SALP Chapter 12

Thud, thud—the sound of heavy leather boots being kicked off reached her ears. When she cautiously lifted her eyes, she saw his back, having stripped down to just tight undergarments that revealed the entire outline of his lower body.

As he sauntered leisurely toward the bed in an outfit barely different from naked, she was the only one who felt embarrassed.

"Reviving Raphlang, was it?"

He climbed onto the bed and sat.

It was odd how the bed with its draped canopy of gorgeous cloth mixing dark green and gold thread suited him.

"Something about needing a Raphlishian woman as tribute."

Lanthe lowered her eyes again.

"...That might be the reason."

The bed in the room where she'd slept for several days had no canopy. But the one in Roas had. Her small bed where she'd slept warmly with old cloth cozily draped to block the wind.

"Not just anyone could fill that role. Seeing how they eliminated all the villagers without hesitation when taking hundreds as candidates would have been safer, you must have something special."

Did he remember? The days when they badgered Aunt Louise for old stories together, then fell asleep nodding off in that small bed.

"But I'm just an ordinary Raphlishian."

The Vigo she'd met again felt like a complete stranger, yet when a moment touched on something that reminded her of that time, he transformed into the old childhood friend she'd longed for.

"I doubt it."

Even if just a fleeting illusion.

"You can make extraordinary snow angels."

For an instant, Lanthe swallowed her breath, unable to deny or confirm.

She was inwardly surprised that he remembered. She'd shown him just once. He'd never asked to see it again or even brought it up afterward.

Should I deny it? Say he's mistaken? What should I say?

"Just as I thought. You can still do it, can't you?"

Watching quietly, he grinned like when he'd won a betting game. As if his mood had improved, he retreated to the inner part of the bed and lay on his side, then jerked his chin toward the space beside him.

"Come here, prisoner. Let's sleep today."

"No."

When she rejected him immediately, he laughed aloud.

"At least think about it before refusing. It's late—you're not going to sleep?"

"I'll sleep in my room."

"Where's your room in this castle? It's all my room."

He never made such childish wordplay even when he was young.

Lanthe narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Then I'll go outside the castle to sleep."

"Don't fight, just sleep. I'm tired."

He repeatedly patted the space beside him with his hand and yawned.

"So can't I just sleep in the room you 'lent' me?"

"You'll sleep here, Lanthe."

Stubborn-looking eyes reflected her. The flickering candlelight and her hardened face overlapped.

In truth, even in his gentle childhood, he'd been rather obstinate. The little kid who climbed over the wall every day to play with Lanthe, even though he got scolded daily...

"Stay in this room with me. From now on."

He hesitated briefly, then added.

"At least until winter ends."

She stared piercingly at him in return.

But before long, she firmly closed her eyes.

Come to think of it, she'd never once beaten Vigo. Staring contests were always her defeat. He always kept his eyes wide open as if it were nothing, remaining calm even when she shed a tear. Like a doll that didn't blink.

"Ah, damn it."

Lanthe muttered quietly and rubbed her stinging eyes. Then she sighed, removed her coat, and headed for his bed.

"We slept together often when we were kids, didn't we?"

He stretched lazily like a large cat and buried his head in the pillow. She climbed onto the bed in silent non-response, ignoring him as if he weren't there. The bed was wide and high, fitting the build of a large Penmarkian man, so she had to prop herself up with both hands and hop up.

Surely not every single day.

"Sleep well, Lord."

Lanthe closed her eyes as soon as she got under the covers.

If I just think I'm alone, that's enough. More than two hand-spans away from that barbarian lying there half-naked.

She only kept her eyes closed, pretending not to notice his presence as he lifted the covers and entered. Yet the gaze clinging to her face felt hot enough to touch her skin. Unable to endure it, she opened her eyes and glared to the side, meeting his eyes as he lay there watching her with his arm as a pillow.

"...You're even going to monitor my sleeping?"

He didn't answer, just stared at her intently.

She couldn't interpret it. The faint emotion revealed in his pupils. The meaning of the slight smile that appeared at the corners of his mouth. The boy she remembered only came close to that place just within but never quite within reach, whispering words she couldn't hear.

"Actually, me too, Lanthe."

