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“Huh?”
“Or would you like to ride alone?”
Ran shook her head.
“No, I’ll ride the horse with you.”
“Well, even if you had said no..” Yustaf said softly and gestured to the knight to put a saddle on his horse.
Yustaf was the first to mount the horse, and Blaine gently helped Ran to mount behind Yustaf.
“Thank you, Lord Blaine, you’re very strong. And the weight of my clothes has made me heavy.”
“Of course it has. Winter clothes are very heavy.” Blaine answered sincerely.
“Right.”
Ran nodded. Yustaf smirked as he grabbed Ran’s hands and wrapped them around his waist.
“Hold tight.”
“Yeah.”
When Ran was ready, Yustaf started to help nudge the horse forward. Since the horse didn’t have a stirrup, the only place to lean was on Yustaf’s waist, so Ran hugged him tightly.
‘Ah.’
“Yustaf.”
“Yes.”
“Have you grown even taller?”
“I still have a long way to go.”
“That’s true, but aren’t you growing up too quickly?”
“Well, my joints have been hurting lately.”
Is it growing pains?
“Make sure to eat a lot.”
“I have been.”
Perhaps, since people in the north are tall, Yustaf would naturally grow taller.. All Ran hopes is for Yustaf to grow big and powerful.
Ran rubbed Yustaf’s hair softly with one hand.
“What are you doing?”
Ran grinned at Yustaf’s embarrassment.
“I’m expressing my sisterly love?”
“I don’t need it.”
“That’s too much.”
Ran took away her hand and eased Yustaf’s discomfort. It was a shame that she couldn’t feel his soft hair because she was wearing gloves.
Yustaf fixed his messy hair.
‘I wonder how Yustaf would react if I did it again.’
With that in mind, Ran smirked and rubbed Yustaf’s head once more. Perhaps this was one of those rare occasions when he appeared to be embarrassed.
Yustaf clicked his tongue and avoided her touch.
“Tsk!”
When he clicked his tongue, the horse started to accelerate, and Ran’s body was thrown backwards.
“Oh my god!”
Ran screamed softly and hugged Yustaf tightly.
He laughed unexpectedly, which surprised Ran.
‘Did Yustaf just laugh?’
Ran wanted to see his face to make sure, but she couldn’t in her current situation.
Trying to forget about her disappointment, Ran leaned her head against Yustaf’s back, while he was getting his hair straightened again.
“May I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Why do you love to rub my hair?”
“Huh? Uh, um. Isn’t that an expression of affection?”
“It is?”
“Yeah, didn’t your mother do it for you?”
Ran asked without thinking.
“Not my mother.”
Yustaf wondered if his mother did things like rub his head.
“She didn’t.”
“Oh, okay….”
Come to think of it, Ran doesn’t know much about Yustaf’s mother.
“What was Yustaf’s mother like? Of course I know she’s beautiful.”
Yustaf took a deep breath; his breath felt like a puff of cold smoke.
“She was a proud lady; either it’s for the better or for the worse. She had a weak body, so the weather in the north didn’t suit her.”
Actually, Ran is also fed up with the winter.
“That’s the same with my mother.”
“That’s true.”
No woman likes the weather in the north.
“Then, did she die of sickness?” Ran asked, hesitantly.
“Yes.”
Ran thought so too.
“That wasn’t all; my father was also said to be courting another woman.”
Ran swallowed her breath.
“And the fact that my dying mother knew about it.”
A woman, nearing the afterlife but with her eyes still burning intensely, shuts down and spits curses. She also was proud of her aristocratic self, so the chasm was all the more frightening.
“The Duke is such a bad guy, isn’t he?” Ran said softly as she looked around.
“Yes, he is.” Yustaf answered briefly.
Yustaf suddenly seemed to recall a memory of someone patting his head.
“Now that I think about it, I believe my nanny patted my head when I was a child.”
“Right? As expected.”
Yustaf thought it was amusing to hear Ran speak proudly.
