473 - Harvest Festival and Winter Migration
The Harvest Festival ended in the blink of an eye, as expected. Just as with the Remembrance Festival, I sent Mirsche to the Three Crows tavern on an errand to buy plate-baked treats. Since I had almost been kidnapped while out sightseeing at the festival, and then was snatched away by someone I trusted just when I thought I had been rescued, it seemed Leonardo had some thoughts about the Harvest Festival. He pushed the work in the bustling city onto Alf and spent the day with me at the manor, bringing along detailed paperwork. Since Leonardo was at the manor, Salisa unusually requested a day off, so I happily let her go. I was looking forward to hearing about it, wondering if this was a date with the person she had given embroidery to at the Spring Flower Festival, but the souvenir Salisa brought back was a bouquet of flowers. To be precise, it was not a souvenir for me. It was a souvenir for Enomena's pot.
"...Where did this bouquet come from?"
I wondered if it was a gift from a lover she had met outside. If so, I did not understand the meaning of Salisa offering the bouquet to Enomena's pot.
When I looked up at Salisa to ask what it meant, she nonchalantly told me the source of the bouquet.
"The other day, I received an inquiry asking if I would enter the Wemishuvara Contest, so I participated."
"...Eh? A bouquet from the Wemishuvara Contest... eh? Salisa, did you win?"
The Wemishuvara Contest, bearing the name of the goddess of fertility, Wemishuvara, was in other words a beauty contest. Since participants were selected entirely by recommendation, simply being able to enter was considered a considerable honor. Kalisa had been asked to enter before, so it was not strange for Salisa to be asked, but I never imagined she would enter without my knowing and return as the winner.
"I did not think Salisa would be interested in the Wemishuvara Contest."
"I was not interested, but it seemed I was mistaken for Kalisa, so I entered as Kalisa and won."
"...That makes sense."
The fact that Salisa unusually requested a day off and entered the Wemishuvara Contest must have been for Kalisa's sake. She had not been on a date with a lover outside. Perhaps Salisa wanted to leave Kalisa's presence in someone's heart, even if only a little.
As I stood with a washbasin beside me, glaring at the entrance door and what lay beyond it today as well, I saw Leonardo coming from the main gate, though I thought it was still too early for lunch. If I could jump out from the entrance and welcome him here, Leonardo would be happy. I imagined this and tried to step forward, but as expected, I could not cross the entrance, the boundary between the outside and inside, of my own will. When I stood before the boundary, my feet inevitably became immobile, as if they had been sewn down.
...If I do not become able to go outside soon, I will be left behind during Leonardo-san's winter trip.
Without letting my inner impatience show on my face, I welcomed Leonardo, who was walking leisurely, in the entrance hall. Since it was early for lunch, I asked if something had happened, and Leonardo took an envelope from his breast pocket. Apparently, it was a letter I was allowed to read.
"...What is this?"
The sender of the letter was Alfred, and it was addressed to me and Leonardo. The problem was the content. It seemed that in the royal capital, they were preparing to increase the number of Silver Knights who served as my guards to coincide with Leonardo's winter migration. It had not yet been decided how many would be sent, but it was decided that one of them would be Siegwald. It was Alfred's kind consideration, thinking that since it was Siegwald, even the shy me would be fine because I was used to him.
"...I plan to accompany Big Brother Leonardo on his trip?"
"You cannot go outside, so Tina, you probably cannot go with me."
"That is why I am in the middle of intensive training."
That is why I was able to welcome Leonardo at the entrance even though it was before noon, I said, pointing to the washbasin I had prepared. The washbasin, which I named Taraigoro, had its fixed position at the entrance so that I would be ready whenever nausea struck me.
"This year it is Lugmirama Fortress, so it is not a place I particularly want to take Tina to..."
I insisted that I intended to go no matter what, puffing out my thin chest, which showed no sign of starting to swell. To this, Leonardo still seemed reluctant to take me to Lugmirama Fortress, and he was desperate to draw the words "I guess I do not want to go after all" from me, saying things like "The border is close, so it would be terrible if you were kidnapped again," "Unique Black Knights are gathered at Lugmirama Fortress," and "The general term for Lugmirama Fortress among the Black Knights is the 'Devil's Den'."
"Even if the border is close, or if Lugmirama Fortress is a Devil's Den, I hate being apart from Big Brother Leonardo for the whole winter."
Even if the people I am not fond of, like Ethelbert or Bertrand, are at Lugmirama Fortress, if Leonardo is staying there for one winter, I will go. I might be able to house-sit for about ten days, but living apart for a whole winter is still impossible.
