# Chapter 45
December 31st, the end of the year. Asher was on his way back from the temple in the square. While it would have been proper to offer prayers on New Year’s Day, Asher had gone early to pray quietly alone, anticipating the crowds.
“There’s really not much time left…”
To be honest, he wanted to leave for the Bulldog Kingdom tomorrow. But he knew that if his departure didn’t coincide with Braden’s return, the Duke’s family would surely be desperate to find him, causing his escape plan to fail. It seemed that as long as Braden wasn’t present, Shaki, Luke, and the Duke would chase him to the end. Asher wiped the foggy window with his hand and looked outside.
The world covered in snow was dyed completely white. Through it, the Anest family castle looked beautiful to Asher’s eyes.
“Already a year has passed like this.”
Asher recalled everything that had happened from the moment he was possessed until now. Then he chuckled and shook his head.
“What’s the point of thinking about this? I’ll have to forget all these people anyway…”
If he left this place, he planned to forget everything. He intended to go to the Bulldog Kingdom, live a new life pretending to be a beta, and never return to the Blade Empire. With that thought, Asher felt his uncomfortable feelings ease a little.
“Still, I’m worried about the Duke.”
He was the person who hated him more than anyone else. If he were to face him knowing that Asher wasn’t his child, it would truly feel like saying goodbye to this world. Asher rubbed his suddenly chilled neck and, looking outside, noticed someone standing near the castle gate.
The man with dark brown hair was wearing thin clothes unsuitable for the season. However, rather than looking like a visitor to the Anest family, he was staring blankly at the castle without moving.
“What’s this…?”
Curious, Asher had the carriage stop and walked toward where the man was standing. Each step made a soft crunching sound in the snow. The man, seemingly lost in thought, didn’t notice Asher’s presence, and Asher carefully asked:
“Who are you?”
The man jumped at Asher’s question and bowed his head. He appeared to have been so focused that he hadn’t even noticed Asher approaching.
“I’m sorry. I got lost, so…”
For someone who claimed to be lost, the man’s gaze was fixed on the castle. But judging by his attire, which looked like he had just left home, he seemed like a villager from nearby. Asher gestured for him to raise his head and spoke in a gentle tone.
“If that’s the case, I can help you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Asher was about to signal to Toms. But the man shook his head as if everything was fine and stepped back slightly. Somehow, the wary look in his eyes felt strange.
“My home isn’t far. Thank you for your concern.”
“But you said you were lost.”
“…Yes.”
Asher was silent for a moment at the man’s words. The man, realizing his mistake, blinked with a flustered expression.
“There are no houses around here. And it’s difficult to reach the village without a carriage.”
“…”
“If you have business at the Duke’s residence, I can guide you.”
Asher responded formally to the suspicious-looking man. The man rolled his eyes uncomfortably and rubbed his arms. The cold seemed to be catching up to him. Looking closely, Asher could see that the man’s lips had turned from blue to white.
“You’ll catch a cold if you go around dressed so thinly in this weather.”
Asher quickly took off his coat and put it around the man. Whatever his purpose for being there, Asher didn’t want to see someone collapse before his eyes, even if that person had bad intentions.
“It’s fine…”
“It’s not fine for me.”
Whether he accepted Asher’s kindness or not, without taking the magical carriage, it would take a long time to walk to the village. Asher buttoned up the coat to the neck for the man who was refusing his offer.
“If you follow this road straight ahead, you’ll reach the village.”
“…Are you always this kind?”
“No, I’m not kind. I just don’t like to see people dying in front of me.”
Remembering that people remembered him as the rogue young master, Asher spoke coldly. He didn’t want to explain at length why he was being so kind. But the man stared at Asher and asked:
“…Are you the youngest son of the Anest family?”
“Yes.”
“I see…”
The man gazed at Asher with thoughtful eyes after hearing his answer. As if trying to remember his face, he slowly scanned Asher’s features and then lowered his gaze.
“Then I’ll be going now. I will definitely repay your kindness today.”
“That’s not necessary.”
With a gentlemanly expression, Asher raised his hand toward Toms. Toms, understanding, approached the coachman and had him bring the carriage to where Asher and the man were.
“The carriage…!”
“It’ll be dark soon. It’s the end of the year, shouldn’t you spend it with your loved ones?”
The man hesitated at Asher’s words. Then he pressed his lips together once before saying:
“…Thank you. I’ll definitely repay you later.”
“As I said before, that’s not necessary. Have a happy holiday.”
Asher turned around, cleanly cutting off the conversation. For some reason, he felt like he would meet this man again. But dismissing it as a strange feeling of déjà vu, Asher entered through the castle gate.
“Asher.”
Shaki, who seemed to be on his way out, spotted Asher and approached. Recently, Shaki had been leaving early and coming back late. Because of this, it was the first time Asher had seen him since the Wind Garden.
Asher approached him with a pleased expression. But Shaki’s face looked half its usual size and gaunt, as if he had been emotionally distressed lately. Asher looked at him worriedly and asked:
“Have you been eating properly?”
“Of course.”
“For someone who claims that, you look terrible.”
Shaki laughed lightly at Asher’s words. As always, Shaki showed Asher a comfortable and stable appearance.
“If you’re that worried, would you like to have a meal with me?”
“A meal?”
“I don’t want to just work on the last day of the year. Father and Luke both said they have plans tonight.”
“Ah… if that’s the case, I’d like that.”
After the last emotion he felt in the Wind Garden, Asher also had not sought out Shaki. It was a confusing feeling that he couldn’t yet define, but he felt that the emotion shouldn’t deepen.
But seeing Shaki now, he felt sorry for having such thoughts. After all, Shaki was always the first to rush to him and worry when he was having a hard time. Asher smiled gladly and moved to the place Shaki guided him to.
The place Shaki took him after leaving the castle was a restaurant in the nearby village. Asher ordered his meal and took a glass of water to moisten his throat.
“Would you like a drink?”
“That’s unusual. You’re offering me alcohol?”
“Because it’s a special day marking the end of the year?”
At Shaki’s words, Asher nodded with a deflated smile. Shaki then instructed a waiting staff member to bring alcohol.
“They say you can see a lot of stars from this restaurant at night. This is the best spot for stargazing.”
“Really? It’s a wonderful place.”
Asher looked at Shaki with expectant eyes, then gazed at the wine being poured into the glass. Perhaps because of the candle lit in the center, the half-filled wine looked luminous. Asher raised his glass, swirling it slightly toward Shaki before letting the wine flow into his mouth.
Unlike his expectation of an astringent taste, the wine had a sweet flavor. At this rate, even someone like him who couldn’t drink well could probably manage a few glasses. Shaki, as if reading Asher’s thoughts, put down his wine glass and said:
“Only one glass for you.”
“Oh come on, on a special day like today, how can I just have one glass?”
“Still, no. I might get drunk, but you definitely shouldn’t.”
Shaki leaned back in his chair, making a meaningful remark. It felt like he had become even more mature since they last met. As Asher was sipping his wine in quiet silence, he suddenly remembered the item he had bought at the square.
“Oh right. I bought something at the square earlier, just a moment.”
Asher pulled out a long box from his pants pocket.
“It’s nothing special, just something they say brings good luck. With the new year coming, I thought we should have something like this. Though I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”
It was a fountain pen with a four-leaf clover embossed on it. He was worried Shaki might dismiss it as superstition, but Shaki just stared at the object in Asher’s hand and slowly accepted the cloth-wrapped gift.
“…You don’t dislike it, do you?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
