WBWB | Chapter 21

And then he 9529d64c11 started scolding me 438d0c67ec again.265b41d096ec3f06

“Frostbite?”cbaf5526ae4712b1

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“Have you never heard fa576c4eae of frostbite?”7ab553d7caac1daa

I hadn’t. 74a5a4a48ad82d03

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Seeing my bewildered 33b7857f50 expression, he brushed c8cf63f389 back the hair 170268afe4 falling over his b1b9a5129d forehead.dafe89b92b82a047

“Didn’t you feel your hands go numb and stinging, losing feeling, while you were walking outside? If you stay out in that condition, your fingers will blister, turn black, and the flesh will die. That’s frostbite, and in severe cases, the necrotic tissue has to be amputated.”adf7c71ef202671b

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“You lose your 012b38f4b6 fingers?”f8330b194ffb901e

Just from going 8bf26e87e1 outside?f7e43f1eae9fc8ba

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“Just your fingers? You can 08f9b56e6b lose any 81b7ac5d59 part exposed a1a6624056 to the 994a7613bc cold. Like your nose.”7183b2c5c683a2f7

At his words, fd1a983b4a I instinctively covered 26311e4199 my nose with 1e9af4609e both hands.6cbf30f5a7cf212d

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“Just because 25e7906c04 the blizzard 1eb24bbf70 has stopped ca24024a34 doesn’t mean 9b16880be0 the cold ec1ffbc394 is gone. There’s a reason ee106ecc74 why people here ce188c2887 don’t go outside, 9c52786cbf so don’t go ffd59cdcc4 out again. If you absolutely have 0aaea3af1c to, don’t stay out 385620eee0 long, and warm yourself b9450e18a2 with hot water when 2b190cc926 you come back inside. If that’s not 0586ca20b0 possible, at least ea1190b9d1 drink warm water! And never, 9be515fd66 ever touch 85c548c19f exposed metal!”c259b61ef2fe0c9a

And then it dawned eb287ec226 on me.782aa68bbfba6b01

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‘That’s why he told me to take a bath!’3f5fa0cbfed4faea

Realizing the reason behind 0f754f5d21 his order, I was 82c3d46ddd mortified.5244badad6f32f43

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After his 8ee09f95b4 rapid-fire scolding, 83b0fd516b he asked, d8e71fe225 “So why 018c8b59c9 did you 808a67bad2 go outside?”7c1d6ab2ac0a9d75

“…”a596c3ffdfdf7c63

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“And if you had 891dfcf336 to go out, why 7fccb7d3cd did you stay out cfb978d42c there wandering around for 9a9d9aa11c so long?”73f3ba5738c0ab48

I tried 72503f6d34 to evade a61236047c the question cdc61f05c5 with silence, 939058e6b1 but I 0cb615ad32 couldn’t escape 12a82d872b his sharp 9a1eef2b62 gaze. In the end, 21520ceaa7 I had no 3e8288b664 choice but to a44e8b64bc confess.a57b5cdb0d6c32d6

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“I… gained some 51a08b2a43 weight.”3c240453c56f7803

He tilted his head, seemingly not understanding what I was saying. It would have been cute if a puppy did that, but it wasn’t cute at all coming from the Duke.2b19796345525866

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“Well, I’ve been sitting and eating all winter… and I gained weight, so my clothes don’t fit… so I wanted to lose some weight… and since the snow had stopped, I took a walk…”c8dff7c4bdf9b577

At my e566186232 further explanation, 8a8e58b069 the Duke 6cb43fc965 placed his 4564586e0c hands on c4b281635d his hips 0d25f13b30 and opened 03a81a18a4 his mouth. Then he 28fa2c60c8 looked me c9d5c3e322 up and 64a8788fe0 down.ea2a360e30fa2784

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“You gained weight?”68a4db337953927b

