101CF 07

Chapter : 07

“Count, thank you for taking such good care of my wife and children all this time. I owe you a great debt, so if Count Agnes ever calls upon me, I, Haile Peneus, will come running no matter where.”

Not long after Haile’s arrival, the Peneus family prepared to head north, almost as quickly as beans roasted over lightning fire.

Even though their belongings had multiplied during the year and a half they’d lived in the capital, they managed to pack everything within just a week.

It felt a little rushed, but since it was the long-awaited journey north, they couldn’t really call it too quick.

“Herwin, so now you’re really going north?”

“…Yeah.”

“Take care when you get there. Write letters regularly.”

“…Yeah.”

No matter how much Lucia and Lucas spoke to him, Herwin only responded half-heartedly.

“Sis, sis! You’re coming too, right?”

Just then, Henry, who had been playing a little distance away, toddled over and hugged Lucia.

Even when he couldn’t speak properly, Henry used to give Lucia kisses, and he still adored her.

“No, I’m not going.”

Hearing this, Herwin’s face hardened.

“Why not? Come with us, together with Henny.”

“Mm, that’s a bit difficult.”

Unhappy with the answer, Henry pouted.

“Henny’s going together with sis!”

“You little rascal, starting that again.”

Lucas chuckled and pried Henry away from Lucia.

Whenever Henry clung to Lucia, it was usually Lucas or Herwin who had to separate him. But today, Herwin only watched without interfering.

“Kids! It’s time to go!”

“Oh, I guess everything’s ready.”

Herwin’s expression grew even darker.

“Now, little one. You have to live well in the north, okay?”

“Nooo! I don’t want to! I’ll go with sis!”

Lucas hoisted Henry into his arms and left first. As the two disappeared, Lucia turned her gaze toward Herwin.

“Not going?”

Herwin didn’t answer her and instead suddenly stood up. Then, with the slowest steps he could manage, he began to walk.

“Herwin, what are you doing? Hurry up!”

Scarlett’s urging only slowed him down further. Herwin, staring at the floor, finally stopped walking. Lucia, noticing, stopped as well.

“Herwin, are you sick?”

“…Lucia.”

“Hm?”

He lifted his head and met her bright blue eyes. Something weighed heavy in his chest, something he wanted to say. But because he didn’t even know what the feeling was, he couldn’t put it into words.

All he managed was to move his lips without sound.

“Herwin!”

“Come on, let’s hurry. Madam will be angry.”

Not knowing his feelings, Lucia grabbed his hand and pulled him outside.

Was it because of the sudden burst of bright light? Herwin couldn’t see her clearly.

“We’re already late. We need to hurry.”

Scarlett urged him into the carriage, where Henry sat sniffling after crying himself out.

“Thank you for everything, Julian. Thanks to you, we made good memories here.”

“It’s nothing. Live well up there. Come visit again!”

It was finally time to part. Scarlett and Johann said their last goodbyes to Count and Countess Agnes before boarding the carriage.

“Hyah!”

The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage began to move.

Herwin, staring down at his hands resting on his knees, suddenly lifted his head.

“Oh, Herwin!”

Though he knew it was improper, he climbed onto Scarlett’s lap and stuck his head out the window.

“Lucia! Lucas! Don’t forget me, okay?”

“Yeah! Bye, Herwin!”

“We’ll write you letters!”

Luckily, his voice carried to them. Relieved, Herwin still felt a pang watching Lucia grow smaller in the distance.

She hadn’t shed a single tear when he said he was leaving. Not that he wanted her to cry, but at least…

I thought she’d feel sad like me…

It seemed like he was the only one reluctant to leave for the north.

That early summer, at six years old, on a day when an unusually cool breeze blew—he knew he would never forget it.

Time passed strangely fast and slow after Herwin left for the north.

For a few days, Lucia often sat dazed.

The empty space beside her, once always filled, left her uninterested in anything.

But it didn’t last long—children’s memories are short.

Still, she and Lucas never truly forgot their days with Herwin. Whenever they reminisced, a letter from the north would arrive, and the siblings would joyfully send a reply.

They exchanged letters for one, two, three months, until the seasons began to change. Gradually, the frequency of letters decreased.

The vivid memories, too, faded, and life in the present grew busier and happier.

One day, the letters simply stopped altogether.

It was a year after Herwin had left.

More time passed, and Lucia turned eight.

“You mean we’re going north?”

Enjoying tea with their parents, Lucas nearly spilled his cup.

