When that snow melts (3)
Pierre, Bishop of Shoara.
A bishop dispatched directly to the North by the Vatican, and a person who has fought against evil, heresy, and evildoers all his life.
However, this incident was nothing more than an ordinary affair that was completely unrelated to his beliefs.
In order to gain justification, he even gave indulgence to back-alley street thugs, but in the end, he only ended up with a miserable failure.
“Bishop. “A telegram has arrived.”
“Come here.”
The mirror of St. Marello, which was a source of pride, was broken and was now under great pressure from the mayors of San Logino and Shoara.
Maybe I should resign from my position as bishop because of this incident.
Northerners have long thought of themselves as a thorn in the side of the Vatican.
“······But that’s okay.”
Still, it worked.
Because in the end, this telegram ended up in my hands.
If you want to achieve a greater cause, sometimes you have to know how to go back.
“A knight with the blood of a dragon would be able to put an end to Ramasut’s life.”
I always wanted to walk the right path.
There was a time when I believed I could do that.
However, Pierre had already realized long ago that the world cannot always walk on a straight path.
The path to God’s will is not always bright.
“It was incredibly rewarding.”
A telegram brought by a priest.
At the bottom of the small piece of paper was the seal of the Dragullia family.
Together with them, we will be able to show the foolish northerners the bright light of the Holy See once again.
※※※※
“how is it? “Have you thought about it?”
Vlad stopped by the city hall and visited Goth, who was working in the stables.
“You did that before. “Let’s do one big thing together.”
“I’m not sure if being expelled from Shoara is a big deal.”
Goth was speechless at his suggestion, but he didn’t seem particularly offended.
In any case, he was in a situation where he was being expelled, and from Goth’s perspective, it meant giving up his stable job.
It was a situation that anyone could understand.
“I said what I said. “Of course, the decision is yours.”
“······.”
Goth was clearly a useful person.
Unlike Vlad, who was imprisoned in Shoara for most of his life, Goth had a wide range of knowledge as he had wandered from place to place, and was also a versatile person who could handle a variety of jobs.
However, the word useful is not the same thing as the word necessary.
Because anything he could do, Vlad could also do.
“I’m planning to leave early tomorrow morning. “If you have any thoughts, let’s meet at the gate.”
“······.”
I know that he tried to use himself as an opportunity to climb to a higher place.
However, even if it started as a shallow ploy, he was the one who was with me until the end in times of crisis, so I reached out to him with all my heart.
Even if Goth declines the offer, it will be his last courtesy.
“Go already?”
“I’ve done all my business here.”
Even if Goth doesn’t come and I end up alone, it won’t matter.
Because now I have the qualifications to stand alone no matter where I am.
The back of Vlad, who turned around without hesitation, said that.
※※※※
In the end, I couldn’t meet Josef.
I wanted to say one last goodbye before leaving, but as an outcast who was no better than a criminal, that was not allowed.
Distinction between public and private like a sword.
Josef even refused his greetings to avoid giving up even a single justification until the end, but the reason he was still not offended was probably because he learned a lot from him.
“I spoke with the Kannor family. When the river melts, Haven receives the fish from Sturma by boat.”
“Have you already found a business partner?”
“We should prepare for the next task if possible.”
Always think about the next move.
Always prepare for the worst.
Now that he had to stand alone, Vlad decided to take the advice he had learned from Josef and Zayar to heart.
“Otar. Help Haven’s business. “Having you by my side will help me.”
“hmm.”
He gave Haven, who had a boat, a connection with the Kannor family, and placed Otar next to him in case of an unexpected situation.
Just the two of us may not be enough, but since it is still a small business and there will be people on the side to help, I think it will be possible.
“Why is this? “You’re going to need money to stay outside, right?”
“Even without this, it will be enough. “When did you live with money?”
Vlad quietly took out ten sparkling gold coins from his pocket, which now had only 18 gold left, and handed them to Haven.
“Take care of the kids outside with this. “There’s something bosses usually do around this time of year.”
“iced coffee······.”
In the past, when there were five bosses, when a season like now came when it was difficult to make a living, each boss would gather food to eat in the back alleys.
