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Annette landed on the shore of Glenford. It was already evening.
Families and couples walked along the shore. The occasional laughter of children was carried on the wind.
Annette lifted her veil with one hand and gazed blankly at the scene before her. The sunset-tinted sea was incredibly beautiful.
Waves rolled in from the flat horizon, rising and falling, creating ripples. If she dipped her hand into the water, it felt as if it would be filled with red water.
At the shoreline where the waves ended, foam rose like a bouquet of flowers. Lovers, their shoes off, dipped their feet in the water and played.
Annette lowered her veil again. She walked slowly, holding onto her skirt. The wind was a little chilly.
On one side of the sandy beach, a man was displaying paintings. Judging by the large canvas before him, the paintings appeared to have been painted by the man himself.
Annette, who had become interested in the work, approached it and asked.
“Is this painting for sale?”
“Of course. I draw pictures and sell them.”
Annette read the price list below. It wasn't that expensive.
"It's getting dark anyway, so I was planning to close soon, so I'll draw it for free. Sit down."
"Ah..."
Annette couldn't answer readily. She was grateful and interested, but she would have to take off her hat to do so.
The man, reading Annette's hesitation, said jokingly.
"Why, aren't you confident about your face? Then I can draw you with a hat on."
“Oh, no.”
Annette hesitantly sat down on the chair, swallowed once, and took off her hat. She glanced at the man, but he didn't respond.
‘Do you really not know me, or do you know but are pretending not to know...?’
Either way, it was a fortunate thing. She felt a little more at ease and grabbed her hat.
“How long will it take?”
“It’ll be done soon. It’s free, so what do you expect?”
“But please don’t draw it too strangely.”
"Oh, if you keep going like this, it'll end up looking weird. You're too stiff. Try smiling."
Annette smiled awkwardly. The man clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“It’s so awkward. You have a pretty face, but you’re not a good actor. Try raising the corners of your mouth a little more.”
“What’s a lot? This is what it is like now.”
The man mimicked Annette's expression. The strangely folded eyes and trembling lips were utterly dissonant.
Annette burst into laughter at that playful face.
“Am I doing that?”
“That face is much better.”
The man, pointing at her with his index finger as if to say "that," quickly moved his pen. Annette smiled slightly embarrassedly.
After finishing the simple coloring with oil pastels, the man showed her the painting. Annette let out a small exclamation.
“She’s much prettier than me.”
“Of course. I draw things prettier than they actually are.”
Blond hair flowing, narrow blue eyes, a brightly smiling face, and the crimson sea beyond. It wasn't a photorealistic painting, but compared to the real thing, it felt quite similar.
"Are you going to buy it? Of course, you don't have to. If you do, I'll deduct the green fee."
“Um... I really like the painting, but I’m a little embarrassed to hang my face on it... so I want to buy another painting.”
Annette pointed to the painting of the sparkling sea, which she had been eyeing for a while. In fact, this was the reason she had inquired about selling it.
The man graciously offered her a three-pound discount. Annette accepted the paper bag containing the artwork and expressed her gratitude. The sun had already set, and dusk was descending.
Heiner stood there, transfixed, staring at her. He had the illusion of a sweet scent coming from the sea breeze.
Despite the considerable distance, her smiling face was imprinted on his retina as clearly as a fingerprint. Heiner twitched his hanging hand. His stomach lurched to the point of nausea.
“Your Excellency, your wife has disappeared.”
As soon as the report reached Heiner, a message about Annette's appearance was transmitted to all the capital checkpoints and train stations.
This was a pre-determined guideline for Heiner. While she could be caught at any time within the capital, things would become more complicated if she escaped to another region.
The next report came from the train station. The station staff said they had no authority to detain Annette, so they simply provided her with a ticket for a later train. Heiner immediately got into his car and headed to the station.
And he saw a woman sitting there.
It felt terribly unfamiliar somehow.
Annette, staring blankly at the crowd from behind her veil, looked incredibly lonely. Amidst the tumult of the world, she seemed trapped, alone.
The moment she grabbed Annette, it felt like her slender body would vanish without a trace. He knew it was a crazy delusion, a strange anxiety, but it still felt that way.
That's why he changed his plan to drag her to the official residence and followed Annette.
