EIYTMA Chapter 12

However, Iris was a kind girl.  

 

“Lift the bucket again and throw it upside down.”  

 

“……”  

 

Ezekiel followed Iris’s instructions. The bucket seemed to slap the water as it turned over, then slowly sank into it. Iris urged him on.  

 

“Now you can pull it up.”  

 

Ezekiel pulled the rope as she instructed. The bucket, now full of water, wobbled as it was lifted. The boy unknowingly let out a cheer.  

 

“It worked!”  

 

But he quickly felt embarrassed.  

 

Seeing him like that, Iris gave a small smile and fetched a basin from somewhere. She took the bucket he had pulled up from the well and poured its contents into the basin, then submerged the dishes in it.  

 

“These have grease on them, so you need to wipe them with pendulum leaves.”  

 

“Ah…”  

 

Iris broke a dry stalk of leaves she had brought along with the basin. Although they looked completely dry, a white sap oozed out. She soaked the sap into a leaf and used it to wipe the dishes, which soon produced fine bubbles.  

 

Ezekiel followed Iris’s example and cleaned the dishes. The washing was finished quickly. Iris scooped the dishes out and rinsed them once more in water.  

 

“If we leave them to dry in the kitchen like this, we’re done.”  

 

Standing in front of the neatly arranged dishes, Iris clapped her damp hands together and gave a bright smile.  

 

For some reason, Ezekiel felt his ears grow warm. He had expected her to scold him, but the girl said nothing at all. Whether she noticed what was going through his mind or not, Iris spoke up.  

 

“I really like the way you talk. Judging by the calluses on your hands, you do handle a sword, but I don’t think you’re what your brother mentioned.”  

 

“……”  

 

“Madame Babin thinks you two are squires, but I know better. My father was a knight.”  

 

“I, uh…”  

 

Ezekiel opened his mouth, but Iris waved her hand dismissively.  

 

“There’s no need to explain. You must have your reasons for staying silent.”  

 

“…You don’t suspect me?”  

 

At that, Iris slightly parted her lips. Seeing her expression, Ezekiel realized just how foolish his words had been.  

 

“No, I mean, you never know… I could be a bandit or something…”  

 

“A bandit who would risk crossing a swollen river, knowing he might lose his life?”  

 

He hurriedly tried to smooth over his words, but it was already a lost cause. However, Iris merely chuckled at him.  

 

“What kind of bandit does the dishes? I just figured you must be from some noble family.”  

 

Just then—  

 

“Sister!”  

 

Madame Babin entered the kitchen with a young boy.  

 

It was clear at a glance that he was Iris’s younger brother. He had the same flowing silver hair and blue eyes as Iris. He looked to be no older than ten. The boy’s eyes widened when he saw Ezekiel.  

 

“A prince?”  

 

Ezekiel flinched. Madame Babin burst into hearty laughter.  

 

“Hahaha! Young master, I know he’s quite handsome, but calling him a prince is asking for trouble!”  

 

“Ah…”  

 

The boy blushed but boldly introduced himself.  

 

“My name is Henri! Henri Querluxia!”  

 

“Oh, I’m Ez.”  

 

Ezekiel belatedly returned the greeting with a smile.  

 

Henri, an eight-year-old boy prone to fevers due to his weak constitution, usually stayed indoors on cold, rainy days like today. He was delighted to meet a guest after such a long time.  

 

After exchanging greetings with the boy, Madame Babin informed Ezekiel that Étienne had already been shown to the guest room and also told him where his own guest room was located.  

 

“Oh, right. Young lady, your clothes are dry.”  

 

“Already?”  

 

At Madame Babin’s words, Iris widened her eyes. Madame Babin wrinkled her nose and put her hands on her hips.  

 

“Do you know how much trouble I went through to dry them? Why did you even go into the water in the first place?”  

 

“I told you, I had no choice.”  

 

The woman and the girl bickered lightly. In the midst of it, Madame Babin grumbled as if to herself.  

 

“Well, at least it’s a relief that you didn’t go in wearing only your underclothes like when you were little!”  

 

At that, the girl flinched and glanced quickly at Ezekiel.  

 

Only then did Ezekiel realize what ‘secret’ she had been hesitating to say earlier.  

 

At the same time, the image of her stepping out of the water in only a thin outer garment flashed back in his mind.  

 

“I, uh, I should head to my room now.”  

 

With his ears burning red, Ezekiel hurriedly excused himself.  

 

As he entered the room, face flushed, Étienne, who had been checking the guest room, tilted his head.  

