Chapter 72
Diane gave Gale an awkward smile as she turned to look at him.
Gale blinked several times, as if to ask what kind of situation this was.
“Young Master, let go now.”
Diane spoke gently to Leon.
“No! Who’s that guy?”
“Haha!”
Diane laughed awkwardly.
She just felt like she had to.
“Didn’t I tell you I have an older brother? That’s him.”
“Huh?”
At last, Leon’s mischievous face softened as he looked at Gale.
“Your Grace, this is my brother. I mentioned him before, right?”
Diane introduced Gale to the Duke as well.
It was strange that the Duke’s demeanor was so stiff, but perhaps it was unpleasant for his son’s tutor to be holding hands with a strange man.
“Is that so?”
Contrary to Diane’s expectation that the Duke would relax once she introduced Gale, he continued to look at Gale with a rigid expression.
“Hello, Duke Wale. I’m Gale Tertz.”
Gale, catching on to who the Duke was, gave a polite introduction.
“Hello, Adrian Wale.”
The Duke nodded slightly in greeting, neither too formal nor too casual.
“Hello, Your Grace, I’m Walt Tertz. Gale’s father.”
Walt, who had been standing next to Gale, also greeted the Duke, and the Duke nodded to him as well.
Diane’s eyes naturally turned to Edward Wale.
It was time for Gale, Walt, and Edward to exchange greetings.
“President, you’ve met him befo—”
“Brother…”
Edward cut Diane off before she could finish.
“Yes, you saw him before in front of the Wale Hotel.”
Diane explained again.
“Hello, I’m Gale Tertz. Good to see you again.”
Gale bowed politely.
“Well, I was fine until just now…”
“What?”
Gale’s eyes widened, and Diane grew anxious.
What was he about to say now?
“Anyway, it’s good to see you again, Mr. Gale Tertz.”
Despite Diane’s worries, Edward gave a surprisingly normal greeting, which felt odd but was a relief.
“Young Master, I think I need to talk with my brother for a bit. Why don’t you play with your father and Uncle?”
“What!”
Leon looked incredulous, but Diane avoided his gaze.
Having met Gale and Uncle Walt, spending time with them was only natural for her.
The ducal family should understand at least this much.
“Your Grace, may I talk with my family for a while?”
Unsure whether to ask the Duke or Edward, Diane ultimately sought the Duke’s permission.
He was the head of the family and Leon’s father, after all.
“If it’s family, of course. It must have been a long time—go ahead and catch up.”
Family?
The Duke’s words felt strangely off, but she was too eager to think deeply about it.
She wanted to talk with Gale and Walt as soon as possible.
She took both of their arms and moved away from the ducal family.
It was obvious she couldn’t talk freely with them around.
Finally, when Diane thought she was far enough that the ducal family couldn’t hear, she clasped her hands in front of her chest and looked back and forth between Gale and Walt.
“Uncle, Gale! How long has it been? How did we just happen to meet here? Did you come to see the flower festival? It’s amazing. We’ve never come to the flower festival together before! Ah, I’m so happy!”
She had so much to say, she didn’t know where to start.
“Right, what a coincidence.”
Walt beamed.
Gale was looking somewhere past Diane’s shoulder.
“Gale, what are you looking at?”
“Diane, did you come with the ducal family? To the flower festival?”
Diane tried to follow his gaze, but Gale turned back to her and asked.
“Well, yes. It just happened that way. Maybe all this happened so I could meet you and Uncle.”
It really felt that way.
All the complications seemed to have led up to meeting them.
“Yeah, I only came because my father wanted to see the festival, but maybe it was to meet you. Ah! Diane, I missed you so much.”
“Me too. I missed you so much. Uncle, you’ve been well, right? You look great.”
“Of course, I’m well. You’ve been well too, right?”
“Of course. I’ve been fine.”
Diane busied herself asking and answering about their well-being.
“You rascal, if you’ve been well, you should write more often. We wanted to send letters but were hesitant. When your letter came, do you know how happy we were?”
