Chapter 3.3

C H A P T E R 3

Episode 9

Her nostalgic and calm beautiful appearance made Ian relieve his stiff feelings and convey a word to Elsia in a friendly manner.

“…….”

“Count?”

When her lips opened to call him, Ian had the illusion that something was flowing freshly in his heart. He jerked his head to reply;

“Call me Ian. Did you forget everything I said before?”

“Haaa, but.…!”

“Commoner or not, you are an envoy sent by his Highness the Crown Prince. In terms of imperial law, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, be comfortable.”

Ian was curious why she kept correcting herself whenever she called him.

‘Ian, Ian Cypris.’

The real owner of the name would have no idea how many times that special noble name hovered secretly in her lips, how sadly she whispered on her pillow.

Calling out that special name in front of him, only her dolls knew her secret.

She really loves him.

Ian jokingly said to Elsia, who was standing and unable to move.

“Hmm, I see. If you don’t call me Ian, I’ll send you back to the capital under the command of Count Cypris, whom you love so much.”

“Yes, yes?!!”

He smiled coyly at Elsia, who was embarrassed.

“Now, call me by my name. I don’t think it’s hard to say my name. It’s actually shorter than your name and easier to memorize.”

“But…”

“Hurry.”

Elsia lowered her shy gaze on the carpet. In the end, It would be a fascinating memory that will last for the rest of her life as she gave up on his stubbornness.

A bundle of creamy hair covered her ears. Ian looked into those hazel-brown eyes, half visible. Soon, his name flowed carefully from her red lips.

“Ian-nim…”

“I don’t think I remember telling you to use an honorific on me?”

“As expected, this is really inappropriate.…!”

Elsia, who barely succeeded in calling Ian’s name, forgot the doll in her arms and shook her hand. White Bunny fell on the floor and pouted his little mouth.

She was afraid that calling Ian’s name would make her fall for him even more.

In addition, when she met the crown prince at his peak, she was restrained twice. Once, by his close aide, and another was her colleague who was training puppet techniques together with her. She was bitter. It was sad that a young and unmarried crown prince was a target of glares because he was acting gently.

At the same time, Elsia realized that she was a commoner, the bottom of the system and should openly address them properly. Until she was found by the crown prince, Elsia lived with her grandparents and was away from conflict. The capital made her wary of others while little by little trying to adapt to the harsh world.

Elsia, who realized it, became more careful when dealing with Conrad, especially since those people around her hated her just because she looks a little close to a person who had a higher status. Even more so after White Bunny opened his eyes and went to the temple of the Tyr Church to be tested.

“Hmm, is that so?”

“Yes.”

Ian paused for a while and spoke quietly.

“Elsia, winter is really cold in this castle. All of us are men and young, but the elders always suffer from a cold and pass out.”

“It’s okay!”

“What do you mean it’s okay…? Tsk, if you are obliged to stay because of his highness’ orders, I will write him a letter for you.”

“I’m really fine, I’ll stay here.”

When Elsia spoke with a sincere expression, Ian no longer stopped her. Elsia, who safely obtained permission to stay in Eusley Castle for the winter, returned to her bedroom and sighed deeply. It was such a blessing to be able to stay in the same space for a few more months, it felt like she was drowning in sweet cream.

White Bunny, who had not received much attention since falling on the floor, grumbled as he tickled Elsia’s ankle.

[ Hmm, Why do you like that icy guy that much? I don’t know why. I don’t understand why humans are so impatient with love. In the past and even now. ]

“Bunny!”

[ Be thankful to me, hmm? It’s a surgery that’s easy to do in the winter. I made an excuse for you on purpose. ]

Was it something like that? Knowing how great her healing doll is, Elsia became more ashamed towards Ian. What if he finds out about this foolish heart that even dolls helped her with it? Without answering, she crawled up to the bed, hugged the pillow and sheets, all to hide her hot face.

White Bunny laughed mischievously and came to Elsia’s side.

[ If you’re not a fool, make the man yours this winter, my timid master. When alone, grab him by the collar and kiss him on the cheek. You don’t have a chance after that guy’s hand recovers, won’t you? ]

Despite the doll’s desired advice, Elsia did not do anything towards Ian.

No, it’s correct to say that she couldn’t do it because she was too conscious.

