ALL NOVEL In the end, the clothes I wore were just a simple dress.
On top of that, I wore a cape to protect myself from the cold.
It was obvious I would be freezing if I just went out like that.
“Haah…”
Of course, it was still cold now.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
At times like this, I really envied the Northerners.
How do they naturally adapt to this cold?
That’s why this world must be fantasy.
“First, let’s have lunch. It’s my first time coming down to the territory like this. Do you know where to go, Sophia?”
“Yes.”
Even though it was Northern cuisine, it was still food for commoners.
Most of the food was grilled, steamed, or preserved.
Or maybe just boiled?
There would probably be more boiled dishes due to the Northern environment.
“Let’s eat at a decent place. I’m sure you don’t want to draw too much attention, Young Master.”
If Kyle wanted to draw attention, he would have worn those luxurious clothes made of high-quality fabric he usually wears.
But right now, Kyle was in clothes made of the kind of material that commoners wore.
Well… regardless of that, anyone could tell that Kyle was a person of the Eristirol Family.
His hair was white, after all.
In the North, such people were only from the Eristirol family.
I felt the same back when I came with Catherine; the territory residents were quite perceptive.
They knew very well that Kyle didn’t want to attract attention.
“Young Master, let’s go into that shop over there.”
There was a decent-looking shop.
It certainly wasn’t a shabby place.
The shop’s interior looked like someone had put some thought into it from the outside.
“Um…” “Young Master, if you don’t mind, can I place the order?”
“Oh, could you do that? I’d be grateful.”
“Then…”
I ordered simple, tasty food that Kyle would like.
The steak here probably wouldn’t suit Kyle.
It wouldn’t be super high-end meat, and it would likely be of lower quality than what he usually ate.
“It’s sausage.”
“That’s right.”
Most of the food commoners eat is sausage.
It’s not the aromatic kind that nobles eat, but it still has some flavor.
After all, commoners have to keep their food for a long time, so it’s inevitable.
“And this is soup, and this is meat stew.”
“That’s right.”
It was the most basic diet imaginable.
There was bread for dipping, meat, and more meat.
With this, Kyle would probably enjoy his meal.
“Dig in.”
We started our meal together.
Kyle probably savored the food I ordered for him.
I hadn’t cooked it, but it was nice to see him eat so happily.
After a short lunch, Kyle and I went back outside.
“Where to next?”
“Well… I came out, but I didn’t decide where to go.”
Yeah, I kinda figured that would be the case.
Kyle, who had never been down to the territory, wouldn’t know where to go or what’s good.
I don’t know either.
“Then, if you’re okay with it, how about we walk around the territory together?”
I thought that wasn’t a bad idea.
Besides the cold, the scenery of Eristirol was actually quite beautiful.
“It sounds good.”
I strolled down the streets with Kyle.
Fortunately, the weather today wasn’t too cold.
I wondered if God was blessing us for going out like this.
It was completely different from yesterday’s weather.
That said, it wasn’t warm enough to take off the cape, but it was sufficient.
“Sophia, how did you spend your time before?”
“Are you talking about the past?”
“Yes.”
The past…
Well, I didn’t really have much to talk about.
I had already told Kyle about the interesting stories before.
“Other than what I told you before, there’s really nothing much. I just graduated from a boarding academy and started as an adventurer.”
Honestly, there was nothing beyond that to explain.
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“Have you ever experienced love, Sophia?”
“Love…? You’re asking me?”
So Kyle finally showed some interest in that kind of stuff.
It was surprising to hear such words from the boy who used to say he had no interest in women.
Once his coming-of-age ceremony is over, Kyle would probably meet a fine noble lady.
Perhaps one of the three I met last time?
It could be, but who knows?
“Never experienced it.”
I had many confessions come my way, from both guys and gals.
Thanks to that, I had quite a tough time.
“Really…?”
“Yeah.”
Well, it might sound a bit ridiculous to say I had yet to date at this age.
But it couldn’t be helped.
It just felt strange to date when one of us was a girl mentally but physically a woman.
When I got confessions from guys, it felt awkward, but from girls, it was just plain strange.
It’s generally odd for a girl to confess to another girl, right…?
It felt ridiculous to be puzzled by receiving a confession from a girl while mentally identifying as a guy.
