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“I received a call. This is Annette Rosenberg.”
[This is Fabian Saint. Miss Rosenberg, I checked as you told me, and it appears the alimony payment is still valid.]
"Ah..."
Annette was relieved. She had actually expected Heiner to reject her.
Even if she had the legal authority, she would be in a difficult position to take legal action. And even if she did, she wouldn't be able to deal with the Commander-in-Chief's status and connections.
“Then, should I go to the official residence to receive the compensation? Or should I visit your lawyer’s office?”
[Oh, your ex-husband said he would take care of that part.]
“If it’s a solution...?”
[Someone will be coming from your area sometime this week. They'll contact you the day before their visit.]
“Directly?”
It was an unexpected turn of events. Annette had no desire to encounter or become involved with him again in any way. She hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously.
"If you don't mind, could you please take care of the alimony? I'll go to the office and pick it up. I'll give you a fee."
[Oh, that's right, I was the one who suggested that first. Aside from the case fee, I thought it would be right for me to represent you until the end, as I was your lawyer. But... ]
The lawyer trailed off slightly. Annette waited anxiously for the next words.
[Madam and your ex-husband have a contract on paper, and he said he can't leave the alimony in someone else's hands. Since he wants it delivered directly to you, it's difficult for me to make any further claims.]
“...No. Thank you very much, Mr. Saint.”
[Not at all. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call.]
Annette mustered up her lingering sociability to say goodbye again before hanging up. Her mind was still in a state of confusion.
However, she was relieved to have resolved the biggest issue, the compensation. This amount seemed like a decent amount, both as compensation and as a parting gift.
Annette took a deep breath in front of the switchboard. Everything that had been so vague and distant seemed to be becoming clearer, little by little.
She is now used to clearing the place to leave.
If there was one talent she had left, it was talent.
From the next day on, Katrine didn't open the shop. A notice was posted on the wall announcing that she would be closed for a week. She gave the excuse that she wasn't feeling well, but the reason was obvious.
Annette didn't bother to ask any further questions. She knew Katrine would avoid the question anyway.
During their time together, they were always like this: laughing and chatting on the surface, but never going below that level.
Because she knew that the deeper they dug into it, the more they would end up hurting each other.
Annette sat down beside Katrine, who was breastfeeding. Annette looked at Olivia with gentle eyes.
The plump face was moving diligently. Annette couldn't help but touch that lovely cheek with her fingertips. The soft touch of flesh was irresistibly cute.
“She eats well.”
“Doesn’t she look like a fat kitten?”
“It seems like she's sucking really hard. Doesn’t it hurt?”
"It hurts a little. Sometimes it hurts a lot. When all her teeth come out, I'm in big trouble."
“At that time, you should feed the baby with baby food.”
“Is Annette going to make it for her?”
Annette simply smiled at Katrine's question without answering. At that moment, Olivia sneezed. The small, insignificant sound of the sneeze caused them both to burst into laughter.
As the laughter slowly died down, Annette carefully brought up the matter.
“...Excuse me, Katrine. Someone is coming this afternoon. Could you please take one item for me?”
“Of course. But why?”
“I have something to receive from my ex-husband...”
“Ah, I see. It would be a bit awkward to go out by yourself.”
“I wonder if he knows my face.”
Naturally, Heiner's entourage and staff knew Annette's face. Seeing them again was a reluctant prospect.
“I just need to receive the item, right?”
“Yes. Just in case, I’ll leave my ID and proxy certificate with you.”
"All right."
“Thank you, Katrine.”
Katrine laughed, asking why she was thanking her for something like this. Annette smiled silently along. She was grateful to her. Always.
It was quite late in the evening when someone from the official residence came to visit.
Annette had finished dinner and was in her room sewing. She saw a carriage pull up outside the window and knew someone had arrived.
She pulled herself onto the bed by the window, holding her sewing supplies. The coachman opened the back door of the carriage. His long legs stretched out through the open door.
A man wearing a long black coat and a hat pulled down low over his head stepped out of the carriage. He was a tall man with a large frame, visible even from afar.
Even without the gray military cap or the combat boots visible beneath his long coat, his solid physique and angular movements gave him the impression of a soldier. A strict and cold atmosphere...
Annette stopped sewing and squinted her eyes.
It was a familiar face. A very, very familiar face. A man with that build wasn't even common. But the thought of it being impossible kept her mind from working properly.
Then the man removed his hat with his gloved hands. Annette, who had been doubting her eyes, opened her mouth involuntarily the moment she saw his face.
“Heiner...?”
A blank muttering escaped her. The sewing machine she was holding fell to her knees.
Heiner approached the door with his characteristically wide, stiff stride. Annette could no longer see him.
