Chapter 6.1 – More Than Expected

“It’s gotten cold.”

Wendy rubbed her hands and looked up at the sky. It was early winter, and her breath had turned quite white.

“That’s true.”

Joel, who was walking with her, also looked up. Coming from the North, this level of cold wasn’t hard for him, but it seemed different for Wendy.

“I’m worried if I’ve asked too much of you, Miss Wendy. Especially with the cold weather.”

“This much is fine. I like winter. Did you bring the list? The one your sisters wrote?”

“Oh, here.”

Joel took a memo from his pocket and handed it to Wendy. A smile appeared on Wendy’s lips as she checked the list.

“These are exactly the kinds of things kids their age would like.”

Hairpins, necklaces, famous cookies, wool hats, and scarves. Cute and simple things.

“Hmm, it’s best to buy the cookies just before returning to the North, right? I’ll take you to my favorite places for the rest.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

Wendy took Joel to her favorite clothing stores and shops without missing a single one.

Joel seemed somewhat tired but followed Wendy without complaint, purchasing everything she picked without objection. Soon, both of his hands were filled with gift packages.

In return, Joel wanted to give Wendy a gift, but she firmly refused. Thanks to Joel, she enjoyed a refreshing outing after a long time, and seeing so many pretty and cute things lifted her spirits, so she felt she’d already received enough in return.

“Have you been busy? I haven’t seen you around.”

“Oh.”

Wendy laughed awkwardly.

“I think Lucas and Seira have gotten close enough without me. They even went on a trip.”

“I see.”

“They’re holding a Christmas banquet at the Devon Ducal Household. They’ll announce the engagement then, so they’ll have a lot to talk about and prepare, so they’ll be busy.”

“I struggled without you, Miss Wendy.”

“Oh, I did worry about you, Sir Joel.”

“Did you? I’ll take comfort in knowing I wasn’t forgotten.”

Joel joked as he adjusted the gift packages.

Wendy helped him by tightening the opening of the bag and adjusting the position of the gift boxes to make it easier for him to carry.

“When are you returning to the North, Sir?”

“I plan to return after the engagement announcement.”

“Seira too?”

“She’ll stay in the capital to continue preparing for the engagement. My role was to escort her from the North to the capital.”

Joel was looking ahead, but somehow it seemed like he was looking even further. Wendy, who had been watching Joel’s profile, also turned to look in the same direction.

Whenever they talked about Joel and Seira, Wendy felt an inexplicable sense of camaraderie with him. It was the same now, and she somehow realized why.

“Time will solve it.”

Joel suddenly turned to Wendy at the unexpected words.

“When it’s out of sight, it’s bearable. At first, it’s hard because it keeps coming to mind, but as days pass, it gets better.”

“…Is that from experience?”

Wendy answered with a smile instead of words. From that smile, Joel understood without her saying anything.

When looking at Lucas, when looking at Seira, when watching Lucas and Seira together, and when their eyes met by chance. Each time, they smiled and brushed it off because they instinctively sensed they were in the same situation.

That must be why. From the beginning, he felt a strange bond with Wendy.

“Wendy.”

“Joel.”

Two different voices called them.

Turning around, they saw Lucas and Seira standing in front of an upscale shop with a red awning.

“I didn’t expect to see you two together.”

Lucas’s gaze moved from Wendy to Joel and then to the gifts Joel was holding. Seira did the same.

“Miss Wendy helped me choose gifts for my sisters. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t figure it out.”

“You should have told me. I wanted to buy them gifts too.”

Seira regretted, but Joel just smiled. He added that they could do it next time, but Seira knew she’d soon be busy with engagement preparations, so it was just a courtesy.

“This is perfect timing. Seira and I are heading to the manor. You two should come with us.”

“Oh, well…”

“Grandmother wants to see you, Wendy. She hasn’t seen you lately.”

“Oh.”

She intended to refuse, but when Lucas mentioned the Dowager Duchess, it became difficult to decline. The Dowager Duchess had invited Wendy several times, but she always postponed with excuses of being sick or having plans.

In the end, Wendy reluctantly nodded.

“Let’s go, Joel.”

“Pardon?”

“We have a carriage too. See you at the manor.”

Wendy pulled Joel’s sleeve, leading him along.

