Morning duties were done, and now came the best part of the day—lunchtime. Today, Mari and I had planned a special little picnic at one of the garden tables.
“Mari, wanna sit on my lap?”
“Yup!”
She climbed into my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world, settling in without hesitation. I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. Ever since we cleared the air after that misunderstanding and talked things out, we’d gotten a lot closer. At this point, I think it’s safe to say we’re best friends.
“Want a cookie? I’ll grab one for you.”
“It’s okay, I can do it.”
“Strawberry jam or apricot?”
“…Strawberry.”
Mari stretched her tiny paw toward the cookie plate with all her might. In the end, she gave up and took the strawberry cookie I handed her, chomping into it with a satisfying crunch. Everything she did was ridiculously adorable. I couldn’t help ruffling her head and speaking in a playful baby voice.
“Aww, little Miss Mari wanted a strawberry cookie~?”
“I’m a kid, not a baby, Bell.”
She gave a prim little warning, but even that just made her cuter. Ever since I found out she was twelve before turning into a rabbit, I’d started teasing her like this now and then. Thankfully, being called a kid didn’t seem to bother her much. Maybe part of her was still stuck in that time, even after a hundred years had passed.
Knowing her real age had given me the freedom to spoil her a bit. Thinking of her as a precious little sister only made her more endearing.
Holding Mari close as she munched on her cookie, we sat there soaking in the warm sunlight. My body and mind both felt completely at peace.
“Ahh… it’s really spring.”
The words slipped out before I knew it. Mari, still perched in my lap, perked up her ears and looked up at me.
“Bell, something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. It just hit me how fast time flies. Feels like just yesterday we were having snowball fights and playing Yut Nori with the seniors… and now it’s already spring.”
“Well, duh. Spring always comes after winter.”
She wasn’t wrong. Even if she looked young, the years she’d lived weren’t something you could ignore. She seemed more composed about the passing of time than I was—and I’m the one living my second life.
“But this past winter was special. It was the first time we all got together and had fun like that since the castle changed. I already miss it.”
Mari’s eyes drifted toward the garden, soft with longing for that winter. I gently tapped her nose with my finger.
“No need to miss it, Mari. Don’t you remember what I said?”
“What did you say?”
“I said we’d have lots of fun days ahead, even without snow.”
“I remember!”
She got so excited she jumped right onto the table.
“Are we all gonna play again? When?”
“Hmm… soon.”
“Really? What are we gonna do this time?”
“That’s a secret. It wouldn’t be fun if you knew ahead of time.”
“Ahh! I can’t wait!”
Mari squealed, spinning in circles on the table. She twirled around and around, not even dizzy, and finally stopped with her cheeks flushed pink.
“Did you tell anyone else?”
“Nope. You’re the first.”
“Then can I tell them?”
“Of course.”
Beaming from ear to ear, Mari leapt off the table and scampered off toward the mansion. She looked like she was walking on air. Moments like this really made it all worth it.
“…Wait, but what are we gonna do?”
I’d sounded so sure earlier, like everything was already planned, but in truth, I hadn’t decided a single thing. I was just starting to think about it. Mari’s sad little face had hit me right in the gut, and my mouth had jumped the gun.
“Well… I’ll figure something out.”
I didn’t realize how naive that sounded until dinner with Kalz later that evening.
“So, what kind of trouble are you cooking up this time?”
“Wait, what? We were eating just fine—where’s this sudden interrogation coming from?”
“It’s about the spring event. Butler Squawk told me it’s happening soon. Was he wrong?”
It had only been a few hours since I told Mari, and it was already being reported to Kalz? I’d completely forgotten how fast gossip traveled in a place with so few people. Keeping my expression steady, I casually wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin.
“Oh, that. Well, it’s spring, after all, so I’m planning something seasonal.”
“Hmm. So nothing’s actually been decided.”
“How’d you know?!”
Already figured it out?! I was more impressed than annoyed. I didn’t even try to hide it anymore. Kalz calmly sliced his meat and answered without missing a beat.
“Because if you had decided, the moment I asked, you’d have been all smug about it—‘Oh? You want to know that badly? Maybe I’ll tell you, maybe I won’t…’ That kind of thing.”
…Wow. He really knows me. Is it because we’ve argued so much? Either way, the truth was out, and lying wouldn’t help now.
“I just haven’t finalized it yet, that’s all.”