Annette didn't look like someone trying to run away. She only had one handbag, and her destination was a popular vacation spot.
'Are you going to meet that bastard, Ansgar Stetter?'
Just the thought of it made his mind burn. Heiner barely managed to calm his raging emotions and followed her onto the train.
Annette, perhaps buying a ticket for the first time, ended up in an unsuitable third-class seat. Heiner paid a small fee to swap seats with the person behind her.
Annette hadn't noticed him at all. It was only natural. She was a civilian, and he was a former spy, accustomed to stalking.
The train was cramped and damp. It was strange that such a noble woman was sitting there. Heiner shifted repeatedly in his seat, feeling uneasy.
Annette was chatting with the old man across from her for some reason. Heiner wondered if her voice had always been that clear.
He listened to the faint sounds of conversation filtering in through the gap between the seat and the window.
“Why aren’t you on good terms with your husband?”
“...It’s just... My husband and his people don’t like me. And I don’t want to live with him anymore.”
“There was no affection for living together?”
“Well, maybe that person... wouldn’t mind if I died.”
That wasn't a wrong statement.
But he didn't know why he wanted to deny it, to deny that it was wrong. Perhaps it was because Annette's voice sounded so forlorn.
"But you can't be loved by everyone. That's just unavoidable. You have no choice but to live with those who love you."
The old man's words were simply ridiculous in this situation. Heiner thought, slowly tapping his finger on the window frame.
That woman has no one left.
Except me.
In the end, it will be just me.
We may be in pain, but we will still be together.
Even if it's not love...
The thought always ended with them tightly embracing each other's thorny bodies.
Annette got off at Glenford Station and caught a carriage. Heiner followed her. She arrived at the seaside.
Annette gazed out at the sea for a long time, then began to walk slowly. Her white legs, stretched out beneath her skirt, rolled up to her knees, were dazzling.
After strolling along the beach for a while, Annette stopped in front of a stall selling paintings and chatted with a man. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then sat down on a chair and took off her hat.
And laughed.
Just like now.
Looking at the brightly smiling face from afar, Heiner felt an inexplicable shock.
When was the last time I saw that woman smile so innocently? The images that came to mind were all distant memories. He gritted his teeth silently.
'Let's go back.'
Heiner thought so.
There was no reason to wait for Annette. Let's take her back to the residence immediately. It was a mistake to have wasted time following her here in the first place... His hand twitched slightly.
For some reason, his feet wouldn't move. Heiner stared blankly at Annette.
He should have gone there and grabbed her wrists, forced her to her feet, taken her back to Launceston, and locked her in the official residence.
But he couldn't do that.
He had to ask her if she was thinking of running away, if she had come here while shaking off her entourage, if she had been trying to meet with that bastard, Stetter.
But he couldn't do that.
He didn't want to see that woman happy. He couldn't allow her even a moment of freedom. He had to warn her that if she did something like this again, she wouldn't be allowed to leave the residence.
But he couldn't do that.
At that moment, he knew the smile on Annette's face would vanish like a mirage. Her smile was one of the things he hated and resented most.
But he couldn't do that.
Swish.
The waves made a wet sound.
Annette carefully removed her shoes and ankle stockings. It was the first time she'd ever removed her shoes in public, as the nobles of Padania were originally ashamed to show their bare feet.
She put her luggage down on the beach and picked up useless things: broken conch shells, empty seashells, shards of glass with worn, blunt ends, and fragments of unknown origin.
Annette stuffed them into her cardigan pockets. One pocket quickly became heavy.
The waves rose to her ankles and then swept away again. She stood up straight, gazing out into the distance. The horizon was pitch black, the sun having set.
This shard of glass, or what appears to be a shard of pottery, may have come from a foreign land across the sea, carried by the waves and currents to some unknown, faraway place.
To an unknown distant place...
Annette took a step toward the sea without realizing it. The cold seawater splashed against her legs.
She stood there for a moment, then took another step. And another. The wet hem of her skirt tangled around her legs.
Before she knew it, the water had reached her calves. Annette's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. And then, just as she was about to step out again.
A large hand grabbed Annette's arm. She was instantly dragged backwards, crashing into something hard.
Annette raised her head, burrowing into his broad embrace. A familiar scent brushed her nose. A deep, cavernous voice descended.
