Episode 5. I'm not generous enough to like a traitor.
“Hey!”
Adele opened her eyes in surprise. She unconsciously covered her lips with the back of her hand. Then she realized that she was not at the lakeside, but in front of a fireplace with burning wood. But the kiss that day was so vivid. She could feel his breath and the warmth of his lips as if it were happening right now. And her body was so hot.
'Whew, that makes sense.'
The fireplace in front of her was on the verge of bursting into flames. She had fallen asleep at some point, but instead of Christine, she was lying on the sofa, sleeping. She was even covered with a blanket.
"Chris?"
Adele called, but there was no answer. There was no sign of him anywhere in the small house. It seemed he had laid her down on the sofa while she was sleeping, covered her with a blanket, and left. He had also filled the fireplace with firewood.
'You'd rather wake me up and say goodbye before you go... '
She didn't know why she was so upset when he left without saying anything, even though they had lived without contacting each other for 10 years. She was so selfish. She left him behind. She couldn't help it then, but making excuses now wouldn't make a difference. After all, she had abandoned Christine and chosen a different path. If she could go back to that day, what choice would she make? That was a question that Adele still couldn't easily answer.
“Is he already gone?”
Adele, who had been lost in thought, turned around at Tanya's voice. Tanya didn't hide her disappointed expression as she took off her old coat, covered in snow.
“Already? It’s already getting dark.”
“I thought he might be asleep before he left.”
“He's going to sleep! What are you talking about!”
When Adele jumped up and scolded her, Tanya looked bewildered.
“They say it’s snowing heavily outside. On a snowy night like this, you should at least let a passing traveler stay overnight.”
Adele forced herself to hide her embarrassed expression and went to the window.
“...His carriage is big, so it’ll be fine.”
It was snowing so hard that everything outside the window looked white. He'll go once the snow clears up a bit more. What's the rush in this weather...?
“But is that really Count Weiss?”
Tanya asked as she cleared the table of teacups.
"Why?"
“No, I can’t believe that such an amazing person came to my house.”
“I’m still happy. I have you, I have Mia, and I can bake bread and cookies whenever I want. Really.”
Yes, she is satisfied with that. If she can open her eyes to the sound of birds singing in the morning, and start the day with warm soup and soft bread. If she can have fragrant black tea and dessert, and chat with close friends. If only the peace continues like that, when no one comes and nothing happens...
“But, miss, I will marry a good man whenever I find one. So please exclude me from your happiness.”
“This destroyer of emotions!”
“Look at that. Flowers are the best gift for women.”
Christine turned around at Zimmer's voice. His face was furrowed as if he were wondering what nonsense he was talking about.
“I’ve never seen the captain look so flushed. Even on a cold day like this, your face is so rosy...”
Then, Zimmer met Christine's fierce eyes and quickly shut his mouth. His eyes contained a warning that he could die if he talked a little more. He thought he had become a little more human because he seemed to be giving his heart to the woman.
“I definitely learned one lesson today. I will never trust you with gift-buying duties again.”
“Could it be that the flower gift didn’t work? That’s unusual. Still, it seems like you two had a good time. Why are you leaving so soon?”
The carriage carrying the two people was going through a heavy snowfall. The dizzying snow flurries beat fiercely against the carriage windows. They were trained in the harsh weather of the battlefield. However, the road back after meeting a woman, not the battlefield, was so difficult...
“When it’s mating time, I will.”
Christine spoke absentmindedly and stared quietly out the carriage window.
“Ahh... Now that I think about it, it’s winter.”
Zimmer nodded as if he realized something. That must be why his face was so red.
“But what is your relationship with the Marchioness? It seems like you two have known each other for a long time.”
At first, he thought that Christine had been bewitched by the strange widow because of his unusual tastes. However, at first glance, the two of them had a vague air about them.
“A woman who claims to be my older sister.”
“Oh my, you’re sister?”
He didn't know why the word "sister" sounded so unfamiliar coming out of Christine's mouth.
“And the woman who turned me into a beast.”
"Yes?"
“That woman’s smell is really unbearable. Especially on a snowy night like this...”
Christine licked his lips, licking his fingertips.
He didn't even reach his puberty until he was 17. While his peers were all growing into men day by day, he still looked like a girl. His father seemed to be secretly worried about his son. However, after he saved Adele from drowning that day, everything changed. His heart felt like it was going to burst because he had to save her as she sank deep into the water. Then, he felt an incredible amount of power pouring into his body, shaking his body and mind. His consciousness disappeared under the terrible pressure.
