Side Story 7: Let's Go Dating
“What about Erna?”
The first words Bjorn spoke upon entering the annex were the same today as yesterday. They were now considered a natural greeting for the servants of Schwerin Palace.
“Her Highness is in the bedroom.”
Head maid Karen appeared among the servants who were scrambling to greet the prince, who had returned earlier than scheduled. Despite her flushed face, flushed with excitement from the rush, her tone was calm.
Bjorn nodded slightly and climbed the stairs. Sunlight streamed through the arches leading to the courtyard, illuminating him as he strode briskly down the hallway. The Lorca Palace, illuminated by the reflections of its ornate gold leaf and tile decorations, seemed a world sculpted in dazzling light at midday.
“Erna.”
The name he called as he opened the door permeated the quiet bedroom. No response came from Erna.
Bjorn frowned slightly, paused for a moment, and carefully surveyed the room. His shallow patience quickly wore thin as he realized Erna was not there.
With a somewhat annoyed sigh, Bjorn rang the bell and went out onto the bedroom balcony to smoke a cigar. He found Erna in an unexpected place, just as he was brushing away the long ash.
Beyond the railing, where he had casually glanced, in the exotic garden spread out below, was Erna. A wide-brimmed hat obscured her face, but it wasn't difficult to recognize the tiny woman covered in lace.
Erna was walking stealthily along the path, stopping, stepping back warily, then moving forward cautiously again. Seeing that the shadowy guardian of hell wasn't there, she must have quietly slipped away.
Bjorn slowly let the smoke from his deeply held cigar drift away as he approached the railing. Realizing what Erna was doing, he burst out laughing, and a knock rang out at the door.
“Come in.”
Bjorn, with a lingering smile in his voice, tossed his half-smoked cigar into the ashtray. The maid, who had approached with quick steps, stopped at the balcony entrance and bowed her head. She seemed to have guessed the reason for the summons, her expression stiffening.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I'll find the Her Highness immediately...”
“It’s over there.”
Bjorn cut off the maid's words and gestured towards the garden below the balcony.
Karen's eyes widened as she hesitantly surveyed the area. The Grand Duchess was strolling alone. No, it seemed more apt to describe her as chasing a bird.
“It is a bird raised by the Lorca royal family, and it is said that it does not harm humans.”
Karen explained in a tone that still held tension.
The Grand Duchess was extremely curious about the peacocks strutting through the palace gardens, but the maids strictly kept them at bay. No matter how gentle they might be, it was dangerous to approach unfamiliar creatures. If the Grand Duchess were harmed by the birds, even a single one, the Prince's wrath would surely strike all the envoys.
But who would have thought that she would secretly chase after a bird like a tomboy?
Just as Karen, embarrassed, was about to continue her excuses, the Prince chuckled softly. Even then, his gaze remained fixed on his wife, who was following the peacock.
“My wish has finally been granted.”
"Yes?"
Karen, who had turned her head in surprise, belatedly let out a small exclamation.
The peacock spread its long tail. How beautiful was its enormous, fan-like plumage. Even Karen, who had always been wary of pagan birds darting proudly through the palace gardens, couldn't hide her admiration this time.
The two stood facing each other on the balcony, gazing out at the garden where the peacocks and the Grand Duchess resided. The white midday sunlight highlighted the intense colors of the tropical plants.
Bjorn's gaze, which had been slowly surveying the garden, rested on his wife again. Just looking at her back, he could tell how excited Erna was. Indeed, for a woman who loved flowers so much, Lorca's garden must have been nothing short of heaven.
As the peacock, tail folded, leisurely flew away, Erna, whose wish had been granted, turned away. As Erna walked along the path under the shade of flowers, memories of her honeymoon, a stark winter landscape, briefly flashed before vanishing.
“Do you remember the architect who built the garden room when renovating Schwerin Palace?”
Bjorn narrowed his eyes and looked down at the head maid. She had been assisting Mrs. Fitz with the task, and soon she gave the answer he wanted.
“Yes, Your Highness. It was Mr. Emil Wasser.”
“Ah. Yes, Wasser. That was the name.”
Only then did Bjorn remember the white-haired old man, the renowned greenhouse architect. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that most of the beautiful greenhouses of the royal and noble houses of Letzen were born from his hands.
“Is he still alive?”
“I don’t remember ever receiving a death notice.”
“Then let’s build a greenhouse.”
Bjorn's tone was bland, as if he were saying he was going to buy something trivial.
“So, you’re saying you’re going to build a greenhouse in Schwerin Palace?”
Karen, who was in a state of confusion, asked back in disbelief, even though she knew it was rude. Bjorn nodded with a calm expression.