“...Where are you going?”
Families and couples walked along the shore. The occasional laughter of children was carried on the wind.
Annette lifted her veil with one hand and gazed blankly at the scene before her. The sunset-tinted sea was incredibly beautiful.
Waves rolled in from the flat horizon, rising and falling, creating ripples. If she dipped her hand into the water, it felt as if it would be filled with red water.
At the shoreline where the waves ended, foam rose like a bouquet of flowers. Lovers, their shoes off, dipped their feet in the water and played.
Annette lowered her veil again. She walked slowly, holding onto her skirt. The wind was a little chilly.
On one side of the sandy beach, a man was displaying paintings. Judging by the large canvas before him, the paintings appeared to have been painted by the man himself.
Annette, who had become interested in the work, approached it and asked.
“Is this painting for sale?”
“Of course. I draw pictures and sell them.”
Annette read the price list below. It wasn't that expensive.
"It's getting dark anyway, so I was planning to close soon, so I'll draw it for free. Sit down."
"Ah..."
Annette couldn't answer readily. She was grateful and interested, but she would have to take off her hat to do so.
The man, reading Annette's hesitation, said jokingly.
"Why, aren't you confident about your face? Then I can draw you with a hat on."
“Oh, no.”
Annette hesitantly sat down on the chair, swallowed once, and took off her hat. She glanced at the man, but he didn't respond.
‘Do you really not know me, or do you know but are pretending not to know...?’
Either way, it was a fortunate thing. She felt a little more at ease and grabbed her hat.
“How long will it take?”
“It’ll be done soon. It’s free, so what do you expect?”
“But please don’t draw it too strangely.”
"Oh, if you keep going like this, it'll end up looking weird. You're too stiff. Try smiling."
Annette smiled awkwardly. The man clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“It’s so awkward. You have a pretty face, but you’re not a good actor. Try raising the corners of your mouth a little more.”
“Well, didn't you laugh a lot?”
The man mimicked Annette's expression. The strangely folded eyes and trembling lips were utterly dissonant.
Annette burst into laughter at that playful face.
“Am I doing that?”
“That face is much better.”
The man, pointing at her with his index finger as if to say "that," quickly moved his pen. Annette smiled slightly embarrassedly.
After finishing the simple coloring with oil pastels, the man showed her the painting. Annette let out a small exclamation.
“She’s much prettier than me.”
“Of course. I draw things prettier than they actually are.”
Blond hair flowing, narrow blue eyes, a brightly smiling face, and the crimson sea beyond. It wasn't a photorealistic painting, but compared to the real thing, it felt quite similar.
"Are you going to buy it? Of course, you don't have to. If you do, I'll deduct the green fee."
“Um... I really like the painting, but I’m a little embarrassed to hang my face on it... so I want to buy another painting.”
Annette pointed to the painting of the sparkling sea, which she had been eyeing for a while. In fact, this was the reason she had inquired about selling it.
The man graciously offered her a three-pound discount. Annette accepted the paper bag containing the artwork and expressed her gratitude. The sun had already set, and dusk was descending.
***
Heiner stood there, transfixed, staring at her. He had the illusion of a sweet scent coming from the sea breeze.
Despite the considerable distance, her smiling face was imprinted on his retina as clearly as a fingerprint. Heiner twitched his hanging hand. His stomach lurched to the point of nausea.
“Your Excellency, your wife has disappeared.”
As soon as the report reached Heiner, a message about Annette's appearance was transmitted to all the capital checkpoints and train stations.
This was a pre-determined guideline for Heiner. While she could be caught at any time within the capital, things would become more complicated if she escaped to another region.
The next report came from the train station. The station staff said they had no authority to detain Annette, so they simply provided her with a ticket for a later train. Heiner immediately got into his car and headed to the station.
And he saw a woman sitting there.
It felt terribly unfamiliar somehow.
Annette, staring blankly at the crowd from behind her veil, looked incredibly lonely. Amidst the tumult of the world, she seemed trapped, alone.
The moment she grabbed Annette, it felt like her slender body would vanish without a trace. He knew it was a crazy delusion, a strange anxiety, but it still felt that way.
That's why he changed his plan to drag her to the official residence and followed Annette.
Annette didn't look like someone trying to run away. She only had one handbag, and her destination was a popular vacation spot.
