Episode 91
As I carefully buttoned it up for him, the corners of Calisteon’s mouth curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He let out a slight cough and explained.
“The Ice Festival is held simultaneously in several major cities within Babenberg, usually where there are lakes.”
“Ah, I heard there’s a lake near here too?”
Calisteon’s blue eyes twinkled mischievously.
“Don’t imagine it’s like the pond you saw in Edessa. Lake Ravenna is large.”
A snowy landscape swept past his sapphire irises. I was so captivated watching it that I forgot to reply, but Phoebe chimed in.
“But the Edessa lake was wide too!”
Snapping back to attention, I blinked, and Calisteon explained in a proud voice.
“Lake Ravenna is several times wider. That’s why the festival is only held in the eastern corner of the lake.”
I first pictured the Edessa lake, then imagined a snow-covered lake several times larger. The moment we arrived, I understood Calisteon’s words. The vast, expansive lake, covered in snow, looked just like a white plain. It was even hard to distinguish from the snow-covered fields. It all looked like an endless sea of snow.
“Wow…!”
I exclaimed, forgetting the cold for a moment. Phoebe, ever the safety-first advocate, asked.
“Your Grace, it might be an obvious question but… is it safe?”
Calisteon let out a soft laugh.
“It won’t be completely thawed, even in the shaded parts of this lake, until early summer. Do you really think I’d bring Ru to a dangerous place?”
As I trod on the snow-covered ice, it made a crisp, crunching sound, leaving clear footprints.
“Ru, slowly…!”
He was scolding me even after making me wear anti-slip boots. I walked towards the stalls, leaving Calisteon behind. Not that it mattered, as he caught up with me in just a few steps.
“What’s that, Carl?” I asked, pointing at a steaming brown mass.
The corners of Calisteon’s mouth softened into a smile.
“Roast beef. In Babenberg, eating warm food during the Ice Festival is considered part of the joy.”
It was a romance truly fitting of the north.
“Can I try some too?”
At my question, Calisteon’s smile deepened.
“You really want street food?”
“It’s fun!”
Calisteon shook his head as if he couldn’t stop me and gestured with his eyes towards another stall.
“How about that one instead?”
“Whoa…!”
I couldn’t help but widen my eyes when I saw it.
“Isn’t that… bungeoppang?” (Korean fish-shaped pastry)
Calisteon corrected me.
“Bungeo? It’s not a carp bread, it’s a sea bream bread. Since the Babenberg capital is far from the sea, I suppose this is one way to ‘see’ saltwater fish.”
“Anyway…!”
I hurried over to the sea bream bread stall. The merchant recognized us and bowed in surprise.
“Isn’t this His Grace the Grand Duke?”
Calisteon raised a finger to his lips in a ‘shush’ gesture and ordered a few sea bream breads. Soon, we each received a steaming hot sea bream bread.
“Mmm.”
The crispy, warm fish-shaped bread was filled with cream and cheese. Although it didn’t contain the familiar red bean paste from my past life, it was somewhat similar to a street waffle, I suppose?
“Here, I think it would taste good with jam too.”
I said that without thinking, and Calisteon nodded without question or argument.
“I’ll have that prepared for you at the castle.”
The people of Babenberg seemed truly unafraid of being on this icy lake. Countless stalls were selling warm food, making my mouth water wherever I looked.
“What’s that, Your Grace?” Phoebe asked.
Calisteon answered.
“Fried ice cream. They say the outside is hot and the inside is cold. I’ve never tried it.”
My eyes went wide, and I exclaimed,
“I want to try that…!”
After that, we tried everything from fried bananas to cocoa. Because of all that, it took a little more time before we got to the sledding Calisteon had been looking forward to.
The sky was a piercing blue, and the wind was bitterly cold. A fierce wind blowing down from the northern winter mountains whipped Calisteon’s black cloak. Yet, the north wind that tangled his hair and stung his cheeks seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever. No, the master of this land, standing firm on two feet, looked even more free beneath that wind.
I, however, was utterly flustered.
“Th-this is, I mean…”
It was because of the extravagantly splendid sled Calisteon had placed before me.
“Let’s sit. The Captain will pull us.”
