Indeed, it had been a particularly special winter, full of many events, which flowed seamlessly.
"Shall we take a family photo?"
With the new year, Lark had made a camera and suggested taking a photo to Navia.
They already had a family portrait painted, but they didn't have a black-and-white photo.
"That sounds good."
The idea of creating a memento for remembrance was always welcomed.
"Let’s include Creed too!"
"That guy as well? …Well, okay."
"I'll go fetch him."
Navia quickly headed to the annex to bring Creed.
Just then, Minerva called out from behind.
"Oh, miss……!"
"Good morning, Mine."
Minerva shyly extended a box she was holding.
"Uh, I heard we were taking photos today... This is for Creed. I hope you like it."
"Clothes for Creed?"
Navia, after briefly inspecting the box, marveled at the delicate craftsmanship.
"As expected, Mine! We need to finish the workshop for you to use soon. You’ll definitely become the most popular boutique owner in the capital."
"How could I..."
"It's true. Trust me."
Minerva's cheeks flushed red.
Naturally, she believed Navia's words.
"I need to show these clothes to Creed."
Navia, holding Creed's clothes, hurried to the annex.
Bursting in!
"Creed!"
Caught practicing materializing his magic, Creed greeted Navia with a sunny smile.
"Navia noona."
"We've decided to take a photo with dad today. Let’s take it together."
"The duke?"
Creed understood that he should refer to the man Navia called dad as the duke.
His learning pace was impressive.
Now, he could understand and communicate in simple sentences without much difficulty.
It was a significant achievement in less than a month.
Navia showed Creed the new clothes made by Minerva.
"Let's change into these pretty clothes before taking the photo. What do you think? Mine made them for you."
The child-sized black uniform and thick cloak looked quite solemn.
Gold chains and brightly colored jewel brooches added a touch of elegance.
"Yeah, pretty."
Creed smiled broadly.
"As pretty as Navia noona."
"You really…"
Navia, at a loss for words, shook her head.
"Careful, or you’ll be mistaken for a flirt if you say such things."
"…?"
Creed tilted his head, not understanding what the problem was.
He always acted like this.
Navia playfully pinched Creed's soft, white cheek.
"I need to educate you properly before letting you out."
At that, Creed's eyes widened in alarm.
'Letting out?'
Doesn't that mean... being abandoned?
Creed's face turned pale as he clung tightly to Navia's waist.
"No…! Don't abandon me. I was wrong."
Navia, surprised by Creed's sudden reaction, quickly comforted him, patting his back.
"Creed, why would I abandon you! Never."
Hearing this, Creed looked up at Navia, his eyes brimming with tears.
"You’re not abandoning me, right…?"
"Never. We will always be together."
Being together always.
Creed knew what that meant.
"Then, are we a family?"
Navia hesitated.
Yes, being together always means family.
"…Yes."
Even if we can't always be together, we are family.
Navia quickly changed her momentarily darkened expression and hastily changed Creed's clothes.
"Let's go."
It was when they were leaving the annex, hand in hand.
Snow was falling from the sky.
"Creed, look! It's snowing!"
"Snow?"
Creed, like Navia, looked up at the sky.
They could see white snowflakes quietly falling from the pale sky.
So this is snow.
He tried to catch a snowflake with his hand, but it melted and disappeared in an instant.
"It's gone."
Creed, with his palm wide open, looked at Navia with a puzzled expression.
Navia smiled at him as if she found it cute.
"When the snow accumulates, you can touch it. Let's build a snowman together then."
I don't know what a snowman is. But Creed was happy to do anything as long as he was with Navia.
"Sure, I'd like that."
They laughed and entered the mansion amidst the falling snow.
"Why are you so late, kids!"
Lark had set up a camera in the lobby and called everyone, even the vassals.
"Since we're taking pictures, let's all take one together."
Navia smiled brightly.
She was excited because it was the first family photo they were taking.
She was happier because she could take a picture with all the people she liked.
"Okay, taking the picture now!"
We need to make many precious memories like this. We need to make many, very many, so we can live with those memories.
