29
When I opened my eyes, a familiar ceiling came into view.
It was Sion’s bedroom.
“…?”
‘…What happened?’
As I blinked blankly, the string of events from last night came rushing back into my mind.
I abruptly sat up.
“Aah! Sion?!”
‘What happened to Sion?! Did we make it through the night safely?!’
At that moment, two voices rang out simultaneously from beside the bed.
“Ms. Lin!”
“You’re awake!”
It was Elda and Genevia.
Elda’s crimson eyes were brimming with tears, and Genevia was looking at me with a face full of concern.
“Elda? Genevia?”
I called out their names, still dazed, and Genevia came over to examine my body like flipping a pancake.
“Hmm, thankfully, there don’t seem to be any lingering effects or aftereffects. Do you feel any pain anywhere? You were unconscious the entire time after collapsing last night.”
At her words, I blankly touched my face and limbs.
The places that had been in terrible pain after being exposed to the poison yesterday were, thankfully, all fine now.
“Uh, yeah—nothing hurts at all now!”
“That’s good. It seems even your internal injuries were completely healed.”
“Whoa…!”
‘As expected of the heroine’s powers!’
It was a power I would definitely rely on often for Sion’s sake in the future.
“That’s amazing, Genevia. Thank you!”
I looked at her with genuine admiration and gratitude. Slightly embarrassed, Genevia averted her eyes and replied.
“You were lucky. I just happened to be passing by that place, so I was able to treat you in time. Otherwise, it could’ve been really serious.”
“She’s right, Ms. Lin! Sob, even the young lord was so worried, not to mention all of us.”
The moment Sion was mentioned, my mind snapped back to clarity.
“Right! Where’s Sion? Is he okay? He’s not hurt, is he?!”
As I anxiously looked around searching for him, Elda answered.
“The young lord is safe. He stayed by your side all night and left just a short while ago.”
At her words, Genevia shook her head and added.
“If you’re talking about that gray-haired knight, don’t worry. He’s so energetic he was practically bouncing off the walls. After you collapsed, he was furious beyond belief.”
“He’s not a knight—he’s the young lord.”
Elda corrected her.
Genevia gave her a cool, dismissive look and responded.
“Ah, right. Sure.”
“Priestess Genevia is right, Ms. Lin. I’ve worked in the annex for a long time, but I’ve never seen the young lord that angry before. That just shows how worried he was about you.”
“Uh… yeah, I guess so?”
I let out a sheepish laugh, cold sweat trickling down my face.
I didn’t know whether I should be happy about this… or worried.
‘Of course I’m thrilled that my favorite was so worried about me, but… I’ve got a feeling he’s going to be seriously mad when I see him later.’
No wonder.
The last time I saw Sion, he looked pretty—no, extremely—angry.
Though there was anxiety and concern mixed in his expression as well.
“Come to think of it, where is Sion now?”
“He stayed with you until morning, but he had to leave eventually.”
“Leave? Where to?”
“The Winter Coming-of-Age Ceremony.”
“…What?”
I stared blankly at Elda, at Genevia, then out the window.
The sun was high in the sky.
‘…What the hell!!??’
I threw off the blanket and jumped out of bed.
“It's today, isn’t it?! Sion’s coming-of-age ceremony!”
“Yes, it should be starting soon.”
“No waaaaaay…!!”
I couldn’t believe it.
On this most important day, I was just lying here unconscious like a fool.
Clutching my head in despair, I wailed.
Elda tried to comfort me.
“Ahh, please don’t worry too much, Ms. Lin! Garen and I did our very best to prepare the young lord for the ceremony!”
“Y-You did? You followed all the instructions I gave you, right? You did?!”
“Of course! Just like you emphasized! The pants hem was cut crisply at the ankle for a sharp look! The collar neat but tilted at exactly 45 degrees to subtly show the collarbone! And the sleeves—left casually undone to capture the free-spirited, rugged essence of a Northern man who doesn’t conform to social norms!”
“His hair?!”
“Styled exactly as you instructed! The bangs fall naturally, but the overall silhouette is neatly arranged, with the ear line as the base for that elegant touch!”
“Sniff… well done, Elda!”
I pulled her into a heartfelt hug.
Watching this from the side, Genevia mumbled something like, “What kind of place is this, seriously…”
I jumped up in a hurry and started smoothing out my crumpled pajamas.
“I can’t just sit around! We’ve got to go—If I don’t hurry, I’ll miss the whole thing!”
“Ack! Ms. Lin! No! The young lord specifically told us you must stay in and rest today!”
“Seeing Sion is my rest and recovery! Now move it!”
I shot off like a rocket and practically dragged the bored-looking Genevia by her collar toward the door.
“Wh-Why are you doing this to me?!”
