095. It feels like it'll burst if you touch it
“Your Excellency, here you are.”
Hardius's mask was faithful only in covering his face without any decoration. He had a look of distaste in his eyes, and after dissuading Pip, who was approaching, he put it on himself.
The black mask matched his jet-black hair strangely. His clothes were also very plain, perhaps to hide his identity, but that only made him stand out more.
“Doesn’t it look like a pirate? I mean, the infamous legendary pirate, the Black Mamba.”
Pip chuckled and whispered to Emilia.
Emilia was surprised for a moment that the boy who had been openly showing his dislike was speaking to her in a friendly manner, but then she realized that she was actually drawing a pirate on the indifferent man rolling up his shirt sleeves.
Black on black, rough, savage, and merciless...
For a moment, he turned his head. Just before their eyes met, Emilia was barely able to look away.
“Your Excellency, this way!”
Pip shouted and took the lead. He walked with wide strides, deliberately walking with his arms crossed, so as not to bump into any untidy pedestrians.
Hardius followed along naturally, as if it were a given.
Emilia, who was following the back of the man walking elegantly, ended up laughing.
You are still a noble young master, let alone a pirate.
“Let’s go, Sister.”
At Charlotte's urging, Emilia walked diligently.
On both sides of the road stretching straight to the square, street stalls were lined up like a parade.
Most of the booths sold wine, but there were also stalls selling things like bread, biscuits, and soda, as well as a flea market selling miscellaneous used items like old clothes, shoes, and accessories.
As they went further inside, the atmosphere of the festival was palpable. Musicians were playing the flute and accordion, fortune tellers telling cards, puppeteers, and magicians.
Charlotte looked very happy. Just the sound of music and the sweet smell of sweets seemed enough to get her excited, just like at the town fair in Erndorf long ago.
Pip stopped at the entrance to the square.
“Look, the grape stomping has begun.”
“Really?”
Charlotte's hand, which was held tightly, was tightened.
“Let’s go!”
The child pulled hard at her sister's arm, as if she were so excited about something.
The buildings lining the square were all wineries. In each of the wineries, with their doors wide open, oak barrels filled with grapes were waiting for people.
A man who introduced himself as the village leader began to explain how to stomp grapes.
“In our casks, we have been pressing grapes by foot for generations. Some wineries are now using machines, but we intend to stick to the tradition to the end. Together with you!”
Cheers and applause followed.
Women who looked like maids appeared with baskets and began handing out wet towels. Each person wiped his feet and then went into the oak barrel.
Finally, it was their turn. Charlotte grabbed Beppy's hand and jumped inside.
“Oh, that’s weird!”
Charlotte, who had been frowning, soon burst into laughter. The child who had been slowly stepping on the grapes suddenly stopped and stared into space.
“Sister?”
It was strange. Normally, Emilia would have jumped in for Charlotte, but she found herself groaning and glancing towards Hardius.
Strangely enough, he felt embarrassed and shy as he became conscious. Emilia felt like Reina, who had smiled bashfully in front of the boys a long time ago.
“Sister?”
The corners of Charlotte's mouth began to tremble slightly as she looked for her sister again.
Emilia let out a short sigh and shouted at the child, “Yes, wait!”
The moment she pulled the hem of her skirt up to her calves, and carefully stepped inside.
“It feels strange, doesn’t it?”
"huh..."
The feeling of the plump flesh crunching between her toes was strange. It felt like walking through cold mud, or like being in sticky honey.
“What about His Excellency?”
Charlotte asked suddenly. The child turned her head precisely towards Hardius as if she could see ahead. Then, without Emilia having a chance to stop her, she shouted.
“Master! Let’s do it together!”
She thought he would naturally refuse, but instead, Hardius bent down and began to roll up the bottom of his trousers.
Pip's eyes widened, as did Emilia's.
When he actually entered the barrel, Emilia felt as if she was suffocating. Although it was a large space that could easily accommodate five adults, it seemed to be completely filled with Hardius.
“It’s slippery, be careful.”
He muttered to himself as he looked at the grape pulp tangled around his bare feet. His silver-gray pupils unconsciously turned towards Emilia. Startled, Emilia quickly turned around.
They awkwardly stepped on the grapes, their backs turned to each other. It was Beppy who brought them, who had been standing apart, closer together.
The old man, unable to control his excitement, jumped up and down while holding Charlotte's hand. The already cramped oak barrel became increasingly cramped.
Even though they avoided each other as much as possible, their hands and feet still brushed against each other. In contrast to the sticky, squishy flesh, Emilia felt her breathing quicken as the hot, firm body of the man brushed against her skin.
“Wow!”
Beppy stomped his foot again, and the backs of the two people who were trying to avoid him collided. Emilia squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best to block out all the dizzying sensations.
