Chapter 73

Another peaceful morning in the Young Lady's room.

Having read the reports that this winter would be the coldest on record, I was preparing for a rare outing so we could spend the season in warmth. I would buy her favorite snacks, order firewood, and look for a down quilt and some fur clothes.

Dressed in my usual black butler's coat, I looked down at the Young Lady, who was stretching out a small white foot.

She wore a sulky expression—lips pushed out in a pout, eyes fixed on the crimson socks dangling from my hand.

"No."

She turned her head away with a huff. Like a teenager refusing school unless she could wear that brand-name padded jacket, she was in full rebellion.

"I don't like red socks. They're tacky."

"Fashion is cyclical, my lady."

"Ricardo, you have no sense of style."

"What fault could you possibly find with my fashion sense?"

She swept her gaze over me—someone who insisted on the same black butler uniform three-hundred-and-sixty-five days a year—and released a deep sigh.

"You dress in dreary colors every single day."

"I'm wearing something different today."

"It's exactly the same...."

"How can you say that? The pattern on the shirt is different from the usual one. I agonised over the choice, and you didn't even notice—how disappointing."

"It's the same thing!"

What's wrong with my butler's coat, anyway? When I first put it on, you praised me, saying I looked efficient. Now you're full of complaints.

Wasn't that praise...?

In any case, the Young Lady showed no sign of yielding to the butler's earnest wish to keep her feet warm in the bitter cold. Unless the socks were black, she declared, she would not set foot outside.

Confronted by her stubbornness, I felt a contrary spark of competitiveness.

'You won't wear them? That only makes me want to get them on you.'—a perverse frog-spirit.

Red has long been a symbol of good fortune; in my previous life it was tradition to buy red long-johns with one's first paycheck. I've always had a soft spot for the color.

The Young Lady shook her head.

"Nooo! I hate red socks. Give me black ones."

"Don't be petulant, my lady. You're being so adorable I'm almost tempted to change them to black."

"Eeeeh! Black socks!"

She tried to win through sheer cuteness. I was tempted to show her I could be petulant too, but mindful of her stomach after breakfast, I restrained myself.

'Next time, I'll demonstrate.'

Promising myself I'd throw myself on the floor and kick my heels tomorrow, I fixed her with a solemn expression.

"It's too much trouble to get them."

"What's troublesome? You just open the wardrobe and take them out."

"That is the troublesome part."

"Eeeek...!"

She flung a pillow.

*

A brief clash of opinions followed.

The subject—socks—was childish, but we reached an accord with a single piece of chocolate. A small price to pay.

Perched on the edge of the bed, the Young Lady stared down at her feet now clad in red socks. A compromise had been reached, yet she remained dissatisfied.

I straightened and stretched my back, then pinched her pouting cheek.

"Uwaah... it'll tear!"

Today her cheeks were as soft and chewy as ever. Perhaps because of winter, they felt a little dry.

'I'll need to buy moisturiser too.'

Whenever the season changes, my purse begins to ache. Monsters hide from the cold, so there are fewer places to earn coin.

Still, I had the purse Malik had given me; a certain amount of spending was acceptable. I began mentally listing what I needed to buy today.

"Uuu... Ricardo looks like a nouveau-riche show-off."

"I am a nouveau-riche show-off."

"...You admit it quickly."

I turned my back to her and spoke.

"Let's go. It's been a while—my treat."

With a serious face she replied,

"Ricardo pays for things every day."

"..."

She stated the obvious.

***

The streets of Hamel were freezing.

"Hoo..."

On my back, the Young Lady exhaled little white puffs, eyes wide and sparkling.

She had struggled and protested before leaving, yet now she looked around with curiosity, blowing soft clouds of breath. I was glad I'd brought her out.

She was wrapped in a round cocoon of blankets.

Worried she might catch cold, I'd swaddled her like a parcel. Passers-by stared at the spectacle of a noble Young Lady in a quilt, yet she, confronted by the fiercer enemy of winter air, said nothing.

"It's because of the red socks."

Instead she found another excuse.

Spotting a stall selling chicken skewers, the Young Lady's eyes grew round. The sweet scent of grilled meat turned her gaze hazy. She wriggled one arm free of her blanket roll and pointed.

"Ricardo, skewers!"

"No. Impulse purchases wound the purse."

"The purse can be hurt."

"Then our estate will feel cold."

"That can't happen."

Swallowing hard, she stared at the stall with longing.

"Skew...ers."

"Uuu... I want them so badly."

She murmured like a lost spirit, waving a wistful hand—'We mustn't pass it by.' I let a small smile slip and walked to the vendor.

"One spicy and one medium, please."

Wrapped in her blanket, the Young Lady wriggled with delight. I paid, but she spoke up quickly.

"Wait...! I'll pay!"

