(119) Always good weather (1)
Ariana returned the flyer to Isabelle and said.
“Sister, I don’t think I need to reserve this perfume in advance.”
“Most of the ladies of the same age have reserved this perfume, so if you don’t reserve it now, it will be difficult to buy it.”
"Yeah, but still. We don't know what this perfume smells like yet, and we don't know what side effects it might have. It's not too late to buy it later after seeing how it sells."
Isabelle sighed.
“I don’t care about perfume, so it doesn’t matter, but this is an errand for my mom.”
"I'll tell my aunt later. You're not in a position to be criticized for not following trends."
“That’s true. Actually, I was wondering if I should spend this much money on perfume.”
Isabelle crumpled the flyer and tossed it into the trash can without a second thought. The crumpled flyer landed squarely in the trash can.
Then, the maid brought breakfast.
“We’ll have dinner in the living room.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Ariana got out of bed, put on a robe, and headed to the living room. Isabelle clicked her tongue at the sight of the food on the table.
“You’re so skinny because you eat like this. It’s all just grass.”
Meat soup, a loaf of bread, jam, cheese, and salad all looked like nothing more than a bunch of grass to Isabelle.
“How do you eat, sister?”
"I need to add a slice of ham and two bowls of soup to this. And what's with the bread? It's too small, isn't it?"
The maid nodded in response to Isabelle's question.
“Yes, that’s right. The Princess couldn’t eat all of this either.”
"Really? What the heck, Ariana? Do you take care of your body?"
“That’s not it.”
Perhaps because she never had proper meals at the Bronte dukedom, her stomach was too small to eat much. She thought she been eating quite a bit lately, but Isabelle didn't seem to see it that way.
“Sister, you’re out and about all day practicing swordsmanship, so you’re probably digesting it well, but all I do is stay in my room and read books.”
“You learned swordsmanship from Geor? Have you decided to give it up now?”
“Yeah, I think I learned enough.”
It was awkward being alone with Geor.
While she believed he wouldn't kill her without reason, she couldn't completely trust him. If Duke Obelius started down the path to ruin, she didn't know how he would change.
Isabelle, who had been chattering away while Ariana was eating, suddenly remembered something and spoke.
"Oh, right. You know what? Wiona, that guy. She seems a little spoiled."
Ariana thought of Princess Wiona Obelius, Geor's younger sister.
“Why? Did she do something to my sister?”
"I think it'd be better to do something. Do you know how nice she's been to me lately? She keeps calling me "Isabelle, Isabelle" and acting friendly, and I almost punched her because it was so creepy!"
Ariana burst out laughing at the sight of Isabelle shivering so cutely. Isabelle frowned.
"This isn't funny. It's really creepy. At first, I thought she was just pretending to be friendly and trying to hit me in the back of the head, but she's been doing this for months now. It's just..."
Isabelle twirled her index finger next to her temple.
“Why is she like that? It’s so disgusting.”
Ariana could guess the reason for Wiona's change in attitude.
She thought Geor hadn't been doing anything all this time, but it seems he's been moving around on his own.
“Don’t Wiona like Averaster?”
“She likes him. She’s been saying she’ll marry Averaster since she was little... Ah!”
Isabelle's eyes widened as if she had finally realized something.
“Is she trying to show off to me because of that? Because Averaster and I are related?”
“I think so.”
“Why now? She's been so unlucky all this time.”
There must have been some advice from Geor.
He told her that if she made a good impression on Isabelle, her chances of marrying Averaster would increase. Perhaps he even used a bit of blackmail. If she fell out of favor with the White family, she wouldn't be able to marry Averaster.
Even Wiona, who had lived a life of arrogance, wasn't foolish. Perhaps she sensed the urgency of Geor's advice. Perhaps that's why she decided to abandon her arrogant attitude and humble herself.
'Geor decided to save his younger sister at least.'
If Wiona joins House White, she will be safe even if Ariana strikes down Duke Obelius.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine.
Geor's dedication to saving his family meant he was certain Ariana would one day bring down Duke Obelius. He sensed the sword Ariana held within her.
'No, it's not just Cyrus who noticed. He also knows what I'm capable of. I'm only a seventeen-year-old girl, and he should be convinced there's nothing I can do.'
Cyrus approached Ariana, sensing something within her and seeking to exploit it. Geor must have sensed something within Ariana as well.
Cyrus held her hand because their paths were similar, but Geor and Ariana's paths were anything but. In fact, they only harmed Geor, yet she couldn't understand why he spared her.
'Is it simply out of loyalty to my father? Is he leaving me alone because he cares for me? But can loyalty to a fellow lord be stronger than loyalty to one's own blood relatives?'