The floor, covered in peels and juice, was becoming increasingly slippery. And the next moment,
“...!”
Charlotte's body swayed violently. Beppy, who was trying to catch her, slipped as well. A chain reaction occurred like dominoes. Emilia, who was holding their hands, also lost her balance, and her foot slipped as it stepped on the shell, twisting her ankle.
"Ah!"
Just as she was about to completely lose her balance and fall forward, it was Hardius who caught her.
The man's hands dug into her armpits and sides. Her swollen chest was crushed by hard muscles, and her breaths and breaths, breaths and breaths, mingled. Her heart sank, and her breathing became suffocating.
The two men flinched away from each other as if they had collided with opposite poles of a magnet. The real problem arose the next moment.
Emilia groaned, “Ahhh...” at the dull pain in her ankle and collapsed on the spot. Hardius grabbed her again, frantically.
"Are you okay?"
To answer, Emilia had to swallow the stinging pain that was creeping up on her, along with her dry saliva.
“I think I sprained my ankle.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her body suddenly lifted up. Startled, she instinctively grabbed the man’s shoulder like a lifeline. Realizing that she was being held in his arms like a child, her body froze.
“Sister, are you okay?”
"huh..."
Fortunately, Charlotte was fine. So was Beppy.
“Oh, I can stand by myself.”
Emilia turned her face, which had turned bright red, to the other side and pushed hard against his chest. However, Hardius pretended not to hear and got out of the oak barrel.
“Catch it.”
He slowly lowered her small body down, offering his shoulder to her.
As if he had been waiting, Pip ran over with a towel and tried to wipe Emilia's feet, which were covered in grape juice.
“It’s okay. I’ll do it.”
Emilia took the towel from Pip and slowly shifted her weight onto her uninjured leg, still holding onto the man's shoulder with one hand for support.
Hardius knelt before her and examined her slender ankles. Every time the man's gaze touched her, a fever rose, and her stomach lurched.
"It hurts?"
"A little..."
Hardius's eyebrows furrowed.
“Don’t worry. It doesn’t look like you’re seriously hurt, judging by the amount of swelling. I’ll give it a try.”
She took a test step. Her right foot was fine. But the moment she touched the ground with her left foot, she exclaimed, “Ah!” and fell again.
He grabbed her flailing arm again with force. The ceaseless collision of the man's and woman's bodies was producing strange sensations that had nothing to do with pain or worry.
“...I think it’s a little out of place.”
Emilia muttered softly and looked down at her ankles. At that moment, Pip, who had disappeared somewhere, approached her.
“Your Excellency, come here.”
He had a bandage on his hand, from where he got it.
“I heard there’s a member of the Doctor living here, but it’ll be hard to find him during the festival. I think we should at least try to provide first aid with this.”
After receiving the bandage, Hardius immediately grabbed Emilia's slender ankle and began to carefully wrap it. With each skillful stroke, the ankle was secured, and the throbbing pain gradually subsided.
“It’s okay now.”
Hardius slowly got up.
"Thank you."
He looked down at Emilia quietly.
Her cheeks, as smooth and white as wheat dough, were unusually rosy.
A few strands of hair flowing down from the bright red mask, round earflaps, plump earlobes, and a long, neat neckline...
“Can you stand alone?”
"Yes."
The strength in the hand that had been holding her tightly slowly disappeared.
Hardius stuffed his empty hands into his pockets and tried not to look at the woman who seemed like she might burst at the mere touch.
“I’ll just come and say hello.”
Inside the rocking carriage, Bianca whispered as if making excuses. Her face was shining with excitement, unlike the one in the bathroom last night.
“Oh my, I can’t live like this...”
Ruth crossed her arms and tried not to glare at the girl.
A few hours ago, that mischievous girl woke up at the crack of dawn.
“Get up, Nanny.”
In the dim dawn, Ruth felt her sleepiness suddenly disappear as she looked down at the solemn gaze that was quietly looking down at her.
The girl was dressed up by herself, wearing a hat and gloves.
It dawned on her. She was paying the price for all the sweet words she poured on her while bathing her last night.
As Ruth had expected, the corners of Bianca's mouth secretly curled up.
“Let’s go. We need to make a surprise attack. Just like that time.”
Oh my god.
Ruth swallowed a sigh.
The thought of thinking again rose to the surface.
But once the young lady made up her mind, she was stubborn and no one could break her, and the words 'just like back then' lingered like an aftertaste.
Ten years ago, on that day, the noble Lady Leichnen fell helplessly in love with the successor of the Meyer family.
The young lady was sobbing, her heart pounding so hard she didn't know what to do, and the image was etched into Ruth's chest like a brand.
How could you ignore such a girl?
“Oh my.”
Ruth took a deep breath and sat up.
“Yes, yes.”
So Ruth found herself on a carriage bound for Sitmer before daybreak.