"...Lord Alfred has arranged for Silver Knights."
"Why not just have the Silver Knights come along too?"
The fact that I need guards is the same whether it is in the city of Grenore or at Lugmirama Fortress. The fact that the guards sent from the royal capital are increasing is not a reason not to go.
"Alright, I understand. Then, if by the day I depart, Tina can go from the entrance to the outside on her own feet without closing her eyes, let us go together."
At that time, carrying the washbasin was forbidden. Since there would be no point if I could go outside but then froze on the spot, a minimum condition was added that I must be able to get into the carriage like a lady. As long as I could get into the carriage, the nausea would settle to some extent, so the important thing was to leave the entrance on my own feet and walk elegantly to the carriage.
"Big Brother Leonardo underestimates me too much. I will achieve conditions like that in no time."
...I miss the time when I was saying things with such vigor.
It was simply a matter of leaving the entrance, putting on a huge act of being a lady (cat), and getting into the carriage, but this was, as expected, difficult. Because I had been practicing while holding the washbasin under my arm so that I would be ready whenever nausea hit, my anxiety increased just by letting go of the washbasin. As for crossing the boundary of the entrance with my eyes open, I became too conscious of it, and I could not even manage to approach the boundary.
First, let us try going outside once. If I cannot see the boundary, I should not be able to tell inside from outside, so I tried to jump out with my eyes closed, but I unconsciously sensed the inside and outside due to the change in light intensity from indoors to outdoors. The moment my brain understood that I had gone outside, my feet froze, and I fell flat on my face. As I fell, my eyes opened reflexively, and I succeeded in breaking my fall as the ground approached, but after that, I vomited as expected, so both my clothes and I were a disaster.
"This might be harder than I thought?"
I did not think the trauma regarding going outside was this severe. Due to my personality, I usually do not try to go outside that seriously, so I had underestimated it until I was in trouble when it was necessary.
The deadline Leonardo set was the day Leonardo departed for the winter migration. Every year, he spends time with me until the very limit of the date to make it in time for the Divine King Festival, but since I said I wanted to go this year, Leonardo's scheduled departure date was early. It was almost immediately after winter began. I could not help but think that I was somewhat strangling my own neck. If I could ride a horse alone and travel on winter snow roads, the departure date and time should have been a bit later.
...Because I am there, it becomes travel by carriage, so the number of days increases significantly compared to travel by horse alone.
If it were Leonardo alone, he would leave in time for the Divine King Festival in the middle of winter, visit other fortresses, and return to the city of Grenore at the end of winter. However, just because I am going, the movement becomes by carriage and slower, and the plan is to leave at the beginning of winter and return to the city of Grenore at the end, so I really am a burden.
...Now that I think about it again... would it rather be kinder to Leonardo-san if I did not go, as usual...?
I summarized the itinerary and schedule on a blackboard while asking Salisa. Compared to the cost and number of days if Leonardo acted alone, the cost and number of days resulting from me going along jumped up significantly. Even a normal trip costs money, so it is natural since we are trying to move in winter. In addition to simple food expenses, miscellaneous expenses such as the cost of firewood for the wood stove also swell, and the fact that I accompany him means the number of people, such as Salisa who takes care of me and the guards, also increases. Leonardo's movement is work, so the cost is borne by the state, but my movement is my selfishness. Most likely, the cost will come out of Leonardo's wallet. The guards are assigned to me as work from the state, so all costs are covered by taxes, but even then, the costs increase compared to guarding me in the city of Grenore.
...Huh? Is it really happier for everyone if I do not go?
Just by me enduring being lonely during the winter, the taxes wasted will decrease. Once I realized this calmly, it became a spoiled excuse. I was unable to overcome the trauma of going outside within the deadline Leonardo set.
"It has been a long time, Lord Sieg."
I welcomed Siegwald and the Silver Knights who were sent as my guards in the entrance hall. I had planned to go out from the entrance to welcome them, but since I cannot go outside from the entrance, it could not be helped.
"Oh, it has been a long time. Has Christina grown a bit?"
"I have not quite caught up to Lord Sieg yet, though."
Siegwald saying I have grown was not flattery or anything. Compared to the last time we met, my height had increased by a tiny amount, and since Siegwald has short legs, he is shorter than the average man. From the perspective of the short Siegwald, even my tiny growth probably felt like I had grown. My sinking mood lifted a bit at the honest praise that rejoiced in my growth, which I knew was not flattery.
