DYBAR - Chapter 48 < I Do What I Want To Do, Whatever >
Do Your Best And Regret It
Last year, during the spring crisis, the Princess went to an underground auction to purchase Lecale's necklace. Intelligence confirmed that Jürgen saw the Princess's nanny, Baroness Rujas. At the end of the scrawled telegram was an article from a prominent newspaper in the islands.
Last year, the story was that the Princess extended a benevolent act of mercy to restore the retail estate that had fallen into the spring crisis.
Edwin laughed cynically while looking at the portrait of the Princess smiling like a Saintess.
"If the Princess didn't do it... Who would take the credit after handling the work so neatly?"
At those words, an image of what happened at the Grand Duke's residence flashed through Howard's mind.
"I heard there was a letter from the imperial palace. Is the Emperor again?"
They are sick of it. Howard looked disgusted with a calm expression on his face. But Sobel, who always sympathized, shrugged his shoulders.
"From the Emperor to the Prince and the Princess. I received a total of three letters telling me to enter the palace."
"I heard that the prince would send a letter to the Lady. Even the Princess? I'm sure he didn't order His Majesty to enter the palace.
"To the lady?"
"I know. It seems like the royal family has really banded together."
Their conversation ended when Sobel shook his head. He thought the Princess was exceptional. But that was all. It seemed that Howard wasn't the only one who remembered the letter from that day, which he didn't think was very important.
When Howard reflexively looked at the Grand Duke, Edwin was already looking at me. I, feeling his gaze, smiled brightly and waved my hand.
***
"... Is something wrong with Lord Calter?"
Some time has passed since I got on the carriage. Edwin widened his eyes and shook his head at my careful question.
"Things were going well with the system and I would be returning soon."
Lie. I saw Edwin's expression as he looked at me earlier. That was different from the expression on his face when he heard routine news like his return. His face was suffocating, as if he had heard something complicated.
Above all, if there was news of a return, Howard would have told me as well. Edwin lied without even changing his expression.
Well, I could tell that Edwin had a talent for acting just by thinking about our first meeting. A war hero even shed tears just because he was surrounded by rude thugs. There must be a reason for hiding it from me.
I didn't mention that I visited the abandoned mine according to the Princess's orders, or that I stopped by Vikander. Of course, Grand Duke Edwin would have more secrets and more things to hide than me.
I pursed my lips as I consoled myself. Nevertheless, I felt strangely sad. Edwin must have felt the staring gaze, and his eyes narrowed slyly.
"Why do you look at me like that? Are you finally planning to make me feel pretty now?"
Edwin expected me to blush and accept that it wasn't me, as usual. But I pursed my lips and turned my head to look out the window. As he spoke, a look of disappointment appeared on my face.
"Olivia?"
Edwin must have sensed an unusual energy and cautiously called me. But I didn't want to answer. I looked outside, deliberately ignoring Edwin. I felt like this pouty heart was going to question Edwin if he looked at me now.
"..... It's because I'm sad that my first tour of the territory is over. Can you go around the territory slowly?"
"Sure."
Hearing my words, Edwin quickly ordered towards the coachman's seat. The fast-moving carriage began to slow down. At the same time, the carriage heading towards the Grand Duke's castle turned towards the outskirts.
Outside the window, villages that had not yet been organized passed by. Unlike the dry and desolate image of the North, the houses in the village were colorful and had character.
".... Don't feel sorry. You're not sad about me, are you?"
Anyway, he is quick to notice. My fidgeting voice came from behind me but I pretended not to notice.
"Why should I be sad about Edwin?"
Oops.
Even as I said that there was a hint of sadness in my voice. I kept feeling Edwin's gaze, but I didn't face him. Instead, I spoke to myself, that I was ugly. I can't believe Edwin is so upset when he doesn't have to share everything with me.
When I thought about it, it was a funny thing. I've never shown such anger to my family or my ex-fiancé, who never cared about me until now. Have I come to rely on Edwin this much before I know It? And why did he come to believe this much?
The disappointment that had risen sharply melted away like melting ice. It was a time when my heart was tickling over my embarrassing and shameful feelings.
"Hold on a minute, Edwin."
I said urgently. Just as I was about to turn to look at Edwin, something beyond the window caught my attention.
"Can you stop the carriage for a moment?"
As soon as our eyes met, the child was startled and deeply pressed his robe. Her child's eyes were green, similar to mine...
Bethany was right. This dress was easy to move around in. I got out of the carriage and looked around me, her eyes wide. I was so busy thinking about Edwin that I didn't even notice that the scenery outside the window had changed.
A place where shacks with planks lined up here and there are close together. This place has strangely smelly alleys stretching here and there. Turning Bell resembles the street of tramps where I lived. I pursed my lips as I felt dehydrated for a moment. Edwin's voice came from behind me.
"This is Jeniv. It is a street of wanderers and tramps in Vikander Territory."
Maybe even the explanation is so similar to Turning Bell. At the same time, the startled green eyes I saw earlier came to mind clearly.
My heart became urgent. It had been a long time since anyone had seen green eyes except from my mother.
In this Franz Empire, green eyes were called the eyes of a lowly wandering dancer. Although called shamefully green, for me these green eyes were the only trace I inherited from my mother. I was the only one with green eyes in my social circle, and I had never seen them even in the wider system.