“What do you mean why?! We have to go watch Sion’s Winter Coming-of-Age Ceremony!”
“Why should I—?!”
I turned to her with the most serious expression I could muster.
“Don’t tell me… you don’t want to see it? That glorious moment where Sion, dressed to the nines, steps onto the stage to receive everyone’s blessing?!”
“Honestly… no, not really—”
“Well I want to see it! So badly! So just follow me already!”
“Can you at least let me finish a sentence—?!”
Dragging Genevia behind me, I stormed out of the room.
“I’m coming too, Ms. Lin!”
Elda followed right behind us.
***
Hidden within Genevia’s voluminous curly hair, I looked around in awe.
“Whoa… Whoooaa!”
The grand hall where the Winter Coming-of-Age Ceremony was taking place was beautifully adorned with various ice sculptures and winter blossoms.
All around, noble families—likely vassals of the Northern lands—were gathered in small clusters. Knights and attendants stood in formation around them.
“Let’s move closer to the front! Hurry!”
I tugged on Genevia’s hair as if pulling the reins of a horse.
“Ow! Okay, okay, I got it.”
Genevia and Elda cautiously pushed their way through the crowd.
No one paid much attention to the plainly dressed Genevia or Elda, who was merely a maid.
Thanks to that, we could overhear some uncensored conversations and whispers around us.
“So it’s true? That elusive young lord from the annex is actually attending the coming-of-age ceremony…”
“I heard he was a sickly boy who spent all his time bedridden. Looks like his health’s taken a turn for the better.”
“Tch. Can you believe a disgraceful illegitimate child like that is stepping onto the platform during a sacred ceremony? The Grand Duchess must be furious.”
“Hey now, be careful with your words. He is still the blood of the former Grand Duke.”
“Rumor has it that the young lord from the annex personally resolved the recent scandal involving the merchant guild. Is it true?”
“According to Elder Dorhe, he’s the spitting image of the late Grand Duke.”
“Hm? Even more so than the Grand Prince?”
“Apparently everything except the hair color—he doesn’t have black hair—but otherwise, his appearance and aura are almost identical.”
“Hah, now I’m getting curious.”
Listening to them chatter away about Sion like he was some gossip topic, I glared at each and every one of them.
Just wait, you jerks.
Once Sion rises to glory, none of you will get a piece of him.
Still, maybe thanks to his recent accomplishments, some of the elders and vassals did show quiet interest or even a hint of favor toward Sion.
They were probably the same ones who had sent him all sorts of miscellaneous items not long ago.
“…Hmph. I guess the North isn’t any different after all. Judging a person’s worth by their birth and status—same old story.”
Genevia muttered bitterly as she listened in on the whispers.
Elda replied with a faint, sad smile.
“…That’s why the young lord has always been a lonely person. It might be hard to believe, but when he was younger, he used to be so much warmer… and talkative. Before the coldness of this Grand Duchy froze over his heart completely.”
“……”
I recalled the glimpse of Sion’s past that I had encountered through the original novel.
An eight-year-old boy, abandoned in this cold and desolate castle after losing his mother.
It was impossible to truly imagine how painful and lonely those ten years must have been—enduring cold treatment and contempt all alone, all while being persecuted by the Grand Duchess, the most powerful figure in this place.
“…It hurts more than I imagined from just reading it on the page.”
I pressed a hand to my aching heart and whispered.
Just then, Elda looked at me and said gently,
“But now that you’re here, Ms. Lin, everything’s okay. Isn’t it?”
“Huh?”
“You’re the fairy who cares for and cherishes the young lord more than anyone else! I know it. Since you arrived, the young lord has really changed. His expression, his whole demeanor—it’s all so much softer now. And I even think he smiles from time to time, just like you said before!”
“…Right? He has been smiling more often lately, hasn’t he?”
I’d thought it was just my imagination, but it must have been real after all.
“Definitely! Sometimes he just watches you quietly, and then suddenly—like something amused him—he lifts the corners of his mouth in a silent smile!”
“Pfft, heh heh… I knew it! All that effort was worth it!”
I murmured proudly, and Genevia tilted her head in confusion, as if she couldn’t understand at all.
“…It might be a weird time to ask this, but… what exactly is the relationship between you and the young lord?”
“Huh? Relationship?”
I was grinning like a fool, but I froze at her question.
It hit me like a smack to the back of the head.
You idiot. What are you getting all giddy for?
There’s been no progress whatsoever between Sion and me!
Frustrated, I quickly looked around again, trying to find him.
“Forget that for now—let’s find Sion! He should be somewhere around—”
Bwooooooo—
Just then, a deep horn sounded throughout the hall.
And with that, the Winter Coming-of-Age Ceremony had begun.
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