490 - A Hurried Winter
...Is something strange?
I said I would accompany Leonardo on his winter travels, but I feel like this year's move is a bit early. Last year, the itinerary was planned for me to go along, but we should have left the city of Grenore a bit later. And yet, this year, we started moving as soon as winter arrived. Usually, we would depart shortly before the Divine King Festival and return to the city of Grenore at the end of winter, but perhaps this year the plan is to visit other fortresses first, spend the Divine King Festival at Mandez, and then return to the city of Grenore around the middle of winter. For a trip involving me, it seems we plan to move quite a bit through the snow. In particular, right now there are only a few days with scattered snow, but once the Divine King Festival is over, it should be a landscape of pure white. To consider my travel acceptable in such a season was unthinkable until now.
I am used to traveling by carriage. Since this trip is to accompany Leonardo, it is not a large carriage like the one we used when we went to the royal capital. It is the size of the carriage I rode in when I first went to the city of Mandez and returned to the city of Grenore via the city of Ragarette. There is enough space for me and Leonardo to relax, and a small room where Salisa, the maid, waits. The pot of Enomena that the nursery spirit prepared for its own travel is seated near the wood stove. I think overheating it might be bad, but Enomena are basically spring flowers. I am more afraid of letting them wither from the cold, so it cannot be helped.
As for the nursery spirit, it is wearing a coat made by Salisa and is sitting on my shoulder as always. Thanks to bringing the pot, it seems fine even after leaving the city of Grenore. Occasionally, just as Kalisa used to do, Salisa bakes cookies on the wood stove, and the nursery spirit seems to have taken a liking to these lately. Sometimes I think it has disappeared from my shoulder, only to see it bring a frying pan and flour from somewhere and urge Salisa for cookies.
The way I spend my time in the carriage is no different from usual. I do translation work, continue my embroidery, and it is truly just like any other day.
Pearl and Jean-Jacques are mixed in as guards for the carriage, but since this trip is long, Aaron has also come. Although Aaron's eyesight has weakened, he said he could at least follow other horses, so he occasionally took turns riding with Leonardo. Speaking of guards, the two Silver Knights attached as watchmen for Rannvald were originally sent to the city of Grenore as my guards. Since they are always stuck to Rannvald, I almost never thought of them as my guards. However, since it is worrying to let Rannvald run wild without a watchman, one of them is accompanying us on this trip to Mandez as my guard. In one way or another, I am treated like a princess with many guards.
We arrived at the city of Mandez on a smooth itinerary. This year, the rituals for the Divine King Festival are supposed to be held at Mandez Fortress, but there is too much time remaining until the festival. Thinking this is indeed strange, I tried to probe by saying, "We arrived too early, didn't we?" and Leonardo told me that he has other plans, so he came early this year.
"May I ask what those other plans are?"
"It is not content I cannot tell you... but later."
He reached out his hand to escort me, suggesting we unload the luggage first and take a rest, so I placed my hand on his. Just as I thought we would enter the mansion, Leonardo stopped once and looked back.
"Jean-Jacques, you may leave now. It would be better to send word to Giselle's parents quickly."
"Yee-ess."
...Hm? Jean-Jacques?
Thinking, "Oh, he has business with Jean-Jacques," I turned around and saw Jean-Jacques bowing from horseback. Perhaps this was the plan from the start, as Jean-Jacques's horse had luggage tied to it sufficient for traveling alone.
"Well then, I'll take a quick run to greet my bride's parents, so Tina-kko, be a good girl and stay cooped up in the mansion."
"Even if Jean-Jacques does not tell me, I am a shut-in. If you are meeting Giselle's parents, please deliver my letter as well."
I had intended to send a letter using the Persewash Church once I arrived at the city of Mandez. If Jean-Jacques is heading toward the royal capital, it is perfect.
Salisa pulled the letter I had written in the carriage from the luggage and handed it to Jean-Jacques. After briefly praying for a safe journey and sending Jean-Jacques off, I finally stepped inside the mansion.
My room at the Mandez mansion is a room I am happy to have for a winter stay, arranged in warm colors. When I tried to help unpack my luggage which was being brought in immediately, I was flatly refused by Salisa. I tried saying that I can at least unpack by myself, so why not introduce Pearl to Alisa and the others first, but it had no effect. Rather, Salisa's claim was that if I were to abandon my work to introduce Pearl first, it would leave a bad impression on Pearl. In the first place, since it was a matter concerning the marital relations of servants, even if Pearl were to be introduced to the two of them, it was a conversation to be had outside of working hours, after the masters, myself and Leonardo, had gone to bed. I was gently admonished that I did not need to be so considerate.
