A Certain Winter’s Tale Chapter 2.2 - Winterfall

Perhaps, just as that interpretation suggested, Elia should give up on continuing his line.

For many long years, the nobles had spoken in unison. That spring would never arrive in the heart of Elia, who was cold by nature and did not know how to share affection. If that was the case, they had no choice but to pair him with a wife from among the nobles who could conceive and wait for an heir. That was why Elia Winter’s wife had changed a staggering ten times.

However, Michaelis Eve, who had been friends with Elia since before their coming-of-age ceremony, wanted to bring back spring for him. His friend, who was at some point treated merely as a means to produce an heir. He wanted his friend, who was gradually withering away as he soothed his lonely and solitary heart all by himself, to feel warm and cozy emotions.

“It’s already been decades of searching like this. Coincidentally… this is the only place we haven’t looked, isn’t it?”

Now there was only one place left unsearched. A region very far from the royal castle, the Sun Domain.

A noble of a rank so low they could not even dare recommend a wife for Elia. To that distant, low, and dark place, as befitting that rank, Michaelis had finally arrived. There was no guarantee that he would find his friend’s partner here. It might be that all hope had already vanished when the Flower Nobles disappeared, just as the public said.

But for some reason, Michaelis could not give up so easily. If he gave up now, wouldn’t Elia be too pitiful? So he had to not give up, but…

“Hahaha! Did you say this is your first time in the Sun Domain, Lord Regent? I’m sure you’ll find the women here have a distinctly different flavor from those of other domains.”

“…”

“Now, now, don’t be modest! Although it’s far from the royal castle, the women here have a certain innocent and bright charm. Go on, take your time and choose.”

“Hah.”

Right. He shouldn’t give up, but he was finding it incredibly difficult to accept the nerve of this governor. He should have just endured the inconvenience and imposed on the Sun Nobles for the sake of seeing his future sister-in-law’s face. Coming here thinking that a governor sent from the central government would be easier to communicate with was a mistake. He had never expected that a man interested only in living a life of luxury and ease after being sent to a remote post would be the governor.

However, having come this far, he could not return with nothing to show for it. Having left his friend alone in that bleak royal castle, he had to at least look around this place a little to save face.

Thus, Michaelis struggled to keep his expression from crumpling and finally managed to speak.

“I appreciate the welcome. Now, can I hear about the investigation I requested? I need to finish the confirmation as soon as possible and return to the Winter Domain.”

Hurry up and tell me. It’s been three days since I started pushing away the women who are rubbing up against me so uncomfortably here. Though he tried to hide it, his annoyance must have shown in his attitude. The governor, who had been lazily and dismissively treating his words until now, straightened his posture.

“Ah! As a matter of fact, I have shortlisted a few areas that match your description.”

At the governor’s signal, a servant standing behind him bowed his head and offered a bundle of papers. Presenting the received bundle of papers respectfully, the governor wore a satisfied expression.

“Within the Sun Domain, the five neighborhoods you see there are the ones that fit your description.”

Stroking his chin, Michaelis checked the list he was given. A place that exists everywhere but is unseen. A place that cannot be seen by those who pass through it or those who do not. In every domain he visited, Michaelis would throw out that riddle-like phrase and request that they find a place that fit.

Those who heard his request all looked at Michaelis with curious eyes for caring about such an old prophecy. If not that, they each offered what they thought was the answer with hopeful eyes, wondering if the regent dispatched from the central government was conducting some kind of test. And this time…

“…A cathedral?”

“Yes! It exists in every domain, but isn’t God an unseen being to us? After all, no one, whether they pass by the cathedral or not, has said they have seen God!”

“Tsk.”

Michaelis clicked his tongue as he put down the bundle of papers he had been flipping through. Towards the flinching, shoulder-shrinking governor, Michaelis spoke in an indifferent voice, as if he hadn’t expected much.

“Right. I’ve wandered through cathedrals in other domains several times, but there were no notable results. Still… since this is my first time here, I will stop by once before I leave.”

He wondered if he was wrong again. It was Michaelis who had journeyed this far to find the monarch’s partner. But what was this about a cathedral teeming with people who live their entire lives unmarried? Moreover, it seemed impossible to find his friend’s partner in a place where the majority were monks on the verge of death with bent backs.

At first, he had even thought, like a madman, that perhaps the partner was among the monks practicing celibacy and that was why their paths had not crossed until now. But, well. It was also questionable whether a bookworm engrossed in scholarship and religion could satisfy Elia, who was famous for his excellent aesthetic sense.

Sighing, Michaelis ruffled his bluish-black hair in annoyance. At that, the governor, who had been watching him, rubbed his hands together and asked slyly.

“Haha, of course. Leave the guiding to me! Then, doesn’t that mean all you have to do is enjoy the rest of your time?”

