CH 107

「Mu~u……」

A night had passed since the ball.

In the end, Wilhelm-sama did not return until I fell asleep. I understood he was busy with work, but how could he leave me alone this much?

This morning, he immediately left after having a hurried breakfast. I had wanted to talk more, but why was he so busy?

Even though he should have already retired from being a knight captain and settled down as an advisor—.

「Ha~a……」

That said, nothing would change no matter how dissatisfied I was.

Wilhelm-sama said that once Captain Victor could manage on his own, he would retire. And then, he would not have to be as busy as he was now.

And then, Wilhelm-sama would be in the manor all the time. I was only a part-time lecturer of the Order, so we could be lovey-dovey anytime!

「……」

Still.

I had a small question. Why was Wilhelm-sama so busy being an advisor?

If he was still the knight captain, I would understand. But the other day, he was summoned to the royal palace. Essentially, if there was such a summons, it should be for Victor-san, the current knight captain. So why was Wilhelm-sama summoned instead?

If it would be said that Wilhelm-sama had the trust of the royal family, then I could not say anything.

However, to forcibly keep around a person who was planning to retire, how would that look for the country?

No.

Was it really for work?

「……」

The other morning, when he came home with the scent of liquor—I had not heard anything about that day.

He said he worked late into the night and had a little bit of a drink before sleep. Was that the truth?

I heard about how there was a new trading partner at work. Of course, it was only natural for those people to entertain their trading partner’s leader. They would try to get a good deal by offering him drinks and placing a cute girl by him who would shower him with praise to put him in a good mood. In the past, my father came home with the scent of perfume and a smudge of lipstick on his cheek after being treated like that by a merchant who wanted to be the ducal house’s purveyor. Of course, he was beaten by my mother.

Perhaps Wilhelm-sama was treated the same way. And he kept his lips sealed, as he could not say “I was taken to a store with a cute girl by a merchant who was likely to become a new trading partner” to me, his wife.

「……」

I shook my head like a rattle drum.

Not good. I had become completely suspicious.

I must firmly believe in Wilhelm-sama—.

「Zack, a little more on that side」

「Eh? Not this part? 」

「You really have no talent for this. What are you doing, cutting even those branches when you are pruning a garden tree? 」

「Aah……I don’t really know. So, this one then? 」

「Like I said……」

In the garden, I could hear Natalia’s voice teaching Zack on how to prune garden trees.

My attention unconsciously shifted there. They should stop if they were arguing.

「Long pruning shears are used like this」

「Wow, you’re good」

「I learned from the gardener of the Ducal House. Here, I will also teach you, Zack. Be grateful」

「Uhh……」

「First, hold it like this……」

「……er, well, I’ve handled all sorts of stuff…」

Yes.

It was somewhat irritating.

I was aware they were talking about work. But for me who only exchange greetings with Wilhelm-sama, it was a very enviable conversation.

How did this happen?

Living in the same residence and having the same meals.

We should have been much closer than before.

Instead, our hearts seemed to grow much further apart.

But I could not talk to anyone about it.

Not even to Lilia, since she currently had a lot on her plate with Edward-san’s courtship. It seemed the Anderson marquis house was thrown off their balance. Well, as it was like a bolt from the blue, it was probably to be expected.

I also thought about talking to Natalia. But since it was Natalia, she might directly speak to Wilhelm-sama. Then he might think I was complaining about my dissatisfaction.

Who could be the best person to talk to—?

「U-Umm, Ojou-sama」

It was then that Mary came over.

Asking Mary for advice……I might be a little troubled, but I would pass. To begin with, Mary, who was in the same year as me at the academy, was unmarried. And if one thought about her involvement with His Highness Rayford, no man would be particularly fond of her.

Ha~a, I softly sighed.

「……What is it? 」

「Y-Yes. A messenger came from the main residence」

「Is that so? 」

「T-The madam has a message for you, “Let us go see an opera tomorrow. Come to this house in the morning.” 」

「……」

Mother.

I would have to give a lecture at the Order tomorrow.

However, my mother was busy herself. She must have taken a break and invited me. I supposed she was worried about me when I became Wilhelm-sama’s wife and left home.

「Yes……」

Besides, I considered it.

My dissatisfaction with Wilhelm-sama had somehow accumulated.

And I was thinking—I could not talk to anyone about it.

「I see. Mary, please tell my mother that I understand」

「Y-Yes! 」

If it was my mother.

If it was my mother who always showed me the way…

Perhaps this accumulating dissatisfaction I had would be dispelled—.