Chapter 42
Unlike usual, the children finished their meal quietly and went upstairs to the second floor where their rooms were. Ellen and Serel headed straight for Erika’s room.
“Erika.”
Ellen knocked lightly and gently opened the door.
Erika was slouched sideways on the sofa, staring blankly ahead. From the dress room, the faint sound of clattering suggested that Erika’s maid was handling her luggage.
Seeing Erika in that dazed state, Ellen lightly grabbed the sylph that had been perched atop her head and sent it to Erika. The sylph flew to her at a rapid speed, sprinkling glittering powder of light. As the powder sank in, Erika briefly glowed before the light faded away.
“Thanks, Sylph.”
Erika gave a weak smile.
“Did you confess?”
Ellen asked as she sat on the sofa. Erika, sparkling in the light from the sylph, answered.
“Yeah. And the result was exactly what I expected.”
Erika smiled as if nothing had happened. Or rather, she tried to smile as if nothing had happened. Ellen and Serel could see the effort behind that smile.
“It’s fine! I expected it anyway. Everyone already knew that Royle didn’t like me. I just feel worse for making him say awkward things. I confessed for my own peace of mind.”
Before Ellen and Serel could even say anything to comfort her, Erika kept talking. Her voice occasionally trembled, as if she might break into tears, and Ellen let out a deep sigh while Serel wiped his eyes with one hand.
“Erika. Just cry.”
“Yeah. If not now, then when?”
“Sniff… waaahhh!”
No sooner had they spoken than Erika broke down into loud, uncontrollable sobs.
Her maid, who had been packing her luggage in the dress room, quietly approached and handed her a handkerchief. When Serel held it to Erika’s tear-streaked face, she clutched it and cried even harder.
Ellen and Serel exchanged glances, then looked back at Erika, who was sobbing pitifully. There was nothing they could do except stay by her side.
So they sat next to her, either staring out the window or counting the lace on their sleeves, trying not to embarrass her by watching her cry too directly.
After crying bitterly for a long time, Erika suddenly stopped.
“Erika?”
Ellen looked up in surprise, thinking she might have collapsed from crying. But Erika was perfectly fine, sitting upright on the sofa.
“I’m done crying.”
“Huh?”
“I cried enough. I knew how it would turn out when I confessed, so I’ve cried all I need to. The rest I’ll save for the pain of a first love I’ll remember when I’m old.”
“Are you really okay now?”
Serel asked, laughing softly at Erika’s offbeat comment. Erika laughed along with him.
“I’m fine. There are plenty of loves that end before even being spoken out loud. At least I told Royle how I felt. And I decided the end of my feelings myself, not someone else, so I’m fine.”
Seeing Erika smile genuinely, Ellen quietly pulled her into a hug. Serel then wrapped both of them in his arms.
Erika leaned in obediently to her friends, then gently pushed them away and called Sylph.
“Sylph. I’m hot after crying. Can you blow some cool air?”
As the sylph twirled in the air, a refreshing breeze blew from somewhere, caressing Erika’s cheeks like a gentle wind.
The children left the mansion, ready to return to their own homes, and found two carriages waiting in front of them. Usually, all six of them would ride in a single large carriage, so this new arrangement felt strange.
Everyone instinctively looked at Erika, but whether she noticed their gaze or not, she just kept staring straight ahead.
“Adrian, Roilette, and Santuke, please take this carriage. Miss, Ellen, and Serel, please take this one,” the butler said, gesturing to each carriage.
The children exchanged glances and silently followed the butler’s instructions.
Once Ellen and Serel were seated, adjusting their dress hems, Erika pulled down the carriage window shade. With the servants outside no longer in view, Ellen leaned back comfortably in her seat.
Soon, the carriage with the boys departed, followed by the girls’ carriage.
“I thought it might be uncomfortable. I’m still embarrassed, Royle probably still feels sorry, and you two might feel awkward watching us,” Erika said before anyone could ask.
“Good thinking, Erika. We’re not really uncomfortable. You need to feel at ease,” said Ellen.
“Yeah, and we can spread out our dresses. It’s comfortable and nice,” added Serel.
Erika smiled and relaxed a little more at their words.
“But Erika, when we go to our house, you might see Royle more often.”
“Hmmm…”
Erika furrowed her brows, then smoothed the vertical lines with her hand and said,
“No. I still think going to your house is better.”
