Nerea’s preparations for going out were simple.

She wore the outing clothes and shoes that Heather always prepared for her, and for her hair, she just ran her hands through it a few times or tied it up.

On those occasions, Heather, who stood by with a brush in hand, would make a peculiar expression. Only today did Nerea realize that face was Heather’s patience.

“We’re almost done, Miss. Really!”

It was like the twelfth time she had said the same thing. But after seeing a certain sense of mission flickering on Heather’s face in the mirror, Nerea gave up trying to stop her.

Nerea couldn’t understand.

Not content with curling and braiding the hair that had been tamed through dozens of brushings, Heather even secured it with pins, and finally placed a wide-brimmed white hat with lace trailing long behind on her head.

Even though the braided hair and pins were barely visible, Heather clapped her hands with exclamation.

“Oh my, Miss! You look absolutely beautiful!”

Nerea looked at herself in the mirror with an impassive face.

The wide-brimmed white hat with lace trailing long behind, and red hair pinned up with pearl hairpins. Watery eyes on a face as pale as if it had never seen a ray of sunlight.

“No one in the Castarty family could have such luscious and beautiful red hair as you do, Miss, no matter where they go.”

But Heather didn’t stop her praise for a moment. Even after they got into the hired carriage.

In the carriage with no roof or walls, the kind coachman who had agreed with Heather’s words several times now just looked ahead. It seemed the effects of the pouch of herbs Heather had given him during the bargaining had worn off.

Nerea chuckled and let Heather’s words flow past her.

The daytime was lovely as she experienced it after a long while, with the hat’s brim shading her from the sunlight. The faint scent of grass and small flowers blooming along the roadside. The touch of lace tickling her neck as it fluttered in the breeze.

The moment she became freshly aware of the soft and unfamiliar sensation, Heather’s admiration moved to the next level.

“The items in that shop are all really pretty. If I had known you would want to go see it, I would have bought various things earlier. Of course, the owner gave me discounts because I only look every day.”

Her young face, still not free of baby fat, was full of pride at having bought good items cheaply.

Innocent Heather.

Nerea smiled gently as she fiddled with the lace tickling her neck. The silk lace attached to the hat was clearly of the highest quality. The pearls set in the pins were real, and the metal used to craft the seams was platinum.

Long ago, there was a time when she wanted to wear a hat of this style, so it would have gone out of fashion in the capital. But judging by the fact that even the color of the lace hadn’t faded yet, it must be quite valuable.

No matter how much it was discounted, it wasn’t an item that Heather, who managed Nerea’s nearly depleted funds for luxuries, could purchase boldly.

So the answer was one of two: either the shop owner’s eyes were on the floor, or they deliberately sold it cheaply to curry favor with Heather.

If it was the first, it was fine, but if it was the second, it was necessary to check for young Heather’s safety. Of course, she ended up wearing the hat before identifying the owner.

Finally reaching the entrance of the village. From the sweet floral scent wafting thickly, Nerea could vaguely guess why Heather had dressed her up so much.

“Is it festival season?”

Was that why Heather had been trying to tempt her to go down to the village, saying a delicious pastry shop had opened recently? It was a trivial question, but Heather’s face turned pale.

The coachman chuckled and answered instead.

“It’s been ten years since the Hundred Years’ War ended. The commemorative festival hosted by the Imperial family in summer will be truly spectacular.”

The Hundred Years’ War.

Her stomach churned at the phrase she hadn’t heard in a long time. Nerea unconsciously held her breath. As the strength left her fingertips gripping the carriage, she consciously tried to think of something else.

The last time she saw such pretty flower decorations was the first year she entered Alpern’s summer villa. The memory of those boisterous days suddenly came to mind. Days when cheers, encouragement, and support poured in for days on end.

But it was soon forgotten. The next year, no one was standing in front of the villa. Was that why the room with the best view of the main gate became her room?

“…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance. But if you had known, you wouldn’t have come out.”

As her vision became clear again, a small voice was heard. Heather apologized to Nerea with her head bowed low.

“It’s been ten years. These are the cheers you should have received, Miss. I couldn’t just let that pass. I’m sorry. If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll turn the carriage around right now. I’m really sorry.”

.

.

.

“Oh my, I have to go see the unveiling of the reproduction right now, so how about returning at four o’clock later?”

