Chapter 6 – At the Crossroads of Choice (1) (Part 8)

As the dining car door opened, a young-faced boy quickly approached.

“I’ll prepare your seats.”

The boy, who seemed to be a server, skillfully guided them. Lorraine nudged Edwin’s side with her elbow, who was still standing there with a sullen face.

“…What?”

“There are a lot of eyes watching, right?”

At Lorraine’s not-so-subtle remark, Edwin coughed awkwardly.

Once they were seated, guided by the server, the appearance of the dining car finally came into view. The closer they got to the south, the stronger the sunlight became. Because of this, the vertical blinds on the sunny side were half-lowered.

Quiet music, clean interiors, and the peaceful expressions of people sitting sparsely-.

“It’s quiet.”

– And the languid sunlight made it seem as if they might momentarily forget the reason and purpose for going to Zepa. The train occasionally made a clanking sound, as if to wake Lorraine from her reverie.

She glanced at the elderly woman sitting diagonally across from her.

‘A familiar face.’

Just as her thoughts were about to branch out, Edwin spoke.

“It’s the Dowager Duchess of Rochester.”

“…Pardon?”

At that moment, the server who had returned handed them the menu and asked,

“What would you like to have? Today’s soups are mushroom and cheddar cheese.”

The server, who couldn’t have been more than seventeen, smiled habitually. He placed water and a warm towel heated to the appropriate temperature in front of them, as if to encourage them to take their time deciding.

Lorraine wiped her hands with the warm towel and slowly read the menu. After a brief moment of consideration, she handed the menu back to the server and said,

“I’ll have the cheddar cheese soup… and the rest, the A set, please.”

The server skillfully took the menu and noted it down on the bill.

“Yes, the A set.”

“And for you, Your Grace?”

When she asked and cast her gaze, Edwin closed the menu he was looking at without hesitation and said,

“The same, please.”

“…Is there anything else you need? The scones have just been baked.”

“Oh… then I’ll have one scone, please.”

“Yes, understood.”

He left, still smiling.

Once there was some distance, Lorraine whispered in a much smaller voice.

“Is she really the Dowager Duchess of Rochester?”

Lorraine only moved her eyes to observe the woman sitting diagonally across from her again. The woman had her graying hair neatly pinned up and was reading a newspaper with glasses on. Her upright posture and the distinctive Rochester eyes caught Lorraine’s attention.

It was as if she was seeing an older version of Yvette.

“She’s technically the former Duchess, as Rochester is a matrilineal succession.”

Edwin muttered indifferently as he stood up.

“…Your Grace?”

Lorraine’s eyes showed a hint of confusion at his sudden action.

Agatha Rochester, Yvette’s mother, was famous as a historian befitting the ‘Wisdom of Rochester.’ Additionally, she was a great elder in the social world, to the extent that even the late Emperor Youssef was rumored to have sought her counsel.

Thus, many people deliberately visited and paid respects to her.

In conclusion-.

“She’s a nuisance.”

No matter how much one pretended not to see, she was someone whom the nobles of Moses couldn’t ignore. Even if it was an unexpected and unwelcome encounter.

Edwin approached her table and bowed with a smile.

“Have you been well, Dowager?”

With a cigarette holder in her mouth, she watched Edwin’s actions with an impassive face and exhaled smoke. Immediately, an unrefined, harsh remark returned.

“…The Duncan brat.”

“Yes, I’m well too.”

At Edwin’s glib reply, Agatha let out a snort of laughter.

“You’re as sly as your grandfather.”

“Was it last winter we met?”

“It was two years ago, you fool.”

She took the cigarette holder she had put down back into her mouth and said,

“Are you going there?”

Her hand turning the newspaper was methodical. However, her ears were waiting for Edwin’s answer. Edwin smiled and said just one word.

“You’re as wise as ever.”

“Didn’t your grandfather teach you not to tease old folks? Anyway, I shouldn’t associate with the Duncans… If you have nothing to do, fill the seat in front with your partner.”

“Yes.”

Edwin immediately turned around and gestured to Lorraine. At his signal, Lorraine cautiously stood up and asked the server to bring their ordered food to Agatha’s table, then slowly walked over.

As Lorraine approached, Agatha finally folded and organized the newspaper and removed her glasses.

“And you are…?”

“I’m Lorraine Wiig, working as the deputy assistant at the Duchy of Duncan.”

