The Green-Haired Aunt

Marei opened his eyes inside the rattling train. It was his first time riding such a massive locomotive, and the scenery that had flashed past like changing television channels had lost all its novelty after three days. His half-lidded eyes caught the rapidly blurring landscape for a moment before heavy drowsiness pulled his eyelids shut again. The dry scent of wood filled the air.

The announcement had become so familiar that it faded into the background. Marei rubbed his right eye, trying to shake off the lingering sleepiness. The train’s vibrations gradually slowed, and the murmur of voices outside the compartment mixed with the sound of footsteps before fading away. After a little more time, a profound silence filled the car.

Marei took a deep breath and let it out very slowly. He wanted to savor this brief quiet until the attendant came in to check for passengers who hadn’t disembarked. For someone like Marei, who had been shuffled from one relative’s house to another his entire life, such peaceful moments were a rare comfort. Though he was still young enough that no one would protest if they called him a little kid, he wasn’t exactly a child either. To a boy who had lived carefully watching everyone’s moods in other people’s homes, this kind of leisure felt unfamiliar, yet not unpleasant.

He wasn’t simply staring into space. He thought about the person who had invited him to Valter—Labella de Pawen. Through the window, he saw a small child toddling along while holding their mother’s hand. Mother. The word carried a faint trace of longing. They hadn’t spent much time together, but still…

The attendant knocked on the door. Marei gathered his luggage and stepped down onto the platform. The air smelled acrid. Most people were blindly pressing forward.

“Marei de Pawen?”

Just as he was the last one off the train, taking in the unfamiliar scenery, someone called his name. He turned his head left and right, scanning the area, before he finally spotted the person who had spoken.

“…Yes? Did you call me?”

“Correct. I am Labella de Pawen. In terms of family hierarchy, I suppose I would be something like your aunt.”

A woman who stood more than a full head taller than Marei had been standing behind him. She had long, wavy green hair and amethyst-purple eyes that sharply scanned him from head to toe. She looked like a statue. Her expressionless face, skin like white jade, and breathtaking beauty all combined to make Labella de Pawen feel like a cold stone sculpture.

“Is that all your luggage?”

“Yes…”

The woman who had introduced herself as his aunt was a stunning beauty the likes of which could never be found in a rural village—enough to make young Marei’s eyes widen. Her military-like, clipped speech somehow suited her perfectly, giving her an air of mystery. The rows of medals and badges pinned to her chest only added to the surreal impression.

“Let’s head home first. The carriage is ready, so follow me.”

When Labella offered to carry his bag, Marei politely refused and clutched it himself as he cautiously followed her into the carriage. In an era where automobiles roamed the streets, carriages had become relics of the past—yet in noble households, they remained elegant symbols of status. As a result, Marei had no choice but to endure an awkward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ride in a carriage for the first time.

Inside the spacious carriage, Labella spent a long while silently observing him with meticulous care. Lacking the courage to meet her gaze, Marei pretended not to notice and turned to look out the window. Around the barrier walls, one could hardly find a beauty like her—there were barely even children his own age. Most people near the walls where heavy snow fell were elderly, so Marei had no courage to speak to the beautiful woman before him. Besides, he had never before encountered a gaze that carried such overwhelming dignity—or whatever ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was that seemed to press down on people.

In the midst of that uncomfortable silence, it was Labella de Pawen who spoke first.

“The black hair… you take after your mother.”

“Pardon?”

Startled by the sudden remark, Marei asked cautiously.

“I mean your mother.”

“Do I resemble her a lot?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

Labella gave a small nod. The medals on her chest clinked softly with the movement. The word “mother” felt incredibly distant. The name that once echoed faintly in his blurred memories now seemed foreign. Labella’s purple eyes sparkled like jewels catching the light.

Everyone who had looked after Marei until now had been old enough to be called grandparents. The letter had contained no detailed mention of Labella, so he had assumed his new guardian would be an elderly person. To discover she was a young, intelligent beauty left him too stunned to speak properly. Her entire presence radiated nobility, which only made it worse. Every single gesture carried an indescribable grace, leaving Marei completely unsure how to behave.

