The Past Winter
Meaning of a Name

The rising sun emitted a reddish hue in the morning sky. The golden finger of sunlight illuminated the beautiful scenery around the parlour. The birds continued to chirp merrily, the leaves on the plants were covered in dewdrops, and a cool breeze swept through the damp soil of this imperial fringe region.

From the morning there was a sound of slurping the officers who were busy casting holy spells to strengthen the safety shield around the orphanage. Four days in a row, the priests took turns using their holy powers to strengthen their shields.

The children and other orphanage officials from four days ago did all their activities inside the orphanage and reduced their activities outdoors on orders from the chairman of the night home. Even children's bathing activities are usually done every morning and afternoon in the river not far from the orphanage, now it can only be done in the morning and the afternoon they will bathe in the well in the orphanage area.

After the children finished bathing this morning they and the officers shoulder to shoulder filled the water in the well which was recently only used by the officers on the grounds of time efficiency.

The activity has been carried out for four days cheerfully because the children are very happy to do it, when in fact they love to play water on the edge of the shallow river that flows quietly.

Because of the terrifying monster terror, the orphanage officers who did not have holy power also kept the orphanage children safe inside the building which in recent days felt more strict.

...***...

That afternoon the four friends were reading in their room. Rubi, who has only learned to read for the past two months, continues to ask for writing that he does not know about the three brothers who are happy to help.

“Kak Allen's... Why are we told to read by Serena?” Asked his youngest sister who was bored staring at the hundreds of sentences in the book.

“So you can read all the writings in this empire.” Elyn told her sister without looking.

“Oh..” Rubi said as if not interested in the ability to read all the writings in the empire.

“Are you tired of reading Rubi?” Olive, who saw her youngest brother sleeping on the bed, just flipped through the pages of the book without reading it. “You learned to write with me?”

Hearing the unfamiliar word of writing in her ears, the little girl immediately nodded her head cheerfully. He darted down from his bed and approached Olive, who was sitting at the desk, the only one in the room.

Olive invited her sister to sit in her chair and open a blank sheet on a piece of paper she had gotten from Serena. He taught Rubi how to hold a pencil made of charcoal wrapped in tree bark.

Elyn and Allen were envious to see Olive happily teaching Rubi a quick grasp. Eventually they both joined Rubi and taught his sister a few words. Because of the small study table in the end the four of them decided to teach Rubi on the floor in the room.

“Well write like this... This is your name.” Said Elyn who gave an example of writing on Rubi.

“What is this Rubi reading?” Ask the girl reassuringly.

“Really! Try writing like I wrote.” Elyn's orders were directly done by Rubi.

“Now it's my turn!” Allen said, who does not want to lose. He wrote three words on the sheet. “This one reads Allen, this is Elyn, and this one reads Olive.” He said while pointing at one word at a time there and Rubi followed the writing while muttering to mention the names of his three brothers.

“What does your name mean?” Rubi asked her three brothers.

Now it was Olive's turn to take part to explain to Rubi. “My name means olive.” Said Olive explaining to Rubi.

“What is olives?”

“What is Olive's name taken from the name written on the necklace?” Rubi said as he looked at the silver-plated necklace hanging from Olive's neck.

“Hah? How did you know I had my name on this necklace?” Olive said that she was surprised at Rubi's statement, because she had not told her sister about the necklace. So did Allen and Elyn who were similarly shocked.

“I saw it.” Reveal Rubi. “The writing on the necklace is the same as the writing on this paper.” Evidently.

“Ah... Is correct. My name is taken from the inscription on this necklace.” Olive said while stroking a necklace with a silver slab bearing her name. “When I was found in front of the gate of the parlor, there was only this necklace with a letter asking to keep me well.” Clearly with a cloudy aura.

“You're beautiful sister!” Rubi then hugged Olive who looked almost crying. Olive also returned the embrace of her brother who rubbed spoiled on her.

Then Rubi looked at Allen who had wanted to tell the meaning of his name to his youngest brother. “If brother Allen, what does your name mean?”

“My name means black wine.” He said confidently.

“What is black wine?” Rubies who had only known the shape and taste of apples did not understand what the words of Allen who was being proud of it.

“Small black fruit that tastes sweet and is slightly sour and bitter.” Sahut Elyn, “Every fruit is suitable to be used as alcohol.”

“Alcohol? What is an evil drink like Serena said?” Rubi recalls talking to Serena about alcohol the other day.

“Yes you are right, so this boy his aura is very evil.” Elyn said as she rubbed Allen's head next to her.

“Woy!” Allen was upset, he did not accept himself being slandered in front of his sister.

Olive and Rubi laughed together to see Allen and Elyn fighting lightly over a name. “Then if sister Elyn? What does the name of the sister mean?” Rubi asked Elyn after the dispute between him and Allen subsided.

“That means a bad boy who is like a demon!” Said Allen trying to return Elyn's bad words to her. Allen's words to Elyn managed to make Olive who had calmed back laughing until the edges.

Rubies were wide-eyed, her pupils narrowed, her face showing a dumbfounded look that did not think a name as beautiful as Elyn would have a very opposite meaning.

“Try see! Because of what you did he believed!” said Elyn who scolded Allen's innocence.

“You're the first one who started making me upset!” Now Allen is sulking.

Actually what Elyn said about Allen's name is not entirely wrong. It is true that the name means black wine that tastes sweet, slightly sour and bitter, also he is right if the fruit is very popular because it is used as the main ingredient to make alcohol. Even ‘Allen’ is a fairly well-known brand of alcohol. But what makes Allen upset when his friend said that he has an evil aura.

“Already, already... You even make yourself look bad in front of Rubi.” Said Olive who tried to reconcile her two friends. “The name Elyn is taken from the imperial language which means the light of the sun shining brightly.” Obviously Olive on Rubi.

‘Had I guessed the meaning of her name is beautiful’, now Rubi's face shows a look that says it.

“Cih! Shitty!” Allen said that still did not accept the meaning of the name Elyn better than his and Olive.