episode_0229

Ruyef, who had heard the answer, stroked his chin with a troubled expression.

“Then we’ll have to hold a baptismal ceremony… The problem is, I don’t quite remember what we did or how we did it during my own baptismal ceremony.”

“During Oppa’s baptismal ceremony, you danced with me.”

“Right. I remember dancing. But I don’t know ‘exactly’ what procedures were involved.”

A baptismal ceremony was a sacred rite held only once a year.

Like a surprise birthday party, the adults secretly prepared the ceremony for the children who would be baptized.

On a pitch-black night where not an inch ahead could be seen.

The adults took only the children participating in the ceremony to the baptismal ground and had them dance.

It was customary to dance with someone of the opposite sex one held affection for. However, Ruyef exceptionally danced with Marie, who was family.

Since the village was gradually declining and there were no young people anyway, it was a natural thing.

Finally, all the adults disappeared.

What procedures were needed for Briezden’s traditional ceremony, and how it was conducted.

Since Ruyef didn’t know either, the way to find out became distant.

But then Ritsu suddenly spoke up.

“I know.”

Ruyef asked in a voice that implied, “What are you talking about?”

“You know? You’ve never had a baptismal ceremony.”

“I’ve seen it.”

At the calm voice, the Ruyef siblings slightly froze.

‘I’ve seen it.’

Ritsu couldn’t participate in the last baptismal ceremony, the one where Ruyef and Marie danced.

At that time, Ritsu was still at an age where he had to wait another year. All he did was join the after-party of the baptismal ceremony and enjoy the celebration with everyone.

Ritsu, who shouldn’t have known what happened at the baptismal ceremony or where the baptismal ground was…

…saying he had ‘seen it’ meant.

It could only mean one thing.

Ritsu, noticing the siblings’ expressions, let out a sigh.

“I’m fine. So, don’t make those kinds of faces.”

“Ah. We’re sorry…”

“Anyway, I saw it properly. You don’t have to worry.”

With that, Ritsu managed a smile.

It felt like a forced smile, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at the collapsed general store had changed, becoming a little more lively than before.

With a confident expression.

As if to be heard by ‘the owner of that house’.

“I will prepare the most beautiful baptismal ceremony.”

He vowed.

***

The full-scale preparations for the baptismal ceremony began.

In truth, there wasn’t much to prepare.

In the wide open space where the ceremony was held, numerous lanterns had been hung long ago, and they would remain untouched as long as animals didn’t interfere.

It was simply a matter of going up and lighting the lanterns on the day of the ceremony.

However, Ritsu personally went up to the open ground and inspected the condition of each of the nearly 100 lanterns.

Since a long time had passed, naturally some were broken, and some had all their candles melted away.

He repaired what could be repaired.

Those that were completely broken and unusable were disassembled and used as materials for the village’s reconstruction.

Insufficient lanterns were either purchased, or if that wasn’t feasible, materials were acquired to make them.

Thus, during the day, they worked on reconstruction.

And at night, they prepared for the baptismal ceremony until they went to sleep.

Marie also helped Ritsu with his work.

Whenever pork fat was available in the market, they bought a little at a time and solidified it into candles.

Naturally, no small expense was incurred.

A ceremony was just a ceremony, after all.

Strictly speaking, it was completely unrelated to the development of the village.

Nevertheless, the three of them steadily produced lanterns, one by one.

“…A baptismal ceremony?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of baptism are you holding?”

“It has the same purpose as Teildon’s coming-of-age ceremony. It’s a festival to celebrate the children of Briezden becoming new adults.”

“Oh-. So, it’s Marie’s baptismal ceremony?”

“That’s right. We’re preparing plenty of food, so please come with a light heart, celebrate with us, and enjoy yourselves.”

“Mhm, got it! Thanks for letting me know-.”

Ruyef went around Teildon, announcing the baptismal ceremony.

According to tradition, there was no need to do so. It was customary for only the villagers to enjoy the festival among themselves.

However, Ritsu insisted that a baptismal ceremony with only three people wouldn’t have any atmosphere, and that they should prepare abundant food and invite as many people as possible.

Ruyef had no choice but to agree with the idea that it would also serve to widely promote the village to outsiders once Briezden completed its renovation.

Indeed, the people of Teildon showed great curiosity.

For a long time, Briezden’s baptismal ceremony had only been heard about by word of mouth. No one had actually attended because they hadn’t been invited.

But now that there was an opportunity to see it in person, the rumor spread instantly.

“Did you hear about it? Briezden is holding a baptismal ceremony.”

“I heard they do it in a really unique way? They hang hundreds of lanterns where the wind blows through the valley, and when the wind blows, they shimmer like stars!”

“Wow- that’s romantic-.”

As it became a bigger topic of conversation than expected, a lot of ingredients were needed.

Naturally, three people couldn’t handle such cooking, so they ended up temporarily hiring a ‘chef’.

The person they met there was Elon.

