I coordinated the types and amounts of necessary materials on behalf of Dad, who was overly nervous—I don’t know why he trembles like that every time when he’s been doing this job for decades.

After the conversation with the mayor ended, I threw up everything I had eaten. I understood why Dad always drinks calming tea.

But why did he drink it alone? He told me to learn the work by his side, but in the end I’m doing it!

At this rate, as soon as I turn twenty, he might say ‘You take care of all the village affairs’ and run away.

I have absolutely no intention of doing that.

You can’t stay on the mountain forever without ever going beyond it. At least that’s what I think. I do love this mansion and the village, but……

Good heavens, Dad is calling me again! This time I have to write documents to send to city hall. I repeat, Sha, I have absolutely no interest in this work.

I’m grateful that he trusts me, but if he’s going to trust me anyway, it would be nice if he took me outside the village too, but that’s Mom’s role so it can’t be helped.

Soon I’ll be able to go out on my own feet.

When that time comes, shall I go see the sea?

Sending love, Cas

P.S. It’s late, but I’m enclosing a gift. The severe cold overlapped so I absolutely couldn’t order a gift to match the date. But I can’t give you something trivial. How is it, do you like it?]

[To Carol

I received the gift well!

I pondered for a long time after reading your postscript. ‘Did you forget my birthday this year?’ That’s what I wondered. My suspicion was quite valid.

Because, Cas. Your long, long letter was no different from a gift. It was regrettably the day after my birthday, but that wasn’t very important. I read and reread the long congratulatory letter you wrote by cutting into your sleep time.

I had to lie in bed all morning the next day because I went to sleep too late that night, but I didn’t regret it. Nothing feels as good as a carefully written letter.

The handwriting that started neat and gradually tilted subtly toward the end too. Ah, just because I said this doesn’t mean you need to try hard to make every letter the same size. If you have that kind of leisure, promise me you’ll send replies more on time.

I’ll promise too.

I can send letters from anywhere, but you can only put letters in the gallery of the mansion. Yet I rarely have occasions to leave home, while you often wander outside the mansion.

I should tell you my thoughts about the gift, right?

Remember what I said about never taking off the gifts you give me? I don’t particularly want to brag, but it’s truly so. The paper flower you gave me first, I kept it carefully stored in a drawer worried it might get damaged.

Remember last year’s gift? You gave me a white ribbon. It was made of a material not commonly used on Iota, so I found it fascinating. Thanks to it, I developed the habit of tying my hair when going out.

Lucio said it matched my hair color very well, and Rosette whined that I should wear the pin she gave me often too. When I said the pin was hard and hurt my scalp if worn continuously, she asked if I would switch if she gave me a ribbon as a gift.

When I said that wouldn’t be the case, she showed a bit of displeasure. For my birthday gift, I received a poetry collection instead of a ribbon. I couldn’t even imagine such a thing just a few years ago.

I mean Rosette giving gifts and acting friendly. She must have been quite lonely after breaking up with Bash. Most of the kids liked or admired Bash, so she probably can’t speak comfortably to them about certain things.

Maybe it’s because I’m Aila’s younger sister.

Even now she sometimes asks about Aila’s well-being. I don’t have any letters from her either, so I have nothing to tell her.

I should also let you know how much I loved your gift, right? Your taste has always been excellent, but this time was the most special.

That doesn’t mean the previous gifts were lacking. What I mean is, I was that happy.

I wondered what you were preparing that made you delay the gift, but it was truly, truly wonderful! A locket necklace! It’s the first time in my life I’ve received such a gift—though your gifts have always been firsts in my life—

I love that the locket is round-shaped and bright silver! It’s similar in color to my glasses. Not to mention the engraved pattern.

This alone was amazing enough, but I never imagined what was inside! Even when I was checking the gift, I thought, ‘Surely he couldn’t have put anything inside.’

I heard that people who share lockets sometimes put hair inside, but we never talked about such things! They usually draw each other’s faces small inside, but we don’t know each other’s faces.

I wouldn’t have been too disappointed if the locket was completely empty inside. No, I actually didn’t think it would be filled.

But Cas, you overturned my expectations in a creative way.

Before, I said I was curious about what color your eyes were. Not all blues are the same color. Just as I know the blue of the sky and sea, and you know your own blue.

The inside of the locket was filled with exactly that kind of blue. A blue different from my eyes, closer to sky blue. You could call it a simple color. Others might not understand if they saw it, but others won’t see it, right?

Even if they did see it, there’s no need to make them understand.

I also loved the picture drawn inside the lid. A snow-covered village! That must be the place you always see, right? I’m curious how you drew so meticulously in such a small size, only as big as a thumbnail.

I already knew your skill, but I’m amazed every time.

You’re just like a painter. If I say this, you’ll be modest and say it’s nothing special.

I went to school today. In composition class, I wrote about a book I recently read. I had just finished reading the essays of an artist you said you enjoyed, so I wrote about that.

The teacher corrected several spellings and awkward sentences, then told me five strengths and one point to improve.

After all classes ended, I returned home with Lucio and Rosette. Halfway through, I lost energy and had to sit on a tree stump to rest.

Rosette was particularly talkative today, but it was all nonsense. She asked if we wanted to do homework together when there was no homework, and suggested we walk by the sea when I clearly said I wasn’t feeling well enough to go to the sea.

It seemed like her mind had been swept away by the sea. When I opened my mouth to respond, she wouldn’t answer, then suddenly lifted her head.

In contrast, Lucio barely spoke at all. Really strange, right? I thought the two had switched places.

Oh, right.

When I got home, Lucio suddenly asked, ‘Don’t you want to date anyone?’ I was about to ignore it thinking it was some nonsense, but then he added, ‘There’s probably someone interested in you.’

I thought he was speaking nonsense quite solemnly.

I don’t believe what he says, but even if I did, if someone’s interested in me, shouldn’t they at least try to talk to me?

But in the classroom, except for Rosette or Lucio, I’m almost always alone. Light greetings are all there is.

But suddenly, romance.

When I pushed him away saying ‘If you want to do it, go ahead and do it yourself,’ Lucio got angry as if wronged, saying ‘It’s because of you!’

His mind must be seriously gone. He definitely wasn’t like this at first.

Remember the letter I wrote after Lucio first came? I said ‘fiancé’ and such, which startled you. You asked if the south was originally that progressive.

I answered that while I don’t know about the mainland south, Iota is rather conservative.

Actually, while I did have the motive to surprise you then, the ‘engagement’ state wasn’t entirely new. Everyone marries children chosen by adults, who are appropriately matched—whether in personality or family.

Grandfather certainly had that purpose. Lucio was closer to thinking ‘If they tell me to do it, I’ll just do as told’ rather than having strong opinions.

Only after we became somewhat close did he make excuses like ‘You don’t seem like such a bad kid.’ He doesn’t talk about such things these days.

If I married him, well, it wouldn’t be ‘bad’…… But it doesn’t feel real yet. Above all, Lucio is busy getting along with all the kids on the island.

Even if not romance, he’s had ‘date’-like outings with girls once or twice. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him do that in the past few months.

How strange.

Anyway, I’m doing well.

I hope you’re doing well too. Sleep well.

March 3rd

Asha]