“Yes. Do you remember the Peneus family who stayed with us before?”

“Uh…oh! You mean Herwin and Henry?”

“That’s right. They’ve invited us to spend this summer in the north.”

“Unlike here, the north stays cool even in midsummer. They say some places never lose their snow.”

“You’ll get to see Herwin and Henry again after such a long time.”

“Herwin…wow, it’s been forever. Right, Lucia?”

“Huh? Oh…yeah…”

Lucia trailed off, sipping her orange juice.

Lucas frowned—her reaction wasn’t what he expected. Then suddenly, realization struck him.

“…Don’t tell me, you don’t remember Herwin?”

“Mm, I do know who he is, but…”

“Maybe because you were too young? But you lived together for over a year.”

“No, I remember him. Just…not everything clearly.”

“Well, at least you do. I guess it makes sense. I can’t remember much from before I was seven either.”

Understanding, Lucas patted her shoulder and handed her a cookie.

As she nibbled, Lucia tried piecing together her memories of Herwin.

I’m pretty sure I thought he was like an angel.

The details were fuzzy—just fragments of images.

Black hair, red eyes, a face so handsome she’d mistaken him for a celestial being. And…kind of prickly?

She recalled him snapping when the kids teased him.

He hated being called girly or pretty, didn’t he?

Thinking about it, he didn’t seem to have the best temper. And yet, whenever she remembered him, the feeling was always pleasant.

Her parents and Lucas often said Herwin had looked after her, so perhaps they had been very close.

Lucia tried harder to picture his face, now blurry in her memory.

“Hee, I’m excited.”

She kicked her legs, thrilled at the thought of what awaited them in the north.

“Big brother, what are you doing?”

“Homework. Why? Need something?”

“Nope, I just wanted to see you.”

Henry smiled, his round eyes sparkling. Herwin chuckled and set down his quill.

Creak—

He climbed down from his chair and rolled his stiff shoulders.

Now eight years old, Herwin had grown into a boy no one would ever mistake for a girl again.

After two years of sword training, his build was already sturdy for his age. With tall parents, he was also taller than most children.

Tall, handsome, skilled in both studies and swordplay—Henry adored him with all his heart.

At five, Henry saw Herwin as his greatest pride.

“Oh! Right! Mom said guests from the capital are coming today!”

“Really? Then they’ll be here soon.”

“Yeah! She said they have a sister and a brother too. Do you remember who?”

“…Of course I do.”

“Are they nice?”

“I think so. I don’t remember everything clearly either—we’ll see when we meet them.”

“Is that so?”

Herwin patiently listened as Henry chattered away, never scolding him once.

Hand in hand, they strolled down the hall, when suddenly noise rose from the stairs below.

“It’s noisy.”

“Yeah, what’s going on?”

The brothers exchanged looks and moved toward the sound.

“They’ve grown so much. Time really flies.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Peneus.”

“Lucas, you’ve grown tall. How old are you now?”

It seemed the guests from the capital had already arrived. Henry bounced with excitement, while Herwin stood frozen, staring at the figures in the hall.

Faces once blurred in memory grew clearer—the kind Count and Countess Agnes, the friendly Lucas he’d followed around, and then…

“Oh? There they are. Boys, come down and say hello.”

Scarlett spotted them upstairs and beckoned.

As she stepped aside, a girl who’d been hidden came into view.

Eyes as bright as a clear summer sky met his.

“Herwin?”

Her voice overlapped perfectly with the one in his memory.

“…Lucia?”

“Wow! It really is Herwin!”

The girl he’d once thought was a fairy, Lucia, beamed at him with a radiant smile.

Herwin felt memories he’d forgotten begin to resurface.

“Woooow…so pretty.”

Lost in awe, he quickly came to his senses.

Looking down, he saw Henry, eyes sparkling as he gazed at the hall.

Before Herwin could stop him, Henry let go of his hand and bolted down the stairs.

“Wow, is that Henry? He’s grown so much.”

Watching Henry rush over, Lucas marveled.

Henry’s chubby cheeks wobbled as he ran full tilt.

“Ahh!”

“Pretty sis!”

And suddenly, he threw himself into Lucia’s arms.

“Henry…!”

Herwin called, but his voice was drowned out by Scarlett’s laughter.

“Hahaha, Henry still loves Lucia, doesn’t he?”

Even as Herwin frowned, Scarlett continued.

“Just like before. Lucia, remember? He adored you back then.”

“Did he?”

Lucas nudged his sister with a grin.