From a distance, a rosy blush was visible on Ciello’s face. Estribal stared blankly at the sight.
His original plan was to bring the usually troubled Ciello, rant about the opera, and hand over the tickets. He thought that Ciello, who likes new things, would naturally be pleased with his proposal.
But he was wrong from the start. Ciello was not uncomfortable at all. On the contrary, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
Has Ciello ever spoken so excitedly in front of him? He quietly recalled his memories. Surprisingly, many moments passed through his mind. They were even more excited and sparkling than now. It was just that they were constantly interrupted by his cold responses.
“…Duke? Duke, are you alright?”
When he came to his senses, the servant was calling Estribal with a flustered voice. Estribal, who had been standing as if nailed, shook his head lightly.
“I’ve confirmed that there’s nothing wrong. Go back.”
Estribal turned his feet. The world that had been shining in various colors disappeared like smoke as if it had never existed. But for Estribal now, even that gray was hard to bear, and he just wanted to close his eyes.
“Take this.”
Estribal handed an envelope to the servant. The servant opened the envelope and confirmed its texture with his fingertips. It was the opera ticket that the servant himself had obtained on Estribal’s orders.
“Duke? How can I take this…”
The surprised servant asked back, but Estribal replied coldly.
“Don’t ask any more. If you don’t need it, you can sell it or give it to someone else.”
Estribal left the flustered servant in place and returned to his office.
He sighed deeply and slumped into his chair. Dark thoughts began to creep up.
Given the situation, he wondered if it would be better to lock the mansion again. But this time, not forcefully, but more gently. So that Ciello, who knows nothing, can be lured and sit down.
Let’s have her take the music lessons he liked again. If she wants to leave the mansion, it would be good to buy some nearby stores. As a duke, he could also restrict the passage of unverified individuals.
Since she likes to do something on her own, it would be good to assign her only the easy tasks that the hostesses of the noble families do. Seeing her reading the etiquette book diligently even though it’s hard and she doesn’t like it, if she just learns the rules for party flower decorations, time will fly by.
Yes, a party. He could also throw a party just for Ciello. With flowers and food tailored to Ciello’s taste. The attendees can be unknown actors hired secretly. Since Ciello doesn’t know the faces of the nobles anyway, he could easily deceive her. So delicately and beautifully that she wouldn’t even think of the dazzling things like the founding ceremony.
If he does that, this mansion will become a small country for Ciello. Until the emperor is overthrown and the princess takes her place. Just until then…
“…Ridiculous.”
Estribal muttered, twisting his mouth. It was an absurd plan.
Ciello had already intervened too much in the situation, and if Ciello’s existence disappeared into the mansion, there were more than one or two people who would doubt it.
The princess, who needs Ciello’s healing ability before ascending to the throne, would be the first to doubt. The elders and the magician won’t care less either. And among them, the one who is most annoying to the eye, the millet-like thing, will make the most noise.
While he might be able to deceive Ciello himself, it was impossible to deceive everyone around Ciello.
“So this is what it means to become stronger.”
The magician said. Existence is time, and the meaning of existence grows as much as the time lived remains in the memory of others. Estribal glanced at the clock with a tired face. It was time to go to that magician’s place.
Estribal, who came out of the office, went down to where the carriage was. Ciello was waiting for him in front of the carriage.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“No.”
Estribal didn’t ask what Ciello had been doing, and Ciello didn’t speak first either. Estribal silently held out his hand, and Ciello gently overlapped her hand on top of his gloved hand and got into the carriage. Estribal climbed into the carriage, sighing with relief behind Ciello’s back. The fact that she didn’t avoid the escort was a great comfort to Estribal now.
****
“There’s no answer. The control is unstable.”
The first words of Reposa, who roughly heard their situation, were simple and short. Ciello’s mouth corners drooped at the firm answer. Estribal asked carefully.
“Is there no way to help?”
“As Duke said. Since sister is not a magician, she can’t control the power of the spirit with magic. From the beginning, that’s a difficult task even for a very excellent magician.”
Reposa glanced at the wilted Ciello.
“Why does a person who seems to live without any worries in the world do that? Say something.”
