Chapter 41
That moment. Northern part of the Simone Empire, ‘Steffen’.
Even though it was May, a time that could rightfully be called spring, snow was falling heavily here.
“Haa.”
Someone sighed as they gazed at that scene outside the window.
Blue hair reminiscent of a cobalt ocean, and eyes of a lighter shade than that. The slight droop of the eyes gave her a gentle impression.
“To have weather like this even in May…”
Her expression carried a tinge of regret, as if she were remembering something she missed.
It was right then.
*Knock knock.*
A regular knocking sound echoed in her quiet room. She instantly knew who was knocking.
“You may come in, Roman.”
Even though it was a voice too soft to be heard from beyond the door, the door clicked open.
*Thud thud.*
Soon after, heavy footsteps were heard. The man called Roman approached her, who was looking out the window, and handed her a letter.
“Eisel, it came in your name.”
“……For me?”
That can’t be right. She tilted her head for a moment, but upon seeing the name written on the envelope, her eyes widened.
“Shiella?”
She thought it was a name she would never get to call out again. But that woman sent a letter?
She, Eisel Judith, received the letter with a bewildered expression. Even after blinking her eyes hard and opening them, this was undoubtedly sent by ‘Shiella Eisens’.
“……Saintess?”
Roman frowned slightly at Eisel’s unusual reaction. Finally snapping back to her senses, Eisel shook her head.
“Ah, no. I was just a bit surprised. Roman, I’d like to be alone for a moment.”
It was hard to tell if what appeared on her face was worry or a strange sense of anticipation.
‘It’ll be fine.’
Roman soon dismissed it as unimportant and gave a small nod.
“Thank you.”
Eisel smiled at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
It was a smile different from her usual ones, but Roman didn’t bother to point it out and left the room.
*Thud.*
As the door closed with a heavy sound, Eisel’s eyes quickly fixed on the letter.
Her trembling hands peeled off the envelope and grasped the letter inside.
“Haa…”
Just feeling the thick letter in her hand already made her feel distant.
As if she had made up her mind, Eisel tightly closed and opened her eyes, then began to read the letter.
***
「Hello, Eisel.
It’s been a while. It might sound silly to ask like this, but I hope you’ve been well.
I think you must have been taken aback by my sudden letter. You probably don’t even want to see my face.
Still, I really hope you read this letter to the end.
No, it’s okay if you don’t. I just… wanted to apologize to you, even if it’s late.
I’m sorry. I was truly sorry, Eisel.」
***
The handwriting, pressed firmly, was unmistakably Shiella’s.
*Crinkle.*
Eisel, who was reading the letter, clenched the letter tightly. Her face remained enigmatic.
Was she about to burst into tears? Or was she angry? Or perhaps… happy…?
The corners of her mouth couldn’t settle in one place, trembling faintly.
That strange expression continued until she finished reading the letter.
***
「P.S. The north is a dangerous place, so you must always be careful, Eisel. You must, you must.
Sending along a fully bloomed cherry blossom petal.
From Shiella Eisens.」
***
Inside the envelope, just as Shiella had mentioned, a cherry blossom petal was also included.
Eisel blankly picked up the cherry blossom petal.
“Hah.”
Even though it was a completely dried petal now, its texture was enough to recall memories of a certain day.
A peculiar light dawned in Eisel’s eyes, which were a mess from confusion.
‘……I have to go to the capital.’
It seemed she needed to see Shiella with her own two eyes.
The slightly downturned corners of her mouth finally curled upwards in a faint smile at the last moment.
It was a smile befitting a spring day.
***
***
Today must be what you’d call a ‘good day’.
Making up with Tete was one thing, and a letter arrived from the sculptor saying that Arte’s statue was finally complete.
Thus, I was heading to the 3rd District Artisan Street with the Pontiff.
“To think I finally get… to behold Lord Arte’s revered countenance, *sob*.”
“Yess, that’s right.”
“What will Lord Arte look like? A kind atmosphere? Ah! Or perhaps an intense aura instead?”
“Yess, that’s right.”
“Honestly, whatever His appearance, I shall serve Him unchangingly, but, *sniff*, *gulp*, Aaarrtteee Niiim, *sob*…”
“Yess, that’s right.”
Now accustomed to the Pontiff’s crying, I consoled him while placing Tete firmly on my lap.
“Meow.”
*Boing.*
But then Tete immediately jumped down and lay on the adjacent seat.
“……?”
I tilted my head for a moment. With a belated realization, I swallowed a sigh inwardly.