The rest of the men in Eusley Castle ignored the interior, making it difficult to easily access his bedroom. What if she gets misunderstood while hovering around Ian for nothing when his treatment was re-scheduled? Her goal was not easy at all.

One day, she even expressed pessimism that she was cursed by a statue who shouldn’t say that she liked Ian, even though no one is interrupting her love!

Elsia’s biggest enemy was Elsia herself.

‘Foolish, idiot. I’m such a fool.’

While her stomach was burning, Ian often took care of Elsia. He wasn’t cold and was treating her quite differently from her memory. Elsia was moved by this every time.

Her bedroom was moved in a warmer place, and an additional indoor shutter was attached to prevent the cold from coming in. The day before yesterday, he trimmed a large and thick fur rug as a special gift for her. It was such a waste to lay it on the floor that she sometimes stepped on the rug barefoot.

However…

They are at the same place but do not meet every day. She became happy for a moment when she thought he was somewhere in this castle, but she soon lost her energy and became sullen. She had no idea she was this impatient.

Elsia was alone that day because she was ashamed. Someone knocked on the door just when she was about to pour hot water into her cup.

“Who?”

“…Elsia, are you sleeping?”

A voice that she wanted to hear so much came through the door.

“No! I’m awake!”

Elsia was startled. Ian visited her room in person late at night, not anyone else. When she opened the door, Ian pointed to the curtain window inside the bedroom.

“It’s snowing for the first time. Isn’t it a waste to stay indoors?”

“It’s snowing now?”

Elsia didn’t look at the closed window because Ian said the castle has always been cold. Woody did all the cleaning, so she didn’t have to touch it.

“Yes, it is.”

“Really? Oh, it’s snowing!”

Elsia pulled the curtain back and was surprised. As Ian said, white snow was endlessly falling from the sky. She exclaimed over the window, looking at the snowy garden. How could she have not seen such a beautiful scene?

Ian, who was still behind her, was hesitant and broke her appreciation.

“Elsia, if you’re not sleepy, why don’t we go to the warm drawing room and look at the snow? It’s the first evening snowfall, it’ll be a waste to sleep early.”

“Really? I’d like that!!”

When Elsia heard the unexpected offer, she quickly followed him with noticeable joy. Ian laughed and took the lead in taking her to the drawing room.

Perhaps prepared by the butler, the room was equipped with several potted Poinsettia and several decorations. However, the design was left in the warehouse for a long time, so that the bell did not rattle when touched.

“Well… Elsia?”

Ian, who was excited about the snow, was secretly worried that she might be disappointed by the design.

“Yes?”

“I’m thinking about making a wreath since it’s snowing. Can you help me?”

“Wreath?”

She faltered.

Usually, if you introduce yourself as a puppeteer, people would guess that they are good with their hands. Of course, it was also correct because the percentage of puppeteers making dolls by themselves is high.

However, in the recent decades, the number of puppeteers has plummeted.

Therefore, those who only heard of the puppeteers often misunderstood Elsia.

‘Elsia Bennett’s dexterity was good, that is why she was a puppeteer.’

But it wasn’t the case at all. She was much worse at sewing than other women, and did very little in the overall process of making the doll’s body. She just had innate talent in fusing the soul and the doll’s body that was why she became a puppeteer. When the core was synthesized and the earnest origin was fused, other puppeteers were shocked to see her process when she made her doll.

Fortunately, Ian was going to make his own wreath while risking his hands.

“Well, if you give me the leaves, I’ll slowly make it with one hand.”

He grabbed the wreath’s frame on the table, sat on the sofa, and tried to pull up the Poinsettia pot with his left hand. Elsia quickly approached and held the pot with both hands to place it in front of him.

“…… As expected, everything gets caught because I can’t use my hands. I’m sorry I bothered you when I asked you to come out, Elsia.”

When Ian laughed bitterly, Elsia quickly denied it.

“No, if it weren’t for Count, I wouldn’t have known it was snowing and just slept.”

“Ian.”

“Uhm……Ian.”

When she called his name, Ian’s sunken eyes lit up a little.

Ian brought scissors and began to cut the leaves one by one from the Poinsettia pot. Of course, it was achieved because Elsia caught the leaves and held the branch for him. A pretty wreath was made with their efforts.

Elsia was amazed.

“Wow, you’re amazing.”

“Only with this.”

“……It’s a shame, but I’m not good with my hands at all. There is a puppeteer who makes his own clothes full of lace and changes it all week, but I can’t do that at all.”

