“Ugh…!”
When I woke up in the morning, I could already feel the hustle and bustle outside.
What was all this noise about, even before the festival had truly begun?
Well, I guess it just means everyone is that excited.
That’s how festivals work.
I’ve never heard of a gloomy festival.
If it were gloomy, they wouldn’t even bother calling it a festival in the first place.
“Kyle… wake up….”
I nudged Kyle, who was sleeping next to me.
He seemed tired, probably from working until the last day, but he had to get up.
There was still one final task left.
“Kyle…. hurry up….”
I was also exhausted.
I had worked nearly until dawn yesterday, so it made sense.
But I had no choice but to wake Kyle.
It wasn’t too late yet, but if he kept sleeping, we might be late.
“Kyle~”
“….”
“Wake up….”
I whispered in Kyle’s ear.
Every time Kyle would do this to me, I’d jump, so I thought maybe he would wake up startled too.
“Sophia….”
“Oh.”
But contrary to my expectations, Kyle simply opened his eyes quietly without a start.
That’s boring.
“Did you sleep well?”
“No….”
“Hmm….”
Honestly, I wanted him to sleep a bit longer.
He’d be so tired if he had to get up without a proper rest.
But…. there was no helping it.
Kyle was now a proper man of the family.
There was nothing I could do about it.
“Let’s get up, okay?”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, Kyle got out of bed.
He immediately began to prepare himself.
Kyle got ready while being attended to by the servants, and I prepared the clothes he would wear today.
Since it was okay for me to be a bit late, I figured I could prepare after he was done.
I prepared an outfit that had a different vibe than usual.
It was for the festival, after all.
A traditional-looking outfit based on white, accented with red and blue.
It felt like something you might wear in the countryside.
Ah, so that’s why it gave off a traditional feel?
*
“Kyle, is your outfit uncomfortable?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Good to hear.”
I dressed Kyle after he returned from bathing.
I was worried it might not fit him because he was tall, but thankfully, it seemed comfortable.
When he wore it, it didn’t look like something you’d wear in the countryside; it suited him beautifully.
“Sophia, take your time coming out. It doesn’t start right away, after all.”
“I know that already. I can manage on my own, right?”
I was a bit worried.
Though it had been a few years, I always helped him, so this was the first time he would be going out alone.
What if he messed up by himself?
“Of course, you’ll be fine. It’s just a matter of saying a few words and moving your eyes around.”
“That’s true.”
“Come out in a bit. I’ll be waiting.”
“Okay, you better do well!”
“Yes.”
With that, Kyle left the room.
I wanted to see him out until the gate, but I’d be seeing him again shortly.
I was now left alone in the room.
Being alone felt a bit awkward.
Had I been spending too much time with Kyle lately?
After all, we had been up working together from morning until dawn just yesterday.
“Hmm.”
Weren’t we just temporary lovers?
But why did it seem like all I remembered was work these days?
“Sigh….”
What could I do?
The duke had asked Kyle for help, and there was no way to decline.
We’re family. I can’t just pretend I don’t know when things get difficult.
As Kyle’s lover or not, I would have helped regardless.
In various ways, it was unavoidable.
“First, let’s wash up.”
Now there was nothing left to do but enjoy the festival, so thinking about work was quite a waste.
Work is work, and play is play.
*
“Ah….”
After washing and changing, I came downstairs.
The festival hadn’t completely started yet, but stalls were lining the streets, and I could see children running around.
These were things I’d only seen inside the castle before.
Walking alone on this street felt somewhat refreshing.
“I wonder where Kyle is….”
Well, I had a hunch.
He always did the same thing during the spring festival, and I more or less knew what to expect.
He was probably shoveling snow by now.
And I don’t mean that metaphorically; he was literally shoveling snow.
“Kyle~”
“Oh, you’re here?”
I met Kyle as I arrived in the central area.
Kyle was shoveling snow.
Since I had seen that scene multiple times, I didn’t particularly pay it much mind.
It was just surprising that he was doing it himself.
“How much have you made now?”
“Pretty much done, as you can see.”
“That makes sense.”
As I moved my gaze slightly, I saw a hill made of snow.
For the Spring Festival, they built hills out of snow.
They literally create an incline and gather people around it.
“Make way~ We’re going to place the doll, so move aside~!”
