Chapter 62: Letters and Heartstrings
Clang!
Not too far away, I heard the iron gate slam shut behind me. Ah, Victoria must be back.
I tilted my head up slightly, eyes scanning the sky.
The dark clouds were breaking apart, and a slender crescent moon peeked out like a shy flower bud. Its faint light filtered through the trees, casting a shimmering glow on the ground.
“Phew—”
I let out a sigh.
…Time to head home.
Clutching a paper bag with a cake inside, I mindlessly wandered back to Mansion No. 3. I ambled across the damp grass of the courtyard, fished out my keys from the coin pouch, and just as I was about to step inside, I suddenly noticed my shoes were caked in mud. Off they came, tossed aside at the door, and I padded barefoot into the house.
The mansion was eerily quiet, not a candle lit. A faint, silvery moonlight streamed through the window, outlining the contours of the sofa and tea table in the living room.
I didn’t linger in the living room, heading straight to the kitchen. Tilting my head in thought, I pulled out a slice of almond cake from the paper bag and popped it in my mouth, securing the bag on the countertop before I turned and ascended to the second floor.
Munching on the cake, I pushed open the bedroom door. A wave of lilac fragrance greeted me, and just then, a sharp, raspy scream pierced the air from outside: “Pepé! You fool—”
“Ah!”
I jumped, my hand twitching as the cake plopped to the carpet, rolling off somewhere unseen. Annoyed, I shouted—
“Stupid bird!”
I screamed at the window, charging towards it, but midway, I froze.
Wait…
Goat Cheese is back!
That means there’s a letter waiting at home!
In an instant, my little frown morphed into a burst of pure joy, trapped in the shadows of my room.
“Goat Cheese!”
I flung open the curtains, throwing the window wide. A gentle breeze brushed my face, and the black raven flapped its wings a few times before hopping inside. Thanks to the weak moonlight, I immediately spotted the sealed tube attached to its leg, stamped with our crescent moon family crest.
It really is a letter from home!
Not in a rush to snatch the letter off, I shut the window and turned to rummage through the cabinet for my matches, lighting the lantern on my desk. The dim flicker filled the room, bathing everything in a warm glow.
Goat Cheese took this chance to hop onto my shoulder.
This bird feels so heavy… What has it been eating lately? It seems to be packing on some pounds.
“Get down.”
I frowned at it, shooing it away with my hand, then lifted the lantern, bending down to search for my cake.
Not under the carpet… Not beneath the chairs… Not under the vanity either—nowhere I could see.
Where did it roll off to?
“Fool—”
“Shut it.”
Goat Cheese stubbornly clung to my shoulder until I crouched by the bed. Only then did it flap its wings and hop up to the back of the chair, tilting its head with its one scarlet eye fixed on me.
What are you staring at, huh? I’ll poke your eye out!
As I absentmindedly thought, I shone the lantern under the bed—
Ah, found it.
There lay my cake, just a few bites taken out, quietly residing under the bed.
How did it end up there…
I stretched my arm out, reaching in and pulling the cake out after a few attempts. Standing up, I dusted off my skirt and walked to the desk with the cake in hand.
The cake was dusted with fine powder, so I picked off the dirty bits and took a big bite after blowing on it. While chewing, I carefully untied the letter from Goat Cheese’s leg, then sat down at the desk, placing the lantern at the corner.
Unfolding the letter before me, I saw my mother’s elegant handwriting filling it densely, and she began with:
[To my beloved daughter Peilo:
Mother misses you.]
Just reading that line, a warm tide surged through my heart, flooding my whole body.
Mother, I miss you too. A whole lot.
Suppressing my longing, I continued reading:
[At the time of writing this letter, I just saw a church bulletin. It spoke of a terrible disaster in the Royal City, claiming that you are the great hero who saved it. Peilo, mother knows you’ve done something incredible again, and I’m so proud of you. But more than pride, I feel fear, fear so heavy that I can’t sleep at night…]
Mother poured out her worries in the following lines.
She shared with me that instead of reading about “Miss Silvya” bravely battling monsters and saving countless innocent lives, she simply wishes to see the mischievous Peilo sitting at the dining table with her every day, fretting over trivial matters.
That’s her little wish.
But she knows I probably don’t think that way.