“Meow.”
Tete, as if saying it was okay, meowed towards me.
‘Still… the carriage seat is cold.’
She hates the cold so much.
*Tap, tap.*
As if she had read my entire expression again, she tapped the back of my hand with her front paws.
Seeing her comforting me instead, I abandoned my slight hesitation and reached out towards Tete.
‘Thinking of being standoffish now?’
Hmph, not a chance!
Hup, I picked Tete up just like that and plopped her back onto my lap.
“……”
Tete stared at me like that for a while, then eventually stretched out her body as before.
A warm body temperature spread from my lap. The corners of my mouth naturally curled up.
*Ding-ding!*
***
[Arte: Kyaaaaaaaaah]
[Arte: I’m serious,, this combination,, I wish it could last forever,,]
[Arte: Healing + Cuteness = World Crusher ฅˆ‧⩊‧ˆฅ)]
[Arte is banging on the wall beside her.]
***
Why is it? It feels like I can almost hear the sound of a wall crumbling down like an auditory hallucination…
‘It’s been a while.’
Perhaps because it was the peace that had visited after nearly a month, I let out a soft laugh even at Arte’s strange ramblings.
Meanwhile, we arrived at the Artisan Street where the sculptor was.
Since I had handled all the interim checks until now, today was the Pontiff’s first time seeing the statue.
‘Hmm, I have a bad feeling for some reason.’
And, why is it that such premonitions are never wrong?
The sculptor, declaring it his life’s masterpiece, unveiled Arte’s statue which had been hidden under a white cloth.
*Swish!*
As the cloth fluttered away, the revealed statue was indeed a figure worthy of a master craftsman’s pride.
“Gasp…!”
“Oh my!”
Passersby on the artisan street all crowded around to see the statue.
Amidst them, our Pontiff was…
“*Sob sob sob!* Ar-, *gulp*, Arte Nim had such, such a face?!!”
Collapsing onto the ground, crying his eyes out.
“I! I didn’t even know! *Sob*, I covered that beautiful, revered countenance with a robe, *sob sob!* Saintesssssss!!!”
The Pontiff then clung to my leg, wailing loudly.
The people who had gathered to see the statue were now watching us.
“Yess, that’s right? Here, boop~”
By now, I had reached the point where I could calmly console the Pontiff’s crying with a light laugh.
It was around the time I was about to hand over the handkerchief I habitually kept stuffed in my sleeve.
“Shiella Eisens?”
A familiar voice was heard from behind.
Turning my head towards the source of the sound, there stood an unexpected person.
“Ray…?”
Why are you showing up here?
Swallowing the name ‘Raven’ I was about to call him, I uttered his old nickname.
Since I hadn’t used it in front of people for a while, others wouldn’t know it was him.
Although he wore a robe to hide his identity, I could instantly tell it was Raven.
How many years have I followed him around? I’d recognize his silhouette in a robe.
As I looked at him with a questioning face, one fact flashed through my mind.
‘Right. Raven said he often comes to the artisan street.’
That’s why I got that strange misunderstanding last time.
‘Still, I didn’t expect to run into him again.’
It was such an unnecessary coincidence.
Perhaps Raven was thinking the same, as he called my name but then said nothing.
An awkward silence flowed between us.
“*Sniff*, *sniff*! S-, Saintess… who, who is that person…?”
The Pontiff, who had been sitting slumped on the ground, crawled up and asked me.
He was trying to show dignity as the Pontiff, though belatedly.
‘Sigh. What are you doing wiping your face with your hands? They’re all dirty with soil.’
I took out another handkerchief and firmly placed it in the Pontiff’s hand.
“He’s just someone I know. Don’t worry about it.”
If it were revealed here that he’s the Crown Prince, our simple Pontiff would probably faint on the spot.
‘He might cry buckets for a different reason now.’
If that happened, I wasn’t confident I could console the Pontiff.
Moreover, I probably couldn’t stop an angry Tete from pouncing on the Pontiff either…
I smiled, trying to act as if it were nothing serious, and the Pontiff believed me instantly.
“Pontiff, would you like to get in the carriage first? And let’s stop the crying now, *poof*!”
“*Ahem*, yess.”
Soon after, the Pontiff boarded the carriage. The onlookers also scattered quietly as the commotion died down.
Everyone except Raven in front of me.
He was still staring at me blankly, as if nailed to the spot.
‘What does he want with me, this is.’
It’s not like we’re having a staring contest in the middle of the street.
‘Why is he staring at me so intensely like that?’
