“Ah-choo—!”
A cute sneeze erupted. I chuckled softly, shivering slightly as I looked at the Sofia Sub-priest walking next to me.
“What was that just now? A sneeze?”
“Yes… I think I caught a cold…”
Indeed, Sofia Sub-priest’s face was a little flushed. Her cheeks were bright red, and her forehead was slightly tinged as well, and so were her ears.
It didn’t seem like it was just the cold making her red; there was a hint of fever rising on her forehead. Cute sneezes from the Sofia Sub-priest kept coming out one after the other.
“Ah-choo! Achoo! Huhh….”
“…Puhah.”
“Did you just laugh…?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Ugh…! Who do you think is making me suffer like this…!”
Sofia Sub-priest’s small fists began to thump all over my arm. Even though they only conveyed a weak feeling, her determined struggle made me smile.
I lightly grasped Sofia Sub-priest’s soft, small hand and slipped it into the pocket of my priest robe. The coat had already been draped over her body, leaving me with no choice.
“Are you… okay, Head Priest?”
“I think I might have caught a cold too.”
“No, that’s not what I meant….”
Sofia Sub-priest trailed off, avoiding my gaze. I could guess what she wanted to say.
“Are you talking about Helena?”
“Th-That’s….”
Sofia Sub-priest still seemed flustered, constantly checking my complexion. She looked just like a squirrel.
I tightened my grip on her small hand that was now in my pocket. Not too tight to hurt, but as strongly as I could.
I was standing outside all night in the dead of winter, in that cold snowy field. Sofia Sub-priest’s hand was cold, and mine, of course, was too.
But there was warmth inside the pocket. I didn’t want to let go of it. I held onto Sofia Sub-priest’s hand even tighter.
“H-Head Priest….”
Sofia Sub-priest’s voice wavered as her face reddened. Her bright red cheeks were certainly a sight to behold.
Clear, deep green eyes, flowing golden short hair, a small yet prominent nose, and lips that reacted subtly to my every light action.
Her eyes were darker in color than Helena’s. Helena didn’t have short hair, and her hair color was slightly lighter than Helena’s.
Sofia Sub-priest didn’t have a long fringe like Helena. Unlike Helena, Sofia Sub-priest covered her forehead with her bangs.
“Uh, eh…?”
I slowly pulled out the hand of Sofia Sub-priest that I had been tightly holding in my pocket. Her hand had somehow become intertwined with mine.
Helena’s hand had a small scar from when she fell over a rock at six years old. However, Sofia Sub-priest’s hand, as felt through the pocket, was smooth and soft without a trace of scars.
Beneath Helena’s right eye, there was a tiny spot. That small tear mark became an attractive feature for Helena.
Sofia Sub-priest didn’t have a tear mark. Her face was completely clean, without even a single spot or blemish. It was like looking at a pure white canvas.
There were many other differences as well. She was much shorter, her overall figure was much less plump compared to Helena, she had a slightly younger voice, and unlike Helena, Sofia Sub-priest had a refreshing orange scent similar to that of oranges.
Being able to see Sofia Sub-priest entirely as Sofia Sub-priest, I noticed many differences from Helena. The Sofia Sub-priest in my eyes no longer resembled Helena to the extent that I identified them as one.
That said, it wasn’t like they were entirely unalike.
“Sofia Sub-priest.”
“Ah-choo! Y-Yes?”
“I’m sorry. It’s because of me that you caught a cold.”
“No…. Khuh! It’s okay. I’ve been strong since I was a child, so I get over colds quickly.”
“Still, I have to buy you some medicine.”
“I’m really fine….”
Even while saying that, the corners of Sofia Sub-priest’s lips quivered slightly, lifting into a smile. We stopped by a nearby pharmacy and bought cold medicine before hastening our steps back to the lodging.
Slowly, but not too slowly.
Everything looked new. Was the world this bright?
The grayish, muddy sky was no longer visible. In the bright blue sky that resembled a clear puddle, snow was not falling. The sharply blowing cold wind had somewhat died down.
However, those things didn’t catch my eye much. My gaze was still fixed on Sofia Sub-priest’s face.
I was deeply engrossed in examining Sofia Sub-priest’s face, finding joy in simply looking at her. I hadn’t felt this way in a long time.
“Head, Priest…?”
“…Ah. Sorry for staring so intently.”
“No, that’s okay. I actually wish you would keep looking at me….”
“Excuse me?”
“N-No! That’s not what I meant, so….”
Sofia Sub-priest fidgeted her fingers, twisted her body, and tightened the coat draped across my shoulders as if she were scrunching it together.
“Um… about what I said earlier….”
“…Ah.”
Indeed, in that snowy field, Sofia Sub-priest had made a heartfelt confession to me about her love. It was a type of memory that I couldn’t forget if I tried, so I remembered every word she had said from beginning to end.
“Didn’t you say… that you love me more than anything in this world?”
“Wah—! W-Wait!! Please stop!!”
Sofia Sub-priest jumped and reached out to cover my mouth. With her small stature bouncing in place, she could barely touch my chin, but after standing on tiptoes and clinging to me, she managed to cover my mouth.
“Hmm….”
“T-That… please don’t say any more….”
“Hmm. Mmm….”
