When the Biting Wind Blows — Chapter 13

LET ME SEE...

My Mind Is Made Up!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?

YOU LOOK POSITIVELY PRECIOUS, DON'T YOU?

INSTRUCTOOOR?

OH...

I-I MERELY FOUND MYSELF CURIOUS AS TO WHERE HIS GRACE WAS RIDING OFF TO.

MY UNCLE IS RIDING OUT FOR THE HUNT...!

THE HUNT...

I PRAY HE MAKES IT BACK TO THE FORTRESS WITHOUT SUFFERING A SCRATCH...

WAIT, A WARRIOR OF HIS CALIBER CAN SURELY HANDLE ANY BEAST WITH EASE.

WHY AM I FRETTING OVER HIM LIKE A FOOLISH MAID?!

THE BLAME LIES ENTIRELY WITH THE INCIDENT FROM "THAT AFTERNOON."

MY WITS WERE SO SCATTERED THAT I FAILED TO PRESS HIM REGARDING MY TRIAL STATUS,

MEANING THE MOMENT HE RETURNS FROM THE WOODS, I MUST...

INSTRUCTOOOR!

PARDON?

WERE YOU LISTENING TO MY STORY JUST NOW?

REGARDING THE HUNTING PARTY?

NEVER MIND THAAAT, THE TOBOGGAN! THE TOBOGGAAAN!

A TOBOGGAN?

A WOODEN SLED SHAPED JUST LIKE SO...

G-GOODNESS, YOU GAVE ME A FRIGHT...

IT GLIDES SWIFTLY DOWN SNOWY SLOPES,

AS WELL AS OVER THE SURFACE OF SOLID PONDS, YOU SEE...

THE WATERS TURN TO SOLID ICE?

INDEED, ALLOWING YOU TO DART FROM BANK TO BANK JUST LIKE SOOO~

IN THAT CASE, SHALL THE TWO OF US TAKE A RIDE TOGETHER ONCE THE FROST THICKENS?

NOTHING WOULD MAKE ME HAPPIER!

Instructor.

While Penning Countless Notes That Vanish Into Silence Brings Me Endless Sorrow,

Word Of Your Current Life Finally Reached My Ears Via A Trusted Contact.

Rumor Has It You Have Begun Guiding Another Young Pupil.

A Dark Dread Haunts My Thoughts That Perhaps

Your Heart Has Already Grown Fonder Of That Girl Than Of Me.

A PLEASANT AFTERNOON.

COULD YOU SPARE A BRIEF WORD?

P-PLEASE LET ME TAG ALONG...!

MY BUSINESS WILL ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES,

SO WHY DON'T WE PERUSE A STORYBOOK TOGETHER IN THE PARLOR THE MOMENT I RETURN?

I-I PROMISE TO WAIT...!

HIS GRACE COMMANDED THAT THESE FRESHLY TAILORED WINTER GARMENTS BE DELIVERED TO YOUR ROOM.

THE WARDROBE GIFTED TO ME PREVIOUSLY WAS ALREADY OVERLY GENEROUS,

SO WHAT PROMPTED SUCH AN ABUNDANCE...?

THIS BITTER FROST SHOWS NO SIGN OF BREAKING ANYTIME SOON,

MEANING THE THIN FABRICS YOU CURRENTLY OWN WILL OFFER ZERO PROTECTION.

HAVING WORN HER FORMER PIECES, YOU HAVE LIKELY NOTICED BY NOW,

THAT THE DEPARTED LADY OF THE HOUSE DESPISED HEAVY WOOLENS.

DIDN'T THE MAIDS WHISPER ABOUT ANOTHER OUTBURST FROM HER RECENTLY?

WORD IS SHE REDUCED THE CHILD'S NURSEMAID TO TREMBLING TEARS.

APPARENTLY, LITTLE LADY ANA STOOD FROZEN RIGHT THERE,

WEEPING SILENTLY WITHOUT DARING TO UTTER A SINGLE SYLLABLE.

TRULY, HER CRUELTY TOWARD THE HOUSEHOLD STAFF KNOWS NO BOUNDS...

IS THERE ANOTHER MATTER WEIGHING ON YOUR MIND?

COUNTLESS QUESTIONS BURN ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE, YET...

...WOULD IT BE PERMISSIBLE FOR ME TO DISPATCH A PRIVATE MISSIVE?

A PRIVATE MISSIVE?

I REALIZE SUCH A REQUEST IS BOLD FOR A WOMAN IN MY POSITION,

YET A NOTE ARRIVED FROM HIS HIGHNESS, AND ETIQUETTE DEMANDS I PEN A RESPONSE.

Alongside A Brief Word To Comfort My Mother And Sister..

GRANTING SUCH REQUESTS LIES FAR BEYOND MY STATION,

THUS YOU MUST SEEK APPROVAL DIRECTLY FROM HIS GRACE.

GIVEN THAT OUR BUSINESS APPEARS TO BE CONCLUDED,

I SHALL EXCUSE MYSEL-

DO YOU, MISTRESS PAULINE...

HARBOR ZERO FAITH IN LADY ANA'S FUTURE?