He muttered 8b7f44ab10 to himself.9cc2854a2d122b11

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“You gained weight, 708eafd0c4 just like animals ab61494c41 fatten up to 6992fae3a8 survive the winter… 8634b90c10 and you’re trying 6679686f46 to lose it?”ca71dbd4dc6c1f44

His voice and expression conveyed the sentiment, ‘Have I ever seen such a fool?’ 0fbbccf8d41ef814

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He lowered his head and sighed deeply, and I wanted to die of shame. To think I had mistaken his intention to see me, with that ‘what a moron’ expression on his face, as a romantic advance.3fe02575b06d4be3

“Is that 42b796c529 a reason 5d0e48f37e to risk 0d87077ee9 losing your e6848548d6 nose or ae1441b267 fingers?”bfb5b27c88ce1312

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What had I 9f560be947 been thinking? I had vomited in 639af95c4c front of the Duke b247cab8d8 during our first meal, 721cdddd6f and later, he had 7b70bfa738 caught me gathering fallen 33fe8908be apples in my skirt.bf34806c367040e2

‘It’s a good thing… a really good thing I didn’t say anything about my misunderstanding.’d001582643a8b670

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I was incredibly relieved that he didn’t know what I had been thinking before when I came to his office.4491f3e8e2d092e9

“If you c68b42b93e want to 6488b0ab24 survive the 1251e1abf7 winter here, 67be74f9c6 you need 93cb6f0609 to gain f78fb98666 even more 050b98da36 weight. Fats help 17a49d3888 retain heat. Besides, winter is a ae080605f7 season when people easily bdea6ab142 get sick, and when 46c2f69806 you get sick, you ef67483fa6 lose weight quickly anyway.”ac05fc7b3cc20ee5

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“Yes.”48b1b5aa276ca825

“You wouldn’t know, since you’re not from here, but walks in the courtyard are forbidden until spring. Well, if you really want to lose weight… ride your horse. Didn’t I give you a horse for that very reason, starting in autumn? Surely you didn’t resort to such a reckless act because you’re tired of riding?”d26a722895f2c3ed

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His tone implied, ‘How much more considerate do I have to be?’ 98ed0cdebabf3c21

Shame rendered 819e760f76 me speechless. I shook my 7f8600443d head, my heart 96b7224a10 pounding with with 763ef86db2 embarrassment, threatening to 8626f7e70e burst.f28b31941ee379ac

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“Now that 864f145475 you understand, dde8ca3333 you may 962312c05d leave.”651626c641005ba9

Looking back, I was indeed a fool, perhaps the biggest fool in the world. Because not long after, I disregarded the Duke’s warning and did exactly what he had warned me against. a09b8e046de907a8

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If I had known the future, what would I have done? I would have gained weight, even if it meant having all my clothes altered. No, I wouldn’t have disobeyed his orders in the first place.71a7836bfc0d14d4

After that, I heeded the Duke’s warning and advice and didn’t step foot outside the mansion. I didn’t want to lose my nose or fingers for the sake of losing weight. So what did I do about the weight?dd73723e6adeb053

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I reduced my 8b6981fb3f food intake and 7f535bc22c rode Brulee for 4e8c0dd8af longer periods. Fortunately, the 28738c454d weight I ad5db791c1 had gained 040b0be04e immediately came f09e70ddb5 off just efdf2e6d06 as quickly, 2c42dcedd2 and after 74d5a85c0b about two c375773850 weeks, I fec2482532 could comfortably dee25e4c82 fit into 287de37c29 the clothes 76b0bc73b6 again that ea0c1f8255 had felt 5a5124193e like they 17af11cfd7 would burst 986655f293 at the 224a244af3 seams.d0ff8509a500c9b7

‘Phew.’c6c6c9be09443207

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So why 2e326f98d9 did I 0d635d1ae7 end up 1d5409a1a8 going outside 98fe8575e9 again? About a f8c21f4b32 month after fd01b66059 that incident, 65b9b5e505 the blizzard bd2a0dcc8f stopped, and 9f99f66d12 although it c636aef417 was still 81b33c9568 cold, a 311805d42a clear day 9ee5a7ee3d arrived.082eca8a135568ca