Just thinking about Geor gave her a headache. It would have been easier to just show his sword openly, but she was at a loss because she couldn't read his mind at all.
After Ariana finished eating, Isabelle left, saying they'd definitely hang out together tomorrow. Only then did she realize Isabelle had been there to make sure Ariana didn't eat alone.
As expected, the East is warm.
So she was afraid. That one small mistake would shatter everything like a dream.
“They say that if you have too much in your hands, you become afraid of death...”
It really was like that.
She thought everything would be easy once she regained her status as Princess of the East. She thought she could do whatever she wanted, act as she pleased, without fear.
But as the family bond deepens, as she accepts their affection, as she comes to realize that their affection is genuine.
Ariana's shoulders tense up, afraid that she might lose them, worried that their eyes would turn as horribly as Cyrus's.
“Are you afraid of dying, master?”
Ariana snapped back to her senses at the sound of Shini's voice, who had been crouching in the corner. Having learned a great deal from Louis, Sinister had become capable of concealing herself, though not perfectly, enough to conceal her presence.
It might not work on knights who wield swords, but it definitely worked on Ariana. Isabelle probably didn't even notice Shini's presence here.
As Ariana reached out, Sinister came over, gently squeezed her hand, and kissed the back of her hand.
“Master, don’t worry. I will protect you.”
Ariana asked Sinister after she sat down next to her.
“Aren’t you afraid of dying?”
“I am alive thanks to you, Master. I am not afraid to die for you.”
"If you die, you'll never see Lanster or Louis again. You'll never see that beautiful weather again, or the flowers and butterflies you love."
Shini furrowed her brow slightly.
Although Shini had a much more mature and mature appearance than Ariana, she sometimes had this childish expression.
"I don't like that. But the reason I'm alive is to protect you, Master. So if I die protecting you, then I'm fine with it."
The reason for being alive.
Those words pierced Ariana.
She was so wrapped up in all the good things that she forgot about it for a moment. Shocked by Cyrus's transformation, she lost track of herself.
Ariana was resurrected, and her life had purpose. She didn't know why she'd returned to time, but she had a goal to achieve in her new life.
The person she had decided to form an alliance with had grown cold, and she couldn't lose the strong bond between them and their family. She couldn't lose the direction of her life.
'What was it like when I first came to the East?'
The day she left the West and set foot on the land of the East with Cyrus' help felt like a very long time ago.
At that time, Ariana was thinking that it didn't matter if her father didn't accept her.
Even if she couldn't stay in the West or the East and had to start from the bottom, she was okay with it. She vowed that she would still stab them in the face with the fierce blade of hatred she held in her heart.
Her family was too warm to sustain the cold blade she held. The blade melted in their warmth, and before she knew it, it was gradually becoming dull.
Ariana rested her head on Shini's shoulder.
“It seems like it would be really difficult to sharpen a dull knife again.”
“It’s okay, Master. Even if your sword becomes dull, mine will always be sharp.”
“Would I do anything?”
"Yes, Master. To me, you are good weather. Always. Rain or snow, my weather is always brilliant."
A pure voice filled her hollow heart.
There's someone who sees her as "good weather," no matter what. Perhaps she saved Shini for precisely this moment. Perhaps she desired this trust more than someone protecting her from danger and acting as her own limbs.
As Ariana slowly closed her eyes, the words she had longed to hear her entire life were heard.
“I am so glad that there is a master in this world.”
Feeling a little better, Ariana decided to make the most of the East's beautiful weather. Ariana emerged from her room wearing a refreshing one-piece dress that covered half of her calves.
Before she could even walk a few steps, she spotted her father walking across the street. Russell smiled warmly at Ariana and hurried his steps.
“I was already on my way to your room.”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, that’s not it... There has to be a reason for Dad to go find his daughter.”
Dad.
Ariana had never called her father that. She was long past the age to use such a title.
The title "Dad" felt a little, no, a whole lot different than "Father." "Dad" was incredibly sweet, ticklish, loving, and fluffy.
'Will the day ever come when I can call him 'Dad?'
She didn't think that would happen.
“You must still be recovering from the hangover from arriving yesterday. Aren’t you tired?”
“Yes, I’m fine. The weather is nice, so I was thinking of taking a walk.”
“Yes, then shall we walk together?”
"Great."
Russell walked towards the garden, glanced back at Sinister, and said.
“That kid has gotten a lot stronger since I last saw her.”
“Oh, does that show?”
“The way she walks, the strength in her arms, and even her presence have all changed.”
“Louis, the leader of the Black Knights, took great care of her. Lanster, too.”
"Oh, really? Even so, judging by her quick learning ability, she seems to have natural talent. You have a keen eye."
As Ariana smiled at Russell's compliment, a loud shout came from behind her.
