As winter gradually receded, the snowfall in Orkney turned to rain.
Aesc sat in the library, flipping through her beloved book, but her thoughts had unknowingly drifted away from the pages. Her gaze followed the rainwater gathering into thin streams on the glass window, slowly fading into the distance.
Realizing she had become distracted while reading, Aesc felt a slight surprise. She glanced at the page she'd just finished, reached to turn it, and suddenly remembered why.
She loved this atmosphere, yet now it felt strangely empty.
It must be because of Tenkei Shiomi.
Ever since he arrived here, not a single day had been dull.
They'd discussed Magecraft together, exchanged stories, pondered strange questions, and even honed their combat skills side by side.
Her gaze drifted to the wooden spear leaning against the room. She slowly leaned forward, resting her head on the desk, and let her eyes wander back outside the window.
The gray, overcast sky, the light drizzle.
The eaves, the stone-paved path, and the windowpanes wove a symphony of gradually shifting notes.
Then, Aesc remembered something.
"Future husband, huh…" She stared at the words on the page, murmuring to herself.
Was it her future self who gradually shaped him into someone she liked, or was he simply... meant to be with her?
And upon closer inspection, why had he traveled from the 'future' back to the 'past'?
What had happened in the future?
She couldn't figure it out, and there was no clear answer.
Perhaps only by taking each step forward could she reach the unknown outcome. Until then...
She glanced around the library, now empty except for herself.
He wasn't here again today. Early this morning, the fairies sent by Mother had taken him away, saying it was urgent.
This had happened several times since the snow began melting into spring.
Without his voice in the library, even the books she usually devoured with relish felt slightly dull.
Click.
The library door opened. She looked up as a figure clad in a long black robe entered.
The familiar silver thread pattern—only one person would wear this.
"Tired? Then rest for a while? Holding books all the time is bound to be tiring."
Shiomi placed the three-tiered box he was carrying onto an empty chair beside him before removing his hood and closing the library door.
"No, not at all," said Aesc, still lazily sprawled out, watching his every move. "Just a bit stuffy."
"Good. I don't know about fairy constitutions, but humans can lose their eyesight if they strain their eyes too long," Shiomi said. He was referring to Aesc's glasses.
"Oh, these…" Aesc felt a bit embarrassed, taking off her glasses and handing them to Shiomi. "See for yourself."
"Hm?"
After taking the glasses with interest, Shiomi held them up to examine them. When his gaze passed through the lenses and landed on Aesc's face, he suddenly understood.
"So these are special tools to suppress fairy eyes," Shiomi realized.
Of course, these glasses also served to enhance vision, effectively eliminating the need to use Mana to strengthen her eyes.
In Caster's terms, it was known as the "Mystic Eye Killers."
"It merely slightly suppresses the power of these eyes, preventing them from activating indiscriminately," Aesc said, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Don't you want to see lies?" Shiomi asked.
"I just don't think it's necessary to be unable to tolerate even the slightest harmless lie," Aesc murmured softly.
Besides, the Rain Clan elders harbored no ill intent; they merely told harmless little white lies now and then.
Deliberately discerning truth from falsehood in such cases felt utterly superfluous.
That was precisely why she had crafted these glasses for herself.
Yet whenever she consciously sought to detect lies, the glasses naturally ceased to function.
"Speaking of which, Tenkei really is an odd one. He never lies to me, no matter what," Aesc mused.
And precisely because of that, her entire heart kept drawing closer to him.
"What's so strange about that?" Shiomi leaned down, meeting Aesc's eyes. "I won't lie to you, nor do I wish to. That's all."
Then, he placed the glasses back on Aesc's face.
The warmth of his fingertips, so close she could almost feel it, slipped away once more, leaving her wanting more.
Yet, strangely enough, she'd recently noticed that during moments like this, her heart didn't race as wildly. Instead, she felt a lightness wash over her body and mind. The once-stifling air seemed to refresh itself, unnoticed yet undeniable.
"What did the clan elders ask you to do?"
Aesc dangled her feet and looked up to ask, then watched as he turned and picked up the three-tiered box from the chair.
"Didn't you mention before that the clan's resources aren't particularly abundant? Compared to other local clans, they're rather meager," Shiomi said. "I'm just doing what I can within my means to help the clan improve that situation."
Aesc was quite surprised, and she recalled it too. Shiomi had demonstrated that ability—the one that made fruit trees grow—right before her eyes, showing it to the princess. The only thing she could be certain of was that it wasn't Magecraft.
The sensible Aesc never inquired about its nature. Moreover, she could see that this power held no malice. Instead, it possessed a gentle quality capable of saving countless lives from suffering—a vast Mystery granting new life to both the dying earth and its inhabitants.
"Thank you," Aesc said sincerely.
She could sense the clan's atmosphere had lightened considerably lately. Knowing this year would bring a bountiful harvest, the clan's fairies now carried a fresh sense of hope.
If he was willing to wield this power, that dream—still unformed yet already deep within his heart—might become more tangible. It wasn't about bringing Britannia to an end, but about starting anew: saving the fairies tormented by the consciousness of sin, and building an 'Ideal Kingdom.'
Before that, however, she needed to share this idea with him, to let him know. Whether they could reach agreement, whether they shared the same aspirations—those were questions for later.
"Save your thanks for later. I borrowed the kitchen here and did my best to make some snacks."
Shiomi opened the box. "It's still a foreign land, and I'm not used to many things here. I hope the taste suits you."
It was a three-tiered food box filled with various still-warm pastries.
Closing the book, Aesc picked up a pastry from the plate and took a small bite. The sweet flavor and soft texture were more delicious than any pastry she'd ever tasted in the Rain Clan.
"Really delicious…" Aesc's eyes sparkled with delight.
"That's the best compliment I could ask for." Shiomi beamed warmly.
Meeting his radiant smile, Aesc's heart bloomed instantly. She naturally took Shiomi's hand, inviting him to sit down and savor the fruits of his labor together.
...
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