116. The day the first snow fell (3)

“It snows a lot.”

1Princess Michel Loire smiled happily at the unexpected gift of the winter sky. The first snow that started falling yesterday seemed to drop only light snowflakes little by little. Even the sky, which had been gray, seemed to glow pure white in the reflection of the snow he had fallen upon. Five days had passed since the Mage Tower incident, and the kingdom was enjoying the calm after the storm.

“Isn’t it rather late for the first snow this time?”

Where Michelle looked, there was a woman whose face was half covered by a mask. With a smile that put the viewer’s heart at ease, Marion nodded.

“Yes. I remember that the first snow always fell at the end of November.”

“The cold is as cold as cutting your skin, but the snow is finally falling.”

Michelle closed the blanket over her shoulders. Small birds stayed on the railing of the terrace and then left repeatedly. Suddenly, Michelle looked up at Marion, and even in this chilly weather, she didn’t wear anything special except for the maid’s designated outfit.

“You, too, should take care of yourself so as not to catch a cold. I’m worried because I’m wearing only those clothes.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.”

As much time has passed, it would be okay to be a little more comfortable with it. To my lady-in-waiting, who was always overly polite, Michelle offered a seat.

“Sit down. I have some free time, so I want you to talk to me for a while.”

“… I am sorry.”

Marion put down the kettle and crouched next to Princess 1 and sat down. The first princess who was nice to herself was nice, but she still needed more time to get used to the atmosphere of the royal palace.

“Am I very uncomfortable?”

When Michelle raised the corner of her mouth and asked, Marion quickly shook her head in surprise.

“No, it doesn’t matter, Your Highness. It’s just that I’m not used to it because of the lack of girls.”

It was a fact that Michelle realized before she knew it, but Marion was a lady-in-waiting who was very fun to tease. At first, the fact that she was a handmaid sent by Count Agon came as a burden and fear, but now she was just treating her as one of his favorite handmaidens. The political intentions of the several knights who came with Marion were not something Princess 1 was considering.

“When will you get used to it? It seems like it’s been a few days since I told you that it’s okay to be a little comfortable, but you still look the same as when you first came to this palace.”

“… I apologize, Your Highness.”

It was one of the few pleasures of the first princess to watch Marion’s eyes waver as she didn’t know what to do. Thinking that it would not be strange if she burst into tears if she teased her further, Michelle stopped joking around.

“I’m sorry for continuing to joke around. But I mean what I want you to be comfortable with, so it’s okay not to be so rigid all the time.”

Princess 1’s eyes as she looked at Marion, who replied that she understood, were similar to those of her older sister looking at her dearest younger sister. Of course, Marion was just saying yes with her face dyed red, whether or not she knew those eyes. Michelle turned her head back out the window and said in a weak voice.

“I don’t know what Count Agon asked you to do, but it has nothing to do with you and me right now.”

Count Agon’s purpose clearly coincided with that of his father, the King. Trying to check the power of the 2nd prince, Count Benning, who is soloing by making himself another candidate for succession to the throne.

‘but… .’

The mayhem was not a place that Princess 1 wanted to intervene. However, at the same time, thinking of his half-brother who had to intervene in the bloody battle of those shura, there was no other place he should be besides the shroud. If Louis could share the blood shed, even if it was a bloody battle waged by ghosts, he would gladly participate.

“A girl,”

Marion then opened her mouth. It was the first time she had ever spoken before, so Michelle looked at Marion with interest in her eyes. The usual shy child’s expression disappeared somewhere, and now the expression of a strong woman took its place.

“It’s not from Count Agon.”

“then?”

Marion’s eyes were looking at Princess 1, but her essence seemed to be staring farther away.

“There are people who wanted to help.”

“That’s a story I’ve never heard of before.”

Michelle was now listening to Marion with the right posture, as if she had completely escaped the boredom of the morning.

“Why bother revealing it to me?”

“Now I am Your Highness’ person. Even though she has the body of a maid, how dare she become a subject and hide something from her master?”

“I don’t know who taught you how to speak, but you speak really well.”

