"Ha..."
Callion sighed unconsciously, then turned in surprise. Why was he sighing? As if he were disappointed.
'Well, I was pretty nervous last week too.'
Then suddenly, a noise was heard from behind.
“Hmm...”
Callion looked back in surprise. He saw Erna lying on the bed, a sight he hadn't even considered.
He thought she hadn't arrived yet, but she was already here! And she was already lying down on the bed. It was uncharacteristic of her. But even so, Callion felt ashamed of himself for being so dull that he couldn't quickly detect the presence of others.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been unthinkable. Since arriving in Hessengard, he'd trained himself to be more alert. This was partly due to his childhood, and partly because he hadn't forgotten the forces that had slaughtered the royal family before he arrived. He'd thought he was doing a good job of keeping a close eye on his surroundings, but now, looking back, it seems he was gravely mistaken.
Callion approached the bedside.
“What are you doing?”
“...”
But Erna didn't respond. He looked at her again. He saw her chest slowly rising and falling as she lay on the bed. Each time, he heard her breathing, a rhythmic, rumbling sound.
“...Are you sleeping?”
This was unexpected. He thought she'd be tense like last time, but instead of feeling nervous, she fell into a comfortable sleep, as if she were in her own room. It wasn't just sleep. Callion approached Erna and waved his hand over her face, but instead of waking her up, he only heard her breathing become deeper. It was a deep, deep sleep.
Callion carefully sat down beside her. Despite the undulations of the mattress, Erna only tossed and turned briefly, never getting up.
'Should I wake her up?'
Callion hesitated. If he woke Erna now...
While he sat there, unable to decide what to do, Erna tossed and turned, then rolled onto her side. The thin blanket clung to her, allowing Callion to see the curves of her body, fully exposed beneath the fabric.
Gulp.
He swallowed dryly without realizing it, then gasped in surprise. What the hell was he nervous about? But before he knew it, his gaze was back on the sleeping Erna.
To him, even now, Erna is still a pumpkin. The pumpkin whose face hardened when she saw him at the wedding hall, holding a bouquet.
The only thing that has changed recently is that she is weak to alcohol, likes to lie down and roll around, and is a pumpkin who can't help but ask questions.
As he wandered, Callion recalled the pumpkins he'd seen. While Erna had been a round, flat pumpkin before, she seemed to have now become a long, thin one. He thought he'd have to think of a different pumpkin from now on, and watched her still sleeping.
What would have happened if Erna were awake now?
Suddenly overcome with fatigue, Callion ran his hand down his face. He then rose from the bed and briefly considered whether to sit on the sofa Erna had occupied, or return to the chair at his desk. He then lay down on the bed.
He had been tired since morning. As his back touched the soft mattress, any thoughts of waking up vanished like smoke. At the same time, the tension in his body relaxed. Before he knew it, Callion's eyes had drifted shut. He turned his head slightly and saw Erna sleeping beside him, oblivious to the world.
'This is my wife.'
Having been taken away as a child and married into an arranged marriage, he had no illusions about marriage. It was only natural, having experienced the worst before he could even conceive. However, he occasionally saw married knights of the Order living ordinary married lives.
A wife who waits for her husband every day in front of the castle never tires of it. A woman who occasionally brings her children to cook a large meal and give snacks to the entire knightly order. Even a woman who grabs the ear of his bear-sized husband, asking why he's wandering around bars instead of just coming home after a long day's work.
What struck Callion most astonished him as he watched them all was how casually they touched each other. They held hands, linked arms, and even kissed each other.
Of course, he did come into contact with the Knights Templar. However, this was purely a part of his martial arts training. Outside of these times, he never touched anyone, except perhaps for a handshake.
'So that's why it was so strange.'
Callion lifted his hand, squeezed it, then released it. The feeling of holding Erna's leg a week ago still lingered in his hand. Warm, soft, and supple. Then, a sudden, absurd thought struck him. What if he hadn't married like this? If he'd married out of desire, like the Knights, would he have been able to hold that feeling in his hand every day?
