193 - Divine King Festival and Kalisa's Return
"Pat, pat, on the hearth..."
Kalisa sprinkles a thin layer of ash over the cleaned hearth, then presses both hands onto it to leave her handprints. It was the same charm for the Divine King Festival that we did at the Grenore residence last year.
"Being away from the city, it doesn't really feel like a festival, does it."
While wiping the ash from my hands, I think about the differences between the city and Aurelia's house. As for what's obvious without even thinking, in the city there's a festive atmosphere and decorations gradually go up as the Divine King Festival approaches, but at Aurelia's house, they don't really do anything special.
The three of them, who don't even pay much attention to their own meals, put their energy into studying herbal medicine whether it's the Divine King Festival or the Spring Flower Festival, just the same as always. As an ordinary person who benefits from herbal medicine, I feel I should bow my head in gratitude, but as a person living in the present, I have my doubts. If it's studying every single day, there's no enjoyment in life, is there.
As I was worrying about such things, Kalisa puffs out her ample chest and says there's a feast tonight. I'm aware of it, but this is one of my habits that's rubbed off on her. In the past, because my words were limited, I tried to compensate with body language, so my emotional expressions ended up being somewhat exaggerated. And over the year we've spent together, it seems to have fully transferred to Kalisa as well.
...Well, there's no way to imitate the size of her chest, though.
Kalisa's chest is so large that even another woman's eyes would be drawn to it, while my chest as a child is completely flat. There's a possibility it might develop in the future, but I'm certain it won't grow as much as Kalisa's.
"I wonder if Leonyaldo-san is also having a feast at Mail Fortress?"
"...At the fortress, aside from the Divine King Festival, there are also rites for the War God Herkeles, so when those are over, it's a feast."
"Oh? Kalisa, do you know what the fortress rites are like?"
Having grown up at the Mandez residence, Kalisa was also knowledgeable about the Black Knights' rites. Back when I was in Mey Village, I didn't even know there were white and black knights, but for Kalisa, the Black Knights are a familiar presence. She probably had opportunities to learn about the rites held within the fortress, which aren't widely known to the general public.
The rites held at the fortress were a ceremony to swear to the War God Herkeles that in the new year as well, without becoming arrogant about their power, they would discipline themselves and only swing their swords to protect the people. It was also a prayer of self-discipline, saying to the War God, who symbolizes both the devastation and chaos of war, that we humans will also strive to restrain ourselves, so please, you being a god, do not act too rashly either.
Since there is something called the Divine King in this world, gods might actually exist, but at least the War God Herkeles, as told in mythology, is terribly rash. He sinks the sun into the sea because the sunlight is too bright and hot, and kicks down mountains because he doesn't like their shape. Frankly, the only time he displays the kind of talent befitting a War God is when he's being reined in by his younger sister goddess Itsurateru. The War God Herkeles is such an uninhibited and violent god that you could almost call him a malevolent deity.
...Well, that makes you want to pray "Please behave yourself," doesn't it.
Besides the oath, Kalisa told me that they also perform sword dances, strength contests, and drinking competitions. The latter half seems like just playing around, but apparently it's all part of the proper rites.
...I'd like to see Leonyaldo-san's sword dance, just a little.
I couldn't bear to watch the martial arts tournament where they clashed sword against sword, it was too frightening, but if I think of it as a dance, I feel like I could watch it calmly. When I asked if outsiders couldn't observe, she told me that due to the uninhibited nature of the War God Herkeles, women other than knights are forbidden from approaching the rites.
...Come to think of it, there was also that myth about Herkeles, wasn't there. He took a liking to a human woman while she was bathing and forcibly impregnated her.
These are the rites of a god who is unrestrained even below the waist. Indeed, it's better for women not to get close.
"By the way, young lady. I'm planning to make Itsurateru's Four Blessings. Would you be willing to help me?"
"With pleasure!"
Kalisa's words that tonight was a feast weren't a lie. As long as I didn't use knives, she let me help, so I did my best. Perhaps the shape differs a little between Mandez and Grenore, but Itsurateru's Four Blessings, which last year I couldn't tell whether it was a pie or a tart, was definitely a tart when Kalisa made it. As expected, the part about putting a ceramic figurine inside seemed to be the same, and from my tart this year came a ceramic piece shaped like a crown.
...Alf-san told me that means the best luck, though.
Because of the crown shape, I can't help but recall the face of that overly energetic royal, and I can only have a bad feeling about it. Last year's Alf must have had the same kind of expression I do now.
