Volume 4
1st Anniversary Story
Snow Candle
Engagement
Translator : PolterGlast
Long time no post...
To commemorate the
one-year anniversary of the release of the fourth volume of the books, I've
written a little story.
If you'd like, please
read it.
---
A blizzard rattled the
windows.
Arcazam has been hit
by the coldest wave of the year.
The city, nestled in
the forest, was battered by unusual snow and wind, and had fallen completely
silent.
The same is true for
the guest house where Nozomu and Irisdina live.
The vast garden had
turned into a silver world, and the academy's school buildings were completely
covered in snow.
In one of these rooms
in the guesthouse, the two were engrossed in their work in front of a fireplace
where firewood crackled.
A sweet scent filled
the room. Two pots, one large and one small, hung over the fireplace, and
several strands of thread dangled into the smaller pot.
Irisdina picked up one
of the threads.
It absorbed the
contents of the pot and became glossy. What should have been soft solidified
instantly when exposed to the cold air of the room, taking on a milky white
coating.
"Phew... Nozomu,
how about this?"
"Looks good.
Mine's almost ready too..."
Nozomu received the
thread Irisdina brought.
In front of him was a
slender cylindrical mold. He placed the solidified thread in it and slowly
poured in the amber liquid from the large pot.
The mold was filled.
It was also exposed to the winter cold, and the contents solidified
immediately.
Nozomu removed it from
the mold and shaped it.
When he lit the thread
that peeked out slightly from the top with the firelight, a faint sweet scent
began to drift through the room. The two nodded in satisfaction with the
result.
"Hmm, that's a
nice aroma."
"Yeah, I think
it's not bad."
They were making
candles. Arcazam had developed magic lamps and other such devices for use in
its facilities, but these old-fashioned candles still had demand.
However, the two were
making something a little elaborate.
A pot hung over the
fireplace where logs crackled. Molten wax swirled inside, but beside the pot of
wax, another, smaller pot was hung.
The contents of the
small pot were scented oil. It was made by simmering herbs in oil, and they
were using it to scent the candles.
The reason why the two
were making candles was that Irisdina had asked Nozomu about his life in his
hometown.
Nozomu's hometown was
a farming village that was sometimes hit by heavy snow in winter, and on such
days, they would make everyday items inside their homes.
Candles were one of
the items made during that time. The ones they made could be put into storage,
or they could be sold to merchants who visited the village after the snow
melted.
Irisdina, after
hearing about Nozomu's life in his village, said that she wanted to try it too.
As a result, they ended
up making candles together.
"Even so, we're
using beeswax..."
"You can also
make it from animal tallow, but it smells too strong, so it's cheaper. That's
why using beeswax is better for the price, and you can sell it for even more if
you use fragrances. Well, you need crops to make fragrances, so the number is
inevitably limited."
In rural areas, the
number of laborers is proportional to the results, ignoring the weather
conditions. In that respect, Nozomu's family was poor. Only his parents and Nozomu
were workers.
Of course, they also
relied on the help of relatives and neighbors, but compared to other large
families, their provisions were probably small.
(Are Mom and Dad
alright...?)
Remembering his
hometown, his gaze unintentionally went to the window outside.
Irisdina was staring
intently at Nozomu's profile as he looked beyond the blizzard, lost in thought.
"...Hey, Nozomu,
what else did you do in your hometown during this season?"
"Huh, let's see.
When the weather was good, I'd go set traps or fish in the frozen rivers and
ponds. My dad would also take care of the farm tools and gather firewood, and
my mom would check the stored food and do embroidery."
"You did a lot of
things..."
"My family was
unusual in that village because I was an only child. After coming to Arcazam,
there's nothing to do anymore, though."
Farming villages
desperately need manpower.
Sowing seeds, weeding,
pest control, repairing farm tools, and so on. There were many things to do.
Honestly, it was a place untouched by convenient magic or tools.
That's why most
families had many children, but unfortunately, Nozomu's family had only him. As
a result, he was always busy with some kind of work.
"But why did you
suddenly feel like doing this?"
"Even I, who was
disinherited from the Francilt family, might need to do things like this after
graduating from this academy, right?"
"No, even though
you were disinherited, I don't think Victor-san would let you live such a
commoner's life..."
Although Irisdina's
father had disinherited her, his great love for his daughter had not diminished
at all.
Rather, his worry had
accelerated now that she had found a partner.
Nozomu was certain
that Victor would at least give Irisdina a suitable position and enough assets
and land so that she wouldn't have to worry about making a living.
(Or rather, if that
happened, Victor-san would probably say something like, "What kind of
husband can't even support his wife?!" and try to force Irisdina to break
up with me...)
Nozomu renewed his determination
to make sure they were financially secure.
"Well, Father
might do that, but considering what happened to me, I can't accept it. I'd be
more than happy just to be allowed to stay by Somia's side."
Irisdina had become a
dhampir, neither vampire nor human.
There would
undoubtedly be a backlash against such an existence gaining vested interests
like land or status.
That would hinder
Somia, who had decided to aim to become the next head of the Francilt family.
In that sense as well,
Nozomu's financial strength was important.