'Are you going to meet that bastard, Ansgar Stetter?'
Just the thought of it made his mind burn. Heiner barely managed to calm his raging emotions and followed her onto the train.
Annette, perhaps buying a ticket for the first time, ended up in an unsuitable third-class seat. Heiner paid a small fee to swap seats with the person behind her.
Annette hadn't noticed him at all. It was only natural. She was a civilian, and he was a former spy, accustomed to stalking.
The train was cramped and damp. It was strange that such a noble woman was sitting there. Heiner shifted repeatedly in his seat, feeling uneasy.
Annette was chatting with the old man across from her for some reason. Heiner wondered if her voice had always been that clear.
He listened to the faint sounds of conversation filtering in through the gap between the seat and the window.
“Why aren’t you on good terms with your husband?”
“...It’s just... My husband and his people don’t like me. And I don’t want to live with him anymore.”
“There was no affection for living together?”
“Well, maybe that person... wouldn’t mind if I died.”
That wasn't a wrong statement.
But he didn't know why he wanted to deny it, to deny that it was wrong. Perhaps it was because Annette's voice sounded so forlorn.
"But you can't be loved by everyone. That's just unavoidable. You have no choice but to live with those who love you."
The old man's words were simply ridiculous in this situation. Heiner thought, slowly tapping his finger on the window frame.
That woman has no one left.
Except me.
In the end, it will be just me.
We may be in pain, but we will still be together.
Even if it's not love...
The thought always ended with them tightly embracing each other's thorny bodies.
Annette got off at Glenford Station and caught a carriage. Heiner followed her. She arrived at the seaside.
Annette gazed out at the sea for a long time, then began to walk slowly. Her white legs, stretched out beneath her skirt, rolled up to her knees, were dazzling.
After strolling along the beach for a while, Annette stopped in front of a stall selling paintings and chatted with a man. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then sat down on a chair and took off her hat.
And laughed.
Just like now.
Looking at the brightly smiling face from afar, Heiner felt an inexplicable shock.
When was the last time I saw that woman smile so innocently? The images that came to mind were all distant memories. He gritted his teeth silently.
'Let's go back.'
Heiner thought so.
There was no reason to wait for Annette. Let's take her back to the residence immediately. It was a mistake to have wasted time following her here in the first place... His hand twitched slightly.
For some reason, his feet wouldn't move. Heiner stared blankly at Annette.
He should have gone there and grabbed her wrists, forced her to her feet, taken her back to Launceston, and locked her in the official residence.
But he couldn't do that.
He had to ask her if she was thinking of running away, if she had come here while shaking off her entourage, if she had been trying to meet with that bastard, Stetter.
But he couldn't do that.
He didn't want to see that woman happy. He couldn't allow her even a moment of freedom. He had to warn her that if she did something like this again, she wouldn't be allowed to leave the residence.
But he couldn't do that.
At that moment, he knew the smile on Annette's face would vanish like a mirage. Her smile was one of the things he hated and resented most.
But he couldn't do that.
Swish.
The waves made a wet sound.
***
Annette carefully removed her shoes and ankle stockings. It was the first time she'd ever removed her shoes in public, as the nobles of Padania were originally ashamed to show their bare feet.
She put her luggage down on the beach and picked up useless things: broken conch shells, empty seashells, shards of glass with worn, blunt ends, and fragments of unknown origin.
Annette stuffed them into her cardigan pockets. One pocket quickly became heavy.
The waves rose to her ankles and then swept away again. She stood up straight, gazing out into the distance. The horizon was pitch black, the sun having set.
This shard of glass, or what appears to be a shard of pottery, may have come from a foreign land across the sea, carried by the waves and currents to some unknown, faraway place.
To an unknown distant place...
Annette took a step toward the sea without realizing it. The cold seawater splashed against her legs.
She stood there for a moment, then took another step. And another. The wet hem of her skirt tangled around her legs.
Before she knew it, the water had reached her calves. Annette's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. And then, just as she was about to step out again.
A large hand grabbed Annette's arm. She was instantly dragged backwards, crashing into something hard.
Annette raised her head, burrowing into his broad embrace. A familiar scent brushed her nose. A deep, cavernous voice descended.
“...Where are you going?”
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