Christine's lips turned up bitterly.
“Then... isn’t that right?”
Zimmer wondered if he had misunderstood something.
“Not all women who want to hug are women who I like.”
"Yes?"
“I am not generous enough to love a traitor.”
Christine's voice was firmer and colder than ever.
“Is he already gone?”
Adele, who had been lost in thought, turned around at Tanya's voice. Tanya didn't hide her disappointed expression as she took off her old coat, covered in snow.
“Already? It’s already getting dark.”
“I thought he might be asleep before he left.”
“He's going to sleep! What are you talking about!”
When Adele jumped up and scolded her, Tanya looked bewildered.
“They say it’s snowing heavily outside. On a snowy night like this, you should at least let a passing traveler stay overnight.”
Adele forced herself to hide her embarrassed expression and went to the window.
“...His carriage is big, so it’ll be fine.”
It was snowing so hard that everything outside the window looked white. He'll go once the snow clears up a bit more. What's the rush in this weather...?
“But is that really Count Weiss?”
Tanya asked as she cleared the table of teacups.
"Why?"
“No, I can’t believe that such an amazing person came to my house.”
“If you even know about him, he must be an incredible person.”
“Of course. He's a war hero. If you go out on the street right now, you’ll see boys swinging sticks and imitating the White Ghost.”
“White Ghost?”
“The knights led by Count Weiss. He is their commander.”
Now that she thinks about it, Adele had heard of the White Ghost Knights. It was the name of the most courageous knight order in the Kalime Empire. And the one leading it was Christine...
“So now, for us, the end of our misery and the beginning of happiness, right?”
"What are you talking about?"
“If Count Weiss came here with flowers like this, it means he is deeply in love with you...”
“That’s not it!”
Adele flatly denied it, but Tanya opened her eyes teasingly.
“Oh, that’s not true. The Count’s eyes were so mysterious. I thought, ‘This is the look in the eyes of a man in love,’ which I’ve only heard about.”
“I said no!”
Tanya clasped her hands together and let her imagination run wild, pretending not to hear Adele's voice at all.
“I really hope both of you are doing well! Then we too can burn firewood without any worries in the winter. No, the Count is rich, so instead of firewood, we can burn coal. Wow, the day will come when we can light a coal stove!”
Adele was dumbfounded.
“I can get rid of a coal stove, too!”
But Tanya looked sadly at the few pieces of firewood left in front of the fireplace. Adele quickly became timid.
“Well, of course, I have to work harder to make and sell bread and cookies.”
“Is it really possible to do it just by working hard?”
Adele, who was kicked out of the Marquis's family, made a living mainly by selling cookies and bread. However, because of the rumors about her, she was not sold to the nobles. Adele was furious at Tanya, who was cruelly rational.
“You want me and the Count to get along just because of a coal stove?”
“What could be the only reason? I really want you to be happy. As if I wanted to show off to those Oswald guys.”
“Of course. He's a war hero. If you go out on the street right now, you’ll see boys swinging sticks and imitating the White Ghost.”
“White Ghost?”
“The knights led by Count Weiss. He is their commander.”
Now that she thinks about it, Adele had heard of the White Ghost Knights. It was the name of the most courageous knight order in the Kalime Empire. And the one leading it was Christine...
“So now, for us, the end of our misery and the beginning of happiness, right?”
"What are you talking about?"
“If Count Weiss came here with flowers like this, it means he is deeply in love with you...”
“That’s not it!”
Adele flatly denied it, but Tanya opened her eyes teasingly.
“Oh, that’s not true. The Count’s eyes were so mysterious. I thought, ‘This is the look in the eyes of a man in love,’ which I’ve only heard about.”
“I said no!”
Tanya clasped her hands together and let her imagination run wild, pretending not to hear Adele's voice at all.
“I really hope both of you are doing well! Then we too can burn firewood without any worries in the winter. No, the Count is rich, so instead of firewood, we can burn coal. Wow, the day will come when we can light a coal stove!”
Adele was dumbfounded.
“I can get rid of a coal stove, too!”
But Tanya looked sadly at the few pieces of firewood left in front of the fireplace. Adele quickly became timid.
“Well, of course, I have to work harder to make and sell bread and cookies.”
“Is it really possible to do it just by working hard?”
Adele, who was kicked out of the Marquis's family, made a living mainly by selling cookies and bread. However, because of the rumors about her, she was not sold to the nobles. Adele was furious at Tanya, who was cruelly rational.
