- Episode 1
Overcast.
Snow fell from the sky.
When Estio woke up, white snow covered the world in white.
"It hurts, help. it hurts. it hurts. I don't want to die..."
What woke him up was the sound of writhing in pain.
I was led into the mountain by that desperate and pathetic sound.
Cold snow piled up like a blanket on his head.
As he reached out and received the falling snowflakes, the sparkling ice crystals danced around the palm of his hand. It soon melted away with the body temperature, but the white snow continued to fall.
The dancing of ice crystals sparkling in the air was as pretty as a fairy.
snowy branches,
The white color that covers the dirty world like a gift from the sky.
A young life, whose breath was suffocating, cried out in it.
"...Did you call me?"
The black-haired beast looked up at him with bright yellow eyes.
gurgling.
Breath, which could not be cried, spurted up with red blood. Estio whispered as he kissed the small bridge of his nose that emits white steam.
"It's fine now. It won't hurt anymore. It's fine."
- Don't cry and sleep peacefully. so that you can have good dreams.
Chapter 1 Dreaming
it's a cold morning
Estio slowly opened his eyes.
Estio, who was not awake and had his eyes closed, curled up in a circle.
Even though he was wrapped around an old blanket like a caterpillar, the chill that penetrated through his shirt could not be stopped.
This attic, where the lights didn't come on properly, was his room. Growing up in the countryside with farming parents, older brother, and older sister, it was a great fortune to be given this room, even though it was icicle-free. In fact, this was true for Estio himself, but he was even more fortunate for his family, who did not want to share a room with him.
Regardless of what the family thought, Estio liked to spend time alone without fear of running into anyone in a small attic with a torn roof.
He leaned on the sunlight coming in through the small window to thaw his frozen body. If he had cooled down just a little bit more, he might have frozen.
Estio, who was trying to get a little more sun exposure alone, heard the sound of a rough kick on the door.
Thump, thump!
"Estio! You damn bastard, how long are you going to be in love with your wife!"
The eldest was Terriot. Sister Rosette's nervous voice could be heard from below. It didn't sound right to her Estio in her attic, but Terry Ott responded to her with her annoyance. Oh, say it! Although not specifically named, Estio realized that the words were abusive language aimed at him and got up from the floor.
Although the strength in his stiff legs was loose from the cold, he stumbled, but soon he was able to walk with his back bent so that his head did not touch the ceiling.
There was no proper bedding in the attic where there was no light. I had to lay down clothes that could be used as a mop on an old wooden plank and curl up like a shrimp to sleep on it. Fortunately, I was able to sleep under a dirty blanket, so I kept my body temperature during the winter.
He opened the attic door with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a piece of armor.
"Aren't you going to crawl out quickly? Have you forgotten what day it is today?"
As soon as I opened the door, a scream erupted. Terry Ott wore a rabbit fur coat that his parents had barely provided for him as the eldest son, despite being a farmer. To the wealthy merchants and nobles, it looked like a broom with a lot of dog hair on it, but in this poor rural village, it was a 'fur coat' that could be worn on the shoulder with some strength.
"...I'm leaving now."
A dry answer flowed out from between the empty lips, which had burst several times and had blood and firewood clumped together. Terry Ott, who glanced at his younger brother's wretched eyes with disapproval, pulled his blanket away with a rough hand.
At the musty smell that pricked his nose, Terriot turned around, throwing a blanket at Doro Estio's chest.
"Wash some clothes, you bastard."
Then he stomped down the stairs.
A musty smell stung his nostrils. I can't even remember the last time I washed her clothes. Estio pulled the shirt she was wearing with the tips of her fingers, which were dry and ragged, and pressed it to the tip of her nose. Her baggy, rag-like shirt loomed with the familiar stench smell.
He took his nose off his clothes and looked at his reflection in the cracked window.
Black hair, which had not been washed for a long time, had grown randomly and formed a pile like a bush. When I swept the bangs that covered the eyes, it naturally came together and became fixed as if oil had been applied. The eyes that were finally revealed were the color of deep sea water. Unlike her short, unsightly black hair that was frizzy, it was the dark blue color she had properly inherited from her mother.
Unlike other family members with light brown hair, Estio, who was born with dark hair alone, was comforted by the fact that even his eyes were the same color as his mother. If he had been different even by himself, he thought, he might have been kicked out because he was a changed child or a child who was born in a different boat.
Only his blue eyes, like deep sea water resembling his mother, proved that he could breathe and live as the youngest son of this family.
His parents were farmers in this country village, owning plausible houses and large plots of land.
The fact that a family of five, even if not rich, could even lick their mouths without starving was a blessing compared to other poor families in the village.
His shabby skin and skinny body from not getting enough sunlight made him still look like a boy. But he was no longer a boy.