“Your Excellency, here you are.”
Hardius's mask was faithful only in covering his face without any decoration. He had a look of distaste in his eyes, and after dissuading Pip, who was approaching, he put it on himself.
The black mask matched his jet-black hair strangely. His clothes were also very plain, perhaps to hide his identity, but that only made him stand out more.
“Doesn’t it look like a pirate? I mean, the infamous legendary pirate, the Black Mamba.”
Pip chuckled and whispered to Emilia.
Emilia was surprised for a moment that the boy who had been openly showing his dislike was speaking to her in a friendly manner, but then she realized that she was actually drawing a pirate on the indifferent man rolling up his shirt sleeves.
Black on black, rough, savage, and merciless...
For a moment, he turned his head. Just before their eyes met, Emilia was barely able to look away.
“Your Excellency, this way!”
Pip shouted and took the lead. He walked with wide strides, deliberately walking with his arms crossed, so as not to bump into any untidy pedestrians.
Hardius followed along naturally, as if it were a given.
Emilia, who was following the back of the man walking elegantly, ended up laughing.
You are still a noble young master, let alone a pirate.
“Let’s go, Sister.”
At Charlotte's urging, Emilia walked diligently.
On both sides of the road stretching straight to the square, street stalls were lined up like a parade.
Most of the booths sold wine, but there were also stalls selling things like bread, biscuits, and soda, as well as a flea market selling miscellaneous used items like old clothes, shoes, and accessories.
As they went further inside, the atmosphere of the festival was palpable. Musicians were playing the flute and accordion, fortune tellers telling cards, puppeteers, and magicians.
Charlotte looked very happy. Just the sound of music and the sweet smell of sweets seemed enough to get her excited, just like at the town fair in Erndorf long ago.
Pip stopped at the entrance to the square.
“Look, the grape stomping has begun.”
“Really?”
Charlotte's hand, which was held tightly, was tightened.
“Let’s go!”
The child pulled hard at her sister's arm, as if she were so excited about something.
The buildings lining the square were all wineries. In each of the wineries, with their doors wide open, oak barrels filled with grapes were waiting for people.
A man who introduced himself as the village leader began to explain how to stomp grapes.
“In our casks, we have been pressing grapes by foot for generations. Some wineries are now using machines, but we intend to stick to the tradition to the end. Together with you!”
Cheers and applause followed.
Women who looked like maids appeared with baskets and began handing out wet towels. Each person wiped his feet and then went into the oak barrel.
Finally, it was their turn. Charlotte grabbed Beppy's hand and jumped inside.
“Oh, that’s weird!”
Charlotte, who had been frowning, soon burst into laughter. The child who had been slowly stepping on the grapes suddenly stopped and stared into space.
“Sister?”
It was strange. Normally, Emilia would have jumped in for Charlotte, but she found herself groaning and glancing towards Hardius.
Strangely enough, he felt embarrassed and shy as he became conscious. Emilia felt like Reina, who had smiled bashfully in front of the boys a long time ago.
“Sister?”
The corners of Charlotte's mouth began to tremble slightly as she looked for her sister again.
Emilia let out a short sigh and shouted at the child, “Yes, wait!”
The moment she pulled the hem of her skirt up to her calves, and carefully stepped inside.
“It feels strange, doesn’t it?”
"huh..."
The feeling of the plump flesh crunching between her toes was strange. It felt like walking through cold mud, or like being in sticky honey.
“What about His Excellency?”
Charlotte asked suddenly. The child turned her head precisely towards Hardius as if she could see ahead. Then, without Emilia having a chance to stop her, she shouted.
“Master! Let’s do it together!”
She thought he would naturally refuse, but instead, Hardius bent down and began to roll up the bottom of his trousers.
Pip's eyes widened, as did Emilia's.
When he actually entered the barrel, Emilia felt as if she was suffocating. Although it was a large space that could easily accommodate five adults, it seemed to be completely filled with Hardius.
“It’s slippery, be careful.”
He muttered to himself as he looked at the grape pulp tangled around his bare feet. His silver-gray pupils unconsciously turned towards Emilia. Startled, Emilia quickly turned around.
They awkwardly stepped on the grapes, their backs turned to each other. It was Beppy who brought them, who had been standing apart, closer together.
The old man, unable to control his excitement, jumped up and down while holding Charlotte's hand. The already cramped oak barrel became increasingly cramped.
Even though they avoided each other as much as possible, their hands and feet still brushed against each other. In contrast to the sticky, squishy flesh, Emilia felt her breathing quicken as the hot, firm body of the man brushed against her skin.
“Wow!”
Beppy stomped his foot again, and the backs of the two people who were trying to avoid him collided. Emilia squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best to block out all the dizzying sensations.
The floor, covered in peels and juice, was becoming increasingly slippery. And the next moment,
“...!”