Walt sounded a bit disappointed.
“Ah, right. I just didn’t think to write until recently.”
It would have been nice if she’d written more often.
“But Diane, you haven’t received my reply yet?”
Gale suddenly asked, his face turning serious.
“Reply? You already sent one? To me?”
“Ah! So you haven’t gotten it yet.”
Gale looked somehow relieved.
“Yeah, I guess not.”
“Oh! Write more often!”
Gale pinched Diane’s cheeks on both sides.
He’d teased her like that since childhood.
“Haha! Stop, okay, I’ll write more often. But when did you send your reply?”
“More than a week ago. I went all the way to the Central Post Office to send it myself. Still, it’s taking a long time to arrive.”
“Really?”
He’d sent it at the Central Post Office.
Not by courier, but directly at the Central Post Office—so it should have arrived in three or four days, since it was just within Rettrang.
If it’s been more than a week, why hadn’t it come yet?
She suddenly remembered the commotion on the day she sent her letter.
It took a long time to send, and a long time to receive.
“But Diane.”
Suddenly, Gale glanced over her shoulder, then looked back at her.
“Yeah?”
“Have you really been well?”
Diane paused for a moment.
Had she really been well?
Gale’s serious question made it hard for her to answer right away.
“Of course! I’ve been fine. Why do you ask?”
But she answered brightly, smiling wide.
She was fine.
She ate well, got paid well.
That’s being fine, right?
“No, just… I was wondering.”
“Wondering what?”
“Is living at the ducal residence uncomfortable? Is anyone treating you badly?”
“Oh, of course not! Why would they? How’s work at the Wale Daily for you and Uncle?”
“Yeah. Everything’s good except not living with you.”
“That’s the same for me…”
As she spoke, Diane felt a sudden surge of emotion and had to steel herself.
How many times had she felt their absence?
“Are you really okay? Why are you putting on a brave face?”
Maybe because they’d lived together, Gale saw right through her feelings.
“I’m just so happy I could cry. I’m so glad to see you. Why do you have to make me tear up?”
“……”
Gale pressed his lips together.
“You know I cry when I’m really happy, right? I’m so happy to see you, I’m holding back tears.”
Diane, feeling she’d become too sentimental, quickly smiled to lighten the mood.
“……”
It was strange.
She’d tried to keep things cheerful, but Gale still looked serious and said nothing.
“What’s wrong? Am I the only one happy enough to cry?”
“Diane.”
Finally, Gale spoke again.
“Yeah?”
Diane nodded, as if to say, ‘Go ahead, tell me.’
But Gale just called her name, then pressed his lips together again and looked at Walt.
When their eyes met, Walt nodded.
Had they developed some kind of signal while apart?
“What, Gale. Did you and Uncle talk about something? Is there bad news? Is it serious?”
They kept exchanging glances and saying nothing, so Diane started to worry.
Was Uncle Walt sick or something?
“No, just read my letter when it arrives. There’s something important in it.”
“Something important? Just tell me now.”
“No, read the letter and reply. It’s nothing to worry about, so just wait for the letter. I didn’t expect to see you so suddenly, so it’s hard to talk about it now.”
“Geez!”
Diane pouted but then laughed.
Since it wasn’t bad news, she could look forward to the letter’s arrival.
“But shouldn’t you go back now? They keep watching us.”
“Huh?”
“The Wale family keeps looking this way.”
“Oh!”
Diane hadn’t noticed since her back was to them, but Gale had been keeping an eye out.
She hadn’t turned around because she knew she’d be distracted if she did.
“Right, I should go. That Edward is a bit much.”
“What?”
“You know, his personality isn’t great. If I keep him waiting, he might get really cranky.”
“No, I mean… do you call Marquis Wale by his name?”
“Oh! Me? No! How could I call him by name?”
“Ah… really?”
Gale seemed to study her face, maybe reluctant to say goodbye.
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