Ariana returned the flyer to Isabelle and said.
“Sister, I don’t think I need to reserve this perfume in advance.”
“Most of the ladies of the same age have reserved this perfume, so if you don’t reserve it now, it will be difficult to buy it.”
"Yeah, but still. We don't know what this perfume smells like yet, and we don't know what side effects it might have. It's not too late to buy it later after seeing how it sells."
Isabelle sighed.
“I don’t care about perfume, so it doesn’t matter, but this is an errand for my mom.”
"I'll tell my aunt later. You're not in a position to be criticized for not following trends."
“That’s true. Actually, I was wondering if I should spend this much money on perfume.”
Isabelle crumpled the flyer and tossed it into the trash can without a second thought. The crumpled flyer landed squarely in the trash can.
Then, the maid brought breakfast.
“We’ll have dinner in the living room.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Ariana got out of bed, put on a robe, and headed to the living room. Isabelle clicked her tongue at the sight of the food on the table.
“You’re so skinny because you eat like this. It’s all just grass.”
Meat soup, a loaf of bread, jam, cheese, and salad all looked like nothing more than a bunch of grass to Isabelle.
“How do you eat, sister?”
"I need to add a slice of ham and two bowls of soup to this. And what's with the bread? It's too small, isn't it?"
The maid nodded in response to Isabelle's question.
“Yes, that’s right. The Princess couldn’t eat all of this either.”
"Really? What the heck, Ariana? Do you take care of your body?"
“That’s not it.”
Perhaps because she never had proper meals at the Bronte dukedom, her stomach was too small to eat much. She thought she been eating quite a bit lately, but Isabelle didn't seem to see it that way.
“Sister, you’re out and about all day practicing swordsmanship, so you’re probably digesting it well, but all I do is stay in my room and read books.”
“You learned swordsmanship from Geor? Have you decided to give it up now?”
“Yeah, I think I learned enough.”
It was awkward being alone with Geor.
While she believed he wouldn't kill her without reason, she couldn't completely trust him. If Duke Obelius started down the path to ruin, she didn't know how he would change.
Isabelle, who had been chattering away while Ariana was eating, suddenly remembered something and spoke.
"Oh, right. You know what? Wiona, that guy. She seems a little spoiled."
Ariana thought of Princess Wiona Obelius, Geor's younger sister.
“Why? Did she do something to my sister?”
"I think it'd be better to do something. Do you know how nice she's been to me lately? She keeps calling me "Isabelle, Isabelle" and acting friendly, and I almost punched her because it was so creepy!"
Ariana burst out laughing at the sight of Isabelle shivering so cutely. Isabelle frowned.
"This isn't funny. It's really creepy. At first, I thought she was just pretending to be friendly and trying to hit me in the back of the head, but she's been doing this for months now. It's just..."
Isabelle twirled her index finger next to her temple.
“Why is she like that? It’s so disgusting.”
Ariana could guess the reason for Wiona's change in attitude.
She thought Geor hadn't been doing anything all this time, but it seems he's been moving around on his own.
“Don’t Wiona like Averaster?”
“She likes him. She’s been saying she’ll marry Averaster since she was little... Ah!”
Isabelle's eyes widened as if she had finally realized something.
“Is she trying to show off to me because of that? Because Averaster and I are related?”
“I think so.”
“Why now? She's been so unlucky all this time.”
There must have been some advice from Geor.
He told her that if she made a good impression on Isabelle, her chances of marrying Averaster would increase. Perhaps he even used a bit of blackmail. If she fell out of favor with the White family, she wouldn't be able to marry Averaster.
Even Wiona, who had lived a life of arrogance, wasn't foolish. Perhaps she sensed the urgency of Geor's advice. Perhaps that's why she decided to abandon her arrogant attitude and humble herself.
'Geor decided to save his younger sister at least.'
If Wiona joins House White, she will be safe even if Ariana strikes down Duke Obelius.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine.
Geor's dedication to saving his family meant he was certain Ariana would one day bring down Duke Obelius. He sensed the sword Ariana held within her.
'No, it's not just Cyrus who noticed. He also knows what I'm capable of. I'm only a seventeen-year-old girl, and he should be convinced there's nothing I can do.'
Cyrus approached Ariana, sensing something within her and seeking to exploit it. Geor must have sensed something within Ariana as well.
Cyrus held her hand because their paths were similar, but Geor and Ariana's paths were anything but. In fact, they only harmed Geor, yet she couldn't understand why he spared her.
'Is it simply out of loyalty to my father? Is he leaving me alone because he cares for me? But can loyalty to a fellow lord be stronger than loyalty to one's own blood relatives?'