Ellen and Serel looked at her, silently asking why.
“Somehow, the rumor that I confessed to Royle at dawn spread throughout the mansion by morning.”
“What? In just the morning?”
Serel asked, surprised.
“Yeah, just the morning. I knew rumors spread fast among the servants, but not this fast. Their little community must be very active. If this were the capital mansion instead, all the nobles would have known I confessed by now.”
Erika shook her head, and Ellen and Serel stared at each other, letting out a sigh.
“Yeah, thank goodness it’s not the capital.”
“Rumors are scary…”
Ellen and Serel briefly reflected on whether they’d said anything wrong at the mansion, especially in the capital.
Erika continued,
“From morning, the maids kept bringing things to my room, pretending nothing was wrong but offering comfort. They brought tea before meals, Mont Blanc with the tea, and some carried three outfits between three people, while one brought only a bracelet.”
Ellen and Serel chuckled at her words.
“They all care about you.”
“Yeah, but it’s a bit overwhelming. When people are too considerate, I feel like I need to smile just to show that I’m okay.”
“That’s true.”
“Serel, you’re going to the capital mansion. What if a spirit sees you there? Dad would put me straight into Edelheim. So automatically, Ellen’s house is the winner!”
Ellen nodded with a smile.
“Yeah. You can stay as long as you like. I’ve already told my family you’re coming too.”
Erika laughed and pressed her face against Ellen’s shoulder. Ellen gently stroked her hair.
Meanwhile, the boys’ carriage was unusually quiet.
“Annoyed, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I am,” murmured Santuke to Adrian. Both were watching Royle across from them.
“He’s whistling alone again. That’s exactly what being annoyed looks like.”
“He’d talk to us if he wanted. Instead, he just whistles alone every day.”
Santuke crossed his arms, grumbling. Adrian poked his side.
“What about the things we bought this morning? Let’s look again.”
Santuke grinned and placed the packages between himself and Adrian.
“Here, this is yours, this is Royle’s, this is mine.”
He gave a package to Adrian and placed one next to Royle, then quickly opened his own.
“As expected. The leather is high quality.”
Adrian inspected his gloves, satisfied.
“Right? The leather from the Note Estate is really good. And according to Erika, the tanner here is one of the best in the empire.”
“Ah, I heard that too. Erika bragged about it once when she gave us each a pair of leather shoes.”
Santuke recalled the leather shoes he received as a child. They were his first gift from Erika. He only wore them once and kept them safely. They no longer fit, but they still remained in his room.
“Yeah, those were comfortable too. Is it the same tanner?”
“Not sure. But from now on, I’ll buy things every time we come to Note. Better than in the capital,” Adrian said, flexing his gloved hands. Santuke tried gripping the sword hilt with his gloved hand.
Across from them, Royle only looked out the window, oblivious to their movements. Despite the beautiful scenery of the Note Estate, nothing seemed to enter his eyes.
“I like you.”
Erika, speaking a bit quickly and nervously, looked at Royle, whose expression gradually showed surprise.
“Erika…”
“I liked you from the first Pollet, from the first time I saw you at the Magic Circle Office.”
Erika’s eyes were earnest, glistening slightly with moisture, though not yet tears.
Royle eventually looked away, thinking Erika might feel embarrassed if he stared. He stole a glance, then nervously met her eyes again.
“Thank you, Erika. For liking me. And… I’m sorry.”
At his apology, Erika lowered her head. Once lowered, it was very hard for her to raise it again.
She steadied her expression, thinking, It’s okay. I knew this would happen. Why be surprised?
But thoughts and feelings don’t always align. She thought she’d be fine, having expected the result, but…
Her eyes trembled. Pressing her hand to them to steady herself, Royle panicked, thinking she was crying.
“Er… Erika… um…”
Royle’s hand hovered in front of her face, unsure what to do. Seemingly saying, What do I do? She’s crying! he fidgeted nervously. Erika bit his hand firmly.
“Ah! Erika!”
Startled, Royle stepped back and held his bitten hand with the other.
Erika looked up at his round eyes and the hand he held, then smiled triumphantly.
“This is fine, right? My childhood feelings were rejected.”
“Uh… yeah.”
Seeing her eyes wetter than before and her forcibly lifted smile, Royle answered automatically. Saying “no” here would have made him a real villain.