“Ah, your hands…! I-I’m sorry.”
Sofia Sub-priest’s hands left me. Though her hands had been cold, they had become much warmer.
“But, Sofia Sub-priest.”
“…Yes, Head Priest.”
“I never expected you to think of me that way.”
“Th-That….”
“Now that I think about it, it was strange. Sofia Sub-priest has been treating me exceptionally kindly….”
“Ugh…! P-Please stop….”
“Understood.”
With that statement, our conversation was temporarily paused. The distant sounds of morning birds began to awaken the daily lives of people who couldn’t shake off their morning drowsiness.
Even during this interval, no conversation passed between Sofia Sub-priest and me. She was struggling to cool her blushing face, while I remained silent, unsure of what to say.
“Um, what I meant was….”
Ultimately, the first to speak was Sofia Sub-priest, who had quickly cooled her face. I gazed quietly into her eyes.
“Ah….”
For some reason, even after barely cooling her face, the moment her eyes met mine, Sofia Sub-priest began to flush again.
“So… um….”
“You can take your time to speak. We have plenty of time left.”
“Ah, no…. I don’t think it looks that relaxed….”
“…Excuse me?”
“I feel like if I miss this opportunity, others will….”
It was hard not to tilt my head at her words about not looking relaxed, but I figured Sofia Sub-priest probably didn’t have many moments where she gathered her courage, so I let it slide.
“Ah, anyway! Head Priest!”
“Yes, Sofia Sub-priest.”
In the end, Sofia Sub-priest had an expression as if she had made a resolution. I quietly looked at her, waiting for the follow-up.
“I-I told you I love you….”
“Technically, you said you love me more than anything in this world.”
“Th-That’s not the important part!! Ahhh… while, it’s true….”
Honestly, I found it amusing to tease her. Without realizing it, I was smiling.
The corners of my mouth twitched. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t smiled sincerely in a while.
“Whew— Pah….”
After taking a deep breath, Sofia Sub-priest looked up at me again with a resolute expression. Her strongly furrowed eyebrows were impressive, as if she had made a firm resolution.
“So, what I want to say is….”
“Yes. I’m listening.”
“…I truly love you, so… um, that….”
While she had mustered up her courage, her face started to tip downwards more and more. Her slightly protruding lips were mumbling something.
“Should I say I like you or love you…? I wonder if it’s still too early to say I love you…. So, ugh….”
As she muttered to herself, Sofia Sub-priest shivered against the chilly winter morning breeze that swept in.
I glanced at her for a moment before withdrawing my own hand, which had been holding Sofia Sub-priest’s inside my pocket.
As I gently loosened the tightly intertwined fingers of Sofia Sub-priest, she looked up at me in shock, as if she thought I had inadvertently rejected her confession, which only made me smile more.
Regardless of her feelings, I grabbed Sofia Sub-priest’s shoulder on the opposite side and pulled her towards me. Caught off guard, Sofia Sub-priest ended up snugly beside me.
As if we were lovers embracing each other, the warmth from Sofia Sub-priest radiated more strongly than usual. Her face was flushed red, resembling a ripe tomato.
“Ah, w-wah…?”
Watching such a cute sight was fun in its own right, but right now, I wanted to ask something more important. I tightened my hold on the coat resting on Sofia Sub-priest’s shoulder and opened my mouth.
“Sofia Sub-priest. I have a question.”
“Y-Yes…?”
“What made you develop such feelings for me?”
“F-Factors…?”
“Yes. Surely it wasn’t that I suddenly appeared as someone you liked… that wouldn’t be it, right?”
At my question, Sofia Sub-priest scratched her cheek, pondering for a moment before confidently nodding and answering.
“Well, it was like that from the very beginning.”
“…From the beginning, you say?”
“Yes. From the very start, in my own way… and you kept showing me consideration, bought me ice cream every day, took on extra work whenever I struggled, and always stepped up for me… um….”
…I had no awareness of having behaved that way. And, that was a bit frightening.
I was certain I treated everyone the same.
So then, could it be that others also….
‘That can’t be true.’
As I shook my head, Sofia Sub-priest, who had been mumbling anxiously, suddenly punched my arm softly and complained.
“W-What kind of questions are you asking someone who has already confessed…?”
“I’m sorry.”
“How shameless. How brazen… and right now, we’re having a conversation, so….”
Sofia Sub-priest tightened her grip around my arm. The warmth she emitted was even greater than before.
“Right now, just look at me….”
“…….”
“So, what’s Head Priest Antoinneri’s response…?”
Sofia Sub-priest’s eyes trembled slightly due to her anxiety. She was probably afraid I would reject her.
“Hmm….”
Finding her reaction amusing, I pretended to ponder for a moment. The longer I took to think, the more Sofia Sub-priest’s expression began to turn sorrowful.
In reality, I had no need to contemplate. My answer had already been decided.
“Sofia Sub-priest.”
“Yes…?”
“I’ve come to want to know more about you, too.”
“W-What do you mean…?”
The anxiety in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a look of conviction in her deep green gaze. I nodded slowly in response.
“Yes. I feel the same way.”
If what colored my past was Helena, then what colors my present is Sofia Sub-priest.
I also wanted to color Sofia Sub-priest.
