Witch vs. Fool (4)
Tail, who had been rude at the dinner table, had to spar with Armian until late at night before he could return to his bedroom.
As soon as he finished washing, he collapsed on the bed and grabbed his shoulder.
"Ugh..."
His arms wouldn't lift. There were blisters on his palms where he had been holding his mother's sword for over two hours.
Armian didn't say a word during the fight, but Tail knew what his mother wanted.
"You want me to apologize, right?
Because of that woman, one in ten people in the territory got sick.
There were many sick people around and his mother and father were too busy helping the people.
In particular, Tail couldn't sleep at night because he was worried that his mother, who was taking care of patients in the lockdown area, might get sick.
This wouldn't have happened if the 'one who walks first' had only warned them in advance.
No, at least not this many people would have gotten sick.
'But why should I apologize?'
Rather, shouldn't it be that woman who should apologize to the people?
The intention to replace it with grain was so cowardly and vulgar that he didn't even want to be in the same place with her.
"Ugh."
Tail raised his heavy body and slowly relaxed his aching shoulders.
And as he was bandaging his blistered, messy palm, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
The person who came into the bedroom was Ian. A look of annoyance appeared on Tail's face.
"What, again?"
"Apologize to her tomorrow."
Tail lay down on the bed in silence and covered himself with the blanket.
"Go out, I'll be fine."
"Tail Ruth Eldern."
As Ian threw the blanket away, Tail jumped up. His murderous eyes poured out to Ian.
"Did you say that to her too? Asked her to apologize to us?"
"Why should she apologize to us?"
"She didn't warn us about the epidemic!"
"She can only warn, she can't stop the epidemic. So is it right to blame her for spreading the epidemic?"
"..."
"Rather, it was thanks to her that we were able to secure Montpain quickly. Why are you so short-sighted?"
You neglected your duty as a guardian dated to your heart's content, and now you're here to help her.
is that a big deal? Tail snorted.
"You even served as a servant during meal times. Did you develop feelings for that woman?"
"If respect is an emotion, then yes, you are right."
"You respect that woman?"
Ian's eyes calmed down.
"Imagine if you suddenly lost your eyesight and couldn't hold a sword. How long would you have endured?"
A look of bewilderment spread across Tail's face. He couldn't imagine a life without holding a sword.
"She lost her good eyesight by being chosen as a guardian. Have you ever thought about how terrible a misfortune this must have been for her?"
Tail couldn't answer this time either.
It is because he never dared to think of the highest honor of being a guardian as a misfortune.
"She has endured adversity admirably. For that alone she deserves respect."
"..."
"But we don't take that for granted. Not only that, we force the duty of guardianship and try to control minds under the pretext of neutrality."
"That's right for the cause."
"Do you always act for the greater good?"
"Where is that nonsense? Brother, that woman is a guardian! What's the point of a guardian if she doesn't help?"
"Just because she didn't help us doesn't mean she's meaningless as a guardian? That's just sophistry."
"..."
As Tail bit his lip, Ian's gaze softened somewhat...
"Tail, just because she's the 'first one to walk' doesn't mean she'll be able to solve the puzzle from the start."
"What does that mean?"
"Find the answer yourself."
"..."
"And just think about how many sacrifices we are asking of her in the name of being a protector."
Ian's golden eyes, which had been slightly warm, turned cold again.
"Starting tomorrow, perform the Young Lady's duties."
"..."
"It goes without saying that you should carry her luggage, and if there's mud, you should throw your body on her so that she doesn't step on it. Follow her around so that she doesn't experience any inconvenience."
"Why don't you just tell me to make a flower path for her?"
"Good idea."
Ian chuckled and left the bedroom.
Tail left alone, fell into deep thought.
***
It was very northern.
It was so cold in the morning that I woke up to find the fire in the fireplace dying out.
I quickly got up and threw some firewood into the stove.
"Can I just put it in?"
I feel like the lights are dimming and something is wrong.
I stirred the flame with a lighter and blew a gust of wind. Only then did I confirm that the flame was slowly coming to life and then opened the curtains.
As I wiped the foggy frost off the glass, the foggy scenery of the manor came into view.
Employees were moving busily, and in the spacious training grounds, the knights were lined up and preparing for battle.
Ian will be among them.
As I was looking at the knights that looked smaller than my finger, Nadia and Vivian came into the bedroom.
"You must be tired, but you're already up?"
"I slept well."
"Good morning, Miss."
"Yes, Vivian."
Vivian draped a shawl over my shoulders and looked at the fireplace.
"Nadia, did you add firewood to the fireplace?"
"Uh?"
Nadia, who had rabbit eyes, answered quickly.
"Oh, I thought you were up a little while ago, so I came in to check, and the fire was out. So I put in some firewood. My Lady catches the cold easily."
Vivian looked at Nadia as if she was surprised.
"I was supposed to take care of the fireplace. Thank you for taking care of it."
"I did it for the young lady, not for you."
Nadia, who had been bragging about what I had done, gave me a thumbs up when Vivian wasn't looking.
When I came out of the bath, breakfast was served in the bedroom.
As we sat down at the table, Nadia spread butter on our bread and Vivian poured us some warm tea.
"Vivian, do the Duke and Duchess sit breakfast separately?"
"They are currently training. So instead of eating breakfast separately, they eat dinner together."
"If it's training, then Armian too?"
"Madam, her training time is the longest."
Suddenly, I remembered the story I had heard from my father before I left for Eldern.
"Even during the war, Sir Armian ran the saddle every morning. At first, the knights ignored her, but at some point, they started running with her."
"Ian's father has helped me many times. He is a great person."
The relationship between Father, Duke Eldern, and Armian began 30 years ago during the Great Rift.
It is said that Armian, who participated in the war as a representative of the imperial family at the time, was secretly ostracized by the knights.
At that time, the first person to approach Armian was Duke Eldern. He introduced her to my father, who was his close friend, and from then on, the three of them hung out together.
'I guess similar people meet each other.'
After the meal, we learned about the structure inside the castle under Vivian's guidance.
Vivian looked puzzled by my actions of trying to look around the castle without even seeing it, but she didn't ask any questions.
As expected of an old castle, the structure was very complicated. It was impossible to memorize the path just by looking at it once, and I had to stop counting the swords attached to the wall after counting 150 because my legs were sore. I had a quick lunch and got ready to go to the grocery store. As soon as I stepped outside, my breath turned white and scattered. Tails was leaning against the waiting carriage.
He had been lost in thought with his arms crossed, but when he saw me, he relaxed his posture. Nadia said calmly.
"My lady, the little Prince of Eldern is ahead."
"Tail?"
"I'm going, too."
Now that I think about it, Tail's voice seems similar to that of the boy I met when I was sixteen.
Nice to meet you. I was thinking about that so I was late in replying.
"...What did you just say?"
"I don't like it either. I have no choice but to do it because my brother told me to."
"You didn't say no? ...Is it okay if you follow me around?"
"My brother told me to do it. Then I have to do it."
"..."
Tails remained silent with an expression that said, "This isn't it."
If I refused, were you planning to use that as an excuse to avoid me?
But I'm sorry, I liked Tail. Is this what it's like to have a younger sibling? I feel like poking him for no reason.
"Let's go together."
"..."
The carriage carrying the four of us, Nadia, Vivian, and Tail, started off smoothly.
Tail, who had been staring out the window with a blank expression, asked belatedly.
"Where are you going now?"
"It's the Golden Tree Store."
"What are you going there for?"
"What are you going to the store for? Let's go shopping."
"..."
Tail's eyes became fierce.
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