Charlotte's body swayed violently. Beppy, who was trying to catch her, slipped as well. A chain reaction occurred like dominoes. Emilia, who was holding their hands, also lost her balance, and her foot slipped as it stepped on the shell, twisting her ankle.
"Ah!"
Just as she was about to completely lose her balance and fall forward, it was Hardius who caught her.
The man's hands dug into her armpits and sides. Her swollen chest was crushed by hard muscles, and her breaths and breaths, breaths and breaths, mingled. Her heart sank, and her breathing became suffocating.
The two men flinched away from each other as if they had collided with opposite poles of a magnet. The real problem arose the next moment.
Emilia groaned, “Ahhh...” at the dull pain in her ankle and collapsed on the spot. Hardius grabbed her again, frantically.
"Are you okay?"
To answer, Emilia had to swallow the stinging pain that was creeping up on her, along with her dry saliva.
“I think I sprained my ankle.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her body suddenly lifted up. Startled, she instinctively grabbed the man’s shoulder like a lifeline. Realizing that she was being held in his arms like a child, her body froze.
“Sister, are you okay?”
"huh..."
Fortunately, Charlotte was fine. So was Beppy.
“Oh, I can stand by myself.”
Emilia turned her face, which had turned bright red, to the other side and pushed hard against his chest. However, Hardius pretended not to hear and got out of the oak barrel.
“Catch it.”
He slowly lowered her small body down, offering his shoulder to her.
As if he had been waiting, Pip ran over with a towel and tried to wipe Emilia's feet, which were covered in grape juice.
“It’s okay. I’ll do it.”
Emilia took the towel from Pip and slowly shifted her weight onto her uninjured leg, still holding onto the man's shoulder with one hand for support.
Hardius knelt before her and examined her slender ankles. Every time the man's gaze touched her, a fever rose, and her stomach lurched.
"It hurts?"
"A little..."
Hardius's eyebrows furrowed.
“Don’t worry. It doesn’t look like you’re seriously hurt, judging by the amount of swelling. I’ll give it a try.”
She took a test step. Her right foot was fine. But the moment she touched the ground with her left foot, she exclaimed, “Ah!” and fell again.
He grabbed her flailing arm again with force. The ceaseless collision of the man's and woman's bodies was producing strange sensations that had nothing to do with pain or worry.
“...I think it’s a little out of place.”
Emilia muttered softly and looked down at her ankles. At that moment, Pip, who had disappeared somewhere, approached her.
“Your Excellency, come here.”
He had a bandage on his hand, from where he got it.
“I heard there’s a member of the Doctor living here, but it’ll be hard to find him during the festival. I think we should at least try to provide first aid with this.”
After receiving the bandage, Hardius immediately grabbed Emilia's slender ankle and began to carefully wrap it. With each skillful stroke, the ankle was secured, and the throbbing pain gradually subsided.
“It’s okay now.”
Hardius slowly got up.
"Thank you."
He looked down at Emilia quietly.
Her cheeks, as smooth and white as wheat dough, were unusually rosy.
A few strands of hair flowing down from the bright red mask, round earflaps, plump earlobes, and a long, neat neckline...
“Can you stand alone?”
"Yes."
The strength in the hand that had been holding her tightly slowly disappeared.
Hardius stuffed his empty hands into his pockets and tried not to look at the woman who seemed like she might burst at the mere touch.
***
“I’ll just come and say hello.”
Inside the rocking carriage, Bianca whispered as if making excuses. Her face was shining with excitement, unlike the one in the bathroom last night.
“Oh my, I can’t live like this...”
Ruth crossed her arms and tried not to glare at the girl.
A few hours ago, that mischievous girl woke up at the crack of dawn.
“Get up, Nanny.”
In the dim dawn, Ruth felt her sleepiness suddenly disappear as she looked down at the solemn gaze that was quietly looking down at her.
The girl was dressed up by herself, wearing a hat and gloves.
It dawned on her. She was paying the price for all the sweet words she poured on her while bathing her last night.
As Ruth had expected, the corners of Bianca's mouth secretly curled up.
“Let’s go. We need to make a surprise attack. Just like that time.”
Oh my god.
Ruth swallowed a sigh.
The thought of thinking again rose to the surface.
But once the young lady made up her mind, she was stubborn and no one could break her, and the words 'just like back then' lingered like an aftertaste.
Ten years ago, on that day, the noble Lady Leichnen fell helplessly in love with the successor of the Meyer family.
The young lady was sobbing, her heart pounding so hard she didn't know what to do, and the image was etched into Ruth's chest like a brand.
How could you ignore such a girl?
“Oh my.”
Ruth took a deep breath and sat up.
“Yes, yes.”
So Ruth found herself on a carriage bound for Sitmer before daybreak.
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