The hills of Regbell, cradling white snow, boasted a tranquil snowy landscape. Even the parched old trees, at this moment, were thickly covered in snow, displaying a white and solitary appearance.
Shioana's winters were usually quiet, but this time it was bustling with visitors arriving day after day. Count Noah, who arrived late in the afternoon, took a walk in the garden with Shioana.
"I was delayed because a carriage wheel came off on the way. I apologize if I kept you waiting."
As autumn approached, he visited this place even more often once the date for the couple's wedding was set for September.
Count Noah, wearing a fur coat, kept frowning as he walked through the garden where his feet kept sinking deep into the mud.
"It seems the employees here are quite lazy."
At Highbell, even when it snowed, the servants cleared it away before it could even accumulate in the garden like this. So, there was no reason for his trouser legs to get wet like this, but it was annoying in many ways.
"That's because they don't clear the snow separately here."
Shioana had never even thought about sweeping snow. In winter, everything was usually covered in snow, and as a child, she had even fallen into snow deeper than her waist. All of those things remained as cherished memories, but it seemed that Count Noah thought differently.
"If it is not too much trouble, how about spending the winter at my mansion in Highbell? Viscount Evgenia has also agreed to this."
Just as the snow piled on the branches began to patter down on his head, he asked. Shioana immediately felt a strong sense of repulsion.
'...No'
If she were to get married, she would never be able to spend a winter in Regbell again. She met with Madame Veil three or four more times for tea and went on outings to the dress shop, but they hardly grew closer. The same was true for Count Noah, who was walking beside her.
'Then I could have just said I didn't want to.'
However, when Eli said he had given permission, she was hesitant to speak.
It felt as if his blue eyes were glaring at her from somewhere, and the strength was vivid as he pressed down on Shioana's shoulder.
"I appreciate the offer, but it's sudden."
In the end, what was said was something utterly pathetic.
"No, not at all. If I have caused you any trouble, please forgive me."
Unlike Eli, Count Noah often offered apples. As she walked arm in arm with him, Count Noah looked up at the mountain in Regbell and snorted.
"I heard that is the highest point here. I don't know how it can look so unimpressive. Next time you come to Highbell, I will show you the snowy scenery of Mount Alfie. They say it is a place where tourists flock from all over the Empire."
The mountain, which was said to be unremarkable, was Shioana's favorite place. For some reason, she felt as though she were being denied.
“Thank you for your kindness.”
Perhaps feeling that he had grown quite close to her, Count Noah's touch was more intimate than before. He stroked Shioana's wrist and touched her shoulder without hesitation.
"There is snow here. Shioana."
"...Ah."
"You aren't angry because I called you by your name, are you?"
The truth is, she was not pleased to hear him call her name.
"No, Count."
"How long must I be called Count by you?"
"Then I don't know what to call you..."
Her eyes widened at Count Noah's secretive voice.
"Lovely, please call me Pierre."
The Count stopped, took Shioana's hand, and whispered as he gently kissed her. A sweet whisper from a handsome gentleman in a garden covered in white snow must surely be a heart-fluttering experience.
"...Yes."
However, Shioana just stammered like a fool, not knowing what to do. It seemed absolutely impossible for her to call Count Pierre. As he watched Shioana, whose face had turned bright red, he gripped her hand tightly.
"Seeing such a cute reaction makes me lose my patience."
Pulling her hand to his chest, Count Noah continued speaking.
"Shioana, I hope you get married soon and have a son."
"..."
It wasn't the kind of conversation to interrupt a walk, so her eyes widened in surprise. When she remained silent, Count Noah became even more excited and feverish.
"Women are useless anyway, so how about having about ten sons?"
"..."
"I like brown hair that resembles yours, but I think blonde would be better. Gold looks a bit more classy than brown. Fortunately, since we both have blue eyes, I'm a little less worried about that."
As she listened to what he was saying, Shioana's head began to throb.
"My aunt told me that you communicate very well. I cannot express how relieved I am. Since she is the one who raised me, I plan to continue taking care of her at the mansion, and I was worried that I would feel uncomfortable being caught in the middle if yiu couldn't communicate."