It may have been nothing more than a formality to attract public sentiment and solidify the foundation, but in fact, there were people who survived on the meal they provided.
“Now that there are only two bosses, the kids outside are all starving to death.”
“okay. “You are right.”
The belief that if you are weak you will be trampled and that you must fight to survive is still the same.
However, no matter how remote it may be, it would be wise to take care of children at least.
Moreover, these days, the eyes of children looking at him keep getting trampled.
“······Children keep looking at me.”
“I said I understood.”
I decided to do it because I could, and I was in a position where I needed to do it.
I decided to willingly give about 10 gold for the children who were looking at the knight who was born and raised in the back alley.
If that’s the case, at least no children will starve to death this winter.
“I think it’s done now…”
Now that he had taken care of all the kids from the back alleys, he had almost finished everything he had to do.
“But he doesn’t come out until the end.”
Vlad’s eyes were focused on a room on the fourth floor.
It was the room of Jemina, who had dragged her right next to it, saying it would block the conversation in her voice.
※※※※
“I’ll buy you that later when I get paid for the virginity.”
There was a time when I stood in the mud on the road and looked at the old blacksmith’s sword.
“You said it only takes 5 gold, right?”
While I was staring blankly at the shining sword, there was a red-haired girl who always stood next to me.
Faced with the cruel choice of being either a fucking beggar or a prostitute selling her body, Jemina smiled and said she would buy her an unadorned sword.
“Do you think your virginity is worth 5 gold?”
“Even if you buy it for me, it’s a damn thing.”
Amidst the jokes and ridicule, the boy and the girl laughed, but in reality, no one was laughing.
For those living in the back alleys, even protecting someone was a luxury.
However, Gemina gave herself a sword.
The abundant red hair that was shown in exchange for the sword was like the last weapon for Gemina, who had nothing.
The sword he bought with the girl’s tears that day made him a knight.
Perhaps all the achievements with the unadorned sword so far started with Gemina.
“Where are you going!”
“It was later than I thought.”
“······You’re not going to answer?”
Vlad came out, carrying Jemina, who was locked in the room, on his shoulder, and was quickly running down the alley.
“Let’s run a bit.”
“······Do whatever you feel like.”
Gemina seemed embarrassed by her swollen eyes and buried her face behind Vlad’s back.
I could feel Vlad’s breath through the cold winter wind.
“So, do your best.”
“what?”
They used to run away, but now they are driven out.
I thought I was finally sticking around, but for no reason I did something stupid and created this division.
Gemina felt neither sadness nor anger in the face of another approaching separation, but only sorrowful emotions.
“It’s here. Is it here?”
“······Where am I?”
I couldn’t even put my shoes on because I was suddenly dragged out.
The place where I was carried by Vlad for a long time was not the back alley that I usually see, but the central square in the center of Shoara.
“Is the door closed?”
If you’re in a back alley, it’s time to light up, but if you’re an ordinary person, it’s time to close your business and go home.
Still, Vlad only had time today, so it was inevitable.
If I had known I would be kicked out like this, I should have ordered it in advance.
bang-! bang-!
Open the door!
“hey! it’s crazy? What are you doing!”
“Owner! “I told you to open the door!”
“The guards are watching!”
The patrolling guards approached Vlad, who was pounding hard on the door.
The girl from the back alley, who always had no choice but to cower in front of the guards, was embarrassed and grabbed Vlad by the back of his neck and shook it, but in reality, it was nothing to do anymore.
“So what. “I am a knight.”
“······ah.”
I was able to be confident even in front of the guards, whom I was always afraid of.
Now, Vlad has become someone who can at least protect Jemina, who is on his back.
“Who are you at this hour?”
“I reserved something, right? “Are you finished?”
“······Please come in, Vlad.”
No one could treat Jemina carelessly when she was with Vlad.
It was not simple fear, but Vlad’s authority and honor that made it so.
The store is open again, although business hours have passed.
Jemina could not keep her mouth shut in the brightly lit store, as did the owner’s sudden change in attitude.
