NOVEL WEB Chapter 186
Chapter: 186
“Doesn’t it seem like the weather gets colder the higher we go?”
“It definitely seems that way…”
“We should probably pull out some warmer clothes once we get to the inn today.”
“Hehe, that sounds good.”
…How did it end up like this?
My initial plan was to go up north just with Rize.
Yet, contrary to my plan, there were three of us in the carriage.
To be more specific, it wasn’t just the three of us; we were also carting along the family’s servants and knights heading north…
There were more people going north than I had anticipated… it was quite the ridiculous situation.
“I guess it’s true that the south is warmer. I didn’t expect it to be this cold as we entered the central regions.”
“Mother has been living in the south for quite some time now.”
“Hehe, right?”
…The timing couldn’t have been worse.
Of all times, William happened to be at the mansion, and of all odd decisions, he thought he could hang out in the south for about a month.
Now, instead of just Rize and me heading to the north, Rosalyn ended up coming along as well.
Really, why on earth was that busy man, who was always tied up with his business affairs and visits to brothels, here?
Was he feeling under the weather lately…?
“I’m actually quite looking forward to going north since it’s been so long.”
“Speaking of which, you said you’ve been there before.”
“Hehe, it was really a long time ago. But yes, I have been there, even though I was just a child back then.”
“Once we reach the north, we’ll be able to get a lot of help from Mother.”
In conclusion, I found myself in a complicated situation.
I was already worried about my relationship with Rosalyn since summer break.
I was deliberately planning to go just with Rosalyn and avoid her.
Being close to peers and spending time with a stepmother like Rosalyn felt completely different.
The dynamics of being a maid, friend, senior, or teacher are vastly different from that of a mother and daughter.
Anyway, I was planning to go with just Rize…
“…It seems the sun will set earlier today than I thought. We should stop at a decent inn.”
“I’ll inform the crew from the other carriage shortly.”
“Thanks. And since it’s cold, let them know it would be better to stop somewhere appropriate for the horses as well…”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
The carriage sped toward the north.
Just a monotone repetition of our conversation.
But for some reason, Rosalyn kept smiling, as if something was particularly amusing.
That look was pretty, but… it was also a bit awkward for me.
I found myself dozing off or staring blankly out the window more often as a result.
*
“Phew… the weather is really cold, isn’t it?”
“Looks like we’ll have to wear warm clothes in the carriage tomorrow.”
“You’re not wrong there. It definitely felt warm in the south.”
As I started unpacking our things with Rize in the inn room, we exchanged such dialogues.
Rosalyn got the best room, while Rize and I had the second-best, and the rest were just assigned as they came.
For now, we decided to spend the day here at the inn we just arrived at.
“We’re in the central, so we’ll probably have to ride the carriage again soon.”
“Considering the weather and road conditions, it might take a few more days.”
“True.”
The weather had become progressively chillier since we started break.
We began our break in early December, and a good amount of time passed while we traveled back to the mansion and then up north.
Of course, the carriage had a certain degree of heating, and we had dressed warmly, so it wasn’t too much of an issue.
But the roads and the weather were a different story altogether.
“Miss, how about you wear this during our travels tomorrow? It has enough thermal lining and doesn’t seem too uncomfortable.”
“I don’t want to overheat. I just need something a bit warmer than what I have on now.”
“Got it, I’ll prepare this for you.”
“Thanks, Rize.”
In many ways, I had a lot on my mind recently and today.
But the good thing was, even in this room, I didn’t need to think too much.
We weren’t even near the north yet, and Rosalyn wasn’t in this room.
“Ahhh…”
Without a single thought.
Comfortably.
“Ugh…”
I wouldn’t mind lying down on the bed at all.
Rize was rummaging through her suitcase, but I just let it be and comfortably laid down.
The carriage was quite luxurious.
But that didn’t change the fact that sitting for hours was still uncomfortable.
“I hope we reach the north quickly.”
Honestly, it might be better to arrive and focus on work; it would certainly be more comfortable than spending all this time in the carriage with Rosalyn.
It wasn’t that I disliked it, but… it was a bit awkward facing Rosalyn since summer break.
“Oh! Right.”
While lying on the bed, something suddenly came to mind.
It was about Rize, who was busy unpacking in the same room as me.
“Rize, are you planning on wearing just your maid outfit in the north?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking if it’s okay to wear just your maid outfit when it’ll be so much colder up there.”
It was fine in the south during winter to wear a maid outfit.
Of course, it might have been a bit chilly, but southern winters weren’t extreme.
But in the north?
Unlike the south, which barely dips below 10°C in winter, the north definitely fell below freezing.
I seriously thought that just wearing a maid outfit would not cut it.
“Your maid uniform doesn’t have any thermal lining, does it? Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Uhh…”
“I really don’t think that’s going to be fine. Do you have any warmer clothes packed?”
“I did pack a coat, at least…”
A coat.
If it was warm enough with ample thermal lining, it wouldn’t be too bad.
But I already knew Rize would wear her maid outfit regardless.
“Are you planning to throw a coat over your maid outfit?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“…Rize. You’ve never been to the north, have you?”
“I haven’t…”
“Yeah.”
Hmm.
Well, Rize doesn’t really grasp things from just words, so it might be faster for her to actually feel the cold when we get there.
Honestly, rather than insisting she wear something other than her maid outfit, that might be the best approach.
Once she experiences real cold, she definitely wouldn’t consider braving the weather in just a maid outfit with a coat on top.
“Hmm… it’s getting late. Should we head out to have dinner with Mother?”
As I was relaxing in the room, I noticed it was already nearing dinner time.
The sun was setting outside, and my stomach was starting to growl.
“Rize, shall we get going?”
“…Yes.”
We got up from the bed and headed out toward Rosalyn’s Room.
The other servants and knights could occupy themselves until the morning, but not Rosalyn and Rize.
-Knock knock.
“Mother, are you awake to go out for dinner?”
I said as I knocked on Rosalyn’s door.
I wanted to make sure Rosalyn didn’t miss dinner by dozing off in her room.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Of course, it was Rosalyn who answered.
“Has it really gotten that late…?”
“Were you napping?”
“I wasn’t sleeping… just resting my eyes a little.”
“Aha.”
Rosalyn looked a bit dazed, a clear sign she might have been sleeping until recently.
She must have been tired from the long hours in the carriage.
I understood, considering I had also been lounging in the inn room for a while.
“It’s been a while since you came to the central, right? There are so many better places to eat than in the south. I thought we could go out together.”
The central region indeed had much tastier food, and considering I needed to share a meal with Rosalyn, going out now felt right.
“What do you think?”
“Should we? Can you wait a moment? I need to grab a coat before heading out.”
“Of course, I can wait. Take your time. We haven’t even decided where to go yet!”
“No, I’ll just grab my coat and be right out. Just wait a moment.”
With that said, Rosalyn closed the door and went back inside.
Naturally, given the cold, it was crucial to dress warmly before heading out.
“Miss, I heard there’s a good restaurant nearby the inn.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“I overheard it while chatting with the other knights and servants. They mentioned it was a nice place, even though they said it was pretty pricey…”
“Hmmm… I doubt the people working for our family can’t afford to dine out. It must be expensive, but still.”
Indeed, the people working at our mansion earned almost twice as much as those from other families.
Though the perception might not be great, we did pay our servants quite well.
“Camelia, I’m ready. Shall we head out?”
Rosalyn appeared from her room wearing a fluffy-lined coat.
It was quite different from the usual dresses she wore, giving off a cute vibe.
…It felt like if I hugged her, the soft and fluffy clothes would feel twice as nice.
I didn’t act on that thought right away, though.