"Fuck."
I unexpectedly remember the thing I forgot after sleeping and it's not a good thing at all.
June means summer and in the novel, Summer is an important season! It's the season for socializing for the nobles, which also means, we're nearing the start of the story!!
Oh no. This is bad. Carlyanne might know a thing a two about court etiquette but I have none of that knowledge! Noble names? None. Trends and gossip? Nada! Sure, dancing might work if I attribute it to muscle memory but I have to test that first before I'm sure that I can count on it!!
"Suddenly, I've turned out to be very busy." I look at the open window. The weather is truly blue, in an emotional sense. Vacation is over, sadly, time to get back to work again.
"Hm?"
"Nothing." I dismissed Ina's questioning hum as I took off from the bed. Unlike how it was previously, however, the girl doesn't flinch as I pass by her and head to the bathroom by myself. "I'll walk off the breakfast today, so dress me in something I can wear while strolling around the garden."
"Yes miss!" Ina smiles cheerfully as she answers, to the point I can kind of see that her front tooth has a tiny gap. "C'mon, Sonya, let's make our miss the prettiest lady today!"
"Yes, yes."
Ever since yesterday's event I feel that some things have shifted, changed, in a way that I can't help to note them as I notice them. For one, is that the maids don't seem to fear me too much nowadays. There's even some loss of respect, in a sense, mostly coming from Ina, who bobs her twin-tailed green hair as she flutters around my space like a busy bee. I regretted feeding her food yesterday, this feels like giving scraps to a stray and now they're following you home…
I'm bad with genki-type girls, their energy doesn't mesh well with me so Sonya, who seems to always maintain a sense of calm responsibility and always seems to be paired with the hyper Ina, has slowly become someone whose existence I thanked the heavens for. "What's for breakfast today?"
"Today's breakfast is potato salad, baked chicken thighs, paired with chilled broth, miss."
Now, the second change, lies with Sieghart. I've known that he slowly but surely starts to meet my eyes more and more, but the way that he addresses me with a smile on his face is starting to add up. They still look fake as hell though, but I'm sure if I give it some more time, I'd come to a point where I can't tell the difference.
Ah, I don't know if I'll stay alive that long though! So let's just enjoy all the smiles he's giving me for now. After all, they're all free!
Once I'm filled with some food (thank god that the kitchen is starting to up the seasonings for my food. maybe scolding does work!), dressed up with fabrics that are pretty protective yet still breezy, and equipped with a parasol (a real parasol! it's so hefty!), I turn to the ever-trustworthy guide Sieghart, "Lead the way."
Our journey which starts from inside my room takes me, for the first time, to the foyer that leads to the outside. Not the side door that I used to escape to fertilize the bushes with, no, it's the actual side foyer that leads to a proper stone pathway to the outside.
The outside! This no-life worker has finally stepped outside for the first time! Ah, the flowers and greenery are so nostalgic! It's only been a couple of days since I vomited, yet it feels like so much time has passed!
Accompanied by late birds singing on some faraway tree, I take slow steps to explore the area. Perhaps due to me being confined inside the room for so long, everything seems to have taken a vivid light and contrast. The pink flowers are very pink, and the gentle winds that brush against my cheeks are so soft I can almost feel the texture.
The sun, thankfully, isn't very hot despite it being summer. Banzai for European weather!
"You're so right, miss, this is a real nice weather!" Ina exclaimed as she let out a sigh, "Ah, the morning air is great. I can smell the freshness of summer already..!"
"Ina, you're so embarrassing.."
"She's always like this, you'll get used to it soon." Sonya comments as she keeps her pace a few steps behind me.
Of course, I'm not alone. I know that this kind of novel is big to play on the entourage thing, so there are some servants attached to my side. Aside from Ina and Sonya, there's also another maid who usually sticks by Sasha's side. Her hair is a shade darker brown than Sonya's, tied up in a bun behind her head and wearing a pair of glasses. The style reminds me of a certain magic academy protagonist though, I wonder if all glasses look like that here, due to the era this novel is taking place in?
Also, Sieghart is here too, walking by the rear with glasses maid. I've no idea how the entourage staff is decided, but since he's tagging along here too, I have a strong inkling that I won't be able to shake him off that easily. Will have to figure that out for when the time needs me to. "What is that flower?"
"Oh, that's Blue Rose!" Ina chimes as she follows where my finger points. "Aah, I never grew tired of seeing them bloom around the mansion, they always sparkle so beautifully during the summer. I'm surprised that they're already starting to bloom this early though! It's still too cold for them."
"I see." There's not much I can comment about the flora. It is interesting that an impossible-colored flower is blooming here, but it's another world so maybe there's something in the soil that makes it possible.
Seeing that she doesn't get chided for rambling, Ina continues to point out the flora we meet along the road. "And these are Varia's Palms! Remember to walk away from an area growing with this flower in the wild, miss! It usually means there are bear nests not too far off!"
"Why would the miss be in the wild in the first place?" Sonya asks- no, chides the girl as soon as she finishes talking.
Ina let out a small, short gasp, indicating her shock. "Oh, you're right! Why didn't I think about that before!"
I feel my lips tugging into a smile, though I soon smooth it out once I notice. While the four of them are walking quite a distance away and thus shouldn't see me perfectly as I'm hidden by the parasol, I still can't make the habit of smiling as freely as I'm used to over here, lest I accidentally frighten a passing worker to the point of fainting.
A~ah, so this must be why so many villainesses have fans! It's quite a convenient tool to hide one's face in times like this. I should start carrying one in hand at all times so I don't have to worry about covering my smiles!
The stroll is enjoyable so far, with the chattering of the maids behind filling the air as the scenery passes by. I can now see what other people say when they're enjoying summer, especially the weather. If it always stays at this temperature and never ever becomes humid, I might get on board with being a sun worshiper too!