“Wouldn’t the garden room attached to the Grand Duke’s residence be too small to raise such things?”
“That’s... yes, of course.”
After seeing the gardens of Lorca's palace, Karen couldn't ask any more questions and just nodded. The owner of the tropical greenhouse, the Prince, who had no interest in plants, was planning to build, would likely be that little lady, the Grand Duchess of Schwerin.
Bjorn was quite oblivious when it came to his wife's affairs. It wasn't hard to discern what his unwillingness to hide meant.
The Prince loves his wife.
The authority bestowed by this now clear fact reorganized the order of the Grand Duke's residence. Erna Dneister was now the undisputed Grand Duchess of Schwerin, their master.
“I will contact Mrs. Fitz as you instructed.”
The maid, straightening her posture, politely gave the answer the Prince was hoping for.
“And send someone to the garden to see the Her Highness...”
"No."
The Prince's tone, as he cut off the words, was softer and yet more resolute.
“I’ll go.”
Bjorn, carrying the jacket that had been draped over the back of the chair, walked away from the balcony with long strides.
Only then did Karen finally catch her breath, her heart still racing with anxiety, and look beyond the balcony railing. The Prince's beloved wife was leisurely strolling beneath a beautiful, purple-blooming holly tree.
“Bjorn!”
Erna's voice, startled and calling his name, was as sweet as a bright spring day. The smile that spread across her face, the swift footsteps that approached, and the clear eyes that finally stopped before him, staring only at him, were equally sweet.
“Did you have a good time with your friend?”
Bjorn greeted her with a polite nod and a mischievous question. For a moment, Erna flinched, like a child caught in a naughty prank. Then, a playful smile spread across her face, and she nodded.
“Yes. I had a pleasant walk with the beautiful ladies of the Lorca royal family.”
“Gentleman, Erna. Only males have tails like that.”
The corners of Bjorn's mouth slightly curved as he gazed at himself in those sparkling blue eyes.
Erna frowned in disbelief and looked to where the peacock had gone. Perched on the garden wall, the bird was basking in the sun, its tail hanging down. No matter how you looked at it, it looked like a resplendent lady.
“Really?”
“Originally, males of all animals are much more colorful.”
“Why?”
“That’s how you seduce a lady.”
"Oh my god."
Erna's small sigh, now that she had discovered the impertinent use of the once enchantingly beautiful tail, mingled with Bjorn's laughter. Perhaps displeased with the intruders whispering about its story, the peacock soon disappeared beyond the fence.
“But Bjorn, why did you come back so early?”
Erna, remembering something she had momentarily forgotten, checked her wristwatch with wide eyes. There was clearly still an hour or so left until the appointed time.
If.
Her heart swells with cautious anticipation,
No way.
She tried hard to control her mind.
She wants to love wisely, but why does she always end up so foolish in front of this man? She suddenly began to hate herself for feeling like she come a long way and still been stuck in the same place. Then, Bjorn approached her.
“Because I miss you.”
He smiled faintly as he once again destroyed the last step that Erna wanted to keep.
“Let’s go on a date.”
Erna, who was at a loss for words, stood there dumbfounded. Bjorn slowly extended his hand. Even as he babbled and babbled, his gestures were exquisitely elegant and beautiful.
“Like this now? That’s ridiculous!”
Erna, who belatedly understood the meaning of those words, was shocked and turned away.
She can't tell how much she's been looking forward to today.
She finally decided on what to wear and what hairstyle to style after dozens of agonizing thoughts. But to go out like this, unprepared, alone, without any companions.
Erna looked at the annex with terror. The guards and servants who had been scheduled to accompany the Grand Duke and his wife on their outing were undoubtedly already prepared. But committing such a thing was utterly irresponsible and undignified.
But.
Erna's eyes fluttered slightly as she faced Bjorn again. Perhaps because he had taken off his jacket, he seemed more relaxed than usual. To the locals, who had no idea who the Prince of Letzen was, he looked like a foreign nobleman on a trip.
Still.
Erna examined her outfit anxiously. While it wasn't quite the same as the one Lisa had painstakingly prepared for her, this chemise dress didn't seem like a bad choice. The ribbon adorning her waist, the same blue as Bjorn's tie, was particularly striking.
“Erna.”
When their eyes met, Bjorn smiled. His relaxed demeanor, as if he'd already seen through her mind, was annoying, but she found it difficult to find words to refute him.
“The wolves of Dneister have tails much larger and more ornate than those of a peacock.”
Erna, with her last bit of pride, pretended to be defeated and grabbed the hand he extended.
“Where would it be, just the tail?”
However, the result was that she ended up getting counterattacked by the shameless wolf.
