314 - Spring Flower Festival of Blooming Love 2
In the end, I decided to go to the annex at Siegwald's residence today while observing the Spring Flower Festival from the carriage. The world outside was bustling with people searching for lovers, saying "It's the Spring Flower Festival," but the pharmacists holed up in the annex were in a state where even their contact with their families was subject to censorship, let alone finding a lover. At the very least, bringing them some care packages wouldn't earn me any punishment.
I avoided buying the sweets decorated to look like festival love tokens, and delivered them to the pharmacists. I wasn't stingy enough to say "one per person." Pharmacists do work that uses their minds, so sweet things should be effective for relieving fatigue. Thinking that, I brought in preserves like candy and dried fruit that would keep, and they were overwhelmingly delighted. It seemed they were happy not just about the sweets, but that a little girl, even if just a child, had come to check on them during the Spring Flower Festival.
...Just how unrewarding is the pharmacist profession!?
The pharmacists who'd come to the annex were half young and half veteran, but apparently not a single one among them was married. We'd never talked about such things before, but today it seemed they felt like complaining. The pharmacists tearfully lamented that they were too busy honing their skills as pharmacists, with no opportunity to meet a partner or time to nurture love. It was troublesome having them complain about such things to me, a child, but was I supposed to introduce them to women, since I was showing up with my lady's maid and maids in tow? I tried introducing them to someone like Barbara, for instance. Since she was a fellow pharmacist with the same interests and aspirations, conversation should flow, I suggested.
"Barbara is..."
"Yes, anyone but Barbara, please."
"Ms. Barbara is too harsh with her words..."
"And besides, Ms. Barbara is way past her prime, you know."
...Yeah, the reason they can't find lovers isn't because they're too busy with work.
It's not because they lack opportunities to meet people, nor because the women around them have no taste. The reason they can't find lovers is their own problem.
...No room for sympathy!
Especially that last remark came from a veteran pharmacist who had lived more than twice Barbara's age. If Barbara was past her prime, then he was past being a withered tree.
"Christina-sama, I appreciate the kind offer, but I already have a husband and children, you see."
I had been saying that the unsold pharmacists were unwanted, but I was surprised by Barbara's words for a different reason.
"Huh? Barbara-san, you have a husband and children?"
"I do..."
"But when you became Aurelia's apprentice..."
Because Aurelia had died, Barbara, who had become her apprentice, had to leave Waiyakku Valley, but originally, apprentices couldn't leave the valley until their training was complete, or death awaited them if they ran away. Those were supposed to be the conditions of apprenticeship, but apparently Barbara had chosen to become Aurelia's apprentice despite having a husband and child.
"How did you decide to become Aurelia's apprentice? Didn't your husband say anything?"
"Of course he opposed it, but I persuaded him. I had no intention of giving up midway, nor of running away."
Apparently Barbara's husband and child lived in a town near Mail Fortress. I had been certain she was an unmarried woman, but it turned out she was actually on a solo assignment away from her family.
...Ah, one shot down.
The young pharmacist who had said "anyone but Barbara" was trembling with a straight face. Apparently, he alone had been hiding his embarrassment. I might have done something a little bad.
...Well, at least it's good that it ended while the wound was still small.
I decided to offer some consolation to the pharmacist who seemed to have been struck down by Barbara. As I was racking my brain over that, a maid from Siegwald's residence came to call me, saying "The mistress is requesting you." Wondering what it was about, I went to the main building, where Mikaela handed me a white hat with cat ears and lovely flower decorations.
"Um...?"
"A Spring Flower Festival gift for Tina, from Sofiya-sama."
"From Aunt Sofiya, a Spring Flower Festival..."
It was the type of hat that fastened with a ribbon under the chin, and there was paw pad embroidery on the ends of the ribbon. For Spring Flower Festival embroidery, it was a gift from a female family member. Apparently Sofiya, having heard I was her niece, had prepared a gift for me. What a contrast from me, who hadn't even thought about sending gifts to Bertrand's relatives, thinking "I don't know any grandfather."
"I've unexpectedly received something wonderful... I'll have to send something in return to Sofiya-sama later. What does Sofiya-sama like?"
"Sofiya-sama would likely be delighted just to be called 'Aunt.'"
"That's that, and this is this."
I chided Mikaela, saying to keep them separate. Mikaela laughed, saying "How formidable," but that and this were different matters. I might be willing to treat Sofiya as an aunt, but I didn't want Bertrand to play the grandfather through his connection to Sofiya. It seemed he was seeking some kind of reconciliation, but I had no intention of letting things slide into a de facto reconciliation.
...Unless he first apologizes for all the abusive remarks he made toward my mother, reconciliation is impossible.
I figured I'd send an assortment of recommended sweets as a thank-you gift. Since sweets and such gifts arrived from various people, I'd become a little knowledgeable about the confections sold in the capital. I didn't know Sofiya's preferences, but if I sent a few recommendations, it might also give her an excuse to call Aristalf over.
...Whether Aunt Sofiya takes Aristalf back, or he returns to Bertrand-sama's house, that's their problem.
