CH 6

****

He was truly an astonishingly rude man.

Odette let out a quiet sigh and put down the letter in her hand.

<I agree with Lady Odette.

This Wednesday at 2pm, I’ll make a reservation for the lounge at the Reinfeld Hotel on Preve Boulevard.>

The reply the man sent was a short memo that would not be called a letter. It was an attitude that made fun of Odette, who formally introduced herself and asked for permission to have a first meeting, preferably in private.

K.

Most impressive of all was the initial added at the end. The man did not even leave the name of himself properly. It was an absurd letter no matter how many times she looked at it.

“Wow. It’s pretty, sister!”

Tira opened the door and entered, admiring it innocently. After adjusting her expression, Odette hastily hid the letter in her satchel.

“Are you going out?”

Tira’s eyes began to sparkle with curiosity as she watched Odette prepare to leave.

“Yes.”

“Where are you going? Can I go too?”

“No, Tira. It’s a place to meet the elders of the imperial family.”

Odette skillfully lied. Thankfully, Tira nodded her head without further stubbornness. Although she felt sorry for the sullen child, Odette did not show irresponsible pity.

Taking her parasol and handbag, Odette left the house after leaving a promise that she would return without being late.

As she went down the stairs leading to the first floor, her mind grew more and more complicated.

The Countess of Trier’s plan was to introduce her and Bastian at a ball at the Imperial Palace. That, she said, was the proper procedure for a socialite, and also the way the emperor wanted it.

However, Odette did not want to become a spectacle thrown helplessly into an unfamiliar world. She wanted a chance to meet each other at least once and share their views on this wedding proposal, and she believed that the man’s thoughts would be no different.

Was it really such a shortcoming to receive such a reply?

Odette, who opened the door to the building entrance with a complicated mind, involuntarily exhaled a small exclamation. The flower trees that lined both sides of the road were in full bloom. It was as if a pink cloud had descended over the street.

Taking a slow breath, Odette stepped forward and opened the parasol. The lace with delicate patterns bloomed like spring flowers filling the whole city. 

***

The wind blew with a powerful spirit.

Bastian paused for a moment and turned his head. Lucas, who was walking alongside him, also turned his gaze toward the Prater River, where military training was in full swing. Although the water temperature was still cold, the cadets were fighting against the current with all their might.

“Swimming in the spring when flowers bloom. Military academies are getting better these days. We used to swim in the snow in the icy water.”

Lucas chuckled and made a silly joke. Bastian’s grinning face was uncharacteristically calm ahead of his reluctant meeting with his bride.

After watching the swimming training for a while, the two started moving towards their destination again. After leaving the premises of the military academy, a park called the Garden of Water appeared. It was probably thanks to the spring flowers that were in full bloom in a few days that the scenery of the Admiralty Castle, which was filled with men, seemed tolerable.

“How long do I have to do this troublesome thing?”

As the Navy Headquarters building came into view across the park, Lucas let out a desperate sigh. For a while, he was happy to be given an important position at headquarters. As he began to suffer the daily grind, he began to rather miss the days aboard the warship.

From this spring, he was in charge of ceremonial training at the military academy, and he was literally out of breath. Of course, Bastian Clausitz seemed to be enduring this hell casually.

“If you don’t feel up to it, why don’t you apply for naval duty again.”

Bastian responded lightly and checked the watch on his wrist. The time to deal with the long burden of the emperor was approaching before he knew it.

“Do you think my father will leave me alone if I decline the hard-earned position? He even gave me a special order to follow you unconditionally.” 

While shaking his head, Lucas smiled comfortably.

“My father seems to really like you. He says he wants to have a drink once again sometime soon. What do you think?”

“It would be an honor.”

“Anyway, great. You have a natural ability to put these mousy old people in a good mood. What’s the secret?”

Lucas’s eyes in sincere admiration sparkled with innocent curiosity. Bastian responded with a moderately sly smile.

A hound guarding his son.

Bastian was well aware that Count Ewald had his use there.

The fact that he had produced famous naval officers for generations was a great source of pride for the Ewald family. And that was also the reason why he pushed his son, who dreamed of studying literature, into a military school.

He was afraid of his strict father, so he adapted to reality, but that didn’t mean he could become a different person overnight. Lucas had a hard time adapting to the military academy, and the group of self-proclaimed predators did not miss the easy prey. It was around a year later that Bastian was assigned the same dormitory as Lucas. It was quite an unusual decision considering that all children of aristocratic families use private rooms.

