Surprisingly, the answer did not come back immediately.
As the subtle silence stretched on, Barhan, lost in thought, asked again.
“W-wait, is something wrong?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“But then why the hesitation…?”
Dante muttered, narrowing his eyes at Barhan’s grumbling.
“It’s not that something has happened, but it’s not that nothing has happened either.”
It was literally true.
It wasn’t anything particularly significant, but it wasn’t nothing either.
There were no signs of beasts in the northern forest, and it was confirmed that no magic was seeping out around the ice ground.
That was a relief.
There were cases where plants and animals could become corrupted by the seeping magic, and once such an event occurred, it was a major headache.
The beasts were far stronger, more ferocious, and more intelligent than mere animals.
On days when even a trace of the beasts was found, one had to stay in the forest until the beasts were located, which could take several months.
Hearing that uninvited guests had visited Adeline made Barhan anxious, but thinking about being stuck because of the beasts…
‘Just imagining it is terrifying.’
It was a blessing that such a thing did not happen.
However, there was one thing.
It wasn’t significant, but he did notice a troubling change.
That was.
“Dew has formed on the ice ground.”
“Dew… on the ice ground?”
Barhan’s expression turned serious in an instant upon hearing this.
And it was understandable.
Barhan had been working here since the time Dante’s father was the duke.
Yet, in all those years working under the duke, this was the first time he had heard of any change occurring on the ice ground.
The ice ground, neither created by nature nor by humans, was completely unaffected by external influences.
Even when madmen occasionally brought hammers to unleash beasts and disrupt the world, not even a small scratch would appear on the ice ground.
It was the same logic that allowed it to maintain its solid form throughout all four seasons.
But now, a change on such an ice ground.
“Could it be that the ice ground is melting or something?”
At Barhan’s overly serious concern, Dante shook his head.
“That’s unlikely. The dew was at most just a few drops. I’ve been watching it for a few days, and it hasn’t particularly increased in quantity.”
“Hmm. If that’s the case, I feel a bit relieved. But it’s still concerning.”
Since it was a change occurring on the ice ground that sealed the beasts and magic, it was not excessive to react sensitively.
“I’ll have to find out what the cause is.”
“Yes. I’ll also look for any related literature or materials. Should I report this to the royal family as well?”
As soon as the royal family was mentioned, Dante’s brow furrowed.
If the overly dramatic emperor heard this, it would surely cause quite a commotion.
However, he couldn’t avoid reporting it.
Like it or not, the duty of protecting the north and the ice ground fell to the Richter family.
“...Report it.”
“Yes, understood.”
With a concise reply, Barhan left.
Left alone, Dante rested his chin on the desk and turned his gaze out the window.
He searched for Serafina among the clearly visible potato fields, or rather, the garden.
But he couldn’t find her.
Is she not coming out today?
Well, after what happened yesterday, it would make sense for her to take a break today.
Just recalling the scene where Countess Adeline and her daughter intimidated Serafina made his anger rise again.
In truth, he wanted to barge in without investigating any weaknesses and smash everything to pieces.
The desire to turn the hell that had frightened her into chaos surged within him.
The only reason he hadn’t acted on it was because of Serafina.
He worried that she might fear him or be disgusted by him.
He was concerned that she might feel guilt over the ruined family because of him.
But if something similar were to happen again…
He felt he wouldn’t be able to hold back then.
The expression on his tilted head turned icy.
The warmth of spring sunlight returned to his cold face just after he caught sight of the one he had been looking for.
…He thought she would rest, but she came out again today.
Waddling around the garden, Serafina was dressed in thick clothes that the maids had likely forced her into.
She lifted a small watering can with her tiny hand, checked that it was filled with water, and began to diligently water the potato field.
The proud expression on her face was clear even from here.
“...Pfft.”
Dante couldn’t hold back a laugh that escaped through the cracks and buried his face in the desk.
His broad shoulders shook a couple of times.
Finally lifting his head, he continued to gaze out the window with a gentle smile on his face.
