Chapter 6 – At the Crossroads of Choice (1) (Part 6)

Where did it all go wrong?

“-ter.”

Why is everyone picking on me? I just want to live an ordinary life.

“-Sister!”

A sharp cry pierced through her thoughts and hit her eardrums.

“…Oh.”

When she looked up, Victoria was staring at her with a look of utter disdain. She opened her mouth with a sullen face.

“Are you going to take all of that?”

Following Victoria’s nod, she saw a suitcase filled with books.

“Ah.”

Lorraine let out a foolish sigh and picked out the books. Then Victoria helped her while nagging.

“You know you’ve been acting strange lately, right?”

“…I’m just busy.”

“Yeah, so busy that you’re zoning out like you didn’t even do during your academy days?”

Leaving only two or three moderately thick books, Lorraine resumed packing her clothes. Watching her silently, Victoria asked.

“Didn’t you say you had clothes tailored anyway… why are you packing so many clothes?”

“I tailored dresses for the party. I can’t wear dresses while traveling, can I?”

“You should have had casual clothes tailored too while you were at it.”

To change things up a bit.

Victoria added with a prim face, putting the clothes she folded into the suitcase, and then flopped onto the bed.

“I wondered why you were helping.”

Even with Lorraine’s scolding, Victoria lay still, shifting her eyes, and suddenly spoke.

“…You should start spending less on the house now.”

“What?”

Victoria’s words quickly faded at Lorraine’s chilly response.

“No, I mean, stop being the breadwinner for this house. Even our eldest sister….”

“What more can I cut down on? Whenever it seems like there’s some income from the estate, a hole keeps appearing.”

Lorraine neatly folded the last piece of clothing and checked if she had packed everything properly. Seven pairs of underwear, five pairs of stockings, two maxi skirts, five neatly ironed shirts, three pairs of pants… and three books to read on the train.

“Cosmetics?”

“That’s for the day before.”

Not that there’s much to pack anyway. She shrugged and locked the suitcase.

“Did you say it’s a week-long trip?”

“Yeah, but we might come back sooner.”

Lorraine replied absentmindedly as she organized the books she had scattered.

“But… doesn’t the Duke have anyone else to go with? Why are you going, sister?”

“It’s a partner invitation.”

“…Doesn’t the Duke like you or something?”

Victoria’s eyes were serious enough that it couldn’t be dismissed as a joke.

Of course, if she were in her first or second year as a secretary, she might have been swayed by such speculation. However, unfortunately, Lorraine was a fourth-year employee, and she knew better than anyone that life wasn’t as beautiful as a fairy tale.

“Vicky. You seem to have forgotten for a moment… do you remember what the women rumored to be involved with His Grace looked like?”

“Well….”

“Yeah, exactly.”

Just as there was a time when she didn’t retort to Edwin’s words one by one, there was also a time when he carried all sorts of scandalous rumors.

Of course, Lorraine knew it was a diversion.

But it was also true that they were all from good families and known for their beauty.

“And, I don’t believe in fairy tales.”

Her firm tone sounded like a vow.

***

Until the day of departure for Zepa, the capital of Dunant where the wedding would take place, the townhouse of the Duchy of Duncan was bustling.

It was because of Lorraine and Edwin.

“Seriously, what is all this when you should be reducing luggage!”

Even though Lorraine was fuming, Edwin’s face was as nonchalant as ever. Moreover, today his attire seemed particularly polished. He gestured to Lorraine’s suitcase and said,

“You just need to leave only what’s really necessary.”

“…Didn’t you promise not to do anything? I thought we agreed on just four dresses.”

“Did we?”

He answered slyly, tilting his head.

“Grr, hmph.”

Ignoring Lorraine’s gritted teeth, Edwin checked the time with a pocket watch from his inner pocket and said.

“It’s late, you’d better decide quickly.”

Lorraine looked back and forth between the piled-up suitcase and her own bag. 

Can’t I just take this?

At that moment, as if reading Lorraine’s mind, Edwin added,

“For the record, the dresses are mixed in there, so you can’t just pick them out.”

“Sigh….”

I’m really quitting.

In the end, she had no choice but to abandon the bag she had packed in advance.

The central station of Lantil was always crowded with a mix of various people.

“Buy a newspaper!”

Vendors sold newspapers and snacks to those embarking on long journeys-.

“The train to Coeur departs at 12:30.”

The stationmaster shouted at the top of his lungs to ensure no one missed the train. And the most abundant were the people parting or meeting, leaving, or returning.

Occasionally, people who had come to the capital with high hopes could be seen. They looked around with sparkling eyes, just like she used to. Just as people-watching was becoming more entertaining, Edwin spoke.

“…Close your mouth.”

The two were currently sitting in a restaurant inside the station.

「We apologize, but the train to Zepa is delayed by about an hour due to technical issues.」

Thus, they had no choice but to take a seat in the restaurant to kill time and fill their stomachs. Not that it was a restaurant serving grand meals.

It was simply a place that sold foods with little preference and could be prepared quickly, fitting the characteristic location of a train station. The people seated around them had already changed four times.

Ignoring Edwin’s words lightly, she called over a newsboy passing by.

“One newspaper, please.”

“30 bronze.”

Lorraine took the newspaper and placed 1 silver in the boy’s palm. The boy’s eyes widened. Lorraine smiled and said,

“Keep the change.”

“Thank you!”

The boy, gathering the remaining newspapers, disappeared like the wind, and the ordered food began to arrive one by one. A croissant and hot coffee were placed in front of Edwin, and churros and hot chocolate in front of Lorraine.

After a brief prayer, Lorraine offered a short greeting.

“…Thank you for the meal.”

The awkwardness was not hidden. With a clatter, the meal began.

Due to the constant flow of people, the shop never had a moment of silence. While drinking coffee and checking the documents Philip had prepared, Edwin noticed the food Lorraine had ordered.

‘Does she really eat it like that?’

The churros, thickly coated with sugar and cinnamon powder, looked incredibly sweet no matter how you saw them. Unbothered by the sweetness of the churros themselves, she dipped them again in hot chocolate.

Edwin found it fascinating that she didn’t frown as she ate.

She seemed to feel his gaze. Putting down the churro she was eating, Lorraine clapped her hands and asked.

“What?”

“Isn’t it sweet?”

“Of course, it’s sweet.”

“Then why….”

As she drank water, she placed the cup down with a clink and replied.

“Because I’m stressed.”

Edwin, at a loss for words, stammered while Lorraine wiped her hands on a napkin with a stoic face. Then, a small laugh escaped her lips.

Just kidding.

“Sometimes, there are days when you crave something sweet. It helps your brain work better, too.”

“…….”

Even with Lorraine’s explanation, Edwin’s face was indifferent.

His expression clearly showed he didn’t understand why she would do that. Seeing his face, a mischievous streak rose within her. Lorraine, smiling mischievously, dipped the churro generously in hot chocolate and held it up to his lips.

“Want to try it?”

The chocolate stretched long and thick, then dropped onto his plate with a plop. A black mark remained on the white plate. In the golden eyes that silently watched the entire process, a hint of contemplation flickered for a moment.

“…Don’t overdo it.”

“You catch on quickly.”

As if she never intended to give it to him, the hand holding the churro returned without hesitation.

Ahem, ahem.

Ahem….

Their eyes met. Then-.

Hahaha.

As if the awkwardness had never existed, laughter burst simultaneously from both of them.