“She was an interesting person. Kind, too. When I was little, she often looked after me. Everyone in the family and the servants had completely different hair colors, so I was always envious of her black hair that looked like obsidian. As I grew older, I often wished she hadn’t been a distant relative, but my real older sister.”

“I see…”

Her green hair, a shade even elves—called fairies—could not possess, and her slightly upturned eyes carried a charisma that strangely drew people in. Above her uniform fastened with numerous buttons, her generous bosom, narrow waist, and the beautiful curves wrapped in coffee-colored tights were so captivating that Marei had to force his gaze back out the window before he became completely enchanted.

“From now on, I will be looking after you in our home. Originally, I planned to bring you immediately when I settled into my position at the Inspectorate, but my dispatch to the Great Forest ended up taking quite a long time. And after I returned, there were many urgent matters I had to handle. I’ve already taken care of your school enrollment, so you just need to take your time getting used to everything.”

“I understand.”

He was so nervous that the words barely came out. Yet despite her stiff tone, Labella kept speaking to him in a way that eased his discomfort, making her seem quite warm. All the elderly people who had cared for him before had been kind, but this was the first time Marei’s heart had raced like this.

After exchanging a few simple greetings, the carriage soon arrived in front of a large house.

“I’ll be counting on you. Let me introduce myself again. I am Labella de Pawen, Director of the Second Bureau of the Inspectorate. Strictly speaking, we only share a surname, but in terms of family rank, I am your aunt. As I mentioned earlier, I was very close with your mother. I originally intended to take you in three years ago, but after the ‘Day Blood Flowed,’ so many things happened that it took until now to sort everything out. With the people above disappearing, I kept getting promoted.”

“I… see…”

It was an awkward reply, but Labella smiled faintly. That gave him courage.

“My name is Marei de Pawen.”

“Short and sweet. I like it. You will be attending the school run by my grandmother. It might be difficult to adjust at first, but you are now my child. If anything is hard, tell me anytime. And… this is a delicate question, but may I ask about that eye?”

At Labella’s question, Marei touched his left eye. More precisely, he touched the eyepatch covering it. The rough texture of the unfamiliar fabric made him adjust the patch one last time.

“Mother said some unknown sorcery was cast on it, so I must never show it carelessly in front of others…”

“……I have no knowledge in that field… Your mother was quite a renowned sorceress. Your mother’s mentor is also at the school, so you should pay them a visit. You’re fifteen, correct?”

“Yes. My birthday is coming up soon.”

Seeing Marei cover his eyepatch like a frightened little animal, Labella decided not to press the matter further. The boy looking up at her with those eyes possessed a strange charm that kept reminding her of her sister. Marei remained silent until they reached the house. Labella gazed at him, remembering someone dear to her.

Familiar scenery passed by outside the window. When the young boy kept glancing out the window with clear interest, Labella covered her mouth and smiled carefully. What a cute child. The short thought crossed her mind.

The carriage that had raced forward in that strange atmosphere finally stopped. Labella rose first and opened the carriage door.

“We’ve arrived. This is your new home.”

At the sight of Labella holding the door open as if escorting him, Marei stared at her in a daze without realizing it. She really, truly was a beautiful person. As he tried to step on the footrest placed before the carriage door, Labella de Pawen extended her hand. He took it carefully.

“There’s no need to be afraid. Come on, step out slowly. The footrest is quite high, so be careful. There we go, there we go. Slowly. That’s it.”

Her fingertips felt firm, but her palm was incredibly soft. The garden was vast. Rather than flowers, there were sparsely planted trees, a swinging bench, and neatly trimmed grass—giving a small glimpse into Labella’s personality.

“Is there a room you’d like? The house is large and many rooms are unused, so choose freely. You’d prefer a big one, right? I already decided to give you a large room since boys tend to collect all sorts of things. Hehe.”

She nodded to herself after making the decision. Instead of answering, Marei gave a slightly dazed nod. Following Labella as she strode ahead, Marei still couldn’t believe the reality before him. A huge house, living together with a fairy-like beautiful woman. She was family, of course.