Just thinking about Geor gave her a headache. It would have been easier to just show his sword openly, but she was at a loss because she couldn't read his mind at all.
After Ariana finished eating, Isabelle left, saying they'd definitely hang out together tomorrow. Only then did she realize Isabelle had been there to make sure Ariana didn't eat alone.
As expected, the East is warm.
So she was afraid. That one small mistake would shatter everything like a dream.
“They say that if you have too much in your hands, you become afraid of death...”
It really was like that.
She thought everything would be easy once she regained her status as Princess of the East. She thought she could do whatever she wanted, act as she pleased, without fear.
But as the family bond deepens, as she accepts their affection, as she comes to realize that their affection is genuine.
Ariana's shoulders tense up, afraid that she might lose them, worried that their eyes would turn as horribly as Cyrus's.
“Are you afraid of dying, master?”
Ariana snapped back to her senses at the sound of Shini's voice, who had been crouching in the corner. Having learned a great deal from Louis, Sinister had become capable of concealing herself, though not perfectly, enough to conceal her presence.
It might not work on knights who wield swords, but it definitely worked on Ariana. Isabelle probably didn't even notice Shini's presence here.
As Ariana reached out, Sinister came over, gently squeezed her hand, and kissed the back of her hand.
“Master, don’t worry. I will protect you.”
Ariana asked Sinister after she sat down next to her.
“Aren’t you afraid of dying?”
“I am alive thanks to you, Master. I am not afraid to die for you.”
"If you die, you'll never see Lanster or Louis again. You'll never see that beautiful weather again, or the flowers and butterflies you love."
Shini furrowed her brow slightly.
Although Shini had a much more mature and mature appearance than Ariana, she sometimes had this childish expression.
"I don't like that. But the reason I'm alive is to protect you, Master. So if I die protecting you, then I'm fine with it."
The reason for being alive.
Those words pierced Ariana.
She was so wrapped up in all the good things that she forgot about it for a moment. Shocked by Cyrus's transformation, she lost track of herself.
Ariana was resurrected, and her life had purpose. She didn't know why she'd returned to time, but she had a goal to achieve in her new life.
The person she had decided to form an alliance with had grown cold, and she couldn't lose the strong bond between them and their family. She couldn't lose the direction of her life.
'What was it like when I first came to the East?'
The day she left the West and set foot on the land of the East with Cyrus' help felt like a very long time ago.
At that time, Ariana was thinking that it didn't matter if her father didn't accept her.
Even if she couldn't stay in the West or the East and had to start from the bottom, she was okay with it. She vowed that she would still stab them in the face with the fierce blade of hatred she held in her heart.
Her family was too warm to sustain the cold blade she held. The blade melted in their warmth, and before she knew it, it was gradually becoming dull.
Ariana rested her head on Shini's shoulder.
“It seems like it would be really difficult to sharpen a dull knife again.”
“It’s okay, Master. Even if your sword becomes dull, mine will always be sharp.”
“Would I do anything?”
"Yes, Master. To me, you are good weather. Always. Rain or snow, my weather is always brilliant."
A pure voice filled her hollow heart.
There's someone who sees her as "good weather," no matter what. Perhaps she saved Shini for precisely this moment. Perhaps she desired this trust more than someone protecting her from danger and acting as her own limbs.
As Ariana slowly closed her eyes, the words she had longed to hear her entire life were heard.
“I am so glad that there is a master in this world.”
***
Feeling a little better, Ariana decided to make the most of the East's beautiful weather. Ariana emerged from her room wearing a refreshing one-piece dress that covered half of her calves.
Before she could even walk a few steps, she spotted her father walking across the street. Russell smiled warmly at Ariana and hurried his steps.
“I was already on my way to your room.”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, that’s not it... There has to be a reason for Dad to go find his daughter.”
Dad.
Ariana had never called her father that. She was long past the age to use such a title.
The title "Dad" felt a little, no, a whole lot different than "Father." "Dad" was incredibly sweet, ticklish, loving, and fluffy.
'Will the day ever come when I can call him 'Dad?'
She didn't think that would happen.
“You must still be recovering from the hangover from arriving yesterday. Aren’t you tired?”
“Yes, I’m fine. The weather is nice, so I was thinking of taking a walk.”
“Yes, then shall we walk together?”
"Great."
Russell walked towards the garden, glanced back at Sinister, and said.
“That kid has gotten a lot stronger since I last saw her.”
“Oh, does that show?”
“The way she walks, the strength in her arms, and even her presence have all changed.”
“Louis, the leader of the Black Knights, took great care of her. Lanster, too.”
"Oh, really? Even so, judging by her quick learning ability, she seems to have natural talent. You have a keen eye."
As Ariana smiled at Russell's compliment, a loud shout came from behind her.
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