CH 36.2

The banquet was only for one day, but due to the nature of the northern season, rooms were provided for the guests.  Sienna and Salton were also guided to the distinguished room in the main building.

After breakfast, Anne’s eyes crossed the hallway and saw Salton walking from the other side. Anne’s feet stopped. It was because her mind recalled vividly the memory of the Grand Duke, who had been ferocious when he mentioned Salton yesterday.

Salton, not knowing her thoughts, stopped in front of Anne and smiled brightly. Neatly combed brown hair exuded a warm atmosphere like grain before harvest. The warmth reminded him even more that he was not a match for the North.

“Good morning. I have a meeting with the Grand Duke and I’m on my way . . . But I still have time, so how about a cup of tea?”

“. . .”

Anne hesitated for a moment. Hesitation arose because the Grand Duke was so angry even though they were just dancing. She couldn’t give an answer because she didn’t know what else to say, so Salton spoke again.

“It will only take a little while.”

“. . . Yes, of course.”

Conflicted, Anne eventually accepted his request. Even if the Grand Duke later got angry over Salton, she couldn’t continue locking herself in the room because she was scared.

Even if it was light tea, the weather did not allow them to be at leisure in the garden, so they decided to have a conversation in the guest room of the main building.

“What of Miss Sienna?”

“Lady Pellimont said she was not feeling well, so she would rest in her room.”

As Anne asked about his party, Salton responded kindly and took a seat.

“That’s too bad, I’ll send a doctor.”

It’s not good news for an invited guest to fall ill after the banquet, so Salton waved his hand at the suggestion.

“Even so, when I asked if I should call a doctor, the Lady refused. She said she would be fine if she rested for a while.”

“Yes. If she feels worse, please let me know.”

There wasn’t really a need to worry about her. But even so, if Sienna Pellimot visited the Grand Duchy and became seriously ill, people would talk.

While the usual greetings were being exchanged, the maid served pelone flower tea and refreshments to accompany it. Anne took one of the dried fruits, put it in her mouth and hummed a little, and Salton looked at it for a moment and then grinned.

“Miss Angroanne still eats little.”

“If I ate even a little more, I would be severely scolded by Mother. This habit has yet to be erased.”

“Countess Libelois is a strict woman . . .”

Salton, who had been Anne’s fiance for a year, recalled some of his memories. The Countess was a lady who took care of her daughter with care in the public eye, but he also witnessed her stern voice several times in private.

It was when he stayed in the County for over a week to see his fiance. As he returned from his absence for a while, what he saw was the Countess, who raised her voice, saying, “What should I do with such a gluttonous woman?” Astonished, he had stepped on a branch on the ground to let his presence be known. The Countess, after seeing Salton, quickly left..

“The only things on the table at the time were a few dried fruits and a fruit sherbet.”

“My mother believed that a woman should take care of herself unconditionally, so she was dissatisfied with even that.”

“You know what I was thinking back then? I thought that we should get married one day sooner and take you away from there.”

“You thought about it? I am grateful for your thoughts alone.”

Anne laughed out loud at his pointless words.

It would have been better if the marriage had been hastened then. Then she would be smiling as she was now while facing him. A future that could never exist. It was futile to recall the days with her ex-fiance when she had married another man, but it tasted bitter when she compared him to the Grand Duke.

Thinking of his cold reaction yesterday made her sick to the stomach. She wanted to leave after giving birth to a child, so she had to be indifferent, but she didn’t know why she gave meaning to each of his actions. As though she had expectations.

Dried yellow pelone petals bloomed slowly in the teacup. The subtle scent permeated the tip of her nose, but if she drank it now, she could only feel the bitter taste and had to wait a little longer. Anne thought that her relationship with the Grand Duke was no different.

Just like she had to wait for the bitterness to go away, her relationship with him would also take time.

As Anne’s smile ended, Salton copied her, lifting the teacup and opening his mouth.

“Actually . . . I never thought I would be here.”