(Oh no, this is bad… What should I do?)
While sketching the view from the window of Count Cramoran’s private room, Lena was at a loss.
(Every day, I like Klaus more and more…! What should I do?)
Since he helped her during the broken engagement six years ago, Lena has been secretly watching Klaus from afar. The cold, icy Chancellor. The cold-hearted duke. Despite that, when he’s in front of Richard, he shows a very gentle expression and smiles beautifully.
Moreover, although she thought he was perfect, he can be a bit careless—like impulsively taking away a drawing from a young girl in a fit of anger. When Lena heard that he had taken the picture from a three-year-old girl, she was taken aback, but at the same time, it made her heart flutter to think that he cared so much about Richard.
Every time she sees a side of Klaus she didn’t know, her small, sealed love and admiration grow bigger. If this continues, she feels she might never escape.
Today, she is scheduled to go to the castle in the afternoon. Klaus almost always comes to check on Lena when she’s there, so she will definitely have to face him at least once. Recently, every time she sees Klaus, she feels her face flush with heat. She worries he might notice her feelings someday.
(If that happens, I might lose my job, right…)
He might suspect she’s only there for Klaus. If so, Klaus, who is strict, would probably dismiss her immediately.
Sigh…
I have to find a way to suppress these emotions.
Just as Lena let out a sigh, her younger brother Alek entered the room.
“Older sister. Are you sure it’s okay to receive such expensive chocolates?”
In Alek’s hand is a box of chocolates, which he asked the maid Catherine to prepare as a snack.
“It’s fine. I’m enjoying delicious sweets at the castle, so I want to share some happiness with you, Alek. I get a pretty good salary, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Really? Then, thank you! I’ll share some with Father too!”
Alek quickly put on a bright smile, hugged the box, and left. The sound of him running down the stairs can be heard—probably headed to the dining room for tea time now.
Although he’s been a bit cheeky lately now that he’s twelve, he’s still a straightforward and adorable little brother.
(Young brothers are so cute. I understand why Klaus cares so much about Richard.)
The somewhat awkward, distant formal atmosphere sometimes felt between Klaus and Richard is a bit concerning, but perhaps there are complicated royal circumstances behind it.
As Lena resumed her sketching, her father entered the room this time.
“Lena, I heard from Alek—if you have money, why not have one or two new dresses made?”
She doesn’t know what Alek said, but her father seems to have misunderstood that Lena spends her salary on sweets and started suggesting new dresses.
“ Dresses are hardly needed, since I rarely attend parties, and the ones I have are enough.”
“But still, you’re young, and wearing the same dress to every party isn’t ideal…”
“Young? I’m already twenty-two. I’ve fallen off the marriage market.”
“Again with that…”
“It’s better to have Alek’s clothes made instead of mine. He’s growing so fast, his clothes keep getting too small. It’s cruel to put short pants on him.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“And shoes too. Alek, your feet have grown again, haven’t they?”
“Come to think of it, you said your shoes were tight…”
“Then could you call the tailor to make some for him? I’ll pay for it, so please have them make a few more.”
The Cramoran family isn’t exactly poor, but they’re not wealthy either. They don’t have enough money to have many clothes tailored all at once, so Lena’s salary usually pays for one outfit at a time. But now, with her income, she can have several made at once.
(I want to replace all of Alek’s tiny old pants.)
It would be wise to have them made a little larger, anticipating growth.
Having failed to buy her daughter a new dress, her father trudged out of the room, shoulders drooped. But he had already asked the tailor, and Lena is confident they’ll come to make some for Alek.
( Speaking of parties, isn’t Prince Georges’ engagement party coming up soon?)
She’s heard that Georges and Henrietta’s engagement celebration will be held at the castle. Invitations should be sent out to more people than to the count’s family, so they should arrive at her house soon.
(An engagement party, huh… Hehe. Small children’s engagement parties must be quite adorable.)
Since Georges and Henrietta are still young, they’ll probably leave early, but it’s sure to be charming.
Lena smiled softly and gazed absentmindedly out the window.
~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~
Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉
Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
~~~Next Chapter~~~
Next chapter will be released on November, 29.
See you then!!
