Time of the Blind Beast - Side Story 10

Then, surely, it must have been that Dad was scolded one-sidedly and kicked out of the bedroom. They say my father is a truly great soldier, but to be honest, it feels like a lie. In front of Mom and me, he only laughs like a fool. He has never once been scary. Dad exists to make sure that Mom and I can do everything we want and not do the things we don’t want to.

Actually, sometimes it is Mom who is scary at home. The other day, I picked out the pieces of eggplant I didn’t like and got scolded. Dad secretly ate them for me, but he got caught and ended up being scolded together with me.

While Mom was scolding both Dad and me side by side, Aunt Anna winked and promised that next time she would always take the eggplant out first. Grandmother and Grandfather, saying that we had bravely eaten the hated eggplant, suggested we make sweet candy together as an afternoon treat.

When I am here, I don’t have to study by force, I can run around and play freely with the children who live nearby, Anna makes lots of delicious snacks, and no one follows us around everywhere we go. How happy it would be if half the year… no, the whole year could be winter.

Ah, that doesn’t mean I dislike Grandfather in Claris.

Grandmother and Grandfather in Claris don’t come here… Grandfather says that since he represents our family, he must never leave his post carelessly.

People in Claris treat Grandfather with great fear. They call him “Your Excellency” and can’t even raise their heads.

But, you know, I think Grandfather isn’t as fearsome as everyone believes. Because… because… this is something I once secretly saw. Whenever Dad leaves for work, it always takes him at least an hour just to get out of the house.

If Mom runs out to see him off, Dad says he simply cannot take a step. He once said he wished Mom would just stay asleep whenever he leaves for work. Because he always insists on escorting her back inside, hugging her tightly, and then circling the garden three times.

Grandfather used to sigh heavily, saying Dad didn’t know how to show dignity in front of his subordinates. But I know. Grandfather watches every day from his office window, looking out at Mom and Dad seeing each other off.

Once, I even overheard him muttering to himself. Grandfather was imitating the words Mom and Dad always say to each other when parting. Words like, “I’ll miss you, I’ll be back soon, I love you.” Dad always says those things to Mom, and to me too. Every single day.

And then, when Grandmother returned from a long trip, saying she thought she should at least see her granddaughter’s face again, the four of us ate lunch together. We were eating quietly, but just as the last dish was being cleared away, Grandfather suddenly, so suddenly, spoke:

“Ameline. Stay a little longer this time. Don’t disappear so quickly.”

His face turned red like a boiled carrot.

Grandmother looked completely dumbfounded. She asked what on earth he was saying so suddenly in the middle of a meal.

Later, when I told Mom, she said, “He’s just a man who struggles to express himself.”

People who always suppress what they want to say need more courage than others to get their true feelings across. And if they get too nervous, sometimes the words they practiced slip out without them realizing.

Mom also told me that she knew Grandfather had been watching her and Dad from his office. She said it would have been impossible not to notice.

“Dad tells us he loves us at all times, doesn’t he? To him, that sight must have been strange and uncomfortable.”

But since he always watched Mom and Dad seeing each other off every morning and night, Mom came to think that maybe Grandfather, too, was always waiting for Grandmother.

“But if you don’t express it, the other person will never know what’s in your heart. Maybe he regrets all the past days when he couldn’t muster the courage.”

Of course, Grandmother still often goes on trips. But not as much as before. Dad says it’s strange for him to see Grandmother staying at the mansion, and it surprises him sometimes. Though since the house is so big, we don’t run into her very often.

Oh right. I should show Dad the Winter Rose too!

I want to show it to Mom as well, but in the meantime, a guest has come to see her. Something about consulting her on school matters. Because Mom is the principal. Sometimes Mom is busier than Dad. There are always piles of letters stacked up in her office.

Especially when new students enroll, she goes to the school in person, and Dad always goes with her. Along with the soldiers under him. The men under Dad make gloomy faces as they get dragged along. While Mom is at the school, Dad and the men do cold… cold-weather training? Something like that.

I haven’t been there yet. They said it’s always cold and far away, so I have to grow up a little more before they’ll take me.

I showed Dad the Winter Rose. He really likes roses. He says roses are the most beautiful of all flowers. I think tulips are prettier, though.

“A rose that blooms in winter must be cherished.”

Dad was delighted when he saw the flower. Why was that? Honestly, the Winter Rose isn’t as showy as the summer roses.

Dad put the Winter Rose in a vase and brought it into the bedroom. He said he would give it to Mom.

“Since Mom is busy with guests, shall we take a walk together?”

And so we decided to go for a walk until Mom finished her work. Dad carried me and walked all the way to the lake.

“Dad! The sun is falling into the lake.”

The moment we arrived, I was startled. The water of the lake was burning red.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? The sunsets here are truly gorgeous.”

“Where does the sun go now?”

“It goes to sleep under the lake.”

A lie. I couldn’t believe it. Adults always say we mustn’t lie to children, but sometimes they fool us so easily. Like how Santa Claus, who brings gifts every Christmas, turned out to be Mom. Last Christmas, Mom tried to put presents into the stocking by my pillow and dropped them on my face. When I realized Santa was Mom, I cried so hard. Dad fumbled, saying, “See, that’s why I told you I should do it.”

“It’s true. If you look closely under the lake, you’ll see red, sparkling treasure.”

But Dad didn’t laugh. He was serious.

“The secret the lake is hiding.”

“If there’s treasure under the lake, why doesn’t anyone go get it?”

“Because no one knows it’s hidden there.”

“Really?”

Dad even hooked his finger with mine and promised. He said that when I grow older, he’ll tell me the story of the treasure hidden beneath the lake.

When we got home, Mom had finished with her guest and was waiting for us. She said that if we had been any later, she was going to come get us herself. I asked Mom if she knew about the treasure under the lake, and she said she did.

“Of course. It’s a very, very precious treasure.”

Mom looked at Dad as she smiled.

Mom’s expression looked so happy that I felt happy too.

Oh, I wonder if Mom knows about the Winter Rose as well?

When I asked her, she said of course she did. She said when she was young, she used to make flower crowns and pick fruit with it. She said Winter Roses bloom near the school she attended.

“That flower has another name, Helleborus. Helen.”

Wow, that’s really close to my name! My name is Helen. I was born in winter.

No way… Is my name from the Winter Rose? Am I a rose?

My eyes grew wide as I looked at Dad, and he nodded.

“All the women I love hold a rose within them.”

So that’s why Dad liked roses. I think I’ll start liking roses more than tulips now. The rose that blooms in winter, Winter Rose, Helleborus, is my flower.

But if I am a rose, why is Mom called a rose too? Mom’s name is Lisanne. It’s strange.

I’m curious, but Mom just smiles. Maybe it’s a secret between her and Dad. There are a lot of things Mom and Dad don’t tell me because I’m still little. It’s not fair.

Do you know what secret they’re hiding from me? Could you tell me just a little?

-Time of the Blind Beast Side Story Complete-

Once again, thank you sincerely to everyone who has accompanied Time of the Blind Beast until the end.