"Wow. ...As usual, then."
Thinking I should at least put away the coat I had just taken off, I opened the closet, but it was packed tight with winter clothes. If it were packed with children's clothes, I could somehow understand, but terrifyingly, they were all clothes in my current size. Without a doubt, these were clothes prepared for this winter stay. I brought several sets of winter clothes from Grenore, but this is an overly sufficient number of clothes.
...No, but since Salisa and Kalisa were not here, the number is technically fewer than last time, right?
I heard that last time the three sisters and Iridal made my clothes, but Kalisa was sleeping in Grenore, and Salisa was with me at the Grenore mansion. Since the people making my clothes in the city of Mandez should have been only Iridal and Alisa, I might feel a bit relieved that the number of pieces is slightly fewer.
Deciding to pretend I didn't see the inside of the closet, I placed the pot of Enomena by the window. I introduced the nursery spirit to Iridal immediately after entering the entrance, but it seemed that Iridal and Alisa could not see the nursery spirit. I am strangely concerned by Iridal, who had a slightly disappointed look on their face. Iridal is often expressionless, but they might have wanted to see the form of a fairy. Or, because I named it Kalisa, they might have overlapped it with the Kalisa they raised. Thinking that, I am the one who is more than slightly disappointed.
...Maybe I should give this pot a name?
It seems the nursery spirit is using this pot as a medium or something, but the pot where the nursery spirit was born is at the Grenore mansion. Since it is a different sprout from the sprout in this pot, I briefly thought of something scary, like whether another fairy would be born if I gave it a name.
...Leonardo-san told me not to give them names, and I intend to follow that this time.
I have the curiosity to want to try it, but Leonardo apparently learned how to deal with spirits from the Divine King. If the Divine King, an expert, says that one must not give names to spirits, it is better to obey.
"...There are still several days until the Divine King Festival. I will go to Mey Fortress first."
Leaving the unpacking to Salisa and moving to the living room, it seemed Leonardo had also been kicked out of his room. Since he was relaxing on a long chair while drinking coffee, I sat next to him and had some coffee as well. I have no intention of forcing myself to follow Leonardo's lead, so my coffee still has sugar and milk in it.
"Is that... um, moving up your work schedule? May I accompany you?"
"No, I am just going to finish the usual winter work ahead of time, so Ti... Christina, you will stay behind at Mandez."
"That explanation feels a bit strange. ...Your departure was clearly earlier than usual, and I do not think that is a reason for Leonardo-sama to go to another fortress while leaving me at Mandez."
I looked up at Leonardo beside me, wondering if he had planned to make me wait at the Mandez mansion from the start. I gave Leonardo's black eyes a light glare while looking up, as if to say, "I know something is strange, tell me honestly." Because Leonardo's actions were too different from usual, it was immediately obvious that he was hiding something.
"...I told you I would tell Christina later."
What followed that preamble was content that made me involuntarily frown. The start was a story that Jean-Jacques brought back from the Zugari Empire. To summarize briefly, it seems Jean-Jacques brought back a story that something is being plotted in the neighboring Zugari Empire. Jean-Jacques conveyed the subtle atmosphere within the empire to Leonardo, and Leonardo wants to station himself at Mey Fortress to probe the state of the Zugari Empire. It seems that Jean-Jacques heading to the royal capital alone was not only to greet Giselle's parents. Bringing me to the city of Mandez early was likely because he wanted to move me away from the city of Grenore, which is close to the border.
"...I understand. You wanted to move me away from the border."
If those are the circumstances, it cannot be helped, I nodded. I was whisked away in an instant from the city of Grenore near the border and kidnapped for two years. If there is some abnormality at the border, he would naturally think to move me as far from the border as possible.
"Since you understand, I want you to understand one more thing. Once this winter is over, I want Christina to move to the royal capital."
"...Will Leonardo-sama be with me?"
"No, I... I will escort you to the royal capital, but I will immediately head to Mey Fortress."
When told it is the same as when we fought with the Saenard Kingdom several years ago, regardless of my inner feelings, I have no choice but to accept. My twelve-year-old self was able to endure being entrusted to the royal capital during Leonardo's absence. My seventeen-year-old self cannot be selfish and say that I hate being apart from Leonardo.
"How long must I wait?"
"If possible, until the empire becomes quiet, I suppose."
"You will come back in the winter, right?"
"That... is hard to say. The empire is colder than the Kingdom of Ivizia. Considering the winter cold of the Kingdom of Ivizia and the summer cold of the Imperial Capital, depending on the case, the start of a war is possible even in winter."
"What is that? That is even worse than the Saenard Kingdom."