Pierre Noah, whom she had thought of as nothing but a refined gentleman, turned out to be a rather conservative man. She naturally thought of Eli, who had kept her confined to the house, saying that women shouldn't go out.
'Was it because of this?'
The fact that she couldn't bring herself to like him, even though all the conditions were excellent and he treated her kindly.
Shioana's face turned pale, and he held her even tighter.
"I want to kiss you, Shioana."
The night she had spent with Etienne a few days ago was superimposed on Count Noah's words.
'Kiss me.'
'Do you realize what you are saying right now, Miss?'
'I know it very well, Etienne.'
She could not sleep for several days due to the hot sensation on the back of her hand where Etienne's lips had touched. The Count's slender eyes, looking down at her, passionately scanned Shioana's neck and jawline.
The feeling was so disgusting that she instinctively scowled.
'No, no!'
She turned her head away sharply because she could not look Count Noah straight in the face.
"...You seem to be excessively shy."
Embarrassed by the silent rejection, Count Noah released his hand from her waist. Amidst the awkwardness, the sound of a cart being pulled was heard in a corner of the garden.
"...Ah."
The man wearing the patched-up coat was clearly Etienne. He didn't look this way, but Shioana was very concerned.
Why do I have to keep running into Count Noah when I'm with him?
Then, considering the small size of the Evgeneia mansion, it was not surprising, so she just swallowed a sigh. As Shioana continued to glance at Etienne out of the corner of her eye, Count Noah opened his mouth.
"Hey there, come here."
Startled by the suddenness of the situation, Shioana only looked at the ground. She did not want him to see her with Count Noah.
"...?"
As Etienne slowly approached, Count Noah casually held out a shoe.
“Wipe this.”
"..."
Etienne, wearing an old rabbit fur hat over his shaggy black hair, showed no signs of nervousness at all.
Count Noah's face instantly hardened as he looked at the servant, who was not only better-built but also taller than himself.
'He has a strangely arrogant side.'
He was already angry that Shioana had rejected him, but he became enraged when even the backwater employee ignored him.
Just as Etienne bent down to shine his shoes, the Count kicked him. As a result, Etienne collapsed helplessly into the snow.
"Shioana, the employees here lack basic manners."
The Count brushed the snow off his fur coat and pressed down on Etienne's thigh while speaking leisurely.
"A lowly thing like this should crawl flat on the ground. Isn't that right, Shioana?"
Trembling, Shioana grabbed the Count's arm. She had to get Etienne out of here for now. Before he got hurt any more.
"You are so shy and tender-hearted; I worry how you will survive in this harsh world. But Shioana, now that I am here, you have nothing to worry about."
Count Noah, having left Etienne alone at Shioana's urging, smiled as if nothing were wrong. She felt no desire to smile at all, but forced herself to return the smile. Otherwise, she was afraid that the other person would see right through her thoughts.
"I'd like to go inside and have some tea soon."
As she hunched her shoulders and pretended to be cold while blowing on jer hands, Count Noah nodded.
"It would be troublesome if you missed the tea time."
Just as the two of them were about to take a step, they could not overcome the heavy snow piled on thick branches above their heads and made a crackling sound.
When Shioana looked up, the branch was half-broken and was about to fall on her.
It was then that she squeezed her eyes shut, thinking she was bound to get hurt.
With a loud thud, Shioana collapsed into the snow, and the surroundings fell silent.
"...Mmm."
Aside from a slight sting from scraping her chin on the floor as she fell, she didn't feel much pain. As she opened her eyes in bewilderment, Count Noah, kneeling, grabbed her hand as she lay fallen.
"Shioana! Shioana! Are you safe?"
"...Yes."
As she was speaking, she felt hot breath from behind her.
Only then did Shioana realize that Etienne was holding her and supporting the weight of the tree.
"You may be ignorant of etiquette, but you are a faithful servant. Please wait a moment. I will go fetch someone."
It took the hands of at least three strong men to clear away the thick branches that had fallen on them. The garden where Count Noah had disappeared. The two people pinned beneath the thick branches looked as if they were embracing. Shioana spoke softly.
"E, Etienne, are you okay?"
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