Marion Borden. Michelle liked her, but was ignorant of her. Why did the daughter of Emile Bordain, the enemy’s power, become his handmaid, why did Count Agon from the east send her, and why did he join the plan to destroy the count?

“Can you tell me who you really want to help?”

“There are people who are blessed. It is also the person you will be with for the rest of your life.”

“Did the ring belong to the person you are talking about?”

“Yes that’s right.”

Marion stroked the blue ring on her ring finger. Michelle looked at Marion like that, and started asking questions one by one.

“Was it worth it to turn your back on your family and confront that Earl Benning, wasn’t it?”

“In the first place, the family was the enemy of me and my fiancé. I never considered them family, and I never will.”

“Even if it means walking down a bloodstained road?”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s stained with blood or burns with flames.”

Michelle had a satisfied smile on her face. It might be a waste to just leave her as a lady-in-waiting.

“I wish we had time to talk like this more often.”

The momentary calm was coming to an end. The royal palace will have to prepare for another storm soon. 1 The princess gently closed her eyes. It’s not long until the new year dawns. The new year means the kingdom’s martial arts competition. 1 The princess closed her eyes, estimating whether the soon-to-be-started competition between the knights would be a festival or another chaos.

“I guess going out after work today meant going to see your fiancé.”

Marion nodded at Michelle’s words, returning to normal Marion. Michelle let out a low laugh at the sudden change.

“What are you ashamed of now? Today, then, I will make sure to send you off specially early, so that you can see your loved ones for as long as possible.”

Marion’s face turned red again and her head was lowered. 1 The atmosphere the princess gave off was refusing to refuse. A voice full of shame came out of Marion’s mouth.

“… Go, thank you.”

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No, after all, I’ll have to make fun of her while still being my lady-in-waiting.

1 The princess looked at Marion with such a mischievous thought.

—

It was a sudden encounter.

Marion, who had finished work early, was moving briskly with a smile, thinking of going to see Maxim, who was still lying in the hospital. In the meantime, there was little time left for visiting, so Marion couldn’t talk to Maxim enough to be satisfied. A smile spread across Marion’s lips.

We can talk more today. Perhaps it would be a little surprising if we arrived early.

As soon as the hospital building she had visited a few times came into view, Marion’s pace accelerated. Marion’s little feet were leaving footprints in the snow. The warm breath escaped little by little through the thick scarf, drawing a small cloud.

“3rd Floor… .”

Marion entered the building, recalling the floor on which Maxim was lying. Amid the smell of disinfectant, Marion almost ran to the stairs to avoid being late. After passing the second floor, I entered the hallway on the third floor. The inpatient ward was still very quiet today. Marion noticed that she had been running too riotously, and immediately changed her pace to a cautious one and walked down the hallway.

“Room 310… .”

Marion reached the front of Maxim’s ward. Perhaps because of the consideration of the Knights, Maxim had a fairly spacious private room. If Maxim were alone, he would have to be quiet. But what Marion could hear from the entrance of the hospital room where her fiancé was lying was the sound of a man and a woman laughing and talking.

“Senior said that… .”

“When I see you, I always think that way… .”

Marion’s bright blue eyes, which were shining in anticipation of seeing Maxim, lost their light in an instant. Marion involuntarily moved closer to the doorway, trying to hear what was being said when she heard someone approaching through the sliding door of the hospital room. Marion clenched her fists and stood a little away from the doorway.

“-Then, I’ll just go.”

“Okay, go in carefully. The snow is falling and the road is slippery, so don’t fall.”

Maxim’s laughing voice. Marion’s eyes were getting darker. The white hands clenched into fists were literally as pale as the snow outside. The footsteps are getting closer, getting closer,

Drooling!

The door opened with a mighty sound. Marion could hear the woman in front of him gasp and inhale. blonde hair, green eyes. There wasn’t a big difference in height, but it was slightly taller than Marion. It was the first time the two of them had met face to face like this, but Marion knew who the woman appeared in front of him. A junior member of the knights whom Maxim used to mention from time to time, and the person Maxim wanted to save.

And, one of the few people who knows that Maxim is Arsene Bern.

“ah… hello.”

said Christine Watson in a very embarrassed voice. To the point where I wondered if the voice was too flustered to be just an ordinary visit to a hospital. Marion didn’t give an answer right away and just stared at Christine with dead eyes.