Reposa’s tone was sharp, but there was a subtle worry in it. Nevertheless, Ciello just laughed weakly.
Reposa sighed, saying, “Oh dear.” Reposa, who had been watching Ciello for a long time, knew well that when Ciello laughed like that, it meant she had no intention of answering.
“I was going to report that I found out about a way to temporarily amplify the power of existence, but that wasn’t the problem.”
“Amplification? What is it?”
At Ciello’s question, Reposa twirled her curly pink hair with a pen and answered.
“Well, the backlash is probably too big to use…It’s about mortgaging the future, not just the past you’ve lived.”
“Mortgaging the future? It sounds dangerous just hearing it.”
Estribal frowned. Reposa nodded.
“That’s right. It’s very dangerous. Because you’re pulling and using power with the memories you’ll accumulate in the future as collateral.”
Reposa spoke with a serious face.
“But theoretically, not only your current future, but also the future that the souls of future generations will accumulate, you can move hundreds of years at once.”
“Hundreds of years. It sounds great to hear, but if you’re a celebrity, you said it’s possible to do that much, right?”
Strangely, Estribal’s question seemed to confirm that a celebrity could turn hundreds of years without such a method, not asking about the danger of mortgaging memories.
“Well, of course, you would have to be famous enough to be mentioned in history books.”
At Reposa’s answer, Estribal nodded with a somewhat relieved face. Ciello, who noticed this, looked at Estribal with a slightly strange face, but Reposa’s words broke the flow.
“Anyway, if an ordinary person does such a thing, the power that exists in the world fundamentally decreases…In the worst case, the soul itself will lose the center of existence and wander around.”
“Oh my…”
Ciello, who had forgotten the discomfort that Estribal had shown, opened her mouth as if scared. Estribal also nodded seriously.
“I see. It’s important information, but I won’t use it. Let’s pretend we didn’t hear it.”
“Yes. I thought I should report it to you, but I don’t want to recommend it. After all, your existence is increasing very quickly.”
Reposa tapped on the thick paper to organize it.
“Anyway, I really can’t help you with this. Of course, I will continue to look for ways to control…I’m sorry.”
“I see.”
“Uh… But please look into it.”
“Yes. Sister. Take a rest. If you eat until you’re full and lie down in front of the fireplace, that’s heaven.”
Reposa’s words were something she used to say as a habit a long time ago. Ciello chuckled and nodded her head.
The two left the magician’s street without much harvest. At the entrance, the carriage they had ridden was waiting for them. Ciello asked him.
“Duke, how about a short walk?”
Estribal nodded and briefly called the coachman. The two walked down the alley, still keeping a slight distance. Although the area around the magician’s street was quiet because people didn’t go there, there was an opera flyer on the road in such a place. Ciello approached with a curious face and read the letters while touching.
“Duke, what does this read?”
Estribal asked nonchalantly.
“Do you want to watch it?”
His tone was flat, but his mind was racing. What if she wants to? Even if it’s late, he could buy tickets by paying a lot of money.
“No, I don’t really like sitting still…”
“I see.”
Estribal quickly extinguished the flame that had briefly flared up and nodded his head.
“Then shall we go in?”
“Already? We just came out.”
“Do you have something you want to do?”
“Not really, but…”
Ciello muttered.
“The ceremony is not far off. It’s dangerous to wander outside without a purpose.”
At Estribal’s words, Ciello fell silent.
‘I did it to you again.’
Estribal sighed inwardly and then said.
“But if you hide your appearance a little more, a walk would be fine. Let’s go around once and go to the carriage.”
Estribal fixed Ciello’s hat for her. Ciello flinched slightly, but she didn’t avoid him. He untangled Ciello’s tangled red hair under the hat with his fingers once, then took off his black coat and casually draped it over Ciello’s shoulders.
“Duke?”
Ciello looked at him with a slightly surprised face, but he casually spread out the pressed ribbon as if it was nothing. All of his actions were very slow. Ciello, who didn’t know what to do and rolled her eyes from side to side, spoke with a realization after a while.
“Ah…My feelings, they’re important, right?”
At her light smile, the center of Estribal’s chest sank heavily.