When I let it slip that he should just destroy the Zugari Empire, I was, as expected, gently scolded. He said he understands the feeling, but as long as there are innocent citizens living there, he cannot easily destroy it.
"You are saying that I should withdraw to the royal capital, even if you do not return in winter and it is unknown when you will return?"
"...That is correct."
Even if I glared huffily, Leonardo's will did not change. I have complaints, but this is a proposal Leonardo is making considering my safety. I cannot refuse this.
"Anyway, once the embroidery painting is completed, I will send it to Lord Bertrand... Grandfather. I will think positively, that I have become able to hand it over directly with my own hands."
I accepted Leonardo's proposal with a clearly reluctant face. If Leonardo can work with peace of mind by me moving to the royal capital, that is best. I am more than slightly lonely and it is not pleasant, but I am not a child forever, so I can endure this much.
I made a promise that I would not wait as quietly as a doll this time, so please come pick me up quickly, though it was a promise that could not be kept. Just from hearing the story, unless the Zugari Empire becomes quiet, it is not something Leonardo can return from by his will alone.
Seeing off Leonardo who departed for Mey Fortress the next day, I spend this winter leisurely at the Mandez mansion. Basic life is no different from Grenore, but since Iridal holds the command of the mansion, schedules were subtly put into place for me as well. However, those schedules were so-called lady's shopping, such as calling a tailor to order spring clothes or buying fabrics to my liking. Until now, my clothes were made according to the tastes of Iridal and Alisa, but since I am now in Mandez, they seem to intend to get to know my tastes.
Around the time I finished ordering spring clothes so that I could take them to the royal capital, Leonardo returned from Mey Fortress. Since the snow was not yet that deep, it was a truly early return.
The rituals for the Divine King Festival were held at Mandez Fortress as scheduled, and for a while, I spent my time doing paperwork at Mandez Fortress. Since he returns to the mansion at night, I greeted him and had dinner together just like at the Grenore mansion. After spending about a week in Mandez, Leonardo departed for Lugmirama Fortress. Two days later, Jean-Jacques, who had gone to the royal capital, returned, so it was almost an exchange.
"...Huh? Did Jean-Jacques's uniform color change? I thought the Black Knights were supposed to have black uniforms."
"You didn't know? I've been a Silver Knight for three years now."
Speaking of which, it seems Jean-Jacques had been dispatched to the city of Grenore as my guard. This is such a story I am hearing for the first time that my head is full of retorts. For now, Jean-Jacques, who abandoned his guard target and wandered around the Zugari Empire for a year wooing Giselle, probably needs some kind of punishment.
"...Then, I command Jean-Jacques, who is my guard. Please go to the Grenore mansion and retrieve something I forgot."
"What are you gonna do by sending your guard away, Tina-kko?"
"It cannot be helped. I had not heard that I would be entrusted to the royal capital after this."
The research materials of Saint Yuta Hiraga, which I finished translating, are left at the Grenore mansion. I might stay in the royal capital for years. It would be better to bring the translated research materials and confirm if the translation functions properly as a prescription. If the translation functions as a prescription, there is a secret art that can be revived. The revival of the secret art meant that the number of diseases that can be cured with medicine would increase.
"...Also, please go and see the face of Giselle's baby, who should be born around now."
"If that's the case, I'll go, you errand-girl."
I saw off Jean-Jacques, who departed while complaining repeatedly that it cannot be helped, that it is the master's order so it cannot be helped. I tried telling him to at least rest his body for one night before departing, but he departed with a very condescending attitude, though his voice sounded truly lethargic, saying, "Since I'm going to retrieve the master's forgotten item, I'll head there immediately." I was a bit irritated by Jean-Jacques's way of speaking, but since his face was sloppily grinning, I saw him off in silence. Even a Jean-Jacques like that probably wants to see the faces of Giselle and their born child as soon as possible.
"Christina-sama, if it is Grenore, I can go immediately."
"That is a promise not to say, Salisa."
As if agreeing with Salisa, the nursery spirit on my shoulder nodded. Instant long-distance travel is this nursery spirit's specialty. Even if I wish for it, it does not transport me easily, but since it listens to what Salisa says, it could probably bring back the translated prescriptions in truly an instant.
...Well, that is if Jean-Jacques carelessly returns after only seeing the faces of Giselle and the baby.
I gave a candy as a bribe to the nursery spirit on my shoulder, saying, "Please do it if Jean-Jacques forgets the prescriptions."
When Leonardo returned from Lugmirama Fortress, Jean-Jacques also returned from Grenore. According to Jean-Jacques's report, Giselle safely gave birth to a girl.