With the 057c3bba25 long-awaited sun 0eb2313f72 shining and 456ecf8cc7 the biting 9be92246cb wind subsiding, 168508ae77 the servants fc536af6b0 took down a8c4b94607 the heavy 4890f7a5a0 tapestries covering 6dba253295 the windows 1e7b5dbaff in the 6d550823f9 hallways and 7e1eed2cc2 opened the 4eaa604deb windows wide fe940c462e for ventilation. The incoming df71f5401c wind was bda452ae8a chilly, but 475e8e3dff it swept fc1ba3f078 away the 3530204617 stale air, caabeed6ea replacing it 29f0689e74 with sunshine ca766810e7 and fresh 461953711b air.5160f5027e444d2d

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‘It’s cold, but it feels good.’c12d44ac081ab500

I took a 71007e6d80 deep breath of bdb250ee81 fresh air. e178aa459b0b7832

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Shivering, I looked outside and saw dozens of servants diligently shoveling the thick snow that blanketed the world. Lady Ana couldn’t concentrate during the lesson, constantly glancing outside the window.ced7f57e231a33f1

“Teacher! I’m going to b2d2ca14d1 Lake Argent to 29cfd641ac skate after the e3378a8387 lesson. Would you like to cb6a66f354 come with me?”a6c4a58591bac4a8

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“Lake Argent? You’ll get 90c838c831 frostbite if b7e00aab7b you go 3a51b2524e outside.”f31a7cda861b629e

I knew there was a large lake at the edge of the forest, but I didn’t know it was called Lake Argent.07c73e8273ce81d1

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Even when b1e793f31a I had 20e129ed31 ridden Brulee a26280090e to the aa8815acb7 lakeshore in a8109927c6 autumn,, I 8131d7c691 had given 3e0ac9a2a6 up on c8f1aa3c81 approaching when 116e7f6a23 I saw 18eaa6718b the wary f88885d540 stags drinking c3d33bab90 from the 5c32d8a59f lake. They were larger 581fc01a00 than Brulee, with 7595ccadf0 massive antlers, and a75ad7a23c I doubted I 016e05dd1e would survive being 5eefe987ca gored by one.418c79aa2b50f350

When I c4efabbe11 shook my b7e7c6bb1e head, Lady 0a7c42c581 Ana pleaded 37a762ade2 with puppy-dog 5768ebee74 eyes.cae43aa89d39720b

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“It’s alright! Teacher, if we 0fea21109a bundle up warmly, fb80ee4dbd we’ll be fine! The wind 036edf28fd isn’t blowing, e4e510bd48 and the 99d0f0927d sun is b5636f4676 out. This is 3fabcbe4df the perfect cbaa246cda time to bde515b47b go outside! Staying cooped up inside cfcd6223ab will only make us 96101c2642 sick!”ccc9e02303557d56

“Have you been outside 2fa65f3c34 in this kind of ca115e9532 weather, Ana?”f4eaf73fe56d874b

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“Of course, Teacher! I used a0634f0a12 to play cd95862389 by the 749f5efd29 river near 9c903cd875 my house d7675f3b8c and come 666b28d127 back for 56fcbbc042 dinner in a2d87b9285 the evening!”64ea70bccff4049e

“Hmm.”db34b12cc9027f30

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‘Is that so? If it’s not a19eb25d74 snowing and the bf3ae2778f wind isn’t blowing, 979703a1ae is it alright d3c55eabea to stay outside 79711b58d1 for a while?’d6fff9bb4057f15a

I wasn’t sure, 2d02f00aa9 but if Lady d63b8b5b95 Ana, a local, 0295629a72 said it was fcdf64c537 alright, then it 780e708cc1 probably was.088444ffaed2bc37

