Chapter 5 – One Step Closer (Part 2)

Oh dear. 

Philip sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“So you’ve been sulking all this time?”

He glanced at Lorraine’s empty seat. If he couldn’t manage his expressions like this, he might as well have gone to the military. Making others uncomfortable, he spent the entire day handling backlog in the study instead of the office.

「Sir Philip… Is His Grace feeling any better?」

Even the butler, who had watched Edwin for a long time, was cautious, indicating that the atmosphere in the mansion was not good. He felt certain that the conversation would be prolonged.

“You should have been prepared for that. Lorraine has been singing about not getting married from the start.”

Determined to ensure he would get his overtime pay, he continued speaking.

“It’s hard to change a person’s beliefs. You know that, right?”

As Philip drank the liquor he had poured earlier, the ice clinked against the glass.

“It’s a difficult path. Because the direction you want to go in is different from the start.”

“…What about dating instead of marriage?”

At Edwin’s question, Philip let out a puff of laughter. After laughing for a while, Philip caught his breath and spoke.

“Eddie, can you be satisfied with just dating?”

Publicly, they were the Duke and his retainer and confidant, but-.

“When one thing is fulfilled, it’s only natural to want the other.”

– Privately, they were like brothers who had known each other for a long time.

“Especially for you, it’s even more so.”

It was a cruel and incomprehensible evaluation for Edwin. As if he had read Edwin’s inner thoughts, Philip smiled broadly.

“You’ve never lacked anything.”

He continued, putting down the glass he held.

“A father who was a god of war and one of the four great dukes, and a mother who was a distinguished princess.”

“Why is that…”

“It means you grew up without knowing any lack.”

Philip mumbled, resting his chin on the sofa’s armrest. And that would be a disadvantage in his relationship with Lorraine.

Although Edwin had evaluated it as “the epitome of pathetic,” Philip had also had quite a tough love life. Remembering his own difficult love life for a moment, Philip smiled bitterly and continued.

“Well, of course, my opinion could be wrong. But-.”

“But?”

“—There’s also a way not to start it in the first place since it might not end well.”

Philip shrugged. Then, an irritated Edwin retorted.

“You call that a method?”

“Let’s say it’s a conclusion I reached on my own.”

Philip’s tone quickly returned to that of Philip Lloyd, the confidant. He smiled and replied slyly.

“If not, you should confront it head-on. Instead of digging in every time Lorraine pushes you away.”

“……”

“If you fail, I’ll at least drink with you.”

Edwin frowned at the somewhat plausible hypothesis and was about to speak.

Clink-.

But Philip casually clinked their glasses, stopping him.

That day, the fire in the study of the Duke of Duncan’s townhouse on the second floor did not extinguish for a long time.

***

“I have something to say.”

As the sisters entered the workforce one by one, the Viscount Wiig family’s situation improved day by day.

Even during a famine, David would laugh heartily, not receiving the harvest from the estate’s people but rather opening the family’s food storage for them—

“…Suddenly?”

—It had reached a point where helping those in dire situations was not a big problem.

Additionally, the sisters could each have their own room, but-.

“Sit down, don’t just stand there.”

Despite having their own rooms, they often spent time together.

With a determined face, Diana cautiously walked in from where she stood near the door. Lorraine marked her place in the book she was reading and closed it.

As Diana approached near the bed where Lorraine was sitting, she suddenly stopped and stood stiffly. It seemed she was contemplating whether to turn back. Lorraine placed the book that had been on her lap on the bedside table.

“…It’s up to you if you want to go back.”

At the quiet remark, Diana finally seemed to make up her mind, pulling back the covers and getting in. Though she had set foot on the bed, it was a while before Diana finally spoke.

“…The carriage owner, you… asked who it was back then, right?”

Lorraine just nodded.

When Diana hesitated like this, staying silently by her side was more effective than urging her to speak quickly.

“He’s back.”

With the explanation cut short, Lorraine frowned. She turned around, hugging a cushion.

“…Who?”

Diana’s lips moved.

Is it okay to say this? 

She gazed at her sister’s clear blue eyes, which showed no speck of dust, and carefully spoke.

“…The carriage owner.”

“……”

“He said he wants to marry me after the war.”

Diana didn’t mention who the carriage owner was. But strangely, Lorraine felt she could roughly guess who he was.

“Are you acquainted with the Grand Duke?”

Though it was a wild guess, Diana’s face turned red and then pale, confirming it.

What a pity to keep it to herself. Having inadvertently struck a chord, Lorraine quickly apologized.

“Sorry.”

“……”

“So, what do you want to do?”

“I like him.”

“Then…!”

That’s settled.

As Lorraine was about to say something, Diana shook her head firmly.

“But I don’t feel like I want to get married. I just thought he was a good person when we parted.”

