Memories of Summer, with You 3

The carriage from the Frontier County to the Duke's Domain was the same as the one we had taken on our journey there, but our seating had changed.

It is pleasant to have Lord Arthur seated beside me, yet I cannot help but feel tense.

Lord Arthur seems pleased to have me beside him; he leans forward and peers at my face from the partition.

Though we are engaged, it is still only a verbal promise between us—our distance must be maintained with care. Especially so with a royal engagement, which only gains validity upon the Emperor’s approval. I must remember this...

Yet I cannot stop my expression from softening.

It seems Lord Arthur feels the same; every time our eyes meet, we smile in return, and the exchange continues.

On the second day of travel, a single line began to appear in the middle of an endless plain.

As one draws nearer, it becomes clear that this is the remnant of a barrier once laid along the old border line. Even after the ancient great war, to see such a sight remains profoundly moving, awe-inspiring.

And within this expanse, only I perceive the vast barrier that divides the horizon. Seven-colored light, faint as a rainbow, spreads across the sky like a membrane, descending from above like a celestial canopy.

Beyond this point lies the Frontier County, incorporated into the Empire's records in its mid-period. This is land no longer protected by the Maiden’s Barrier. Once scorned as a wild, uncivilized realm inhabited by barbarians, it has in recent years become renowned as a vital military stronghold—valued for its abundant natural resources, its formidable warriors, and its mastery in taming magical beasts.

The Frontier County of Mael, toward which we now journey, stands among the northernmost bastions, home to a lineage of renowned heroes. It is famed for its elite warriors, for its breeding of magical warhorses, and for being the birthplace of the famed horseman Saya.

Both Temis, my beloved steed, and Hóvarpnyr, the horse beloved by Fret Elder, were once raised for fattening in the Málr domain, it is said.

My beloved steed, Temis, has now retired. In her place, Luna, a white unicorn born of Temis and a unicorn, now serves.

Recently, I have not had the chance to ride her often. I had been thinking that, upon my return home, I would take her out for a long gallop—when the barrier wall suddenly looms near.

Passing through the barrier, I feel a momentary sensation, as though I had passed through a membrane of water, and a warmth that had always enveloped me seems to sever from my body.

This is the sign that I have stepped beyond the protection of the current generation’s blessing.

For the first time, I stand outside the barrier, and the absence of that protection unsettles me. The loss of the comfort I have long known, the sense of being guarded, stirs my mind to tremble.

My inner turmoil remained unspoken, yet Arthur-sama seemed to sense my subtle unease, gently clasping my hand with deliberate care.

It was a slow, steady pressure—like the quiet reassurance a parent offers a child, a rhythm of comfort through touch.

I turned my palm in response, returning his grasp with equal gentleness.

He felt the slight surprise in my motion, yet soon we swayed together in the enchanted carriage, neither of us speaking, yet each feeling the other’s quiet solace in the warmth of our clasped hands.

From afar, the sound of horse whinnies drifted through the air—not one or two, but a growing number, accompanied by a deep tremor in the earth. Even within the stable magic-carriage, the sensation was unmistakable. There must be many more than we had thought.

The carriage came to a slow halt, and for a fleeting moment my mind registered the word *brigand*. But then I was told at once that the envoy and guard was from Lord Marle.

And to learn that Shasha herself was leading the vanguard—this took me by surprise. I stepped out of the carriage immediately upon hearing. There, atop a horse some two and a half lengths away, was Shasha: her familiar ash-blond hair tied back in a simple knot, her usual dress discarded in favor of a military-style tunic.

I could not help but call out.

“Shasha! You’ve come to meet us! Yet your bearing—so stern, so sharp—I nearly did not recognize you.”

“In the household, this manner of dress suits me better… Though I am ashamed, I lack the grace of a lady.”

Shalisha blushes slightly, yet the masculine attire becomes her with striking dignity, a welcome contrast to her usual grace that stirs admiration in me.

She clears her throat once, then speaks.