“Hahaha, if you can make it, will you put it on White Bunny? I don’t think he’ll like it that much.…. What about Woody? If you look inside the castle, there is actually a maid’s uniform. Do you need it? It shouldn’t overlap with the design of the wreath.”

“A maid uniform for Woody?” (Laughs)

Although it would be cute for white bunny, it looks ridiculous for Woody, who specialized in dull work, to wear a ribbon or lace, worse on a maid’s uniform.

Elsia forgot that she was very nervous because she was in front of Ian, whom she likes, and smiled cheerfully like her original personality.

The smile from Elsia’s face was much brighter than the sparkling light from the silver candlestick left by the butler. Ian had another warm feeling of something flowing in his heart, just like when he was with her in the past. Such vividness as if the spring stream under the ice was rippled.

He ignored it and hurried Elsia by turning his gaze on the wreath.

“……Let’s complete the wreath first.”

“Sure!”

Elsia held the nearly completed wreaths, and Ian tied the trimmed branches tightly, completing two winter wreaths in total. The Poinsettia branch was properly pruned, making her proud of their achievements.

Elsia and Ian sat side by side with poinsettia wreaths and looked at the window where snow poured endlessly. As it got darker and darker, Ian asked her,

“Is it cold here?”

“No, the air is so hot that it doesn’t feel cold at all.”

Before she came in, the air in the drawing room was hot due to the new firewood. Of course, the biggest reason she felt hot was because she sat beside the person she liked so much.

“Here you go.” He said, handing over one wreath.

“…Are you giving it to me?”

“If a wreath is hung on the door at the first snow, happiness and luck will come, right? So hang it on your door and sleep. Also… It’s late, you’d better go to bed before the night gets any deeper. I’ll walk you back.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Elsia answered quickly, taking the wreath he made. She wanted to see if there was any preservative aid in her luggage. The wreath made of real flowers will not last long and will wither soon. She wanted to permanently preserve the wreath, so that she would not forget today’s happiness. Ian working with his hands made her happy even before they completed the wreath.

Ian was Elsia’s blue bird.

[ TL/N: Blue bird is an idiom for happiness. There is a legend about it. ]

Haden, who watched the scene of two people going back to Elsia’s bedroom side by side, smiled at the sight. Seiran lightly patted Haden on the back.

“Seriously? She gave up the chance to return home to take a leisurely walk on the first evening’s snow?”

“What do you mean? Small memories help relax the mind and body, Sir Seiran knows nothing at all.”

Seiran’s expression as he kept his eyes until their backs became smaller and somewhat bitter.

“As you said, it is true that the owner has become brighter when Ms. Bennett came. But… If we were to be fine in such a short time, we wouldn’t have had to escape here as if we were being chased. I did everything I could at that time, but I couldn’t fix the master’s broken spirit. You shouldn’t let your guard down until the master returns to the capital either.”

Knowing Ian for a long time, Seiran’s words were very meaningful.

“Hey, what are you talking about? Since he was just sick, won’t everything be solved when spring comes? Hehe. Elsia is as beautiful and sweet as the messenger of spring in fairy tales, don’t you think so? I believe everything will be fine.”

Even with Haden’s bright words, Seiran had a shadow casted over his face.

“I don’t know… It would be nice if the master wasn’t forced to do anything. If it works out as you said, I wouldn’t want anything more. Haden, It’s late at night, we should go to bed, too.”

***

That night, Elsia couldn’t sleep easily.

She diluted the preservative all night long on the wreath given by Ian and blew it with her breath to dry. It was not until she had a headache as she blew the smelly solution with her mouth for so long that she remembered she had Woody. She called him and lied down on the bed, urging Woody to finish the job for her.

‘Ian… Thank you.’

She had no idea why he suddenly took care of her. Was it because it was the night of the first snow? He even made this wreath when he was unable to use his hand.

She was drunk on a faint dream as she watched Woody holding the wreath and fanning his hands in the distance.

Her dream was that someday-

When Ian opens his heart to Elsia, he would hold hands with her, hug her warmly, and have small talks while walking in a snowy garden together.

She hoped to be together forever in a relationship formed by love.

Elsia was happier than anyone else in the world as she slept deeply.

“Ian…”

The night when the first snow had fallen, everything was frozen in Eusley Castle.

END OF EPISODE 9