My Childhood Friend is Like a Stone - Chapter 15

His eyes met Adrienne the moment he questioned why he was having a brother and sister’s time with her, the instant the sharp words climbed up to his throat.

“Cyril.”

“Why?”

“Take me to Thesar later. I heard it snows a lot there. I want to see the snow piled up.”

Ironically, his thorny heart instantly eased at that one request. Cyril looked blankly at the moment her eyes twitched excitedly with anticipation. For a long time, the story of his siblings had vanished from his thoughts.

“What’s the point of looking at snow?”

“I wanted to make a snowman, but you know it doesn’t snow that much here.”

“You’re not a baby—”

Cyril, who paused for a moment, responded clearly, but the atmosphere did not become harsh. It was because of the warmth in his words. Adrienne nods to Cyril.

“Hey, Cyril, can you take me with you too if you don’t mind?”

“If I go, you go too, Reid. What are you asking?”

“I’m afraid you’ll leave me alone… I was curious about what life was like in other areas.”

The brothers and sisters were already planning a journey to Thesar, regardless of where they get Cyril’s permission.

‘This brother and sister won’t give me time to think.’

It was now a pretty familiar scenario. Cyril shook his head and thought. He wanted to stay between them for a bit longer.

*******

The carriage was running through a quiet forest road. The oak trees on each side waved their dried leaves in greeting as if they were expecting a carriage. Crunch, rustle, and the noise of fallen leaves could be heard everywhere the carriage went. Cyril placed his hand through the half-open window as the clear sky became visible through the spreading leaves.

‘Surely Cassinel is warm.’

It was a return after about a month from leaving for Thesar a little early. Cyril decided to stay longer at Cassinel for the time being. There were several reasons behind this. First of all, it was because of the brother and sister on his mind. He reasoned that because they had spent so much time together, they would need enough time to separated. But it wasn’t always because of siblings. His shooting abilities have not yet reached a satisfactory level, and he is not very skilled in other aspects.

In front of his father, Cyril stated his decision to remain in Cassinel, aiming to show more perfection as his successor. The Duke made an unknown expression at Cyril, but he eventually agreed. However, he added that he couldn’t give him much time.

‘I’ll need some time to sort it out.’

Duke Thesar’s words on Cyril’s departure were important. He could have seen through his son’s lame excuses. In any event, the goal was achieved. Cyril stared out the window, his mind blank. A carriage that had just emerged from the forest’s border entered a road heading to the estate. Cyril felt comfortable as he neared Cassinel.

‘It was terrible when I first came.’

And he smiled lightly at the thought of it. This beautiful landscape used to look terrible, as if it had been dragged to hell. He’s only six years old, but he acts like an old man on the verge of death.  It was funny to look back on now. Looking back on his childhood, there was one face that immediately came to mind. Cyril created an image of a little girl blinking her eyes constantly over a wide area. Smiling like a fool with a tooth pulled out, crying with upset and wet eyes, and mercilessly wielding a sword with an overly cute face—.

Cyril, who was thinking of a child growing up in his memory, closed his eyes.

He wanted to go back to Cassinel right away.

******

“…what do you want me to do?”

Cyril’s forehead was wrinkled as if he had heard a strange word.

“Because I want you to describe my face.”

Adrienne, who uttered a ridiculous sound, brazenly replied to Cyril who asked back.

“Are you sick?”

Cyril, who had been staring at Adrienne for a while without saying a word, put his hand on Adrienne’s forehead. Big hands easily covered the forehead, as well as the eyes.

“I’m not sick. I’m fine.”

“Aren’t you going to get sick soon?”

“—I told you I’m not?”

Having said that, Adrienne escaped Cyril’s hands. The sensation of the warmth disappearing was more disappointing than he had expected. Cyril clinched his fist once and then opened it for no reason.

“If Cassinel’s doctor is not reliable, call Jerome.”

“My doctor is perfectly fine. I’m fine, too.”

Looking at her response, it was clear she was fine. Actually, she was relieved to hear of Cyril’s return and even came to greet him, so there was no need for her to become ill in such a short period of time. Then why does Adrienne ask as to what kind of face she has? And with that weird, shy face.

“…was there no mirror in your room?”

“There is, but it’s different. That’s what I see with my own eyes.”

“What’s the point of seeing your face with other people’s eyes? You’ve never been interested.”