“What about Erna?”
The first words Bjorn spoke upon entering the annex were the same today as yesterday. They were now considered a natural greeting for the servants of Schwerin Palace.
“Her Highness is in the bedroom.”
Head maid Karen appeared among the servants who were scrambling to greet the prince, who had returned earlier than scheduled. Despite her flushed face, flushed with excitement from the rush, her tone was calm.
Bjorn nodded slightly and climbed the stairs. Sunlight streamed through the arches leading to the courtyard, illuminating him as he strode briskly down the hallway. The Lorca Palace, illuminated by the reflections of its ornate gold leaf and tile decorations, seemed a world sculpted in dazzling light at midday.
“Erna.”
The name he called as he opened the door permeated the quiet bedroom. No response came from Erna.
Bjorn frowned slightly, paused for a moment, and carefully surveyed the room. His shallow patience quickly wore thin as he realized Erna was not there.
With a somewhat annoyed sigh, Bjorn rang the bell and went out onto the bedroom balcony to smoke a cigar. He found Erna in an unexpected place, just as he was brushing away the long ash.
Beyond the railing, where he had casually glanced, in the exotic garden spread out below, was Erna. A wide-brimmed hat obscured her face, but it wasn't difficult to recognize the tiny woman covered in lace.
Erna was walking stealthily along the path, stopping, stepping back warily, then moving forward cautiously again. Seeing that the shadowy guardian of hell wasn't there, she must have quietly slipped away.
Bjorn slowly let the smoke from his deeply held cigar drift away as he approached the railing. Realizing what Erna was doing, he burst out laughing, and a knock rang out at the door.
“Come in.”
Bjorn, with a lingering smile in his voice, tossed his half-smoked cigar into the ashtray. The maid, who had approached with quick steps, stopped at the balcony entrance and bowed her head. She seemed to have guessed the reason for the summons, her expression stiffening.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I'll find the Her Highness immediately...”
“It’s over there.”
Bjorn cut off the maid's words and gestured towards the garden below the balcony.
Karen's eyes widened as she hesitantly surveyed the area. The Grand Duchess was strolling alone. No, it seemed more apt to describe her as chasing a bird.
“It is a bird raised by the Lorca royal family, and it is said that it does not harm humans.”
Karen explained in a tone that still held tension.
The Grand Duchess was extremely curious about the peacocks strutting through the palace gardens, but the maids strictly kept them at bay. No matter how gentle they might be, it was dangerous to approach unfamiliar creatures. If the Grand Duchess were harmed by the birds, even a single one, the Prince's wrath would surely strike all the envoys.
But who would have thought that she would secretly chase after a bird like a tomboy?
Just as Karen, embarrassed, was about to continue her excuses, the Prince chuckled softly. Even then, his gaze remained fixed on his wife, who was following the peacock.
“My wish has finally been granted.”
"Yes?"
Karen, who had turned her head in surprise, belatedly let out a small exclamation.
The peacock spread its long tail. How beautiful was its enormous, fan-like plumage. Even Karen, who had always been wary of pagan birds darting proudly through the palace gardens, couldn't hide her admiration this time.
The two stood facing each other on the balcony, gazing out at the garden where the peacocks and the Grand Duchess resided. The white midday sunlight highlighted the intense colors of the tropical plants.
Bjorn's gaze, which had been slowly surveying the garden, rested on his wife again. Just looking at her back, he could tell how excited Erna was. Indeed, for a woman who loved flowers so much, Lorca's garden must have been nothing short of heaven.
As the peacock, tail folded, leisurely flew away, Erna, whose wish had been granted, turned away. As Erna walked along the path under the shade of flowers, memories of her honeymoon, a stark winter landscape, briefly flashed before vanishing.
“Do you remember the architect who built the garden room when renovating Schwerin Palace?”
Bjorn narrowed his eyes and looked down at the head maid. She had been assisting Mrs. Fitz with the task, and soon she gave the answer he wanted.
“Yes, Your Highness. It was Mr. Emil Wasser.”
“Ah. Yes, Wasser. That was the name.”
Only then did Bjorn remember the white-haired old man, the renowned greenhouse architect. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that most of the beautiful greenhouses of the royal and noble houses of Letzen were born from his hands.
“Is he still alive?”
“I don’t remember ever receiving a death notice.”
“Then let’s build a greenhouse.”
Bjorn's tone was bland, as if he were saying he was going to buy something trivial.
“So, you’re saying you’re going to build a greenhouse in Schwerin Palace?”
Karen, who was in a state of confusion, asked back in disbelief, even though she knew it was rude. Bjorn nodded with a calm expression.
