(IRAOS) Chapter 53

Excited cheers erupted from the training grounds, which was as quiet as a dead mouse. Yurina looked at Riggs with bewildered eyes.

“How did you know?”

“For a moment, Justin’s movements slowed down. If you miss that gap, you can’t be called a Carthia.”

Can you see that? While Yurina was still confused after hearing the explanation, Riggs waved at Edwin and Justin and whistled. The two, who were cleaning up their swords, turned to Riggs and smiled brightly when they found Yurina sitting next to him.

In particular, Edwin smiled triumphantly and pointed his thumb at Justin. It was a face boasting, ‘I won!’ Justin pushed Edwin’s wooden sword with a rough touch.

‘I can’t stop you, really.’

The two men quickly handed their wooden swords to the servant and ran towards Yurina. As the sand fluttered through the wind in the training grounds, Yurina waved her fan with a smile.

“It’s blowing dust.”

“Sorry, I was in a hurry.”

First, Justin approached Yurina and shook off the fine grains of sand from Yurina’s cheek with an apologetic face. Edwin stood in front of Yurina, pushing his shoulder with his. 

“Yurina, did you see that?”

“Yes.”

“I won.” 

“Yes, I saw that, too.” 

“I did a good job, right?”

“Yes.”

As if Yurina’s dry answer was just as good, Edwin’s face was still smiling. On the other hand, Justin glanced at Edwin and bit his lip tightly.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

It was an overreaction to simply say that it was because he lost the spar. In fact, whenever the two had a spar, they always laughed and praised each other for being a good match, regardless of victory or defeat.

Although the conflicting appearance of the two was strange, Yurina did not pay any more attention and gestured to the servant in the corner of the training grounds. The servant who was called brought the towels and cold drinks he had prepared and handed them to Edwin and Justin.

The two of them wiped their dirty faces and necks with rough hands.

“Why did you call me?” 

“Yurina, I’ll be your first escort.”

As Justin spoke, Edwin pushed his shoulder with his own once more.

“Justin, your promise is different. Obviously, I won the competition. Yurina, don’t listen to him. I’ll do it.”

Yurina looked alternately at the two people whose faces were still red. Unlike their fiery personality, their eyes were slightly drooping, and it was also very burdensome for the two to look down desperately at the same time. 

‘What is this?’

Then, belatedly realizing the meaning of their conversation, she asked.

“Did you bet on being my escort?”

Yurina wondered why they were rushing to death like they were in a duel, but she also wondered why they hid it. She thought about it for a moment, but Yurina had no choice but to admit it. If it was those two people, it was likely enough.

Naturally, Riggs had agreed to it too, but he answered instead of the twins.

“Why not? They could do that.”

Having already received Yurina’s consent to escort her, a winner’s smile appeared on his face. He tapped Edwin and Justin on the shoulder, quietly waiting for Yurina’s answer.

“I’m sorry, but I’m Yurina’s escort.”

“What? When?” 

“Wait, Brother! How could you do that!”

Edwin and Justin’s blue-grey eyes turned to Riggs first. Their faces contorted into similar shapes as if they were identical twins.

“This’s not polite! We even went all the way to spar to be Yurina’s escort!”

“That’s what I’m talking about, Justin. You lost the spar. If it’s unfair, it’s unfair for me. Why are you upset? You’re being rude and ignoring your promise and asking to be her escort. And like Justin said, This is not the right thing to do.”

Riggs crossed his arms, looking at the two people who seemed to have a lot to say.

“It’s none of my business that you guys had a spar. Why didn’t you ask sooner if you feel like it’s unfair?”

He watched the twins’ hardening faces and reluctantly added.

“Well, if it’s unfair, you should fight with me again. I can give you that much.” 

At first glance, it sounded like he was saying that they should compete fair and square in a spar. However, Edwin’s face, who knew what it meant, was even more contorted than before, and Yurina clicked her tongue slightly.

‘You’re mean.’

If Raynald had been said to be a magical genius since childhood, it was Riggs Carthia who constantly heard that he was talented since the time he started walking and held a toy wooden sword. 

As soon as he graduated from the academy 5 years ago, he was rumored to be one of the most prominent knights in the empire as he became the youngest winner of a swordsmanship competition hosted by the imperial family at the age of 18. 

Edwin and Justin were also recognized for their skills as they were from the Carthia family, who were famous for their swordsmanship, but they couldn’t even reach Riggs’ toes… Riggs once proudly said to Yurina.

The twins, who were looking at Riggs’ soft but determined expression, turned to Yurina as if they had changed their goals. Yurina shrugged lightly.

