Chapter 7 (Part 6)

As she raised her head slightly, the man froze in place. Puzzled, she watched as he seemed to snap out of it and hurried toward his own carriage. Without looking her way again, he handed the tools to the coachman, who thanked him profusely and quickly began repairing the wheel.  

Feeling reassured that the issue was being resolved, Brienne turned her attention to the forest. The lush green scenery reminded her of Cardin.  

She missed his gentle, shining eyes. A sigh escaped her lips. 

How could I miss him after speaking such harsh words to him?  

Even though she knew clinging to him would only lead to painful realities, she couldn’t help herself. Eventually, she lowered her gaze to the dirt ground. As she watched an ant scurry by, hurried footsteps approached, and the coachman bowed his head.  

“Madam, the repairs are complete. Please board the carriage.”  

As she turned to climb back in, she glanced toward where the man with the tools had been. She thought it might be polite to thank him since his help had sped up the process.  

However, the man was nowhere to be seen. His carriage had also disappeared.  

The coachman, noticing her hesitation, asked curiously, 

“Madam, are you looking for something?”  

“No.”  

A brief silence followed. She considered asking if the man had left but decided against it. He was gone, and it seemed unlikely their paths would cross again.  

Brienne quickly boarded the carriage. She was eager to reach Peroy and see Kelle.  

***

The carriage finally arrived in Peroy. The air was thick with the fragrant scent of the forest, likely due to the rain the day before.  

As she stepped out of the carriage and looked at the familiar house, a cheerful voice called out.  

“Brienne!”  

Turning around, she saw Kelle running toward her, a bright smile lighting up her face.  

“Was the journey difficult?”  

“No. But I feel bad for coming so suddenly….”  

“Not at all! I was just thinking how much I wanted to see you, so this is perfect. Come inside.”  

Kelle opened the door with a wide smile. Brienne hesitated for a moment before speaking.  

“Can I see Viche first?”  

“Shall we go together?”  

When Brienne nodded with a smile, Kelle led the way. The stable was larger and cleaner than before. Kelle spoke warmly.  

“Viche seems to have adapted well to living here. She eats her grass happily and has even gained some weight.”  

“She’s still as stubborn as ever, isn’t she?”  

Kelle laughed.  

“That’s just how Viche is. But she’s manageable.”  

It was a relief that Viche wasn’t causing too much trouble. At that moment, Brienne spotted a familiar silhouette. Approaching quickly, she saw Viche pause mid-chew and lift her head.  

Brienne approached and stroked Viche’s head. The horse seemed to recognize her, leaning into her touch.  

As she gently petted Viche, a sense of peace washed over her. She had never felt this way before. It was as if she had finally found her place.  

Brienne gazed at Viche. When she had bought the horse, her circumstances were dire, and she had struggled to care for it. Now, though her debts were gone and her situation had improved, she felt no happier—perhaps even more miserable.  

At least here, she felt a sense of home and tranquility.  

Viche closed her eyes and stood still. As Brienne continued to stroke her, her thoughts grew heavier.  

Cardin wasn’t the type to give up on her easily. He had even refused to sign the divorce papers.  

Just then, Kelle spoke from beside her.  

“Brienne, is something bothering you?”  

“Huh?”  

“Your face looks serious.”  

“No, it’s nothing. I just feel like it’s been too long since I’ve been here.”  

Flustered, her words came out haphazardly. Fortunately, Kelle responded lightly.  

“That’s why you should visit more often.”  

She smiled brightly and continued,  

“By the way, I mentioned this in my letter, didn’t I? Madame Flurdy’s son, who lives in Peroy, has been helping me with my work.”  

When Brienne nodded, Kelle’s face lit up even more.

“Actually, he’s about to arrive after running an errand for me. Let’s step outside for a moment.”

Brienne followed Kelle out of the stable. Kelle spoke at length about the man.

“I wanted to introduce you to him this time. He’s diligent, and he’s been curious about you too.”