“You want me and the Count to get along just because of a coal stove?”
“What could be the only reason? I really want you to be happy. As if I wanted to show off to those Oswald guys.”
“I’m still happy. I have you, I have Mia, and I can bake bread and cookies whenever I want. Really.”
Yes, she is satisfied with that. If she can open her eyes to the sound of birds singing in the morning, and start the day with warm soup and soft bread. If she can have fragrant black tea and dessert, and chat with close friends. If only the peace continues like that, when no one comes and nothing happens...
“But, miss, I will marry a good man whenever I find one. So please exclude me from your happiness.”
“This destroyer of emotions!”
***
“Look at that. Flowers are the best gift for women.”
Christine turned around at Zimmer's voice. His face was furrowed as if he were wondering what nonsense he was talking about.
“I’ve never seen the captain look so flushed. Even on a cold day like this, your face is so rosy...”
Then, Zimmer met Christine's fierce eyes and quickly shut his mouth. His eyes contained a warning that he could die if he talked a little more. He thought he had become a little more human because he seemed to be giving his heart to the woman.
“I definitely learned one lesson today. I will never trust you with gift-buying duties again.”
“Could it be that the flower gift didn’t work? That’s unusual. Still, it seems like you two had a good time. Why are you leaving so soon?”
The carriage carrying the two people was going through a heavy snowfall. The dizzying snow flurries beat fiercely against the carriage windows. They were trained in the harsh weather of the battlefield. However, the road back after meeting a woman, not the battlefield, was so difficult...
“When it’s mating time, I will.”
Christine spoke absentmindedly and stared quietly out the carriage window.
“Ahh... Now that I think about it, it’s winter.”
Zimmer nodded as if he realized something. That must be why his face was so red.
“But what is your relationship with the Marchioness? It seems like you two have known each other for a long time.”
At first, he thought that Christine had been bewitched by the strange widow because of his unusual tastes. However, at first glance, the two of them had a vague air about them.
“A woman who claims to be my older sister.”
“Oh my, you’re sister?”
He didn't know why the word "sister" sounded so unfamiliar coming out of Christine's mouth.
“And the woman who turned me into a beast.”
"Yes?"
“That woman’s smell is really unbearable. Especially on a snowy night like this...”
Christine licked his lips, licking his fingertips.
He didn't even reach his puberty until he was 17. While his peers were all growing into men day by day, he still looked like a girl. His father seemed to be secretly worried about his son. However, after he saved Adele from drowning that day, everything changed. His heart felt like it was going to burst because he had to save her as she sank deep into the water. Then, he felt an incredible amount of power pouring into his body, shaking his body and mind. His consciousness disappeared under the terrible pressure.
When he opened his eyes again with Adele's artificial respiration, he felt much stronger and more sensitive than before. It felt like a different being had entered him. No, it would be more accurate to say that he had become a different being. Just looking at her lips made his breathing ragged, and he couldn't hold it in. It was such an instinctive desire that it scared him. When he felt her breath settle on his lips, he felt half-mad. It was so sweet and soft that he couldn't stop. But he was also scared. If he didn't stop here, he would ruin her. He barely stopped kissing her and ran away like crazy into the snowy forest, into the forest. And then he realized. He was different from ordinary humans.
“Yes, I’ll look into it some more.”
Zimmer spoke confidently, as if he were telling him to trust him. There seemed to be more to their relationship than he thought. But Christine shook his head.
“No, that’s fine.”
“Yes? But if the Marchioness has been falsely accused...”
“If she wants to clear her name, she should ask for help herself. If she doesn’t, it means she doesn’t feel wronged.”
Zimmer was taken aback by the unexpectedly cool answer.
“That’s not true. You thought it was strange, too, Chief. The Oswald family kept the wife who poisoned the head of the household. If someone you like is being falsely accused of something like that...”
“Someone you like?”
“Yes, I’ll look into it some more.”
Zimmer spoke confidently, as if he were telling him to trust him. There seemed to be more to their relationship than he thought. But Christine shook his head.
“No, that’s fine.”
“Yes? But if the Marchioness has been falsely accused...”
“If she wants to clear her name, she should ask for help herself. If she doesn’t, it means she doesn’t feel wronged.”
Zimmer was taken aback by the unexpectedly cool answer.
“That’s not true. You thought it was strange, too, Chief. The Oswald family kept the wife who poisoned the head of the household. If someone you like is being falsely accused of something like that...”