As I'm starting to feel a little fatigued I spot a resting place not too far away and start to make my way towards it. A bit of leg rest should be fine now, since I've done some exercise and gotten my Vitamin D dose for the day. I'm technically still a patient, aren't I?
Every step I take brings me closer to a white, cute yet spacious gazebo. I can't say much about this piece of architecture due to how wack my sense of style is, other than it looks welcoming. There's a small tea table and seats surrounding it, so this must be a place meant for rest.
Before I even say anything, Sieghart has taken a few steps into the gazebo and pulls out a seat. "Let me clean this first before you rest, miss."
"…"
I remain silent as the blond pulls a thin handkerchief out of his breast pocket and wipes down the seat side that will come in contact with me (or my dress, more likely). I wait as he folds back the kerchief again, notes the color has gone a bit duller, and watch as he gestures for my cue. "This way, miss."
Sonya offers both of her hands, her eyes on the parasol, which I hand to her easily. I let Sieghart lead me to sit, pushing the chair for me as I make myself comfortable. It's not a very comfortable chair, but it is sturdy, and my legs immediately went liquid as my butt touches the seat, thus making me unwilling to move out for the next hour or so.
Outside of the shade, the leaves and flowers dance as the wind caresses them. Clouds swim lazily in the sky, while some birds dive up and down in that endless blue. My hair sways with the breeze, cooling and refreshing the skin with little tickles of movements once in a random while.
I can't help but close my eyes for a moment, and enjoy this moment to simply be.
Time passes, slowly, crawling over every inch of the land that I see as the earth circle in its orbit. I let out a soft exhale, not a sigh, and lean against the seat with a sense of contentment that I wish I had before I got sent on a forced vacation.
I open my eyes once satisfied with the sense of zen, wondering why the girls are quiet and see that Ina has a couple of hands over her mouth, none of that her own limbs. She seems a bit distressed, but still breathing, so I let the girls be.
Sieghart stands as still as the pillars that support this little slice of respite. I can feel his eyes on me, even as I let my mind wander somewhere else. As I turn to look at him, the blond man already has a smile at the ready, manners deployed to a degree of perfection. "Is there anything I can help you with, miss?"
"Perhaps we may continue reading the book here." I offer a suggestion instead of an order, testing the boundaries with the four people present, and taking stock of their reactions. There's a mix of delighted (Ina), and polite nods (Sonya and glasses girl), but no reluctance or rejections.
Sieghart only gave me a small, polite smile that looked as if it reaches his eyes, the blue shimmers as if mimicking the dynamic sky above. "Let me fetch the book for you then."
Before he can move though, glasses girl steps forward to offer, "Let me, sir."
Sieghart, again, looks at me as if asking for permission. Honestly, I have no idea what he's asking for this time, but he looks unworried, so it can't be anything weird.
I nod. Sieghart turns around to address the maids with a gentle smile.
"I'll be the most thankful, Winnie." Sieghart takes the offer while speaking gently to match the smile and yay, a name! Oh wait he's still talking to me, focus! "How about having tea as well, miss? It has been a few days since you last had one."
Should I? I don't know if I want hot tea in this kind of weather. Even if it's not the summer that I know, drinking hot tea where the sun is shining brightly outside is.. very disharmonious. So no, "No tea. Although some chilled water would be nice." I have to keep up the hydration if nothing else!
"Please wait here, miss," Ina takes the lead for the other maids to bow, and for once, she does look very maidenly! "we shall prepare for your tea- not tea time. Relaxation time? Anyway, just wait!!" Aaand the magic is broken. "We'll be back soon!"
Decisions made, the three girls disperse to each of their duties. I'm once again left alone with Sieghart, in silence, as I'm admiring the scenery that makes him pop due to the color. It also helps that he's standing across from me, this time, it was because he had stepped away when offering to fetch the book initially.
I've said before, but this man is really deserves the word handsome. It's no wonder that he managed to climb into the empty second lead spot, despite nothing of the sort was planned by the author. I remember all the comments about how sweet the interactions between him and the main heroine were, and the other half of the comments are about the interactions between him and the first male lead…
Considering the nature of the work, it's kind of surprising to see a character so universally beloved. It's also the reason why his betrayal hurts all the more. No one had seen it coming.
"Is there something I can help with, miss?" Sieghart asks, his voice and body language turning hesitant.
I want to say 'You, the world's beloved, are destined to fall from grace based on the whims of higher power', but that isn't the truth, not the fullness of it. Considering the sadistic author likes to make their villains very well written, I'm sure there's some reason that I don't know of that leads to the outcome that it did in the novel.
Once again, I have to tell myself that I do not know this man. All I know is of a story that became history. "Nothing. Just.. stay still and be silent."
Sieghart smiles with understanding, and it's still a fake one, a curve of lips that doesn't reflect joy. Still far off from fooling me, who had seen those blue eyes tremble with true, genuine fear.
In any case, heartfelt or not, it doesn't change that this smile is still worthy of admiration for the sole reason of the politeness contained within his expression.
It is the least I can do. It is also the most I can do, for a stranger I'm inconveniencing.
The girls returned with the book, the water, and the chilled towel-- hey, that's a thing here?? Author, whoever you are- what the fuck did you put into the book when I wasn't looking huh?? I might have a bad memory about this story since it's been a while and I only remember the villains, but I think there's a point where you gotta stick with world-building rules right?!! You're lucky the person here isn't a loyal reader of yours! They might have cried!!!
I eye the towel and admit defeat as I take it to chill my face. It's refreshing, damnit! I'm not about to say no to a dry yet chilled towel!!!
"Thank you, you may begin."