'Oh, was today the coming-of-age ceremony?'
In his hometown of Selvia, where he was born and raised, on the first Sunday of every year, 19-year-old boys and girls born in the same year held a joint coming-of-age ceremony.
Now that he has reached the age of 19, the age of majority designated by the Imperial Law, it was an event containing a wish to become a full-fledged adult and live a good life.
On this day, the boys and girls, who had been acting like sinners, wiped away the fire water from their faces and appeared as modest ladies and gentlemen, wearing the best clothes.
It was the coming-of-age ceremony that was most grandly held for the New Year in a rural village where there is nothing to enjoy like parties or festivals.
Estio, who was stuck in the corner of the room, unaware of the passing of time, looked at the window with his dark blue eyes full of rejection, then lowered his head with a sigh.
The main character of the coming-of-age ceremony at that house was none other than the youngest, Estio, but neither of his parents brought him new clothes or at least gave him a pair of washed socks.
Estio, accustomed to the family's coldness, went down to the first floor without even dreaming of combing his hair or changing clothes.
"Mom! I thought you were a ghost."
The first to find him was his older sister, Rosette, who wore a white dress and showed off her skinny body. Estiowa is her youngest child, and she had already celebrated her coming of age last year, and she covered her mouth and screamed like a lady.
"Wait, why are you smelling like this? Look at your bald head. Anyone who sees it will think you're a bitch, kid!"
"...Yeah, it's a once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony, and that must be too messy."
The father in his old suit sympathized with Rosette's complaint.
"Oh, I'm just doing it. It's not like that kid didn't know about that..."
"It's embarrassing to go with you! Louise must be here today too."
Teriot grunted, but Rosette, who was impatient at the thought of seeing the neighbor's bachelor she loved, quickly pushed Estio's back with her fingertips.
"No way, we'll be there first, so Estio, you come and wash up."
At her insistence, she turned her head as if her parents had to take care of it. Her family left him, the main character of the coming-of-age ceremony, by the well in front of the house, leaving him alone.
Estio stood blankly in front of the well and muttered belatedly.
"Come to wash up, where...?"
He didn't even know where the coming-of-age ceremony was held. However, since the village is so small, he looked down at the well water, thinking that he would be able to find the location quickly if he followed the noise. A boy with tangled dark hair reflected in it.
Dirty was really dirty. There was also truth to Rosette's argument that village bachelor Lewis would shiver and not come near him. With that in mind, Estio took off his coat and hung it on a branch. Holding his back, he scooped up the water from the well, which was frozen in thin ice, with a raft.
Whoa!
The more hesitating about this, the colder it gets. As the ice water was poured on his head, his scalp felt hot as if he had been burned. The water drops running down her dry jawline were black as lye.
He poured ice water over his head non-stop. The sound of the water was like a whip. When I poured cold water, my body, which had been still cold, trembled. Still, Estio did not stop and poured a rip-off on his body.
As time passed, it wasn't cold, it was a sting. After rinsing it with clear water instead of roughly black water, I wiped it dry with a piece of damp cloth. When I wiped it, ice cubes were formed. If I did, I would suffocate from the cold and run out of breath.
Meow.
The familiar cry of a cat could be heard in Estio's ears, shaking and shaking his frozen hair. He raised his head with a happy face.
"Tsuki?"
flutter.
Suddenly, a piece of clothing fell from the sky and covered his face. Astonished Estio picked up the rags of clothing clinging to his face, he climbed onto a branch above the well and made eye contact with the black cat who sat down and looked down at him.
"Are you here? But this is..."
"Gift."
Tsuki's thoughts flowed into his mind.
Estio blinked his eyes and looked at the clothes he was holding.
"Where else am I?"
"Gift."
Tsuki emphasized again.
Although he did not communicate freely, Estio's abilities allowed him to have simple conversations with animals in this way.
Originally, it was not a conversation, but a form of one-sidedly spying on the strong thoughts of Estio animals.
However, this black cat, Tsuki, has been cared for by Estio since she was a kitten, and since she was a different spirit from normal animals, two-way communication was possible.
The source of the clothes is unknown, but Estio hurriedly puts on his clothes because he was in danger of freezing to death if he stood still.
The clean, white, solid color was a loose hood that could be worn by both men and women. The long-length hood that covers the ankles in a straight design without dividing the top and bottom was a kind of 'robe' that wizards liked to wear.
From the outside, it looked like a plain cloth, but the soft goose down inside was protecting it from the cold.
Even in a monotonous form, such clean and warm fur clothes were expensive, not readily available in rural villages. Estio, noticing this, looked up at Tsuki, who was licking the soles of his feet on a branch.
"Be honest, Tsuki. Where did you get this?"
「……」
Tsuki didn't answer. He just picked his hair with a casual gesture.