“Someone you like?”
Christine's lips turned up bitterly.
“Then... isn’t that right?”
Zimmer wondered if he had misunderstood something.
“Not all women who want to hug are women who I like.”
"Yes?"
“I am not generous enough to love a traitor.”
Christine's voice was firmer and colder than ever.
***
The snow that had been falling for several days had stopped. The morning sunlight was bright, as if the heavy snow had never fallen.
“Adele! Adele!”
As Adele was finishing her meal with Tanya, Mia came running into Adele's house. She looked like she was dying of boredom after being stuck inside for the past few days due to the heavy snow. As expected, she took off her coat and started talking until she was out of breath.
“Adele, is it really Count Weiss who came that day? What did you two talk about? When is he coming again? Since he brought flowers, did he propose or something?”
Most of the questions started with Count Weiss and ended with Christine. However, Adele, who had been listening quietly, surprised Mia with an unexpected statement.
“Mia, can I ask you a favor?”
“What favor do you have? Just tell me. I’ll listen to everything!”
Adele hesitated for a moment before speaking to Mia, who approached her curiously.
“Your brother... You know. He hasn’t met anyone yet, right?”
Mia's older brother Mark was a veterinarian around here. He mostly treated livestock, but he also took care of people who couldn't afford to go to the doctor. He was a kind, honest man who raised his young son alone. He had met Adele a few times.
“That’s true, but why are we talking about Mark at this point?”
Adele forced a smile and asked cautiously.
“I was wondering if we could meet seriously, if it’s okay with him.”
“Adele, what are you talking about now?”
Mia had an expression on her face that said Adele was speaking in a foreign language. Adele, who had expected this reaction, sweated profusely and became timid.
“I guess this is a bit too much to ask? For someone like me, I guess...”
“What are you talking about! You know Mark has been interested in you for a long time. He couldn’t even bring it up because you were so manly. But what about the Count?”
Mia seemed to believe that Adele and Christine were dating. Adele felt it was important to correct the misunderstanding.
“The Count is actually...”
That was when.
“Miss, there’s a guest! A guest!”
Tanya came running in, startled. This situation somehow felt like a repeat of what had happened a few days ago.
“Could it be that Count Weiss has come again?”
Mia quickly went to the window and looked outside, just like that. Then she muttered in bewilderment.
“This is more surprising than the Count’s arrival.”
Adele also looked out the window, wondering what was going on.
“Adele! Adele!”
As Adele was finishing her meal with Tanya, Mia came running into Adele's house. She looked like she was dying of boredom after being stuck inside for the past few days due to the heavy snow. As expected, she took off her coat and started talking until she was out of breath.
“Adele, is it really Count Weiss who came that day? What did you two talk about? When is he coming again? Since he brought flowers, did he propose or something?”
Most of the questions started with Count Weiss and ended with Christine. However, Adele, who had been listening quietly, surprised Mia with an unexpected statement.
“Mia, can I ask you a favor?”
“What favor do you have? Just tell me. I’ll listen to everything!”
Adele hesitated for a moment before speaking to Mia, who approached her curiously.
“Your brother... You know. He hasn’t met anyone yet, right?”
Mia's older brother Mark was a veterinarian around here. He mostly treated livestock, but he also took care of people who couldn't afford to go to the doctor. He was a kind, honest man who raised his young son alone. He had met Adele a few times.
“That’s true, but why are we talking about Mark at this point?”
Adele forced a smile and asked cautiously.
“I was wondering if we could meet seriously, if it’s okay with him.”
“Adele, what are you talking about now?”
Mia had an expression on her face that said Adele was speaking in a foreign language. Adele, who had expected this reaction, sweated profusely and became timid.
“I guess this is a bit too much to ask? For someone like me, I guess...”
“What are you talking about! You know Mark has been interested in you for a long time. He couldn’t even bring it up because you were so manly. But what about the Count?”
Mia seemed to believe that Adele and Christine were dating. Adele felt it was important to correct the misunderstanding.
“The Count is actually...”
That was when.
“Miss, there’s a guest! A guest!”
Tanya came running in, startled. This situation somehow felt like a repeat of what had happened a few days ago.
“Could it be that Count Weiss has come again?”
Mia quickly went to the window and looked outside, just like that. Then she muttered in bewilderment.
“This is more surprising than the Count’s arrival.”
Adele also looked out the window, wondering what was going on.
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