WBWB | Chapter 21

And then he started scolding me again.

“Frostbite?”

“Have you never heard of frostbite?”

I hadn’t. 

Seeing my bewildered expression, he brushed back the hair falling over his forehead.

“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.”

“You lose your fingers?”

Just from going outside?

“Just your fingers? You can lose any part exposed to the cold. Like your nose.”

At his words, I instinctively covered my nose with both hands.

“Just because the blizzard has stopped doesn’t mean the cold is gone. There’s a reason why people here don’t go outside, so don’t go out again. If you absolutely have to, don’t stay out long, and warm yourself with hot water when you come back inside. If that’s not possible, at least drink warm water! And never, ever touch exposed metal!”

And then it dawned on me.

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

Realizing the reason behind his order, I was mortified.

After his rapid-fire scolding, he asked, “So why did you go outside?”

“…”

“And if you had to go out, why did you stay out there wandering around for so long?”

I tried to evade the question with silence, but I couldn’t escape his sharp gaze. In the end, I had no choice but to confess.

“I… gained some weight.”

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.

“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…”

At my further explanation, the Duke placed his hands on his hips and opened his mouth. Then he looked me up and down.

“You gained weight?”

He muttered to himself.

“You gained weight, just like animals fatten up to survive the winter… and you’re trying to lose it?”

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

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.

“Is that a reason to risk losing your nose or fingers?”

What had I been thinking? I had vomited in front of the Duke during our first meal, and later, he had caught me gathering fallen apples in my skirt.

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

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

“If you want to survive the winter here, you need to gain even more weight. Fats help retain heat. Besides, winter is a season when people easily get sick, and when you get sick, you lose weight quickly anyway.”

“Yes.”

“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?”

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

Shame rendered me speechless. I shook my head, my heart pounding with with embarrassment, threatening to burst.

“Now that you understand, you may leave.”

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. 

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.

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?

I reduced my food intake and rode Brulee for longer periods. Fortunately, the weight I had gained immediately came off just as quickly, and after about two weeks, I could comfortably fit into the clothes again that had felt like they would burst at the seams.

‘Phew.’

So why did I end up going outside again? About a month after that incident, the blizzard stopped, and although it was still cold, a clear day arrived.

With the long-awaited sun shining and the biting wind subsiding, the servants took down the heavy tapestries covering the windows in the hallways and opened the windows wide for ventilation. The incoming wind was chilly, but it swept away the stale air, replacing it with sunshine and fresh air.

‘It’s cold, but it feels good.’

I took a deep breath of fresh air. 

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.

“Teacher! I’m going to Lake Argent to skate after the lesson. Would you like to come with me?”

“Lake Argent? You’ll get frostbite if you go outside.”

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

Even when I had ridden Brulee to the lakeshore in autumn,, I had given up on approaching when I saw the wary stags drinking from the lake. They were larger than Brulee, with massive antlers, and I doubted I would survive being gored by one.

When I shook my head, Lady Ana pleaded with puppy-dog eyes.

“It’s alright! Teacher, if we bundle up warmly, we’ll be fine! The wind isn’t blowing, and the sun is out. This is the perfect time to go outside! Staying cooped up inside will only make us sick!”

“Have you been outside in this kind of weather, Ana?”

“Of course, Teacher! I used to play by the river near my house and come back for dinner in the evening!”

“Hmm.”

‘Is that so? If it’s not snowing and the wind isn’t blowing, is it alright to stay outside for a while?’

I wasn’t sure, but if Lady Ana, a local, said it was alright, then it probably was.

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

“My nanny is always busy.”

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

Lady Ana’s words worried me. The lakeshore seemed to overlap with the deer habitat, and she might encounter wild animals like boars or wolves if she went alone.

“You’ll be riding your horse, right?”

“Of course! It’s too far to walk!”

“Hmm.”

I frowned.

“Teacher, come with me! I’ll teach you how to skate.”

“But I don’t have skates.”

“Then we can just slide! The frozen lake is slippery enough to slide on with just our shoes!”

“Hmm.”

“It’s really fun, Teacher!”

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.

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

“Alright, promise me you won’t stay out too long. I’m not used to the cold, coming from a warmer place.”

“I promise!”

And I would soon come to regret this decision bitterly. Regret taking a child into an unknown world I knew nothing about.

I set out with Lady Ana, oblivious to what awaited us.

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

‘Wow…!’

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.

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.

It would have taken a long time to walk, but on horseback, it was quick. We soon arrived at the lakeshore. 

The lake was frozen solid, like a silver platter, its surface dazzlingly reflecting the sunlight. Like the path we had taken, the lakeshore was littered with broken branches that had succumbed to the weight of the snow.

From atop Brulee, I was momentarily lost in the sight of this new world.