* * *
Golden eyes were proof of royalty.
The brilliant golden eyes were a precious blessing bestowed by the gods.
Indeed, as if to prove the blessing was real, the royal family had lived for generations without suffering from serious illnesses or personal misfortunes.
The citizens of the empire explained the existence of the “ice ground” in a similar manner.
They said it was a blessing created to block magic for Hensston, whom the gods cherished and loved.
Though it was ironic that the Richter family was the one protecting the ice ground.
But then.
“...Dew has formed on that ice ground?”
Habiel Hensston.
The current emperor of the Hensston Empire read the report sent by Duke Richter with an expressionless face.
On his face, which always wore a cheerful smile, there was not a single trace of emotion.
He didn’t even show signs of surprise.
Tap, tap, tap.
He simply drummed his fingers on the armrest of the chair at regular intervals, lost in thought.
〈They always walk around with their arms crossed, and they seem unbothered by physical contact or being called… They really do look like a well-matched couple, so there shouldn’t be any worries about heirs.〉
The voice of Chelsea, who spoke of the Duke and Duchess Richter’s good relationship.
And the face of Dante, who had performed unexpectedly well during the hunting festival, flashed through his mind in succession.
Even the image of the duke and duchess sharing warm smiles while always crossing their arms.
“...They really did have a good relationship.”
No. It seemed insufficient to simply say they had a good relationship.
A couple who truly cherished and loved each other. It was clear that the two had genuinely fallen in love.
“I never expected such a result.”
The emperor threw the report aside as if crumpling it and reached for a decorative item on the table next to the sofa.
Inside a transparent glass case was a decorative piece containing an opaque mineral.
The emperor brought it close to his face and examined it closely.
Between the glass and the mineral, a faint drop of dew was clinging.
Soon, the emperor’s face twisted into a fierce scowl.
“This is truly troublesome.”
And it was not just a typical level of trouble.
Especially in a situation where there was still no news of a child…
“I warned them not to engage in useless romantic games.”
The golden eyes, symbolizing the blessing of the gods, glimmered ominously.
* * *
“It’s really going to be winter soon.”
I quickly wiped my nose, which was about to drip from the cold tip.
As I sniffled, Sienna, who was watering the potato field with me, handed me a handkerchief.
“Still, it’s cool for now, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is. It’s a bit cold in the morning and at night, though.”
But soon, it would get cold even during the day.
Ugh.
“How cold is the northern winter? Is it so cold that you can’t move?”
“Well, we were born and raised in the north, so we manage just fine. It can be difficult to go out when it snows a lot, though.”
“What about me?”
“I think you’ll just wrap yourself up in a blanket in front of the fireplace and eat roasted sweet potatoes and potatoes.”
Yeah. I see. In other words, it means that someone as weak as me, who is from the capital, would find it hard to endure.
Thinking that way, I already felt a bit restless.
“...I want to go out.”
“Pardon? Are you serious?”
I am serious.
Even though I’m a homebody, just thinking that I might not be able to go out into the garden made me intensely want to go out.
If possible, outdoors.
Ah.
“How about a picnic?”
“A picnic?”
“Yeah. It would be nice to pack a lunch and bring a mat for a picnic, don’t you think? It’s still autumn, after all.”
“A picnic, huh….”
Sienna, narrowing her eyes, murmured softly.
After staring somewhere for a while, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and broke into a bright smile.
“I think that’s a great idea! A picnic!”
“Right?”
I knew Sienna would like it.
I envisioned a delightful autumn picnic, or rather, an autumn outing in my mind.
Should I receive a list of participants again and go together?
It would be fun to go to a nice forest and experience picking chestnuts or mushrooms.
As I spread my imagination like a kindergarten teacher planning a field trip for the kids, I was brought back to reality by a clap!
The cheerful sound of Sienna’s applause pulled me back.
And.
“That’s really a wonderful idea! The duke and the lady can go on a cozy outing together!”
My plan for a group autumn outing had somehow transformed into a couple’s autumn date plan.