40 – 40. Follow Your Heart (1)
Harney, with lips trembling, turned abruptly and spoke to the man.
“I-I’ll eat one more! It doesn’t matter, right?”
“Miss, you can’t force yourself, can you?”
“You’re forcing me! You didn’t even ask for my opinion and just did whatever you wanted…!”
At that, tears welled up in the man’s eyes.
“Then I guess there’s nothing we can do. I made such a good offer to the young master… Now it seems like it’s the end for both of you.”
“…”
“By the way, did the young master use it three times and give it to you to use once? Is that what you sent?”
“Ugh…”
Wow. This nobleman sure knows how to do business.
Harunie decided not to give either of them a chance and turned to leave.
“Alright! We just have to eat it!”
“That’s a very wise choice.”
The tears that were in the man’s eyes just a moment ago disappeared and he folded it neatly.
It was a very satisfying smile.
On the other hand, Harunie was still holding half of the fish cake, groaning in pain.
Then, she finally finished it off cleanly.
Her face gradually turned red. Was it because the spicy taste came late?
It seems that this woman can’t resist spicy food either.
“Give me the bead.”
“Yes. Here it is.”
The man reluctantly handed over the bead. It was quite amusing to see him smiling happily, even though he might win his own prize.
Looking at Harunie, I asked again.
“Number 4, right? The one you’ve been watching since earlier.”
“…”
“Harnie, do you want something? Ah, you must have eaten something spicy. Should I buy you something?”
Harnie, who remained silent, glared at me with slightly flushed cheeks and tried to step on my foot.
But then she stopped and stomped on the ground in frustration.
I can’t seem to understand her intentions.
“We can’t start like this.”
“Don’t say anything.”
“But, wasn’t that what you wanted?”
“I said, don’t say anything!”
After that, Harnie stomped on the ground several times.
Maybe it’s because it’s too spicy.
I guess it’ll be fine if I leave her alone for a while.
And then, a little while later.
When Harnie moved aside.
“Here it is.”
I easily obtained what she wanted.
…
“Aren’t you going to take it? It seems like something you wanted.”
-Zzt.
It felt like lasers were shooting out of Harnie’s eyes.
But then…
“Ha… Really. Alright, I got it. I’ll take it.”
In a somewhat peculiar way, she accepted it and moved on.
Why is she acting like this?
***
As soon as Hari received the prize box from the store, she let out a sigh.
“Don’t you like it?”
“No.”
“Then why are you sighing?”
In response, she let out another deep sigh.
“You really… are so dense in situations like this.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s nothing.”
If she was going to say something, she could have at least given an explanation. Just cutting it off like this?
I had a feeling that if someone doesn’t finish what they were saying and just cuts it off, it would make the other person angry.
Meanwhile, Hari opened the box and took something out.
And then…
“Here.”
She held out one towards me.
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. One of them is for you to write on.”
The prize obtained from the store was a pair of rings. They were the wedding rings of the Wederose Kingdom, with matching engravings on contrasting gemstones.
“If it’s this kind, shouldn’t we wear them on both hands?”
The ring didn’t really interest her.
She didn’t think it suited her well, and it didn’t seem like it would be worth much.
No, if anything, she might be accused of indulgence if the maids were to see it.
“You should wear both. I’m fine with it.”
Upon hearing that, Harnier narrowed her eyes.
“Did you forget already? You are my fiancée. The socialites came looking for you for that reason earlier.”
“Oh?”
No way.
Suddenly, the answer popped into her head.
“…Even if we’re in a romantic relationship, we don’t need to go that far, do we?”
“We don’t need to! If anything, it will raise more suspicion!”
They say that jewelry gifts are very common among nobles.
Necklaces, pendants, amulets, badges, cravats… There are thousands of different gifts exchanged.
“If people see us not sharing a single gift in a place like that, it’s only natural that they would suspect our relationship, right?”
“Well… then I can just say that I gave it as a gift…”
Harnier rubbed her forehead with one hand.