- Episode 1
Overcast.
Snow fell from the sky.
When Estio woke up, white snow covered the world in white.
"It hurts, help. it hurts. it hurts. I don't want to die..."
What woke him up was the sound of writhing in pain.
I was led into the mountain by that desperate and pathetic sound.
Cold snow piled up like a blanket on his head.
As he reached out and received the falling snowflakes, the sparkling ice crystals danced around the palm of his hand. It soon melted away with the body temperature, but the white snow continued to fall.
The dancing of ice crystals sparkling in the air was as pretty as a fairy.
snowy branches,
The white color that covers the dirty world like a gift from the sky.
A young life, whose breath was suffocating, cried out in it.
"...Did you call me?"
The black-haired beast looked up at him with bright yellow eyes.
gurgling.
Breath, which could not be cried, spurted up with red blood. Estio whispered as he kissed the small bridge of his nose that emits white steam.
"It's fine now. It won't hurt anymore. It's fine."
- Don't cry and sleep peacefully. so that you can have good dreams.
Chapter 1 Dreaming
it's a cold morning
Estio slowly opened his eyes.
Estio, who was not awake and had his eyes closed, curled up in a circle.
Even though he was wrapped around an old blanket like a caterpillar, the chill that penetrated through his shirt could not be stopped.
This attic, where the lights didn't come on properly, was his room. Growing up in the countryside with farming parents, older brother, and older sister, it was a great fortune to be given this room, even though it was icicle-free. In fact, this was true for Estio himself, but he was even more fortunate for his family, who did not want to share a room with him.
Regardless of what the family thought, Estio liked to spend time alone without fear of running into anyone in a small attic with a torn roof.
He leaned on the sunlight coming in through the small window to thaw his frozen body. If he had cooled down just a little bit more, he might have frozen.
Estio, who was trying to get a little more sun exposure alone, heard the sound of a rough kick on the door.
Thump, thump!
"Estio! You damn bastard, how long are you going to be in love with your wife!"
The eldest was Terriot. Sister Rosette's nervous voice could be heard from below. It didn't sound right to her Estio in her attic, but Terry Ott responded to her with her annoyance. Oh, say it! Although not specifically named, Estio realized that the words were abusive language aimed at him and got up from the floor.
Although the strength in his stiff legs was loose from the cold, he stumbled, but soon he was able to walk with his back bent so that his head did not touch the ceiling.
There was no proper bedding in the attic where there was no light. I had to lay down clothes that could be used as a mop on an old wooden plank and curl up like a shrimp to sleep on it. Fortunately, I was able to sleep under a dirty blanket, so I kept my body temperature during the winter.
He opened the attic door with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a piece of armor.
"Aren't you going to crawl out quickly? Have you forgotten what day it is today?"
As soon as I opened the door, a scream erupted. Terry Ott wore a rabbit fur coat that his parents had barely provided for him as the eldest son, despite being a farmer. To the wealthy merchants and nobles, it looked like a broom with a lot of dog hair on it, but in this poor rural village, it was a 'fur coat' that could be worn on the shoulder with some strength.
"...I'm leaving now."
A dry answer flowed out from between the empty lips, which had burst several times and had blood and firewood clumped together. Terry Ott, who glanced at his younger brother's wretched eyes with disapproval, pulled his blanket away with a rough hand.
At the musty smell that pricked his nose, Terriot turned around, throwing a blanket at Doro Estio's chest.
"Wash some clothes, you bastard."
Then he stomped down the stairs.
A musty smell stung his nostrils. I can't even remember the last time I washed her clothes. Estio pulled the shirt she was wearing with the tips of her fingers, which were dry and ragged, and pressed it to the tip of her nose. Her baggy, rag-like shirt loomed with the familiar stench smell.
He took his nose off his clothes and looked at his reflection in the cracked window.
Black hair, which had not been washed for a long time, had grown randomly and formed a pile like a bush. When I swept the bangs that covered the eyes, it naturally came together and became fixed as if oil had been applied. The eyes that were finally revealed were the color of deep sea water. Unlike her short, unsightly black hair that was frizzy, it was the dark blue color she had properly inherited from her mother.
Unlike other family members with light brown hair, Estio, who was born with dark hair alone, was comforted by the fact that even his eyes were the same color as his mother. If he had been different even by himself, he thought, he might have been kicked out because he was a changed child or a child who was born in a different boat.
Only his blue eyes, like deep sea water resembling his mother, proved that he could breathe and live as the youngest son of this family.
His parents were farmers in this country village, owning plausible houses and large plots of land.
The fact that a family of five, even if not rich, could even lick their mouths without starving was a blessing compared to other poor families in the village.
His shabby skin and skinny body from not getting enough sunlight made him still look like a boy. But he was no longer a boy.
