90 – The Hidden Secret of the Unfrozen Lake
The two of them walked the promenade a bit more as Ariel requested, not as the request.
Shuri and the others, who came out of the promenade and joined later, parted ways again around dinner time.
It’s partly because we originally scheduled it that way, but today Ariel told us that there’s a place she wants to visit just the two of us.
That place is the ‘Non-frozen Lake’.
It was also the place where Edgar heard a word from Helen before he stopped by.
Thanks to that, dinner was delayed considerably.
Considering that when they were in Hespania, they ate by 7 o’clock at the latest, it was already past 8 o’clock when the two arrived at the unfreezing lake.
“Didn’t you think you should have eaten?”
“Yeah. I must have miscalculated the time.”
Seeing Edgar muttering with a wry smile, Ariel shrugged her shoulders with a dejected smile as well.
I came because there was a view that I could see at just this time, but at this time I felt like I should eat something for a late-night snack rather than dinner.
“because of me… sorry.”
A brief apology given by Ariel while waiting in line to board the ship.
Although the content was short, the sincerity was evident in the voice and expression.
That would also be the case, since Ariel set up all the schedules after breaking up with Shuri and the others.
It was only natural that she felt sorry.
“Why are you apologizing for something like this? Not like you.”
However, it was also nothing new to Edgar, who had been accommodating Ariel to all sorts of eccentricities and pranks.
Considering that I almost had a life-and-death fight with a wild boar in a heavy rain, this level is laughable.
Besides, the place where I met Shuri and the others was actually a place that sold simple sandwiches and stand-up food, so I wasn’t that hungry because I ate snacks there.
“Well, if you say that, it sounds like I’m just running around with accidents… … !”
“There is a living witness here, and you deny this? Wow, Ariel Loveheim has died a lot too.”
“Chi, when someone apologizes, just listen!”
It is quite rare to see her willingly bowing her pride.
At least, things got better after I grew up a bit, but in the past, there were quite a few times when the things I did wrong came out as a red flag.
Ariel herself was well aware of this, so she resented Edgar for making fun of her for admitting her wrongdoing.
I’m sorry and I’m ashamed, so if I just go over it, I wonder if it’s going to get worse. I thought that.
“That means no apologies. How many years have you and I been together?”
“O’clock, ten… seven years?”
“Um, is that enough? Anyway, as long as I’ve seen you, I know you don’t have to say anything. I’m sorry on the inside, but I can’t express it on the outside.”
If Ariel is to be honest or not, she is on the honest side.
But there are quite a few times when you’re not honest, and that’s when you reveal your weaknesses or mistakes.
It wasn’t that he didn’t feel guilty, though, so whenever he did, he would glance at Edgar, and he was well aware of this.
Of course, there were times when I advised people to meekly admit when they did something wrong in front of others, but that is out of the question.
“But if you’re really sorry, go buy some food in a nice place after it’s over. As I was passing by earlier, I heard that there is a restaurant that kills the scenery in a steeple-like place.”
In any case, there was a high possibility that the meals eaten outside could not even match the food that Edgar had been served at the castle.
A meal that would go up in the mouth of the owner of the Grand Duchess couldn’t be made so carelessly.
Nevertheless, Edgar grinned with a tone of anticipation in order to evoke the atmosphere.
Ariel nodded as if she had lost and replied confidently.
“… Yes, I’ll buy you anything. If you like that restaurant, would you like to gift the building and the entire population?”
“Honey, do you have to give someone a gift in its entirety to be satisfied? Arthur. Arthur.”
Edgar stopped Ariel in a panic because she had a personality that would be enough for her.
This is the woman who gave me a whole mountain as a birthday present when I was only nine years old.
Probably because there was a good chance that he would actually commit such an act even if he just said that it was delicious in a restaurant.
‘I can’t always adapt to the grand duke’s scale.’
At least, if it was a joke, I would have laughed it off as a joke, but it was more of a problem than a great person that the opponent would throw at it as a joke.
“Put, I understand, so hurry up and get on. It’s our turn.”
“already?”
When Ariel pointed back, smiling as if teasing him, Edgar, who looked around, hurriedly took a step forward.
It was quite a turn a while ago, but it was already the turn to board the ship.
It was because I hadn’t checked because I was talking to Ariel.
“How much is the fare?”
Wherever Edgar went, most of the bills were paid by himself.
Some of the money he had was received from his family, but it was because the salary he once received in the name of Ariel’s attendant was quite substantial.
Since it was the money she received anyway, I thought it was right to spend it on her, and Ariel didn’t bother to stop it.
Edgar would know better than anyone that she had no reason to depend on others financially, and she would still want to pay for other reasons.
just to respect that.