"Besides, I
wanted to know about you from before I knew you. Unlike Lisa-kun, I don't know
what you were doing before you came to Arcazam."
"…………"
Irisdina wore a
carefree smile.
It was probably the
weakness of being in love. Nozomu was unintentionally captivated by that smile
illuminated by the fireplace, and he couldn't help but look away, feeling
embarrassed.
"S, speaking of
which, what did you do in winter, Iris?"
Whether she knew about
Nozomu's agitation or not, Irisdina looked out the window nostalgically.
She had lived in the
city as a noble. Compared to farmers who lived with nature year-round, she
certainly had fewer opportunities to be aware of nature, but even so, it snowed
in winter, and she was inevitably hit by the cold. Seeing the snow-covered
cityscape always reminded her of her hometown.
"Let's see.
Honestly, even as the seasons changed, what I did didn't change much. I lived a
life of going back and forth between the territory and the royal capital with
Father."
Studying as the next
head, training in swordsmanship and magic, and socializing to inherit
connections. Those were the things she had done so far.
"Once a week, I
would attend some kind of meeting or party to build connections. Looking back
now, it might have been a surprisingly monotonous life."
"I'd get
gastritis if I were you..."
"Nozomu, you'll
experience plenty of that from now on. I need to keep Mena's advice in mind as
well."
Now that it was public
knowledge that he was a Dragon Slayer, it was an unavoidable path.
Nozomu couldn't help
but sigh at the life full of worries that would likely continue from now on.
"Well, if push
comes to shove, maybe we could retire somewhere far away where no one knows us.
Especially considering your body..."
Although he had
awakened to and gained control over the Dragon Slayer's unique ability, Nozomu
still held a huge calamity within him.
Considering that,
Irisdina continued, they would have to think about living in an unknown land,
and he would need to acquire a way to earn their daily bread.
Nozomu was happy with
her unwavering declaration that she would come with him.
"...I wish there
was something I could do for you too."
"You've helped
me, haven't you? Twice. It's thanks to you that I can still keep myself
together like this."
A sweet scent wafted
up, and a pleasant weight settled on his shoulder.
Irisdina, who had been
sitting next to him, had rested her head on Nozomu's shoulder with a gentle
plop.
Her mouth was relaxed
in a happy smile. Her eyes, looking straight up at him, were moist as if
overcome with passion.
"I can't leave
you anymore. That's why..."
"I'll take
responsibility."
He wouldn't let her
say any more.
Responding to her
feelings, Nozomu took her lips. "Mmm..." A sweet sigh escaped
Irisdina's mouth.
A faint sweetness
returned to Nozomu's tongue as well.
Nozomu, having
released her lips, let out a sigh of exasperation.
"...Iris, did you
sneak a taste of the beeswax?"
"It's fine, isn't
it? Sweetness is precious. If we become commoners, it might be one of our few
pleasures, right?"
Beeswax is a material
for candles, but it can also be eaten as is.
Apparently, she had
secretly taken a piece of beeswax during the work process.
As if offering a
share, Irisdina now returned the kiss.
The sweet scent wafted
again.
While his lips were
being stolen by such a playful her, Nozomu, feeling helpless, let her have her
way for a while.
"Phew... Nozomu,
how many do you want?"
"Huh?"
"Children."
Nozomu was taken aback
by Irisdina's sudden words.
"My house was
certainly large, but there were few I could call family. I want lots of
children... is that bad?"
"N, no, that's
not the case..."
"Great...!"
Irisdina wore a
radiant smile at Nozomu's reply.
It was a warm,
innocent smile reminiscent of her younger sister, like the sun.
Having lost her mother
at a young age, she had entered the competition to become the next head of a
prestigious family to protect her sister and had won that position. Her desire
for a family was actually stronger than anyone else's.
"Well, there are
a lot of things we need to do before that..."
"W, what?"
"Shall we do a
rehearsal?"
Irisdina, having stood
up from her chair, offered her left hand.
Sensing what she was
asking for, Nozomu couldn't help but swallow hard.
In this world, during
the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom hold hands and swear their vows
before the spirits as a blessing.
It would be difficult
for both Nozomu and Irisdina to lead the lives of ordinary people. That's why
she probably wanted to do this.
Feeling happy about
her feelings, and at the same time feeling somewhat apologetic for leading her
down such a path,
he stood up and took
her offered hand.
"A, uh..."
Irisdina's cheeks flushed
crimson.
Even though it was her
own suggestion, Nozomu thought, her endearing shyness tugged at his heart.
Reaffirming how deeply
he was in love, Nozomu turned Irisdina's hand he was holding and slipped his
fingers between her slender, white fingers.
"I swear to the
spirits who gave me life. To support you, and to live together with you."
He wouldn't let go.
Irisdina's eyes
widened at the hand clasped firmly with the vow.
And her face, still
flushed crimson, broke into a smile along with tears.
"I too swear
before the countless spirits who support the world. To walk with you as your
partner, and to die together with you..."
A third kiss.
And until the blizzard
that enveloped Arcazam subsided, their shadows continued to overlap.
---
I'm sorry it's so
short.
Honestly, I couldn't
write at all.
Even so, thank you so
much to the readers who waited.
-----
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