TMLWA 75

Chapter 75

It wasn’t just that that had changed. One day, Dona came under the pretense of attending to Anne’s meal and said,

“There are now two young ladies in the lord’s castle. Wouldn’t it be better to call one of them Madam?”

Dona spoke politely, smiling sweetly.

“Forget it. And when no one’s around, you don’t have to use formal speech.”

“If I get caught, I’ll be punished. Still, I like how approachable my lady is.”

Contrary to her worries, the maids and the other employees of the castle were all friendly toward Anne.

“That’s just the goodwill you’ve built up over time.”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t use informal speech?”

Anne smirked as she handed Dona her share of the bagels. It was a rare moment of warmth and peace.

In an atmosphere heavy with ominous tension and looming conflict, people instead tried harder to stay bright, throwing themselves into their days with energy.

Anne too, found herself treasuring ordinary, uneventful days more than ever before.

Looking back, she realized so many things had happened since she started working at Tegenes Castle.

Especially—her relationship with Hannibal. To think that the very man who used to persecute and distrust her at every turn had become… this.

Since the engagement ceremony, she no longer had to seek him out. He was the one who came to her first.

The reason was simple: they had to act the part of loving fiancés before Count Arthur.

“Wouldn’t it look strange if a fiancée didn’t get even a single gift?”

Though he grumbled brusquely, what he handed her was a necklace studded with the finest gemstones.

At its center was a blue jewel the size of a fingernail, surrounded by tightly set diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. It was dazzlingly ornate and beautiful.

When it hung over her beige dress, it glittered brilliantly against her chest.

Thinking of the high price, Anne tried to refuse this one gift at least, but Hannibal insisted.

He said it was something necessary to uphold the dignity of the future lady of the house.

Another day, he came with yet another suggestion.

“Shouldn’t we go on a date?”

He proposed they take a carriage through the bustling city streets.

Since Anne already knew he sometimes went out to inspect the streets, she gladly accepted.

When they arrived, people welcomed Hannibal warmly. No one distanced themselves because he was a lord.

Nobles and commoners alike—everyone in Tegenes loved Hannibal Clayde.

“This is my fiancée, Anne Perrault.”

Introduced, the onlookers’ eyes widened before breaking into bright smiles.

“Our lord is finally getting married!”

“At last, our lord has found his match!”

Not one person thought it strange that a fiancée had appeared out of nowhere without prior rumors or scandals. Instead, they cheered and congratulated them wholeheartedly.

Anne, too, found herself showered with blessings and well-wishes.

It was so different.

Tegenes compared to Edith Tara.

Back in Edith Tara, simply walking the streets, she would overhear endless gossip: that she was a mere lowborn maid who had overstepped, daring to snatch the duchess’s seat.

But here—no one said such things.

Perhaps it was because Hannibal’s standing in the west was absolute.

“You were the head maid? Then you must know all about the castle. That’s reassuring!”

At the market, an older woman suddenly grasped Anne’s hand warmly and smiled. As Anne lifted her eyes to meet the woman’s, she patted the back of Anne’s hand gently.

“I was actually an illegitimate child of a baron myself. When I first came here, the discrimination was harsh. But once I worked hard and built good relationships, people began to accept me. I’m sure our lord had good reason to choose you. Definitely. Congratulations.”

The unusually positive reactions left Anne bewildered.

Eventually, she confided her doubts during afternoon tea with Victoria.

“Why is everyone treating me so well? It must be because of the lord, right?”

Victoria gave a knowing, meaningful smile.

“There isn’t a soul in Tegenes who doesn’t know the story of Head Maid Anne Perrault uncovering May’s corruption. It’s because it’s you, Anne, that they’re accepting you. Just as you changed me and my brother, people have surely changed too.”

Since experiencing heartbreak, Victoria had grown far more mature.

Gone was the reckless, childish girl—she now soothed Anne’s unease like an older sister.

“Thank you, my lady.”

“No, thank you, sister-in-law.”

“Don’t call me that, my lady.”

Victoria teased her all the more often, delighted by Anne’s flustered reactions.

“But I like it, hehe.”