"Ha."
Callion smiled wryly at the thought. He must be really tired, considering he's having such a silly thought. He lowered his hand and closed his eyes. Looking at Erna, it seemed she'd be sleeping soundly for quite some time. So, it wouldn't be a problem for him to wake up for a bit, either.
It was just a week ago that they were avoiding each other because they hated being in the same space, and now they're falling asleep even when they're right next to each other.
'Cedric's advice wasn't wrong.'
His consciousness gradually grew hazy. Then, a floral scent wafted from somewhere. Callion remembered that Erna's hair was darker than usual. It must have been wet from a bath. Thinking back, she'd always smelled something like this when he approached her. It must have been the scent of the soap she used. It was so different from his own, he concluded, and with that thought, Callion's consciousness sank into darkness.
Just as Callion was tired, Erna was also tired all day.
Erna had heard a lot of information from Callion during the night, so several problems that had been bothering her were resolved.
Normally, she would have fallen asleep around dawn and woken around noon to meet the wizards. But Erna, eager to share her findings as quickly as possible, stayed up, waiting for morning. And as soon as it was time for Orpheus to start work, she rushed to find her.
“Who’s here already... Lady Erna!”
Orpheus, who went to work rubbing her eyes, shouted with a face as if she was about to faint when she realized that the person in the room was Erna.
“What’s going on? Is this an emergency?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“If you’re here at this hour, you must have some urgent matter, right?”
"It's nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk to you about something quickly. Was it really that surprising that I was here?"
"I can't help but be surprised that someone who doesn't wake up even when I shake them in the morning is still awake. Why are you up so early?"
Orpheus sighed in relief.
“I didn’t wake up early, I just didn’t sleep.”
“Huh? Are you someone who likes sleeping more than eating?”
Was that so? Come to think of it, there were many times she skipped meals to sleep more. Lying in a warm, cozy blanket was far more satisfying than eating.
Erna hated the cold. So, in winter, she found it terribly difficult to leave her blankets. It must have been so difficult that when she first learned to use magic, she used fire magic instead of light magic, which everyone else used.
The weather had been particularly chilly in the mornings and evenings for the past few days. Orpheus knew she was being forced to stay under the covers even more.
"Yeah, I have some work to do. Anyway, I found out a lot overnight, so get everyone ready for the meeting as soon as you arrive. I have new orders."
“What were you watching instead of sleeping?”
"I didn't see it, I just heard about it. It turned out to be a lot more helpful than I thought."
“Huh? Who?”
“Who is it? Ca...”
Erna, who had been speaking up to that point, quickly shut her mouth.
'I can't say I was with Callion all night.'
She was just talking about work all the time, but she was worried that it could be misunderstood.
“It’s not that important, but anyway, just get ready. I think I need some sleep.”
Only after sending Orpheus, who still looked at her with a suspicious expression, out of the room did Erna finally sigh in relief. She had thought she could rest a bit after that, but the wizards arrived earlier than usual, forcing her to head straight to the conference room.
By the time Erna finished everything—holding a meeting, issuing new orders, and stopping by the council after receiving a call from the council asking if she could come over for a moment—it was already almost 9 o'clock.
"Hungry."
She wasn't usually the type to eat regularly, but after skipping breakfast, substituting a drink for lunch, and skipping dinner, she started feeling hungry. She thought about returning to her room and asking the maids for something to eat, but the moment she saw the calendar, the thought was quickly dismissed.
“...That’s right, it was today.”
For five days, they spent two hours a day together, and on the sixth day, they had to work on creating a successor. That day was today.
Erna quickly washed and dried her hair. Perhaps because she was in such a hurry, her hair ended up with more moisture than usual. She hurried to the bedroom, but when she opened the door, Callion was nowhere to be seen.
"What?"
She immediately started to yell. This kid was usually so punctual. What's going on? Did he run away because he didn't want to do something? No, he should've just said no if he didn't want to, but he's always going to show up on time.
The moment Erna looked at her watch, thinking something was strange, her face hardened.
