Afterstory: The Warmest Winter in the World (4)

When the opera ended, the audience poured out of the theater.

Everywhere people were talking excitedly about Lion on the Cliff. Theorad was no exception. It had been a long time since he'd seen a performance like that, and he was still caught up in the excitement.

“That was wonderful! For an opera, the story was remarkably rich. I was especially moved when Denella found the strength to take control of her own will in the hallucination.”

Denella was the name given to the character representing Benelia.

The playwright had drawn on the emperor's seizure of the throne, but the production did not use her actual name. Parts of the story had been altered for dramatic effect, and the fictional version was never meant to be a record of everything that had happened.

Linea walked beside him, thinking over what she'd seen.

“By the way, Theorad… Didn't the butler in that hallucination look rather like you?”

“…What? Me?”

“The way he spoke, the things he did. There was something strangely familiar about him.”

Her red eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Theorad thought the suspicion rather unfair. He had spent time alone with Benelia in the past, certainly, but he had no memory of meeting her inside any hallucination.

“That's only your imagination. Why would I appear in an opera about Her Majesty's life?”

“…I suppose you have a point.”

Linea let the matter drop, though she looked somewhat reluctant to do so.

“Sir! Wait!”

“Wait!”

Two young voices interrupted them.

Theorad turned to find the brother and sister who had been lingering outside the theater earlier. Both looked to be around ten years old. They were staring up at him with bright, nervous eyes.

The older girl took a breath and pulled a little pouch from her clothes. Holding it in both hands, she offered it to him.

“M-my lord… This isn't much, but we'd like to repay your kindness!”

“To repay you!” her brother echoed.

Sweat stood on the boy's forehead. Meeting a nobleman was frightening enough; this nobleman was Theorad Deharem, whom he plainly admired.

Theorad was the one left bewildered. He hadn't given them the VIP seats in hopes of being rewarded.

He exchanged a glance with Linea, then crouched so he could speak to the children at eye level.

“What's your name?”

The girl stiffened. After a moment she managed to answer.

“P-Philen.”

“Philen. That's a lovely name. Did you enjoy the opera?”

“Yes! The people at the VIP table were so kind. They gave us all sorts of delicious things to eat, and we ate until we were full. So… we wanted to give you the money we've saved.”

She held out the pouch again, cheeks bright with embarrassment.

Theorad smiled.

“I couldn't possibly take it. You and your brother saved that money because you wanted to see the opera. How could I accept it now?”

“B-but…”

“No buts.”

He rested a hand lightly on her head.

“You've already repaid me by coming over to say thank you. Seeing how kindhearted you both are makes me happy. Keep your money and buy yourselves something delicious.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. And if you want to repay a kindness like this one day, help someone in trouble when you've grown up. Can you do that?”

The girl gazed at him for a moment, then clutched the pouch to her chest and nodded with determination.

“Yes! When I grow up, I'll be someone like Viscount Theorad!”

“Thank you for saying that. Now, get home safely.”

The two children bowed and thanked him again and again, then hurried off hand in hand.

He watched them go. In the light of the setting sun, the brother and sister looked very happy together.

The county will be in good hands.

Children were the future of the territory. If people like those two grew up here, surely the county would only become a better place.

Still smiling, Theorad took Linea's hand.

They, too, should return home before dark.

“Shall we go? The carriage will be waiting behind the theater.”

Linea nodded and followed him, squeezing his hand a little more tightly.

“I really enjoyed today.”

“I'm glad. I enjoyed it too.”

“…Because of the opera?”

“Not exactly. The opera was moving, of course, but that wasn't the best part.”

“Then what was?”

She knew what he meant. It only made him more embarrassed to say it aloud.

At last Theorad leaned toward her and murmured so only she could hear.

“Because I got to watch it with the woman I love. That's what made it wonderful.”

Linea covered her mouth, hiding a smile.

His awkward earnestness was adorable. She moved a few steps ahead, pretending to be unaffected, but there was no hiding the little tremor in her pointed ears.

Come to think of it…

Theorad noticed that Linea's exposed shoulders had gone red from the cold.

