Interlude: [SS] Licia’s Night

It was one night a few days after Ren left Clausel.

Licia was looking up at the frosty sky in the garden of the Clausel mansion.

The white, white porcelain skin that peeks out from the shawl coat is a little cold.

The heat of her body, freshly bathed in hot water, was being stolen away by the winter cold.

Licia looked up at the sky, but the servant who was taking care of her couldn't bear to see that she had been doing so for some time.

However, Licia didn’t want to take her eyes off the sky she was staring at.

“It's not good for you."

The servant called out to Licia from behind her.

But she didn’t turn around.

She still looked up at the sky and said in a voice that showed she was definitely thinking of someone else.

“I'm fine. It's just nice and feels good.”

“I see..."

The servant said helplessly and stood next to Licia.

The expression on her face wasn’t dull, but the usual dignity seems to have gone out of focus. She must have been tired from all the work she has been doing recently, and this may have had an effect on her.

However, Licia's face showed no sign of concern for Ren.

Unexpectedly, the servant placed his hand on his cheek saying “Oh?”.

“What's wrong?"

“...... I thought you came outside because you were worried about Ren-sama.”

“Worried about Ren? Why?”

“Because the Baldor Mountains are dangerous now.”

Licia's face turned to the servant.

After all, Licia didn’t have a worried look on her.

Rather, she seemed to be uncomfortable with the servant’s words, so much so that the servant questioned his own sense of values.

“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, but I'm not as worried about Ren as everyone thinks.”

Licia sounded as if it were a matter of course.

The servant’s own curiosity got the better of him and he moved his lips.

He repeated his question to her, "Why?”

“It’s decided, right?”

Licia smiled.

“I know better than anyone else in the world that Ren is strong.”

One would wonder how much experience it takes to have that kind of voice and expression at her age.

The servant couldn't express his voice and expression in front of Licia who had just said those words.

“I see. Was it a foolish question?”

“Yes, it was.”

Licia said with a smile, and snow began to fall from the sky.

The servant, thinking that she shouldn’t stay any longer, put the jacket he had brought over her and said.

“Let's go back inside.”

“...... I guess so."

But then, he didn’t know why Licia’s expression was dull.

As he walks behind Licia, the servant folded his arms and thought.

Licia said she wasn’t worried as everyone thought, so there must be some reason why her expression was dull.

“Ah."

He realized something that he thought might be the case.

But he was going to avoid putting that reason into words.

Mainly, it was for Licia's honor.

“Did you say something?”

But the Servant’s voice had reached Licia's ears.

The servant shook his head and said it was nothing, but Licia stopped, looked at him, and asked again.

"You don't have to hide. What's wrong?"

Then the servant reluctantly says.

“What comes to my mind is that you are not worried about Ren-sama, but rather you are feeling lonely because he is not here.”

Suddenly, Licia's cheeks stiffened.

She quickly patched up her face and let out a dry laugh, but it was clear that she had been caught off guard.

Licia’s skin gradually turned red.

The servant, on the other hand, while still smiling breaks out in  a cold sweat.

---- Soon, it is Licia who utters the next phrase.

“I didn't hear you very well, could you repeat what you just said?”

“...... would you like some tea before you go to bed?”

“Thank you. I'll take it.”

They pretended that nothing had happened.

The two of them were calm as they walked toward Licia's room.

The servant noticed asthe tea was being prepared as they had talked about.

It was already winter, but Licia had a bright white dress on her bed. The servant remembered that dress.

It was the one-piece dress that Ren had given her in early summer.

She had brought it out to drown her loneliness.

If she hugged it, it’ll be a very lovely story.

“Uh---“

---- Licia realized that the waiter had caught on to it, and the composure she had been pretending finally crumbled away.

She couldn't stand it any longer or rather, she gave up, thinking that it is indeed impossible to hide it.

She took a sip of freshly brewed tea, then went to the window with the cup of tea in her hand.

“...... don't tell anyone, okay?"

She made the servant nod.

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