Chapter 49 - Why... with that expression?
Translator: Yonnee
-
"Why did you hold her hand?"
As Ciel's voice dropped an octave in an instant, he sounded completely intimidating. Panicked, Aiden replied.
"I was shaking because I was too scared midair, but the Lady held my hand to calm me down."
"Ah..."
Ciel himself was used to it and so he forgot, but it was indeed frightening to anyone who's new to it.
"You must have been frightened. I'm sorry."
"No! Actually, it felt like a waste that I didn't get to see you fighting, but the situation was urgent and I fully understood. And I was less scared because the Lady held my hand."
"...Wasn't the Lady scared, too?"
Ciel anxiously tried to confirm however he could. His hunch was practically solidified, but he had yet to get his hands on concrete evidence.
"Mmh, no, it didn't seem like she was scared. That's why I also felt a bit mortified."
As Aiden answered with a bit of a depressed tone, Ciel patted his younger brother on the head.
If his hunch was correct, then she really would never be afraid of it. She had soared through air dozens upon dozens of times, so of course she wouldn't.
At the joy that roared silently within him, Ciel was completely out of it as he tried to control the tugging on the corners of his lips.
He then excused himself, saying that he needed to freshen up and change his clothes. Then, as he returned to his guest chambers, took off his shirt and looked out of the window, he was still dazed by the incredible possibility.
It was a ridiculous assumption.
He knew it well enough.
However, no matter what anyone would tell him, he was the only person who knew her best.
Those little habits that only Seohyun's husband could know.
Now that he thought of it, he was distracted by how cute she was, but Seohyun's habits were shining through even while she was eating.
It was not until they got married that Ciel found out what kind of circumstances she was in at the special forces.
It was a vicious environment where the members were not even treated as human beings, so would they have been given any proper food?
Perhaps that's why she always so wholeheartedly focused on her meals whenever she ate. Usually, her eyes would follow his every movement surreptitiously like a cat, but this would stop only whenever it's time to eat.
Towards a person who-though the cause was regrettable-was eating so well like that, there were times when he had instigated quarrels...
In hindsight, he realized that he had acted like a fool. He was like a little boy who was playing a prank on the girl he liked.
Right. Above all else, there was nothing else stronger than this to prove that Lady Closch was, in fact, Seohyun.
Ciel inadvertently smiled as he took off the rest of his clothes. As he was already accustomed to bathing on his own, he took a simple shower and dressed himself again in simple, light clothes that he chose to wear.
Once everyone had fallen asleep after dinner, he would check one last time.
And this time, it should be handled without anyone at all knowing, to the point that even the baron would not know.
* * *
Eating alone in my room made me feel a bit depressed. I ate together with my family every single day, and it's frustrating that I was eating alone for the first time here because of my ex-husband.
Why didn't he take the saintess's guiding? Why did he have to fall there like that? And why did he have to be so into the kiss that he made my lips all bruised, thereby making it impossible for me to go out lest my family would notice?
The first few times I saw him, I was surprised and flustered. But now that I was seeing him often at my own house, it's just rather annoying at this point.
And because of Ciel, I couldn't even do any target practice with my bow, or any practice swings with my katar. I couldn't even dare take them out.
I was quite certain that he didn't remember me, but at the very least, I still didn't want to show any traces of my identity for no reason.
Right now, I just want to focus on shooting arrows without thinking at all.
Just when in the world was he going away?
In any case, after I ate Uncle Hans's delicious stew again for dinner tonight, I rang the bell to call Mary.
"Are you done eating, Milady?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Then, would you like to try some of this, too?"
Mary set down a basket in front of me.
"Potatoes?"
"Yes, we have to finish them all today. We've got a lot of roasted potatoes now, so Uncle Hans seems to be in quite a pickle, too."
"...Why do we suddenly have a lot of roasted potatoes?"
"I'm actually not sure about that either. But what I'm sure of is this-the Madam is quite angry."
I guess so. Of course she's angry.
Of all places, he just had to fall at that spot and set fire to someone else's potato field.
"Anyway, please try some if you'd like."
"...Could you bring me some sugar, too?"
"Will you be dipping the potatoes in sugar as well?"
"No, never mind. Just get me some salt..."
"Alright, I'll be back in a jiffy. I'll ask Uncle Hans for some."
"Thanks..."
The household was in a precarious situation, so I couldn't possibly ask for sugar recklessly. Sugar was a luxury in these parts.
I already knew that it wouldn't be good to dip roasted potatoes in sugar that could be enough to mix with black tea instead, but...
"I'm quite the fan of sugar though."
Roasted potatoes were better with sugar, period. Salted roasted potatoes had character, too, but having them with sugar was just more delicious.
Well, anyway, I didn't expect to eat the food I ate so much in the past-to the point of getting sick of it-here in this place.
All members of the special were quite sick and tired of roasted potatoes. However, when I happened to come upon roasted potatoes with sugar by chance, I became completely into it.
Still though, as much as possible, I didn't want to eat roasted potatoes.
As I remembered the old days, the irritation that evaporated soared once again.
Whether it was in the past or the present, Ciel just kept on putting her in a difficult position.
Back then, she was still blinded with rose-colored glasses as he was the apple of her eye, and he looked so marvelous to her.
But now, he was another person's man.
No. Actually, even back then, he was not on my side.
