SALP Chapter 38

Lanthe's thoughts burrowed deeper toward the darkest hours of night.

What would it be like to have 20,000 kronet? If she could possess wealth like Vigo or Derek—enough to pay 20,000 kronet all at once—would something have been different...

Could she have protected her neighbors then?

No, even without going back that far, at the very least she could have told young Nina just moments ago that she no longer needed to live apart from her mother because of money.

Even if it ended up being limited help, bestowed only upon the few people she cared for, at least she could have done better than she was now.

That's right. This was what Vigo had been talking about yesterday.

He'd mocked her, anticipating that she'd come to regret it this quickly...

Night settled deeper and darker.

If she had 10 kronet.

If she had 20,000 kronet.

If that were so...

If she became queen.

If she became queen?

Lanthe thought of somewhere in the southern lands that the golden moon must be illuminating.

There was a world that wanted to make her queen.

If only I could endure Derek...

If only I could give up a home built while loving a husband as a wife, give up a home raised while loving a child as a mother.

Or.

If I could give up this heart that, as one human being, refuses to harm other humans and wants to cherish them.

Thump—something heavy struck and settled in her chest.

Deliberately turning away from that ominous premonition, Lanthe tried to face only the clear reality spread before her like the night sky.

What if she became queen?

When she'd stayed in Newbella, she'd seen only the negative aspects of power, but during her time in Hermea, she'd learned about other things that could be accomplished with power. She'd learned that one could have not just subjects who trembled and groveled in fear of power, but citizens who praised their ruler while also teasing them affectionately.

If she became queen.

Perhaps she would possess wealth and power exceeding even what Vigo had.

She could do more things.

Countless proud deeds...

"...?"

Just then.

Sparkle—a mysterious light caught her gaze.

A small star appeared before her eyes, emitting fragile light. The star fell slowly, like a fluttering flower petal drifting down.

Lanthe was captivated by the small light that suddenly appeared, instantly emerging from the dark night's reverie.

"What...?"

A tiny, pure white light.

"Snow...?"

She soon realized the light's identity.

Snowflakes were falling one after another from the night sky. What she'd thought were white stars—it was the first snow she was witnessing this year.

"It was snow..."

The first snow was falling.

Snow she was experiencing for the first time outside her hometown.

"It's beautiful."

Lanthe stood dazed, watching the snowflakes glittering like stars as they scattered.

She gazed for a long time at the snowfall approaching her faintly, absorbing the lantern light placed by the window, then disappearing.

Then suddenly she looked at the dark face reflected in the glass window.

A cold, dark face. The face of deep night—one she'd rarely seen—was reflected there.

"...What are you still doing up?"

Lanthe whirled around, startled.

"Vigo."

The moment she saw him standing at the room's entrance, her eyes widened in surprise before she let out a long sigh.

"When did you get here?"

Her expression relaxed without her realizing it.

His usual slovenly attire, his healthy-looking face—it was slightly vexing, but she couldn't deny that the fact of his presence there brought her a foolish sense of relief.

She quietly gazed at him for a moment.

He too looked at her without speaking.

"By any chance—"

"Listen—"

Then they both opened their mouths simultaneously.

"You first."

Vigo gestured with his head, yielding his turn to her.

"Right. Actually, you know, about how I completely depleted your wealth today?"

Good thing the opportunity to confess came quickly.

Lanthe continued cautiously.

"The administrator seems to have misunderstood something. Mel said he instructed his subordinates to treat me well. So earlier they fitted me for clothes and shoes, and showed me loads of jewelry too. Probably I can return the jewelry, but anyway I'll need to use at least one outfit of clothes and shoes... So I was going to say that from now on, I'll do whatever I can—errands or odd jobs."

After hearing her long, detailed confession, Vigo tilted his head at an angle.

"...Didn't you like the items?"

"Hm?"

Lanthe narrowed her brows.

"No, it's not that I dislike them exactly."

Was whether she liked the items important right now?

"If you don't dislike them, why do you want to return them?"

He asked quietly, without any sign of anger or sarcasm.

"Because..."

She blushed, feeling as if she'd been anxiously flustered all by herself, losing her composure for no reason.

"Why would I have jewelry? I'm in no position to enjoy such things, and I have no interest in them either."

At her self-conscious words, Vigo narrowed his eyes strangely.

He seemed about to say something, then stopped, before opening his mouth with an odd expression.

"The jewelry was going to be purchased as furnishings for the castle anyway, so there's no need to return it."

"Really...?"

Is that so? The castle purchases jewelry as furnishings too?