“Wouldn’t the garden room attached to the Grand Duke’s residence be too small to raise such things?”
“That’s... yes, of course.”
After seeing the gardens of Lorca's palace, Karen couldn't ask any more questions and just nodded. The owner of the tropical greenhouse, the Prince, who had no interest in plants, was planning to build, would likely be that little lady, the Grand Duchess of Schwerin.
Bjorn was quite oblivious when it came to his wife's affairs. It wasn't hard to discern what his unwillingness to hide meant.
The Prince loves his wife.
The authority bestowed by this now clear fact reorganized the order of the Grand Duke's residence. Erna Dneister was now the undisputed Grand Duchess of Schwerin, their master.
“I will contact Mrs. Fitz as you instructed.”
The maid, straightening her posture, politely gave the answer the Prince was hoping for.
“And send someone to the garden to see the Her Highness...”
"No."
The Prince's tone, as he cut off the words, was softer and yet more resolute.
“I’ll go.”
Bjorn, carrying the jacket that had been draped over the back of the chair, walked away from the balcony with long strides.
Only then did Karen finally catch her breath, her heart still racing with anxiety, and look beyond the balcony railing. The Prince's beloved wife was leisurely strolling beneath a beautiful, purple-blooming holly tree.
***
“Bjorn!”
Erna's voice, startled and calling his name, was as sweet as a bright spring day. The smile that spread across her face, the swift footsteps that approached, and the clear eyes that finally stopped before him, staring only at him, were equally sweet.
“Did you have a good time with your friend?”
Bjorn greeted her with a polite nod and a mischievous question. For a moment, Erna flinched, like a child caught in a naughty prank. Then, a playful smile spread across her face, and she nodded.
“Yes. I had a pleasant walk with the beautiful ladies of the Lorca royal family.”
“Gentleman, Erna. Only males have tails like that.”
The corners of Bjorn's mouth slightly curved as he gazed at himself in those sparkling blue eyes.
Erna frowned in disbelief and looked to where the peacock had gone. Perched on the garden wall, the bird was basking in the sun, its tail hanging down. No matter how you looked at it, it looked like a resplendent lady.
“Really?”
“Originally, males of all animals are much more colorful.”
“Why?”
“That’s how you seduce a lady.”
"Oh my god."
Erna's small sigh, now that she had discovered the impertinent use of the once enchantingly beautiful tail, mingled with Bjorn's laughter. Perhaps displeased with the intruders whispering about its story, the peacock soon disappeared beyond the fence.
“But Bjorn, why did you come back so early?”
Erna, remembering something she had momentarily forgotten, checked her wristwatch with wide eyes. There was clearly still an hour or so left until the appointed time.
If.
Her heart swells with cautious anticipation,
No way.
She tried hard to control her mind.
She wants to love wisely, but why does she always end up so foolish in front of this man? She suddenly began to hate herself for feeling like she come a long way and still been stuck in the same place. Then, Bjorn approached her.
“Because I miss you.”
He smiled faintly as he once again destroyed the last step that Erna wanted to keep.
“Let’s go on a date.”
Erna, who was at a loss for words, stood there dumbfounded. Bjorn slowly extended his hand. Even as he babbled and babbled, his gestures were exquisitely elegant and beautiful.
“Like this now? That’s ridiculous!”
Erna, who belatedly understood the meaning of those words, was shocked and turned away.
She can't tell how much she's been looking forward to today.
She finally decided on what to wear and what hairstyle to style after dozens of agonizing thoughts. But to go out like this, unprepared, alone, without any companions.
Erna looked at the annex with terror. The guards and servants who had been scheduled to accompany the Grand Duke and his wife on their outing were undoubtedly already prepared. But committing such a thing was utterly irresponsible and undignified.
But.
Erna's eyes fluttered slightly as she faced Bjorn again. Perhaps because he had taken off his jacket, he seemed more relaxed than usual. To the locals, who had no idea who the Prince of Letzen was, he looked like a foreign nobleman on a trip.
Still.
Erna examined her outfit anxiously. While it wasn't quite the same as the one Lisa had painstakingly prepared for her, this chemise dress didn't seem like a bad choice. The ribbon adorning her waist, the same blue as Bjorn's tie, was particularly striking.
“Erna.”
When their eyes met, Bjorn smiled. His relaxed demeanor, as if he'd already seen through her mind, was annoying, but she found it difficult to find words to refute him.
“The wolves of Dneister have tails much larger and more ornate than those of a peacock.”
Erna, with her last bit of pride, pretended to be defeated and grabbed the hand he extended.
“Where would it be, just the tail?”
However, the result was that she ended up getting counterattacked by the shameless wolf.
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