***
My stay at the Phyler estate stretched over several days.
Given the distance from the Lishite dukedom, we needed at least a week to prepare for the journey back.
Fortunately, Raymond was kind enough to extend his hospitality, allowing to rest and recover without any inconvenience.
Naturally, this ant spending a significant amount of ti with Margaret.
Not that I minded, of course.
I cherished every mont by her side.
"It's been a while since I last stepped foot in this study."
"Indeed..."
"Do you rember? We used to have history lessons together here when we were children."
"Of course... I rember."
"I could never quite match your brilliance in academics, Lady Margaret. You always excelled."
"...Please, let's not dwell on childhood mories. It's embarrassing."
We spent our days exploring the familiar halls of the Phyler estate, revisiting places that held remnants of our shared past.
It was a welco distraction, a way to fill the silence that threatened to engulf us.
Far better than awkward tea parties, where our hands would hover over our cups, unsure of what to say.
We moved from room to room, each step a journey down mory lane.
The study, the dining room, the gardens, the bedrooms…
Finally, we found ourselves on the second-floor terrace.
"This terrace hasn't changed a bit. It's exactly as I rember it."
"Yes... It's remained the sa..."
I leaned against the railing, feeling the gentle caress of the wind on my face.
Margaret stood beside , her expression a mixture of lancholy and longing.
It was here, on this very terrace, that we had spent countless hours together, creating mories that shone brightly in the recesses of our minds.
'…This place must hold a special significance for you as well.'
When the manor underwent renovations a year ago, the terrace had been slated for a complete overhaul. However, at Margaret's request, it had been left untouched.
Raymond had ntioned in passing that Margaret would often seek solace on this terrace, spending hours alone under the starlit sky.
'You, too...'
Had she, like , clung to the remnants of our past, seeking solace in the echoes of what once was?
Had we both, in our own ways, desperately tried to erase each other from our lives while simultaneously clinging to the hope that we wouldn't be forgotten?
The thought brought a bittersweet smile to my lips.
To dispel the heavy atmosphere, I forced a lighthearted remark.
"You always ca here when things were tough, didn't you, Lady Margaret? You were quite the crier back then."
"...?"
"Those were the days. Just a few years ago, you would cling to , sobbing about being scolded by the Duke..."
"W-Wait, what are you saying...? Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden...!"
As expected, Margaret's cheeks flushed crimson as she stamred out a protest.
I chuckled softly, ignoring her embarrassnt.
The wind whistled gently around us, carrying a hint of warmth that belied the season.
It was no longer the biting cold of deep winter.
I realized then that winter's reign was coming to an end.
The calendar read late February.
Ti had a way of slipping by unnoticed.
The season I had believed would last forever was slowly but surely giving way to spring.
Though the chill of winter lingered, hints of life were beginning to erge.
I took a deep breath, savoring the fresh, invigorating scent that filled the air.
"The academy will be starting again soon."
"Already...?"
"So much has happened in just three short months."
Yes, so much had happened.
Despair had threatened to consu .
Hatred had taken root in my heart.
Fear had paralyzed .
I had been ready to give up.
But sohow, I had found the strength to persevere.
- I promise.
I had made a vow.
A vow to never run away again, to face my demons head-on.
And so, I had found hope.
I had found love.
I had found strength.
And finally, I had found forgiveness.
All of this, in the span of just three months.
"There was a ti when I cursed everything... But looking back, I realize it was a necessary period of growth, a chance to reclaim what I had lost."
Those three months had not been a curse.
I considered them a blessing in disguise.
Despair and hope were but two sides of the sa coin.
The future we create is ultimately our own.
It was a truth I had learned the hard way, but I was grateful to have learned it nonetheless.
"I have no regrets."
The pain of the past had subsided.
"I choose to see it as a passage of ti."
Those three months were simply a chapter in my life, a chapter that had co to a close.
Whether it had been a curse or a blessing was irrelevant.
Ti, after all, marched on.
The present would soon beco the past, just as yesterday had faded into mory.
"Though I suppose the state of the academy is a concern..."
I pushed aside the weight of the past, forcing a neutral tone.
"I heard it was in quite a state after the incident. I wonder if they managed to repair everything during the break."
"You're..."
"Yes?"
"It's nothing... Never mind."
Margaret seed about to say sothing but stopped herself.
"Lady Margaret?"
"It's nothing, really... And I received word last week about the academy. The repairs are complete. Everything is back to normal."
"That's good to hear."
Winter was ending, and spring was upon us.
It was ti to return to the academy.
I closed my eyes, feeling the gentle breeze on my face, and smiled softly.
-Ding!
At that mont, a familiar, chanical sound pierced the air.
Before I could react, a bright blue screen materialized before my eyes.
-Ding!
[System has been restored.]
This was only the beginning.
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