“It’s quite amusing to suddenly have a grown son when I’ve never even been married.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Labella lightly shook her head as if to say not to worry about it. He followed closely behind her as she led the way. A pleasant scent reminiscent of morning in a lush green mountain wafted from her wavy hair.

“Unnamed birds often visit. When they do, if you feed them and befriend them slowly, they’ll perch on your shoulder and show off tricks. Some of the children even gave them names, so I’ll explain later when there’s a chance.”

Labella leaned against the window near the room and gazed at the garden. Her green hair shone even brighter in the sunlight. Marei couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized, as she pointed at the terrace and called it her favorite spot.

“Compared to the main house, the garden is endlessly small, but do you see that tree over there?”

“Yes.”

“Your mother and I planted it together. It was at the main house, but I managed to bring it here somehow.”

Mari, my sister. Labella murmured to herself, then stared blankly out the window for a while. As if something amused her, she let out a small chuckle, opened the door, and showed Marei his room.

“The sun shines in during the morning, and on Sundays you can hear the bells from the Grand Cathedral most clearly. Do you like it? The room is large, but once you start filling it with things, it’ll feel cozy soon enough.”

“Yes.”

The room was several times larger than any Marei had ever lived in. Only a desk and bed had been placed inside. Despite the sparse look, it was spotlessly clean, as if freshly cleaned, with not a speck of dust to be found. Light seemed to seep through the polished windows.

“I wasn’t sure how to decorate a boy’s room, so I left it like this for now. We’ll go shopping together this weekend, so you can choose then. Dinner will be ready soon. Rest comfortably until then. Since you are my sister’s child, you are no different from my own. No—in fact, you may think of me as your mother from now on.”

Marei stared blankly as Labella ruffled his hair and left. She seemed like a good person. When his stomach let out a loud growl, she covered her mouth and laughed softly before leading him straight to the kitchen.

“I’ll put in some effort today, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wait a bit. You must be hungry, so I’ll give you something simple to eat first.”

Labella de Pawen prepared a light snack, then began moving busily in front of the stove. Marei watched her back in a daze. Was he really going to live with such a beautiful older sister? His heart wouldn’t stop racing. Her speech and attire were stiff, but every action felt considerate of him. She really seemed like a good person. He offered to help, but Labella firmly refused and sat him down at the table.

One by one, the dishes were completed, and food began to fill the table that looked perfect for a family of four. Strangely, even after several minutes, the dishes continued to release fragrant steam that stimulated his appetite.

“It’s a little early for dinner, but eat as much as you like.”

“Thank you for the meal!”

Marei answered happily at the feast of foods he had never tasted before. He began eating with great enthusiasm, but most of the dishes remained untouched on the table. Even though he was a boy, he was still young, so it seemed he couldn’t eat very much. Looking at his distant relative—who had much finer features than most boys his age and looked more like a girl—Labella smiled bitterly.

I should have called for him right after my sister died, she thought. The guilt of having left him neglected because circumstances didn’t allow it tightened around her throat. Of course, since his appetite is small, I’ll have to feed him plenty from now on. The short thought remained.

“I’ll help!”

“It’s fine. You must still be tired from the journey, so rest.”

“You’ll learn many things at school, but if there’s anything you want to do separately, tell me honestly. Unlike Grandmother, I want to support you fully in whatever you wish to do.”

“No… not really…”

Was he being passive? Seeing him still wary of this unfamiliar place, Labella barely held back a sigh and offered a small smile. At what age would she have to marry to have a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠child like this? If she married now, at what age would she have a child like him? Such thoughts suddenly came to mind.

“I’ve kept a child tired from traveling for too long. Take a bath and rest well today. If nothing urgent comes up tomorrow, the two of us can tour the shopping district.”

“Yes…”

When Labella removed her uniform jacket, Marei’s gaze was stolen by the enormous curves beneath her white shirt. He quickly came to his senses, nodded, and stood up. Even though she had introduced herself as his aunt, thinking of living with an older sister who was incomparably younger and more beautiful than any relative he had met before made his heart keep pounding. The figure that made him imagine what was beneath her clothes caused Marei to hurriedly shake off his stray thoughts.