I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 90

Ariel and Edgar ended up walking a bit longer on the path, not because they wanted to, but because Ariel had insisted on it.

After leaving the walking path, they parted ways again with Shuri and the others just when it was almost time for dinner.

It was planned that way from the start, but today Ariel had mentioned there was a place she wanted to visit, just the two of them.

That place was the ‘Lake That Never Freezes.’

Before coming here, Edgar had received a hint about it from Helene.

Thanks to that, dinner was significantly delayed.

Considering that they usually ate by 7 PM while in Hespania, by the time the two arrived at the Lake That Never Freezes, it was already past 8 PM.

“Maybe we should have had a meal before coming?”

“Yeah, I guess we miscalculated the time.”

Ariel shrugged, mirroring Edgar’s wry smile as they both expressed their discontent.

They had come to see the scenery that can only be seen at this time, but at this point, it seemed they should be eating a late-night snack instead of dinner.

“I’m sorry for making you wait…”

As they stood in line to board the boat, Ariel offered a brief apology.

Even though her words were short, her voice and expression clearly conveyed her sincerity.

It was understandable, given that all the plans after parting with Shuri had been set by Ariel.

So, it was only natural for her to feel sorry about it.

“Why are you apologizing for this? That’s not like you.”

But for Edgar, who had indulged Ariel’s various antics and pranks up to now, this was nothing new.

Considering they had once nearly wrestled a wild boar in the pouring rain, this was a level they could laugh off.

Besides, the place they had met Shuri and her group sold simple sandwiches and other fast foods, so they weren’t that hungry after having gotten some snacks before.

“Well, if you put it that way, it sounds like I’m just getting into trouble everywhere…!”

“With a living witness right here, you think you can deny that? Wow, Ariel Robeheim has mellowed out a lot.”

“Geez, when someone apologizes, can’t you just let it slide?”

It’s quite rare for Ariel to bow her head in humility.

Though she has improved somewhat as she’s matured, she used to be rather defiant even when she was in the wrong.

Ariel was well aware of this, so she felt frustrated with Edgar for teasing her when she was finally admitting her fault.

She even thought, “Is it going to hurt to just let it go since I already feel bad and embarrassed?”

“So what I’m saying is, you shouldn’t even apologize at all. After all, how long have you and I known each other?”

“Uh, seventeen years?”

“Hm, I guess that’s about right? Anyway, since I’ve known you for so long, I can tell without you saying a word. You’re feeling sorry inside but can’t show it on the outside.”

Ariel is generally straightforward, but she can also be quite reserved when it comes to revealing her weaknesses or mistakes.

That said, she doesn’t completely lack guilt, so whenever she feels remorse, she tends to glance at Edgar for reassurance, and he knows it all too well.

Of course, she advised others to readily acknowledge their wrongs, but that was always in a different context.

“If you really feel guilty, then just take me to a nice place to eat after this. I saw a restaurant with a killer view up at the spire while we were passing by.”

Given that an outside meal would likely not even come close to the types of food Edgar had been served at the castle, it’d be a rare outing.

Food fit for a duke’s table couldn’t have been made carelessly.

Yet, Edgar smiled, eager to lighten the mood with his teasing remark.

Ariel nodded as if conceding, and confidently replied:

“…Sure, I’ll buy whatever you want. If you like the restaurant, should I gift you the building and its staff too?”

“Dude, why do you have to go and offer everything as a gift to feel satisfied? No way, come on.”

Considering her personality, she could easily do something like that, leaving Edgar startled and stopping her.

After all, she was the girl who had once gifted an entire mountain for her ninth birthday.

If she uttered just one complimentary word about the food at the restaurant, there was a genuine chance she’d follow through on that impulse.

‘The scale of the duke’s household never ceases to amaze me.’

If only it had been a joke, he could have laughed it off, but the fact that she was not that type of person made it all the more problematic.

“Pfft, enough chatter, let’s just get on already. It’s our turn.”

“Already?”

With a teasing smile, Ariel pointed behind them, and Edgar hurriedly stepped forward, realizing it was time for them to board.

Just a moment ago, they were quite far back in line, but now it was their turn to board the boat.

Engrossed in their conversation, he hadn’t noticed the change in position.

“How much is the fare?”

Edgar had been the one paying for most of the outings, wherever they went.

The money he had was partly from the family home but also included quite a hefty allowance he received when he was technically Ariel’s attendant.

Since it was money he earned because of her, he thought it only fair to spend it on her, and Ariel didn’t mind it either.

She knew well that she didn’t need to rely on others financially, and even so, the fact that Edgar was insisting on paying must have had his reasons.

