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Chapter 12
He feared that his coldness might grow too strong. That it could become so intense it might even suppress Clémen’s warmth.
Ha.
In that moment, he realized just how timid he had been.
If he hesitated even after someone reached out first, he would never be able to move forward.
He had to change. At the very least, he had to try—to avoid going through such a dreadful experience again.
“I’m sorry for getting angry.”
“Angry? Ah, it’s fine. Friends can get angry at each other, you know.”
“Friends… do I have one?”
“…Welcome to being the first friend who ever got mad at me?”
The corner of Zephyrus’s mouth twitched.
“Uh, but you’re not saying I’m not a friend?”
“I’ve already been comforted, so why say I’m not?”
“That’s true!”
“And…”
“And?”
“I’ll gladly accept your advice.”
A brief silence passed, then a bright voice bounced around him.
“Then, then we should do something first!”
Clémen reached for the back of Zephyrus’s head.
“That’s too sudden—”
Before he could finish speaking, his vision suddenly brightened.
A hot breath touched his cheek, then moved away.
Clémen’s wide, radiant smile appeared vividly before his eyes.
“Mm! As expected, beautiful.”
“Who’s talking about whom…?”
“Huh?”
“Nothing.”
All he could do was hide his face, flushed bright red from the heat.
**
Over a short time, they experimented with several things.
From the experiments, two points were clear:
- Zephyrus’s cold posed no danger to himself.
- Whenever his emotions wavered, his cold grew stronger.
The first was different from Clémen; the second was the same.
Clémen’s heat could burn the surroundings if her emotions surged. A moment’s carelessness could make her act dangerously. Zephyrus’s cold, however, froze the surroundings but left him unharmed.
Until now, Zephyrus hadn’t actively tried to control his cold because of fear.
It must have been so difficult the first time.
Someone he trusted had grabbed his hand and frozen solid. His reaction, wrapping himself up tight, was understandable.
But he couldn’t remain trapped forever.
The most important thing for him now was to reduce his fear of exposure.
“Wait, don’t—take it off!”
Clémen removed Zephyrus’s thick gloves. Handling inanimate objects barehanded wouldn’t freeze him. Even after a full day of testing, Zephyrus still feared it.
“…Not as easy as I thought.”
Clémen clasped her hands and looked at his face.
She was glad she could see his face free from the obstruction.
If I hadn’t seen that face…!
It would have been a loss in life.
Clémen gently tapped his back as she watched Zephyrus shiver and put his gloves back on.
“It’s okay. Take it slowly.”
“Will… I even have time?”
He knew the ducal family’s situation wasn’t good. If he decided to try, he wanted results as quickly as possible.
“What kind of grandfatherly talk is that? Of course you have time.”
“I see.”
Though unaware, Zephyrus felt slightly relieved by Clémen’s firm words.
Clémen silently smiled.
Though Zephyrus didn’t notice, Clémen could see all of his thoughts. It was inevitable—he didn’t need to worry about his expressions.
“All that’s left is to get used to it. Don’t worry. Ah.”
She brushed crumbs off his long hair.
“Ahem!”
Zephyrus coughed and flipped his hair back.
“I hope you don’t touch me freely.”
“Sorry, but there’s some more up here.”
He blushed more as he put his gloves back on, messing with his hair, then cast a strict “get out” command toward the lightly smiling Clémen.
“Once you’ve eaten, leave.”
He hid his face again, standing upright to check papers. Clémen restrained her grin.
“Are you sure this is right?”
The papers flipped 180 degrees.
“Leave.”
Blushing furiously, Zephyrus issued the command again.
“By the way, should I trim your hair soon?”
“Me… what?”
It didn’t get through to Clémen.
Still, she casually asked him:
“It looks uncomfortable, doesn’t it?”
“…It does.”
“Feeling uneasy? Don’t worry, I have experience.”
“Did you… trim my hair?”
“Caught me. Anyway, I did tidy it… Look.”
Clémen untied his hair, letting his curls spread like clouds. Perhaps like clouds glowing in sunset light.
“It’s too frizzy to tell.”
“Too much.”
“I’ll think about how much to cut, so leave. There’s work to do.”
“Ah! I obey!”
Clumsy but obedient, Clémen left.
“…Does she mingle with the knights?”
He felt oddly strange, and after thinking, found the reason.
The knights’ discipline mustn’t slacken.
Clémen tended to lower people’s defenses. Perhaps her warmth softened the northern cold a little, too.
I’ll have to ask Gwen when she comes.
His focus returned to work.
**
Time passed as always, steadily.
Lunch… ah, not yet.
For some, it felt slow.
Will it grow until the doctor arrives? Time’s moving too fast!
For others, it felt fast.
Clémen’s day, especially, was packed.
Work, strengthening Zephyrus’s spirit, visiting the duchess, and still not resting at night—it was exhausting.
Zephyrus noticed too. Clémen, who had been full of life a few days ago, seemed drained now.
Day by day:
“Today I visited the duchess again. Luckily she ate a bit…”
“I see.”
“She said it was warm when I came. She seems very kind. Right?”
Two days passed:
“Hmm. Delicious…”
“Eating a lot today.”
“I need to eat a lot.”
“…Is work that tiring?”
“It’s okay… oh, right. About the duchess—”
Clémen’s talk about his mother gradually diminished. Dark circles appeared under her eyes.
“Clémen.”
“Yes?”
“Not hungry today?”
A week later, she still struggled to eat.
“No, it’s too warm… um… let me…”
Clémen removed his gloves and rubbed her face against his palm. Hot. Already hot, yet even hotter than usual. Heat radiated even without contact. Her tired smile was faint and weak.
“The doctor will arrive soon. After examining your mother, I’ll ask him to check the staff too…”
“I’m fine.”
“No. Everyone must be checked. If someone is ill, it’ll be troublesome.”
“It’s not that… um.”
Clémen removed his other glove.
“Unlike others, my body temperature is high. The doctor might think it’s dangerous enough to collapse.”
She placed her face in Zephyrus’s palm, smiling coolly—but it tickled a little.
Cheeks so soft… wait, what am I thinking!
Suppressing the urge to flinch, Zephyrus spoke in a steady voice.
“Then how do you undergo checkups?”
Clémen looked up at him with wide eyes, questioning.
“Master, what about you?”
“….”
Unable to meet anyone, what checkups? He had no answer. Clémen giggled, stretching as if expecting this, then said:
“Then let’s continue work today! Master, you do your best too!”
As Clémen left, Zephyrus saw only his now bare hand. Fear rushed back, and he put his gloves on again.
One pair… two pairs… the last pair, then he hesitated.
This much… should be fine.
He guessed Clémen was struggling with his mother’s situation, and he didn’t want to burden her further.
He now knew that bare hands wouldn’t freeze everything—only his fear remained to be overcome.
He pictured the future: himself, his mother, Rosia, the knights, and… the bright, curly red hair and clear laughter flashing through his mind.
Zephyrus shook his head, dispersing the lingering images.
**
Finally, the doctor everyone at Fruina Castle had been waiting for stepped into the ducal residence.
