Ch 5.8
“I was the same. The reason I chose this place as a home for the children was also because I felt a warm impression from the village.”
“You are right, a warm feeling. This kind of feeling is truly rare.”
“I am glad that Belita felt the same way. There is a place where you can look down at the village all at once; would you like to go see it?”
“All at once?”
“Yes, and the road surface is flat, so it is a perfect place for horseback riding.”
“Is that so? Let’s go.”
“Then please follow me.”
“Okay.”
As Eiden started running ahead first, I also picked up speed to follow him.
The path leading to the hill was much more fantastic than what Eiden had described.
The landscape was wide open in all directions, and the path was very clean, as if someone had deliberately cleared away all the stones.
“It is really nice, isn’t it?”
I caught up closely behind Eiden and spoke to him.
“I thought you would like it.”
Eiden replied as he pulled up the corners of his sharp mouth into a smile.
Riding the horse while feeling the cool breeze made me feel so good.
I felt a sense of freedom, and my chest felt wide open.
So, intoxicated by that feeling, I unknowingly said something impulsive to him.
“Do you want to race?”
“A race?”
“Yes, the person who arrives at the hill first wins.”
“What happens if one wins?”
“If you win…… how about the loser grants the winner’s wish?”
At my words, Eiden fell deep into thought for a moment.
“A wish…….”
“Is it because you think you’ll lose?”
“Does it mean any wish?”
“Yes, anything that I can fulfill.”
Even as I spoke, I thought that I was truly not acting like myself.
It was especially so because I had never spoken so recklessly since coming here.
However, right now, I wanted to act exactly as my heart desired without any
restrictions.
“Very well.”
“Great. Then, start!”
As soon as he agreed to do it, I set off immediately.
Since men and women have different physiques and athletic nerves anyway, a foul like this was acceptable.
I rode the horse and dashed forward like crazy.
Part of me didn’t want to lose to him, but truly, if I could just go, I wanted to keep dashing until the end of wherever this path led.
The instinct to race without being bound, so that no one could catch me, was continuously waking me up.
“Belita!”
However, Eiden, who was chasing from behind, called me in an urgent voice.
But I did not stop.
To avoid being caught by him, I dashed even faster than my current speed.
Then, the interval of the hoofbeats from Eiden’s horse also became incredibly fast.
During that time, he kept calling me, but I did not answer even once.
After riding like that for a long while, the hill came into view.
I wanted to ride more, but the end was in sight.
A thick sense of regret rushed in at the thought that I had reached the end.
Still, I was ahead of Eiden. If it continued like this, it was my victory.
Intoxicated by the joy of victory, I looked back at him, who was chasing right behind me, and shouted.
“I won! I wo— Huh? Kyaaak!”
“Belita!”
In an instant, the horse seemed to trip on something; it tumbled forward, and my body floated up into the air.
Now, all that remained was to fall and roll on the road.
I curled my body to minimize the pain and hit the ground with a thud.
Then I rolled down the hill mercilessly before my movement stopped after a short while.
But it was strange.
The impact on my body was not as large as I had expected.
Only then did I realize that someone was holding me.
I could guess who that was.
When I lifted my hunched head, I saw Eiden within my vision.
“Ei…… den?”
“Are you all right?”
He checked my safety first.
“I’m…… okay. What about Eiden?”
“I am fine.”
The distance between us was so close that our breaths mingled.
I quickly regained my senses and pulled away from his embrace.
I stood up and checked my body; he seemed perfectly fine despite the fall, as if he had taken all the impact I was meant to receive.
He also raised his body, which had rolled along with me.
Fortunately, Eiden appeared to be unhurt as well.
However, his body was covered in thick dust.
Since it was certain that I was in the same state, a laugh burst out of me momentarily.
“Pfft! Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just that we look so funny…….”
“I suppose so.”
With that, instead of dusting off his own clothes, he approached me and brushed off the grass and dust caught in my hair.
“I, I’ll do it……!”
In my embarrassment, I stammered and my body moved backward instinctively.
“……I understand.”
Somehow, his voice seemed lower than it was just a moment ago.
Did his mood turn sour because I rejected him?
But I simply couldn’t get used to such intimate physical contact.
“Um, thank you. I was careless for no reason and we both almost got seriously hurt.”
“No. It is a relief that you are safe.”
“Still, I am sorry and thankful. Oh? But then, who won?”
Because the accident happened before reaching the hill, neither of us had reached the finish line.
After thinking for a moment, I immediately continued speaking.
“Let’s say I won the race. Anyway, I was faster. Right?”
“Understood.”
He agreed without much argument.
“Instead, since you saved me, I will grant one of Eiden’s wishes too.”
“A wish?”
“Yes, since I won the race, I will tell Eiden one wish, and since Eiden saved me, you tell me one wish. Is that okay?”
I thought of it myself, but it was a good judgment.
He seemed to think so too, as he slowly nodded his head.
“That sounds good. But until when is the wish valid?”
“Hmm, actually, I don’t have anything particular in mind either. Shall we say it’s valid for a while?”
“Let’s do that.”
“Yes, great.”
Like that, we each left one wish for each other.
After looking at the village from the hill, we returned to the orphanage.
“My Lady!”
Mary approached me and asked with a
surprised face.
“My Lady, why are your clothes like this?”
“Oh, it’s nothing much.”
I intentionally avoided answering, fearing she would worry a lot if I said I fell from the horse and rolled.
“The Young Master too…… uh…….”
“Wait, Mary!”
In an instant, I could see right through Mary’s mind and what she was thinking.
I urgently called out to her to erase the bad thoughts floating in her head.
“It’s not what you think!”
“But My Lady…… both of your clothes are…….”
“No, it’s not like that!”
I answered confidently and firmly.
While I was in the middle of making excuses to Mary, Lian approached, having finished playing with the children.
“My Lady.”
“Lian, did you play well with the children?
Did you say goodbye to them?”
“Yes. But My Lady, your clothes…….”
“It’s nothing. Anyway, let’s go quickly.”
I felt like strange words would come out if I stayed here any longer, so I chose to leave the place quickly.
“I should head out now.”
I looked back at Eiden, greeted him, and moved to get into the carriage.
“Belita.”
“Yes?”
When he called, I stopped moving for a moment and looked at Eiden.
“I will escort you.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Thinking that standing side by side would draw more suspicion, I intentionally declined his kindness.
However, he had already stepped in front of me.
“Please get in.”
“Thank you.”
I had no choice but to receive the help of his large hand and board the carriage.
But the hand that touched his felt as hot as if it had been burned by fire.
“I will see you next time at the eve festival.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“Then I will see you then. Please return home safely.”
“You too, Eiden.”
He met my eyes, nodded slightly, and stepped back.
Then Mary followed inside, and the carriage door closed just like that.
Once everyone was on board, the carriage departed without delay, and like that, we left Hemoa and returned to the capital.
The riding competition and the harvest festival were approaching tomorrow.
So today, an eve festival was held to commemorate the start of those two events.
I was in the middle of preparing to go to the festival from early morning.
Regrettably, the letter I received from Adela yesterday stated that she would be unable to attend.
Although she said her health had improved, she had not recovered enough to participate in the festival.
‘Then, is only Eiden coming?’
The thought of seeing him brought back the moments we met in Hemoa not long ago.
