“Alright, today do as you wish.”
Since I brought you here because I wanted to do this, Benedict said as he approached the lake closely. When I followed, he turned around and smiled.
“As I wish?”
“Whatever follows your will. Come,”
He opened his mouth theatrically.
“Here is a beautiful lake and a sky deeply dyed with sunset, and you are here. I have something I want to do, but do what you want to do.”
Benedict approached. One step, the distance between us grew much closer.
He looked down at me and lowered his head. His eyes urging me to hurry were warm.
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
The lake, clear as crystal, was dyed golden. Tree leaves rustled and birdsong could be heard. The rosy sunset cast beautiful shadows on Benedict’s face.
“……Shall we put our arms around each other’s shoulders?”
I said it seriously but he burst out laughing.
It wasn’t my intention to be funny, but Benedict’s smiling face and laughter seemed to pound at my chest wildly. I laughed along inadvertently. And we really did stand side by side, arms around each other’s shoulders while looking at the lake.
Being like that, I thought I understood why Benedict laughed. Vigorously putting one arm each around each other’s shoulders and just looking at the lake seemed a bit funny. But the sunset we faced like that was nice.
Time flowed a bit westward and the moon brightened. Until the sunset faded and the first star rose at the boundary between crimson and blue, we shared each other’s small weight together. It felt like I could be completely immersed and waste time like this.
“Now do what you want.”
Since I was completely satisfied, I wanted to do what he wanted too.
“Then,”
Under the dark blue space where the moon and stars had risen, Benedict cleared his throat softly.
“Shall we wash together?”
Benedict kept kissing and overlapping his lips on my ear until he finally got permission.
As the head of the Blue Division, he had to attend the closing of the event. Taking advantage of the time things were being wrapped up, I told Sir Lifros and the family members and was waiting at the promised place. Soon Benedict appeared dressed like a hunter with a hood to avoid attention.
“If we get caught by the knight order on patrol and have to prove our identity, you’ll have to vouch for me.”
“I’ll pretend not to know you.”
“Oh my. I’ll have to find a way out of this.”
Exchanging such jokes, we returned to the lakeside again.
It was a cabin secretly located in the hollow forest gap on the opposite side of the imperial hunting grounds, by the lake.
“Do you know the story of the prophet who left in search of holy water? The prophet who reached the valley built a cabin and offered wool to the lake……”
Nearby, larch trees grew densely all around forming a barrier. Benedict skillfully parted the overgrown bushes to create a hidden path while continuing the old story everyone knew.
“Emperor Relliuro loved that story very much.”
Before long, the cabin appeared under the night sky where the moon had risen high. The place where the wish of the historical emperor who wanted to live like a prophet was realized was very magnificent.
The log building that harmonized well with the corner of the starlit lake, the solidly built courtyard, and the high rising thicket all formed a cozy harmony. As if it was well maintained, even when stepping on the wooden supports, not a single creaking sound occurred. The same when opening the door.
“Look around.”
He spoke peacefully, so it felt like we really came to swim together.
While Benedict went inside to check, I looked around the cabin interior lit by magic lamps.
The cozy space was made of wood with visible grain but never felt crude. There was little furniture and pretty arched windows were open here and there.
I sat on the couch with plush wool rugs and waited for Benedict. I looked at mysterious paintings with exotic decorations and stroked the tweed pattern of the wool fabric.
Around the time I was guessing how this cabin, which was neat but looked historic, might have been built and used, Benedict came out.
“You can go in.”
Both his hands were wet.
I decided to think of it as just swimming. It’s no big deal. I’d actually been in the water with him before. Though at that time Benedict was unconscious and fully clothed.
I entered the inner room connected to the bathroom. Taking advantage of Benedict leisurely undressing, I took off my clothes as quickly as possible and gathered them neatly. I hurriedly ran along the shortest route I’d looked at beforehand. I swept aside the poplin cloth hanging instead of a door and entered.
Wow.
The long cloth fell softly back behind me, but I still admired and enjoyed the scenery before my eyes for a moment.
Under the pitch-black night sky, there was a lake confined in a square shape.