Christine broke into a cold sweat as she looked at Marion, who was looking at her like that. Just as Marion recognized Christine at once, Christine recognized Marion at once. Maxim’s fiancé who wears a mask and has a mysterious aura. And the next scene that came to Christine’s head was the sight of hugging and kissing impulsively in the snow.

Could it be that the word ‘I’m sorry’ would suit you better than now? Christine swallowed dryly as she looked at Marion’s dark blue eyes for some reason. At least, I had a hunch that this person shouldn’t know what happened an hour ago.

“hello.”

A cold voice escaped Marion’s mouth. The chill in her voice cut down Christine’s spine like a sharpened blade. Goosebumps ran down Christine’s back. According to the story Maxim told her, she was a shy and quiet lady. It’s quiet though.

“In Maxim’s ward… What did you come for?”

At Marion’s question, Christine gave a stiff smile. Calmly, naturally.

“Because of the hospital visit… came I was wondering if you were doing well.”

Marion looked beyond Christine. I saw Maxim looking at the doorway. Somehow, he was frozen and his hands were shaking a little, but he looked fine. Marion’s voice added more chill. Being indoors, it seemed to be cooler than outside with the winter wind blowing.

“It’s the first time we’ve met like this.”

Christine nodded with a creak, realizing that their first meeting had taken place under very poor circumstances.

“nice to see you. My name is Christine Watson, a junior of Maxim senior.”

A handshake was not necessary on the first meeting. Marion nodded and said hello herself.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Maxime’s fiancée, Marion Bordain.”

When Marion gave strength to the word ‘fiancee’, Christine nodded with a more troubled expression. A bloody road? Marion had a hunch that the battlefield she was supposed to be in was not one place. On the other hand, Christine was receiving Marion’s stinging gaze with a complete loss of fighting spirit. He did not dare to turn his head to ask Maxim for help. I knew that if I did something like that by mistake, it would make things worse.

“Have you been taking good care of me?”

“water… Sure.”

Christine stepped on the threshold to leave quickly, as if it was more meaningless to keep her seat. That movement was immediately blocked by Marion, who moved her body slightly. Marion tilted her head slightly, looking Christine in the eyes.

“In the future, please take good care of me.”

Marion smiled at Christine. Christine, who faced a smile with only the corners of her mouth raised and her eyes tinged with the opposite light, answered in a tearful voice.

“Yes… , please take care of me… .”

And then Marion let Christine go. Maxim, who had been watching his junior disappear without looking back, felt intuition that his turn had come and moved his body awkwardly and sat down right away.

“early… Here you are.”

You pathetic bastard, was that the only thing you had to say? Maxim wanted to tear his tongue out. However, Marion’s face as she approached had such a clear smile that Maxim shook his head and had to come to his senses.

“I missed you.”

Marion smiled and approached. Maxim, as usual, couldn’t give him a bright smile of joy. Marion’s smile was much warmer and brighter than usual, and it was scary.

“yes… I also.”

In the midst of the guilt rushing like crazy, Marion sat down on the chair next to the hospital bed. Marion looked at Maxim with the same expression as usual, then sniffed at any scent she smelled, sniffing the reverberation left in the air.

“what’s the matter?”

“Wait.”

width.

Maxim felt Marion’s light weight on his body. He felt Marion’s dark hair and felt his soft face buried in his chest.

sniff sniff.

Marion seemed to be sniffing Maxim’s body, like sniffing the air. Maxim could feel Marion’s breath that way. sniff sniff. Maxim, unable to stop Marion or stroke her hair, watched Marion’s search-like action.

“Maxim.”

Marion buried her head in her arms and raised her head while calling Maxim. No matter what scent he smelled, his expression was not expressionless, but his fiancee’s expression of displeasure was there with his cheeks slightly inflated. Through the slightly disheveled mask, I could see sparkling blue eyes on the back of the hospital room.

“Could you let me stay like this for a little while?”

Marion said that and buried her head again. Maxim couldn’t say anything, but with a bitter smile on his lips, he moved his hand and stroked the ebony hair as Marion asked.