Their Weekend (2)
Walking aimlessly along the road with no particular destination in mind, the two of them found their eyes drawn to a street thronging with people and shops.
"Hmm… so this place is probably…"
"If my memory serves, this should be Rebnen Workshop Street."
Southwest of the royal palace lay Ster Square. Nestled between the Pels and Belon Rivers—two of the waterways that cut through Barenberg—the square had, by virtue of its geography, grown into a thriving commercial and industrial district.
Goods shipped from every corner of the kingdom arrived by the broad rivers at the harbors along the Pels and Belon. From there some of the cargo flowed into the commercial quarter, while the rest was sent on to the industrial zone to become raw materials for every sort of finished product.
And the place where those raw materials were transformed by the hands of craftsmen into finished goods was the very street that now stretched before Milia and Schwarz: Rebnen Workshop Street.
"Looks like it could be fun. What do you think?"
"If that is what My Lady wishes, I have no objection."
Schwarz answered with a faint smile as Milia’s eyes sparkled like a child who had just discovered a fascinating new toy. At once she set off toward the street, curiosity written all over her face.
"There are so many strange things here."
"Well, it is a workshop street."
The shops and wares lining every side of the road were more than enough to captivate Milia’s gaze. On one side, mysterious mechanical contraptions hissed and clanked, belching steam as they moved; on another, exquisite craftwork that even a casual glance could tell had been made by masters of their trade drew the eyes of passersby.
To Milia, who had been so buried in General Affairs work that she rarely left the estate, the scene might as well have been another world.
Then, as if she had spotted something, she quickened her pace and stopped in front of one particular shop.
"Schwarz! Look at this!"
"This is…"
At her call Schwarz stepped up beside her and narrowed his eyes at the mechanical device beyond the glass. Metal frames held a network of rails, and polished balls rolled smoothly along them. A ball would climb, then slide down the intricately twisted tracks, reach the end, vanish into a whirling mechanism, and be carried back up by a little elevator built into the frame—only to fall again.
For all the grand description, it was nothing more than a curiosity with no practical value: an educational machine built to show children how gears and rails worked.
"So that’s how it moves…"
"…"
Milia watched the endlessly circulating device with shining eyes. Schwarz, looking at her, allowed himself another small smile. Count’s daughter or not, head of General Affairs or not—at heart she was still a sixteen-year-old girl. Of course she would find something like this delightful.
"You just smiled, didn’t you?"
"Perhaps My Lady is mistaken."
Milia had turned around and was squinting at him accusingly. Does she have eyes in the back of her head? Schwarz schooled his expression as if nothing had happened and asked the question with perfect innocence. Fortunately she did not seem entirely certain; she only gave a little huff and continued down the street.
"I really ought to go out more often. I never even knew a place like this existed."
"An excellent idea."
Anything was better than being cooped up in General Affairs every single day. Schwarz nodded in agreement as she grumbled.
"Hold on a moment."
Milia, who had been walking while looking around, suddenly stopped.
"Is something the matter?"
"Come here."
Puzzled by her abrupt change of direction, Schwarz let her take his arm and pull him toward a nearby shop. What met his eyes was a display case filled with all manner of dolls.
"Dolls."
"Dolls, yes."
While he spoke, Milia’s gaze settled on one particular figure tucked in a corner of the case. Made of black cloth, it had a long neck and a triangular head topped with two tiny horns. One eye was a large orange button; the other was a white X stitched in cloth. A pair of absurdly small wings sprouted from its round body, and its little tongue stuck out in a faintly vacant expression.
In short, it was a rather squashed-looking black dragon doll.
"Surely My Lady does not intend to buy that?"
"Hmm…"
Schwarz’s voice carried a note of unease as he watched her stare fixedly at the doll—an object that, by any reasonable standard, could only be called an acquired taste. Looking at it gave him a strangely unpleasant feeling.
"I like it. I’m buying it."
"My Lady?!"
But ill omens, as they say, always come true. Before he could stop her, Milia pushed open the shop door and disappeared inside.
"…"
A young lady’s tastes truly are difficult and complicated things… Schwarz thought, staring at the doll still sitting on the display.
A short while later the shop bell jingled and Milia emerged, the thoroughly questionable doll clutched in her hand.
