A Festival and a Farewell
Perhaps because of the spirit perched on my shoulder, the wind brushing against my cheeks carried a clear message that autumn had arrived, even as the garden remained lush and vibrant. In that cool, pleasant breeze, everyone smiled at the scent of ripe grain and fruit.
“Here, this is for the festival preparation expenses…”
“Ugh, just put that over there. I’ll check it later.”
Father and the stewards spent their days busy with the harvest and the preparations for the festival that followed. Though smaller than last year’s, the atmosphere was one of quiet joy, for it was still a bountiful year. Lene begged our parents to let her see the festival, but Father was occupied with work and Mother’s cold left her too unwell to go out. Instead of giving up, Lene went straight to Aran.
“Brother! I want to go see the festival this time!”
Aran made no effort to hide his annoyance. He told her she was still too young and it would be dangerous, so she should wait until she was older.
“It might not be fun then!”
“It might not be fun now, either.”
“We’re still kids right now.”
Determined to change his mind, Lene used “we” and glanced at me for support. Honestly, I didn’t think it was a good idea for children our age to wander crowded festival streets, but I couldn’t ignore her pleading eyes. With a sigh, I added my voice to hers. Outnumbered, Aran grumbled about the trouble but gave in.
“Aran, even so, Lene and Rene are far too young.”
“Our territory may be safe, but during the festival…”
Our parents voiced the same concerns I had. Aran managed to persuade them by saying he wanted to see more of the territory before entering the academy. He looked rather pleased with himself under our grateful gazes.
“Brother, that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!”
“Amazing.”
When Lene and I raised our thumbs in praise, he laughed and firmly laid down the rules: we were not to leave the sight of him or the accompanying knights and servants.
“If you disappear from our view even for a moment, the festival outing ends immediately.”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
I nodded without hesitation. After a brief pause, Lene followed suit.
We changed into neat but plain clothes instead of our usual noble attire and headed into the streets with the knights and servants dressed similarly.
“Wow…”
Lene’s eyes sparkled at the lively atmosphere. We smiled at her excitement until the people around us began bowing their heads in greeting. We blinked in surprise.
“How did they— Oh, right.”
We had been so careful with our clothes yet completely forgotten to hide our distinctive hair. Everyone looked equally sheepish.
After that, we quietly acknowledged the greetings we received and continued walking until the smell of food drew us over for snacks.
“Brother, look over there, over there!”
“What are you— Oh.”
As evening fell, we stopped in the square to watch a magician perform with magic. Flames danced in the air at the elderly mage’s gestures, followed by sparkling lights. Even I, who had seen many things online in my previous life, found it fascinating. Our whole group watched in awe alongside the crowd.
“I want to try magic too…”
Once the magician yielded the stage to a traveling troupe, Lene fidgeted with her small hands and murmured wistfully. Aran scratched his head and gently told her it would probably be difficult.
“Huh? Why?”
“…You heard it when we studied our family history.”
Lene looked shocked at my words. Aran shook his head and explained that because of the spirits’ blessing and protection, the Lorelei family had little talent for magic. Seeing her disappointed face, I leaned closer and pointed out that we had something special instead, nodding toward the spirit perched gracefully on her small shoulder. Lene brightened at once and nodded.
“It’s getting dark. Shall we head back?”
Before the sun fully set, the magic lamps Father had ordered lit up the streets. Aran smiled at the foreign visitors’ startled reactions and suggested we return home.
“Can’t we stay just a little longer?”
“No.”
Lene accepted the refusal without complaint, though she looked disappointed. On the way to the carriage, we watched the flushed faces of people drinking and the happy families enjoying the festival before returning to the mansion.
“Looks like mine has arrived as well.”
A few days later, Aran’s academy acceptance letter arrived, just as Arlan’s had. His grimace made the letter look like a conscription notice. In a way, it wasn’t far off.
‘Entering a school you don’t want to attend and staying there for at least four years…’
I shook my head, thinking it might actually be worse than the military.
“Aran, are you really planning to leave so soon?”
“Yes. I think it would be better for me that way.”
Because we had already sent Arlan off, everyone was more composed this time, though they still fussed over him. Aran announced he would depart before winter and prepare for enrollment at our maternal grandparents’ house. When everyone looked surprised, he calmly explained his plans and persuaded them with logic.
“Still, staying a little longer…”
Mother was reluctant, but Father said there was no point in stopping him when he had made up his mind. Aran packed lightly and left. The mansion felt even quieter and emptier without him, yet Lene and I carried on as usual so our parents wouldn’t worry.
“Rene, look. It’s snowing.”
“…Good grief, the servants will have a hard time clearing it.”
A week after Aran’s departure, we reacted very differently to the falling snow before turning our attention to the drooping spirit sprawled in the middle of the bed. We agreed to ask Undine about it when we met her next summer—whether grass spirits grew weaker in winter—and then crawled under the blankets as drowsiness overtook us.
When the snow was light enough, we played outside making snowmen. When it was too cold, we built towers of books in the study or lounged under blankets in our rooms. We managed to pass the winter without too much boredom.
“Lene, Rene. You’re both seven now. How about having your own rooms?”
On our seventh birthday, Mother suggested we each have our own room. I was happy at the thought of having my own space, but I worried whether young Lene could manage alone. When she nodded without hesitation, I did the same.
“Then Rene, you’ll use this room from now on.”
“Yes, Mother.”
A few days later, after receiving my spacious new room and looking around, I went to check on Lene in the room next door.
“Ah! Don’t climb on the bed with your shoes on!”
“It’s my room and my bed…”
“Still, that’s not okay!”
I had come to see if she was uncomfortable or anxious, but the sight of her on the bed in shoes made me forget my purpose and start an argument. The actual question only came that evening. Lene simply shrugged and said she was fine.
“What about you, Rene? Will you be okay without me?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
Lene blinked at my casual answer, her expression turning mischievous. I told her that if sleeping alone ever became difficult, she could always come find me. She answered by throwing a pillow at my face.
“I’ll be fine, so look after Lene instead.”
Just in case, I asked the spirit, who was slowly regaining its vitality, to stay by Lene’s side at night and watch over her. The spirit waved as if accepting the task and flew off to Lene’s room. Strangely, it always returned to my side by morning, yet every night it went to watch over Lene before coming back.
“Really, you don’t have to come anymore.”
Despite having said it many times, the spirit appeared again today. Lene laughed and waved back. Before falling asleep, she chatted with the spirit keeping watch beside her. When sleep drew near, she covered a yawn and made the same request as always.
“If Rene has a nightmare or seems distressed, wake her up and help her right away.”
After entrusting her younger sister—who had suffered nightmares since childhood—to the spirit and even giving permission to slap her face if necessary, the girl watched the spirit leave, sighed with worry far beyond her years, and closed her eyes.
In the room where only the sound of steady breathing remained, the wind stirred the curtains at the window, gently keeping the moonlight from disturbing Lene’s sleep.