With a bitter smile, she said,
“You created this situation. We’re even in a secret affair.”
Oh, my pronunciation is ruined.
Especially when I say the phrase “lover’s relationship,” my pronunciation gets so twisted that it’s clearly noticeable.
If I don’t accept this, it feels like there will be another spike mark on my back.
“Ah, I understand.”
Sweating profusely, I accepted the ring.
And after careful consideration, I held Harney’s hand.
“Can you lend me your hand for a moment?”
“What are you going to do?”
I remembered something I saw in an etiquette book.
If it’s a lover’s relationship, it’s proper etiquette to put the ring on the lover’s hand like this.
So I put the ring on Harney’s left ring finger.
“Is this enough to follow the etiquette?”
I asked her with satisfaction.
But then Harney looked at the ring on her hand, pulled her hand back abruptly.
“Did I get the etiquette wrong?”
“Oh, no… it’s not that…”
“Then?”
“We don’t need to go this far! Just showing that it’s on is enough! Where on earth are the eyes that are watching us…?”
“Oh.”
Well, I guess that’s true.
Unless we openly display such things in front of the nobles, etiquette is meaningless.
Moreover, considering the ratio of commoners who enjoy the Snowflake Festival, there was no need to adhere to etiquette to this extent.
“The reason I wanted to obtain this ring is also to show the nobles that we are lovers…”
“Is that so?”
“…”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Do you really not know the intention behind this action?”
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“Earlier too… If it was intentionally done…”
“Why would I intentionally do such a thing? I just wanted to act according to etiquette.”
“…”
Upon hearing that, Harnie sighed deeply and made a face that seemed to say, “I see.”
“Ugh. Please don’t do anything that draws attention.”
And she asked him to forget what she said earlier.
Since it seemed like she had misunderstood, she asked him to pretend he hadn’t heard anything.
He didn’t know why she was acting like that, but he agreed.
He also strongly advised her not to use that etiquette again.
“It’s not wrong, but… ha, it’s an etiquette that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Don’t ever do it again next time.”
“Is that so? I thought I could learn and use it since it’s mentioned in a book, but it seems like it was a pointless act.”
“Huh. Someone so sharp suddenly… Oh, no. That makes sense. Ha…”
He would ask himself and convince himself.
What kind of situation is this again?
Harnie sighed deeply and changed his gaze.
“What kind of book is that? I should at least hear the title.”
“Well…”
All of Karsein’s books were torn apart by the maids. But using the family’s bookstore or library was a dangerous area.
So I read some of them in my room… But because the cover was torn, I couldn’t tell what kind of book it was.
“Just by looking at it, it seems like you saw it wrong, so don’t read it. No, throw away that book.”
“Why do you want me to throw away a useless book like that?”
“Because I’ll recommend you a proper etiquette book! So definitely throw it away. Got it?”
“…”
I want to say something, but it feels like spikes will fly at me.
I don’t know the reason. Let’s just think that I did something wrong.
Boom!
We turned our attention to the sudden sound.
It was none other than the sky.
In the gradually darkening evening sky, a snowflake-shaped firework exploded, creating a colorful picture.
“Wow.”
Harnie exclaimed in admiration.
Like a child experiencing a festival for the first time.
“It’s beautiful. I wonder how they create something like that.”
No, let me correct that.
It was her first time attending the festival.
As she watched fireworks of various colors being captured in those purple eyes…
I can’t help but feel that she wouldn’t have enjoyed this festival.
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Because I didn’t either.
“Master Karsein, you said you’ve been to the Snowflake Festival before, right?”
“Yes.”
“Back then, did they have fireworks like this too?”
She, still fixated on the night sky, asked me.
Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to answer, but with the help of the Memory, I can now.
“The snowflakes didn’t look like this back then.”
“Really?”
“They were much worse. They couldn’t even form a shape. If I had to describe it, it was like colorful masses coming together.”
“Hmm. The magic must have been incomplete.”
Harnie chuckled, guessing the reason.
“Would you like to get closer and take a look?”