His mother fired his nanny who often patted his head, when he was five years old; the reason was that he was getting spoiled.
‘I totally forgot.’
It was only after listening to Ran that he remembered it.
The group got to the mansion a little faster than they did on the way up. Yustaf followed Ran after Blaine helped her get off quickly.
Ran coughed and said, “Everyone did an excellent job. Secure the horses and change your clothes . The New Year’s Eve celebration is about to begin.”.”
All the knights saluted and began to move quickly.
The long-awaited New Year’s party finally begins.
‘I’ve paid off my debts.
When she finally paid the principal and interest before the settlement date, the creditors were perplexed as to where the money had come from. Some of them even expressed an interest in their source of funds, but Ran remained silent and smiled.
This year’s New Year’s party was modest, but she plans to throw a big party next year and give gifts to young children.
Ran decided and smiled.
* * *
The New Year’s Eve celebration was laid back. Food was stacked high and specialties such as honey, alcohol and red wine were evenly distributed.
The room was bright and adorned with silver thorn trees.
The silver thorn tree resembles a holly tree{1}, but the back of the leaves is silver and the fruit is red. The house was green even in the winter, so it was commonly used as a New Year’s party decoration.
People, who drank moderately, cheered and took quick steps as a cheerful dance song was played.
The inside of the venue was warm thanks to the new magic device, the heater.
Ran quietly sat down on a chair near the pillar.
‘The alcohol is pretty strong.’
Riddle fruit was a bright red fruit with a sweet and sour flavor. As a result, the liquor was also bright red in color and tasted the same.
Ran soon became obsessed with the sweet drink, and she had already emptied three large cups.
‘Is it because I drink it quickly?’
Her face was hot and her head was spinning. Fortunately, they’re already in the midst of a New Year’s Eve celebration.
At that moment, someone handed her a glass of water, and when she looked up, it was Yustaf.
“Thank you.”
“You drank it way too quickly.”
“I had no idea it was so strong.”
Yustaf let out a soft sigh.
Ran asked, while taking a sip of cold water.
“Why are you wearing the Academy uniform?”
“I don’t have a suit.”
“Let’s get you one!”
“We simply can’t afford it.”
“I can buy my brother a suit.”
As Ran spoke with determination in her eyes, Yustaf glanced at her dress and said,
“Your dress is short.”
Ah.
Ran stretched her exposed ankle and replied,
“My mother is shorter than me.”
It was the right size for her mother, but it was too short for her.
“Why didn’t you get a new one?”
Ran grinned.
“I’ve got tons of dresses.”
My mother gave me three dresses for each New Year’s Eve party.
Of course, that was how my mother celebrated the New Year’s Eve party: changing outfits from head to toe with matching accessories..
It was her consolation for having a banquet in Lachia instead of going to the Imperial Palace’s New Year’s party.
‘Well, Lachia is a countryside.’
Her mother, a glamorous and sophisticated beauty, lamented that her time in Lachia had aged her by ten years.
However, as opposed to the wives of other vassals, her mother was truly fashionable..
‘That is why our finances are in such a mess.’
Their Duchy is the most impoverished of all the duchies. There is also a fact that their land is barren of vegetation.
‘However, once we have the mana stone trade up and running, all will improve.’
Whoo hoo.
Yustaf held out his hand as Ran grinned slyly.
“….…?”
Ran was puzzled while she handed back the glass of water to Yustaf.
“..”
Yustaf handed the glass of water to a passing servant before reaching out to Ran once more..
“Dance, please.”
“Huh?”
Ran was shocked as she looked at Yustaf’s hand and held out her hand. But before their hands touched, she paused and frowned.
“I’m not good at dancing.”
“I thought so.”
Yustaf took her hand and pulled her up from the chair as he said so..
“But I’m good at dancing, so it’s okay.”
Yustaf took her to the dance floor, and somehow Ran just stood.