Navia, leaning on Lark, looked at the camera and smiled brightly.
I hope I can still smile like this two years later, even when I have to say goodbye to Dad for a while.
* * *
Memories were piling up one after another.
Winter, the white snow falling with Dad. Snowmen, ice sledding.
Spring, the streets brightly lit up, the flowers blooming profusely, and the festival. Navia's birthday.
Summer, cool water play. The greenery of new leaves, a swing hanging from a large tree.
Autumn, stepping on the crisp fallen leaves. It's my father's birthday.
Thus, the season comes full circle, and together we witness the first snow of the year again.
In the meantime, Emperor Ulrich had taken a new empress, Sophia.
〈Familie Workshop〉 was the frontrunner in the travel business, taking unique and unmatched steps forward.
The workshop's technology was not only used for travel but also for transporting luxurious fabrics like fur, and rumors were rife that it was raking in money.
The fastest two years in the world passed by.
The time that Navia so desperately wanted to hold onto flowed by, and she turned ten years old.
And so, April arrived. The saddest spring had come.
* * *
Bursting in!
"Little one, are we still not ready?"
Lark, dressed in his neat outing attire, entered his daughter's room.
The room of the successor reflected the owner's character perfectly, being neat yet exuding an elegant grace.
The photos and portraits placed around were carefully chosen by Navia, each beautifully framed, a clear testament to the love and affection learned in this place.
In the midst of this, Navia, dressed prettily, was looking at herself in the mirror.
"I just need to do my hair."
Navia was small for an eight-year-old.
But as she grew older and stronger, she had grown remarkably in the last two years, now at ten, she was at least half a head taller than her peers.
'I might grow taller than dad at this rate.'
Navia would quietly smile to herself whenever she thought about this.
Lark circled around Navia, grumbling.
"It's going to be night by the time we're done."
"It's still morning, dad."
Navia lightly retorted, looking into the mirror. She had a good reason to be particularly meticulous with her appearance today.
"I'm attending my first gathering with dad. And I want to wear something that matches perfectly with the dress Minerva made for me."
Navia and Lark had chosen to attend a reading gathering hosted by Countess Sara Lucia for their first public activity.
Children of a similar age would attend to read and socialize, bringing their parents together in one place.
The Duke and Duchess of Lucia were expected to be there, along with Nikan and Vivian.
'It's been a while, Vivian.'
Naturally, Navia's thoughts drifted to Wood.
'I haven't heard much since he joined the Academy.'
If nothing unusual happened, he would probably graduate at around eighteen.
Navia wondered how Wood would react when he saw her.
'He used to dismiss me as a lower class or a bug, what would he think now, knowing I'm the lady of Eseled? Would he dismiss it as a lie?'
What excuses would he use to ignore her then?
Lost in these thoughts, Lark suddenly asked.
"You're not doing that hairstyle with two sides tied up anymore?"
"I'm ten years old now."
She had given up her favorite cute hairstyles now that she was ten.
Instead, she styled her hair elegantly with ornate accessories.
Lark chuckled as if he couldn't believe it.
"Trying to look cute even at ten, little one."
But no matter what he said, her chubby cheeks were undeniably adorable. Navia simply ignored such trivial matters.
"Let's go."
Over the past two years, they had learned how to be a father and a daughter.
Whenever they went somewhere, Navia would hold her father's hand and learn along the way.
The black carriage, a symbol of Eseled, was waiting in front of the main building.
Navia looked at the garden with fresh eyes.
Tall trees along the high walls prevented anyone from peeking inside the mansion.
Like any noble's estate, it had waterways and flower gardens.
Maintaining and decorating such a lavish and beautiful garden cost a fortune, but Eseled was now overflowing with money.
The Familie Workshop was flourishing, and Minerva's Heart Boutique was now on par with Ancier Boutique, earning vast sums.
'The response to Minerva's seasonal dress collection this time was the best ever.'
Minerva's seasonal collections, released every season, were so popular they often had to be auctioned off.
Navia, with a pleased look, scanned the garden and then boarded the carriage.
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