This time he blinked first. Stretching the arm that had been supporting his head under the pillow, he placed it beside her shoulder.

"I'm the same as you."

In a voice that became like a complete stranger when he whispered softly.

"Same how...?"

What's the same as me?

"Who knows? It's unfair if I'm the only one giving answers every time."

He deflected evasively and closed his eyes. Then he immediately began breathing evenly. Whether he fell asleep quickly like in the old days or was pretending to sleep.

Lanthe stared with wide eyes, watching to see if he'd open his eyes again. His face, looking annoyingly peaceful.

His closed eyes looked quite similar to his fragile boyhood. Even though his shoulders, rising and falling slowly, had grown incomparably large compared to that day. As she gazed quietly at him sleeping with a face exactly like his childhood self, the reality of their reunion struck her anew.

...You really were alive. Vigo.

An impulse arose to touch him. Would that hair still be soft? Even if she pinched those cheeks that had learned to make stern expressions, they wouldn't have that chewy feel like bread dough anymore.

At least most of the warmth filling the blankets must be his body heat. He'd been warm-bodied in the old days too, and it was never this warm when she slept alone...

But she couldn't bring herself to touch him, only watched him quietly. Until the stillness of night seeped in comfortably.

Hermea's nights were soft and quiet like Roas's nights. Unlike Newbella's nights that rustled with sounds like silk clothes brushing.

She soon closed her eyes and sought sleep. After so very long, she fell asleep beside him.

Thus she traveled back through time to when she was a small child. To that day when they slept with their heads together on her small bed draped with old, cozy cloth, to those nights of that era when there wasn't a single sad or frightening thing.

Bright sunlight poured in and woke her.

Why is it so bright? Wasn't this a room without windows? There must have been a window somewhere in the cave-like space extending from one corner of the room.

Lanthe rubbed her eyes, got up, and looked around. The sunlight illuminating the room was bright, as if several hours had passed since dawn.

Vigo was nowhere to be seen.

"I slept so deeply..."

Being lazy. Not even noticing the sun had climbed to the top of the sky. This is all the aftereffect of bad habits picked up in Newbella.

She fumbled with her hands to roughly arrange her appearance and hurriedly went outside. Rix, who had been pacing with his hands behind his back, politely greeted her asking if she'd slept well. Following his guidance, she found Nina waiting in the room Lanthe had used until yesterday.

"Lanthe sis! Let's eat and go to Aden Square!"

"Hm?"

"Put this on. It might rain later. It gets really cold when it rains."

While putting on the gray fur coat Nina handed her, Lanthe asked in bewilderment.

"Where are we going?"

As if she'd made some exciting plan, Nina even stamped her feet as she smiled.

"There's a philosophy gathering at Aden Square today. Princess Ana is supposed to come too. Maybe Lord Scali will come as well. It would be great if everyone comes."

She rattled off a string of proper nouns and names only she knew, then linked arms with Lanthe.

"Princess Ana will like you too, Lanthe sis. Because you're both sisters I like!"

"Where is Aden Square?"

Lanthe descended the stairs leading to the common dining hall, caught by Nina without even time to wash her face.

"It's below the main castle. Above the village you can see from the western outer windows."

"You mean it's outside the castle?"

"Yes. But it's not very far. It's walking distance."

Go outside the castle?

"By any chance, did Vigo—did the Lord say not to go outside the castle?"

"He didn't really say anything like that?"

"Really?"

Oh ho. Does that mean I can go outside pretending not to know?

She unconsciously focused on the stairs behind them. Just as expected. The heavy footsteps of a knight who wasn't hiding his presence were mixing solidly between the two women's light footsteps.

Would it be possible? Shaking off Rix didn't seem like it would be easy. Seeing how he held a position where he issued orders to other knights on his lord's behalf, he must be skilled even among Vigo's subordinates.

"May we go to the square and come back?"

Lanthe looked back at Rix and asked.

"Pardon?"

He stopped walking, following quietly, and asked back as if flustered. His face with thick eyebrow ridges and strong features crumpled rather fiercely.

However, Lanthe hid her tension and looked calmly at Rix. She needed to go out and survey the surroundings when the opportunity arose. She firmly made up her mind and feigned an innocent expression. Whether she persuaded him or tricked him, today she would go outside the castle.