"Mm. Same goes for the other items fitted for you. If you don't use them, other people can. Even in Roas, neighbors commonly pass clothes down to each other, right? As you've probably seen, women's builds are similar whether Raphlish or Penmarkian, so there'll be plenty of people who can share clothes with you."

What? Is that how it is? It's true that there seemed to be many women with similar builds to mine in Hermea too, but...

"Is that so?"

"That's right."

At his unexpectedly calm reaction and clear answer, Lanthe's eyes widened.

What a relief that she hadn't caused trouble by increasing wasteful spending. She even felt somewhat saved.

It was as if Vigo had just casually swept away with one hand the massive boulder that had been weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"More importantly."

Vigo continued, looking at the floor.

"Can you make that?"

"That?"

In his silence thick with hesitation, she vaguely hoped that whatever 'that' was, it would be something she could make.

A bracelet made by twisting thread, cookies baked with cornmeal dough and jam—surely not something trivial like that.

"A snow angel."

The moment Vigo spoke.

She swallowed quietly.

"Can you make one?"

Why?

Why was he asking her to make a snow angel?

Could his request for the angel statue have been because he genuinely wanted to have it?

Had she misunderstood and made a mistake?

Her face flushed hot. It felt as if she'd be caught at any moment with the fact that the angel statue she'd loudly declared she'd gift to the church, stubbornly refusing to give it to him in the end, had ultimately become her own possession and was currently hidden in this room's cabinet as a textbook for her goal of becoming a sculptor.

"Refusing again?"

Vigo smiled faintly. He seemed to have misunderstood her expression.

"N-no. Actually, I haven't made one in a long time either."

Lanthe quickly shook her head.

"We didn't get much snow in Roas. When you were there, it snowed heavily every midwinter, but... The adults said it was proof that southern Oden is getting warmer. Anyway, so it's been a long time since I've made one."

"I see."

He nodded slightly, then said.

"Then since we have snow for once, want to try making one?"

"Will it accumulate?"

She looked out the window.

"If it accumulates, will you make one?"

I hope the snow accumulates.

"If it accumulates, I'll try making one. It's not particularly difficult anyway."

She murmured sheepishly, raising the corners of her mouth.

"But why a snow angel all of a sudden? I'd prefer if other people didn't know about that..."

"I just want to see it."

Vigo answered without taking his eyes off her.

"I've wanted to see it. All along..."

With a face growing hotter for some reason, she cleared her throat and asked, pretending nonchalance.

"Then is it okay if I show it only to you and then melt it?"

"It's okay."

"You won't tell anyone?"

He nodded again.

"I won't tell."

"Good. Then let's make one tomorrow."

"If the snow accumulates."

"Right. If the snow accumulates."

Lanthe let her gaze slide back to the window.

She could feel a lingering gaze reaching her profile, but she pretended not to notice.

...Why is he just standing there after coming all the way here without coming inside?

She hadn't noticed at first, but looking carefully, Vigo was unusually dressed in proper sleepwear.

The clothes under his black fur weren't his usual stiff, wrinkled tunic shirt but a smooth indigo silk robe. In that the garment's front wasn't meant to be fastened, strictly speaking, his attire today shouldn't be called slovenly at all.

Ah. But his chest being completely visible is still a bit...

Even though it was skin she saw every day, she somehow felt shy and lowered her eyes.

"I'll go."

He suddenly said.

"See you in the morning."

"Huh?"

By the time Lanthe turned around, he'd already rounded the entrance corner and disappeared from view.

"It really piled up!"

To get this excited like a child just because she gets to see reindeer pulling a sleigh!

Lanthe stared with her mouth hanging open at the garden covered completely white with snow. She kept rubbing her dazzled eyes because of the snowfield reflecting the sunlight.

The garden looked just like the hill behind Roas.

"The reindeer are really well-built. Are these the ones Nina's father manages?"

"That's right. Come here, I'll give you a ride."

Vigo smiled and extended his hand.

The sleigh his subordinates had brought wasn't a small, low sleigh easy to climb onto, but had considerable height like the carriages pulled by Newbella's horses.

Just the right height to make a fool of herself by stubbornly trying to climb on alone and slipping.

"Don't you ride horses? Does everyone here ride sleighs?"

But somehow it felt awkward to take his hand, so she stalled a bit.

"Depends on the situation. But you can't ride horses anyway."

"I learned horseback riding, you know?"

Even if only for one day in Newbella.

"But you still can't ride."

How did he know?

Lanthe quietly closed her mouth and took his hand, climbing onto the sleigh.

"We'll arrive in fifteen minutes."

Vigo sat beside her and said, glancing at the bell tower.

"Travel safely, my lord. Miss."

Receiving Warner's unnecessarily formal farewell, Lanthe bowed deeply with a mischievous expression.