"Does it please you that much?"
"Of course. I’ve already given it a name, you know."
"A name? Surely… you didn’t…"
Another ominous premonition flickered through his mind and he let the sentence trail off. Milia only smiled mischievously, eyes sparkling.
"From now on, this one’s name is Schwarz!"
"…"
She thrust the doll toward him. Schwarz could only stare, speechless. The little tongue poking out seemed to be mocking him—surely that was only his imagination. With a low sigh he shook his head from side to side.
How much time had passed since then? The sky that had glowed red with the setting sun was now glittering with stars.
"Wow… this is enormous…"
"I’d heard about it, but I never imagined it would be this big…"
Standing before a building in the First Commercial District northwest of the royal palace, Milia and Schwarz found themselves at a loss for words before its sheer presence. Smaller than the palace or the Academy, it was still larger than any of the surrounding structures. Even Schwarz, who knew nothing of architecture or art, could tell the building possessed genuine artistic value.
Just then—
"My Lady?"
Milia suddenly held out her hand, and Schwarz tilted his head in confusion.
"What are you standing there for? Don’t tell me you’re going to walk into a place like this without even offering me your arm?"
"Ah…! Forgive me, My Lady. I was lost in thought…"
At her tart remark he finally realized his lapse, took her hand lightly, and led her inside.
"Be careful. I won’t let it slide next time."
"Yes."
He gave a small nod to her playful warning. Had Robert witnessed the scene, a thunderous scolding would have followed at once—but fortunately they were not in the Count’s territory.
"Wow… it’s so gorgeous."
"Indeed."
Inside, the foyer was filled with unmistakably luxurious decorations. Elegant music drifted through the air; a red carpet covered the floor, and opulent ornaments cast a brilliant glow all around them.
"So where are we supposed to go?"
"To Balcony D on the second floor."
Schwarz checked the tickets, confirmed their seats, and started up the stairs.
"May I see your tickets?"
A woman who appeared to be a staff member approached them with a polite request.
"Here you are."
"Thank you. Please enjoy your evening at the Deleran Theater."
Schwarz handed over the tickets with a nod. After examining them the woman nodded to a large man standing behind her; the men bowed and opened the way.
They walked down a corridor lined with widely spaced doors until they reached the one marked D. Schwarz carefully opened it. A murmur of voices rose to meet them. Leaning over the balcony rail, they looked down upon a sea of people filling every seat below.
"Detect Magic."
As a precaution against any unforeseen trouble he cast the spell and scanned the surroundings, but found nothing suspicious.
"Please take a seat here."
"Mm. Thank you."
He turned as he spoke; Milia smiled faintly and settled into one of the chairs prepared on the balcony.
"Aren’t you going to sit?"
"How could I possibly presume to sit beside My Lady?"
No matter how long they had spent together, he was still the servant and she the master. The gulf between them was vast.
"Is that so? Well then, I suppose there’s no help for it."
"My Lady?"
At his answer she rose with a resigned little smile and perched herself on the carved stone railing.
"Ah—My Lady! That’s dangerous!"
Schwarz cried out in alarm. Even though it was only the second floor, the theater’s design put them at roughly the height of a third-story window in an ordinary house. Given the physical ability she had shown in the martial arts tournament, a fall would probably not injure her—but Schwarz was in no state of mind to consider such things.
"If you won’t sit, then I’ll just watch from here."
"Ugh…"
Milia’s mischievous smile drew a cold sweat and a low groan from him. She really was willful… That, too, was part of her charm, yet every time she chose to be difficult like this he found himself thoroughly at a loss.
"Very well… I’ll sit. Just please come down—it’s dangerous…"
"Heehee. You should have done that from the start."
At last he sighed in defeat. Milia stuck out her tongue playfully, hopped down from the railing, and leaned back in her chair. Schwarz took the seat beside her just as the lights inside the theater began to dim.
"Ah. Looks like it’s about to start. What was the title of the play again?"
"Let’s see… The Maiden and the Dragon."
In answer to her question Schwarz picked up the pamphlet lying on the small table beside the chairs. At that very moment the stage lights focused, and the curtain that had hidden the stage began to rise slowly.