Of course, Anne couldn’t tell her that it was really a contract engagement—that the lord was deceiving people.

That guilt weighed heavily on her. Every time people treated her with kindness, her conscience pricked her deeply.

She had only ever dreamed of being acknowledged as head maid through her own efforts—nothing more.

To be fiancée to Hannibal Clayde, ruler of the west, was far too much. All she could do was brace herself for the day when she would be cast out of this undeserved position.

Anne tried to steel her heart every time. But it wasn’t easy—because Hannibal came to her every night.

“How about a walk tonight?”

Using his father’s suspicions as an excuse, Hannibal always made time to dine with Anne and stroll with her afterward.

“You like the annex’s garden, don’t you?”

In Edith Tara, winter would have been bitterly cold. But here in the warm west, it was only pleasantly cool.

Unless it was very late, Hannibal often enjoyed walking with her in the annex’s garden.

“It’s quiet here. I can hear your voice clearly.”

Sometimes, he would say such unguarded words that made Anne’s heart race, as if they were truly on a date.

In the secluded garden, it was just the two of them. Amid small talk, Hannibal occasionally sent her tender looks.

It made her want to believe.

But the Anne reflected in his violet eyes was always trembling faintly—trying not to get trapped, not to create regrets.

And then,

“Anne.”

“Yes?”

Hannibal looked at her with a slightly bitter expression, then spoke without giving her time to think.

“A letter from Emperor Haiman has reached Ruto.”

“Already?”

“It seems it went by sea, not land. That’s why word only reached us late.”

“Which means…”

“The war will start sooner than expected.”

She had thought they would at least pass this year—perhaps even delay until the next.

But contrary to Hannibal and his retainers’ predictions, the Emperor of Haiman’s furious reply was swiftly delivered to Ruto.

And Ruto responded with a declaration of war.

“Before long, I’ll have to go on a monster subjugation expedition.”

Originally, such expeditions were scheduled for late autumn, but it had been continually postponed.

Because it was possible that blades from men, not monsters, might strike first, the troops had to remain on standby.

Anne’s worry deepened.

For the battlefield of two nations to become the west—was this not the very definition of shrimp caught between whales?

No one could be more aggrieved than Clayde.

Yet Hannibal observed the situation with relative composure.

“The southern subjugation will be handled by Prince Daniel and the Imperial Army.”

“Will that be enough? The Imperial Army has no experience in monster subjugation.”

“But the southern forces under him do. They’re well-seasoned. It’ll be fine.”

“That’s a relief. Then where will you be deployed, my lord?”

“Most likely, Ruto will aim for the oasis south of Tegenes. If they pollute that water, the western people’s very livelihood will be threatened. So I and the regular army will guard the oasis, and protect Tegenes along with the central and northern regions.”

“When will you depart?”

“…The monsters have already begun rampaging. Once Ruto moves while the monsters waver, I’ll have to leave—within this month, at the latest.”

It was already early November, nearly year’s end. Though warmer than the southeastern capital, the thought of a midwinter war chilled her.

Anne sighed deeply.

“So the war is really beginning.”

“Why? Is it only sinking in now?”

“Yes.”

At the thought of Hannibal leaving soon, an unexpected pang of sorrow rose in her chest.

These nightly dinners and walks—there wasn’t much time left.

“Anne.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Shouldn’t we change the way you address me?”

“…What?”

Hannibal, walking a step ahead, suddenly turned back.

“It seems you keep forgetting that you are my fiancée.”

Slowly, gently, he took Anne’s left hand. Lifting it just enough to reveal her knuckles, he lowered his lips—so slowly that she could have stopped him at any time.

“Ah—”

The night air was cold, the breeze sharp, yet her hand burned as if scorched.

Startled, Anne pulled back, and Hannibal naturally let go. Did he feel the trembling of her fingertips?

Anne nervously clasped her hand with the other.

“This time, I won’t apologize. Anne.”

“Yes, my lo—”

“Call my name.”

“But… how could I—”

How long would this engagement even last? When the war ended, so would this contract.

Hesitating, Anne faltered, and Hannibal spoke again.

“Anne Perrault, I’m sorry.”

“You’ve apologized enough already.”