CH 81

***

A bitter taste grazed Elliot’s lips as he said his former name. But the moment was so brief that Annette thought she had misjudged it.

“You look like you’re dying of curiosity.”

Elliott said with a smirk. Annette cast her eyes down to hide her expression.

Of course she had to be curious. It was a story about Heiner’s past. She had never even heard a single word or asked about it.

The moment she knew, she knew that the pain they had buried would once again sericultrate their lives. That’s why she had tried so hard to avoid it.

“Well, if it bothers you, I can tell you. Most if not all———? It’s not particularly a secret anymore.”

“…”

“What are you curious about? Your ex-husband’s former lovers?”

“…I don’t care.”

“Haha, maybe it’s because you grew up so preciously, but you’re a terrible liar.”

Elliot shook off the ash at the end of his cigar and rose from his chair. He walked toward Annette with his rifle slung over his shoulder.

Annette’s shoulders stiffened as the sound of military boots approached. Elliot smiled as he held out one hand politely, like a gentleman requesting a dance.

“Lady, shall we take a walk for a moment?”

Annette looked up at him with a mixture of alarm, suspicion, and fear.

Elliot furrowed his brow as if asking her what she was doing without holding his hand. But Annette just sat there stiffly.

Everyone’s eyes were focused on them. She had a reputation that couldn’t be any worse, but it was obvious how it would look if she held the hand of this officer and followed him.

Women whose livelihoods were difficult by the war sometimes sold themselves to enemy soldiers. And usually such people were heavily ostracized by their own countrymen.

Literally, severe ostracism. Annette had heard several stories of women who were stoned to death for prostituting themselves to enemy troops.

They wanted to live, they were forced, they had no choice, they were pushed to the edge of the cliff……………. but there would be no understanding and those excuses were useless.

It was truly a strange thing. People detested women in their own country who gave themselves over to the enemy more than political deviants. Annette forced her lips to move and asked.

“Why?”

Her throat bobbed. She tried to hide her nervousness, but could not hide it completely.

Then Elliot bowed his head and pressed his lips to her ear. Annette flinched but did not avoid him. A low voice drifted into her ear.

“It won’t be good just staying here. A precious and beautiful woman like you is even more in danger. When I say we leave, I think you should leave.”

“…”

“I am giving you some advice considering your old relationship with your ex-husband.”

Unlike earlier, his voice devoid all emotions. It was as if he was someone else entirely.

The rifle came into view on the man’s bent shoulder. The hard, smooth iron surface gleamed coldly.

Elliott straightened his body. His outstretched hand was still in place. He playfully clenched his hand into a fist several times and then opened it.

Hesitantly, Annette raised her hand and grabbed his. Elliott chuckled, grabbed her hand, and pulled her upward.

Her body was semi-forced to stand up. A panicked Annette resisted falling into him. Unlike her skinny appearance, her strength was no joke.

Elliott took Annette’s hand in his and walked with a big step, saying something to the French soldiers. Then the soldiers burst out laughing.

A soldier patted Nicolo on the back and chuckled. Nicolo replied with a grumpy face, then choked him and laughed.

Annette asked anxiously as they exited the church entrance.

“What? What did you say?”

“What, about the higher rank get to eat first?”

Annette’s face rapidly paled. Noticing that her steps had become heavier, Elliott casually said, 

“Don’t worry. I won’t touch you, I may be trash, but I’m not that terrible to my old friend’s woman.”

These were not particularly reassuring words. She wondered if he and Heiner were really friends.

Annette surreptitiously backed away from him. Elliot took a step as if he didn’t care.

The occasional French soldiers he encountered greeted Elliott. It seemed like the entire area had been taken over by enemy forces.

“Where are you going?”

“Just walking. Oh, the city’s a mess. Have you been here before?”

“…… No.”

“It’s a pretty famous tourist destination in the west. It used to be a very pretty city. If you go straight along this river, you’ll reach the ocean, and the border between the river and the ocean there is an art.”

Western Tourist Attraction. Annette looked with new eyes at the urban scene after all these years.

