* * *
“…”
I froze at those words.
Someone with the same hair color as me?
In the entire Hadelber Kingdom, I had never seen anyone like that.
Not even close to ash-colored, let alone a white shade.
To think that she knew someone with the same hair color as me…
It was truly baffling.
“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
“No!”
“Where did you see them?”
“In a portrait.”
“A portrait?”
I tilted my head, confused.
Could she have seen my portrait?
But that didn’t make sense.
There was no way she could have had my portrait—this girl didn’t have one of me.
“Whose portrait?”
“My mother’s ex-lover.”
“…What?”
“When I secretly looked at my mother’s pendant, there was a portrait of a man who looked like you. He had beautiful silver hair too.”
“…”
As she continued to explain, the girl hugged her basket tightly and frowned as she compared the man in the pendant to me.
“I really do think you look a bit alike!”
She finished with a proud smile, as if she had made a monumental discovery.
…Her mother’s ex-lover?
I blinked, processing what she had said.
To think someone who looked like me—someone with the same hair color—was her mother’s ex.
It made me uneasy.
Especially since the color of my hair was so rare, it seemed more than just a coincidence.
It was like a pesky hangnail that refused to leave.
“…Could that pendant…”
“Yes, why the pendant?”
“Could I take a look at it?”
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
The uneasy feeling that had been nagging at me kept growing.
It seemed like I wouldn’t be able to feel at ease unless I resolved it.
“Of course, if that’s alright.”
I added with a late smile, and the girl immediately brightened up, her lips curving into a wide smile.
A delicate, lovely smile bloomed on her face.
“Of course!”
“Thank you.”
Her quick positive response made me smile in return.
Although things were unfolding differently than when I first approached her, I didn’t mind.
Besides, this was a good opportunity to clear my mind and get away from the thoughts of Kaindel that filled my head.
＊ ＊＊＊＊
The girl’s house was a green-roofed one located a couple of alleyways away.
Several flower pots gathered near the window, and the curtains with floral patterns fluttered gently through the half-open window.
It was a house that seemed to create a peaceful atmosphere.
I paused as we walked and took a moment to examine the house, committing its image to memory.
Though not perfectly maintained, the doors and window frames, not old but worn with time, seemed to have absorbed the passage of years.
“This is it!”
“Ah.”
While I was looking around, the girl, walking briskly, approached the door and took out a small golden key from her pocket.
It was small enough to fit neatly into her palm.
Attached to the key was a white handkerchief, which looked like it had been tied by her mother, likely to ensure the key didn’t get lost.
The girl fiddled with the key, unlocked the door with a soft click, and pushed it open, entering the house while gesturing for me to follow.
“Come in, please. Hurry.”
“Then I’ll just take a moment.”
I peered inside, where a sweet scent filled the air.
The signs of a home were everywhere, and I could even smell a faint hint of flour and sugar, suggesting that someone had recently baked biscuits.
As I passed through the living room, I heard a strange sound coming from the inner part of the house—clinking dishes, as if someone was cooking.
Was there someone else in the house? I hadn’t noticed when we entered.
Realizing there was another person made me tense up.
I had thought the house was empty when the girl opened the door with the key.
Could it be her mother?
Suddenly, the thought of meeting her mother popped into my mind.
Just then,
“Lily, are you already back? Did you sell all the flowers?”
“Mom!”
A gentle-looking woman came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron.
Her face resembled Lily’s in some ways but with a more delicate, refined beauty.
While Lily had a cute, rounded face, her mother’s was more elegantly defined.
The woman, who had been smiling faintly at Lily, froze when she saw me, her expression shifting to one of mild surprise.
“This is…”
“This is the person I mentioned before!”
“…Hello.”
From their conversation, it seemed like this woman was Lily’s mother.
They appeared to be very close, judging by the way Lily spoke so comfortably to her.
Feeling like I was interrupting a cozy family moment, I hesitated before speaking.
For some reason, I couldn’t find the right words in front of her.
I even struggled to choose what to say.
I didn’t know why.
“It’s nice to meet you. I wasn’t expecting a guest, so I was a bit surprised. What’s your name?”
The woman, finally loosening up after a brief pause, smiled and approached, guiding me to a seat.
Following her lead, I sat down and answered.
“It’s Isaac Vinter. You can call me Esy.”
“Esy… What a nice name.”
“Really?”
Although the village elder had given me that name, it wasn’t particularly meaningful.
I hadn’t expected a compliment about it, nor did I anticipate it.
Yet, hearing it from the woman as she sat across from me made my heart feel unexpectedly warm.
The woman, after instructing Lily to bring some biscuits, gave me a careful once-over before shrugging her shoulders.
Her previously bright smile dimmed slightly.
“Actually, you look a lot like someone I know.”
“Someone you know… yes, I’ve heard. Someone I met before said I resembled them.”
“Ah, did Lily mention that?”
“Yes, I’m sorry if it was a sensitive topic. I should have forgotten about it, but I was just curious and came by.”
Maybe it was because of my experience with Kaindel, but I knew all too well how hard it was to talk about things related to past lovers.
Because of that, part of me hoped the woman wouldn’t be home.
The woman, after considering my apology, suddenly burst into laughter, waving her hands as if to say it wasn’t a big deal.
“If you’re curious, what is it you want to know?”
“Well, actually, I don’t have any blood relatives.”
“You don’t have any blood relatives?”
“No.”
I nodded slowly.
It had been hard to bring up before, but now it didn’t feel as difficult.
I had become comfortable enough with myself to speak about it casually.
My current state felt stable, clear.
“The name you just complimented, it was given to me by the village elder, who found me.”
“Oh… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to touch on something painful.”
“It’s fine. It really doesn’t bother me.”
The woman seemed genuinely sorry, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, her gaze showing her sincerity.
Watching her, I smiled faintly, my eyes narrowing.
“So, I was wondering… just in case.”
“…”
“I was wondering if the person Lily saw in the pendant might be someone related to me, even a little.”
* * *