Sometimes I thought I might be the only one with green eyes. However, the eyes of the child I passed by were also green.
In an instant, my feelings of kinship rushed into my mind. As I stood at the edge of the street, I looked around, but I did not see the child who quickly disappeared. No, I didn't even feel the presence of anyone. It was then.
"Miss."
It was Dean. Dean, who furrowed his eyebrows every time we made eye contact, called me first to ask what was going on. However, rather than feeling happy, I was more anxious about the green-eyed child.
"Why are you here all of a sudden?"
Dean's voice sounded somewhat uneasy, but I didn't even notice and just poured out my own words.
"I thought I saw someone. But then she disappeared. Would you like to find her together?"
"Are you Dean?"
The voice that suddenly cut in was young. As I looked down, I saw green eyes looking up at Dean. Dean let out a soft sigh as if he was in despair.
***
Waaaa-.
The shrill voices of children filled the streets. Dean, who was blunt to me, was faithfully playing the role of leader among the children. I looked at the children running around. Thirteen people. Messy outfit and tangled hair. Most children, reminiscent of my childhood, had green eyes. Green-eyed children who had not been seen in the islands were here.
I looked at each person, one by one, in the eyes. Then, when I saw yellow bruises that looked like they were very old, underneath the baggy shirts of the children running around, I held my breath involuntarily. If it were that bad, it would have been quite painful. But there was no shadow on the children's faces.
Rather, he was smiling brightly and walking along the streets in a familiar manner.
"You're surprised?"
"Yes. At one time, I thought I was the only one in the world with green eyes."
Edwin laughed lowly at my bewildered voice.
"How does it feel to see so many green eyes?"
"...It's strange."
It was truly a strange thing. I can't believe there are so many people other than my mom and me with green eye color.
"How did all those people come to this Vikander territory?"
"I don't know how they got here, but I know why they settled here."
"What is it?"
Edwin raised the corners of his mouth for a moment as if he was embarrassed. The moment Edwin spoke, my ears began to ring.
"In Vikander, green eyes are considered beautiful. Like other eyes."
Time seemed to pass slowly. Edwin smiled again and whispered to me as if telling his secret.
"Actually, I think Olivia's green eyes are very especially pretty."
Each syllable caused a stir deep inside my heart. I blinked my eyes slowly. My lips moved wildly as I lost control.
"A thousand, why not?"
I voice trembled. I sometimes asked myself: If I had purple amethyst colored eyes, wouldn't I have been able to belong to the Madeleine duchy? If it weren't for my green eyes, would Leopold have loved me?
If only it weren't for green eyes. If only I hadn't had the eyes of a lowly dancer. Then I shook my head. This is the last trace left by my mother.
That I too should love my green eyes. With the words I memorized like a spell, I flashed a shallow pride and covered up the cuts from my blade-like gaze. When my eyes became desperate, as if I was about to cry, Edwin nodded and made eye contact with me affectionately.
"...What a mean thing. Does it sparkle so beautifully?"
What is that friendly sighing voice? Cracks began to appear in my old memories.
"Green eyes. I would never have thought that such lowly blood would be mixed with the noble Madeleine."
"Look at those eyes. It's a shameful green color that resembles a wandering dancer."
Words filled with contempt and disdain were mixed in my head. And finally, all those gazes began to fall apart. The words that had always hurt me began to melt away without a trace.
How does this person only tell me what I want to hear?
"Edwin."
"Olivia."
"No, I'm not crying. So, let's laugh together."
It wasn't anything to cry about. I had to laugh rather happily. I smiled brightly.
It was obvious that clear tears were welling up over my green eyes, but Edwin pretended not to notice and smiled.
"As expected of my brave Young Lady."
"We have made plans to improve Jeniv Street, but we have not been able to put them into practice yet."
Some time had passed. Edwin explained quietly. As soon as I heard that the street where so many children lived could not be turned into a shantytown, I looked at Edwin.
A spark of will flashed in his straight gaze. Edwin just smiled sweetly as he looked at me.
"Is there anything you want to say?"
"What do you think if I want to do something big from now on?"
"..."
"For example, reorganizing the area of Yeniv."
I swallowed my nervousness and looked at Edwin. Even though the assets of the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess were common, I had not yet officially become the Grand Duchess. If this section of Yeniv was to be reorganized, all costs incurred would have to be the Grand Duke's money.
But I was able to organize this Yeniv better than anyone else. Turning Bell was the place I returned to when I had nowhere else to go. We were able to properly change this place, the home of those children.
"Olivia."
At Edwin's low call, I hesitated for a moment and then spoke first.
"...You don't need that much of a budget. There are people who know about architecture and civil engineering."
"That's not it."
Edwin shakes his head and laughs. A friendly smile. I blinked my eyes as he smiled, showing that he completely trusted me.
"... You haven't forgotten what I told you to increase distribution."
"... Well, what if Olivia's distribution gets bigger?"
The words Edwin had said at the Grand Duke's residence passed through my mind. I had a vague idea of how this conversation would end. As expected, kindly.
"I ate well today and slept well."
"Olivia, there is only one thing for you to do."
My chest swelled as if it would burst. As expected, Edwin smiled lazily and nodded his head.
"I do whatever you want. Don't worry about the budget,"
Edwin narrowed one eye.
"You know, thanks to Olivia's advice, Vikander, who is already wealthy, will be able to save on taxes in the future."
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