Ch.23Winter (1)

The sky was pure white.

It was still blue, but shattered fragments of clouds had fallen, dyeing the world white.

Even the withering flowers now bore a white hue, leaving only trees and ground that looked desolate, having lost their color.

The warm breeze that once enveloped everything had disappeared, leaving behind a chill,

As life that had flourished now retreated underground to await its next awakening.

People called it winter.

The trees that had been dyed in vibrant colors were gone now.

They barely covered their bare bodies with accumulated snow, merely enduring the winter.

In this season painted with gray and white, those cold colors, I was busier than ever.

The sword in my hand trembled slightly.

Sweat flowing from my hand gripping the hilt kept making the sword slippery, forcing me to focus all my attention on each movement.

Thrusting forward or simply swinging consumed much energy, sending a different kind of pleasure throughout my body than before.

“You’re quite diligent. Your attitude has completely changed.”

Watching me, Sir Chris spoke with a satisfied smile.

My attitude had changed—that might be true.

Since the last ball, I had been training more diligently than usual.

Training that I had previously considered just a routine now seemed worth investing my heart into.

The opponents I would face in the future would be impossible to handle at my current level.

The Crown Prince—shadows gradually fell across my face as I thought of him.

He had probably reached Master level by the time the female lead appeared.

Expert—my own level wasn’t particularly low. But could I face an unexpected enemy?

Probably impossible.

I knew how difficult it was to reach Master level.

I also knew that Evan Fried had reached a level that some people couldn’t achieve even after a lifetime of training.

So I couldn’t easily throw away that talent.

While it was relieving that she had acknowledged me as her knight, it also added weight to my shoulders.

The responsibility given to me—to protect her from any danger.

Though it was a responsibility I, as someone who had possessed this body, didn’t need to bear, I couldn’t easily let go now.

Hadn’t I already become deeply entangled with her?

My body was heavy with sweat. Like cotton soaked in water, my body had become heavy and was emitting white steam.

One step, then another. Only when the pain that felt like my lungs were being gripped and torn made my breath rise to my throat did I finally loosen my grip on the sword.

Seeing the frozen ground melt from the heat emanating from my body, I couldn’t help but laugh.

How long had it been since I’d been this focused on something? Probably when I was young.

The last time I had received genuine praise from others.

Briefly recalling old memories left a bitter taste in my mouth. They were memories I didn’t need to remember.

They were irrelevant now, weren’t they? At least, they were memories I didn’t need to recall right now.

I had no intention of letting old memories constrain me forever.

I closed my eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them again as cold air filled my lungs.

The scene before me was desolate compared to before, but I rather liked the serenity it offered.

This quietness, the cold stillness that could only be felt in winter, seemed to slowly cool my heated heart.

“Your expression has really softened.”

Turning my head at the gruff voice behind me, I saw Sir Chris grinning as he slapped my back hard. He hit me so hard that my waist bent backward. As I slightly furrowed my brow at the sudden pain, Sir Chris laughed loudly and spoke.

“The appointment ceremony is coming soon, right? Time really flies.”

“…Indeed. It was summer, wasn’t it? When I became a knight.”

“I don’t know how you won the lady’s heart, but you look much better now. Both you and the lady are clearly different from before.”

I nodded at his words, but then tilted my head in confusion at a sudden question.

What did he mean by saying I was different from before?

Unable to ask directly, I just smiled slightly at Sir Chris, who was gripping my shoulder.

“I am a bit different from before, aren’t I?”

“Yes, before you mentioned becoming a knight, you looked like you were about to die. Actually, I was anxious when I went to get you that day. I wondered if I’d find you dead when you opened the door.”

“…Dead?”

My eyes narrowed at those words. Looking like I was about to die—what kind of life had Evan been living before?

But those thoughts quickly scattered as I heard light footsteps running from afar, crushing fallen leaves.

“Sir, are you here?”

Though it was a voice I heard often, why did hearing it always make me feel better?

After taking a moment to catch my breath, I answered loudly, and Rofena quickly approached, poking her head out.

“Wow, you’re really sweaty.”

“I worked hard today. But why are you here?”

“The lady is looking for you.”

Airin is looking for me? But I couldn’t think of any reason she would need me, so I looked at Sir Chris with a puzzled expression.

“I’m not sure either. Maybe it’s something urgent.”

“But she usually doesn’t look for me during training hours.”

Could it be something urgent, as Sir Chris suggested?

After staring at Rofena for a moment, I nodded and started walking.

Well, I’ll find out when I get there.

#

Walking through the corridor, I realized how much the atmosphere had changed from before.

The gazes of the maids, once awkward, had become quite friendly, and even Rofena beside me had initially been uncomfortable with me.

Though she had become friendly faster than the other maids.

Back then, this corridor had felt so desolate, but now this atmosphere was comfortable.

Just like coming home. No matter how difficult things got, having a place to return to was such a happiness.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t thought much about returning to my original world lately.

Perhaps it was after the last ball. Airin’s attitude had changed a lot since then.

The cold gazes she occasionally sent my way were no longer to be found.

Sometimes she would smile slightly, or rub her eyes saying she was sleepy—it felt awkward, but

It was still much better than her previous expressionless demeanor.

“Oh my, where are you going?”

“Miss Lize, I told you not to touch my hair!”

Lize, who had suddenly approached, asked while stroking Rofena’s hair, causing Rofena to pout angrily.