This is annoying. Should I just quickly check the cathedral or wherever and head back to the central government right away? While Michaelis was internally mulling over his plan to leave this place tomorrow, the governor, his cheeks flushed from the effects of alcohol, whispered lowly with a lecherous expression.

“There is also a special place we must attend to for those who have come from the central government, you see.”

“…A place to attend to?”

“Yes, yes. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but here in the Sun Domain, there is a pleasure house called the Red House. You might think it’s nothing special since this is the countryside, but it’s a place where quite plausible flowers gather… those who have been chased out or have hidden away from other domains with various stories to tell!”

“…Flowers?”

As Michaelis gradually showed a reaction, the governor’s eyes gleamed even more. Nodding repeatedly, he must have read the interest blooming in Michaelis’s eyes, as he urgently called for his servants and ordered them to hurry and prepare for an outing.

“No… if you were interested in such places, wouldn’t it have been better if you had told me sooner! No wonder you showed no reaction even after seeing the women here, I thought. Well, compared to the women of a pleasure house, no matter how good-looking they are, the women of ordinary households have a somewhat bland taste…”

The words being babbled beside him no longer registered in his ears. Come to think of it, in all those long years of searching so many places, he had never once thought to search there.

It was true that a cathedral with monks existed everywhere and was also in an unseen place. But isn’t a red-light district also a place that exists in every region? Besides, how many people would there be who would proudly brag about frequenting a red-light district? Therefore, a red-light district must surely be a place that is unseen even if it is there.

Watching the governor, who was thoroughly excited thinking they were now sharing a lewd secret, Michaelis scratched his chin as if intrigued. Then, he soon let out a deep smile and put on a gentle tone.

“Alright. What kind of place is this Red House, and where is it located?”

Towards Michaelis, who was showing interest for the first time, the governor began to chatter in an even more excited voice.

Michaelis tried very hard to endure the governor who, having forgotten the meaning of being sent from the central government, was behaving as indecently as a common ruffian. Thanks to that effort, he was able to hear for the first time the story of the ‘Red House,’ the darkest place among the twelve domains, the most desolate among the slums, and the most immodest.

❄️🐺❄️

Jonny must have misheard something. Not thinking much of it, Noah headed straight for the room where the madam was.

“Madam, what’s going on? Jonny was saying something strange.”

Opening the red door with its stylish, antique patterns and stepping into the room, Noah froze as his eyes met those of a stranger. The person who had been conversing with the madam also saw him entering the room and fell silent with a look of surprise.

Noah quickly averted his gaze to find the madam. He soon spotted the middle-aged woman sitting opposite the stranger; she was unable to hide her predicament and was watching the man’s expression.

“Oho.”

He wanted to ask who the man was and what he did. But before Noah could even open his mouth, the man, who had let out a dubious exclamation, shot up from his seat and approached him.

“Is this the one who is so famous in the Sun Domain…?”

Noah stood protectively in front of Jonny, who was about to trail into the room after him. Jonny, perhaps startled by the stranger’s sudden approach, also clung tightly to Noah’s waist and hid.

“Right. Are you the Noah who commands the highest price in this Red House?”

“…”

Suddenly asked such an absurd question, Noah was momentarily at a loss for words. The answer came from behind the man.

“Lord Regent. As I mentioned, Noah is not a boy who takes clients.”

“Jonny. The madam and I have something to talk about with this gentleman here. Why don’t you go and play with Sister Ellie?”

Noah decided to get Jonny to safety first. The child, who could not hide his curiosity, looked back and forth between Noah’s and the madam’s now serious faces, grasped that the atmosphere was unusual, and quietly retreated. He had been secretly worried that the man would say more things that were not good for a child’s ears, but fortunately, the man did not say anything unnecessary until Jonny’s footsteps could no longer be heard.

And finally, the man’s mouth opened.

“I am asking you, Noah.”

“…You must have heard what the madam said. I am not a prostitute.”

“Hmm? What the governor here told me, and what I heard on the streets, was quite different.”

Noah, not hiding his wariness towards the man, slowly walked to the madam’s side. Madam Clara, whose beauty was still elegant and graceful despite the wrinkles beginning to form around her eyes, gently took Noah’s hand with a sigh.

“The Lord Regent from the imperial castle has come after hearing some incorrect information. As I said, Noah is not a boy who takes clients. And that fact does not change, even if the other party is a noble or His Majesty the Emperor.”

Inwardly surprised by the calm woman’s reply, Noah cautiously observed the man called the regent. He could not help but think that her attitude was a bit too stiff towards a regent from the central government, the Winter Domain.

But fortunately, the man did not seem displeased. On the contrary, with a sly, smiling expression, he strode over and plopped down in front of the madam again.

“He looks like he could bewitch any and every man, yet he’s not a boy who takes clients?”

“Our Noah lost his parents when he was young and is just an errand boy who grew up in the hands of the women here. He is by no means a boy who sells his smile or his body…”

“Then how about starting to sell from now on?”