Since cutting it into five equal parts was difficult, the tart was divided into six portions, and the last piece was placed into the hearth with the handprints, together with some milk. They say that if you offer the Itsurateru's Four Blessings that couldn't be finished on the day of the Divine King Festival to the hearth as the spirits' share, the blessing won't turn into a curse.
Last year I went outside and ended up being taken by the spirits, so this year I spent the time quietly indoors. As a precaution, I've been wearing my animal costume since the beginning of winter. Depending on my mood that day, I switch between cat ears and dog ears, but I've been careful not to take it off except when sleeping.
A few days after safely spending the Divine King Festival period at Aurelia's house, Leonardo came to pick up Kalisa. Since Kalisa was scheduled to return to the city of Mandez along with Leonardo's travel, this was goodbye.
"...What's wrong, Tina? Want to come along?"
I had been staring at Leonardo, and when he noticed my gaze, he met my eyes and said this. I had intended to be timing when to talk to Leonardo about something, but perhaps to Leonardo, I looked like I was getting homesick. He was being considerate, thinking that I was supposed to stay in Waiyakku Valley for the whole winter, but maybe I wanted to come along after all.
After declining, saying I would stay in Waiyakku Valley through the winter as planned, I straightened my back and looked straight into Leonardo's black eyes. Just that alone must have been enough for Leonardo to understand that I had something serious to talk about. His face, which had fallen a little at being refused to come along, quickly tensed up.
"...There's something I need to talk to Leonyaldo-san about, so I'll tell you after the winter trip is over."
"Can't you do it now?"
"It's a story that will make you angry, so it's better after Leonyaldo-san's work has settled down a bit."
"I see."
Telling me to let him hear it when we return to Grenore, Leonardo's large hand stroked my head. As if he could sense something, the touch was comforting. A little rough, too.
"...So this is goodbye to Kalisa too."
"Yes, young lady."
Kalisa, who had packed her few belongings into a bag, was not in her usual maid uniform but in riding breeches. This nursemaid, who was perfect at both self-defense and cooking, apparently even enjoyed horseback riding.
...And so, the carriage was equipment entirely for my use, huh.
If it was just Kalisa traveling, apparently she could go even in winter by horse alone. Loading a small wood stove onto a carriage and traveling leisurely was an overprotective specification that only applied when I was with her.
"This past year was the first time I left the city of Mandez. I think I gained good experience."
When Kalisa smiled and said she also learned new things, she must have been talking about bobbin lace. Kalisa, who is smart and has good intuition, left me behind and kept challenging herself with more difficult patterns, and had completely grasped the knack of it. All that's left is to weave lace over and over, get used to it, and make it her own. If it spreads through Kalisa, bobbin lace will at least reach the three sisters of Mandez. Perhaps Iridal might learn it too. If that happens, even if it's still a far-off future before it circulates in the market as a product, Aurelia's bobbin lace won't disappear with Aurelia's generation alone.
...Someday, it'd be nice if artisans or something appear.
It'll probably still take me a while to learn, though. Since Kalisa is taking it back to the city of Mandez, the chances of it spreading are higher than if only I learned it.
Once Kalisa returned to the city of Mandez, it became a life of just the four of us in Waiyakku Valley, none of whom have much life skills. Aurelia's cooking tastes like another world, and I recently discovered that her two apprentices are also disastrous at cooking, so the kitchen in the valley without Kalisa becomes completely mine. I'm not as good a cook as Kalisa or Tabitha, but compared to the other three, I'm better off since I can at least make edible food. In exchange, I decided to leave the laundry and bath preparations to Paula and Barbara. Or rather, originally those tasks, including cooking, were their work.
Aside from the time spent cooking, I poured almost all my time into bobbin lace. Rolling the bobbins with a clatter, clatter, I would have idle chats with Aurelia. It's lonely that Kalisa has gone back, but thanks to that, I have more time alone with Aurelia, and we can talk in languages other than English.
"...Would you like to come live together with me in the city of Grenore?"
Without stopping the movement of my hands rolling the bobbins, I tried inviting Aurelia like that. Of course, I didn't forget to explain that I had already obtained Leonardo's permission. After all, my guardian is Leonardo, so even if I say let's live together, nothing can be done without his agreement.
"...I'll think about it a little."
I had been thinking about all sorts of other ways to persuade her, but Aurelia surprisingly accepted the offer quite easily. Even just the fact that she didn't flat-out reject it would be worthy of applause if the people involved heard about it.
It was so unexpected that the hands rolling the bobbins stopped. When I stared at Aurelia with my mouth hanging open in astonishment, perhaps my stupid-looking face was amusing, because Aurelia laughed out loud.
Somehow, I felt certain that I would get a good answer.