Chapter 19
Just a few decades ago, a rumor had circulated:
“The Bastions have no emotions.”
It was wrong.
Even with the blood of gods in their veins, they were still human. They weren’t devoid of emotion.
They could smile if the situation called for it, and sometimes even cry.
To be precise, it should’ve been said like this:
“The Bastions have faint emotions.”
Yes—faint.
Though there were differences among the Bastions themselves, all direct descendants generally had notably muted emotions compared to ordinary people.
Like a single drop of paint falling into the sea. Like a brief downpour over parched land.
The color was pale, the depth shallow.
In other words, they were indifferent to most things.
Levi Bastion, of this generation, was especially so.
He rarely cried even as a baby, and smiles were so rare they were almost mythical.
As mentioned before, it wasn’t that he lacked emotion entirely. He loved his family, and with the right education, he even came to care for animals and plants. But only by his own standards.
The two tear tracks he shed the day Catherine died—that was the limit of Levi’s emotional range.
Even then, when he had instinctively embraced the sobbing Franz, it had been the result of a logical deduction: “My brother is crying. He is sad. I should comfort him.”
Because emotional empathy didn’t come naturally to him, he relied all the more on rational understanding.
For him, theory was reality. Living that way wasn’t inconvenient—if anything, it made life easier.
He was rarely ruled by troublesome impulses or emotions like excitement or rage. That was his strength.
But even Levi eventually had to accept that sometimes, actions could come before logic.
“Mm…”
Deep within the forest, so secluded even Wolfgang wouldn’t have sensed it.
The child who had thrown the entire Bastion estate into chaos was peacefully asleep in the arms of wolves.
Her thick silver hair, almost white, shimmered under the sunlight. It felt as if she might flicker and vanish from sight at any moment.
As Levi approached, having steadied his breath, the blue wolves bared their teeth with a low growl.
That was normal.
Almost all living creatures instinctively feared or avoided Levi.
Especially after an initial meeting like: “Step on them.”
But the girl, though frightened, had approached. She kept talking to him. She tapped on his window every night.
Levi had tried, in his usual fashion, to ignore her. But the persistent knocking had forced him to acknowledge a different reality.
The more he recalled it, the stranger that spring break felt.
It hadn’t been long since winter break, yet in that short time, so many things had arisen in Bastion that he couldn’t comprehend.
The small guest who suddenly occupied the center of the mansion. The servants who had become oddly relaxed. His father, who now laughed more frequently. And even himself—finding that he looked forward to the night.
If he went all the way back to the beginning…
The scent of blood from Queensberry, a place his mother cherished? Suspicion of an intruder?
It wasn’t a lie—but more like an excuse.
Levi had been thoroughly trained never to harm others without reason.
So, if he’d acted logically, as usual, he would have summoned knights to bind and interrogate the intruder rather than attempt an immediate execution.
“I see.”
Maybe it had started the moment they met at the stables—when something about her got under his skin.
More than the prickling sensation of holy power at his nape, it was those amber eyes that hadn’t flinched in the dim dawn light.
“Ah—gosh…!”
The girl jolted awake and clutched her chest at the sight of Levi standing right in front of her.
Her face was dazed, still half-asleep.
“For real? Is this real?”
She reached out her hand—and Levi didn’t dodge.
Tap.
Their fingertips touched.
“It is real,” she murmured, eyes wide, and then abruptly leapt up.
And then—
“Wow! Gotcha!”
She grabbed Levi’s hand without a hint of hesitation.
Beaming brightly.
Ah.
She’d caught him.
“So let me get this straight. You were trying to climb that tree, dropped your apron, got so pissed off that you went to the mountain to practice climbing trees, then ended up chasing squirrels all night with the wolves and overslept until now?”
“It wasn’t just a squirrel—it was a flying squirrel! I’ve never seen one before, it was amazing.”
Throwing in that extra comment got her another bop on the head from Bibi. That made it the fourth one.
As she pouted and whimpered, Joan and Betty jumped in between them.
“That’s enough, Bibi. She said she’s sorry.”
“Yeah, she won’t do it again.”
“Don’t coddle her! She made everyone worry!”
“Pfft, you were probably the most worried of all.”
In the end, she collected five bops to the head. At this rate, her skull might split.
Hey, I might look like a troublemaker now, but I’ve lived way longer than you, Bibi!
When she glared at her with teary eyes, Bibi raised her fist again with a deadly serious face.
She instantly dropped her gaze and bolted.
“I held the young master’s hand!”
“You little—!”
Hmph. I always win in the end!
Bibi was jumping up and down behind her, but Joan and Betty held her back, allowing a clean escape.
Phew, finally some peace.
Getting scolded by a rotation of people was a job in itself. Her cheek still stung from Wolfgang’s first pinch.
Hiding in a secluded spot and rubbing both cheeks, she grumbled under her breath:
“I only held his hand. Just his hand.”
If it had been anything more, she wouldn’t have been this indignant about the scolding.
