Chapter 6 – At the Crossroads of Choice (1) (Part 7)

“They’re fixing it now, so please wait a little longer.”

The crew, sweating profusely, placated the grumbling passengers. Watching the commotion through the window, Lorraine suddenly spoke.

“It’s going to take a while.”

“Indeed.”

It might have boasted a grand presence at the time of departure, but now it was just a massive piece of scrap metal.

Lorraine took the opportunity to look around the first class. If the difference between third and second class was the separation of seats, the difference between second and first class was in the chairs and facilities. When she traveled from Coeur to Lantil where the academy was, even second class was a luxury, but Lorraine confidently bought a second-class ticket.

「I used the little money I had left from living expenses… and the pocket money I earned helping the professor.」

Diana’s face, laughing as if she expected it, was vivid in her mind. Snapping out of her reverie, Lorraine muttered with a disinterested face.

“First class isn’t much….”

Except for the slightly less uncomfortable seats.

Then Edwin, who was reading the documents Philip had meticulously prepared, responded in a flat tone.

“It’s just a separate seat.”

It took about eight and a half hours by train from Lantil, the capital of Moses, to Zepa. Lorraine, picking up the crossword puzzle she was working on, said.

“At least it’s fortunate that the Grand Duke left first.”

It was Lorraine’s suggestion to change the plan of leaving on the same train, just in case.

“Indeed.”

They departed with plenty of time before the scheduled date to board the ship. But that was only if the train’s problem was resolved and they could depart immediately. Even if their arrival was delayed, Ian, who had arrived first, would assess the situation, so there was no major issue.

‘It’s just….’

There was no guarantee of how long they would have to spend like this. Lorraine scribbled carelessly on the crossword puzzle and glanced at Edwin.

No matter how much she thought about it-.

「No, but no matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. If he doesn’t like you, why does he take you with him for all sorts of reasons?」

Victoria’s speculation was bothersome. Until now, she had unconditionally ignored such speculations.

But why?

Why on earth?

Why did Victoria’s speculation bother her so much?

「They were all work-related schedules. If two men sit in the box seats, it’ll be on the front page of the newspaper that day.」

Despite Lorraine’s firm denial, Victoria seemed eager to say more. However, Lorraine shook her head.

「Are you going to stay here? I’m busy, so could you please leave?」

She felt she shouldn’t keep listening.

Lorraine tried to get Victoria, who wouldn’t get up from the bed, out of the room. Even as Victoria was kicked out with a disgruntled face, she made sure to say what she wanted to say.

「Anyone would think you two are running the country of Moses.」

「Yes, yes, the busy sister running the country, so the little one should go to sleep.」

She smiled sweetly and firmly closed the door.

Mechanically solving the crossword puzzle, Lorraine’s bright blue eyes showed a hint of interest.

She glanced at Edwin, who was sitting in front of her. After handling the documents appropriately, Edwin closed his eyes for a rest.

After watching him for a moment, Lorraine cautiously called out to him.

“…Your Grace.”

“…What?”

“Do you know the meaning of the sunflower in flower language?”

A short sigh and a reply with a tone of absurdity came back.

“…Do you realize your questions are becoming more trivial and random?”

“It’s a crossword puzzle question… honestly, I didn’t expect you to know the answer.”

Lorraine shrugged as she spoke.

The answers to the crossword puzzles generally came from that day’s articles. She had already completed the crossword puzzle.

The difficulty of the questions wasn’t particularly high from the start-.

“But.”

“I just thought I’d ask in case you knew.”

If she couldn’t solve it, asking one or two people would complete it quickly.

Never mind if you don’t know. 

Lorraine murmured indifferently and shrugged.

“…You said you didn’t expect it.”

“Sometimes, there are days when you want to bet on a one-in-a-million chance.”

“…Don’t pay attention to probability games.”

Finally opening his eyes, he answered while lightly stretching his body.

“I don’t know.”

“As expected.”

“Nor do I want to know.”

Lorraine nodded as if she expected that. Was it because Edwin himself was twisted, or because she was teasing him that something about her demeanor was irritating?

‘Though it’s obviously the latter.’

「Why not?!」

Edwin recalled Alisa’s expression, which was more foolish than ever, when she heard Lorraine was against marriage.

「Why not? It could happen.」

At his indifferent reply, Alisa, rolling her eyes for a moment, asked.

「…Have you attained enlightenment, or have you come to an understanding?」

Then he smiled mischievously and spoke.

「If we’re talking about causing trouble, your side isn’t lacking either….」

There was a time when Admiral Quill, Alisa’s father, had to hold the back of his neck because of her.

She acted as if she would bury her bones at the border, where the only people were the elderly, women, children, or Fontaine soldiers, so there was a hint of saltiness in every letter her father occasionally sent, along with the phrase 

<…So when are you getting married?>.

Of course, she was now happily married to her husband, Arthur Byron, but if she thought that was the end, she was mistaken.

「I never knew my father would become such a miser as he aged.」

On the day they gathered for the first time after her marriage, he caused a heated argument by saying,  「I thought she was going to bury her bones at the border without getting married.」

「Unfortunately, that miser is your father.」

When Edwin snorted and replied, Alisa’s eyes turned sharp instantly. Just as she was about to speak, Philip entered with a short knock.

Philip, gauging the mood of the two, awkwardly averted his gaze and stepped back.

「Oh… I forgot something….」

Alisa sighed deeply, as if admitting defeat, and said.

「…Come in.」

That day, the conversation ended there, but Edwin was sure it wouldn’t have been productive even if it continued.

Resting his elbow on the armrest, he propped his chin on his hand and asked her.

“So… what is it?”

“…Pardon?”

When Lorraine asked back, he leaned against the backrest, crossed his legs, and asked arrogantly.

“What’s the meaning of the sunflower in flower language?”

Startled when their golden eyes met directly, she shifted her gaze here and there, then finally recalled his question and turned to the newspaper she was holding.

“Well, um… it depends on the interpretation, but here it says… unchanging devotion.”

“What do you gain by attaching meaning to flowers?”

What an unromantic answer. Tsk.

Lorraine clicked her tongue. She had chosen the wrong person to ask from the start.

‘To someone who entrusts all gift-giving to his aide… what’s the point of flower language.’

The first task she handled as the Duke’s secretary was sending a gift to Edwin’s lover, or more accurately, someone pretending to be his lover.

“I think it’s because you haven’t met someone worth caring about that much yet.”

Having lost interest in the newspaper after solving the crossword, Lorraine folded it back to its original state and continued speaking.

“When people receive gifts, they first feel, ‘Oh, this person remembered me at that moment,’ rather than realizing how expensive the item is.”

Perhaps recalling a memory of receiving a gift, a faint smile lingered on her lips.

“It may seem trivial, but that’s sincerity.”

“Sincerity?”

“Rather than blindly showering with gifts, small sincerity works better. I assure you.”

Lorraine spoke in a determined tone. At that moment, Edwin, feeling a prick of contrariness, muttered indifferently.

“Nonsense….”

Before he realized it, the meaning of the sunflower in flower language was already imprinted in his mind.

Along with a stable atmosphere, like basking in the warm midday sun.