The theater had been warm, and now they were back in the winter air. She had dressed to look pretty for him, but left her shoulders exposed to the cold.

He wasn't going to let her endure it simply to look pretty for him.

“Linea.”

She turned as he approached. Without making a fuss, he removed his scarf and wrapped it around her neck.

“Ah…”

Her eyes widened. His hands were gentle as he tucked the fabric into place.

“You could have told me you were cold.”

“…It's not that cold.”

“I can see your breath.”

That rather settled the matter.

Linea looked away, her cheeks growing warmer.

“I wish you could warm me up in other ways…”

Theorad took a moment to understand. When he did, he coughed awkwardly, his heart giving an uncomfortable little jump.

“I'd like that too, but…”

“I know. You've been busy with all those welfare matters. Still, it's our anniversary.”

“It's not that I don't understand. But I have a meeting with the president of Carastane Bank this evening, and it took some effort to arrange. Could you bear with me for just a little longer?”

“An excuse…”

It had been more than a week since they'd had time for intimacy.

Theorad was occupied with work, and their growing children had been staying awake later than they used to. Quiet time for the two of them had become scarce.

He felt sorry for Linea. He reached up and gently tucked her bangs behind her pointed ear.

“If you'd like, I'll make time for the two of us in a week. Would that be all right?”

It wasn't the answer she wanted, but she knew what his schedule was like.

With a sigh, Linea slipped her arms around his neck, rose onto her toes and gave him a brief kiss.

“If you're lying this time, I won't forgive you…”

There was more affection than anger in the warning.

Theorad put his arms around her and held her close. Their cheeks touched, sharing what warmth they could in the cold air.

“I promise I won't disappoint you.”

After that, Linea could hardly find another complaint. She gave a shy nod and finally allowed the matter to rest.

---

Meanwhile, at the Deharem mansion, Ashley sat on the edge of a bed with a history book open.

“…And so, at the one hundred fifty-seventh regular meeting of the Table of Order, the bishops agreed to compile the scripture anew. They believed that even the interpretation of divine commandments had to be considered alongside the changing lives of the people.”

She closed the book and turned to the child beside her.

“Shall we stop there for today? Your mother should be home soon, Raylin.”

“Ah… Yes!”

Raylin, Linea's daughter, nodded attentively.

Her red eyes sparkled, and glossy black hair fell to her waist. Her ears came to slight points, less pronounced than her mother's. In that respect she seemed to have taken after Theorad, but the rest of her face resembled Linea so closely that Ashley could almost picture Linea herself as a little girl.

Raylin was pretty, clever and unfailingly polite to her elders.

Her one troublesome habit was arguing with her older sister, Roselia, Ashley's daughter.

The two usually got along, but when they found something to quarrel over, it could turn into quite an ordeal. Ashley was grateful that Havid, the household chamberlain, had taken Roselia out for the day. Otherwise she'd probably have spent most of it settling some new dispute.

She couldn't help admiring Linea for looking after both girls throughout the week.

“Now, then…”

Ashley placed the book on the shelf and took Raylin's little hand in hers.

“Would you like to talk about something besides your lessons?”

“Something else?”

“Anything at all. What you enjoyed eating yesterday, a flower you saw this morning… or something you've been worrying about. You can tell me those things too.”

“Um…”

Raylin hesitated. Then she looked up with a troubled expression.

“Actually… there is something.”

“Really? Tell me. I'll listen.”

“Well… Mother doesn't like my dream.”

Linea dislikes her daughter's dream?

Ashley had expected something rather ordinary—perhaps a complaint about food. This was more serious than she'd anticipated.

She sat up straight and gave Raylin her full attention.

“Could you tell me what that dream is? If I understand, perhaps I can speak to Linea for you.”

“Really?”

Ashley nodded.

Whatever the child dreamed of—even something as outlandish as turning into a tree—it deserved to be heard.

Encouraged, Raylin clenched her small hands and looked at Ashley with shining red eyes.

“I want to become a great witch, just like the Black Flame Witch!”

The Black Flame Witch…

“Ah… Well…”

Now Ashley could see at least part of the reason Linea had objected.