[My darling, I know you have grand ambitions. But I’m just an ordinary woman; seeing my daughter in danger makes it hard for me to hold back my complaints—so please don’t take it to heart. My daughter, you’re extraordinary, you know? You’ve done things I wouldn’t even dare imagine. You are the pride of Shanter Castle, the pride of Winter Moon. So do as you wish and be yourself. But remember, no matter what happens, no matter what formidable enemies you face, no matter how dire your situation, you must always remember that there is a city in the northern part of Western Continent, where it snows year-round and where people care about you day and night.
I hope you will always remember this.
Love you.]
Staring at the lavish signature of “Catherine Winter Moon,” my nose suddenly tinged, and my eyes grew misty.
Sigh—
I took a huge bite of the almond cake.
What’s going on back there…?
I want to know the latest on Shanter Castle, the details about the Winter City, and what’s happening with Father and the hunters. Is the Empire really going to war? Are you prepared…? I yearn to know all of this.
But Mother barely mentioned it in the letter—she just told me not to worry about them and to stay safe in the Royal City. As for specifics, all she mentioned was how the Shanter Army’s hunters had a new organizational structure, Bella was formally appointed a team captain while also being the commander of the Shanter Army, and Hoover’s elite team has expanded to a thousand members… This news seems like she wrote it just to ease my worries, and I can feel she doesn’t want me to fret over it.
But Mother…
The more you say that, the more I worry.
After a while, I folded the letter neatly, pulling out a fresh sheet of paper and biting the nib of my pen as I began to write my reply.
About the deceased chubby uncle… How are father and the hunters… Who is guarding the Winter City now that they have left… The deployment of the Shanter Army’s forces… etc.
All my questions flowed onto the page. And of course, the most important thing was the contract Victoria mentioned.
I hope this can help Father and Lafael.
Once the letter was completed, I rolled it up, sealed it, and attached it to Goat Cheese’s leg, sending the silly bird flying out the window.
“Thanks for the hard work~”
“Caw—”
Goat Cheese quickly vanished into the night.
Until I couldn’t see it anymore, I closed the window, drew the curtains, changed into my nightgown, and washed up. After tidying myself up, I dove onto the soft bed, burying my little face in the pillow.
The night was deepening.
The candlelight flickered beside me, and the soft chirp of insects occasionally chimed from the courtyard.
I lay on my bed for a long time. My long, fair legs lifted and fell rhythmically, then I raised my other leg. I kept swinging them back and forth, my feet patting softly on the silk quilt, making a gentle “puff puff puff” sound. I wasn’t feeling sleepy at all, my mind swirling with countless thoughts.
I thought of the grand Shanter Castle, the white birds beneath the castle bridge, my mother’s tender face as we watched those white birds together, and my father’s silent smile at the desk.
If only the Royal City… If only Ethanbel could ally with the Winter City. One day, I could stand before the large window of Shanter Castle with Victoria, admiring the full moon hanging amidst the snow—it would be such a delightful sight.
The image of that charming face emerged in my mind.
Victoria…
I really like her.
I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but I just really like her.
But—
I just want to be her good friend…
What was up with Victoria’s reaction tonight… Why was she avoiding my gaze? That’s not like her at all…
Is she a yuri?
And…
Why is the Royal Palace preparing so many dresses for me!
That’s definitely Victoria’s doing, right? Only she would know my dress size…
“Ugh—”
I buried my head deeper. Memories of my time with Victoria flashed before me like slides; many things that seemed perfectly natural at the time now felt tinged with… a certain ambiguous emotion that was indeed mixed in there.
Could it be… that Victoria likes me…?
This thought suddenly flared in my mind, only to be immediately shaken off with a head shake.
No way?
No way, no way… I’m just overthinking it!
Besides, Victoria never said she was into girls.
She repealed the law, so maybe she just advocates for love freedom… People really like their Her Majesty the Queen. Victoria’s actions could just be attracting more newcomers to the Royal City, a way to promote population growth. She’s not someone stuck in old ways; she must have thought of a ton of creative strategies for urban development—
Goodness…
What a mess of thoughts I’m having.
Sleep, sleep!
In the warm bedroom, on the soft white bed, the delicate doll-like girl turned over, her brow furrowed, and her eyes fluttered tightly shut, her curled lashes gently quivering. After a moment, she hugged her pillow, pulled the silky quilt over her head, leaving her shins sticking out, her little feet swaying left and right.
The girl was still lost in her thoughts.
If…
If Victoria really likes me. Then I—
The girl pondered for a long time, finding herself unsure how to face such a question.
So she decided to start counting sheep.
