Ch#123
As Evi blankly stared at the forest, Irene followed her gaze toward it.
But the summer night forest was just quiet, nothing particularly special about it.
"What's wrong?"
"I heard a sound."
"A sound? What kind of sound...?"
"Um, well. It sounded like something calling..."
At Evi's words, Irene's face paled.
"What? A ghost?"
"Don't talk ghost nonsense. There's no such thing in our territory's forest."
Ruska scolded Irene but still tilted his ear toward the direction Evi was looking.
But aside from the wind and insect chirps, nothing particular could be heard.
As the three quietly listened, Ruska's brothers nearby looked at them as if wondering what was going on.
"Evi says she heard something from the forest."
"Really?"
At that, the brothers also went closer to the forest and listened, but heard no strange sounds.
"You sometimes hear beast footprints or low cries, but nothing unusual."
The brothers were still unaffiliated, living like apprentice knights within the family.
But all were skilled enough to join any renowned knight order without shame.
They were quite sensitive to presences and had good hearing, yet found nothing odd.
Still, Evi couldn't easily tear her eyes from the forest.
"Here, eat this first."
Just then, Ruska scooped up the small new potatoes rolling on the hot plate and put them in Evi's bowl.
Evi poked a fork into one wafting nutty butter scent, blew on it, and took a big bite.
"Hah, hot...!"
As she chewed in her mouth, the fluffy well-ripened potato texture came with butter aroma and flavor, plus a hint of sweetness.
"Delicious! It's sweet!"
"Right? Easy to make, but super tasty, huh?"
As Evi's eyes widened, Ruska shrugged.
Then he placed separately stir-fried potatoes in front of Irene too.
"I don't like sweet potatoes much..."
"Yours has no sugar. Try it."
At that, Irene eyed Ruska suspiciously before cautiously eating one.
"Whoa, for real."
Unlike Evi's, Irene's had just a bit more salt instead of sugar.
"You eat cakes fine but hate sweet potatoes or other veggies."
"What? How'd you know?"
"How wouldn't I? You barely touch them. Weird if I didn't notice."
"......"
It was something she'd hidden well enough that even her parents rarely noticed. For Ruska to pick up on it.
'Scary guy.'
Irene glared at Ruska, thinking she needed to be careful.
Separate from that, the potatoes were delicious.
* * *
Normally, they'd eat dinner, chat and play before heading to bed at a reasonable time, but knowing tonight was the last, no one wanted to leave the tent.
Even apprentice knights had heard and gathered, making the tent area bustle like the daytime training ground.
Naturally, the apprentices...
"Neck! Go for the neck!"
"Trip his feet!"
...divided into teams for sparring disguised as contests.
Elsewhere they'd bet money, but Marquis Ragselb's household was strict about that.
So apprentices bet other things.
"Tomorrow's ice cream is riding on you! Go!"
"Take him down and ten eggs await!"
Disgraceful to the empire's top knight family name, their bets were modest.
Then eldest brother Ain shouted.
"Winner gets Ruska-grilled steak!"
"Wooah!"
Amid cheers, Ruska yelled, "Who decided thaaat?!" but no one listened.
Evi, Irene, and Arsel sat by the bonfire, skewering fish caught fishing that day on wooden sticks.
Ruska saw and said that wasn't enough, fetching salt and pepper, sprinkling them liberally over the fish heedless of the heat.
"Alright, looks done now."
He handed one to Evi, who carefully tore into the meaty part and said blissfully,
"I still wanna live with Ruska."
At that, Arsel paused while sorting other fish.
"...Evi, we have plenty of fish at Duke Kailun's too."
Ruska stuck out his tongue teasingly.
"Hmph, can you live on fish alone? You've tasted our ranch's milk, cheese, butter excellence too."
"Our family's ranch is plenty excellent."
Long past the age of bickering over whose house was better.
Yet they argued whose ranch, orchard, fields, river, etc., were superior.
Then, to end the debate, Ruska declared emphatically,
"So what. Only I can make it tasty anyway. Right, Evi? So just keep living at my house."
Normally she'd have read the room a bit.
But as he said that, Ruska pulled a slightly charred mini marshmallow from the fire and popped it into Evi's mouth.
The warm, sweet, chewy treat filled her mouth; unable to reply, she blew on it and ate happily.
Then unconsciously nodded.
'Director said watch out for people who keep giving tasty things...'
Eh, whatever. Ruska's fine.
Evi thought that and took the next marshmallow Ruska offered.
Seeing it, Ruska smirked victoriously.
"See? Don't compete if you can't match me."
At that, quiet-until-now Arsel's eyes sparked.
Separate from Arsel, Ruska was startled by his own words.
'Have I ever said that in front of Arsel before?'
People always thought Arsel superior.
So Ruska preemptively praised him before others could, making it easier.
Before long, he naturally thought himself inferior.
Yet just now, he'd boldly claimed superiority.
Then second brother Eric, amused, wedged between them.
"What's this? The mood? Sparks flying?"
Irene replied pityingly.
"Both bragging who's better."
"Really? Then decide manly, brute force."
Eric turned and yelled to apprentices by the fire.
"Hey! Ruska and Arsel are fighting a round!"
* * *
People sat in a circle by the bonfire.
Naturally, Arsel and Ruska in the center rolled up sleeves and pants, ready to tussle.
"Ruska! Lose and you're no Ragselb!"
To brothers' cheers-or-threats, Ruska scowled.
Honestly, most cheered Ruska.
Inevitable. This was Marquis Ragselb's territory; cheering his son was natural.
Anyone would wilt under overwhelming opponent cheers.
Arsel showed no tremor.
Evi, glancing around, scurried to sit by Arsel's shed clothes.
"Eh? Evi?"
He'd thought cheeks puffed with his marshmallow meant she'd side with him.
"Evi, you said you wanna live at my house!"
"Hehe... True, but Arsel has no cheers now, so I'll cheer him. And..."
Evi beckoned Arsel close, as if borrowing his ear.
As he leaned in, her small hand cupped his ear.
Warm breath and secretive whisper followed.
"Ruska's good, but Arsel's good too."
Wondering what she'd say calling him like that.
Arsel chuckled, nodded, then loudly for Ruska to hear,
"If Evi says that much, I have to win."
"What? What'd she say?"
"Why tell you? Stretched? Let's go."
"Hey! Sneaky!"
As Ruska fumed, Irene sidled up.
"Evi, what'd you really say?"
"No, just... said Arsel's good too..."
Wondering if she'd misspoke, tilting head, Irene giggled and hugged her.
"Our Evi's so sinful. Let the idiots fight."
Irene placed her marshmallows in Evi's hand.
Her smile bore the haughtiest victor's smirk.
And finally, Arsel and Ruska's match began.
20 minutes later.
"Tough kids..."
Eric shook his head at the two boys glaring, panting fiercely.
Even tough ones struggled past 5 minutes tussling.
These two refused to yield, glaring untoppled till the end.
'What got them so riled?'