This must be one of the terrains where the lake dipped into the land. On both sides, narrow and uniform conifers were lined up, and in the middle where the water passage widened, a large white rock was placed, sparkling in the moonlight.
Beyond the fence, far across the lake, black trees rose densely toward the sky. I admired the stars rising in clusters above the pointed tree roof before entering the water.
The lake water was moderately cold like autumn air. When I immersed myself up to my hair, I felt a chill then refreshed. All my thoughts became sharply clear.
One of the blue leaves floating around on one side smoothly stuck to my shoulder. It was a pile of birch that seemed to have been put in instead of bath salts. When I poked it, a white and fresh fragrance spread.
While I was playing boat with white branches, Benedict entered.
“Why—”
I asked resentfully.
“Are you wearing a robe?”
“I was going to give you one too.”
Benedict looked down at me and grinned.
“If only you hadn’t rushed off without giving me a chance.”
Benedict, sitting on the wooden steps, stretched out his long arm and swept back my wet hair. I felt a bit breathless at the smile hanging on his lips. When I slightly avoided him, Benedict playfully lifted a tray he’d set aside. It contained raspberries and various berries, jam and cookies.
Even though they were things I liked, I was nervous so they didn’t go down well. After eating a few, I declined and asked.
“I’m curious what you like.”
What does he like?
Swords? Magic? Books? Hunting?
“May I give you a falcon?”
I remembered that an excellent breed of falcon had come in the list of goods delivered from this merchant group.
“I’m happy just that you think of such things.”
“Then.”
I looked up at him.
“How about poetry?”
Benedict looked surprised then soon smiled pleasantly.
“Always welcome.”
And Benedict answered that I already knew what he liked most.
Suddenly it became awkward. I splashed water at him who wasn’t wet at all and asked pointlessly.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
Benedict, who had taken off his robe, entered the water. Looking at his body revealed with the light behind him, I pretended to be indifferent and cast my gaze far away. I leaned my body tightly against a place where I could sit along the edge and put myself in the water up to my chin. One of the floating leaves touched the nape of my neck and I was startled for no reason.
Benedict touched the blue leaves for a moment then talked about his childhood.
“This used to be my toy and sword. Father especially loved this tree.”
I knew Benedict missed his father very much. I missed my father too.
Come to think of it, we lost precious people in the same year. I also brought up my father, and Benedict remembered surprisingly well.
“You don’t resemble him at all.”
“Um…… it’s true.”
I swept up my hair that stuck from being wet. The hair that usually flew around like dandelion fluff was inherited from my father.
Benedict said.
“I regret to say, but I remember the late Count Meyer’s hair being strict.”
The expression was interesting.
“When Father went out, he always applied a mixture of beeswax and oil to his hair. It was specially ordered from a merchant group. If that happened to disappear one day, he’d rather not go out.”
“If he was really exactly like you.”
Benedict left a meaningful pause. I thought I knew what his eyes were saying.
“Yes, my hair is very strange.”
“No. I really like it.”
He said seriously.
“It suits you well. I don’t know about the late Count Meyer though.”
I confessed in embarrassment.
“Actually, I was the one who hid Father’s hair wax.”
Benedict burst out laughing and answered that I could take his things anytime too, so I also smiled sheepishly.
Through our conversation, I realized quite a bit of time had passed. Though somewhere in my chest still aches when I recall, I could now share memories of someone far away while smiling.
We exchanged such rambling talk. It was nice to be able to talk freely and ask Benedict questions.
He who had been peaceful gradually began to become mischievous.
“I even slept here.”
“How can you sleep here?”
It was funny.
“Really. This was my bedroom.”
Silence fell for a moment.
Suddenly, Benedict approached making water sounds. I retreated and sat without realizing.
“……”
“……”
“…I haven’t washed.”
Benedict was closer than I had retreated.
A shadow fell before my eyes. Before I knew it, he had a serious face. The light leaking from inside cast shadows on the outline of his large body.
Just our eyes meeting, I felt like I could feel his breath.
Benedict stared at me breathlessly and reached out his hand. His broad, solid shoulders moved with a wet sheen. He grabbed me in one motion. Water sounds came from below.
