The Reason Why She Wanted To Leave - Chapter 34
“W-what? …A good person?”
I was taken aback by my grandfather’s unexpected proposal. I looked at him in disbelief, confirming that he was serious. I instinctively glanced at Ains, who seemed unbothered but was watching my grandfather closely.
“Yes. Cecilia, didn’t you marry Ains because of me? And now that it ended in divorce, I’ve regretted it deeply and felt sorry for you.”
My grandfather sighed heavily and took a sip of water. He then looked back at me.
“So, if possible, I’d like to introduce you to someone new before I pass. Please don’t refuse.”
His tone was gentle yet resolute.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m quite happy as I am.”
Flustered, I waved my hand dismissively, but my grandfather was determined.
“I can’t let this go. If you don’t like him, you can refuse, but at least meet him once. He will definitely be helpful.”
“Ah…”
It was hard to turn him down after he expressed his regret. Although I wasn’t keen on meeting someone new, it felt more polite to agree to a meeting first and then decline. Given my grandfather’s health, I thought it best not to cause him unnecessary worry.
“Alright, Grandfather. I’ll meet him once.”
As soon as I agreed, I heard a grinding sound from Ains’ direction. Turning to look, I saw him gripping his fork and knife, both bent and crumpled.
“…Duke?”
Startled, I gasped and called out to him. Ains calmly placed the utensils on the table, revealing how badly they were damaged.
“Rachel, bring another fork and knife.”
“What? Ah, yes, understood.”
Flustered, Rachel stammered her response and hurried to fetch new utensils while removing the unusable ones. Ains resumed his meal as if nothing had happened.
“Hmph.”
Distracted by Ains, I noticed my grandfather clearing his throat softly, prompting me to refocus on my meal.
“The person I want to introduce is very skilled with mana. If anything happens, he’ll be more than capable of handling it. He’s just as good as Master Cesare in guiding mana. If needed, you could learn from him instead of Master Cesare.”
From my grandfather’s description, it sounded like this person was quite talented. I tried to think of who he might be, but no one came to mind.
“Can you tell me who it is?”
I asked, hoping to know in advance, but my grandfather just smiled mysteriously.
“You’ll find out when you meet him. It’s best to do it soon. Since you’ve agreed, there’s no need to delay. Do you have any dates that don’t work for you? We can plan around them.”
“Ah, any date is fine with me.”
“Alright, I’ll speak with him and let you know once we set a date.”
Seeing my grandfather so happy made me smile, too. Although I didn’t know who he had in mind, I wasn’t ready to meet anyone yet. For now, I wanted to focus on recovering from my situation.
Even if I did meet him, I planned to explain my circumstances and decline. Still, I felt a twinge of guilt watching my grandfather smile, unaware of my true feelings.
The rest of the meal continued in a pleasant atmosphere. Throughout, Ains never engaged in the conversation between my grandfather and me. Though we shared the table, he seemed distant, which bothered me.
After finishing the meal, I stood up with my grandfather. Despite having finished his meal, Ains remained seated at the table, as if he was waiting for something.
I pushed my grandfather’s wheelchair out of the dining room, and just as we were about to head back to his room, the door opened behind us. Ains stepped out of the dining room.
He walked past us with a blank expression, and just as I was about to dismiss his cold demeanor, he suddenly stopped.
Turning to face us—more specifically, me—he said, “Cecilia, I have something for you. Pick it up from Jacob before you leave. I’ve already informed him.”
“What is it?”
…
I was bewildered by his unexpected statement. Ains glared at me silently for a moment before turning away and walking down the corridor.
“Rachel, do you know anything about this?”
I asked Rachel, hoping she might have some information since she worked there, but she widened her eyes and shook her head.
“No, this is the first I’m hearing of it.”
“Really?”
Since Rachel hadn’t heard anything, I figured I would have to ask Jacob or Jackson for more details.
“Should I look into it?”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll find out when I leave anyway.”
It had been years since I last received a gift from Ains. Suddenly, I recalled the fountain pen I had tucked away earlier; this could be the first time since then.
“When will that boy ever grow up…”
My grandfather clicked his tongue softly while watching Ains’ disappearing figure. He then looked up at me.
“Cecilia, you must still be having a hard time.”
Seeing the apologetic look on my grandfather’s face, I shook my head in response.
I spent the rest of my time keeping my grandfather company. There wasn’t much else I could do for him. Since I had left the mansion, he didn’t have many people to talk to, so he appreciated my presence.
Ains had mentioned he would head to the capital after lunch, and true to his word, he was absent at dinner. I felt relieved not to have to endure any discomfort from him, and I finished the meal with my grandfather before preparing to leave.
The sky was already dimming, and it would soon be completely dark. I needed to leave before it got too late.
“Did you come by carriage?” my grandfather asked, trying to hide his disappointment.
“I did, but I sent my carriage back. I plan to take a commercial carriage home.”
“Oh dear. Don’t do that; I’ll arrange a carriage for you.”
I laughed at my grandfather’s worried expression.
“I’m sorry, but could I trouble you for that?”
“Of course. There’s no need to apologize. You’re like my granddaughter, Cecilia.”
He instructed someone to prepare a carriage, and it didn’t take long before we were informed that it was ready.
Then, I suddenly remembered Ains’ mention of the item to pick up from Jacob.
“Rachel, could you fetch Jacob for me? I’ll wait by the carriage.”
“Yes, Madam. Please wait a moment.”
Rachel quickly left the room, and I stood up as well.
“Please understand that I can’t see you off.”
“It’s alright. Don’t strain yourself. We’ll see each other often from now on, so stay healthy until then.”
“Yes, thank you.”
After a brief farewell with my grandfather, I left the room. As I passed through the garden and approached the front of the mansion, I saw the carriage waiting.
“Madam, it’s been a while. How have you been?”
The coachman, who seemed familiar, took off his hat and greeted me as I arrived at the carriage.
“I’ve been well. Please take care of the journey back.”
“I’ll do my best to ensure a comfortable ride.”
The coachman’s cheerful demeanor made me smile.
Meanwhile, I saw Rachel and Jacob hurrying towards me. As they approached, I turned to face them.
“Thank you for waiting, Madam.”
Rachel was catching her breath from running, but Jacob approached me without a hint of disarray.
“I heard the Duke left something with you.”
“Yes, I have it here.”
Jacob handed me a small flowerpot. The flower blooming in the pot looked very familiar.
“What is this…?”
Unable to believe what I was seeing, I asked Jacob. He smiled and answered.
“It’s a Tieria flower.”