'Oh, was today the coming-of-age ceremony?'
In his hometown of Selvia, where he was born and raised, on the first Sunday of every year, 19-year-old boys and girls born in the same year held a joint coming-of-age ceremony.
Now that he has reached the age of 19, the age of majority designated by the Imperial Law, it was an event containing a wish to become a full-fledged adult and live a good life.
On this day, the boys and girls, who had been acting like sinners, wiped away the fire water from their faces and appeared as modest ladies and gentlemen, wearing the best clothes.
It was the coming-of-age ceremony that was most grandly held for the New Year in a rural village where there is nothing to enjoy like parties or festivals.
Estio, who was stuck in the corner of the room, unaware of the passing of time, looked at the window with his dark blue eyes full of rejection, then lowered his head with a sigh.
The main character of the coming-of-age ceremony at that house was none other than the youngest, Estio, but neither of his parents brought him new clothes or at least gave him a pair of washed socks.
Estio, accustomed to the family's coldness, went down to the first floor without even dreaming of combing his hair or changing clothes.
"Mom! I thought you were a ghost."
The first to find him was his older sister, Rosette, who wore a white dress and showed off her skinny body. Estiowa is her youngest child, and she had already celebrated her coming of age last year, and she covered her mouth and screamed like a lady.
"Wait, why are you smelling like this? Look at your bald head. Anyone who sees it will think you're a bitch, kid!"
"...Yeah, it's a once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony, and that must be too messy."
The father in his old suit sympathized with Rosette's complaint.
"Oh, I'm just doing it. It's not like that kid didn't know about that..."
"It's embarrassing to go with you! Louise must be here today too."
Teriot grunted, but Rosette, who was impatient at the thought of seeing the neighbor's bachelor she loved, quickly pushed Estio's back with her fingertips.
"No way, we'll be there first, so Estio, you come and wash up."
At her insistence, she turned her head as if her parents had to take care of it. Her family left him, the main character of the coming-of-age ceremony, by the well in front of the house, leaving him alone.
Estio stood blankly in front of the well and muttered belatedly.
"Come to wash up, where...?"
He didn't even know where the coming-of-age ceremony was held. However, since the village is so small, he looked down at the well water, thinking that he would be able to find the location quickly if he followed the noise. A boy with tangled dark hair reflected in it.
Dirty was really dirty. There was also truth to Rosette's argument that village bachelor Lewis would shiver and not come near him. With that in mind, Estio took off his coat and hung it on a branch. Holding his back, he scooped up the water from the well, which was frozen in thin ice, with a raft.
Whoa!
The more hesitating about this, the colder it gets. As the ice water was poured on his head, his scalp felt hot as if he had been burned. The water drops running down her dry jawline were black as lye.
He poured ice water over his head non-stop. The sound of the water was like a whip. When I poured cold water, my body, which had been still cold, trembled. Still, Estio did not stop and poured a rip-off on his body.
As time passed, it wasn't cold, it was a sting. After rinsing it with clear water instead of roughly black water, I wiped it dry with a piece of damp cloth. When I wiped it, ice cubes were formed. If I did, I would suffocate from the cold and run out of breath.
Meow.
The familiar cry of a cat could be heard in Estio's ears, shaking and shaking his frozen hair. He raised his head with a happy face.
"Tsuki?"
flutter.
Suddenly, a piece of clothing fell from the sky and covered his face. Astonished Estio picked up the rags of clothing clinging to his face, he climbed onto a branch above the well and made eye contact with the black cat who sat down and looked down at him.
"Are you here? But this is..."
"Gift."
Tsuki's thoughts flowed into his mind.
Estio blinked his eyes and looked at the clothes he was holding.
"Where else am I?"
"Gift."
Tsuki emphasized again.
Although he did not communicate freely, Estio's abilities allowed him to have simple conversations with animals in this way.
Originally, it was not a conversation, but a form of one-sidedly spying on the strong thoughts of Estio animals.
However, this black cat, Tsuki, has been cared for by Estio since she was a kitten, and since she was a different spirit from normal animals, two-way communication was possible.
The source of the clothes is unknown, but Estio hurriedly puts on his clothes because he was in danger of freezing to death if he stood still.
The clean, white, solid color was a loose hood that could be worn by both men and women. The long-length hood that covers the ankles in a straight design without dividing the top and bottom was a kind of 'robe' that wizards liked to wear.
From the outside, it looked like a plain cloth, but the soft goose down inside was protecting it from the cold.
Even in a monotonous form, such clean and warm fur clothes were expensive, not readily available in rural villages. Estio, noticing this, looked up at Tsuki, who was licking the soles of his feet on a branch.
"Be honest, Tsuki. Where did you get this?"
「……」
Tsuki didn't answer. He just picked his hair with a casual gesture.
