I frowned at her voice, which seemed to tear my eardrums apart. However, Lily, who did not notice my expression, wandered anxiously around the room this time.
“Stay here for a second. As expected, I’d better go get some more firewood.”
“What?”
“I’ve already bought all the wood from this inn, but… I think it’s not enough.”
“Are you going to buy firewood at this hour?”
“It’s late, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to get it soon though I’ll try to go to the inn nearby.”
“No, wait—”
“Oh, before I go out, I should turn the heat up a little…!”
“Wait a minute!”
Lily, who was restless and carrying firewood, stopped moving at the sound of my loud voice. As she was blinking her eyes in surprise, I sighed deeply and opened my mouth again.
“Lily, calm down.”
“Young Lady.”
“If you add more firewood now, I won’t get better from a cold, but rather, I’ll get steamed.”
“I knew it, the Young Lady had a cold…!”
“Well! It’s not even a cold, anyway.”
I quickly cut off Lily’s words, saying that I had a cold. Watching her mouth twitching at my resolutely no, I added cautiously.
“And, from my point of view, this is still too much.”
“….”
“Ferret fur was usually worn only in the middle of the winter, and a fireplace that’s deluged like this… You know that it’s April right now, right?”
“….”
“Next week, the flowers will bloom outside, too. So, it’s really all right.”
“Still, Young Lady…!”
“And, there’s no need to go buy more firewood. Even if we bought the firewood now, we wouldn’t be able to use it all within today. All that’s left would be loaded onto the carriage, and there’s no room in our carriage right now.”
At my words, Lily bit her lips as though there was nothing more she could say.
I sighed, remembering the horse that was exhausted from pulling the heavy carriage. Obviously, the beginning was a night escape, and the luggage was also one simple bag. Although with Lily together, the luggage multiplied fivefold in an instant.
Perhaps, the role of the Count’s servants, who thought I was just going on a trip, also played a part in it, too…
〈 Is the Young Lady going on a trip all of a sudden late at night like this? 〉
〈 I can’t believe the Young Lady’s lifelong wish was to go on a trip. Poor girl… 〉
〈 The Young Lady has been staying in this house all the time because of her illness, so it’s understandable. She hadn’t even been to the Blaise’s territory. 〉
〈 Oh. There’s some bread left from dinner, the Young Lady should take it. I’ll bring it to you. 〉
〈 Why don’t you pack a lot of clothes when you’re going on a trip? Wait a minute. I’ll pick only the clothes that best suit the Young Lady! 〉
The servants, whom each added a word, started to pile up all the things I needed on the carriage.
〈 No, why do you bring a chessboard? There’s no space! 〉
〈 When traveling, the most boring thing is being in the carriage! Then, why doesn’t the Young Lady bring rum? Rum! Did you see the Young Lady drink? 〉
〈 Ha, there really isn’t anything romantic about it. Do you think it makes sense to drink alcohol at night and travel? 〉
No one listened to me when I cried out that I did not need both things and that simplicity was life when traveling.
In the end, they waved their hands as if satisfied with the way the large carriage was filled with luggage as they wished.
Breathing a shallow sigh, I then glanced at Lily as she pouted her lips and mumbled in a low voice.
“…I wish the Young Lady needed me more.”
“….”
“I’ve been serving the Young Lady for more than a decade, though you probably don’t know how much I’ve dreamed of talking to you like this and you telling me what you need.”
At her words, I lowered my back to meet Lily’s eyes, who was looking down and lowering her head as though upset.
“Lily.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“Then, can I ask you a favor?”
“…Please.”
“Yes, I want to take a bath. Can I take it now?”
“….”
“I think it’ll get rid of my fatigue if I take a warm bath, although I don’t know if I can do it here.”
As I tilted my head with a shy smile, Lily’s dispirited eyes shined and twinkled.
“Even if it’s not possible, if the Young Lady wants me to do it, then I’ll do it! After all, we came to the biggest inn in Birk so that you can stay without any inconvenience!”
“Really?”
“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll go to the owner and ask him if we can rent a bathroom.”
“Thank you, Lily.”
Lily, who was grinning at my gratitude, quickly left the room.
Thuud.
As soon as her door closed, I screamed, hastily tossing off the ferret fur coat that was draped over my shoulder.
“Aaack, it’s hot!”
Despite the sweat flowing like rain, the firewood was burning fiercely as if it was making a mockery of me.