"...Come to think of it, I forgot to ask, but how were Giselle's parents?"
Without them knowing, their daughter had made a lover and had even become pregnant with that person's child. The parents must have been quite surprised. However, since one cannot marry without greeting the parents, Jean-Jacques, who was sent off, was surprisingly welcomed.
"I was prepared to be punched at least once...?"
If I believe Jean-Jacques's story, he was cautioned about the order being swapped, but other than that, there seemed to be no problem. Rather, it seems Alf had sent word to Alfred in advance, and Alfred had arranged everything for the best. Apparently, the documents proving the marriage of Giselle and Jean-Jacques had been properly submitted to the Sopdejania Church, which governs law and order, but since the marriage of the two took place in a neighboring country, an unfortunate accident occurred before those documents reached the Sopdejania Church in the Kingdom of Ivizia, and the documents were temporarily missing. Therefore, it had simply become a situation that looked as if the order of marriage and pregnancy had been swapped.
"Even though they govern law and order, is that okay? That kind of forgery, or how should I put it..."
"Well, marrying after the baby is born isn't exactly rare."
Nobles care about it for the most part, but it seems to be a common occurrence among commoners. The Sopdejania Church also considers it a welcome thing that the parents are in a marital relationship for the sake of the child being born, so they are flexible in these matters.
"As long as Giselle's honor is protected, that is fine."
"Since it seems the bride won't be able to move for a while, they said they would come to visit us themselves."
It seems Giselle's house has truly settled peacefully. I was a bit concerned that there might be a fuss, like disowning a promiscuous daughter who gets pregnant while unmarried, so I am relieved. With this, even if he is removed from the guards and returns to the royal capital, Giselle has a home she can return to.
As the end of winter approached, we departed again by carriage for the royal capital. Since the carriage size was smaller than the one Alfred used to pick me up with, there were many roads we could pass through, and since we were already in the city of Mandez, the itinerary to the royal capital took less than a month. It was not in an instant, but it could not be called a long journey.
We arrived at the royal capital exactly one week before the Spring Flower Festival. We passed through the outer town and reached the castle gate, passed through the inner city, and passed through the gates of the royal castle. Since it was not a grand carriage like the one I came with when I was with Alfred, the carriage was stopped at checkpoints several times along the way, but it was a carriage guarded by several Silver Knights. The confirmation was quickly finished, and we were let into the royal castle.
"Welcome back, Christina-sama."
Passing through the gates of the detached palace, when the carriage stopped at the entrance, Nadine and the ladies-in-waiting, who I missed, greeted me, though I wonder when the word had reached them. Once I come to the detached palace, I have even fewer things to do than at the Grenore mansion. Since Nadine handles all the arrangements, I just have to leave it to her.
Guided to a spring room, I decorated the pot of Enomena by the window with my own hands, as a must. Looking around the room again, a large black dog plush toy made by Kalisa was seated on the bed.
...Come to think of it, did I not fall ill even after a long journey?
When moving from Grenore to Mandez, and now moving from Mandez to the royal capital, there is no sign of falling ill. Previously, I always lost my physical condition and fell ill after a long journey, but perhaps this is thanks to building up my strength with the step-up and down exercise.
After resting slowly for a few days, Leonardo and I went out to give greetings in various places. Previously, Alfred would show his face no more than every three days, but Alfred, who has been internally decided as the next king, seems to have reached a position where he cannot move as lightly as before. When I visited Alfred's mansion in the noble district, he had a face that showed a bit of fatigue.
I spend the Spring Flower Festival leisurely with Leonardo. I wonder when he found the time to prepare, but Leonardo gave me Enomena flowers again this year. I send a shirt as usual. As a result of pouring my overflowing time into embroidery, my sewing skills have improved remarkably. Therefore, this year's embroidery is also needlessly elaborate. Since it is embroidered on the shirt, it becomes hidden by the jacket and cannot be seen, but from the shoulder to the arm, I embroidered 'Leo-na-ru-do (Lion-Name-Flow-Earth)' in decorative characters. Since Leonardo's name is known in both the Kingdom of Ivizia and the neighboring country, it is 'Lion-Name-Flow-Earth'. I hope Leonardo's name flows everywhere and takes root in the earth. With such a prank in mind, I used ateji for 'Lion-Name-Flow-Earth'.
"Still... where did everyone get their information from? Even I was not told I would be coming to the royal capital until I went to the city of Mandez."