A knock on the door carried upstairs. Annette folded her hands to her chest as if in prayer. Amidst a feeling of tension or fear, she wondered.
'Why on earth?'
She assumed he'd send a representative. She hadn't even assumed he'd come.
The train ride from Launceston to Sinseora took three hours one way. It wasn't a long distance, but it wasn't close either.
Moreover, Padania had declared war on Frances. As commander-in-chief, he couldn't possibly afford to make the trek all the way here.
"Did you come to see where I live? How am I doing? Or are you just annoyed that I'm trying to get my alimony back?"
Only questions arose in a chaotic manner, and no clear answers emerged.
While Anette was in confusion, the door opened. Katrine spoke briefly, and then Heiner responded.
They seemed to be conversing below, but Annette couldn't hear them. She held her breath, her fist clenched against her lips.
It was supposed to be a simple exchange of goods, but the two talked for quite some time. It felt like a long time before the door closed.
Annette remained fixed in her position, her eyes fixed on the window. He turned and walked back to the carriage.
The fallen leaves rolling across the street swayed in the autumn breeze. The hem of his long coat swayed with it. She stared at his back, her face half hidden behind the curtain.
Suddenly, he looked back.
For a moment, her gaze averted.
Annette instinctively hid behind the curtain, her breathing trembling like a soldier whose position had been revealed to the enemy.
She couldn't tell if he saw her or not, if their eyes met. Annette wanted to double-check where his gaze was. But she couldn't bring herself to open the curtains.
His face, seen only briefly, was gaunt. He seemed a little thin. But since she only glimpsed him briefly, she couldn't help but wonder.
Annette moistened her dry lips. Her mind was in turmoil.
‘Why is it like this...’
Why am I so nervous?
The palm resting on her chest—the sensation of her heart beating was vivid. Annette slid her hand down.
Annette couldn't define her feelings for him. Once it was love, but now... it was so complicated.
At least the love she knew never felt like this.
In retrospect, it was foolish to still love someone who had experienced such a thing. Even if it were still love, Annette no longer had the capacity to invest her emotions in it.
She was overwhelmed just trying to take care of herself. And in truth, she wasn't even doing that properly.
Whatever happens, the fact that they are now strangers still remains.
As her thoughts lingered, the sound of a carriage pulling away was heard. Only then did Annette slightly open the curtains and look out the window.
The street where the man had been standing was empty.
[This is Fabian Saint. Miss Rosenberg, I checked as you told me, and it appears the alimony payment is still valid.]
"Ah..."
Annette was relieved. She had actually expected Heiner to reject her.
Even if she had the legal authority, she would be in a difficult position to take legal action. And even if she did, she wouldn't be able to deal with the Commander-in-Chief's status and connections.
“Then, should I go to the official residence to receive the compensation? Or should I visit your lawyer’s office?”
[Oh, your ex-husband said he would take care of that part.]
“If it’s a solution...?”
[Someone will be coming from your area sometime this week. They'll contact you the day before their visit.]
“Directly?”
It was an unexpected turn of events. Annette had no desire to encounter or become involved with him again in any way. She hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously.
"If you don't mind, could you please take care of the alimony? I'll go to the office and pick it up. I'll give you a fee."
[Oh, that's right, I was the one who suggested that first. Aside from the case fee, I thought it would be right for me to represent you until the end, as I was your lawyer. But... ]
The lawyer trailed off slightly. Annette waited anxiously for the next words.
[Madam and your ex-husband have a contract on paper, and he said he can't leave the alimony in someone else's hands. Since he wants it delivered directly to you, it's difficult for me to make any further claims.]
“...No. Thank you very much, Mr. Saint.”
[Not at all. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call.]
Annette mustered up her lingering sociability to say goodbye again before hanging up. Her mind was still in a state of confusion.
However, she was relieved to have resolved the biggest issue, the compensation. This amount seemed like a decent amount, both as compensation and as a parting gift.
Annette took a deep breath in front of the switchboard. Everything that had been so vague and distant seemed to be becoming clearer, little by little.
She is now used to clearing the place to leave.
If there was one talent she had left, it was talent.
***
From the next day on, Katrine didn't open the shop. A notice was posted on the wall announcing that she would be closed for a week. She gave the excuse that she wasn't feeling well, but the reason was obvious.
Annette didn't bother to ask any further questions. She knew Katrine would avoid the question anyway.
During their time together, they were always like this: laughing and chatting on the surface, but never going below that level.
Because she knew that the deeper they dug into it, the more they would end up hurting each other.
Annette sat down beside Katrine, who was breastfeeding. Annette looked at Olivia with gentle eyes.
