Chapter 3

I was speechless at the repeatedly asked question of who I was.

What should I say?

Of course I’m Ashella de Ach.

If I told this guard the truth, I’ll surely be chased away as a crazy bitch.

But if I said my commoner name, there was no way he would take me seriously.

“The Duchess… No, I want to see the Viscountess.”

“The Lady? Do you have an appointment scheduled?”

“I don’t… Is it really not possible to see her if I don’t have an appointment?”

The guard laughed at my question in a dumbfounded manner. At the moment, the way he looked while chewing the squid seemed obnoxious.

“Wow. Have you ever seen such an absurd woman? Do you think a noble woman would meet a commoner at any given time?”

The guard was right.

But mother was a person who would meet a commoner as long as she didn’t have something important to do.

It’s not likely that mother’s values would have changed. It must be this guard acting on their own.

“Viscountess de Ach always answers whenever a commoner requests to meet. Do you really not know that?”

“What… What did you say?”

“If it’s too difficult to see the Viscountess, then I want to see the Viscount. I’m not expecting you to guide me. Just let me in.”

“I’m speechless! Look, young lady. Even if this noble family is falling, it is still a Viscount’s residence!”

“…I’m aware.”

“Even though our masters treat commoners so kindly, there are exceptions to rude commoners like you!”

“Rude? Who’s the rude, impolite human here…!”

“That’s enough! Go away! Where did this commoner come from and start making a scene?”

The guard refused to listen to me any longer and waved his hands around. He turned his head the other way and I felt that there was going to be no use in talking to him anymore.

“Fine, we’ll see. That rude guard…….!”

If this was the house of de Ach, the winner was going to be me. But it’ll be a hassle and take some time.

After I laughed in the guard’s face, I sat down on the road a few feet away from the house.

“Huh? Hey hey, hey! What are you doing there?!”

Sure enough, the guard began questioning me with fire in his eyes.

“Why are you doing this? Do you own the land this road is on?”

“Young lady! Are you in your right mind?”

“Yes. I’m perfectly sane. Truthfully, it’s only been a while since I’ve regained my sanity, so I’m a little confused. But I’m still in the very! best! condition I’ve been in out of the past 10 years!”

“What is this kid even saying?”

This time, I ignored the guard’s words, stretched my legs, and then leaned on the wall. My parents are people, so they’ll come out of the mansion at some point. I would be fine with my little siblings too. If anyone came out, the fight would end.

“I have to see the Viscount or Viscountess, so I’m going to wait here! If you don’t like that, you could just open the mansion door for me.”

“Ugh! This crazy bitch! She’s totally insane. Where did this crazy weird bitch come from……!”

The guard continued to swear and grumble at me, but he didn’t try to do anything to me by force.

Relaxing my body, I hugged my bag tightly to my chest.

Ah. My circumstances are so unfortunate.

To think that it’d be this hard and sad to meet my family.

Can one of you hurry and come?

I’ll be waiting.

* * *

It was a very cold winter day.

“Lahadelt! You’ve been waiting for a while, right?”

It had been exactly one year since the day Hadel gathered up the courage to ask me to be his friend.

On that day, I promised Hadel to go to the lower village with him for the first time. And it was also the first time I had ever made Hadel wait.

“It’s okay. Let’s go.”

Although he must have been waiting for a while, he just smiled happily and grabbed my hand.

Then, with an excited heart, I went on a trip to the lower village with him.

The lower village, which I’ve never been to before, was confusing and noisy.

“Can you tell me what kind of people there are?”

Finally realizing, I turned to Hadel. I hadn’t thought about how Hadel wouldn’t be able to see all those people because he was blind.

However, Hadel must have been excited, as he smiled with an expectant face.

“Um, on the left side, there’s a huge shop. I think it’s a dress shop. Wow, there’s so many pretty clothes. There’s a lot of people inside! I think they’ve all come to buy clothes.”

“I see. A dress shop. What else? What about on the right?”

“On the right, there’s a grandpa standing and holding an instrument…”

Like that, I described the surroundings of the street to Hadel for a while.

Although it was hard at first, I was already used to explaining things to Hadel.

Hadel listened to me talk, listened to the sounds, and felt the wind happily.

“Asha, I heard from Sir Coleraine.”

“Hm? Heard what?”

“I heard that they’re having fireworks at the lower village at dinner time.”

“Fireworks?”

“Yup. I heard that they’re like flowers made of fire in the sky. If we go to a place that’s high enough and watch, he said they’re going to be really pretty.”

“But Lahadelt, you…”

You can’t see. Are you still fine with that?

I swallowed the second half of my sentence.

It was because Hadel had an expression like he really wanted to go.

“Asha, it’s fine if you explain it. Just like how you’ve been doing until now.”

Hadel’s pink eyes that couldn’t focus on anything seemed brighter than ever.

