Glenn had always been sure that his father valued work more than life, and thus, obviously, family. On such occasions he would approach his father and sometimes snuggle up to him to see his reaction, but all he would end up getting was the same response - he would stroke his head. Not that Glenn liked it, but he couldn't find out his true feelings about the price of his family, and the picture was literally incomplete. Periodically piecing together his father's stories about his work, he wanted to see his father in action with his own eyes, for he liked the concept of the doctor's work eerily. But his father refused to let him near him, thinking it might damage his childish mind, which was his greatest fear at the time, for Glenn was still eight years old. Every time, for five years, at the end of the week, when he opened the door to his room, where the first thing he saw was his desk, with a bookshelf behind it, and an artificial fireplace that always had a screen of the equipment that isolated the room, Glenn saw his father sitting at work. But as soon as he opened the door, he saw no one in the room but an empty desk and a wooden chair that hadn't seen its owner in a long time.

Sitting in the subway on his way home, Glenn counted the number of questionnaires he had completed in ten days, and ended up counting six successful ones. It was a huge number when you consider that on average it takes two days, or even more, to complete the orders, and Glenn's success was direct proof of his competence. The teenager spent an inordinate amount of energy on such a suggestive result, which left him huddled alone against the subway wall, unable to perceive his surroundings soberly because of the headache and fever. He could barely stand being overworked.

Later, he woke up abruptly, lying on his bed, as if he had seen a nightmare. When he came to, he noticed he was sweating profusely. Whether his nightmare had been so terrifying or some kind of harbinger of the future was no longer important to Glenn as he opened the curtains of the balcony window and looked up at the evening sky from the fifteenth floor. A clear, dark blue sky. Glenn had been suffering from insomnia lately, sleeping four or five hours a day.

The next day was scheduled for his mother and Lilia's flight to Germany, and he helped the family with their luggage. They waited for a cab on the road. Inwardly, the mother still doubted the rightness of Glenn and the solution to his problems. In addition, earlier, Lilia had offered to leave her in Japan for a while longer, but her mother was adamantly opposed because she did not want to cause problems for either Glenn or Akihito, whom she had met the day before to make sure that her son had not lied to her. Lilia's school is in Germany, and she arrived in Japan, having taken a brief reprieve for family reasons. In fact, her mother understood the reason why Lilia wished to remain in Tokyo-it was the girl's family feelings, which she kept to herself and of which her older brother was unaware. Her mother always wondered what effect her father had had on the lives of their two children. Even too much - the mother was worried about Glenn's extreme attachment to his father, whose goals he was hesitant to let go of until now.

Meanwhile, in the sea of floating thoughts and memories, a cab called by his mother appeared on the road. Saying goodbye, his mother reminded Glenn of his promise to her. She regretted that she couldn't leave Lilia here to spend more time with her own brother, but because of the situation, that couldn't happen. Her mother had originally taken Lilia with her to Japan so that she and Glenn could finally become friends, because she understood that's what the girl wanted.

As he said goodbye to his family at the airport, Glenn hurried to the Hirota clan estate. The metal gates swung open, and as he entered, the young man was met by the silhouette of a dark ash-haired blonde girl dressed in a kimono in front of him. It was Mari, patiently awaiting his arrival. Bowing to each other, they smiled politely. Glenn again forgot his troubles. Soon the little maid introduced him to his room.

"Though the room is empty," Mari added, "it has everything to live in!"

A bed, a change of light clothes, a mirror, and a sink - the small room had everything Glenn wanted. On the other hand, he couldn't complain-it was free living. Seated in the middle of the room, they looked at each other patiently. Mari asked if she could make him some tea, and the boy agreed, adding that she shouldn't refuse either. The overjoyed girl brought two cups of tea, and they sipped together.

"What are you going to do now?" - Mari said, and the young man took on a more subdued appearance. "You found yourself here for a specific reason, didn't you?"

"Yes," Glenn marveled at her cleverness. "Akihito-sama's agreement to help me has a direct link to my goals."

"But what exactly do you want to accomplish?"

When the boy lifted his head, Mari saw his impetuous eyes.

"I aim to win, for my life is at stake."

Mari perked up, involuntarily believing Glenn. Happily folding her thin, small palms together, she said: "I have no doubt that you will make it, and I will pray for your health with all my heart.

Most of the time, when talking to Glenn, she chose topics pressing to both the young man and herself, but occasionally, because of her interest, she might ask what it was like to live outside the gates. Of course, Mari went outside, but only for urgent reasons and when her obligations demanded it. From talking about the seasons and the weather, the teenager came to the conclusion that Mari liked going out in the yard the most in winter, when the trees were covered with whiteness and the roads were fluffy.

Coughing, she added: "Glenn-sama, as a matter of fact, the master had wanted to talk to you long ago, but could never find the time. Now that he is finally free, he has had the good fortune to meet with you again. I think you should take the initiative to talk to the master… The master is not inclined to be intrusive and does not like to interfere in the private affairs of others, although he does show an indecent interest. Dear Glenn-kun, I beg you…"

"I'll be sure to talk to him," Glenn nodded, smelling that Mari was ready to cry, telling him about his relationship with Akihito.