Wow, that’s a firmness that will make many men cry.

Lorraine clicked her tongue. She didn’t know the Grand Duke personally, but she suddenly felt very sorry for him.

“But, you know.”

Lying on the bed, Diana dangled her feet as Lorraine, who had been listening to the moderately edited situation, suddenly spoke.

“Is there a separate feeling for wanting to marry?”

“……”

“Well, I understand that high-ranking people marry based on interests and calculations… But generally, isn’t it enough to have good feelings?”

Lorraine slightly loosened her braided hair and tied only the ends again.

“I know you shouldn’t take marriage lightly and trivially… But I still don’t quite get it.”

After tidying the rumpled bedding to her satisfaction, she sat up and reached for the lamp on the bedside table. Until then, Diana thought Lorraine’s thoughts were still immature.

However, there was a fact she had momentarily forgotten.

“What I can be sure of is that if you deceive yourself, you’ll feel like crying.”

Lorraine had a knack for picking up on things unexpectedly. Just as Diana was about to say something, missing the timing to respond—

Click-.

The lamp went out. The room was enveloped in darkness, and Lorraine yawned as she continued.

“Anyway, think it over. I’m sleepy, so I’m going to sleep.”

Diana had no choice but to lie down next to Lorraine. Both of them seemed to toss and turn a few times before quickly falling asleep.

It was a calm and tranquil night as usual.

***

A man blocked Diana’s path as she exited the judiciary.

He spoke in a curt voice, as if to reveal that he hadn’t come here voluntarily.

“I was told to bring you.”

“…I can roughly guess who, but I’m not going.”

Of course. She nodded and quickly left the spot. The tug-of-war continued for several days.

“Please come with me.”

“I have no reason to go.”

The next day, and the day after that, the man tirelessly came to see her.

“…You might as well go back and try to persuade him.”

Diana, standing crookedly, looked at him with pitiful eyes and advised, causing a crack in the man’s brow.

“If only he’d listen….”

The man muttered something, but Diana pretended not to hear and nodded before walking past him. As he said, it was his master who had not grown weary.

“…How have you been?”

But now, that wasn’t particularly important. In the end, his master, unable to bear it, had moved.

“I’ve just been… doing okay… Somehow, I gained the trust of His Majesty Heron, and continued to stay in Fontaine.”

Diana chose to keep her mouth shut. However, Ian continued speaking with a gentle smile, as if he hadn’t expected an answer from the start.

“My nephew… I mean, Crown Prince Gillian and I fortunately agreed, so I could become the head of the negotiation team.”

He pretended to be relaxed, but he couldn’t hide the fact that he was watching her closely. If his aide Sydney had seen him, it would have been a sight to make him grab the back of his neck and collapse.

「Negotiating peace with Moses? Are you insane?」

Three years ago, Sydney had poured out shocked nagging when Ian said he would prepare for peace negotiations.

Ian softly called out to Diana, who was staring out the window.

“…Danny.”

It was the first time in seven years she heard that call. Diana unconsciously clenched her clasped hands tightly.

“…If you have something to say, say it quickly.”

“Do you remember the promise we made back then?”

“……”

“You said you’d be by my side if there was peace.”

Suddenly recalling those days, a distant light shone in his deep eyes.

“Peace will come soon. Then….”

“Ian.”

Diana interrupted him with a firm voice.

“I never promised. Think carefully.”

“……”

“‘How many siblings do I have below me, and you want me to abandon them all and come to your side?!'”

She recited the words she had said back then without a single mistake. Diana pushed up her glasses with a calm face, but her fingertips trembled slightly.

“You might think I’m irresponsible, but I never promised you anything.”

“…But.”

“Yeah, of course, peace would be nice. Thank you. But, you know.”

Diana suddenly realized her hand felt empty.

“You know that I don’t have the same feelings as back then, Ian.”

From deep within her ears, she heard a sound as if swallowing pain, something she seemed to have heard long ago.

Ignoring that sound, Diana moistened her dry lips with her tongue.

“I don’t know if I still like you. We were apart for seven years, and that’s how I feel.”

“……”

His eyes, which had maintained composure, wavered slightly. Diana felt as if her fingertips were stiffening and opened and closed her empty fists a few times.

“And. Ian, I still hate Fontaine.”

From her bag, which was on her lap, she took out gloves.

“Of course, I know it’s not your fault my father’s leg is gone. But my subconscious will inevitably hurt you.”

“……”

“…That’s how I feel now. I’m sorry.”

Having finished speaking, Diana calmly knocked on the carriage ceiling. The carriage began to slow down.

“…Thanks for considering the ceasefire.”

“……”

“Goodbye.”

With a polite farewell, Diana replaced the impolite goodbye from seven years ago.

The carriage stayed in place until Diana was out of sight, then slowly disappeared.