Caught off guard, Joel followed Wendy’s lead. Lucas seemed to say something behind them, but they ignored it and hurried on.

“I was planning to return.”

“You wanted to repay me, right? Do it this way.”

I don’t want to get involved with them.

Wendy had used Joel’s carriage for the outing today. If Joel left, she’d have to ride with Lucas and Seira, and she wanted to avoid that.

“I guess I have no choice. Just for today, I can’t refuse your request, Miss Wendy.”

Thanks to Wendy helping him choose gifts for his sisters, he felt a burden lifted, and confirming their shared situation and feelings gave him comfort and advice.

In the end, Joel chuckled and willingly followed Wendy to the carriage.

***

“So you didn’t meet them either?”

The Dowager Duchess asked after a pleasant reunion with Wendy.

She had been disappointed not to see her, but Wendy’s explanation made sense.

“I believe you’ll understand, Grandmother. Lucas and Seira need to grow closer without me.”

“Why. Don’t they seem close to you?”

“They’re better than before, but it’s different.”

The atmosphere was completely different from when Karen and Count Enjet decided on their engagement.

Wendy knew the reasons and situations for deciding on marriage were different from her sister’s. But wouldn’t it be better to grow closer rather than keeping a clear distance? They might fall in love, and then they could be more than satisfied, even happier.

“Alright, I understand. Though it’s disappointing, as a friend, I want to say you did well.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s better for you than worrying about Lucas.”

No matter how much she let go, how many people could watch someone they once had feelings for get engaged to someone else without a care? Especially for someone as sensitive as Wendy, it would be even harder.

Moreover, the Dowager Duchess didn’t see Wendy as having completely let go of her feelings.

“And you don’t need to worry about Lucas. He’s more emotionally detached than you think.”

“He’s your grandson, yet you’re so harsh.”

Emotionally detached, it sounded quite heartless.

Even with Wendy’s protest, the Dowager Duchess just shook her head.

“You’re the only exception for Lucas. You don’t know how surprising it is to see him act kindly towards you.”

“Hmm. But I wish Lucas would treat me the same as everyone else.”

Every time Lucas acted kindly, expectations would quietly rise.

No matter how much she covered and buried it, the small seed buried deep would stir and stretch whenever it received sunlight. She worried that, as Seira mentioned, if her heart grew heavier, what would she do?

“From Seira’s perspective, it would be uncomfortable.”

“Did she say that?”

“No, but if I put myself in her shoes, I think it would be. I’m just like a sister, but not really a sister.”

“You’re kind. Thinking of Seira as well.”

Wendy quickly shook her head at the Dowager Duchess’s praise.

“That’s not it. Honestly, it’s uncomfortable for me to be between the two of them.”

So she didn’t deserve the praise. She spoke honestly, but the Dowager Duchess still smiled warmly.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Wendy checked the large grandfather clock in one corner of the Dowager Duchess’s room.

“Oh, I have to go now. Father is coming home early today, and we’re having dinner together for the first time in a while.”

“It seems the Earl of Rosewood is very busy at the end of the year.”

“Yes. He’s always late recently. He looks tired, and I’m worried.”

“You came with Sir Joel’s carriage, right? Shall I offer the ducal carriage?”

“No, Sir Joel will take me.”

Since he’d brought her all the way here, she couldn’t leave him alone.

Wendy brightly refused the Dowager Duchess’s offer and stood up.

***

“Where could he be?”

Wendy wandered the garden, looking around.

While she had tea with the Dowager Duchess, Lucas went to his office for urgent work, and Seira said she had something to discuss with Joel.

She expected them to be in the drawing room, but no one was there. When she asked the butler, he said they went out to the garden, so she came out to find them.

Sweeping through the front of the garden, she turned the corner along the manor’s outer wall.

“Oh, there they are.”

Seira and Joel were near the storage where the gardener kept his tools.

Wendy started to approach but suddenly stopped. The atmosphere was tense.

“So what are you going to do? Are you really going to leave me like this?”

“What are you talking about now, Seira?”

She wished she were far enough not to hear, but the words were small yet clear. Wendy couldn’t bring herself to step forward and slowly retreated back around the corner.

Fortunately, it seemed the two hadn’t noticed her. As she cautiously stepped back, she bumped into someone.

“Ah!”