The Banshee’s Prophecy Of Death (1)

Looking up at the window, I saw snowflakes fluttering through the gray sky.

This region was located in the western part of the kingdom, and according to the young man at the town hall, its climate wasn’t much different from that of the royal capital.

He had also told me that snowfall was about the same as in the capital, but apparently, in years with heavy snow, more than a meter could accumulate around my house because of its proximity to the mountains.

Once winter arrived in earnest, I would probably have my hands full clearing snow.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Thank you very much. Have a safe journey.”

My early-morning customers hurriedly wolfed down their warm porridge, made by simmering oats in milk, before rushing out the door.

Winter days were terribly short.

The weather tended to deteriorate as evening approached, so they were eager to cross the mountains while there was still daylight.

Apparently, it took approximately four or five hours by carriage to reach the fortress on the other side of the mountains.

The doorbell jingled, announcing another visitor.

“Lydia-san!”

“Oh, Noah! Welcome!”

The new arrival was Noah, the boy who regularly came to sell me mushrooms, wild vegetables, and other things.

He was accompanied by a woman who appeared to be his mother and a little girl younger than himself.

Noah introduced the two of them.

“This is my mom and my little sister, Mirei. Mom, this is Lydia-san!”

He usually carried himself with a maturity beyond his years, but today he wore a carefree, childlike smile.

The woman bowed her head to me.

“I’m Noah’s mother. Thank you for always taking care of my son.”

“Not at all. I’m the one who should be thanking Noah-kun for all his help.”

She was a beautiful woman, but she was terribly thin. Noah had also told me that his mother wasn’t particularly healthy.

Despite that, all three members of the family wore nothing more than thin cloaks. Their clothing was so inadequate for the weather that I worried they would soon freeze.

Once the introductions were over, Noah spoke to me in an excited voice.

“Lydia-san, we’re going to the fortress!”

“The fortress?”

“Yep! Mom got a job there, and we’re going with her!”

The local inhabitants referred to the military garrison responsible for guarding the border on the other side of the mountains as the fortress.

There were no major disputes between our country and its neighbor. On the contrary, trade between them flourished, which meant that bandits targeting merchants sometimes established hideouts in the surrounding mountains.

“That’s wonderful news.”

That was what I told Noah, but inwardly, I frowned.

The fortress was colder than this area. Wouldn’t its harsh environment be difficult for two small children, not to mention Noah’s mother, who apparently suffered from poor health?

However, because the fortress was situated in such a remote location, it was perpetually understaffed and apparently offered favorable employment conditions.

It was probably the only place in the area willing to employ a woman with two children while providing accommodation.

Perhaps the family had no other choice if they wanted to survive the winter.

“Yeah! I’m going to work really hard, too!”

“Oh, Noah!”

Looking at his mother, I could tell that she was also anxious about their new life. Nevertheless, she smiled affectionately at the innocent, cheerful faces of Noah and his sister.

“I see. Take good care of yourselves, and do your best.”

The family ordered porridge.

While they were eating, I boiled three eggs and prepared some simple sandwiches with ham and thoroughly drained sauerkraut between slices of black bread. I handed them the food to take along.

Apparently, the three of them intended to walk along the mountain road.

“Eat these on the way. And please be careful.”

“Thank you, Lydia-san!”

Fortunately, the snow had stopped falling outside, but a strong, icy wind was blowing. Even so, the three of them insisted on sticking to their plans and departed for the fortress.

“…………”

Was it really all right to let them go like this?

As I watched the three of them leave, I was overcome by an inexplicable sense of unease.

But what could I possibly do for them?

I shook off the unpleasant premonition and returned inside.

“Lydia…”

A blue-skinned brownie was standing there.

A total of four house fairies had settled in my home, but this particular brownie, with blue skin, blue hair, blue eyes, and a height that barely reached my knees, was the newest arrival. According to the brownie who had lived here for many years, she was someone he had never seen before.

Apparently, she had left her previous home and come here.

The breakfast customers had all departed, leaving the dining room empty. Nevertheless, there was no telling when the next customer might arrive. The cautious brownies ordinarily avoided appearing in the dining room during the day.

This blue-skinned brownie, in particular, seemed frightened of people, so this was something she—although I had no definite proof that she was female—would never normally do.

