(EP-207.1) Summer #5
207 – Cold Summer #5
Being apart from each other could reveal things we didn’t notice before.
As there would be discomfort in someone’s disappearance after always having them by your side, I came to realize a lot during the days of being quite distant from Aira.
That there were many things that Aira and I were hiding from each other.
While we had many discussions such as weather, dress codes, politics, and international affairs, we never truly opened up about our inner feelings.
Aira didn’t know I was Solomon’s grandson, or even worse, that I was an odd reincarnate. It was something I couldn’t bring myself to say.
Similarly, I didn’t know what kind of thoughts Aira harbored. There was no telling what fatal secret she was hiding.
As long as death didn’t separate us, I thought we’d be together forever. But I now could see, our connection wasn’t actually that deep.
If the opportunity arose, I’d like to have a conversation this time. Not with Queen Aira, but with the human side of Aira.
If there could be a chance, that was.
“No reply yet. And the messenger pigeon hasn’t returned either.”
Mirna sighed softly as she gazed at the dark night sky. Feeling a bit impatient, I asked Mirna if I could send a few more letters.
“How many more pigeons do we have left?”
Mirna shrugged her shoulders as she looked at the empty cage.
“We don’t have any more pigeons.”
I couldn’t send more letters because there were no more pigeons. Waiting for replies like this was just one of the numerous inconveniences of this world.
Why couldn’t they make cell phones?
I had the ideas and concepts, so I wondered what similar things those creative engineers could lead to.
Of course, I knew it would be unrealistic.
If the world could be improved with simple ideas alone, I would have already invented trains and cars.
Right now, I just needed some distraction to briefly divert my troubled mind.
“The pigeons haven’t returned. They’re sharp-eyed, even in the dark.”
At that moment, Mirna’s somewhat anxious voice broke through my wandering thoughts.
I asked.
“When you say they haven’t returned, you mean the letters have been received?”
“I do not know. It’s very likely, though. Perhaps the pigeons are being held trapped. The pigeons are sensitive to changes in their sleeping quarters, so I hope they get released soon…”
Mirna was worried about the pigeons. She must have raised them with considerable affection.
Anyway, to put it plainly, it meant that the message was received but ignored. I imagined Aira keeping Mirna’s pigeons captive in a cage.
No, the Aira I knew wasn’t diligent enough to do something like that. Still, I couldn’t be sure. There was still a lot I didn’t know about Aira.
“Sir Theo, it might be best not to expect a meeting.”
“I also wonder…”
I lifted my head and looked out the window, scanning the night sky. Not even the sound of owls active at night could be heard, let alone pigeons.
It was quiet.
Wasn’t it strange that there was not even the sound of insects chirping at night?
It was a summer night as well…
“Mirna-nim, don’t you find it oddly quiet?”
“Quiet?”
“Listen closely.”
“…….”
Mirna shut her mouth at my words and gazed into the void.
Several seconds passed like that…
Then, Mirna nodded in agreement.
“It’s really quiet. Strangely quiet, even.”
“…….”
“Sir Theo, we may have noticed a bit too late. Please brace yourself.”
Mirna’s expression hardened gravely. She even grabbed the scabbard placed under the desk in her study.
Pasaseuk, paseuseuk.
At the same time, there arose a tumultuous noise from the bushes and trees in the mansion’s garden. The bushes swayed despite the absence of wind.
I could easily understand why Mirna reacted so seriously.
Dark shadows began to appear one by one in the Draco Family’s mansion.
* * *
Outside the windows, there were a total of 10 black shadows.
As they emerged in the garden, my hair stood on end like a porcupine’s, but I couldn’t afford to show any signs of panic.
“One, two, three… and three or four at the back of the mansion….”
Mirna Draco, the owner of the mansion, had just been calmly observing the outside through the drawn curtains. If I were to panic, it might disturb her, and the outsiders might get alerted.
“They don’t seem like guests. Boldly stepping into the Draco Family’s mansion without an invitation.”
“Are they assassins?”
“I don’t know. It’s faster to just detain and interrogate them. Rather, with so many intruders, the gargoyles should have moved and notified me in advance. It’s strange.”
… Gargoyle?
Sseup-.
I remembered that Elga had come over in the morning and smashed the gargoyles. I was going to tell Mirna, but I forgot because of the newspaper.
“Mirna-nim, I hope you don’t get upset. The gargoyle—.”
Grumble, grumble.
I explained to Mirna about what had happened earlier in the morning. As she listened to the whole story, Mirna’s hair stood on end.
“What? Lady Lioness broke the gargoyle!? Hah, really… The Lioness Family has never been helpful in my life. No wonder—.”
Looking back, I was also an accomplice who hid the truth… I had no say in this…
“No wonder I almost tripped over a rock on my way back today. Could that have been because of Lady Lioness?”
“That….”
“And the egg I had for lunch didn’t have a yolk. That must have also been because of Lady Lioness. It all makes sense now!”
… I didn’t think so.
Fortunately, Mirna possessed the composure to assess the situation rationally.
“I’ll leave the matter with Lady Lioness for later. Let’s deal with the uninvited guests in the garden first. I planted Snow-on-the-mountain flowers there. How dare they trample on it as they please!”
Clack-.
Mirna slightly bit the end of the fan covering her face. She was clearly unhappy about the people intruding her cozy mansion with their dirty feets.
However, I couldn’t help but feel a bit worried.
Edited by: faker
