Chapter 11. While the maids are gone (2)
The day went by really fast. To the extent that I don’t even notice how it passed.
“It’s nice to be cozy in the mansion, but sometimes it’s nice to get some fresh air.”
“That’s right. I should have brought him out at least once… Only then will you be disqualified as a lover.”
Emilia put her index finger to the lips of a self-deprecating smile and silenced him.
Ludwig nodded as if he understood, and only then smiled satisfied and retrieved his hand.
The two were out at the lake near the current mansion.
It seemed that it would be difficult to go out as the surroundings had already become dark, but Emilia’s sudden proposal made her stop by.
“Anyway, I was very surprised. I didn’t expect Emilia to ask me to go fishing.”
“Ludwig said it before. One of my hobbies is fishing. Hearing that, I thought that I really want to do it together someday.”
It was fun to watch him paint in profile, and to look over the balcony railing as he tended the flower beds.
Maybe it wouldn’t matter as long as his existence was reflected in his field of vision.
But just as I was wondering if there was anything else we could enjoy talking about together, the conversation suddenly came to mind.
Wouldn’t it be possible to not only watch him, but also have fun while having a conversation with him?
“It can be quite boring. Fishing is actually more of a hobby to kill time.”
However, it was something that Ludwig was grateful for but also embarrassed.
It’s a good hobby for someone who likes to kill time while enjoying the quiet air, but I wondered what it would be like for someone like her who prefers being active.
It was for this reason that he did not bring up the topic of fishing after that.
“It is what I wished for. Rather than fishing anyway, I just wanted to do something with Ludwig.”
“If you ever get bored, just tell me. There is no point in enjoying it alone.”
“Huh, I will.”
I don’t know if that’s possible. It’s nice just to be by your side like this.
Emilia smiled mischievously and moved together to the spot he had noticed.
The air against my skin felt rather damp, whether it was the rain that had poured in yesterday or the moisture from the lake.
Still, compared to the last time I stopped by this place, it was really strange that I felt much more refreshed.
At that time, I visited the lake to find Ludwig to say goodbye to him briefly. Even if you pretended not to be on the outside, the inside must have been heavy.
“I have been coming here for a long time too.”
“Wasn’t this a place Ludwig liked?”
Emilia expressed her doubts because she remembered hearing that it was a place he would often go to when he was confused or thinking a lot.
Ludwig scratched his cheek shyly, avoiding her gaze and replied.
“I felt like my longing would only grow. In a way, it’s also the place where I last broke up with Emilia.”
Although he saw her off as she left the mansion, it was at this lakeside that she heard the news of their parting.
It was an action I chose not to forget her, but not to suffer more because I was still in the middle of longing.
“I am surprised. I didn’t think Ludwig would miss me very much.”
“I wonder if there are people who go to distant places to meet someone they don’t miss.”
“Puhu, I thought so.”
How surprised I was when I heard the news of his coming in advance.
Even though he was an Amman friend, he did not know at the time why he had come so far to visit him.
Looking back now, I thought that it was this man’s courtship, so I was confused for no reason.
It seems like just yesterday that I thought he was inconsiderate, but I was the same way.
“The preparations are almost over. Will Emilia throw in a fishing line?”
“Can I? I’m a beginner who’s never done it before… … .”
“I have no intention of looking too closely. So don’t worry.”
When he handed over his favorite fishing rod with a smile, Emilia carefully accepted it.
Looking at the simple fishing rod, which was barely woven with only tough thread on a tree trunk, as if it were a treasured sword in the world, looked cute in his eyes.
“Why are you so nervous?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m so nervous. I just wanted to watch Ludwig fishing, I didn’t know I would.”
Ludwig, who encouraged her by saying it was okay, went over to her side and wrapped her hands holding the fishing rod.
“I’ll help you, so give it a try. Because it’s kind of fun.”
The end of the fishing line is already hooked up to the bait. All that remains is to throw.
At his encouragement, Emilia firmly nodded and took a step forward.
“I don’t know if you can see it well because it’s dark, but do you see a small rock at the end over there? Emilia.”
“Yeah. The one next to the big rock?”
Does training your body naturally improve your vision in the dark?
Emilia stared exactly at the spot he was pointing with eyes like those of a beast searching for prey.
“Yes. I will throw it over there, so hold on tight to the fishing rod.”
“I will only trust Ludwig.”
When she smiled at him looking over her shoulder, Ludwig smiled as well and grabbed both of her hands.
Then he passed the fishing pole over his head and threw the line as hard as he could.
Pong.
The fishing line that flew through the moonlight successfully landed where Ludwig wanted.
When she looked at him with eyes that seemed to ask for confirmation, Ludwig nodded silently with a satisfied smile.
Only then did a bright flower bloom on Emilia’s face.
“Shall we stay here for a while and talk?”
“Is it okay if I leave it like this?”
“You’ll only need to check properly when the bite is coming.”
Ludwig took out a cylinder made of a bamboo-like material from his bag.
After putting it down on the floor, I put a lot of stones around it on the flat support under it, and then inserted the fishing rod properly into the cylinder.
I don’t know if it’s a strong fish, but I can handle the bite of the small freshwater fish caught in a lake like this.
“Is that something you made yourself?”
“I guess so. Even the fishing rods are handmade.”