The coachman with a troubled face ultimately did not turn the carriage around.

The street was full of children selling lavish flower decorations and people walking cheerfully. Nerea shrugged as she looked at the disappearing rear of the carriage.

Unlike someone who had carried out such a bold plan, Heather couldn’t even raise her head. At this rate, the trouble of coming down to the village to see the shop owner’s face would be in vain.

“Noble miss. Don’t you need any flowers?”

A young voice came from far below. Maybe five or six years old, Nerea nodded lightly at the tense face of the child selling flower decorations.

As Heather quickly held out a coin, the child smiled brightly and picked out flowers with small hands.

“Thank you, miss. I’ll give you the prettiest flowers.”

Holding out flowers full of fresh fragrance – pink tulips, white daisies, and red roses – the child chattered.

“I’m so glad the war is really over. My grandmother said her only wish was to see the end of the war in her lifetime.”

The excited voice pierced her heart. These words from this young child, who probably hadn’t experienced the war, were undoubtedly the vivid experiences of that grandmother.

Nerea’s lips, which were about to say it was fortunate, stiffened all because of last night’s dream.

That rainy day, that muddy water, all of it, as if it was alright, that child who knelt and begged towards her.

What blocked the flood of memories was an unexpected question.

“The unveiling is in the square, why are you two still here?”

“Unveiling?”

Heather asked instead. Come to think of it, the coachman had said earlier that he had to see the unveiling of the reproduction. The child pointed to one side with an excited face. It was the same direction people were heading.

“Yes! Since it’s a Le Soeur painting, it seems all the people of Alpern have gathered in the square. I saw them covering it a little while ago, and the painting is huge! It seemed to be twice my height!”

“Le, Soeur?”

Nerea smiled palely as she voiced the somewhat familiar name. How could she know the name of a painter when she had lived for ten years with her eyes covered and ears blocked to everything in the world.

But the child seemed to interpret Nerea’s reaction differently.

“Yes! He’s the most famous painter in Castarty right now. They say even His Highness the Crown Prince personally came to see his work! Everyone’s going to see that reproduction now, so everything here will close soon.”

The child’s words were right.

Even the pastry shop Heather had been so proud of was closed, and the store that sold items to Heather was closed. Countless people poured out onto the streets like a tide, heading in one direction.

“Ah, Miss!”

It was a moment when Heather was swept away by the suddenly crowding throng of people. Nerea reached out her hand, but Heather had already been pushed far away.

Nerea hurriedly headed in the direction Heather had been pushed. Then, excited voices could be heard one by one from all around.

“It was unveiled in the capital ten days ago, but it’s only come to our Alpern now.”

“I deliberately didn’t even look at the reviews. They say it’s a painting that makes noble ladies faint, so I’m even more excited.”

Where Nerea found Heather was in front of a painting covered with black cloth. Nerea comforted the startled Heather and pushed through the people. It wasn’t easy to go against the flow of people, like swimming against a current.

Then, a loud voice was heard from where the painting was.

“Now, the painting by Castarty’s artist, Le Soeur, will be unveiled! Ten, nine, eight…”

It was natural for the crowd to add cheers to the countdown numbers that seemed to be inducing a response. And a moment later, there was a sound of the curtain being drawn.

Suddenly, everything went quiet.

What kind of painting could make people so silent?

When the silence stimulated curiosity, a shout filled with astonishment burst out from somewhere.

“The, the Black Knight! Nerea Esteban!”

Nerea unknowingly held her breath. Could all this be an extension of the dream?

Soon, applause and cheers erupted and resonated, and flowers thrown towards the painting slowly split the air.

“Miss, Miss!”

Someone waved their arm. Nerea unconsciously moved her steps again. Only when the sensation of bumping shoulders became numb did Nerea realize she no longer had the flower bouquet in her hand.

Her palms were already drenched in sweat. Heather was looking at Nerea with a face about to cry.

“I’m, sorry, Miss.”

After arriving home, Heather prostrated herself before Nerea and cried profusely. She seemed to have been quite shocked by Nerea’s dazed appearance earlier.

“I just, felt so wronged. It was you who saved us, Miss. I only thought that all the flowers and cheers should be directed at you… I didn’t want to pretend not to know and remain as someone who doesn’t recognize your kindness. But honestly, even after seeing your painting earlier, I was happy… Still, I’m sorry.”