“What’s the matter, Brownie?”

When I spoke to her, the brownie, who resembled a little girl, trembled and looked up at me anxiously.

“You’re not going to throw me out, are you?”

“Of course not.”

“Really?”

“Really. You can stay here for as long as you like, until you no longer want to.”

The brownie breathed a sigh of relief.

“Then I’ll tell you. Those three are all going to die.”

“By those three, do you mean Noah and his family?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then you’re not actually a brownie. You’re a banshee, aren’t you?”

The banshee answered sorrowfully.

“…That’s what humans call me.”

Banshees were fairies said to foretell people’s deaths. Because of their ominous pronouncements, they were sometimes mistakenly regarded as evil fairies that brought death. However, they did not control death. Rather, they were said to warn others of the impending deaths of people close to them out of goodwill.

“So you can tell when someone is going to die?”

“Yes.”

The banshee nodded timidly.

Apparently, she had previously been shunned as an ill-omened fairy because she had warned someone of an impending death.

“Do you know how those three are going to die?”

The banshee answered without hesitation.

“An illness will spread through the fortress, and the mother will fall sick first. Then the children will get sick, too. All three of them will die before spring.”

“I see. Thank you for telling me.”

“You believe me?”

When I thanked her, the banshee blinked her blue eyes in surprise.

“Of course. Just as you placed your trust in me, I trust you.”

It was said that benevolent fairies repaid kindness with kindness.

This banshee would never do anything to harm me.

If I acted now, perhaps I could save all three of their lives.

“I’m going to bring them back. I’ll need to lock up the house, so could you help me? I’ll pay you one cookie.”

The banshee smiled happily.

“Yes, of course!”

I harnessed Olivia to the wagon and set off in pursuit of Noah’s family.

After driving for about ten minutes, I spotted them.

Apparently, Noah’s little sister had collapsed onto the ground, unable to continue walking against the stormlike wind.

Ordinarily, I would have cursed that dreadful north wind, but for once, I thanked the god of the north wind for delaying them.

“Noah!”

“Lydia-san?”

Noah looked surprised when I called out to him.

Telling them that the banshee living in my house had predicted their deaths would only frighten them at this point.

I decided to persuade Noah’s mother using a different approach.

“Mrs. Nunis, let’s go back to my house for now. The children will freeze in this wind.”

“But…”

Noah’s mother appeared hesitant.

However, I couldn’t possibly let them continue on their way.

I pressed on.

“Please, think this over. If you continue toward the fortress in these conditions, all three of you could die. I’m begging you to reconsider. I promise I’ll take good care of you.”

“…………”

Noah’s mother was still wavering. However, Noah picked up his little sister and called out to me.

“Lydia-san!”

He held her out to me, where I sat in the driver’s seat.

When I took Noah’s little sister into my arms, I discovered that her body was terribly small and terribly cold.

I tucked her inside the heavy cloak I was wearing. It might have been a little cramped, but at least she would be warm.

“Mom, let’s go.”

Noah pleaded with his mother.

“B-but, Noah…”

When his mother continued to hesitate, Noah spoke firmly.

“Mirei can’t walk anymore. Let’s go back to Lydia-san’s house for now.”

I brought them home and gave all three of them hot milk.

The two children quickly began smiling again after drinking something warm, but Noah’s mother remained despondent.

When I formally asked her name, she introduced herself as Cassie Nunis.

I asked her a question.

“Cassie-san, have you signed an employment contract or anything of the sort with the fortress?”

Cassie shook her head.

“No, I haven’t signed a contract yet. They told me I’d receive an advance payment once I arrived at the fortress and signed the paperwork.”

Apparently, there had been a series of incidents involving people who accepted advance payments and then disappeared, which had prompted the fortress to adopt this arrangement.

I felt relieved upon hearing that.

If she had already signed a contract, refusing to work at the fortress would constitute a breach of contract. However, since she hadn’t signed anything yet, she might still be able to decline the job.

“Let’s tell them that your children are too young and that, given your poor health, you don’t think you’ll be able to make it through an entire winter at the fortress.”

“…But we’ve already given up our house in town. We have nowhere else to go except the fortress.”

Cassie looked utterly distressed as she explained her situation.

I made her an offer.

“Cassie-san, if you and your family are willing, why don’t you spend the winter here?”