“Then why don’t you take a vacation to Belmont County sometime soon? When spring comes, you can visit Sunset Cliff and other western area.” (H)

Yes, Heiner had said that.

The suggestion seemed far fetched. In fact, it wasn’t that long ago……….. All of her memories associated with the man were.

Everything seemed far away.

In the end, they didn’t make the trip. Soon she attempted suicide again and they divorced.

In fact, the time Heiner made that suggestion was after her first suicide attempt. Recognizing that fact Annette posed the unreachable question.

Why did he speak as if they had a future?

With what feelings did he say those words?

As if saying so would bring any hope in their future…

Annette stared distantly at the burned and trampled buildings of Huntingham.

No matter how beautiful the city had been in the past, it was now nothing more than a ruined battlefield.

“…And why did you say you wanted to walk?”

“I told you, I’ll tell you what you’re curious about. Is there anything you really want to ask me?”

“No.”

“I see you don’t have any interest in your husband. Heiner, that bastard, must have suffered quite a bit. My heart hurts for him.”

Elliott grabbed his chest with one hand, acting all grandiose. Annette reluctantly stared at his action. What was he doing, this man?

“Actually, I was just making an excuse to ask Miss Rosenberg to go for a walk. I called you because I was a little curious. How’s Heiner? All I hear about him is just his movement as Commander-in-Chief.”

“…were you really close? With him?”

“Yes.”

“Did you defect or are you a spy?”

“Oh, you’re a lot cleverer than I thought. But let me correct one thing. If you defected before the war, you’re considered a traitor. There’s no way around it.”

“So, which is it?” 

“Which one do I look like?”

“I’ve heard that the trainees at Sutherlane Island enter at a fairly young age. So it’s the former.”

“That’s a good guess.”

Elliott added with a short laugh.

“But it’s too pure a guess. No matter how much you roll on the battlefield because you’re a nurse, you’re still clueless.”

“That…”

“I was in Padania for a very long time, Miss Rosenberg. I’ve been here since I was quite young. It was a mission I received from my homeland (France) to infiltrate the Sutherlane Island Training Camp.”

Annette stopped for a moment. Elliot followed suit and pulled out a new cigar. He rummaged through his pockets and mumbled with a faint frown.

“Oh, I didn’t bring my lighter.”

“….”

“You don’t have a lighter, do you?”

“no …….”

“Try smoking. It’s pretty good… Oh, I wonder if Miss Rosenberg is the type of person who only smokes elegantly rolled cigarettes like  Marquis Dietrich?”

“How can you say you are friends with Heiner?”

“Hm?”

Elliot cocked his head. Annette glanced at him and said coldly,

“You’re a spy. You’re a traitor.”

“Well, yes, I am. It’s a little funny to hear you talk like that when Heiner betrayed you and your family.”

“That’s another matter.”

“Then I have nothing to say, but hey, don’t glare too much. You’re so beautiful no matter what expression you wear.”

Elliot chuckled. Annette looked at him with her brows narrowed in dismay. He shrugged his shoulders.

“But I don’t have any feelings for you. I feel like all women look the same to me, no matter how beautiful they are. Maybe it’s because I’m sick of pretending to be the fake lover.”

As soon as Annette heard that, she thought of Heiner again. He, too, had come from a trainee background and must have played the role of a spy countless times.

Would all women have felt similar to Heiner? Was she just a target work object to him, nothing more and nothing less?

Even though she already knew the fact, she couldn’t help but feel new when she heard it from the man who had done the same thing.

“But what can I say—you were a great presence to the trainees and soldiers who were in and out of the Marquis’ mansion at that time. That’s why it’s a little difficult for me to deal with you.”

“…What do you mean by ‘a great presence’?”

“I told you, it wasn’t just one or two soldiers who adored you. You are beautiful, elegant, high status, the daughter of the highest superior. You were untouchable, we could only look from afar…so wouldn’t that make you special?”

Elliot chuckled as he folded his fingers and listed his reasons.

“But I didn’t think that was the case with that stone-like bastard Heiner though.”

***