On the day he learned that it was a special order from the superiors, Bastian realized. That the weak son of Count Ewald was nothing more than a blessing in disguise. It was a transaction in which mutual understanding was well aligned.

They had been together in a relationship that served that purpose.

It took a long time after that for Lucas to shake off the stigma of being a misfit, but at least he didn’t suffer from abuse and beatings anymore. It was one of the changes that had taken place since a senior who spat in Lucas’ face was trampled to death by Bastian Clausitz’s boots. Friendship with the Ewald family. The splendid connections he gained based on that. The prestige and location within the Ministry of the Navy was further enhanced thanks to the friendship with the Ewald family and the brilliant contacts they had made.

As much as the gains he received in return, his relationship with Lucas had grown stronger. As long as there were no incidents, that kind of friendship would continue in the future.

“Are you going to see her now?”

Lucas looked around and lowered his voice to a whisper. The shadow of the sunlight that passed between the flower branches swayed on Bastian’s face as he nodded.

“Be careful not to get caught, Bastian.” (*He meant not to get seduced)

Lucas let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

“No matter how good your lineage is, there is nothing good about being involved with a woman like that. Sandrine’s marriage will be arranged by next year at the latest, but if Duke LaViere, who is just beginning to show favor to you, is disappointed by this…… .”

“Lucas.”

Bastian stopped the agitated Lucas by calling his name quietly. Luckily, Lucas, who wasn’t very ignorant, stopped his speech at that point.

They said goodbye in front of the building of the Naval Headquarters.

Normally, Bastian would have gone back to headquarters and pushed on with the rest of his work, but today the noble lady made it possible for him to spend a leisurely afternoon.

Clean it up after dealing with it properly.

Bastian’s thoughts were the same as Lucas’s.

First of all, he was planning to apply to the overseas front again after this marriage was put to good use. In the meantime, if the princess got married and left Berg, the emperor would no longer act like this. Being appointed in a rough area was also an opportunity to establish a bigger major, so it was a choice that he had nothing to lose. After that, if he married Sandrine, who returned as the daughter of the Duke of LaViere, it would be the most perfect ending.

As he entered the main road connecting the entrance of the Admiralty and the headquarters, the bell of the clock tower struck, announcing 2 o’clock. But Bastian still walked through the sunny afternoon at an unhurried pace.

Flowering Wednesday.

Flowers in spring were swaying with dazzling sunlight and sweet breeze.

***

Could it be that he intends not to come?

Odette opened the old pocket watch once more to check the time. It was already past the appointment time, but the man’s seat was still empty. At this point, the bottomless rudeness of Bastian Klauswitz was admirable. 

Odette, who had put the watch in her purse, looked around with cautious curiosity. Garden with flowers and cutlery on table, décor and perfect landscaping. Everything she could see was elegant and beautiful. It was the same with the well-dressed guests chatting and the fantasia played by a talented pianist.

If he wasn’t going to appear anyway, why did he call her to this place?

Odette surveyed the splendid world around her, possessed by a sense of punishment.

The seat that Bastian Klauswitz had reserved was excellent enough to feel excessive. At the end of the aisle in the lounge, where tables were lined up on both sides, and in the very center of the terrace beyond the wide open folding doors, this table offered a panoramic view of the hotel garden and fountain. It also meant that it was a good location to attract attention.

Resolving to wait ten more minutes, Odette looked around anxiously. Since she had to pay for her seat, it would have been preferable to order a cup of tea, but she did not have the confidence to enjoy teatime calmly on this thorny cushion. It was then that a man dressed in a navy uniform entered the hotel lounge.

The officer looked around leisurely and called the waiter with refined formality. The eyes of the guests who were glancing at Odette were all focused there.

Odette became part of the spectators and watched the man.

The officer was now crossing the hall following the waiter who had shown Odette her place. He was too tall and large, but overall he was a sleek and impressive man. As a characteristic of a military man, his walk showed no haste with a  straight, authoritative posture.

No way.

Odette held her breath, erasing the foreboding feeling that suddenly passed by.

The memory of the man she had met at the gambling house that night floated over the officer who was getting closer. He, too, was in the navy, and was as tall as that officer. He didn’t have the usual appearance.

However, the man who frequented such places and gambles on a low level could not be a hero of the empire who had been awarded a medal for making a major contribution.

While Odette was struggling to deny the reality, the officer entered the terrace. Even though there was blatant attention, the man was still relaxed. It was as if he had wiped out the existence of others.

It’s him. 

At the same time as Odette accepted the fact that she could no longer deny, the man took the last steps and narrowed their distance.

Before long, their eyes met in the golden ripe afternoon sunlight.