone’s upbeat reply.

But just then, Elyse began to cry again. She tilted her head and said,

“Mm~”