Chapter 11. Self-awareness

Well.

“Berenice?”

They say even an unlucky person breaks their nose when they fall on their back.¹

Whether this is an appropriate proverb for the current situation is not easily judged with a head full of white hair…

Berenice nodded her head with a creak.

“Roberto….”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to visit the construction site.”

“Ah.”

Somehow, Berenice felt like she knew what Roberto was going to say, so she tightly shut her mouth.

‘Please just say, “Let’s go together”….!’

Roberto’s lips slowly parted.

“Shall we go together, Berenice? I also wanted to check it out.”

Ah.

What can I do. This is just fate. Destiny.

Berenice nodded in agreement.

In the end, Berenice and Roberto ended up walking side by side in the corridor, drawing all sorts of attention as the main focus of the duchy.

Selphine followed them with a content gaze.

‘Will there be no more fussing over the two of them?’

She would make sure Berenice never experienced the same thing again, even if it meant risking Selphine’s entire life as a maid.

***

“The land is wider than I thought, isn’t it?”

“Yes. There are many large plots of land here in Cyrilov that we can’t use.”

Berenice pressed her hat firmly.

When exposed to sunlight for a long time, Berenice’s skin didn’t burn; it turned red instead. It took a week of cold compresses for the stinging pain to subside.

So, when Berenice had to go out in the summer, one of the things Selphine meticulously prepared was a wide-brimmed hat.

And today, it was more appreciated than ever.

The wide-brimmed hat concealed all of Berenice’s expressions.

Despite the hot summer air being humid and oppressive, Roberto seemed unaffected. His cool silver hair and refreshing golden eyes held a bright smile.

‘Why are you looking at me like that, making my heart flutter.’

Only after meeting Berenice’s eyes hidden behind the hat did Roberto straighten his posture.

“You’re not showing your face.”

“Me? It’s because of the heat.”

“Still, I was worried.”

Roberto’s golden eyes curved beautifully. It was a bright, lemon-like smile that seemed to sweep away this hot summer.

“I was worried that you might be angry with me, Berenice.”

“Why would I be angry.”

“You didn’t look me in the eye.”

Berenice bit her lip. She knew that looking into someone’s eyes while having a conversation was important, but she had never realized how difficult it could be.

Roberto, who always handled things without a care, was causing embarrassment for Berenice these days.

They say the eyes are windows that reveal a person’s emotions.

Berenice was afraid of the emotions that would be revealed through her eyes. She hesitated, fearing that emotions she herself hadn’t realized might flow out and reach Roberto.

However, Roberto, without any hesitation, met Berenice’s eyes and smiled easily. Why on earth…

‘Am I the only one feeling this way? Don’t cross the line, Berenice.’

To even feign a nonchalant expression, Berenice had to ponder her relationship with Roberto dozens of times a day.

Berenice moved her steps to walk alongside Roberto.

“It seems that the land that was once useless is now reborn as a commercial district thanks to Berenice’s grace. The ancestors of the clueless Cyrilov would be pleased to know.”

“…It’s nothing, really. But I can tell you this many times, if Valencia Merchantry didn’t have investment value, we wouldn’t have jumped into it.”

“I understand that Viscount Dante has shown me great favor because of you, Berenice. Even without such favor…”

Roberto delayed his steps to stand by Berenice’s side.

The vast land suddenly seemed to come to an end. Roberto squinted his eyes and gazed beyond the horizon. His keen vision could see trends far away, beyond what an ordinary person could see.

The dukedom, which seemed distant, now felt too close.

Roberto slowed down his steps.

The leisurely time he spent walking with Berenice made it seem like they could walk for as long as they wanted. Berenice was a caring and warm person, so it was obvious that if Roberto slowed down, Berenice would too.

Just like now.

“You’ll probably find a town nearby at the edge of the land. It would be nice to take a break and explore for a bit.”

It was a suggestion he made to stay there together for a while.

“Yes, that sounds good.”

But Berenice understood Roberto’s intentions literally, completely having no idea of any indirect request for a date. It was because she had never thought that Roberto, who’s always serious and diligent, would indirectly ask her out like this.

She simply understood it as, ‘Let’s dip our hands in the town for a bit because it’s really hot,’ with no romance involved.

Berenice adjusted her hat.

Although she muttered about the heat, it was to hide the look in her eyes that glanced at Roberto.

***

Time flew by quickly.

Today was the day when Valencia Merchantry Cyrilov Branch, which had overcome all kinds of obstacles, opened its doors for the first time.

“One, two, three!”

“Congratulations on the completion of the Valencia Merchantry Cyrilov Branch!”

“Wow!”

As Berenice cut the red ribbon with scissors, colorful flower petals rained down amidst loud cheers.

It was the completion ceremony of the building of the Valencia Merchantry Cyrilov Branch, which was the first to start construction in the commercial area.

Although all the surrounding buildings were still under construction, the new building stood alone amidst the chaotic scenery. But it didn’t matter. This building would be the start, and soon other buildings would be erected around it.

It was truly a proper beginning.

The future of the commercial district filling up around Valencia Merchantry’s center seemed to unfold before Berenice’s eyes. It was a scene that made her feel quite proud.

Berenice filled the barren field with her imagination.

The revitalization of Cyrilov Territory had now become not only Alfonso’s dream but also Berenice’s. Berenice still thought of Cyrilov Territory as an uncut gemstone. As Roberto said, there was a lot of land that had not been developed. Unlike the capital city, which was a red ocean with no more land for business.

But what about Cyrilov?

Although it was a neglected area, it also meant that there was much that Berenice could do in the future.

Berenice’s heart swelled with dreams.

It felt like she was drawing on an empty canvas. Especially on the day of the completion ceremony of the Valencia Merchantry Cyrilov Branch.

“Congratulations.”

“The building looks great.”

“When will occupancy begin?”

“Now that the building is completed, we should start bringing in goods soon.”

“Only the real activities are left now.”

The masters of major trading partners who newly signed contracts at the Cyrilov Branch offered their congratulations to Berenice. The congratulatory gifts sent by those who couldn’t attend were gradually piling up in the warehouse.

After finishing greeting the guests, Berenice turned around, and Selphine tearfully spoke with a moved expression.

“The construction is over now, right? Your workload will decrease a bit, won’t it?”

“Well, I don’t know. Until we establish our position and hire a branch manager, I don’t think the workload will decrease much.”

“No! You were sick not too long ago. Even now, you have too much work. If one thing is finished, you should at least reduce some workload!”

“Still, we need to be careful until the business district stabilizes. Trading in Cyrilov is almost like starting from scratch.”

Berenice comforted Selphine in a gentle voice. Although she spoke as if she was scolding her, knowing that it was filled with concern for her made her feel good. It also reminded her of another person who was always anxious about her health.

“Berenice.”

Berenice heard a voice calling her from behind so suddenly that it felt eerie. And there he was. When she turned around, she saw Roberto standing with a large flower basket, accompanied by Terenzio.