I'd cooperate by giving them an excuse to make contact, but the rest was up to Sofiya and Aristalf.
...But still, the animal costume thing for the Spring Flower Festival was over, right?
The hat from Sofiya's gift firmly had cat ears on it. Did Sofiya perhaps think I wore cat ears as a personal hobby? When I wore this hat, cat tails would probably be prepared too, even though it wasn't winter.
"Might I ask Tina to be a Cupid of love?"
"I don't have spirit wings attached, but I'll help. For Sieg-sama?"
"Yes, I'd like you to play Cupid for my Sieg."
As I was enjoying the pleasantly soft feel of the cat ears, Mikaela handed me a small beautifully decorated box. Judging by the size of the box, she'd probably embroidered a handkerchief or something.
"...But since you're married, couldn't you just give it to him directly?"
"Fufu. Having someone in between has its own charm, you know."
Seeing the delighted face up close when giving it directly was nice too, but apparently there was also something nice about the agonizing wait for her husband to return, wondering if he was pleased, after having it delivered through an intermediary. No matter how old you get, the thrill of love is important, it seems.
"Even after becoming husband and wife, you're still in love with Sieg-sama."
"With each passing year, affection and longing only accumulate."
Mikaela, speaking with her cheeks slightly flushed, saying "Is it a bit early for Tina?" was beautiful. She truly seemed to be in love with Siegwald, no matter how many years passed. It was an emotion I still couldn't understand.
...But Petrona-chan seems to be in her first love too, so maybe it's about time for me?
Wondering if I was about old enough for love myself, I tried to imagine my future lover. My vague ideal would be... someone stronger than Leonardo?
...No, that's not it. That's not an ideal, it's an absolute prerequisite.
Whether boyfriend or marriage partner, there was no point unless he could first defeat Leonardo. There was no way Leonardo would acknowledge a man weaker than himself as my husband, and at that level, I didn't feel I could fall in love either. Being equal to or better than Leonardo was the condition I sought in a lover.
...If I end up unable to get married, maybe I really will become Leonyaldo-san's bride.
Imagining an ideal man was still difficult since I couldn't quite grasp what love was, but I could immediately think of a way to win Leonardo over. If I sat on his lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek, saying "I want to be Big Brother's bride," Leonardo would fall for it. I was confident of that.
...But I don't think a bride will come for Leonyaldo-san before I grow up...
I had a vague certainty about that. Leonardo would continue to fuss over me, his little sister, and even if he had opportunities to find a lover, he would keep missing them. He might not even notice such opportunities existed. In fact, he wouldn't notice. Not a possibility, almost a certainty.
...I might need to seriously consider becoming Leonyaldo-san's bride.
When I returned to the detached palace, I headed straight for Siegwald, who was continuing to guard Saint Yuuta Hiraga's research materials, to deliver Mikaela's gift. As I walked down the hall leading to the now-unoccupied guest room assigned to Jasper, a cat-headed boy passed in front of me.
...Huh?
I thought "there's that kid again," but that was all. The cat-headed boy had just passed in front of me, so I simply judged that he had no business with me.
...I feel like he's looking at me from behind the pillar, but it's my imagination, my imagination.
Since he didn't seem to be trying to talk to me, it was probably fine to leave him be.
"Sieg-sama, this is a Spring Flower Festival gift from Mikaela-sama."
"Oh! A spring gift from my goddess Mikaela."
Saying "Thanks be to the spirits of spring," Siegwald gave me a small box containing Norakamu. Without a doubt, knowing that a gift would be delivered to him from Mikaela, he must have had sweets hidden in his pocket to give to the spirit child who delivered the gift. For this couple, having a Cupid intermediary between them for gift-giving seemed to be a yearly tradition. They really were a wonderful couple.
"Sieg-sama, do you also find your heart racing when exchanging things through an intermediary?"
"Yeah, I suppose so. My goddess is waiting for me at home when I return, but exchanging things through someone else makes me remember our courting days and gets me excited."
When Siegwald talked about Mikaela, his face didn't go slack with sloppiness, but smiled warmly and happily. If you only listened to the content, it was just lovey-dovey talk, but seeing that warm smile made my heart feel warm too, which was lovely. I supposed a relationship like this couple's was what they called a perpetually newlywed couple.
...Even if becoming Leonyaldo-san's bride is a joke, I'd like a partner I could become a couple like Sieg-sama and Mikaela-sama with.
A relationship where you could always be in love with each other was the ideal. Since I was already used to him, I thought I could live with Leonardo like this forever, but even if familial love might grow, I couldn't imagine myself falling in love with Leonardo. The same probably went the other way too. Even if Leonardo could love me as a little sister, it should be difficult for him to love me as a woman. Leonardo and I could form a closed relationship as one family, but I didn't feel we could have a relationship that expanded with more family members like children and grandchildren. And that probably wasn't the future Leonardo wanted.
...Putting aside my marriage issues, I really need to seriously look for a bride for Leonyaldo-san soon!
As I was pondering about my brother's bride-to-be without his knowledge, Felicia's lady's maid came by. She said Felicia was calling for me, but was it really alright for me to go? Before I'd left for Siegwald's residence, there should have been a line of men proposing to Felicia.