Anyway, it was just strange.
I wasn’t normal enough for dating.
“I did get confessions while in boarding school or as an adventurer, but I turned them down each time.”
“I see…”
“If you ever find a lady you like, I hope it goes well for you.”
“… Yeah.”
“Of course, love isn’t that easy, but I’m sure you’ll handle it just fine, Young Master.”
Whether it be looks, physique, specs, or personality, everything about him was almost like a cheat, so he’d have no problems.
Maybe it’d be better for him to worry about my love life instead?
I’ve reached this age and still have never had love or romance…
“By any chance, Young Master, do you already have someone you like?”
I didn’t know much about Kyle’s romantic status.
Since that time, I’d only communicated sporadically via letters with those few ladies I saw.
Catherine and Lily were supposed to visit the territory, but they hadn’t come yet.
“… If that’s the case…?”
If that’s the case?
What’s the big deal?
“I’ll cheer for you.”
I said that with a smile.
It wasn’t my place to care who Kyle liked or didn’t.
Even as a direct servant, I was still just a servant.
The basic role of a servant is to follow their master’s wishes.
“If I can help you with the lady you like, I will.”
“……”
“Do you already have someone…?”
“…. Yes.”
“Uh…?”
He already likes someone?
Could it be one of those three?
All of them had outstanding looks, so it wouldn’t be surprising.
Of course, I didn’t know much about the personalities of the other two aside from Catherine.
“That’s great. I was worried you might be a… well, you know… but you’re not.”
“…”
We continued walking through the snowy streets, chatting along the way.
Kyle walked next to me with an uncomfortable expression.
What was bothering him?
“Umm…”
Could it be me that felt uncomfortable?
We’d spent years together, so there should be no reason to feel awkward.
He might act differently during class, but usually, he didn’t show such a demeanor.
There must be something bothering him today.
“Hmm…”
Even though we had just finished and returned, I decided to ask Kyle.
If he felt unwell or hurt, it could be serious.
These days, Kyle was using his body a lot due to his heir lessons, so it would be dangerous if he got hurt.
In front of Kyle’s room, I already stood there after finishing my tasks.
“Young Master, are you there?”
– Sophia?
I heard Kyle’s voice from inside.
He answered with a slightly surprised tone.
It was understandable since I rarely came at this time.
“May I come in for a moment?”
– J-just a second!
Kyle told me to wait a moment.
Was he doing something inside?
Oh, he might be taking off his clothes because he was hot.
I understood since Kyle sometimes slept without a top.
After about three minutes, Kyle opened the door for me.
He had some sweat on his face and collar.
It must have been really hot in there.
“Young Master, I’ll open the window for a moment.”
“…. Yes.”
By the way, there was a pleasant scent wafting from inside.
A sweet fragrance.
I still didn’t know exactly what it was.
“Hmm… sniff sniff…”
It was a bit sweet and dreamy.
“Young Master, is there any part of you that feels unwell?”
“…. Huh?”
More than that, I came because I was worried about Kyle’s health.
The scent was one thing, but Kyle was the priority.
“I noticed your expression didn’t look good when we were walking earlier… I was worried. Is there anywhere that hurts?”
“ᄋ… No, nothing hurts…”
“…. Is that so?”
His expression on the way seemed off for someone who was fine…
“Young Master, are you really okay? You’re sweating right now…”
In reality, was that sweat from the heat or illness?
No matter how resilient the Northerners were, staying outside like this every day could lead to catching a cold, couldn’t it?
That was quite a plausible scenario.
Kyle had been going to the snowfields every day for his heir lessons recently.
“Are you okay?”
“… It’s just that it’s hot. My expression was just misinterpreted, right?”
“Yes…?””What you saw was probably just a normal expression, and you misread it.”
“… Did that really happen…?”
Well, I guess it’s possible…
But I had been watching Kyle’s face closely.
“Sophia, you worry about me a lot. Don’t fret and get some rest. It’s quite late, and a lady visiting a man’s room…,”
“…?”
Kyle somewhat casually threw me out.
Well, he wasn’t wrong, but did he really need to say that to me now?
Once I stepped outside, I missed the pleasant scent that lingered inside the room.