Winter (1)

It had already been three months since Reina moved to the Forest Prayer House.

After ending her life on the run with help from an angel-like knight and a member of the imperial family, she needed time to recuperate.

While Reina lay in bed, supported by the kindness of those she was grateful to, the crimes of Count Barker’s household were exposed to the entire world.

She had not been able to save all her friends, but the people who had been held in the Barker family’s underground detention site at the time were able to begin new lives.

It was like a dream—something she had never dared to hope for.

Reina had spent a long time bedridden, but it was difficult to restore her leg, which had healed wrong.

The doctor spoke carefully, saying she would have to live with crutches for the rest of her life.

Though the doctor did not say it outright, the eye that had been permanently damaged would also remain with Reina forever.

Reina did not mind.

To be able to sleep peacefully without the anxiety of being chased—was that not enough?

After leaving the hospital and moving to the Forest Prayer House, Reina felt even more at peace.

At times she would be seized by anxiety for no reason, but when she read the letters sent by an anonymous patron, her heart quickly settled.

The priests of the Forest Prayer House, the judges of the religious tribunal, and even the heretic inquisitors were all unbelievably kind.

She had worried people would fear her because of the scar across her face, but the girls approached her without hesitation and became her friends.

Someday she would have to leave this place too, but for now, the Forest Prayer House was Reina’s home.

Reina could not read, but she loved the Dawn Library beside the prayer house.

In the library’s parlor, a fireplace had already been installed along the wall.

When the girls left the dormitory to go study, Reina would come to the library parlor, leaning on her crutches.

Once daytime came and outsiders began coming and going, she felt she should leave her seat, so she went to the library as soon as dawn broke.

The librarian said she could stay anytime, but Reina could read fear and discomfort in people’s eyes.

She was not yet strong enough to endure that in silence.

So Reina savored the dawn of the Dawn Library as much as she could.

Tap, tap.

Unfamiliar footsteps approached through the quiet parlor.

Reina’s brown eyes flicked toward the sound.

After staying here for months, she could tell from the footsteps alone that the other person was a stranger.

“……”

Forgetting even what was proper, Reina stared blankly at the person who entered the parlor.

The thought that she should leave vanished the moment she saw the elegant silver-blue dress.

There were beautiful women among the priests of the Forest Prayer House, but they could not be compared to the woman who had just appeared.

The lady in the silver-blue dress carried an atmosphere unlike anyone else’s.

Her long black hair reached her waist—dark as night with a faint ash-gray sheen.

It was likely because it was such a deep, deep brown.

Her hair looked even darker because it contrasted with her bright skin.

Her features, set in a small face, traced clean lines.

The cold, delicate impression made her feel untouchable.

The uniquely poised lady turned to look at Reina.

‘I-I’m sorry.’

Reina realized she had been staring far too openly.

She needed to apologize, but when their eyes met, the cold beauty’s face felt far more chilling than when seen from the side.

“Hello. It’s cold, since it’s winter.”

The unfamiliar, striking beauty sat across from her and greeted Reina.

“H-hello…”

Reina wanted to ask.

‘You look like someone noble… aren’t you scared of my face?’

‘Can’t you see the scar across my face?’

A painting hung on the wall of the library parlor.

The lady in the silver-blue dress stared fixedly at Reina’s second-favorite painting.

A baby angel playing a lute.

Chubby cheeks, beautiful white clothes—the baby angel must be a great musician.

Even if the baby angel only plucked at the lute randomly, looking at that face would make you applaud.

As she stared at the painting, the lady’s cool face turned back to Reina.

If Reina hadn’t heard her warm voice, she might have feared the woman would say, “Get lost.”

“I’m Alicia.”

“…Ah. I’m Reina. Lady Alicia, it’s an honor to meet you.”

At Reina’s greeting, Alicia smiled faintly.

That alone softened her cold impression at once.

“Why do you think I’m a lady, Lady Reina?”

Alicia said, pouring tea into the cup on the table.

Each time a small smile was added, the chill faded more and more.

“I’m not a lady. And no matter who it is, anyone would know you’re a lady the moment they see you.”

“That’s surprising. I’ve always been worried people might think I look like a lady.”

Alicia smiled brightly at Reina.

Her gaze returned to the baby angel playing the lute.

“That’s what’s truly surprising. You’re so very… ladylike. Ah—my apologies. I spoke out of turn….”

Reina said, sipping tea as she followed Alicia’s lead.

“No. Thank you for saying that.”

Alicia replied with a gentle smile.

Reina couldn’t take her eyes off her—off the warm voice, the smile that could change an impression in an instant, the elegant gestures.

There was no way Reina would have known someone like Alicia.

And yet, strangely, she felt at ease and familiar.

Maybe it was because Alicia treated Reina so comfortably.

‘Um… have we met somewhere before?’