If Adrienne was concerned in her beauty, or in anything, she would not have dressed in Reid’s clothing and pretended to be her. How many pairs of pants did Adrienne rip off? It was not an exaggeration to say that Adrienne occupied Reid’s clothing until the height difference increased.

“I’m just asking. So could you please just answer me, Cyril Valentin?”

“—What do you want me to say? Just what you look like?”

“Yeah, don’t think too much. Just, be honest with me.”

Even the middle name of Valentin came out. Adrienne, who had been dragging on for far too long, would never keep her mouth shut, so Cyril decided to be careful with his response.

‘Face, all just face—’

He thought it was cynical, but Cyril knew best that it wasn’t. Adrienne wished he could be ‘honest,’ but it was impossible. She’d freak out if he could express Adrienne exactly as she is, as Cyril sees her. Isn’t that right? If she’s rational, she won’t be able to sit still when she sees a friend she’s known for eight years complimenting her on her face. And Cyril reasoned that it would be better to swallow the compliment than spit it out.

“You, well—”

“What about me?”

“You’re just normal.”

“—Really?”

Two eyes, one nose, one mouth.

She had all she needed as a human being, therefore in terms of ethnicity, she was quite average. It was, of course, different from how much each form had a finely made appearance. The sound of conscience vanishing could be heard at that time, but Cyril pretended not to notice. Adrienne was dissatisfied with the simple answer. She could see her face was pale merely by gazing in the mirror over Cyril’s shoulder.

“So, Cyril, what do you think about you?”

Adrienne asked again, who kept staring at his face, which had nothing to do with looking inside. There was an unexplained expectation.

“I’m normal, too.”

This question was easy. Cyril responded immediately as if asking a question. Adrienne’s face, which was waiting for an answer, brightened at once.

“Thank you for your answer!”

“—Because I said normal?’

“Anyway!”

Adrienne turned back with a brighter face than when she entered the room. It didn’t seem normal for her to hum as she went out. What’s wrong with that? Cyril who confused was frowned.

******

He should have called Jerome. Cyril later regretted his rash decision.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

Adrienne, who replied lightly as if she had no idea, looked down at the book. A disapproving look stuck in Adrienne’s head.

“Why don’t you come to the shooting range?”

She even read the book on her own. But she didn’t take her favorite shot and instead read books? Adrienne was not the best person to do so. He’s not sure if it’s Reid. Is there any shooting going on? Sword training hasn’t been done in a long time. She didn’t force it in the first place, so it’s not surprising that she quit, but the timing was unusual.

‘What the hell is that?’

Adrienne was reading a book when Cyril’s attention was drawn to it. To be more specific, the dried rose in the midst of it was strangely annoying. Adrienne never seems to be very sentimental. Leaving an intact bookmark and using as a bookmark a dry flower that will break. It’s also childish like Adrienne.

“I’m trying to build up some accomplishment, too. Is there a problem?”

“…If you don’t do that, will Viscountess Parte kill you?”

“I don’t know if the Viscountess has the strength to do that.”

Adrienne looked at Cyril with pathetic eyes. Adrienne looked at Cyril with pathetic eyes. It hurt his pride to get that look from Adrienne, not anyone else, but now he had no time to care about it. Adrienne was strange.  To be precise, it has been strange since Cyril went to Thesar. He doesn’t know what happened in the last month or so of his absence, but Adrienne was certainly strange.

‘If only there was Reid.’

Reid was away to visit the Bluea family. He had no one to give an honest answer to. The problem was that he couldn’t identify where and how Adrienne became strange. It’s strange to leave that gun alone and stay in the room—but he couldn’t criticize her for that alone. There was an unexplained behavior, such as dressing more carefully than before and decorating her hair, which she had never cared about before, but it was also tough to criticize.

“You’re weird these days.”

Finally, Cyril threw a word since he couldn’t think of anything else. His voice was quieter than usual as if to express his annoyance.

“What’s strange with me?”

“Everything is weird. A child who has never looked at a mirror before carries a hand mirror.”

Why did she continue to wear dresses with large ribbons, which she despised because they were awkward, and why did her tone of speaking become so classy—? There were several points to be made, and it was very embarrassing that not all of them were made.

“Anyway, it’s weird.”

A soft word came out like a sigh.