A Certain Winter’s Tale Chapter 4.3 - That Winter

There was no change as certain as the arrival of spring, but from now on, many things would change in Winterfall. Such hope and expectation could be felt from the two subjects. Leaving the office, Elia left behind one last word he had forgotten.

“Ah, and. I’m going back to the inner palace just like this, so don’t look for me unless there’s something absolutely necessary.”

Until when? Such a question was useless. Although he had regained his former strong and gallant appearance, that habit of hoistering himself in his room whenever he had the chance seemed unlikely to be easily fixed.

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“How are you feeling, Master Noah.”

“Ah, I feel dizzy……”

Watching Noah suffer without being able to leave the bed, Matilda approached his side. She then placed her hand on his forehead to check his temperature and let out a small sigh.

“It seems the fever is about to rise again. I will call the physician.”

“Ah, I don’t think it’s a cold. Why does my body feel so heavy and my stomach so bloated.”

His face, slightly flushed and rosy from the fever, was in a pout. Matilda showed a bitterly smiling face and said as she prepared a wet towel to cool Noah’s fever.

“That’s why, didn’t the Lord tell you to wander around outside a bit less? No matter how much the temperature has risen, it is still winter, and the change of seasons is when it’s easier to damage your health.”

As spring was coming, Noah had also been excited in his own way, scurrying all over the place with Johnny the gardener to plant flowers throughout the castle. He thought he would be fine since the weather had loosened up, but it seemed he had been exhausted without realizing it.

Unable to help what he had brought upon himself, Noah, who was letting out languid groans instead of an answer, blinked slowly and suddenly asked a question he had been curious about.

“Has Matilda ever experienced what is called the change of seasons?”

Her hand, which had been soaking and wringing out a towel, stopped abruptly. However, she quickly drew a beaming smile and approached Noah’s side.

“That spring was very short, but it was incredibly beautiful.”

The short spring of three months that reportedly existed a hundred years ago did not just end at spring; it spread the energy of conceiving new life far and wide, leading into summer and autumn. The scenery where colorful hues dwelled in a monochromatic world and life vibrated was still vivid before her eyes, so Matilda’s eyes grew red whenever she thought of that time.

However, she soon shook it off and placed the wet towel on Noah’s forehead.

“Ugh, cold!”

“Bear with it for a moment. You must cool down your fever.”

Though she spoke strictly with her mouth, Matilda took the towel off Noah’s forehead and fiddled with it in her hands. After sharing her body heat until the chill had subsided just a little, she placed the towel back on Noah’s forehead.

This spring was not only beautiful but was a lovely person who encouraged a warm energy in the hearts of those around him. Therefore, Matilda looked after the young man before her as devotedly as she did Elia.

“I see. I’ll be very happy too when spring comes.”

“Right?”

“Let’s go see the flowers Johnny and I planted in the flowerbed together later! Since we gathered all sorts of seeds, it will be very pretty.”

Matilda had been chiming in with a beaming smile, but she soon became flustered upon hearing the words Noah uttered weakly.

“And I think Elia’s baby will be very pretty too.”

Was it because they were rare amethyst eyes? Noah’s eyes were moist as if tears would spill out at any moment. When Matilda, whose breath was taken away, could not easily open her mouth, Noah slowly raised his body from the bed and said powerlessly.

“I’m okay, Matilda. The Lord needs an heir, and since I am not a noble, I cannot bear a child for him. I never feel bad or find it difficult regarding that point. Truly.”

Matilda smiled bitterly. It seemed Noah had heard various words of consolation from the palace officials while wandering around the flower gardens here and there in the castle. It was certain, seeing how he spoke stoutly as if trying to encourage her instead, assuming Matilda would offer the same consolation as them. Of course, Matilda knew the secret of the Lord and his lover that they did not know.

Since Noah had no way of knowing that, it was evident that he was trying to step up and prevent the atmosphere from becoming heavy, just as he had done with the other palace officials outside. What should be done with this commendable young man?

“Are you not disappointed at all?”

“Yes?”

So, Matilda felt like stepping forward to listen even to the grumbling of this young man who would suffer alone with a misunderstanding for the time being.

“If the flower on top of the snow flower tree right now is a flower bud created because the Lord became joined with someone else. Would you really not be disappointed, Master Noah?”

“Ah…….”

Noah dropped his gaze, which had been directed toward Matilda, onto the bed. He looked as if he were staring at his hands placed neatly on the quilt, and his eyes grew hazy as if lost in deep thought.

Finally, a deep sigh leaked out from between Noah’s delicate lips.

“I’m…… trying hard not to think about it.”

“What thought do you mean.”

“The sight of Elia sharing affection with someone else……”

For instance, if Elia stroked that noble young man of radiant beauty with his pretty, well formed hands. If he whispered and kissed him with a voice even sweeter than the one he used for Noah. If the sturdy body of the man, who had breathed together while clashing with the arms that used to hold Noah’s whole body tightly and reliably, were to be mixed with someone other than himself.

He tried to hold the reins of his thoughts, but it was not easy. Ever since hearing the news of Elia’s conception of an heir, which had become an established fact, his imagination kept popping out in a completely wrong direction.

Each time, his heart sank and throbbed. He thought that perhaps his body was unable to adjust to the sudden arrival of the change of seasons. However, if it were just his body being sick, where on earth did this surging sense of grievance come from? This feeling where the young man of radiant beauty he had seen only once felt utterly detestable and loathsome.

Once again, something that was melting his heart surged up to his throat. It was something he could just chew over and swallow down. So he tried to do that this time as well.

But suddenly his eyelids ached and throbbed, and without a chance to block it, his vision turned blurry and something dropped onto his cheek.

“A, no, this is.”

“Oh my, Master Noah.”

He thought he had swallowed it well, but tears suddenly poured out, so Noah was flustered. He was truly fine. He thought he could understand everything. Though Elia hadn’t confessed it with his own mouth, it had been a long time since he made up his mind to sincerely congratulate him if he ever told the truth. To think he couldn’t even manage a smile in front of Matilda, let alone him.

‘See that. Matilda is flustered.’

He was hurriedly wiping away the tears when, just in time, the soft low voice of the one he was yearning for most desperately called him.

“Noah. Why are you doing that?”

He opened his eyes wide and seemed considerably surprised. Oh no, he ended up showing tears in front of Elia after all. While Noah hurriedly wiped his face, Elia approached with a serious face.

It was a strange thing. The closer Elia got, and the more the fragrance coming from his body thickened accordingly, the more intensely the tears poured out.

“A, no. It’s not. Heuk, it’s nothing……”

“What on earth is going on. Noah. Why are you crying. Hmm?”

Elia hurriedly tried to hold Noah in his arms, but Noah pushed his chest away and constantly wiped his face. Since it was also regrettable for the arms that were trying to push him away to fall, he held on desperately and did not let go. Elia, who was watching Noah sob, looked up at Matilda with a sigh.

In Matilda’s gaze, pity for Noah overflowed. When Elia, who read that without difficulty, was about to open his mouth to press her with questions, Matilda approached and patted Noah’s back, whispering softly.

“It is because he is not feeling well. Isn’t that right, Master Noah?”

“Yes. That’s right. Heut, my stomach feels bad. And I have no energy in my body. Heuut.”

Seeing him biting his lips hard and swallowing his tears, Matilda let out a sigh and turned toward Elia.

“Lord. Shall we share a few words for a moment?”