​​“I can’t help you even if you look at me like that. Brother Riggs came first. If you wanted to do it, you should have come a little earlier.”

Disappointment flashed across Edwin and Justin’s faces as Yurina placed her hand on Riggs’  hand. But they couldn’t say anything anymore and just muddled their wet hair.

“I just lost my energy before the hunting competition. I need to wash up.”

“Me too.”

The two of them headed to the mansion, glaring at Riggs for the last time. Yurina smiled slightly as she watched the backs of the two moving away.

* * *

“My Lady, what kind of handkerchief is that?”

Yurina, who had been concentrating on embroidery for a while, looked up at Bessie’s voice. Bessie blinked curiously as she looked at the handkerchief in her hand.

“My lady, you’ve already completed the handkerchiefs for the master and young masters.”

“Oh, this?” 

Yurina laughed playfully at Bessie, who was waiting for an answer with curious eyes.

“Secret.”

“Yes?”

“It’s a secret, Bessie.”

She put her index finger to her lips. Bessie didn’t ask any more, knowing that Yurina wouldn’t answer. Instead, Bessie went out to bring tea because she said Yurina must be tired. Yurina did not realize that Bessie was smiling before she left.

Only after she heard the door closing did Yurina look at the handkerchief again.

As Bessie said, the handkerchiefs for the four men in Carthia were already completed last week. This was a handkerchief to send to Raynald at the Academy.

However, she couldn’t bear to say that she would give a handkerchief to him, who doesn’t even participate in hunting competitions so she decided to keep it a secret from Bessie.

Yurina hummed without realizing it as she looked at the yellow flowers embroidered on the corners of the ivory-colored handkerchief. This flower reminded her of the field full of flowers that she had visited with Raynald at the Academy last fall.

– I often come here whenever I miss you. Because whenever I come here, I always feel like I’m with you.

Yurina wanted to embroider the yellow flowers she saw at that time to give him even a little memory of his hometown. It wasn’t that difficult to create a design because the flower wreath he had made at that time still remained.

Yurina moved the needle again, looking at the wreath of yellow flowers placed on the table. Thanks to Raynald’s magic, the flower wreath was as fresh as if it was made this morning. Not only the shape but also the scent was as fresh as freshly picked flowers.

‘I have to finish it soon.’

There was not much time left before the hunting competition. When the hunting competition began, Yurina would be busy and wouldn’t have time to embroider, so she wanted to finish it and send it to the academy before then. Yurina thought it would be perfect if she sprayed floral perfume on the letter and sent it together.

‘Wait a minute.’

While thinking about the letter, Yurina blinked blankly as she looked into the air at a thought that suddenly came to mind.

“My lady, I brought tea. After seeing the embroidery that the lady was doing, I thought flower tea would be good, so I prepared it. Doesn’t it smell good?”

“…”

“My lady?”

Yurina, who was spaced out until Bessie poured the tea, finally opened her mouth.

“Bessie, what’s the date today?”

“Today? Well…”

It was a random question, but Bessie diligently answered while counting the date by folding her fingers one by one.

“It’s the 4th day of the month of sprouts.” 

The month of sprouts is the third month of the year, and it can be said that it is the month that usually marks the beginning of spring among the four seasons. Bessie’s eyes widened as if surprised by what she said.

“Wow, it’s already the month of sprouts, time goes by so fast. I was so busy preparing for the hunting competition that I didn’t even know the time was passing. We’ll be leaving for the Zenus Mountains soon. I’ll have to hurry up and get ready. My lady, you haven’t picked out all the dresses you want to take with you yet.”

“My lady?”

Yurina got up from her seat while listening to her words through one ear. Then she quickly headed to her desk, which she usually uses to read books or write letters.

‘It’s weird.’

She opened the drawer attached to the desk and opened the topmost letter among the many letters.

[To Yurina.

Not long ago, I heard from Master that you are suffering from a cold. The Empire wasn’t very cold this year, so what did you do to catch such a bad cold?]

It was the most recent letter from Raynald. Yurina skipped all the contents and checked the last part.

[Year 473, the 19th day of the month of silence, Raynald.]

The month of silence is the last of the twelve months. Yurina couldn’t remember exactly when she received this letter. However, considering that it takes 10 days at the earliest to receive letters from the Crohn Kingdom to the Empire and 15 days at the latest, it must have been received at the beginning of January.

Yurina glared at ‘the 19th day of the month of silence’ with the spirit to make a hole. 

‘Now it’s this the month of sprouts?’

The moment she recognized it, an unexpected realization came to her.

“What?”

Raynald’s letter, which had been coming every month for six years, had not come for two months already.

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