She looked just like an angry cat hissing, which made me smile, and Rofena quickly turned her head away.

She really gets upset easily.

“I’m going to see the lady. I was training, but it seems there’s something urgent.”

“Is that so? She didn’t call for us. Well, go quickly then. But you should wipe off your sweat first, use this.”

After wiping my sweat with the towel Lize handed me, she clapped her hands as if remembering something and spoke again.

“Ah, right. I put the letters on your desk. There were only three today.”

“…Three.”

That’s much more than before. I smiled wryly, and Lize giggled with her hand covering her mouth.

Since attending the ball, letters that used to come once or twice a week now arrived several times a day, and honestly, I had given up long ago.

I had given up on writing replies and just read them briefly before throwing the unopened ones in the trash.

I shrugged off those thoughts. This wasn’t the time to be standing around here.

Lize seemed to realize this too and pushed us along, saying she needed to go as well.

“Really, I don’t understand why everyone treats me like a child.”

“Hmm, I wonder.”

Honestly, how many people wouldn’t treat Rofena like a child?

But I couldn’t say that to her face, so I just agreed with her as we walked down the corridor.

Hearing my agreement seemed to improve her mood, and Rofena looked at me with a grin.

“But you’ve been training really hard lately, haven’t you?”

“Well, the appointment ceremony is coming soon. I used to be a bit lazy before.”

Perhaps it was because I had found a goal. Having become Airin’s knight, I needed to become strong enough to subdue the Crown Prince.

To be honest, it might be a vague goal, but having such a goal made everything I did feel worthwhile.

Besides, after the appointment ceremony would come the hunting festival.

I would likely participate in the hunting festival, and all this preparation would bear fruit then.

Finally reaching Airin’s door, Rofena knocked and spoke softly.

“My lady, it’s Rofena.”

“Come in.”

When the door opened, I saw Airin sipping tea.

Looking at her face, which seemed much more relaxed than before, made me feel at ease, and I slightly bowed my head to her.

“You’re here. I’m sorry for calling you during training.”

“It’s fine. I was about to finish anyway.”

Hearing my words, Airin smiled slightly and put down her teacup. A rose placed by the window caught my eye.

As I stared blankly at the rose, Airin looked at me and continued speaking.

“Why are you standing there so blankly? I called you because I have something to say, so sit here in front.”

The small sofa in front of the desk—perhaps it was because I was tired from swinging my sword.

Though it wasn’t particularly plush, my exhausted body felt as if it were sinking into a cloud when I sat down.

Trying to hide my drowsy expression, I rubbed my face, and Airin looked at me carefully and moved her lips.

“You look tired.”

“I’m not particularly tired. I was just a bit lazy before.”

“Take it easy. There’s no need to push yourself so hard.”

I stared blankly at her concerned gaze, then smiled faintly.

Why did it feel so awkward that she was worried about me?

Whenever those blue eyes rippled with warmth, my face would inexplicably heat up, and I would unconsciously swallow.

The concern in her gaze directed at me felt strangely amusing.

When we first met, she had scolded me just for calling her “my lady.”

Now there was no trace of hostility or thorns in her attitude toward me.

Airin eventually asked me various things. Small talk about daily life.

Whether there were any maids who weren’t diligent, how the knights in the duke’s residence behaved.

As we talked about such things, time quickly passed, and the tea placed before me soon grew cold.

But its rich aroma remained.

Although the tea had cooled and no longer provided that peculiar sensation of warming the body, the expensive Darjeeling’s scent still lingered in my mouth.

If I closed my eyes tightly, it was as if I could taste the greenery again in this desolate winter, and as I was closing my eyes, Airin spoke.

“By the way, the hunting festival is coming soon, right?”

“Yes, it’s in two weeks.”

I nodded at her words, and Airin gazed at me intently.

I wondered if anything could be hunted in winter, but since this was a fantasy world, there were probably plenty of animals that could withstand the cold weather.

Clink-

As Airin placed her teacup on the saucer, she finally spoke while looking at me.

“You’ll probably be busier after the hunting festival. Events that follow, and as you’ll officially become my knight after the appointment ceremony, you’ll always have to accompany me to such places. It means you won’t have the leisure you have now.”

“…I’m prepared for that.”

That’s why I’m working so hard now, isn’t it?

After the appointment ceremony, Sir Chris probably wouldn’t be there to substitute for me anymore.

I knew well that the time I could spend leisurely sitting in the garden eating cookies was running out.

But I couldn’t understand why she was bringing this up, so I just glanced at Airin and quietly sipped my tea.

“…Honestly, I still feel sorry about taking you to the ball like that last time.”

“I’m fine. I was just a bit surprised then, but I didn’t feel anything particular.”

I waved my hands saying she didn’t need to apologize, but she shook her head and continued.

“As I said then, it was a choice made on my impulse. So I wanted to give you something as an apology, but… I can’t think of anything suitable.”

“You don’t need to do anything for me. Really.”

“So let’s go out together. Like the day we first met.”

“…What?”

I stared blankly at Airin at those words.

Suddenly going out? As I slightly furrowed my brow, Airin smiled and spoke again.

“I’m asking if I can share your last bit of leisure time.”

Once again, her lips curved into a gentle smile.

Whenever I saw such a smile, my mind seemed to go completely blank.

I could only nod dumbly.

Really, smiling like that was unfair.