“Oh.”

With a short sigh, Agatha set down her cigarette holder and briefly examined Lorraine’s appearance.

“You’re David’s daughter… the second?”

“Pardon? Yes, yes-.”

Just like that?

Although her family belonged to the Rochester territory, she hadn’t expected to be recognized so quickly. It was because Agatha was a distant elder to her.

Before Lorraine could even be surprised, Agatha continued speaking.

“It’s the first time since the baptism.”

Muttering in an indifferent tone, Agatha put the cigarette holder back into her mouth.

Agatha alternated her gaze between the two and suddenly spoke.

“…You must be having a hard time working with the brat.”

At her blunt remark, Lorraine’s eyes widened, and Edwin rubbed his temples. His face clearly showed why he found this uncomfortable.

However, despite their reactions, Agatha didn’t seem to care much. She tilted her head to one side and looked at them with a languid gaze, tapping her cigarette in the ashtray.

“So… what’s the business, brat?”

It was then.

“Your food is here. Cheddar cheese soup and the A set, correct?”

The server, who had been smiling continuously, began placing the food.

“These are freshly baked scones with clotted cream. If you need… strawberry jam….”

Sensing that the server’s kindness might drag on, Lorraine glanced at the two and smiled.

“…No, it’s fine.”

“Yes, please call if you need anything.”

The server left, still smiling.

“Would you like to attend the wedding with us?”

“No.”

The answer was immediate. Agatha bit down on the cigarette holder and shuddered.

“Why on earth would I?”

“Haha….”

As Edwin laughed awkwardly, Agatha sighed irritably and said,

“Do you think I can endure seeing Samuel sticking to me throughout the wedding, looking delighted?”

As if asking him to put himself in her shoes, she continued speaking while exhaling cigarette smoke.

“And.”

She changed her tone as if this was the main point.

“If I attend the wedding, there will be foolish people who will think I’ve sided with William Dunant.”

“…….”

“I refuse to leave room for misunderstanding or to be treated as a senile old woman.”

After speaking in a hoarse voice, she drank the remaining tea in one go and stood up.

“Meeting among the same kind, the wedding should be quite a spectacle.”

Muttering indifferently, Agatha quickly left the dining car, even with her inconvenient leg supported by a cane.

“…You sat across from her on purpose, didn’t you?”

The quality of the food wasn’t bad. In fact, it was quite satisfactory. The taste wasn’t bad, and it was even clean. Lorraine spread clotted cream on a halved scone and asked.

“If you tell the Dowager, it will be relayed directly to Duke Rochester, right?”

“Technically, it’s the Privy Council.”

Either way. 

Lorraine chewed and swallowed the scone with a disinterested face.

Currently, Yvette Rochester, the head of the Privy Council, was in seclusion under the guise of a vacation. It was something that often happened around this time. It was because it was the anniversary of her late husband’s death.

Those unaware of the situation would often speculate whether Rochester, like the Duchy of Duncan, was planning an early succession.

Of course, her son Henry filled the position, so there was no gap in work. However, meetings or matters requiring official approval still needed to go through Yvette.

“She’s taking longer this time.”

Even the arrest of a high-ranking noble required the approval of the Privy Council. Especially since Asiel Dunant was the heir to one of the four great duchies.

But Yvette usually returned within a week. It was rare for her to be in seclusion for nearly a fortnight.

Edwin loosened the tightly tied tie slightly and replied.

“Maybe she’s taking a good rest this time.”

“It didn’t seem like that.”

When asked about his mother’s well-being, Henry had awkwardly said,

「Ah… she’s fine. She’ll be back soon.」

“The Dowager will handle the rest.”

It seemed he was the only one worried about the schedule being disrupted. Edwin shrugged, replying in an indifferent tone.

“Anyway, what about the ship?”

“I’ve adjusted the time. First class allows for telegrams too, which is nice.”

Due to the delayed train departure, they needed to contact Ian, who had already arrived in Zepa.

“The Grand Duke.”

“He said he’d wait.”

“…Avoiding troublesome matters, I see.”

At his grumbling, Lorraine glanced out the window. Seeing houses appearing here and there, it seemed they weren’t far from Zepa.

She checked her wristwatch and said,

“We’ll arrive soon.”

There was about an hour left until the arrival time announced by the stationmaster.