Even though we arrived at the royal capital a week ago, gifts addressed to me were piled up in the entrance hall of the detached palace. While I tilted my head wondering where the senders found out about my entry into the royal capital, Leonardo told me it was probably because he used Jean-Jacques. He had sent Jean-Jacques to the royal capital first to make him greet Giselle's parents, and it seems he also reported my stay to the detached palace at that time. After that, information leaked from the detached palace, and my stay became known.
While writing a letter to Bertrand to deliver the completed embroidery painting, Ulrika came to call me, saying there was a visitor. I did not think I had made an appointment to meet anyone, but when I moved to the entrance hall, a boy wearing a nostalgic cat-head covering was standing there. Since he is eighteen, one year older than me, perhaps it is time to call him a young man.
"...I did not think you would still be wearing the cat covering."
'...It's calming, this.'
The fact that I find the gesture of turning his face away cute is probably the effect of the covering. As for the beautiful face inside, I have not seen it for many years, so I cannot imagine how it has changed.
"It has been a long time, Dietfried-sama...?"
'Mm.'
I will pull myself together and greet him. As I pasted a lady's smile, a small bouquet of flowers was held out in front of me. Since I have received words close to a marriage proposal from Dietfried before, I knew for sure that this was not a request for a love cupid.
"I think it is not right to receive flowers from someone who has a fiancé."
I cannot receive these flowers, I answered today, looking straight at Dietfried who should be inside the cat head. Previously I brushed it off with a joke, but he has come again to do something close to courtship. I too must face Dietfried and answer properly.
"Thank you for the wonderful words before. I too feel that a feeling of love has finally sprouted recently. ...Since I have someone I love, I cannot respond to Dietfried-sama's feelings."
"...I see. That is a pity. But, it is fine. Because I finally heard a proper answer."
When I apologized for joking about it last time, Dietfried shook his head slowly. It seems he forgives my reckless act. Taking off the cat-head covering, Dietfried wore a refreshed smile.
I refused the courtship again, but with that, Dietfried seemed to have settled. Putting back on the cat-head covering that I thought he had graduated from, he began to show his face frequently at the detached palace as a liaison in place of Alfred, who could no longer move lightly.
The difference from before is only about this much. Life at the detached palace is generally peaceful, and occasionally Dietfried comes with invitations from Christoph and the queens. Once I started being invited to tea parties and dinner parties, Leonardo seemed to judge that I had settled in the royal capital, and he began to talk about departing for Mey Fortress. On the day of departure, I sent him off with a lady's smile, saying "Please come pick me up quickly," but as expected, I moped for about three days. Even if I said come pick me up quickly, Leonardo's answer was a curt "This depends on the empire," which I think also had an effect.
...Maybe I should write letters until Leonardo-san gets sick of them.
While lonely, once I settled, I spend a leisurely life no different from Grenore. I am sometimes dragged outside because I am too much of a shut-in, but for the most part, I am allowed to do as I please. While proceeding with translation work, I make embroidery and bobbin lace, and occasionally contact Barbara of the Sedovara Church to verify the practicality of the translated prescriptions. For a change of pace, I tried making an intermediate volume of a bobbin lace guide, delivered the embroidery painting to Bertrand, and spent time leisurely while seeing Alfred and Felicia's children, so I am busy with various things. To the point where I have no time to mope and shut myself in, feeling lonely, lonely that Leonardo is not here.
...It seems the empire moved?
While spending my days busily yet calmly, Ulrika picked up this information. That the Zugari Empire has issued a declaration of war not to the Kingdom of Ivizia, but to the entire continent.
...Seriously, this... I hate to say it, but aren't they idiots?
I become worried beyond exasperation at the Zugari Empire's overly poor declaration. However, it seems the situation of not knowing when Leonardo will return has been alleviated, and though it is improper, I also felt relieved. Leonardo had entrusted me to the royal capital and headed for Mey Fortress because the Zugari Empire was making strange moves. If the Zugari Empire trips up on its own, I can live with Leonardo again.
--And that was the limit of how calmly I could take it.
It is no use for me to panic. I will just pray for Leonardo's safety from the royal capital (here), and while taking that stance, I gather information using Ulrika and others. It is thought that it is better for me not to leave the detached palace, but even if I am cooped up in the detached palace or mansion, the ladies are well-versed in various rumors and circumstances. Even without moving from the detached palace, I should be able to gather information using others.
First, shall I make invitations and hold a tea party to gather the ladies? While making such a plan, I shifted my gaze to the pot of Enomena placed by the window. The nursery spirit was dozing off in the shadow of the pot, but suddenly snapped awake and stood up.
"...Eh!?"
The nursery spirit seems to have felt some abnormality. It was the moment I noticed that. I was suddenly attacked by a large vertical shaking that felt like it was thrusting upward.
Literally, it was a violent quake.