The plump face was moving diligently. Annette couldn't help but touch that lovely cheek with her fingertips. The soft touch of flesh was irresistibly cute.
“She eats well.”
“Doesn’t she look like a fat kitten?”
“It seems like she's sucking really hard. Doesn’t it hurt?”
"It hurts a little. Sometimes it hurts a lot. When all her teeth come out, I'm in big trouble."
“At that time, you should feed the baby with baby food.”
“Is Annette going to make it for her?”
Annette simply smiled at Katrine's question without answering. At that moment, Olivia sneezed. The small, insignificant sound of the sneeze caused them both to burst into laughter.
As the laughter slowly died down, Annette carefully brought up the matter.
“...Excuse me, Katrine. Someone is coming this afternoon. Could you please take one item for me?”
“Of course. But why?”
“I have something to receive from my ex-husband...”
“Ah, I see. It would be a bit awkward to go out by yourself.”
“I wonder if he knows my face.”
Naturally, Heiner's entourage and staff knew Annette's face. Seeing them again was a reluctant prospect.
“I just need to receive the item, right?”
“Yes. Just in case, I’ll leave my ID and proxy certificate with you.”
"All right."
“Thank you, Katrine.”
Katrine laughed, asking why she was thanking her for something like this. Annette smiled silently along. She was grateful to her. Always.
***
It was quite late in the evening when someone from the official residence came to visit.
Annette had finished dinner and was in her room sewing. She saw a carriage pull up outside the window and knew someone had arrived.
She pulled herself onto the bed by the window, holding her sewing supplies. The coachman opened the back door of the carriage. His long legs stretched out through the open door.
A man wearing a long black coat and a hat pulled down low over his head stepped out of the carriage. He was a tall man with a large frame, visible even from afar.
Even without the gray military cap or the combat boots visible beneath his long coat, his solid physique and angular movements gave him the impression of a soldier. A strict and cold atmosphere...
Annette stopped sewing and squinted her eyes.
It was a familiar face. A very, very familiar face. A man with that build wasn't even common. But the thought of it being impossible kept her mind from working properly.
Then the man removed his hat with his gloved hands. Annette, who had been doubting her eyes, opened her mouth involuntarily the moment she saw his face.
“Heiner...?”
A blank muttering escaped her. The sewing machine she was holding fell to her knees.
Heiner approached the door with his characteristically wide, stiff stride. Annette could no longer see him.
A knock on the door carried upstairs. Annette folded her hands to her chest as if in prayer. Amidst a feeling of tension or fear, she wondered.
'Why on earth?'
She assumed he'd send a representative. She hadn't even assumed he'd come.
The train ride from Launceston to Sinseora took three hours one way. It wasn't a long distance, but it wasn't close either.
Moreover, Padania had declared war on Frances. As commander-in-chief, he couldn't possibly afford to make the trek all the way here.
"Did you come to see where I live? How am I doing? Or are you just annoyed that I'm trying to get my alimony back?"
Only questions arose in a chaotic manner, and no clear answers emerged.
While Anette was in confusion, the door opened. Katrine spoke briefly, and then Heiner responded.
They seemed to be conversing below, but Annette couldn't hear them. She held her breath, her fist clenched against her lips.
It was supposed to be a simple exchange of goods, but the two talked for quite some time. It felt like a long time before the door closed.
Annette remained fixed in her position, her eyes fixed on the window. He turned and walked back to the carriage.
The fallen leaves rolling across the street swayed in the autumn breeze. The hem of his long coat swayed with it. She stared at his back, her face half hidden behind the curtain.
Suddenly, he looked back.
For a moment, her gaze averted.
Annette instinctively hid behind the curtain, her breathing trembling like a soldier whose position had been revealed to the enemy.
She couldn't tell if he saw her or not, if their eyes met. Annette wanted to double-check where his gaze was. But she couldn't bring herself to open the curtains.
His face, seen only briefly, was gaunt. He seemed a little thin. But since she only glimpsed him briefly, she couldn't help but wonder.
Annette moistened her dry lips. Her mind was in turmoil.
‘Why is it like this...’
Why am I so nervous?
The palm resting on her chest—the sensation of her heart beating was vivid. Annette slid her hand down.
Annette couldn't define her feelings for him. Once it was love, but now... it was so complicated.
At least the love she knew never felt like this.
In retrospect, it was foolish to still love someone who had experienced such a thing. Even if it were still love, Annette no longer had the capacity to invest her emotions in it.
She was overwhelmed just trying to take care of herself. And in truth, she wasn't even doing that properly.
Whatever happens, the fact that they are now strangers still remains.
As her thoughts lingered, the sound of a carriage pulling away was heard. Only then did Annette slightly open the curtains and look out the window.
The street where the man had been standing was empty.
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