Old Castle by the Lake 1
Spring in the Kanista Kingdom came earlier than
expected. After a winter that didn't get too cold, the buds on the trees began
to swell. And then,
「Achoo.」
The Director began sneezing frequently.
Today is my day off from work. After having a late
breakfast, I was reading a book in the living room of the Naturi Marquis
Family's separate estate when Karin came over to play. Behind her
was the Director, holding madeleines baked by the main estate's chef.
Since it was a good opportunity, Ashren-sama joined in as well, and we
all decided to have tea together.
「Ah, it was no good this year either.」
Pressing a handkerchief against her red nose, the Director
muttered with teary eyes.
「I apologize. I have also tried
making medicine for hay fever many times, but I haven't succeeded yet.」
The new medicine the Director had been working on
during the winter was one to completely cure hay fever. I joined halfway
through and we aimed to complete it, but it ended in failure. I have tried many
times since I was in the Jilgista Kingdom, but I always fail and end up
welcoming spring.
「Hearing that there's something even
you can't make, Layla, makes me feel somewhat relieved.」
Giving a side glance to his mother, who had a red nose, Ashren-sama
wickedly raised the corners of his lips.
「There are plenty of medicines like
that, you know? Please do your best, Ashren-sama.」
「I do not have hay fever.」
「There are many people suffering from
it. Besides, if a parent has hay fever, the child often gets it too.」
He furrowed his eyebrows with an ugh and turned his
mouth into an inverted V-shape. Let's definitely force Ashren-sama to
participate in making the medicine next time.
「Even so, thanks to the medicine you
compounded, Layla, my symptoms are still mild this year.」
Sniffling her nose, the Director took a sip of black
tea. However, she lamented that because her nose was stuffed, she couldn't
appreciate its wonderful scent or taste.
「It is a medicine to suppress itchy
eyes and a runny nose, so it doesn't cure it completely, but I am glad your
symptoms are staying mild.」
But this medicine is difficult to balance. Both the eyes and
tear ducts need moisture, so if it works too well, it dries them out, but if
the effect is weakened, it becomes less effective. It is hard to get this
balance right. I really want to complete it next year.
「Grandmother, you came to invite her
on next week's trip, didn't you?」
Seemingly frustrated at not being able to join the
conversation, Karin, who was sitting on the Director's lap
reading a book, interjected. Hm? Trip?
「Hey, you'll come with us too, won't
you, Layla?」
「Um, where to?」
I couldn't grasp the point from her clumsy explanation at
all. As I tilted my head, the Director explained it to me.
「The laboratory will go on spring
break for a week next week, right? I always coordinate with that to go to a
slightly distant territory. Won't you come with us this year?」
In the Kanista Kingdom, people work hard when it's
time to work, but in return, they are properly given long vacations. Since they
are usually busy with work and inevitably have little time to spend with their
children, traveling as a family during long vacations seems to be the standard
way to spend them in this country. How wonderful!
That being said, I am a freeloader. Is it really okay for me
to go along? Originally, I was supposed to find a house in about a month, but a
woman living alone is naturally unsafe, so I haven't been able to find a good
property. Moreover, with Karin visiting almost every day and leaving
with a "See you tomorrow," I've somehow ended up putting it off.
「Come on, let's go together. Ashren-sama
would be happy if you were there too, Layla, right?」
「Cough!」
Suddenly having the topic thrown his way, Ashren-sama
nearly spat out his black tea and choked. Seeing that, the Director
chuckled while handing him a handkerchief.
「Cough, I am fine either way, but what about you, Layla?」
「Wouldn't I be a nuisance tagging
along on a family trip?」
「My brother and the others would
rather be happy to have another babysitter. Besides, speaking of being a
nuisance, I am the same.」
「Do you always go too, Ashren-sama?」
「Only for two or three days, though.」
What should I do? In that case, maybe I should accompany
them for a few days, just like Ashren-sama. I have gone shopping and
visited cafes with Flora on my days off, but I have never once left the Royal
Capital. Since I went through the trouble of coming to the Kanista
Kingdom, I was just thinking that I'd like to go out to various places.
「Then, please allow me to join you
for a few days. I will take care of Karin.」
「Yay! It's a promise. Aren't you
glad, Ashren-sama!!」
「Wha—! I said I am fine either...」
Huh, was I being a nuisance? Is it my imagination that the
area under his swiftly averted eyes is a little red?
「Am I being too presumptuous after
all?」
「No, that's not...」
「Do you dislike me going with you?」
「...I didn't say that.」
「Ah, could it be you are plotting
something again?」
「Wha—! Why would you think that? And
what do you mean by 'again'!?」
Because he is two-faced, after all. As I pressed him with a
suspicious glare, thinking he was being shady, the Director and Karin
laughed while putting their foreheads together.
After dinner, I kept glancing out the window while reading a
book in the living room. From here, I have a good view of Karin's room
in the main estate, and it is almost her bedtime.
「Ah, I see a light.」
Taking the lamp I had placed nearby, I headed to the terrace
jutting out toward the garden. The small light drew a circular arc, and was
then pulled straight across horizontally.
「I wonder what that one was?」
「It means 'tomorrow'.」
Ashren-sama
answered my murmur from behind. The small light still didn't stop moving; this
time, it went diagonally from top to bottom, then drew a triangle.
「Um, would that be 『I am going』?」
The movements of the light have meanings. It seems to be a
derivative of semaphore flags, using lights to exchange words with someone far
away. Karin had said she wanted to talk even while in the main estate,
and this method was what Ashren-sama recalled.
It seems that basic knight education is mandatory for the
sons of nobles in the Kanista Kingdom, and they learn semaphore flags
and light signals there as well. Because the population is small, he taught me
that they are educated so that everyone can swing a sword in times of
emergency.
「It seems Karin intends to
come over to play tomorrow as well.」
「Isn't that fine? It is lively and
fun.」
As a signal for 『Understood』, I spun the light twice above my head.
「Ashren-sama, how do I signal 『I am looking forward to it』?」
「Hmm, it is strictly a means of
communication for emergencies, after all. Well, I suppose this will do.」
Ashren-sama's
hand overlapped with mine holding the lamp. My heart instinctively leapt at the
size of his hand and the warmth I felt on my back. He is close.
After pulling my hand straight down vertically, Ashren-sama
moved it slightly to the side. It was similar to the letter L.
「What meaning does this have?」
「It is 『Understood』 imbued with a favorable meaning. Even if it is the same
agreement, there is also one mixed with a reluctant meaning.」
Warm breath brushed against my earlobe, and heat gathered in
my face. Even though I had a fiancé, my interactions with Carter-sama
were limited to just layering hands during escorts at evening banquets. This
posture, which felt like being embraced from behind, was a bit... no, quite
stimulating for me.
「What's wrong? Your face is red.」
And yet, to peer into my face even further. I wonder if he
is teasing me on purpose.
Unable to endure it, I took a step forward to distance
myself from his arms and slowly drew a semicircle. The signal for 'Good night'
that Karin and I had come up with.
「Ashren-sama, I will return to my room as well.」
「Yeah, good night.」
With a gentle pat, Ashren-sama's hand naturally stroked my head. I left the spot while keeping my head down so my red face wouldn't be seen.
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