She began rummaging in her breast pocket for a gold coin.

The search went on. I smiled and placed silver on the table.

"I'll take care of it. Next time, you can treat."

"But I found it...!"

She finally produced the coin—and a piece of chocolate. Tilting her head, she resumed her treasure hunt.

"I insist on paying."

"Next time it's my turn, so you mustn't interfere."

I nodded, agreeing. I would always pay; I didn't want anyone else receiving her gold.

The vendor woman looked at us curiously. She'd probably never seen a noble Young Lady carried like a bundle.

Please, no awkward questions...

Compared to her first outing, the Young Lady had grown less sensitive to stares, yet if someone asked, say, 'Isn't the Young Lady heavy on your back?' she'd likely panic.

I glanced at her—snorting with anticipation for her skewers—and forced an awkward smile.

"Could you hurry? It's cold outside."

The woman laughed brightly and moved her hands faster.

"Sure~ But how long have you students been dating?"

"Pardon?"

"I'm asking how long you've been together."

She seems kind.

I decided in my heart to become a regular customer.

"...We're not a couple."

The young lady's voice came from behind me.

A young lady who spoke informally upon first meeting.

I lightly nudged the young lady on my back to point out what was wrong. Speaking informally upon first meeting isn't proper etiquette.

Realizing her mistake, the young lady shook her head vigorously and spoke to the woman with a hint of apology.

"We're not a couple... either."

"Is that so? Hehe..."

The woman had a kind smile.

"A handsome and pretty pair of students looked so well-matched. I was going to give you a service if you were dating."

The young lady's eyes lit up at the word 'service' as she said.

"What kind of service?"

"Why? If I give you service, will you start dating from today?"

"No. That's not it...."

The young lady looked at me with troubled eyes.

"Oh my, oh my, I'm being meddlesome again. Please understand since I'm an aunty."

The woman laughed heartily and held out chicken skewers. The woman offered a three-variety set of spicy, medium, and mild flavors.

"This is service!"

"Hieee!"

The young lady's eyes went round.

Taking the skewers, the young lady smiled happily and greeted the woman.

"Thank you."

"Young lady.."

"Thank you very much."

She was a well-mannered young lady.

Before leaving the street stall.

"Hey, student!"

The woman called out to me and tossed me the silver coin that had been placed on the table with a ting sound.

"Do well."

As expected, ajummas were quick to catch on. I bowed my head slightly and expressed my gratitude.

"I'll try my best."

My face felt hot.

*

My hands were full of receipts.

Since I had no free hands from carrying the young lady while shopping, we paid a small fee to request delivery.

The young lady's eyes were spinning as she looked at the crumpled receipts.

"Zero one..two...three... Hiiik!"

The young lady was more afraid of money than ghosts.

Before her family's support was cut off, it was an amount she could spend lightly, but now feeling the heavy weight of money, the young lady's shoulders trembled.

"Ricardo is rich."

"Yes, I'm rich."

"Really?"

"No..."

The young lady sighed and hugged me tightly.

"I'm sorry..."

A soft, pleasant feeling.

I felt like I had become rich.

A natural smile formed on my lips.

"It's alright."

Walking through the commercial district, we talked about various things. Stories about buying more chocolate, getting insect medicine to put in the house, buying snacks for Gomtangi.

While continuing our discussion about a wallet opened after a long time. When we passed in front of a sparkling jewelry store, the young lady stopped her chattering mouth.

"Wow... it's pretty."

The young lady admired a bracelet set with diamonds.

It wasn't a bracelet that highborn noble ladies would wear, but it was ridiculously expensive with the money we had.

The young lady, who had been putting receipts in her pocket, clenched her fist tightly as she saw the brilliant bracelet visible through the glass wall.

Without saying anything, I bowed my head slightly and counted the number of '0's written in front of the bracelet.

'Three, four..five...'

A bitter laugh escaped at the wicked price.

I glanced at the pocket containing gold coins, but my regretful heart ached even more.

Since the settlement money for the recipe wouldn't be received until after this year passed, my heart became even more troubled.

'The young lady's birthday is also approaching...'

I glanced at the young lady on my back and asked carefully.

"Do you want it?"

"N..no...!"

The young lady was startled.

The young lady shook her head and said.

"N..no."

The young lady was bad at acting.

The young lady muttered quietly, tickling the butler's heart.

"Too... expensive.."

It was troubling.

In many ways.

Moving my reluctant steps, I turned my footsteps toward the estate.

Trudge. Trudge. As I walked back to the estate with heavy steps, something cold greeted my forehead and melted away.

"Ricardo, look at that."

The young lady looked at the sky and said.

White falling snow.

This year's first snow was falling.

"It's winter."

"Yeah... it's winter."

The first snow was falling.

*