On the other hand, when I asked for the fare, the brown-haired man who was guiding the passengers on the boat waved both hands at the same time.
“Ah, since yesterday, I haven’t received a ticket for a week. So all you have to do is get on board.”
“Is it because of the promise day?”
“you’re right. It is also a unique custom passed down in Ettle.”
The village of Etle has been worshiping Miled, the god of love and taste.
And only one week a year. It was believed that there was a day when Miled came down and made the lovers made during that period last forever, and this is the ‘Oath Day’.
In addition, ‘Non-frozen Lake’ is also a favorite spot for couples, so during this oath day, you will not receive a fare.
Of course, there is no discrimination against family members or relatives who are not lovers.
“That’s why there are so many customers today.”
Somehow, it was quite dark, so it was difficult to look around while on the boat, but Edgar had doubts about the many people waiting.
As long as the passage was free, I thought it was worth it, and with a small nod, I boarded the small boat with Ariel.
Sigh.
“Wow!?”
When two people boarded at once, the ferry made a small noise.
Surprised by this, Ariel clings to her lover.
Edgar tilted his head at her uncharacteristically weak appearance.
“What are you so surprised about?”
“A ship, a ship is the first time… … !”
“yes? Oh, well, I will do it.”
When Ariel protested in a crawling voice, Edgar, who tilted his head for a moment, quickly shook his head as if he had understood.
Come to think of it, she grew up only in the northern region, so there was no choice but to take a boat.
The area around Hespania was a cold snowfield where even the sea froze.
If there was a chance, it would be possible to ride it when I went to play in another area, but there probably weren’t many cases like that.
“Sit over there. Because I will stir.”
“Should I stir myself? Isn’t it magic?”
It’s not some kind of magic omnipotence, but Ariel who talks about magic while rowing a row.
Edgar, who was dumbfounded by this, tried to ask if he should try using magic, but he kept his mouth shut because he thought it would be possible if it were her.
Of course, it would be nice to travel comfortably with magic, but this kind of thing is tasteful in rowing yourself.
Perhaps if Ariel had heard of it, she would not have understood Edgar’s feelings.
As we rowed little by little like that, the boat that had left the dock came to an unknown place.
The reason the two couldn’t figure out their location was because of the thick fog over the lake.
“Why is the fog so thick at night?”
“Isn’t it like that by the lake?”
“is it? Anyway, the atmosphere is quite nice.”
Even though the night fog was thick, it wasn’t to the point where one couldn’t tell one’s direction.
However, because of the low-lying fog, the other ships that were somewhat far away seemed quite blurry, which added to the dreaminess.
Even Ariel, who was not very sentimental by nature, saw this sight and inadvertently thought that it was like the two of them were left alone in the world.
Edgar, who had been paddling quietly in the fog, let go of the oar for a while when he felt that the voices of the people around him had faded and that the distance from the ferry was quite far away.
It was because he seemed to know a little bit about why she had brought him here today.
“Are you in the mood to talk now?”
“… Did you know?”
“You were like that before you came. I have something to say. That’s probably why I brought you here.”
“I guess I can’t hide it from you either.”
Ever since Shuri heard about the unfrozen lake in detail, Ariel had chosen this place as the place to tell him the truth.
She doesn’t particularly believe in God, but I wondered if the god Miled would at least lend a helping hand if she saw this scene.
Because she had heard about the Promise Day from Shuri as well.
It would be useless to procrastinate anyway, so she tried to bring up the story while speaking.
“Ed, actually… … .”
It was the moment when the red lips that had been closed so tightly were opened and the truth of the day was about to be brought out.
Paaah.
“yes?”
“What, what is this… … ?”
A cloud of light scattered through the sudden misty night embraced the two of them.
Some of the light that looked like fireflies came closer to the two of them, while others scattered around and seemed to be laughing among themselves.
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Light green, yellow and white.
A dizzying variety of colorful pieces of light broke through the darkness and decorated everywhere, but for some reason the two did not feel that they were dazzling.
It wasn’t even an oil lamp, but for some reason the light felt very warm.
Enough to change the somewhat chilly night air of Ettle.
“… … .”
Soon, a piece of light that came over her shoulder settled down for a while, and after rolling around for a while, it floated back up into the air and went back to her friends.
Ariel, who somehow felt the light cheering her up, glanced over her shoulder, then moved her gaze back to him across from her.
I felt that my heartbeat, which had been pounding just a moment ago, had calmed down a bit.
Is it because the body is warm? Or is it the virtue of being endowed with courage?
Whatever the reason, it was a good thing for her.
Thanks to you, I will finally be able to relieve even a little of the burden I was carrying on my heart.