Reina had spent most of her time wandering the slums.

If she wasn’t in a run-down back alley, she was trapped somewhere dreadful.

There was no way someone like her could ever cross paths with a lady like the one in front of her.

Reina remembered how often, when she sang in back alleys, a large thug would approach her with some worthless line.

They always used the same obvious tricks.

It was the very line she’d just thought of.

‘Hey, haven’t we met somewhere before?’

‘No.’

Reina knew she would only receive the same firm answer she used to give, so she didn’t say anything foolish.

The lady in front of her was exceptionally kind—she would surely respond elegantly and beautifully.

Reina thought that someday, she too should become cultured and graceful like that.

Alicia watched the thoughtful Reina.

It looked like she might say something, but instead she turned her eyes back to the painting of the baby angel playing the lute.

Even the way she looked at a painting was perfect.

Reina suddenly recalled the angel-like knight and the imperial noble who had helped her.

They had insisted they were not angelic.

But to Reina, they were beings even greater than angels.

As one thought led to another, Reina suddenly realized something.

Alicia, here in front of her, must be connected to Reina’s angels.

The person supporting Reina now was helping through Knight Roderick.

The patron sometimes sent letters through Roderick.

When Reina first received a letter, she had asked Roderick to tell her what it said, and afterward she asked the prayer house priests to read them.

Even discounting the young priestess’s exaggerations, the patron was a remarkably refined lady.

A lady just like the one in front of her.

“Lady… do you like the lute?”

“I like listening to it. I don’t have any talent. Do you like the lute, Reina?”

In all their letters, Reina and the patron had never spoken about the lute.

Roderick might have told her about Reina, but he didn’t seem like the type to chatter about others.

“I don’t particularly like the lute, but I can play a little. I’m better at singing than the lute. But I’m not doing either right now.”

Reina said, lifting her eyes to the painting of the baby angel playing the lute.

“If you ever feel like it, please play me a piece.”

At Alicia’s warm words, Reina became certain.

The lady in front of her was the angel-like patron who supported Reina.

In a letter Reina had sent through someone else, she had once said something similar:

She’d had a trade, but after treatment she’d lost her will, and she was afraid, so she couldn’t bring herself to do it again.

The patron had kindly comforted her, saying she should try again when the time came that she wanted to.

“If that could happen, it would be a great honor for me, Sirius.”

Reina said what she had realized.

Alicia, who had been looking at the painting, startled and turned to her side.

“…Ah—who told you?”

Reina shook her head gently.

“You said something just now that I’d heard in a letter, so I thought that must be it. It’s late, but… truly, thank you. To me, Sirius, you’re someone higher than an angel.”

Reina’s mysterious voice whispered the tender words.

Alicia looked at Reina with a subtle expression.

“If the day comes when you want to play and sing again, please grant me the honor of requesting one piece from you.”

Alicia pressed down what she truly wanted to say and offered a polite response.

Reina had the most beautiful, mysterious voice of anyone Alicia knew.

Her singing was so superb it could be called heavenly.

But Alicia could not act as though she knew anything about Reina’s singing or playing.

It was a truly strange feeling.

Alicia remembered Reina as someone close as a friend—someone she was grateful for— but to Reina, Alicia was a stranger.

“I think… I’ll want to sing again soon.”

“That’s good news.”

Reina and Alicia smiled at each other.

“I really want to let you hear my song someday.”

“I’ll wait.”

Alicia beamed and rose from her seat.

Watching her, Reina hesitated, then opened her mouth.

“Lady Alicia… you have purple eyes, don’t you?”

“Yes…”

Alicia answered, recalling a memory from far beyond time.

Reina looked at Alicia with a dreamy, girlish face.

“It might be superstition, but… long ago, people believed purple eyes had the power to ward off curses.”

“If I had that power, I think it would be nice.”

Alicia said, just as she had when she first heard those words.

“To me, Lady Alicia… you’re someone who drove away my curse.”

Back then, Reina had only smiled.

But today, she spoke with heartfelt sincerity.

“Thank you for thinking of me that way. I should be going now. See you again.”

“I hope I may see you again…”

“I’ll invite you.”

Alicia patted Reina’s hand and left the library.

Before coming here, Alicia had thought it would be enough just to see Reina’s face—no longer exhausted and gaunt.

In truth, Reina, recuperating at the Forest Prayer House, looked comfortable.

Her hair was neatly trimmed to an even length and tied back, and her clean clothing gave her a scholarly air rather than an artist’s.

Her small, thin body looked better than before after rest and care, though compared to others she was still slender enough to feel pitiful.

Reina’s overall impression was so mystical that the scar on her eye and her injured leg did not stand out much.

Compared to the past, Reina was far better.

The Reina Alicia remembered was different from the Reina now.

Back then, Reina had used the name Alena to hide her identity while fleeing Count Barker’s pursuit.