Just as they stepped out of the stable, there he was—the man she had seen before. Upon seeing her, his eyes widened in surprise. Kelle smiled as she introduced him.

“Brienne, this is Batrick. He’s Madame Flurdy’s son.”

It was the same man who had helped the coachman earlier. She hadn’t expected to meet him here. Struck by the coincidence, she smiled and greeted him.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Brienne.”

The man stared at her with a stiff expression. Puzzled, she watched as Batrick belatedly bowed his head.

“I’m Batrick.”

His curly brown hair swayed noticeably. As he slowly raised his head, Brienne was suddenly reminded of Cardin. His vivid green eyes flashed in her memory, evoking a strange feeling. Lowering her gaze in discomfort, she heard Kelle speak.

“Brienne, aren’t you hungry? Let’s go in. Batrick, please organize the herbs in the storage.”

Batrick nodded and stepped back. As they walked back to the house, Kelle continued talking about him.

“He’s incredibly diligent for someone his age. I didn’t realize it when he was here, but back at the academy, he studied so hard that he never missed a scholarship.”

Brienne nodded absentmindedly, not particularly interested.  

When they entered the house, the familiar scenery greeted her. Kelle went to the kitchen to wash her hands. Brienne moved to help, but Kelle stopped her.

“Brienne, could you tidy up the room you used before? I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had the chance.”

Nodding, Brienne headed to the room. It felt empty. Other than the luggage the servant had placed by the bed, there wasn’t much to clean.  

As she turned her head slowly, she noticed some dried herbs. They were the same herbs Cardin had once said smelled nice. Holding them up to her nose, she suddenly felt tears fall.  

Back when she left this place, she had been excited and happy. Now, as she looked at the bed, memories of the nights spent with Cardin flooded her mind, and the tears came pouring out uncontrollably.  

She collapsed to the floor, overwhelmed. She missed him so much. His warm smile, the way his eyes shone when he looked at her—it all stirred her heart like a storm.  

***

Cardin stood from his chair and looked out the window. In the distance, he could see a wide river and the bustling market nearby.  

No matter how much he tried to focus on work, he couldn’t concentrate. That morning, he had woken up wanting to hold her and never let go. But he couldn’t ignore the memory of her tearful face, begging him to let her go.  

He had thought everything would be fine, but clearly, Brienne hadn’t felt the same. Sending her to Peroy, away from his mother’s reach, had seemed like the best option.

‘I shouldn’t have let her go.’  

Regret hit him now. He should have held onto her, no matter what. With a hardened expression, Cardin lit a cigarette. Just then, there was a knock at the door.  

“Yes.”  

The door swung open, revealing a familiar face. Cardin’s expression twisted for a moment. He removed the cigarette from his lips.  

“What brings you here unannounced?”  

Hernes entered, holding a stack of documents. Her steps were firm as she approached his desk.  

“Now that Brienne is gone, you might as well sign the divorce papers.”  

Cardin let out a laugh, incredulous.  

“Is that why you came all the way here?”  

“As the heir to the Messerode family, you should know how to protect those around you. What do you think you’re doing?”  

Hernes threw the papers onto his desk. Cardin silently watched the sheets scatter.  

“Roquek has caused quite a stir, yet all you can think about is the woman who ran away from you?”  

“I’ve done everything for Brienne since the day I inherited this family.”  

“What?”  

“To be precise, it was all to find her. You said so yourself back then, didn’t you?”  

“And now you’re planning to abandon this family and run back to her?”  

Cardin smirked as he calmly gathered the scattered papers.  

“Roquek is only applying pressure. He won’t fundamentally disrupt my position.”  

“Most of the retainers already support Roquek. What are you talking about?”  

Handing the papers back to her, Cardin met Hernes’ gaze. Her usually indifferent face was now tinged with anger, her emotions laid bare.  

Cardin smiled.  

“At times like this, you seem so alive, Mother.”  

“… …”  

“Other times, you’re like a dead ghost.”  

“Stop spouting nonsense and marry Foyne.”  

Cardin snapped the cigarette in his hand in frustration.