 

“What’s wrong?”  

 

Ezekiel muttered that it was nothing. Étienne, exhausted, soon fell into a deep sleep.  

 

However, Ezekiel struggled to sleep that night.  

 

***

 

The rain began falling again from dawn.  

 

By morning, the lord’s castle looked even more rundown than it had the night before.  

The wind seeped through the stone walls, and between the old stable and the worn-out tapestries, it was hard to tell whether this place was a castle or a mere barn.  

 

However, judging by the tapestries, the well, and the emblem on the castle’s front gate, it was indeed Querluxia’s domain.  

 

“The fact that this castle even has guest rooms is surprising.”  

 

Étienne yawned as he muttered, having woken up to the sound of rain. Ezekiel, who had already been awake for some time, responded quietly.  

 

“I heard that relatives occasionally stay here.”  

 

“You mean there are relatives? Wow…”  

 

Although the blankets and mats were damp due to the rain, they were far better than nothing. Étienne fiddled with a stray piece of straw stuck in the blanket and chuckled.  

 

“If Felicia knew that the two of us were lying here like this, she’d be horrified. The moment she found out, she’d probably throw me straight into the river and tell me to wash up.”  

 

Ezekiel was well aware of Felicia Arbois’ aversion to filth. However, he shook his head.  

 

“It’s just a bit old, not dirty. The Duke’s daughter has enough discernment to tell the difference.”  

 

“Oh? You hold Felicia in such high regard. Clearly, you’re the one who should ascend the throne. You have the composure for it.”  

 

Étienne laughed as he saw Ezekiel’s grimacing expression.  

 

“I can’t believe they’ve been paying taxes this whole time.”  

 

“…I’m starting to think it was a good idea to return the money.”  

 

Ezekiel agreed, and Étienne shrugged.  

 

“Let’s hope the rain stops by the afternoon. The knights must still be searching for us.”  

 

But the rain continued throughout the afternoon. Though it had lessened slightly, the drizzle was still steady, and the amount of rainfall was far from negligible. The only relief was that the wind had died down.  

 

Despite it being summer, Étienne shivered and complained about the cold. Iris, concerned, brought him an extra blanket along with a leather pouch filled with hot water.  

 

“This region’s summer rain is always like this. A lot of people catch summer colds. I hope you don’t get sick…”  

 

“Oh, I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about the horses, though. Ez?”  

 

Ezekiel nodded.  

 

“I’ll go check on them.”  

 

“Ah, I’ll come too.”  

 

Iris quickly followed him. Ezekiel narrowed his eyes.  

 

“You’re not thinking of crossing again, are you?”  

 

“What about you?”  

 

“I just need to check if the horses are safe.”  

 

“I’m only going to make sure my father can still cross.”  

 

“You always have a response for everything.”  

 

Étienne chuckled.  

 

In the end, the two of them headed back to the crossing they had used the day before.  

 

Fortunately, the horses on the other side of the river appeared to be safe. They had been loosely tied, so even if the water levels rose too much, they could free themselves and escape.  

 

“Ah, wait a moment.”  

 

Just as they were about to turn back, Iris stopped in front of a bush and grabbed Ezekiel’s hand. Surprised, he tried to pull away, but Iris was faster.  

 

“Here.”  

 

Sitting in Ezekiel’s palm was a small, black berry. He blinked in confusion, and Iris smiled.  

 

“These are at their best this season, but once the rain stops, they’ll rot too quickly to eat. Luckily, there are still some good ones left.”  

 

“…Are they edible?”  

 

“…You’ve never had one before?”  

 

Iris looked at him in surprise before bursting into laughter. Then, she picked up a black berry and held it to his lips.  

 

“Try it. It’s delicious.”  

 

“But… it’s black…”  

 

“That means it’s perfectly ripe.”  

 

With her saying that, there was no way out of it. Before he realized it, Ezekiel opened his mouth, and Iris popped the berry in. Her fingers brushed against his lips as they withdrew.  

 

Ezekiel slowly chewed the black berry in his mouth. It had a faint greenish taste. The texture of the seeds crunching between his teeth felt unfamiliar.  

 

“Let’s see.”  

 

Iris picked another berry and placed it in her own mouth. Then, she licked her fingers with a small pop.  Those same fingers had just touched Ezekiel’s lips.  

 

“It’s good, isn’t it?”  

 

Iris smiled. Ezekiel couldn’t even tell what the berry tasted like.  

 

That night, he had trouble sleeping once again.