“If you do anything like a quadrille [2], I’ll just stay here”
Ran said something threatening, but Yustaf just looked at the participants, unbothered. The song’s mood had changed quickly.
It’s a slow dance song.
“Oh, it’s a double[3].”
Ran learned that this waltz-like dance is extremely popular in the capital. She took a deep breath and held Yustaf’s hand tightly.
“Relax. Otherwise, you’ll be stepping on me all the time.”
Yustaf pulled her and started dancing as she glared at him.
‘Woah’
Ran started to dance awkwardly after being dragged with a stronger force.
Yustaf clicked his tongue and looked down at his feet.
“You really can’t dance.”
“I told you, didn’t I?”
“What are you gonna do when you’re in the capital?”
“What if I just don’t dance at all?”
“And have a rumor that the Lachia’s are unable to dance?”, Yustaf responded.
“Hold your chin up.” Ran took her gaze away from Yustaf’s feet after he gave a brief order.
His blue eyes are now clearly above hers. He really grew up a lot in a short period.
‘Ah.’
Following Yustaf’s lead was extremely convenient. She was aware that her steps were incorrect, but it still seemed that they were actually dancing.
‘If only I have enough time to spare for practice’, Ran thought so.
“Why? Are you worried?”
“I don’t want Lachia’s name to be tainted.”
Ran was amazed and said,
“I’ve thought about it before, but I believe Yustaf really adores Lachia.”
“Do you not like it, sister?”
Ran lightly bit her lipsooked him in the eye, and said,
“I’m aware that Lachia is a renowned name associated with tradition and honor. But, if you’re wondering if it matters to me, the answer is no.”
“Because it’s cold, barren, and remote?”
Ran smiled cheerfully at his words.
“And that too.”
Yustaf gave Ran a serious look..
“So, without Lachia, what will be left of me?”
“Your handsome face?”
When Ran frowned at what he said and answered, Yustaf laughed without realizing and spoke slowly.
“That’s a grateful thing.”
“Lachia is yours.”
Yustaf looked at Ran when he heard those words.
Ran continued with a serious face,
“No one will take Lachia away from you.”
“You’re right. No one can take it away from me.”
Yustaf whispered. Everything that belongs to Lachia belongs to him.
What would be left of Lachia without him??
“Lachia belongs to you. All of this belongs to you, Yustaf,”
When he was a kid, his mother would grab his arm and tell him this many times..
As if that were her only means of retaliation against her cold-blooded husband.
Her sharp nails hurt, and her expression was terrifying, but Yustaf was used to it all.
Don’t laugh out loud.
Don’t cry.
Don’t run.
Don’t show your feelings.
Don’t act like a child.
Always maintain your dignity as the heir of Lachia.
Thinking about what he had heard several times, Yustaf looked at Ran.
Ran began to break out in a cold sweat. For the third time, she had stepped on Yustaf’s foot. No matter how she was led to dance, it’s impossible not to step on Yustaf’s foot with all the twisting moves.
She really can’t dance.
“Yus, are your feet okay?”
“It’s all right.”
Her expressions are all visible on her forehead.
She expresses all of her feelings, whether she is laughing or just wanting to escape.
Yustaf’s face was flushed with relief as the dance came to an end. He was anxious for some reason, so he gave Ran an advice.
“You’d better practice dancing before you go to the capital.”
“Uh–”
Ran groaned and couldn’t say that it was okay not to. It was thanks to Yustaf that she managed to dance now.
Blaine, who had been waiting, appeared and asked for a dance as Yustaf escorted her off the stage.
“Do you really want to dance with me even after seeing my skills earlier?”
Ran was taken aback and asked Blaine, who just laughed softly.
“It would be an honor to do so..”
“Ummm.”
Ran couldn’t say no and took Blaine’s hand.
Note :
[1] A tree that’s specifically hung during christmas as it’s associated with good fortune.
[2] A quadrille is a type of dance for four couples, with each couple forming a single side of a square.
[3] A dance between two people.