Chapter 58
58
She tried to fall back asleep, and Viktor went out to the living room. He was making himself a martini at the liquor cabinet when Scarlett frantically ran out of the bedroom.
She spotted Viktor and, relieved, said,
"V, Viktor. Here..."
Viktor, seeing her confused expression, asked,
"Do you love me?"
"Huh? Of course. Why the sudden..."
This was the easiest question to gauge his wife's condition. Viktor set down his glass, walked over to her, picked her up in his arms, and said,
"Go back to sleep."
Viktor vaguely knew that she lost her memory when she was very tired or nervous. And the memories would return when she relaxed.
Right now, she was probably stressed just by taking the train here with him. He chuckled, thinking he was the cause.
He went to the sofa with her in his arms and sat down. He put an arm around her shoulder, kissed her hair, and said,
"Nothing to be surprised about. We just came on a little trip."
"Trip? When?"
"Yeah."
He didn't know if it would get worse or better, but for now, he was content that she was in his arms. Fortunately, Scarlett calmed down quickly as Viktor soothed her.
She buried her face in Viktor's chest and said,
"I thought you went out to sea again."
"I won't anymore."
"Liar. You say it's the last time every time."
Scarlett mumbled and closed her eyes. Then she opened her mouth.
"Viktor."
"Yeah."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
He said, patting Scarlett.
Scarlett's face flushed at Viktor's unusual tenderness.
She soon got up and said,
"It's cold. Should I get some warm water?"
"That bell isn't there for decoration."
"It's just boiling water."
"Are you a maid? Have them do it."
Scarlett paused at Viktor's words. Then, clutching the kettle she had taken out with both hands, she said,
"I... I want to be alone with you. You always take it for granted that there are people working around you, and you can live as if they aren't there, but I can't. I'm bothered when someone is around. It doesn't feel like it's just you and me."
"......"
"I'll be quick."
Viktor didn't say anything more, and Scarlett started pouring water into the kettle and boiling it. When the firewood seemed to be weakening, Viktor soon walked over, took out some firewood next to him, and put it in the fireplace. He then noticed the maid who had come to check the fireplace and gestured for her to leave.
Scarlett looked at Viktor with a very bewildered expression at his actions. It was the first time during their marriage that she felt like she was communicating with Viktor.
After bringing a cup of warm water to Viktor and one to herself, Scarlett, slightly excited, opened her mouth.
"When it gets cold, I remember ice skating when I was little."
Scarlett, who had said that, quickly said in embarrassment.
"Sorry. I'm talking nonsense again."
"Keep going."
"It's too sentimental a story."
Viktor said calmly at her words.
"Tell it anyway."
"Um, I really liked ice skating when I was little. When I was young, my father would freeze the water in front of the house and make an ice rink."
"With your siblings?"
"Yeah. Isaac too."
Scarlett nodded. Then she said, as if it were strange,
"Why are you listening to my story like this?"
"Sentimental things are good when traveling."
"Is that so?"
Scarlett said with a smile.
"Let's travel often, us."
"Okay."
Viktor replied and said to her.
"Keep talking about skating."
"Ah, right. My skates were always white. With silver blades. And it said 'Enderi' on them."
"Enderi?"
"Don't you know? The snow fairy?"
Scarlett's eyes widened. And she asked, as if she couldn't believe it.
"How could you not know? Parents or nannies read fairy tales to all the Salantie children when they are young."
"I see."
Viktor had no idea, and Scarlett looked at him in disbelief before getting up. Then she sat on the sofa and patted her lap, saying,
"Lie down here."
"......"
Viktor's expression twisted slightly.
He was thinking that she wasn't in her right mind. But soon, he noticed Scarlett's disappointed expression and had no choice but to lie down with his head on her lap as she wanted.
Scarlett stroked Viktor's hair, who looked very uncomfortable, and said,
"Enderi builds houses in the snow. It's a very small and shy fairy. When it snows, Enderi appears, right? So if you build a house out of snow, it sometimes stays inside. Then the house made of snow doesn't melt for a while. So a kind child made a house out of snow, and the house didn't melt for a week even though the sun was shining. And when the house melted a week later, it left candy, saying it had a good time... But you really don't know this story?"
"I've never heard of it."
"You've never built a house out of snow? Or had your parents leave candy there? There was even a time when my parents were putting candy in and Isaac and I caught them... You really don't know."
Scarlett looked surprised.
Viktor, unable to bear the discomfort, raised his upper body and looked at her, asking,
"So what's the moral of that fairy tale?"
"Moral? Um. Good children get candy?"
"That's not a moral."
"Does a fairy tale have to have a moral?"
"My tutor always asked about the moral of every story."
Scarlett paused at his words.
Viktor continued.
"The reason you didn't tell me that story was probably because it had no moral."
Scarlett blinked at his words and looked at Viktor before saying,
"Shall we build a house out of snow when we go back to the capital?"
"......"
"Huh?"
"Let's."
Viktor replied. Then Scarlett looked happy. Then she yawned and said,
"I should go to sleep now."
She pulled Viktor's hand. And, as if it were natural, she entered the bedroom with him. She felt the inside of the blanket with her hand and, feeling cold, lay down on the side she had been lying on earlier. And she gestured for Viktor to come quickly.
When he lay down next to Scarlett, there was still warmth left on the side where Scarlett had been lying. Viktor was about to say something about it, but Scarlett had already fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
When she opened her eyes in the morning, Scarlett found Viktor next to her and shook him in horror.
"Viktor. Wake up."
Then Viktor slowly opened his eyes, looked at her for a moment, and opened his mouth.
"Do you love me?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Just kidding."
Viktor replied and got up.
Scarlett asked him as he got up.
"Why did you sleep here?"
She didn't seem to remember what had happened during the night. From Viktor's point of view, who had been dragged here and fell asleep, it was an unfair situation, but he lied nonchalantly.
"I like this bedroom."
"......"
"Oh dear, I'm not going to apologize even if you glare at me like that."
Scarlett frowned at Viktor's teasing words, then gave up and got up.
As soon as Viktor got up, he looked for his slippers, and when he couldn't find them, he reached for the bell. In the meantime, Scarlett walked briskly, took out slippers from a small wooden chest, put them on, and said to Viktor, holding one,
"Here."
"......Here?"
Viktor was wondering what she meant when the slipper was already flying towards him.
While Viktor was dumbfounded as he caught the slipper Scarlett threw, Scarlett headed for the window. And she pulled the curtains to both sides, tied them securely with a string, and pulled the ends to shape them.
"......"
Viktor was now wearing his slippers and watching the scene.
Scarlett tied her long hair into a braid and then opened the window with both hands. She was worried about waking up in the same bed with Viktor again, and her beautiful brow was furrowed, but when she faced the scenery outside the window, she had a blank expression.
"Oh my god..."
She saw a vast vineyard bathed in sunlight. The bare grape branches looked white with the snow that had fallen at dawn clinging to them. Viktor had said it casually, so she didn't know it was such a huge vineyard.