“Welcome to the Frontier County of Marle. Your Highness Arthur, and Lady Spica, we thank you for the journey from afar. From this moment onward, I, Shalisha Falto Marle, and the elite of my household shall escort you to the Marle Frontier County residence. Please enjoy the countryside at your leisure for a while.”

Thus, our party advances toward the Marle Frontier County residence.

We soon pass through scattered villages and homesteads, arriving at a town surrounded by a large fortress. The walled city of Marle—center of the Marle Frontier County and the residence of the Marle Count. To the north, the vast Northern Mountains rise in imposing grandeur, their stern presence evoked by every tenth traveler who speaks of the frontier's stronghold.

Upon reaching the manor, we descend from the carriage. At the edge of sight, we see Lord Colloid extending a hand to assist Shasha, who has just dismounted her horse. It is pleasant to see her position naturally shift here—from guard to fiancée of Arthur. She does not forget her duty as protector; her posture remains unyielding, vigilant as ever. Yet I sense a softening in her otherwise rigid expression, perhaps because we have journeyed together these past few days.

That evening, I was invited to a welcoming banquet, where I exchanged greetings with Lord Shasha’s family and enjoyed a lively meal. Centered around northern regional cuisine, the dishes were served in large platters, and each of us served ourselves—a novelty at first, which I found disconcerting. Yet sharing the same food together felt like a gesture of unity, a silent testament to our shared purpose. No doubt this practice strengthens their cohesion and fuels their dedication to national defense.

Shasha’s family resembles my own: her parents, three elder brothers, and one younger brother. It was through such discussions about family that we came to know each other better.

As guardians of the frontier, the Marle Border House, true to their values of simplicity and strength, carries an air of quiet severity. All the adult men are bearded, their bodies hardened by discipline, lending them a distant, almost forbidding presence. Yet once spoken to, they are open and hearty in their laughter—genuine, warm-hearted men.

Spica had invited a friend to her home, and though the location of the estate may have played a part, her naturally cautious nature—more inclined to take time before forming close bonds—meant that this was her first such occasion. She had told them with quiet surprise that the entire family had been taken aback. Watching Spica, flushed and indignant as she protested to her kin over the teasing, I could not help but think of my own family.

Would I ever return to that house and share such laughter again... I longed to.

That loneliness was my own secret.

On the second day of our stay, Lord Arthur departed on official business, traveling through the borderlands before beginning his return journey. Though expected, the fact that he had accompanied us thus far made the parting all the more poignant.

"I will wait for you in the capital, ahead of you."

With that, Arthur pressed his lips gently to the back of my hand, then stepped into the carriage.

May Your Highness return safely. We shall celebrate your advancing years when we meet again.

Arthur replied with a brief, "I will," and the carriage departed.

The brief parting tightens in my chest as though it were our final farewell.

To be without one I love so near—this is how deeply it unsettles me…

Lost in melancholy, I sense a presence behind me.

"Then, Miss Pearl? It is time you shared with me what passed between you and Your Highness?"

Turning, I find my close friend smiling as a hunter who has found its prey.

I follow her back as if I were a frog stared down by a snake—small, trembling, unable to look away. I brace myself for what is to come, yet even as I walk, my thoughts whirl: how shall I speak? What may I say? How far may I go? But my mind refuses to settle. Shasha leads me into the sunroom.

The room is already set with tea service—clear signs that the audience (the hanging) has been prepared.

Sitting hesitantly across from her, she begins without delay.

“Your Highness… I sense your distance from me has grown closer than before. What happened?”

I strain my mind, searching for words, circling again and again—

“I… received Your Highness’s heart.”

My face burns. Ashamed, I cover it with my palm and collapse forward, unable to hold myself upright.

“Finally… it was a long time, wasn’t it?”

Shasha says, offering me tea. My mind is filled with question marks. What on earth could she mean by “long”…

My confusion must have shown on my face, for Shasha continues.

“Your Highness had been fond of Pearl for quite some time now, hadn’t you?”