It was just his way of respecting her independence.

On the other hand, when he inquired about the fare, a brown-haired man guiding the passengers onto the boat waved both hands.

“Oh, we’re not collecting fare for a week starting yesterday. So, you can just board the boat.”

“Is that because of the Day of Vows?”

“Exactly. It’s a peculiar custom that’s passed down in Etle.”

Etle has long revered Milred, the god of love and pleasure.

And there’s a belief that for one week every year, Milred comes down, allowing couples formed during this time to remain together forever—this is what is called ‘the Day of Vows.’

Moreover, ‘the Lake That Never Freezes’ is a popular spot for lovers, so they don’t charge for the boat fare during this Day of Vows.

Of course, they don’t discriminate against families or relatives who come either.

“So that’s why there are so many guests today.”

Edgar nodded lightly after piecing together the reason behind the unusually high number of boarders, even though it was rather dark, making it difficult to see much.

If the fare was free, that would certainly explain a lot, and he climbed aboard a small ferry with Ariel.

Creak.

“Oops!?”

When the two boarded together, the ferry made a small sound.

Ariel instinctively clung to Edgar, startled.

Her rather uncharacteristically timid reaction made Edgar tilt his head, puzzled.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“It’s my first time on a boat…!”

“Oh? I guess that makes sense.”

As Ariel protested in an overly meek voice, Edgar pondered for a moment before nodding as if he finally understood.

Thinking back, Ariel had grown up solely in the northern regions, so she wouldn’t have had many chances to board a boat.

The regions surrounding Hespania were frozen wilderness, where even the sea turned to ice.

Her only real opportunity would have been vacations in other areas, but it seemed she hadn’t had many of those.

“Just sit there. I’ll be the one rowing.”

“Wait, I have to do it myself? This isn’t going to work with magic?”

It’s not like she had a magic wand for everything, yet here she was, suggesting magic for something as simple as rowing.

Edgar was taken aback and almost suggested that she should just use magic, but realizing it was probably a real possibility for her, he kept quiet.

Of course, it would be nice to travel magically, but there’s a charm in manually rowing a boat.

If Ariel had heard him say that, she likely would have found it hard to understand his sentiment.

So, slowly, they began to row, and the ferry had navigated to an unknown spot.

The reason the two found themselves disoriented was because of the thick fog enveloping the lake.

“Why’s there so much fog at night?”

“Isn’t it because we’re by a lake?”

“Could be? Anyway, it’s nice ambience.”

Even though the night fog was dense, it was still possible to make out directions.

However, the fog hung rather low, making boats a bit hazy and adding to the dreamlike quality of the scene.

Even Ariel, who wasn’t particularly sentimental, found herself thinking it felt like the two of them were the only ones left in the world.

As Edgar quietly rowed through the fog, he noticed the nearby voices of other people growing faint, and they had drifted quite far from the dock, leading to a moment of reflection on why she had brought him there today.

“Feeling like talking now?”

“…Did you know?”

“You mentioned you had something to say before we came. You must have brought me all this way for that reason.”

“Looks like I can’t hide anything from you.”

Ariel had decided that the Lake That Never Freezes was the place where she would finally confess her truth, ever since she had heard about it in detail from Shuri.

While she doesn’t particularly believe in gods, she thought maybe if Milred were to witness this sight, he’d lend a helping hand.

She had also heard about the Day of Vows from Shuri.

Since dragging it out any longer wouldn’t be useful, she wanted to seize the moment and share her story.

“Ed, actually…”

Just as her tightly shut lips began to open, ready to disclose the truth of that day, all of a sudden—

Fwoomp.

“Wait, what is this…?”

A sudden burst of light scattered through the fog, surrounding the two of them.

The lights, resembling fireflies, either approached the duo or dispersed around them, playfully flitting about.

Emerald green, yellow, white.

A dizzying array of colorful lights broke through the darkness, illuminating the surroundings, yet surprisingly, the two didn’t feel blinded by it at all.

Although it wasn’t a lantern flame, the glow felt oddly warm.

It was enough to alter the slightly chilly night air in Etle.

The flickering light, after temporarily resting on Ariel’s shoulder, rolled around for a while before rising back into the air, rejoining its companions.

Somehow, Ariel felt as if the light was encouraging her, and she glanced briefly at her shoulder before shifting her gaze back to Edgar across from her.

The pounding of her heart that had been racing just moments ago felt somehow pacified.

Was it the warmth she felt? Or perhaps it was the boost of courage she was receiving?

Regardless of the reason, it was a welcome occurrence for her.

At last, it seemed she could start lessening the burden she had carried in her heart.