"Henrieta, what business do you have?"
I visited Felicia's guest room, wondering if perhaps Felicia wanted me to act as Cupid to deliver gifts to someone. In the guest room Felicia was using were piled bouquets and large gift boxes that were clearly today's tributes.
...Huh? Why is that kid here?
Behind Felicia, who was sitting elegantly with her legs crossed, was the cat-headed boy. Considering he had a small bouquet clutched in his hand, he too was probably one of Felicia's followers.
'Mn!'
"Yes?"
A muffled voice came through the headpiece, and the cat-headed boy shoved the bouquet at me. It sounded nice to say "colorful flowers," but seeing the mismatched flowers bound together with a slightly wrinkled ribbon, perhaps the cat-headed boy had picked flowers from someone's flowerbed. There were also places where petals had scattered here and there.
"Um... should I deliver this to Felicia-sama?"
Not understanding any other meaning behind being pushed a bouquet, I looked back and forth between the cat head and the bouquet. There was no response from the cat-headed boy, but Felicia, who was listening to the conversation right beside me, burst out laughing at my words.
"Christina, that's far too cruel."
"Huh? Is Henrieta refusing younger men?"
"No, not that."
She wore a troubled wry smile, but Felicia's beauty wasn't diminished at all. Felicia reached out her hand, so I handed her the cat-headed boy's bouquet, and she began to arrange it, pulling out the ribbon and fallen petals.
"Christina, this is a gift for you, from that cat-kun."
"Oh, a delivery item. Thank you very much."
Hearing "gift," I finally understood. The cat-headed boy was delivering gifts as a Cupid of love, like the town children did. As a thank-you for being the Cupid of love, I handed the cat-headed boy some sweets I'd bought as care packages for Siegwald's annex. I'd avoided buying them for myself thinking I wanted to eat them, but I could just go buy more.
'...Uh'
"Yes? What is it?"
Having the sweets placed in his palm, the cat-headed boy began trembling. He muttered something in a small voice, but it was muffled by the headpiece, making it hard to hear accurately. Wondering what he wanted to say, I tilted my head and brought my ear closer to the cat head, at which the cat-headed boy flinched, then dashed out of the guest room with tremendous speed.
'Nyaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!'
"Whaaaaaaah!?"
Having a strange cry shouted right next to my ear, a weird sound also escaped my mouth in surprise. With the two of us screaming strangely and one person fleeing at tremendous speed, what was left was an extremely awkward atmosphere for me, the one remaining.
"...Wh-what was that kid about?"
"How timid."
I assumed she was referring to the cat-headed boy, but Felicia smiled softly. It was a sequence of events I couldn't understand the reason for, but Felicia seemed to have understood the cat-headed boy's strange behavior. Felicia neatly rearranged the bouquet and then handed it back to me.
"Huh? There's no sender's name?"
Normally a message card or letter was attached, but the bouquet the cat-headed boy had brought had nothing like that. Felicia said it was addressed to me, but considering the cat-headed boy's behavior, that was also questionable. The only word I'd been able to make out from the cat-headed boy was the initial "mn." He had handed me the bouquet so I'd taken it, but I hadn't actually heard the cat-headed boy clearly say it was for me.
"It seems he came to see Christina since morning today, but..."
"...I see. I did catch sight of him at the entrance after breakfast."
"When he saw the entrance hall filled with gifts, he apparently realized he'd come empty-handed."
"Ah, so that's why he ran off at full speed."
"He apparently hurriedly picked flowers from the flowerbed, but Christina was unusually out, it seems."
"Yes. I went to Siegwald-sama's residence to bring care packages to the pharmacists."
After that I'd been called by Mikaela, received Sofiya's gift, and been asked to act as Cupid for Siegwald, I reported to Felicia. After returning to the detached palace, I'd gone straight to Siegwald, and then was called by Felicia to come to this guest room.
...Hmm? So when I saw that kid at Sieg-sama's place, it was because he was looking for me?
As I was wondering if that was the case, my thoughts coming together, Felicia gave me the correct answer. It seemed the cat-headed boy, unable to even call out to me when he'd finally found me, had turned to Felicia. And then Felicia had apparently decided to act as Cupid. She'd sent her maid to summon me, and had arranged for the cat-headed boy and me to meet face to face.
"So, I'm liked by that boy?"
"He gave you a gift during the Spring Flower Festival, so it would seem so."
"I don't recall doing anything to earn such affection..."
Wondering where I'd been liked from, I looked down at the neatly rearranged bouquet and tilted my head. The only time I'd met the cat-headed boy was at the tea party when I'd met Aristalf, just that one time. We hadn't even had a proper conversation then, but come to think of it, there had been hints of the cat-headed boy's interest from the very beginning, like being chosen as his Reversi opponent.
...Come to think of it, his voice did sound familiar somehow.
As I seriously tilted my head wondering who it was, Felicia gave a wry smile. This really wasn't just a matter of having no chance, it was hopeless.
Tina can't really say much about Leonardo either. Even if spring comes for her, she probably wouldn't even notice it was spring.
Will fix typos and errors at a later date.