Callion sighed unconsciously, then turned in surprise. Why was he sighing? As if he were disappointed.
'Well, I was pretty nervous last week too.'
Then suddenly, a noise was heard from behind.
“Hmm...”
Callion looked back in surprise. He saw Erna lying on the bed, a sight he hadn't even considered.
He thought she hadn't arrived yet, but she was already here! And she was already lying down on the bed. It was uncharacteristic of her. But even so, Callion felt ashamed of himself for being so dull that he couldn't quickly detect the presence of others.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been unthinkable. Since arriving in Hessengard, he'd trained himself to be more alert. This was partly due to his childhood, and partly because he hadn't forgotten the forces that had slaughtered the royal family before he arrived. He'd thought he was doing a good job of keeping a close eye on his surroundings, but now, looking back, it seems he was gravely mistaken.
Callion approached the bedside.
“What are you doing?”
“...”
But Erna didn't respond. He looked at her again. He saw her chest slowly rising and falling as she lay on the bed. Each time, he heard her breathing, a rhythmic, rumbling sound.
“...Are you sleeping?”
This was unexpected. He thought she'd be tense like last time, but instead of feeling nervous, she fell into a comfortable sleep, as if she were in her own room. It wasn't just sleep. Callion approached Erna and waved his hand over her face, but instead of waking her up, he only heard her breathing become deeper. It was a deep, deep sleep.
Callion carefully sat down beside her. Despite the undulations of the mattress, Erna only tossed and turned briefly, never getting up.
'Should I wake her up?'
Callion hesitated. If he woke Erna now...
While he sat there, unable to decide what to do, Erna tossed and turned, then rolled onto her side. The thin blanket clung to her, allowing Callion to see the curves of her body, fully exposed beneath the fabric.
Gulp.
He swallowed dryly without realizing it, then gasped in surprise. What the hell was he nervous about? But before he knew it, his gaze was back on the sleeping Erna.
To him, even now, Erna is still a pumpkin. The pumpkin whose face hardened when she saw him at the wedding hall, holding a bouquet.
The only thing that has changed recently is that she is weak to alcohol, likes to lie down and roll around, and is a pumpkin who can't help but ask questions.
As he wandered, Callion recalled the pumpkins he'd seen. While Erna had been a round, flat pumpkin before, she seemed to have now become a long, thin one. He thought he'd have to think of a different pumpkin from now on, and watched her still sleeping.
What would have happened if Erna were awake now?
Suddenly overcome with fatigue, Callion ran his hand down his face. He then rose from the bed and briefly considered whether to sit on the sofa Erna had occupied, or return to the chair at his desk. He then lay down on the bed.
He had been tired since morning. As his back touched the soft mattress, any thoughts of waking up vanished like smoke. At the same time, the tension in his body relaxed. Before he knew it, Callion's eyes had drifted shut. He turned his head slightly and saw Erna sleeping beside him, oblivious to the world.
'This is my wife.'
Having been taken away as a child and married into an arranged marriage, he had no illusions about marriage. It was only natural, having experienced the worst before he could even conceive. However, he occasionally saw married knights of the Order living ordinary married lives.
A wife who waits for her husband every day in front of the castle never tires of it. A woman who occasionally brings her children to cook a large meal and give snacks to the entire knightly order. Even a woman who grabs the ear of his bear-sized husband, asking why he's wandering around bars instead of just coming home after a long day's work.
What struck Callion most astonished him as he watched them all was how casually they touched each other. They held hands, linked arms, and even kissed each other.
Of course, he did come into contact with the Knights Templar. However, this was purely a part of his martial arts training. Outside of these times, he never touched anyone, except perhaps for a handshake.
'So that's why it was so strange.'
Callion lifted his hand, squeezed it, then released it. The feeling of holding Erna's leg a week ago still lingered in his hand. Warm, soft, and supple. Then, a sudden, absurd thought struck him. What if he hadn't married like this? If he'd married out of desire, like the Knights, would he have been able to hold that feeling in his hand every day?
"Ha."