“wow.”
Looking at the countless clothes surrounding me
Wonderful fabrics that made me feel like I was stepping on the cold floor even though I was barefoot.
“But why did you come here!”
This was the most famous dressmaker in Shoara.
“It was finished, but you came late so I was planning to bring it to you tomorrow.”
“I am sorry for being late. “Let’s put it on now.”
Instead of answering Gemina’s question, Vlad simply gestured with his hand.
“me?”
“Who else here would wear this little dress but you?”
Jemina’s eyes naturally turned to where Vlad’s hand was pointing.
“Try it on.”
A dress swaying in the hands of the dressmaker.
The luxuriously dyed bright red color looked good with Gemina’s hair.
※※※※
I opened the door of the jewelry store and received a necklace and earrings.
I stopped by the tanner’s house and received bright red shoes.
I brought the cosmetics I had ordered and a fancy fan from the jewelry store.
“When I saw it at that time, it looked good on me.”
“······.”
Vlad was taking the items he had reserved one by one and putting them on Gemina.
With the setting twilight, Shoara’s square was getting darker, but Gemina’s outfit was shining even brighter.
“I didn’t think I could get any taller, so I made it the perfect size.”
“Crazy guy.”
“Now don’t borrow it from Marcela, wear your own.”
Vlad remembered.
That time when Jemina came wearing a bright red dress to bring in noir.
At that time, she was not a back alley girl who said she would sell her virginity, but a lady that anyone could recognize.
“······How much is all this?”
Since I borrowed something from someone else, there is no longer any awkwardness.
The dresses and accessories made just for the girl made Gemina shine even more than what she had seen that day.
“Probably about 5 gold.”
“Can this be 5 gold?”
Jemina grabbed the hem of her skirt and smiled as if it were ridiculous.
I’m not sure because I’ve never bought it, but a dress made of bright red velvet would easily cost more than 5 gold.
“good. “It’s pretty.”
Vlad put both hands on his hips and looked proud.
It was hard to believe that she was a woman who had been crying in her room just a moment ago.
“I wish I had done my hair, but I was too busy.”
One week was a busy time to organize the things I had decided to do so far.
Still, I was glad that I was able to use the last night of Shoara entirely for Gemina.
“receive.”
“What.”
Vlad nodded as if he had finished and handed a piece of cloth to Gemini.
“This is the handkerchief I made.”
A crude handkerchief that does not suit a woman wearing a fancy dress and accessories.
It was a handkerchief that Jemina had personally made for Vlad, with someone’s name clearly engraved on it.
“I didn’t know, but they said nobles do this.”
Vlad got down on one knee as he saw Zemina staring at the handkerchief he had made.
“······What are you doing?”
The etiquette of a nobleman, learned harshly from Oksana.
Zemina was taken aback by Vlad’s sudden actions, but each and every one of his appearances contained an elegance that could not be described.
“Could you please give me your handkerchief? Lady.”
Even though she was not born with noble blood, the girl was something that Vlad had to protect and repay.
And a woman that a knight must protect naturally deserves the title of Lady.
Jemina was a qualified woman.
“You can give that to me now.”
“huh? Yep.”
Zemina calmly held out a handkerchief with her name engraved on it.
When Vlad asked for a handkerchief, I felt a seriousness that I couldn’t dare refuse.
“······.”
There are two ways for a driver to receive a handkerchief from a lady.
One way is to receive it with the tip of the sword.
Another way is to receive it from hand to hand.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Vlad looked at the dirty back of Jemina’s hand in his hand.
Although it looked different from Alicia’s smooth hands, it was still a hand that I couldn’t help but feel affection for.
“Be sure to apply what I bought you on your hands.”
“If you wash the dishes anyway, everything will get erased.”
As Zemina laughed as if it were absurd, Vlad also started laughing along with her.
Now we no longer have to hide our feelings with laughter.
In a square with no one around.
A knight knelt before the Lady.
Her handkerchief was passed from hand to hand, and although Jemina may not have known it, Vlad through that act pledged to willingly shoulder a duty.
It was an oath to protect you.