“Either way, I think Ludwig has a lot of talent.”
“It’s overrated.”
The two of them sat down on the grass with a moderately pleasant chill and chatted.
The day before yesterday, yesterday, and today.
Even though we chatted with each other every day, why do we have so much to say?
It may have come naturally as we shared even the little things we experienced in moments when we weren’t together.
It wasn’t long before the conversation, which had been going on without a break, stopped.
Emilia, who was about to answer the question he asked, widened her eyes at the small piece of light she saw over his shoulder.
The light of a strange color, neither yellow nor light green, gradually increased in number and slowly began to approach the two of them.
“Ludwig, behind your back… … .”
She, who was supporting the pedestal with the fishing rod on it with one hand, pointed to his back with her free hand.
Did a ghost or a monster appear?
There weren’t many people who could surprise her, so Ludwig turned his head in puzzlement.
“Well? Oh, it’s a firefly. You are lucky.”
“Is that a firefly? It’s the first time I’ve seen it in person.”
“It is a rare thing to see. If I get a chance, I really wanted to show it to Emilia at least once, and this is how it came to be.”
A scene like a waterfall of stars appearing one by one as the night gets dark.
The two held hands as they observed the pieces of light scattered in all directions together.
“I think it was some kind of magic.”
“Iknow, right. Rather, it may feel more beautiful because it is not magic.”
The light emitted by the fireflies was not enough to brighten the surroundings, but it was enough for the two people to distinguish each other’s outlines more clearly.
From the forehead to the eyes, nose and lips.
The eyes of the two people who were slowly scanning each other from top to bottom changed strangely.
Then, no matter which one came first, they simultaneously approached each other and pursed their lips.
side. A cute yet affectionate sound rang out.
It seemed that they could hear the whispers of fireflies watching the young lovers around them, but the two did not care.
In particular, Emilia, who was only anxious about a momentary kiss, looked at him with a sorrowful gaze as if demanding something more.
‘Not enough.’
Was this intention conveyed?
Ludwig, who was looking at her gently, moved a little closer to her.
He thought that if he kissed her this time, he might lose his temper too.
To quench their burning thirst, the two slowly approached each other.
fluff.
But at the same time, the pedestal that supported the fishing rod tilted and fell to the ground on the grass.
As the subtle sound tickled their ears, Ludwig and Emilia took a step back with their bodies flinching.
“Well, it looks like something was caught.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Ludwig hurriedly picked up the fishing rod and confirmed that it was caught at the end of the fishing line.
A fairly large fish was flapping around with its needle bitten, but it seemed to him now that it was nothing but a hindrance.
‘You won’t be sent back home.’
Originally, I didn’t even bring a barrel to put the fish with the thought of releasing it.
However, this guy said that he would finish it with his own hands, whether he was making sashimi or boiling soup.
With such a promise, Ludwig threw the boy onto the grass.
I never thought that a fish would ruin the atmosphere created by the fireflies.
After all, when there are good things in the world, there are also bad things.
* * * * * * *
In the end, last night, the two of them had to return to their respective rooms with a feeling of uneasiness remaining.
Like firewood that didn’t burn all the fire, the regret that lingered until the moment they closed their eyes in bed plagued them from falling asleep.
For that reason, the morning that greeted him as usual was nothing short of a perplexity for Ludwig.
Besides, I remember that I went to bed after closing the windows and drawing the curtains yesterday.
Why does the warm morning sun sting his eyes?
I’m still running hot because I was disturbed by the fish yesterday, but nothing happened.
“Okay… … .”
Waking up, Ludwig pulled up the blanket over his head and turned around with his back to the window.
Then, a sudden hand began to shake his body.
However, it was not a very violent movement, rather it gave a pleasant shaking as if riding in a baby’s cradle.
“Master, you must wake up.”
A soft voice announced it was time to wake up, but he didn’t even move.
It was because he was a man who was far from the owner who listened well in the first place.
“Would you like to sleep more?”
“yes. little bit more… … .”
It’s not like I’m asking for a lot of time.
A short enough time to enjoy this languid feeling. Maybe 10 minutes or so.
Ludwig’s consciousness, which was estimating the time to enjoy a good sleep even in the middle of a dream, stopped for a moment.
‘Is Paula back?’
Come to think of it, her maid was still enjoying her vacation.
If she had come back, he would have noticed sooner.
Most of all, the names they call themselves are different. Because Paula always referred to him as ‘Bocchan’.
I wondered if it was another servant in the mansion, but the possibility was slim because he firmly said that he didn’t need another maid until Paula returned.
‘Isn’t the voice familiar somehow?’
It’s not too high or too low, but it’s a clear sweet voice that tickles people’s ears pleasantly.
At least, as far as he knew, only one had such a voice.
When I thought about it, my mind, which seemed like it was about to fall into a dilemma again, became clearer before I knew it.
no way.
Ludwig broke out in a cold sweat from the uneasiness covering his whole body, even though he believed that it was not.
I slowly turned my head while clearing my trembling body, and there stood the existence I was hoping for proudly raising an apron.
“Did you have a good night last night? master.”
“… … .”
With a smile on his lips that seemed like it would explode at any moment.
For some reason, Ludwig had no choice but to accept the reality he wanted to avoid, feeling intuition that not even today would be smooth.