Then someone came over carrying a doll and placed it on top of that hill.
Setting it on fire would mark the proper start.
“Was it tiring?”
“No, not really.”
“Stop pretending everything’s fine.”
I know the digging was tough; I’m not oblivious.
I’ve never been to the army, but I’ve done some digging myself.
What a crazy PE teacher.
Why did he make kids shovel snow?
If I went back to that time, I would’ve played javelin with the shovels instead.
“It’s really starting now, huh?”
“That’s right.”
As Kyle and I were watching the preparations, people began to gather in droves.
Now, we could finally enjoy the festival like regular folks.
The duke would probably be arriving soon as well.
Well… it meant more work for him now, but he had been resting while leaving things to Kyle until now, right?
Time to get to work now.
“Feeling less sleepy now?”
“Haha… it turns out using my body actually makes me feel more awake.”
“That’s good to hear. I was thinking if you stayed sleepy, I’d just watch the festivities and go back to bed.”
Of course, I wouldn’t consider playing at the festival without Kyle, so I would have headed for a nap too.
Lucky for me.
If I hadn’t enjoyed the first day of the festival and just slept through it, it would have been a real shame.
Fortunately, Kyle seemed to have gotten a bit more awake, so now it was truly time to have fun.
“The lord has arrived!”
“Ahhh!!!”
“Please shave that beard!!!”
“….”
Just as Kyle and I were waiting to hold hands and start, the duke appeared.
The duke was followed by other servants from the castle.
By the way, he didn’t even shave for this occasion.
That beard…. I never noticed it when he was a man, but it feels incredibly unkempt.
No matter how well-kept they are, it was unavoidable.
Just looking at it made me feel like I wanted to shave it off.
Of course, I couldn’t, but it was genuinely bothering to look at.
“Kyle, don’t grow a beard.”
“?”
“I said don’t.”
“If Sophia says so, I won’t.”
If Kyle ever grew a beard… I would definitely shave it off.
Covering a handsome face with a beard just doesn’t make sense.
Sure, with Kyle’s looks, a beard might be acceptable, but… I truly hated the thought.
I hated it so much.
“Like always, this spring has passed smoothly.”
While Kyle and I were quietly chatting, the duke opened his mouth, as it seemed preparations were finally complete.
He was probably going to say something to signal the beginning.
Since it was just before the start, I could also see Elin and Louise.
Well, Louise would play for a bit and then, as always, get bored and go rest inside the castle, but Elin… she was probably still working.
She’d probably be guarding this year as well.
“Now, the cold of Eristirol that lasted so long will finally subside, and warm spring will come.”
In various ways, this winter passed quickly.
Kyle had become a full adult, suddenly confessed his feelings, and unexpectedly became my temporary lover.
Moreover, I suddenly went to the imperial palace, so it made sense time felt fast.
But warm spring… it still felt so cold to me.
Anyway, the duke grabbed a torch handed to him by a servant and climbed the small hill to stand before the doll.
“This day is nothing less than the cornerstone of creating a peaceful and happy year! Everyone! Let’s enjoy the festival!”
“Woohoooo!!!”
“Yayyyy!!!”
“Woooooo!!!”
With that, he set the doll on fire with the torch.
As the doll slowly burned, the duke walked back down the hill.
Now it had truly begun.
Now, among the crowd surrounding the hill, those selling from stalls would head to do business, and those who weren’t would start to enjoy the festival with laughter.
“Kyle, let’s hold hands.”
“Yes.”
I took Kyle’s hand.
Holding hands in this cold weather was truly warm.
But I wasn’t just using his hand as a hand warmer.
– Bam…. bam~!
Before long, lively music started playing, and people began to circle around the hill.
As I watched the doll burning brightly, I wished for a joyful and smooth year ahead, continuing the dance in circles.
Of course, even without this, I would generally have a joyful and smooth year ahead, but the atmosphere is always important.
“Kyle, let’s make this year a good one.”
The year had already begun.
But I said this regardless.
After all, the purpose of the festival was to celebrate the end of winter and welcome spring, wishing for a happy year ahead.
“I’ll make it a year where Sophia can be happy.”
“What on earth does that mean?”
I replied with a smile.
Kyle was speaking strangely as if it were nothing, but it felt quite poetic.
“Just hold my hand properly. It’s cold.”
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