“Huh?”
“It’s hard to see from here. If we head towards the center of the festival, we can get a better view.”
Upon hearing that, Harnie tilted her head.
“There’s no need to do that because of me. Just seeing it from here is enough.”
Is that so?
Certainly not.
On the contrary, I want to enjoy and try everything.
Whoosh.
“Carsein? Why is my hand…”
“Let’s go.”
“What? Where to?”
“To see that.”
I grabbed her hand and said.
“I’ve never seen anything like that either. It’s fascinating and beautiful. I’d like to hear more about it with such an explanation.”
“You don’t have to say it directly there. You can encounter something like that in another meeting…”
“No. It has to be now. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime snow festival. This opportunity won’t come again.”
The hidden desire would want to enjoy it more.
Her violet eyes filled with longing say.
I want to stay a little longer.
I want to walk more on this street.
I want to spend more time and enjoy this festival.
So, I wanted to make sure Harnie doesn’t miss this opportunity.
“Since we’re lovers now. No one is saying anything, so let’s stay a little longer, okay?”
“But Carcine, your time… Kyah-?”
“Yes, it’s a waste of your precious time. Shouldn’t you go and have more fun for a little longer? Let’s hurry!”
Not hiding honest desires with words like “it’s okay.”
I take her hand first and lead her where my heart desires.
Pung-!
In the meantime, a large violet snowflake burst from the sky.
It wasn’t very visible, but…
“I get it! I get it, so let’s go slowly-!”
Her lips, gripping the hem of her dress, seemed to be slightly raised.
See? Lies are still lies.
***
Dozens of patterns are carved in the sky.
As the night falls and the street becomes even darker, the citizens create brighter lights.
Lamps. Illumination. And fireworks.
Using all means possible, the lights created a fleeting moment of celebration.
Before he knew it, a faint smile was hanging on Harney’s face.
“I would have been disappointed if you didn’t come.”
Carcine said, looking at the spectacle of the festival that had just ended.
Harney also thought so deep down. But he couldn’t say it because of what he said earlier.
He continued speaking.
“Harnier, did you have a good time?”
“Yes, I had a great time.”
“I’m glad. It seemed like you enjoyed being with me.”
As if that could be true.
I clearly knew that you were being considerate.
Harnier immediately raised his head.
“It was quite… different and nice. Festivals, you know.”
“Is that so.”
The reason I came here was purely to avoid unexpected things.
But, this different experience.
This unfamiliar and leisurely time.
It was enjoyable. Truly.
“Indeed. It seems this deal wasn’t a waste after all, even though I wasted Yeong-ae’s time and there’s no return.”
Harnier covered his mouth and chuckled at those words.
“You don’t really think that, do you?”
“Did I get caught?”
“Yes. A while ago.”
This side of him was nothing more than a plausible lie, no matter how much I thought about it.
“Now that the festival is over, shall we go back?”
The end of this day was approaching.
Two nobles, a man and a woman, walk towards the carriage from a distance.
Their strides are neither too long nor too short, just appropriate.
It meant that they had spent a day without any lingering regrets.
“Thank you for today,” Harnier said to Karsein before getting on the carriage.
“Hmm. I suppose I should practice etiquette while getting on the carriage now.”
“No need for practice. You’ve already mastered it.”
“Well, I don’t particularly want to give those young ladies any chance.”
“Ugh, I get it. But… Karsein, sorry for suddenly asking, but can I ask you one thing?”
“What is it?”
Though he was holding back his words, he had been curious all this time.
At the present moment, after the festival. The timing was just right.
“Before meeting me, why were you heading towards the outskirts of the festival?”
He was clearly heading towards the outside streets before meeting her.
It meant that he didn’t come to enjoy the festival.
But it was Karsein who dragged her hand, saying that he wanted to see the Snowflake Festival.
There was a big contradiction in his actions.
Upon hearing this, Karsein smirked.
“The terms of our deal still stand, don’t they? If I have anything else to propose, I can do it anytime, according to your words, Miss.”