“I see. So much for that bold declaration about handling the whole event. I suppose your confidence was short-lived.”
“Excuse me?! I am not out of ideas!”
Okay. Brain. Emergency mode. Engage. Must come up with brilliant idea immediately.
I kicked my mental gears into overdrive. What’s something we don’t normally do—something that’d become a special memory if we did it together? Something simple, nostalgic, yet meaningful… C’mon, think… think—Aha!
“I got it!”
“Sure you did. I won’t ask again. Take your time.”
“I’m not bluffing! I really thought of something!”
“All that bravado over something so trivial.”
“I mean it! If you don’t believe me, let’s do it tomorrow.”
“…You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
Kalz still looked doubtful, but I shot him a confident grin.
And the very next day, everyone in the castle gathered in the front garden—including Grill, who was joining a group activity for the first time. No costumes, no equipment. Just one unusual thing: the timing.
“Yaaawn… Whatever it is, does it have to be this late?”
“Yes, just for today. I’m sorry, but please bear with me.”
“Well, alright. Here’s what you asked for.”
“Thanks, Elizabeth.”
I felt a twinge of guilt accepting the bottle from her as she yawned elegantly, but there was no other choice. This event simply had to take place at night.
“So, what exactly are we doing?”
“For now, just follow me. Be careful—it’s dark.”
Like a proper tour guide, I led them all to the clearing behind the castle.
“Oh? There’s a mat! Did you put this here, Bell?”
“Yup. Set it up earlier this afternoon. As for what we’re doing…”
Maybe it was the lingering joy from our snow day, but everyone’s eyes were sparkling with curiosity. Their expressions said it all: What fun thing are we doing this time? Surrounded by their trust and anticipation, I smiled and pointed up at the sky.
“We’re going to watch the stars.”
The initial reaction was confusion.
“Stars… seriously?”
“Just… lying here and looking up? That’s it?”
“Sorry, but I’m already feeling drowsy. I might fall asleep before we even start.”
The seniors tilted their heads, clearly unimpressed. But I had expected that. Stargazing might not seem like much at first glance, but it was a timeless tradition—peaceful, serene, and rich with hidden beauty. I was ready to win them over.
“Sure, it might sound boring. It’s not like last time where we were running around and playing games. This time, we’re just lying back and watching the stars. That’s all. But… did you know every star up there has a story?”
“You mean… constellations?”
As expected of Kalz—he really had read a lot. No wonder he knew so much.
“Exactly. For instance… would you all take a look at that part of the sky?”
I gestured upward and began narrating a couple of constellations I’d crammed from the archives the night before. I’d quickly reimagined them into fairy tale-style stories for easier listening. I stumbled a little here and there, but Kalz jumped in at just the right moments to help, and we managed to get through it smoothly enough.
“So when you connect those stars, it forms the shape of an apple? Huh… I kinda see it… but not really?”
“You sure know a lot for someone your age—and you tell stories real well too. Who knew stars had tales like that? I’ve gone my whole life not knowing a thing!”
Alright, looks like I’d piqued their interest. Time to move on to the next part.
“Stars don’t just have stories—they can have effects too. Back where I used to live, something called ‘spacing out’ was super popular.”
“Spacing out…? That was a thing?”
“Yes! Really! You’d just stare off at something and let your mind go blank. Sounds silly, right? It might seem pointless—like you’re wasting time—but once you actually try it, it’s surprisingly comforting. It relaxes you. When life’s rushing past, taking a moment to stop thinking about anything can be incredibly healing.”
“Hmm… I think I understand. Sometimes we do need to catch our breath.”
As expected, Butler Squawk—who probably handled more work than anyone else in the castle—was the first to nod in agreement. His approval gave the idea some real credibility, so I continued.
“When you’re stuck in the castle all day, doing the same things over and over, everything starts to feel the same. That’s why I thought… maybe we could use a break. A change of pace. Something quiet, outside of our usual routine. And since most of you head to bed early, I figured you probably don’t get the chance to see the stars often.”
“True enough. Can’t even remember the last time I looked at the night sky on purpose. Back in the day, I’d catch a glimpse of it walking home drunk from the village. Hah! That was when I was still young and wild!”
“But more than anything… I just really wanted to share this with you. I always feel a little lonely at night—not getting to see everyone. So, just for once, I wanted us to make a special memory together… under the stars.”