I really loved your sparkly eyes. They were like shining gems.

“Okay, let’s go!”

So we held hands again and went up a nearby mountain.

Since there were already a lot of people around to see the fireworks, the path wasn’t scary.

“Lahadelt, hold my hand tightly. The path is uneven.”

“Okay, don’t worry. I’m still fine.”

Although we climbed the mountain enthusiastically, since there were already so many people, I could only find a spot in a random corner.

After stomping your feet a few times, you gave up and sat down on the grass before asking me, “Asha, can you see the sky well? Are we sitting in a good place?”

I, who didn’t want to disappoint Hadel, answered, “Of course! It’s great. We got the best spot!”

“…I see. That’s a relief, Asha.”

At that time, I truly thought you believed me.

Since you were smiling so happily.

And since you couldn’t see, how would you even know whether or not it was a good spot?

But on the day you proposed to me, you told me, “If you marry me, I’ll let you see the fireworks from the best spot next time.” Do you know how surprised I was?

“Asha, I think it’s about to start.”

“Oh? You’re right. Everyone’s gotten quiet.”

Boom-!

Boo-boom-!

The fireworks I saw that day was something I would never be able to forget.

The countless fireworks in the sky.

The exploding sound that made my ears hurt.

The dark night sky that was filled with white, before spreading with different colours, was so beautiful.

“Wow… it’s pretty.”

I was so busy watching the fireworks that I forgot to explain how they looked to Hadel.

Then, suddenly filled with that realization, I looked to find a smiling Hadel, who was looking at the sky with eyes that couldn’t see.

“Since Asha’s happy, I’m happy.”

“Sorry! I told you I would explain. I’m an idiot!”

“It’s okay. We can come again.”

“But…”

“Then Asha, can I ask for a favor instead?”

“Of course! Just say it.”

“Then…”

Hadel hesitated for a moment. Opening and closing his mouth several times, his cheeks turned red before he finally spoke.

“We… decided to be friends.”

“Hm? Yeah, yeah.”

“It’s been exactly one year from today.”

“Ah… you’re right. Wow, Lahadelt’s memory is so good!”

“So, can you- …too?”

Bo-bo-boom-!

“Huh? What? Say it again!”

“So… a nickname. Can you call me by a nickname, too?”

After saying that, Hadel hid his face as if he was embarrassed.

“Yup!”

His ears were so red, it almost seemed like there was smoke coming from above his head.

I got embarrassed along with him, blushing.

“O-of course. Of course I can do something like that…! What’s your nickname, Lahadelt?”

“…I don’t have one.”

“Huh? You don’t have a nickname?”

“I don’t. Since nobody ever gave me one.”

“I see… then can I make one for you?”

“Yup! I’d be really happy!”

“Um… okay, Hadel. Let’s go with Hadel!”

I didn’t put much thought into it and chose it simply because it sounded pretty. This was only possible because I wasn’t aware that back then, people didn’t usually make nicknames using the middle of their name.

If I had known that you deliberated, waited, and prepared for one year to say these words, I would’ve thought more carefully before deciding on a nickname.

“Hadel… Hadel.”

Hadel repeated his nickname several times, before smiling brightly.

“Thanks, Asha! I love it!”

Your smile was so bright I could see your teeth, and your eyes squinted prettily.

Even your black hair was shining from the light of the fireworks.

I can never forget how you looked that day.

Just thinking about it right now makes my heart swell up with happiness.

* * *

“Mm.. I’m sorry, Hadel…”

My eyes opened suddenly.

My head felt foggy.

My surroundings had now become dark.

The guard who chased me out earlier was dozing off while leaning on the gate.

Wow, after acting like he was such a responsible guard, he’s sleeping now. This has to be a joke.

“Wow. Anyway, I must have been tired. I can’t believe I fell asleep.”

I dreamed about the past again.

Maybe it was a side effect of recalling 10 years worth of memories, but whenever I dreamed, I dreamed of the past, so it was painful.

“What’s the point if only the memories come back? All that comes from it is that I want to see him more…”

Haa.

The sighs came out unconsciously.

What do I have to do to enter the palace?

For now, as long as I meet my parents, I’ll be able to enter the palace somehow.

“But how has no one come out yet? It’s already night.”

What should I do?

What if they came out while I was sleeping and didn’t see me?

It was when I was in deep thought.

“Eru! I think you need to practice more.”

“Focus on yourself, sister. Don’t you remember how I beat you yesterday?”

In front of my eyes, I saw a girl and a guy arguing while walking towards me.

I was so shocked, I had to work hard to calm my thumping heart as I stood up.

Since the place they were approaching was the one and only, de Ach Viscounty.

No. There was an even more important reason.

Although 10 years had passed.

Although they had grown up.

How would I not be able to recognize them?

“…Ercian!”