Levi, who she thought had been just a dream, turned out to be real. She’d grabbed his hand the moment she realized it—and…
“Hey! Young master! Where are you going? Hey, wait!”
He had shaken her off and rushed down the mountain, like he’d been burned by boiling water.
“Who knows when I’ll get to see that precious face again…”
She had slapped her knees in frustration all day, until dinner with Wolfgang.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“What do you mean?”
You’ve been sneakily staring since earlier.
She thought maybe she was in for more scolding, but that didn’t seem to be it.
Feeling like she’d explode if she stayed seated, she shoved a chunk of meat into her mouth and stood up, but Wolfgang suddenly called out:
“Daughter-in-law candidate.”
“Huh?”
“Just wanted to try saying it.”
What the heck? That’s creepy. Sounds like you’re about to disappear, like a character in a shonen manga just before their exit scene.
Frowning, she stuffed the food in her mouth and ran off toward the darkened garden.
When things feel ominous, you double your efforts.
Everyone had found out this was her courting spot, but whatever. She didn’t know the meaning of giving up—or embarrassment.
But then—oh my god.
“Huh?”
Incredibly, the balcony window was wide open, as if waiting for her.
She blinked, thinking it must be an illusion. But no matter how many times she rubbed her eyes, the window remained open.
Then something fluttered down from the balcony—landing right on her head.
“Ugh—what the…?”
A blanket.
She flailed, then held up the thick blanket and looked around, stunned.
Seriously, what is this?
She’d been fooled a few times by Wolfgang and didn’t want to misread things again.
Honestly, she wasn’t that dense.
She glanced toward the balcony, where a shadow loomed.
Throwing the blanket around her shoulders, she shouted loudly:
“Ah! So warm! But it’s still cold! Why is it so cold?!”
“…”
“If someone! Would just keep holding my hand! I think I wouldn’t be cold at all!”
“…”
“No, wait—I’m coughing! Ah-choo! cough cough—”
She choked on her own spit.
This acting might kill her.
Coughing frantically from the unexpected spit attack, she was still recovering when—
A hand gently warmed hers.
“Eh?” she gasped, turning her head to find Levi awkwardly holding her hand.
She blinked between his face and their hands.
Wow. I can’t believe this worked.
He really is Wolfgang’s son.
After all, he’d also brought her back that night because she looked cold.
Or maybe… the Bastions were just sensitive.
“Don’t catch a cold.”
Levi whispered.
She blinked and immediately squeezed his hand tightly.
He flinched, startled—but this time, she didn’t let go.
She wasn’t doing this just because she liked him. She wanted to apologize.
“I’m sorry. It was a joke.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I don’t catch colds. Ever.”
How could he forget the wife and mother who had passed away from something like a cold?
Though she had considered tapping into his memories to draw him closer, she had no intention of exploiting his emotional wounds.
“You can probably feel it too—my divine power. It’s strong, right?”
She smiled confidently.
Levi stared at her for a long moment before speaking:
“Name.”
Huh?
Her brain stalled. Did he just…?
“Did you just ask for my name?”
He nodded.
That small, firm nod made her press her lips shut.
To stop the smile and cheer threatening to burst out.
Calm down. You haven’t won just yet.
Suppressing her facial muscles, she asked calmly:
“Why?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you asking for my name?”
“…Because I’m curious.”
Levi hesitated, then added:
“About the airplane.”
“Hmm.”
You little—cute as heck. I’ll let this one slide.
Grinning, she tugged Levi’s hand.
“Asha!”
He just stared at her, not pulling away.
She took that moment to drop formal speech.
“My name’s Asha.”
“…”
“So, what’s my name?”
Levi’s lips barely moved.
Not giving him a chance, she tugged his hand again.
Then, finally, with the most awkward expression, he whispered like an ant crawling:
“Asha.”
“That’s right!”
Now you’ll never forget my name.
Grinning, her face started to burn again—this time from his strange expression.
He seemed puzzled about when they had become casual.
So she kindly explained:
“We introduced ourselves, so we’re friends now. Friends don’t use formal speech. It’s just how it works. It’s like, law or something.”
Levi’s red eyes began to look at her like she was some kind of back-alley scam artist, but she stood firm.
“Now, as promised, I’ll teach you what an airplane is. Just you. Follow me!”
Though he hesitated, the boy with divine blood trailing after her grew a little warmer to the touch.
Humming a melody in her head, she happily marched ahead.
Spring, spring, spring—spring has come.
And into our hearts, too.
To Levi, it was all a first.
The first time a girl ever got under his skin.
The first time he laughed at someone trying to approach him.
The first time he ended up holding hands or becoming “friends” by accident.
The first time he couldn’t look away and finally asked for someone’s name.
“So if you hang out with me, you’ll get to learn way more fun stuff than just airplanes. And your aura? It’s really murky. But with help from the ancestral spirits, you could live a long and happy life—”
It was also the first time he seriously regretted his decision.