I alternated my gaze between the impossibly ornate two-person sled, Calisteon, and his Knight Captain. Perhaps misinterpreting my look, the Knight Captain suddenly dropped to one knee.
“It is an honor to serve you. I am Leander Euges, Captain of the Babenberg Knights, My Lady.”
Uh, oh…? It seemed unlikely that someone of the Knight Captain’s rank wouldn’t know I was a Princess. But he greeted me that way, seemingly conscious of our surroundings, and I could only nod awkwardly in response.
“Nice to meet you. Please take care of us.”
After greeting the Knight Captain, I looked back at Calisteon. Interpreting my gaze in his own way, he asked kindly,
“Shall I help you sit?”
“No!”
I shook my head vigorously and moved my own feet towards the sled. It wasn’t an ordinary wooden sled, but one that looked like a craftsman’s lovingly made couch with the legs removed. As I settled onto the garish thing with Calisteon’s help, I could feel curious eyes pouring towards us from our surroundings.
When he sat down beside me, those gazes became so intense I felt like I might break out in a sweat.
“Carl…” I called his name gloomily.
But the Grand Duke, who was bending over to fasten my sea belt, had only a radiant face.
“Hmm?”
“Carl, just in the absolute worst-case scenario…” I said while Calisteon fastened his own sea belt.
The sled started moving slowly, but I stubbornly finished my sentence. Because I wanted to ask this at least once, if not today.
“…Have you never considered that even if I give birth safely and my brother’s affairs are all resolved, I might still not choose you?”
A large, thickly gloved hand cupped my cheek, which was buried deep in my hat. Up close, our gazes met directly. His sapphire blue eyes, like spilled ink, were filled with a certainty I couldn’t comprehend.
“No, I haven’t. Who else would you choose but me?”
Right, that’s why he could do things like this. Right now, this unmarried Grand Duke had brought a visibly pregnant woman to a New Year’s festival and was riding together on the most flamboyant sled on the continent.
‘What if the child has blond hair? What if its eyes are violet…?!’
Despite my unspoken anguish, the sled continued on its way.
“Good heavens, Carl…”
Perhaps because I was cringing in embarrassment, Calisteon glanced around. Instantly, the onlookers averted their gazes as swiftly as the wind and headed elsewhere. A generous hand firmly grasped my gloved one, and a soft voice sounded by my ear.
“I thought you wanted to make it come true.”
“Huh…?” I asked without thinking, then turned my head to look at him upon hearing his continuing voice.
“My twelve-year-old wish.”
The snowy fields drifted past slowly. His silver hair, set against the blue winter sky, sparkled like snowflakes. As I stared blankly, Calisteon smiled, his long eyes curving. Looking up at that face, I realized this was his true wish from when he was twelve.
‘The younger, twelve-year-old him wanted to invite an even younger me to enjoy a winter festival.’
A smile naturally spread across my lips.
“So, are you having fun?”
“…Immensely.”
Calisteon’s voice was both slow and firm. The heating stones filling my pockets were warm, and the wind brushing the tip of my nose was refreshing. The baby in my womb moved happily. The ice sled, my first ride in both my past and present life, was quite fun. I wasn’t sure if it was because it was Calisteon’s wish, or because I was with him.
“How is the water temperature, Your Highness?”
After returning to Babenberg Castle, Phoebe had settled me into the bathtub and was asking sweetly.
“It’s fine.”
“Don’t just say it’s fine no matter what. It’s a bit lukewarm, isn’t it?”
“It’s really fine, Phoebe. The room is hot enough as it is.”
Soaking in a hot bath was one of the things the physician had forbidden. So Phoebe was diligently trying to find a water temperature that would sufficiently warm me up without harming the baby in my womb.
“Let me see your legs. They look a bit swollen, I think.”
“They don’t feel particularly uncomfortable.”
After enjoying a leisurely bath like that, I dragged my languid body and sat down at the vanity. Phoebe, trying to dry my hair as quickly as possible, had even called in Chacha and Collie and was working hard.
“You need to lie down soon.”
Just as everyone’s hands were busy moving, a knock was heard.
Knock, knock.
Phoebe tilted her head and stood up.
“Is the meal here already?”
Calisteon had mentioned he would have dinner sent to my room since I was tired. But standing behind the opened door was Calisteon himself, instead of the maids on meal duty.
