Part 3

“A flower that only blooms on snowy days, you think something like that really exists?”

“From a commonsensical perspective, it is difficult to imagine a flower blooming in the snowy seasons. However, in the end it is just that, difficult to imagine. A spirit’s influence or some special terrain… There exist a number of possibilities.”

As she said this, Crusch looked closely at Ferris who had grabbed her arm, and fell silent.

Close enough that they could feel each other’s white breaths, Ferris clung tightly to Crusch’s firm warmth. He knew that this was disrespectful, but he also knew that Crusch’s magnanimity was such that she would forgive it.

Like this, Ferris would occasionally wish to feel Crusch’s existence so strongly it hurt.

This was a coping mechanism to deal with the sense of loneliness the memories of his early childhood brought about, this had completely settled down over these past several years, but―

“… You’re thinking about his highness.”

“… Yes.”

Ferris responded to Crusch’s question with a slightly lower tone of voice and nodded.

Between the two of them, the word highness referred to just one person ― The fourth prince of the Kingdom of Luginica, and a young man who was irreplaceable to them, Fourier Lugunica.

He was a precious person who unfortunately left this world due to the epidemic which ravaged the royal family and ultimately became the impetus for the royal selection. ― Well, if it really was the case that everyone in the nation mourned his loss, perhaps Crusch wouldn’t have even participated in the royal selection.

“――”

Wilhelm had left, Crusch and Ferris were now alone in the mansion’s courtyard.

The Karsten family’s secondary residence in the capital ― Even here, they had countless memories of Fourier. Cheerful and affable, he loved Crusch and Ferris from the bottom of his heart, memories of such a person.

“But we never did see the snow with his highness. I was under the mistaken impression that no matter what, no matter when, there would be a memory of him accompanying it, but…”

“――”

“There are still any number of things we haven’t done with him, and sights we haven’t seen with him.”

That was the source of the regret Crusch was trying to tell Wilhelm about, this was something only Ferris who had spotted her momentary agony knew.

Crusch’s current goal was to bolster the public’s sentiment toward the now deceased Fourier.

He had never directly confirmed what exactly she felt towards Fourier. However, Ferris was not heartless enough to ask her such a cruel question.

So he simply wished to share her feelings towards the person her eyes were looking back on.

“If his highness were here, he’d definitely be having the time of his life in the snow, huh. And after playing in the snow with all his heart, he’d be exhausted and come down with a fever the next day.”

“It is certainly easy to imagine such a thing happening. It is as if I can hear him imploring you to cure his fever.”

“Yeah. Perhaps he would simply dislike the cold, and complain about it. After all, wasn’t he always bundled up in fur because he was so sensitive to the cold?”

Fourier would often choose to don an overcoat made from animal pelts. Ferris’ impression of him caused Crusch to lower her eyes ever so slightly.

“… Because he was the lion king.”

“Eh?”

“No, it’s nothing. I was just admiring the fact that you were watching him so closely.”

“Well, it was obvious that I would. After all, this is his highness we’re talking about here.”

He really stood out. He was always so boisterous, and he just wouldn’t leave you alone.

Loved by all, he was always the center of attention, and for some reason seeing this made her proud.

―She liked him. She loved him. It wasn’t about the relationship between a man and a woman, she felt that way toward him as a person.

“Speaking of snow, there was that marriage proposal his highness suddenly received from the Holy Kingdom. Judging by how desperate he was back then, perhaps he really was no good at dealing with the cold…”

“Crusch-sama.”

As Crusch reminisced nostalgically, Ferris shook his head. Releasing Crusch’s arm from his grip, Ferris stared at her face to face.

It was his own joke that started it, but he did not want her to misunderstand Fourier’s feelings. He loved Crusch from the bottom of his heart. So,

“The reason he turned down that proposal was not because he disliked the cold. His highness…”

“― I know.”

“Crusch-sama…”

“I know, Ferris. ― I know.”

Repeating these words any number of times, Crusch would not allow Ferris to finish that sentence.

And Ferris realized too late that what Crusch was showing him was not rejection, but consideration.

If at this moment, Ferris were to speak Fourier’s feelings in his place, the wound in Crusch’s heart would once again bleed.

And they would both have no choice but to admit that the responsibility for that lay with Ferris.

“――”

The two fell silent, and the snow falling from the sky slowly piled up on their hair and shoulders.

The freezing snowflakes caused Ferris’ shoulders to tremble slightly. The wind wasn’t all that cold, but if they stayed like this they would certainly be chilled to the core.

Perhaps they were no longer in the appropriate state of mind to enjoy the snowy scenery―

“Ferris.”

“―a”

As if reading Ferris’ thoughts, Crusch called his name and offered him her arm.

In response to this gesture, Ferris hesitated slightly and then timidly took her arm once more.

The distance between them was one they were completely used to, and Crusch gently stroked Ferris’ head.

“I wonder how his highness would have taken Wilhelm’s tale of that snow flower.”

There was no need for them to keep talking about Fourier. But if they decided to avoid the topic of Fourier now, there would be no going back.

Fourier definitely wasn’t someone who had only left them with sad memories.

Crusch’s attitude was proof of this, and Ferris felt ashamed of his thoughtlessness. He then nuzzled his face against Crusch’s shoulder with no hesitation.

“―His highness would definitely go and exaggerate it like crazy, he’d probably say something like how finding the flower means your wish will come true. And then he’d be all excited about going to look for it.”

“Aah, I can practically see it.”

“But Ferris would stop him by telling him he needs to prepare properly. And then his highness would take it seriously, hear what he needs to hear from a whole lot of people, gather his tools, and then…”

Once they started talking about it, once they started imagining it, they could clearly grasp what Fourier would do, what he would say, and what he would wish for.

―Even now, the fact that he was unable to save Fourier remained in Ferris’ heart as regret.

Crusch was the same, so this regret probably would not fade or even lessen.

Fourier’s final days could not be called pleasant by any means, they were filled with pain and suffering.

But even so―

“―His highness definitely would have done that sort of thing.”

“― Yes, I think so too.”

Surrounded by the gentle snowfall, with their smiles undying, Ferris and Crusch spoke of the man who could not be with them now for a long, long time.

The image of the blonde young man bearing a gentle, handsome face manifested in their minds.

―The face they imagined, was forever smiling at them without reservation.

-End of chapter 2-

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