"Please, dear Glenn-sama," she took her hands to the sleeve of the teenager's gray sweater, "I think this business the lord is thinking of…has to do with me."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Soon alerted by the servants of the manor that she wished to arrange a meeting with the lord, Glenn was invited to his chambers. As a room, the chambers were indeed not much larger than the other rooms, and also had no fittings. This was due to the fact that Akihito's real room, in which he slept, was elsewhere. Akihito called him for a walk around the huge, manicured courtyard.

As they strolled along, two mature yard maids followed them nearby.

"So, Glenn-kun, what do you wish to talk to me about?"

"Having moved in with you, I haven't seen much of you. I apologize if I interrupted you from important business."

"For the moment I am temporarily resting. Let's just say I've decided to prioritize peace of mind over perpetual negotiations with powerful people. After all, our business thrives on my family's reputation."

"Do your blood relatives also reside here?"

"Yes, but they are too busy to squander their time and sleep in their own apartments. Besides, some of them live in other cities for the benefit of their work."

Glancing over at Glenn, Akihito folded his slender arms behind his back and added: "Is there any particular reason you deigned to talk to me?"

Nodding, Glenn briefly explained Mari's excitement and the fact that she had asked him to speak to the lord. Akihito took hold of his thin chin.

"I see, that explains it," he said, and asked the servants to leave them alone.

The garden in the courtyard of Hirota Manor was an art form in its own right, mesmerizing in its natural colors. From time immemorial, this garden had been part of the forest on whose shore the manor now stands. Stopping by a bamboo tube, into which a trickle of water flowed and slowly accumulated inside as its design deterred animals and pests, Glenn and Akihito waited for the heavy end of the tube to fall on a rock and make a loud sound.

"I worry," Akihito added, standing in thought, "for this little girl's future. She has from the beginning adhered to her duty, for that is what her ancestors taught her. She has no parents or family connections left, but by the look of her, she intends to serve until the end of her days, surely to bear an heir in the future so that their line will be preserved."

Glenn responded to the man's words. Regret flowed through Akihito's words, driven by concern for another man's soul.

"Regardless of the oath, which is historically centuries old, I don't think it would be human to take away both Mari-chan's future and childhood. I don't want to take the life of a little girl. Her grandmother died in an event two years ago, which I will regret until the day I die. My hands are bloody, Glenn-kun, and I don't want to get them dirty again by taking the life of another person to whose childlike grace I have managed to become attached."

"Akihito-sama…"

"It would be better to leave the regular maids of the manor, paid for their work and not bound by the oath of the two clans."

Glenn delved deeper into the meaning of his statements. The teenager understood Akihito's concern about this, for the death of the old maid (Mari's grandmother), whom Akihito genuinely respected and a bright person, had affected his morals. She had served him and been with him since his birth.

"I have a request," he addressed the teenager, "that I've been thinking about for quite some time. There is no way Mari herself would agree, even though I realize that my words are law to her. As much as I would like to leave this girl's life alone, I can't afford to throw her out of the palace, let alone leave her in the care of strangers. I don't care about any oath if this decision is good for Mari Asahina."

The bamboo tube filled with water, its heavy side fell directly onto the stone and clattered, making a loud sound.

"Shall I persuade her?"

"Yes. It's a request. If you can persuade Mari-chan…I promise I'll do whatever you want."

Akihito's speech captured the teenager's soul, and he lowered his dark eyes, finding himself pondering. Obviously, Akihito was saying the right things in his opinion.

"I will do whatever it takes to make your wish come true, Akihito-sama."

"Thank you."

"But I am perplexed because Mari-chan feels good about her life as a maid. Would she have felt better if she had felt a big change in her life when she was first freed from her duties and she didn't like it? It's not like she's complaining about her life."

Barely suppressing bitterness, Akihito tried to appear loyal. All he needed was his wish to come true. Despite the seriousness of his choice, Akihito did not hesitate to defend his point of view.

"May such a change be good for her. It is only important to me that Mari-chan become a free person, not locked up in an estate for the rest of her life. Glenn-kun, this is my last order for you."

Having put together a coherent picture, Glenn realized the man's intentions. Eventually, their walk and conversation ended on a positive note, and after taking another lap around the yard, they said goodbye. The sun was setting on the mountains and skyscrapers, gilding the surrounding area.

After all, Glenn was sure of the difficulty in changing Mari Asahina's mind, a girl who lived by the vows made by their ancestors several hundred years ago. Akihito, being a man who wouldn't hurt a fly, didn't want to impose the oath on the little girl, considering it foolishness, even though it was included in their clan culture. Contrary to modern human standards, luckily Akihito refused to do such an act, preferring morality over outdated standards. Also, Glenn reflected on the man's words about complying with any request he made, and noted this fact to himself. He was, after all, also partial to Mari, so he eventually decided that he would comply with Akihito's request at any cost.

Walking through the hallway, he reached the door of his room. When he opened it, he saw Mari sitting in the same spot she had been sitting in the last conversation. When their gazes met, Glenn realized from her estranged eyes how much this problem could affect the girl's childlike perception. Her lips trembled, and softly she said the teenager's name.

"Let's talk about the world," Glenn said, smiling, "the wonders of winter, a little more, everything you want to know."