Goyo reached into her outer pocket and pulled out a magic stone.
As she placed the golden-glowing stone in her palm and cupped her hands as if scooping up water, the magic stone floated slightly upward.
Goyo called for Wartin.
The whale quietly appeared and, following its master’s will, formed a large droplet of water around the stone.
The mass of water began to split into multiple layers from the inside. The innermost layer surrounded the stone, while the outer layer enveloped the inner one.
The layers of water shimmered, splitting and overlapping repeatedly.
Finally, when the outermost layer curled and unfurled, the once-fluid water froze into a vivid blue flower.
The flower, blooming with golden light, was a rose, even more perfect than during her practice. Goyo smiled, feeling a sense of pride.
Annecy’s gaze was fixed on the delicately formed ice flower. More precisely, it was fixed on Goyo’s face as she smiled in front of the flower.
In the gentle breeze that occasionally rustled her hair, the scent of water from the lake, and the distant sound of insects, everything seemed to fade except for the sharp clarity of the one person before him.
The golden light from the flower illuminated her smiling face. Even though it was a soft light in the backdrop of night, it appeared brighter, more radiant.
Brighter, more beautiful, and even more…
Annecy’s expression hardened, but Goyo didn’t notice, as his face was hidden in the darkness.
“Does it look alright to you?”
“It’s beautiful, truly.”
Even as he responded mechanically, Annecy wasn’t entirely sure what he was calling beautiful. Goyo, satisfied with his vague answer, blushed slightly.
“It’s made of ice, so it’ll melt, but I thought it was no different from a flower, which only lasts a moment anyway. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Fleeting beauty shines even more brightly. But unfortunately, this flower won’t last for just a moment. Because…”
“You’re skilled enough to use magic to keep the ice from melting, right? Rajin already mentioned that.”
“Well, I’ve been beaten to the punch.”
Feigning embarrassment without actually feeling it, Annecy smiled as he accepted the ice flower from Goyo’s hands. The sensation was cold to the touch, but more than the chill, he was acutely aware of the warmth that had brushed against it moments before.
Hiding his complicated emotions behind a smile, Annecy glanced down at his wrist. His watch showed that it had just passed 10:30.
Annecy had never attached much significance to his birthday, only remembering that he was born on the day of the Witch’s Moon.
Yet, suddenly, he found himself regretting how little time remained before his birthday ended.
Was it because it had been a while since someone treated his birthday as something special? Or was it because that person was Goyo?
His slow, gray eyes found his wife.
Which, then, did he find more special?
“There’s an hour and a half left until midnight.”
“It’s already that late. Are you tired?”
“Not at all. Goyo, I’ve never considered my birthday to be particularly important, but may I use it as an excuse to ask an impertinent question?”
“What could possibly be so monumental that you need to ask permission?”
“Why did you love Terio Alte?”
The smile disappeared from Goyo’s face. Likewise, Annecy was no longer wearing his usual smiling expression.
Why was he asking this? Goyo felt a strange suspicion but quickly brushed it aside. It wasn’t the kind of thought worth dwelling on.
“It’s hard to say when you ask for a reason. To be honest, I didn’t have such feelings until he confessed. In fact, I was angry at the time. My feelings changed over time. Hmm, Annecy, you’ve probably forgotten, but do you remember my childhood wish?”
“Yes, a peaceful family.”
“How do you even remember that?”
Annecy smiled silently, seeing her surprised expression.
“Anyway, I suppose that’s why. At the time, his feelings seemed so firm and unchanging. I thought that’s what made me like him…
Maybe it was my passive nature, and I just followed along, falling in love after hearing the words.”
“Do you still like them?”
“No. It’s already been quite some time since I stopped. When exactly… it’s hard to pinpoint.”
“I’m relieved, truly.”
“Yes, I suppose.”
Goyo nodded while smiling. However, contrary to the calm smile, something inside felt strange.
The suspicion she had a moment ago resurfaced. An unwelcome doubt.
Even with that thought, this time she couldn’t easily brush it aside, and Goyo asked calmly.
“But why are you curious about that?”
“Well… because you’re my wife?”
A vague answer to a vague question. Goyo’s lips moved as if to ask more, but she swallowed her words.
In contrast, it seemed Annecy had decided to say everything he wanted to today.
Even the brief smile he had shown vanished as he opened his mouth again. One more thing.
“I imagine Sir Eliom has already spoken, but the feeling that summoned Wartin is resignation.”
“Yes, I know.”
“May I ask why?”
The reason for my resignation… It’s not a question I can’t answer.
Not long ago, when Rajin asked the same question, Goyo didn’t avoid it and answered. If she just repeated the same answer as before, she could respond without fabricating anything.