Callion smiled wryly at the thought. He must be really tired, considering he's having such a silly thought. He lowered his hand and closed his eyes. Looking at Erna, it seemed she'd be sleeping soundly for quite some time. So, it wouldn't be a problem for him to wake up for a bit, either.
It was just a week ago that they were avoiding each other because they hated being in the same space, and now they're falling asleep even when they're right next to each other.
'Cedric's advice wasn't wrong.'
His consciousness gradually grew hazy. Then, a floral scent wafted from somewhere. Callion remembered that Erna's hair was darker than usual. It must have been wet from a bath. Thinking back, she'd always smelled something like this when he approached her. It must have been the scent of the soap she used. It was so different from his own, he concluded, and with that thought, Callion's consciousness sank into darkness.
***
Just as Callion was tired, Erna was also tired all day.
Erna had heard a lot of information from Callion during the night, so several problems that had been bothering her were resolved.
Normally, she would have fallen asleep around dawn and woken around noon to meet the wizards. But Erna, eager to share her findings as quickly as possible, stayed up, waiting for morning. And as soon as it was time for Orpheus to start work, she rushed to find her.
“Who’s here already... Lady Erna!”
Orpheus, who went to work rubbing her eyes, shouted with a face as if she was about to faint when she realized that the person in the room was Erna.
“What’s going on? Is this an emergency?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“If you’re here at this hour, you must have some urgent matter, right?”
"It's nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk to you about something quickly. Was it really that surprising that I was here?"
"I can't help but be surprised that someone who doesn't wake up even when I shake them in the morning is still awake. Why are you up so early?"
Orpheus sighed in relief.
“I didn’t wake up early, I just didn’t sleep.”
“Huh? Are you someone who likes sleeping more than eating?”
Was that so? Come to think of it, there were many times she skipped meals to sleep more. Lying in a warm, cozy blanket was far more satisfying than eating.
Erna hated the cold. So, in winter, she found it terribly difficult to leave her blankets. It must have been so difficult that when she first learned to use magic, she used fire magic instead of light magic, which everyone else used.
The weather had been particularly chilly in the mornings and evenings for the past few days. Orpheus knew she was being forced to stay under the covers even more.
"Yeah, I have some work to do. Anyway, I found out a lot overnight, so get everyone ready for the meeting as soon as you arrive. I have new orders."
“What were you watching instead of sleeping?”
"I didn't see it, I just heard about it. It turned out to be a lot more helpful than I thought."
“Huh? Who?”
“Who is it? Ca...”
Erna, who had been speaking up to that point, quickly shut her mouth.
'I can't say I was with Callion all night.'
She was just talking about work all the time, but she was worried that it could be misunderstood.
“It’s not that important, but anyway, just get ready. I think I need some sleep.”
Only after sending Orpheus, who still looked at her with a suspicious expression, out of the room did Erna finally sigh in relief. She had thought she could rest a bit after that, but the wizards arrived earlier than usual, forcing her to head straight to the conference room.
By the time Erna finished everything—holding a meeting, issuing new orders, and stopping by the council after receiving a call from the council asking if she could come over for a moment—it was already almost 9 o'clock.
"Hungry."
She wasn't usually the type to eat regularly, but after skipping breakfast, substituting a drink for lunch, and skipping dinner, she started feeling hungry. She thought about returning to her room and asking the maids for something to eat, but the moment she saw the calendar, the thought was quickly dismissed.
“...That’s right, it was today.”
For five days, they spent two hours a day together, and on the sixth day, they had to work on creating a successor. That day was today.
Erna quickly washed and dried her hair. Perhaps because she was in such a hurry, her hair ended up with more moisture than usual. She hurried to the bedroom, but when she opened the door, Callion was nowhere to be seen.
"What?"
She immediately started to yell. This kid was usually so punctual. What's going on? Did he run away because he didn't want to do something? No, he should've just said no if he didn't want to, but he's always going to show up on time.
The moment Erna looked at her watch, thinking something was strange, her face hardened.
Comments
Post a Comment