“Will the elder siblings please tie the holy vow bracelet onto your younger sibling's right hand,” Priest Roland instructed from the altar.
The temple attendants moved through the crowd, distributing bracelets crafted from small, white cowrie shells that had been thoroughly blessed beneath the towering statue of the Goddess.
As Ivan carefully tied a precise sailor's knot to secure the bracelet around Francesca’s right wrist, Priest Roland's voice echoed through the hall. “This gesture represents a sacred vow to your younger sibling: a promise that you will protect them, just as Goddess Hakio did for Goddess Nakio before the great war.”
Francesca let out a quiet scoff at the priest's words.
Ivan sighed, looking down at her. “What? I am a pretty diligent brother, don't you think?”
Amused but slightly irritated, she gestured to her own wrist. “Look closely at my right hand, Ivan. When exactly was the last time you actually bothered to tie a holy vow bracelet on me?”
Nonchalantly, he shrugged. “About seven years ago, I think. For our family, that's a pretty reasonable track record.”
“Yeah, right,” Francesca muttered.
Her attention was drawn away as she spotted Stella walking toward them. Stella wore a similar ceremonial dress fashioned from a simpler, cheaper material, her open-front skirt’s flowing fabric trailing gracefully behind her. With a small, respectful bow, Stella smiled at Miller.
Miller immediately brought his own right arm forward, revealing three heavily worn, faded cowrie shell bracelets already resting on his wrist.
Stella gently slid off one of the oldest bands, replacing it by tying a fresh, bright white bracelet in its place. As she worked, Miller asked quietly, “What about Kenny?”
“Kenny will arrive a bit later, Lord Miller,” she replied, tightening the final knot.
With another quick bow, Stella walked off, blending back into a group of castle maids who were quietly talking and gossiping in a warm corner of the chapel.
Both Ivan and Francesca, the actual blood-related siblings, stood entirely frozen with dumbfounded expressions as they stared blankly at Miller's wrist.
Noticing their intense stares, Miller rubbed the back of his neck, explaining awkwardly, “Well... all four of us practically grew up together as siblings. Because of that, His Highness the Third Prince started a tradition of tying the holy vow bracelets to the three of us every single year on Moon Light Day. As it happens... I am the youngest of our group.”
Francesca burst out laughing, nudging her brother. “See that?! Now that is what a truly diligent sibling relationship looks like.”
Ivan just let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head at his sister's relentless jabs.
As the holiday ceremony continued into the midday afternoon, the chapel doors opened. Kenny finally arrived, guiding a large group of local orphan children into the warmth of the hall. Francesca and Miller immediately stepped forward, warmly tying holy vow bracelets onto each of the children's wrists while personally distributing baskets of free winter supplies.
Standing awkwardly by the sidelines, Ivan watched the scene unfold before his annoyance finally gave way to a sudden impulse to help. Stepping up to the distribution tables, he grabbed a stack of bracelets and began tying them one by one.
At first, the children were apprehensive of the handsome but intimidating, silver-haired nobleman. But as Ivan clumsily handled the knots, they eventually started giggling, opening up to talk to him while some shyly extended their small hands to receive the winter blankets and food.
“What's your name, brat?” Ivan asked, looking down at a dark-haired girl who looked to be around eight years old.
The little girl immediately pouted, glaring up at him feistily. “You are very rude, mister! they say that rude people are the very first ones to get eaten alive by the mermaid minions!”
“Ha! Is that so?” Ivan countered, a smirk playing on his lips as he finished securing the shell knot on her wrist. He picked up a bundle of supplies, holding it just out of her reach. “Then with how remarkably rude your own mouth is, you would easily be the first one in line to get eaten, brat. You still haven't told me your name.”
“Why do you even care? It's not like a high noble like you will actually keep a promise to protect a commoner anyway,” she scoffed, sticking her tongue out to mock him. “You are just a fancy outsider who will leave our town in a few days anyway!”
“Why, you rude little—”
Before Ivan could even finish his sentence, the girl snatched the supply bundle cleanly out of his hands. She spun on her heel and bolted across the chapel floor.
“My name is Selena!” she yelled back at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing off the stone walls as she disappeared into the crowd.
“That brat...” Ivan muttered under his breath.
A genuine, soft smile involuntarily formed on his face as the familiar, beloved name washed over him.
Francesca, who was sitting just a few feet away distributing grain packets, leaned over and jabbed him playfully in the ribs. “Really, Ivan? You are actively beefing with a literal child now? Have you taken some sort of sacred vow to argue with every single person you meet named Selena?”
“Shut up and focus on your own side of the table, okay?” Ivan yelled back, his face flushing a light red as he tried to hide his flustered, irritated expression.
Meanwhile, Melony Lake, Ironwood Viscounty
Thk... Thud!
A young man clad in light armor fell face-first into the dirt while trying to keep up with the figure walking briskly ahead through the tall winter grass. Brushing the frozen soil off his knees, he quickly scrambled back to his feet. “I am so sorry, Sir Albert,” he stammered, dusting himself off.
The figure ahead, Sir Albert, paused and let out a heavy, disappointed sigh. Turning around, he frowned. “Reafel, with today included, exactly how long does it make you being my personal squire?”
“A-a month... Sir Albert,” Reafel replied, swallowing hard under his superior's harsh gaze.
Albert sighed deeply once more, crossing his arms. “A full month, and yet you are still constantly tripping and stumbling about over some stupid grass? Don't you remember what I did for you to get you here?”
Reafel snapped into a stiff stance of attention, gulping nervously as he answered, “Without your direct intervention, I wouldn’t even be a free man today, Sir Albert! So I am forever, deeply grateful to you!”
Albert simply nodded with a tight, dismissive expression, pointing a gloved finger toward the rocky shoreline ahead. “We managed to secure reliable intelligence from a source late last night. Apparently, there is a secret hidden cave located just a bit further down the coast from here... I want you to head out alone from this point, thoroughly investigate the perimeter, and report back to me before evening.”
“A-alone... Sir Albert?” Reafel hesitated, his confidence wavering as he looked out at the desolate landscape. “If the cave is truly secret... won't there be armed guards stationed around it?”
Albert let out a sharp, mocking scoff. “What? Did you genuinely think a knight's job was going to be easy?”
“N-no, sir,” the squire replied quietly.
Albert’s expression softened into a smooth, practiced mask of reassurance. “Listen to me. Even if you do happen to get caught, I got you out of a much worse situation back home, didn't I? Besides, young Lord Ivan certainly won't tolerate one of his own men being arrested in some backward, remote mountain territory.”
“You are right!” Reafel exclaimed, his anxiety melting away as he found a fresh surge of confidence. Offering one final, determined look back at his mentor, he smiled. “I know you always have my back, Sir Albert! I will successfully complete this mission for you!”
With those parting words, the young squire turned and quickly began to disappear into the thick, tall grass.
The moment Reafel was fully out of sight, the warm, reassuring mask instantly melted off Albert’s face, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated disgust. He spat onto the ground, muttering venomously under his breath, “Sure you will... you disgusting, pathetic bastard.”
Stretching his arms with a lazy yawn, Albert looked back over his shoulder toward the water. “I better start returning before anyone notices my absence.”
With that cold, indifferent thought, he turned on his heel and began walking back toward the hidden rowboats to cross the frozen lake.