It’s a half-hidden truth, but only I would know.
However, the answer that came easily in front of Rajin now felt difficult to speak. To be precise, she didn’t want to say it.
There are many people who have driven Goyo down the one-way path of resignation.
Of course, the one who played the most decisive role was Terio Alte, who made hope terrifying. But the one who blocked the third option was Duke Rubiette, and the one who took Terio’s heart was Melissy Rubiette.
And the one who destroyed, or is about to destroy, the Rubiette family is Annecy Bethelgius.
It goes without saying, but Goyo had no intention of denying that it was she herself who pushed Goyo Rubiette off the cliff.
Goyo stepped off the cliff on her own, and while falling, she met Annecy.
Met resignation. In the process of falling toward death.
In a heart burnt by the flames of hope, even the ashes of which had been incinerated, surprisingly, a tiny bit of resentment remained.
It’s a very faint and small resentment, but that powerless emotion kept Goyo silent.
She didn’t want to fabricate words. At least not in front of Annecy Bethelgius. At least not about resignation.
And so, the voice that came out was shockingly cold.
“No. Don’t ask.”
Without a hint of disturbance, Annecy blinked. His expressionless face did not seem cold, and no emotion could be read in his sharp eyes.
Goyo stared deeply into Annecy’s eyes, as if trying to see his hidden thoughts, but she found no more clarity.
“I understand.”
The response that came after a brief silence was unexpectedly clean. It was almost doubtful whether he had even been curious in the first place.
Then, Annecy turned his gaze back to the ice flower. His intent to shift the conversation was obvious, but Goyo, who had become slightly anxious after refusing him, found it somewhat welcome.
“Goyo,” Annecy called her name as usual.
“You seem to have a talent for magic.”
“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“This flower. Freezing water, sculpting ice into the shape of a flower—neither of those are easy feats. Especially for someone like you, who hasn’t summoned a spirit for very long, to learn on your own.”
“I didn’t do it alone. I got help from the one you assigned to me before.”
“Exer helped you, I see. But that’s odd. I’ve never received a report from my subordinate that he’s assisting you.”
Was I not supposed to keep it secret? Goyo felt a bit uneasy, but since it was her responsibility if it caused any problems, she confessed honestly.
“I asked him to keep it a secret.”
“Even so, that’s problematic. Exer is involved in important tasks under me, and it’s standard procedure to report even private matters. It’s hard to accept an exception, even at your request.”
“It was my fault for not thinking it would be an issue. I was preparing something for your birthday, so could you make an exception? It won’t happen again.”
“I’m not blaming you. I’m only planning to give Exer a small, minor punishment, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
“I asked for the favor; how could I not be concerned?”
“If you insist, Goyo, may I ask for one more thing?”
Annecy asked with a playful smile. His serious face and tone had made Goyo serious as well, but she sighed, feeling her tension fade.
Thinking back, it was surely a joke, but I was a fool to fall for it. He wouldn’t need to tell me if he were really going to punish someone.
Goyo, in a reproachful tone, scolded him.
“You know? If you ask for one thing ten times, it becomes ten things.”
“But in that moment, it’s still just one thing.”
“You’re so good with words. But you’re really not straightforward at all.”
“Hearing that there’s something I’m not good at—that’s a refreshing comment. Your husband is too perfect, isn’t he, with even a touch of humanity.”
At his playful remark, Goyo was now too exasperated to even roll her eyes.
She stared blankly at Annecy, and without a trace of guilt, he asked once again if she would grant his wish.
Seeing the playful glint in his eyes, it was now clear to Goyo what he was thinking, unlike earlier.
“Fine.”
“Then…”
As soon as she granted permission, just when Annecy was about to voice his wish, Goyo didn’t even pretend to listen. Instead, she grabbed both sides of his face.
Then, pulling his face toward her, she tilted her own and kissed him.
As time passed, and as the gentle wind tousled their hair together, the shadows that had merged finally parted.
Annecy’s face had flushed all the way to his neck, unable to hide his embarrassment. It was a rare, boyish expression.
Pleased by this sight, Goyo smiled thinly.
It was only after hearing his wife’s laughter that Annecy, still a bit dazed, managed to speak.
“How… did you know?”
“I told you, your expression changes.”
“So, when I’m about to play a prank?”
“Yes, right before you’re about to pull a prank.”
Pranks… The more he heard the word, the more it started to irritate him. Annecy’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Though he had just failed to hide his embarrassment, he quickly changed his expression.
“In that case, you probably don’t know what’s about to happen now.”
This time, it’s not a prank.
Without waiting for her to reply, Annecy leaned in.
Under the pitch-black night, in the quiet forest, in front of the lake bathed in white moonlight, the two shadows once again became one.
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