At that time, Elon was a pregnant woman with one child, a wife who traveled around with her husband, who was a royal chef.

From that time, she was renowned for her excellent cooking skills, making her a valuable person sought after by many knights and merchant groups.

She was temporarily staying in Teildon to go north, and Ruyef, who was looking for a chef, coincidentally heard the news and went to her directly to request her services, which the couple readily accepted.

It was simply because it seemed like it would be interesting.

While the festival preparations proceeded smoothly after finding a chef.

Marie seemed to feel a slight unease at the scale that was growing increasingly difficult to manage.

On a winter night, as the end of the year slowly approached.

Ritsu was sitting alone at his workbench, making lanterns.

While he was deeply focused on his work.

Rustle. Rustle.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps and turned around to find Marie, who should have been asleep by now, standing there.

Ritsu asked with a surprised expression.

“Marie? Were you not sleeping?”

“Ah, I couldn’t sleep…”

“I see. Then sit here by the fire for a moment. Watching what I do will bore you and make you sleepy.”

Marie obediently sat down beside Ritsu.

The girl, pulling her knees close, stared blankly at the boy’s back as he resumed his work.

Rustle.

Only the gentle sounds of cutting and gluing fabric could be heard in the winter workshop.

Just as he said, nothing particularly unusual. A space where only simple tasks were repeated.

“…”

His yellow hair swayed with a swish.

Sleepiness came over her like a lie.

Marie’s cheeks also began to turn red, like the lantern Ritsu was making.

It wasn’t because of boredom.

Just gazing at Ritsu’s shadowed back like this was so comfortable and cozy that her eyes closed on their own.

Ruyef did not carry Marie on his back and raise her. Instead, he carried heavy A-frames to feed and raise her.

His way of taking care of Marie before himself showed he was an excellent older brother, and his gruff protection of Marie made him an excellent father figure as well.

But he couldn’t be a ‘mother’ as well.

When Marie was carried on someone’s back for the first time.

She still remembered that softness and warmth.

It wasn’t large or wide, but.

Soft, emanating the scent of an apothecary, and radiating the boy’s warmth-.

That very back.

“Did you hurt your knee? Oh, it’s a little scraped. Come on, Marie. Get on my back.”

Blue eyes swayed gently.

The two men hadn’t changed at all from the past.

Ruyef still gruffly looked after Marie, and Ritsu still treated Marie gently and warmly.

Like this, even now.

Weren’t they staying up all night preparing a ceremony just for her?

“I’m sorry…”

Ritsu’s sensitive ears didn’t miss the girl’s small whisper.

He momentarily put down his working hands and turned around.

“Huh? For what?”

“Because I made you spend more money and made Oppas go through trouble for nothing. Only I’m having a baptismal ceremony anyway. I didn’t mean for it to be this big—.”

“Haha. So that’s what you were saying.”

Ritsu said with a laugh.

“It’s alright, Marie. You deserve to receive the blessings of many people.”

“But even my Oppa’s baptismal ceremony was never this big. It was rather simple. And Ritsu Oppa hasn’t even had his baptismal ceremony yet. So why do I get to…”

“Receive such grand treatment?”

Marie lowered her head and nodded slightly.

“Hmm-.”

Ritsu, after a moment of thought, stood up from the workbench.

He stretched once to release the tension in his shoulders.

Then he slowly walked and plopped down beside Marie.

His night-colored eyes rested on the dark slopes of Dragonez Mountain beyond the window.

“Ruyef and I followed the ‘old’ Briezden way, that’s why it was like that. But now, there’s a need to do it anew, in Briezden’s current way. And Marie is the glorious first one.”

“A new way…?”

“Of course.”

Ritsu turned to Marie.

Even though he must have been a bit tired from working all night, he asked with a bright smile, showing no signs of fatigue.

“There’s no reason it shouldn’t be, right?”

That’s right.

Ritsu, Ruyef, Marie.

These three had inherited only the name and land of Briezden.

No ancestor remained to scold them to follow rules, no matter what or how they did things from now on.

Adhering even slightly to these old traditions was merely to show humble respect to their ancestors.

Nor was there any obligation to strictly adhere to the rules of the old village.

So, there was no reason it shouldn’t be.

What Ruyef wanted to protect.

What Ritsu wanted to do.

What Marie dreamed of.

Everything – they could rewrite it as they wished.

“…”

Marie bowed her head and softly closed her eyes.

It was the look of a happy girl who had realized that her Oppas’ efforts, going to such lengths for her, came from their true hearts.

“Ritsu Oppa is right. I’m starting to get sleepy now.”

“Hm. That’s good.”

Ritsu stroked Marie’s hair.

“Alright, I’m getting tired too. It’s late, so let’s go to bed. Let’s go in together.”

“…Okay.”

Turning off the lantern, Ritsu and Marie left the workshop.

The two of them, heading together towards Ruyef’s house, walked very close.