I freeze, stunned. Indeed, Your Highness had treated me gently, as one might treat a betrothed candidate—but had I truly not noticed the depth of affection that was obvious to others?

“Arthur-sama had shown greater care for Pearl than for any other candidate—everyone knew it. Pearl, it seems, never realized.”

As she speaks, Shasha recounts details I now recall, and truths I had not known.

She spoke of how I had ceased pursuing women after replying that I disliked frivolous men, how she had called a student who danced with me at the school party to speak with him…

Of how I had followed Arthur’s movements with my eyes, how I had smiled upon seeing his handwriting in documents…

I was overcome with shame, startled by truths I had not even recognized in myself.

I could barely hold back tears from the sheer embarrassment, yet Shasha seemed thoroughly amused.

“Lately I’ve only seen Pearl’s sorrows—so it was truly delightful to see you so happy. I do wish my friends to smile. Congratulations, Pearl. That was all I wished to say.” I felt no ill will toward her.

“Thank you, Shasha. I am glad to see you and Lord Colloid getting along so well.”

A little teasing from me would have her blushing in turn. Lord Colloid has been staying at the Marle domain on leave since yesterday, and he is scheduled to return to the capital with us. His meticulous care in sending back only those subordinates with ties to the Marle earldom to their homes on leave, so that they may return to serve as Your Highness’s guard, has earned him no small amount of affection from Shasha. And during his stay, his efforts to remain as close as possible to his fiancée, Shasha, are truly endearing.

On this day, we spent the afternoon in conversation.

The frontier domain offered nothing we could not see in the capital—yet it was all new to us.

We visited the horse-training grounds, toured the fields of the staple crop, kartoffe, and paid a visit to an orphanage.

The moment that moved me most was when he took me by transfer magic to the northern mountain border fortress.

The peak of this northern mountain range marks the national border. Beyond it lies the territory of a neighboring kingdom—our hypothetical enemy.

The fortress perched atop the eternally snow-covered mountains, where even in summer the cold bites through, serves as the frontline of national defense. Standing here, I felt the truth of what I had studied in books more deeply than ever before.

When I tried to express my gratitude to those who serve here, they laughed, a little embarrassed.

In their eyes, I glimpsed pride and resolve in guarding the nation.

And yet, strangely, after inspecting the border fortress, Lord Colloid offered me an apology.

“I am ashamed of having judged you based only on hearsay. I offer my deepest apology. After observing your character these past month, I have come to realize I was mistaken. Moving forward, I wish to serve you not merely as a betrothed’s companion, but as a cherished confidant to my lord.”

Even as I conveyed that I did not mind, the large dog slumped down as though scolded, its posture softening. And just as the apology had stated, from this day forward—indeed, something I had felt even before, but now with greater clarity—I was met with a gentler regard.

Shasha seemed especially pleased by this, humming to herself as she said, “I’m so glad his misunderstanding has been cleared up!”

Thus passed the days, busy yet joyful, and before one could blink, two weeks had slipped by.

At parting, Mother embraced me warmly, saying, “Consider this your second home—return whenever you wish,” and I found myself suddenly overcome by the warmth of family, my nose stinging with unshed tears.

Shasha’s father, the Border Lord, with his stern face and proud beard, wiped his nose and murmured, “It feels as though I’ve gained another daughter—this farewell is hard indeed.”

Lord, with his stern face and proud beard, wiped his nose and murmured, “It feels as though I’ve gained another daughter—this farewell is hard indeed.”

Rian, the younger brother of Shasha, will join us in the carriage this year, alongside the new academic term.

I sit beside Shasha within the carriage, across from Rian, with five mounted guards encircling us, and Colonel Coroid himself takes command.

As the frontier capital grows smaller through the window, I reflect upon this holiday with quiet reverence.

The lightness of body and spirit—so unlike what I knew before—and the deepening sense of what truly matters have become memories no treasure could replace.

I am grateful, from the very core of my heart, to everyone I met during this holiday, to those I shared it with, to all who offered their aid.