"I heard that you cannot go outside..."
"I tried my best to accompany Big Brother Leonardo on his migration, but without any results from my intensive training, I could not welcome you outside."
I am aware that I found an excuse about taxes and ran away halfway through, but I still tried reasonably hard. According to Alf's evaluation, it seemed that I was too eager and instead regressed.
...I cannot go with Leonardo-san, but let us think positively. That Leonardo-san and the state's wallet were saved.
Thinking that I should think of things in a good direction, I looked for the advantages of not accompanying Leonardo on his migration, but it was sad that they came to mind in droves without even searching. In contrast, the disadvantages of not accompanying Leonardo were only that I would be lonely being apart from Leonardo. As for anxieties regarding security, Alfred had wiped them away by deploying the Silver Knights.
...Alf-san... no. I never thought the day would come when I would hate Lord Alfred's competence.
I accidentally called Alfred, who had been in the city of Grenore as Alf for a long time, Alf-san in my heart, and corrected it, even if only internally. Since the two of them swapped, I must also quickly correct the way I distinguish them. The next time I am scheduled to meet Alfred is four years from now at the earliest, so by then, it will surely be corrected.
"That is too bad, Tina."
"Big Brother Leonardo looks happy."
I mixed in some prickly sarcasm toward Leonardo, who was close to departing, thinking that he would surely spend a fun time away from his younger sister (me). While in the city of Grenore, he stopped bringing the scent of perfume from somewhere, but when he was in the royal capital, Leonardo had a criminal record of going to the bathhouse before showing his face to me. This time too, he probably intends to do as he pleases where his sister cannot see.
Since he is an adult man, I think it cannot be helped, but it should also be natural that I think it is not interesting.
"I am also anxious about leaving Tina behind, but rather than dragging you around in winter, I feel more relieved if you stay at the manor."
Leonardo listed long-winded precautions, such as not leaving the manor as usual and not letting go of the guards even inside the manor. I nodded every time an item was added, but Leonardo still seemed worried. I pushed Leonardo, who seemed like he would never depart, toward the other side of the entrance with all the strength I could muster. Go quickly, and come back quickly, I thought.
"Since you planned an early itinerary intending to take me along, you will be able to go quickly and come back quickly, right? I will wait as a good girl, so please leave quickly."
"I have not had the 'take care' hug and kiss yet."
"Yes, yes, take care."
I hugged him with a perfunctory gesture and kissed Leonardo's cheek. Leonardo had a slightly dissatisfied face, saying it was too haphazard, but if I spared time here, Leonardo's return would be that much delayed. Now that it was decided I would be left behind, I wanted him to leave quickly and return quickly. For that, it was necessary to quickly kick out this brother who hesitated to leave this sister.
I saw off Leonardo, who looked back many times as he left through the main gate, and ruminated on the revised itinerary in my head. The original plan predicted that because my presence would slow things down, even if he departed at the beginning of winter, he would arrive at Lugmirama Fortress a week before the Divine King Festival. He planned to spend the Divine King Festival at Lugmirama Fortress, move to Fort Mondays via Lagarette, then move to the distant Mey Fortress, and return to the city of Grenore at the end of winter. With the departure date and time remaining the same, because my movement by carriage was gone, the pace became faster, and there was a change in the order of visiting the fortresses. He would visit Fort Mondays first and then head to Lugmirama Fortress, perform the rituals of the Divine King Festival there, and then Leonardo would return to the city of Grenore once because it was on the way. After that, the plan changed so that he would depart once more and visit the final Mey Fortress. If the itinerary went smoothly, Leonardo should be back in the city of Grenore by the beginning of the last month of winter. It is simply that since the departure and pace are fast, the return also becomes fast. As for the time spent apart, it is the same as usual.
After reluctantly seeing off Leonardo, my head was convinced, but my feelings apparently did not settle. I knew it myself, but I, who was perfectly sulking, slept fitfully.
The next day, I woke up normally and spent my time following my usual schedule, but I gave up after three days of life without Leonardo returning. Salisa is here, Mirsche is here, Koku-maro the black shiba inu is here, Rannvald is noisy, Siegwald and the others have increased, and Alf shows his face at dinner time, but the void of just one person, Leonardo, being absent, simply could not be filled.
According to Alf, it seems my spoiled nature had not been cured yet.
On the fourth day after Leonardo departed, I huddled inside the kotatsu, holding Enomena's pot. I was what is called a kotatsu-snail. The kotatsu I brought back from the royal capital came in handy in a place like this.