Red Means I love you

Winter solstice (1)

  As many Nobles would have known by now, The winter solstice ball will be held at the Henituse mansion this year in Rain city. Which brings the Countess many works, and piles of paper that needed to be signed on her table.

  It was also a bit harder for her since the Count, that was supposed to help her, was busy on other matters concerning their family business in the other side of the kingdom at the moment, and will only be arriving in another week.

"Should I help you, mother?"

Violan's eyes had dark rings beneath them, adorning her face like a black crescent moon. But even so, she still didn't looked haggard even the slightest bit.

"You don't have to Cale,"

  Violan took off her glasses and put them down, her other hand reaching towards the tea that had gone cold long ago. It was rather obvious how tired she was despite her sturdy exterior image that she was holding on so dearly.

"You should just go play with Basen and Lily," She suggested, "Especially Basen. I think he will miss you a lot when he has to attend the academy and stay in the dorms after this winter."

"Don't worry Mother, I will always accompany Basen whenever I can. But I think you might need some help right now" 

Cale took a stack of paper and transferred them to the guest table that was placed at the right side of the office room.

Violan looked at him amused, but a bit of a relief was evident at the welcomed help;

"Do you even know how to handle them?"

"Yes, I would usually linger around Father's office before and... help him do some small tasks. So I already know the basics" 

  Cale hands moved as he slowly spoke, separating the stack of papers to several other new stacks; From their category to their importance, From how urgent they are to how to solve them.

"...I see," 

It didn't took Violan too long before she herself also put back on her glasses and started taking her pen again and began moving her wrist.

  The room was devoid of any small talks and was only filled with the sound of paper scratching's and flipping pages, but perhaps, that was what they both had preferred at the moment.

At some point, Lily had also sneaked in and sat on the couch, watching both her mother and Oraboni work. 

  Maybe it was the subtle sound of flipping pages, maybe it was because of the lack in interest. But she soon dozed on the couch, holding the backrest pillow with her small hands as she curls up into a ball. Sleeping.

Basen, who just got off of his lessons also joined not long after Lily had fallen asleep.

  He did tried to help, work what he had learned to practice. But he was still confused at the most part, and end up opting to just help his Hyung and mother transferring the papers from the guest table to the office table.

.

.

.

Cale scanned each documents slowly;

  Each of the papers were mostly related to the upcoming Winter solstice Ball that will happen in the winter. Proposals that came from the vassals, some nearby noble households, and some blood related family of the Henituse's.

Some were favorable and could be considered to be implemented to the event, While others were simply outrageous and selfish.

  Not that he was surprised, He could already guess that they were probably planning to take advantage the fact the Count wasn't here at the moment, and hope the Countess will give in to their demands or made a slip because of her fatigue from the pile of works.