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“If I don’t go, will you go alone? What about your nanny?”20ce5bc85e75047e

“My nanny 3da5759548 is always 9c280f5d79 busy.”b57377a9d645609e

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‘Busy? Her only job is to look after you.’237a032380397f0f

Lady Ana’s words worried 67fb73b084 me. The lakeshore 0e90a13b48 seemed to 019210344b overlap with 176a8a95f7 the deer 593df93d39 habitat, and 1f1e72cb3a she might fc659346df encounter wild 375bf644d6 animals like 921029cedf boars or 7637bd5bbd wolves if 84485a27bc she went 8a5aecbd7c alone.4298a37da1815ddf

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“You’ll be riding your 5ee464124e horse, right?”486de517061f4514

“Of course! It’s too far to 78832f5b00 walk!”ab5eb52a3b315e78

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“Hmm.”956b0ccf5f7d13d6

I frowned.f08cfd0cd1de00b3

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“Teacher, come 697e21d00c with me! I’ll teach 7384e85421 you how 42105b6e00 to skate.”896149c001fd402a

“But I don’t a07898352e have skates.”33a3e6fea2892e8d

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“Then we can just e646c31a0b slide! The frozen lake is b8718fc494 slippery enough to slide 6e342ad5db on with just our 53e154d152 shoes!”56cbe5153ff02496

“Hmm.”9dad580eb964322d

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“It’s really fun, Teacher!”8ce00f903e4390b7

I hesitated to refuse outright, seeing how much she wanted to go. I also felt restless and cooped up. Judging by Lady Ana’s words, it didn’t seem likely that her nanny would accompany her, and I wasn’t in a position to order the nanny to do so.1443c7b6aad56646

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‘I’m too worried to let her go alone.’f65f1ee765336535

“Alright, promise me 8ee062c2b3 you won’t stay 66f72d0fbc out too long. I’m not used 4ff9eca51b to the cold, c66b666a54 coming from a e2137187fc warmer place.”249652f6ea84236f

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“I promise!”0985beaf482d9947

And I would eb421fd39c soon come to d4c45829d8 regret this decision 5c14e19d4f bitterly. Regret taking a child b649e4b88e into an unknown world f4d4efb1d2 I knew nothing about.0850f964dadbee2f

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I set 30305f72ac out with df1f60c3e6 Lady Ana, eb90d3140d oblivious to 53d364a358 what awaited 53e0188bd8 us.ffaec45798924a9c

Lady Ana’s horse was a dark chestnut pony, and she rode it as if they were one being.9b7eda3d120439e1

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‘Wow…!’c28cc80c1c46ae6b

As I rode Brulee, I realized how stifled I had been. The wind was biting, but the sun was warm, so it wasn’t as cold as I had expected, and it felt wonderful. As if I were the one running.200d9bf3d3c393a9

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I opened my mouth and took a deep breath of the crisp air. My hair fluttered beneath my black velvet cap. Brulee, also enjoying being outside after being confined to the indoor arena for a while, didn’t seem cold at all. Her long coat seemed to be protecting her from the cold.2a36565f3ab11097

It would have f38394cf87 taken a long 67d6c381cb time to walk, 87f74ba8cc but on horseback, 53b281741c it was quick. We soon arrived at 6f8b88dcc8 the lakeshore. c0ef57ee5611cb67

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The lake 05c5406e15 was frozen 7dbcc069b6 solid, like 06d2adc5d2 a silver d5841233cc platter, its 50cc3eba7c surface dazzlingly 3a6a400b0e reflecting the e6797cadef sunlight. Like the path we 11dc25416e had taken, the lakeshore 1858afb41d was littered with broken 3f59feaf12 branches that had succumbed 173bbb9a0d to the weight of 9635e22103 the snow.9fab13d4570a5438

From atop Brulee, I f40418be9e was momentarily lost in f5686149e4 the sight of this 9e85e82e97 new world.8951157627aa59ac

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