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As expected, the guards at the residence recognized Annette immediately. As she received permission to enter, Annette was overcome with a strange feeling.
It was her first time entering the official residence as a guest. It was only natural, since the main building here was once her home.
Since her divorce from Heiner, she hadn't set foot in the official residence, or even in the capital itself. And she assumed she never would.
The reason she came back to that place was not only to see Joseph, but also because of what the butler had told her over the phone.
"I heard you've moved. It might be presumptuous of me to say this, but Miss Rosenberg's belongings remain in the residence. Why not take a look and see what you need?"
At the time of her divorce, Annette had barely taken anything from the official residence. She'd filled her bags thoughtlessly and indiscriminately, so it's safe to say she had nothing of any use.
She had most of the things she needed to live right away, but starting from scratch, she was left with some regrets about every single thing.
Besides, all the things she'd cherished in the past were in the official residence. She wanted to bring them back if she could.
Annette entered the path leading to the main building. The garden of the residence was in full bloom, welcoming summer. The fresh scent of grass wafted past her nose.
The days she spent here seemed distant. The deeper she ventured into the garden, the more she felt like she was stepping back in time.
Suddenly, Anette turned her head and saw them in their younger days walking down the street, holding hands.
“Heiner, it’s hot, can you not let go of my hand?”
“Didn’t you say earlier that you wanted to hold my hand because it was cold?”
“But as I kept holding it, it got hot.”
"You change your mind too easily. Once you've caught me, it's over."
“So are you going to hold on to it until you die?”
“Not bad.”
From her room in the official residence, a stream of water gushed from the garden fountain. The water flowed down in a curved line, accompanied by a cheerful sound.
Annette turned her gaze to the brown bench in front of the fountain. They were sitting there, huddled together, sketchbooks in hand.
“What is this drawing?”
“It’s a fountain.”
“Then what about this?”
“Annette Valdemar.”
“There are things you can’t do either.”
With every step, memories of the past flooded back. The scene, which had been unfolding like a panorama, finally ended in the middle of winter.
Annette walked silently with him, her gloves loose. Heiner glanced at her several times before hesitantly speaking.
"When the weather gets a little warmer, let's go to the beach next spring. There are many places better than Glenford. A little further down is Sunset Cliff, famous for its beautiful sunsets."
“...”
"Do you remember Santiago Beach, in Belmont County, where we went before? You wanted to go back there to see the seals."
"... Yes."
"Then, how about taking a vacation to Belmont County sometime soon? Then, when spring comes, maybe to Sunset Cliffs or another western area."
“...”
“Annette?”
Heiner stopped walking and called out to her.
Annette stood there, staring up at him. The woman from her past had vanished. It was just her and him on this road.
Heiner looked anxious, as if waiting for her answer. Annette, who had been staring blankly at him, answered a beat later.
"Is it so?"
Heiner's face brightened slightly. For some reason, that answer alone felt inadequate. Annette nodded and answered once more.
"Is it so?"
Days of endless happiness, or endless misery. Though every moment ultimately passes, the place where love and hate intersect remains, as if it will last forever.
The path that led through the garden ended. Annette entered the main entrance. The butler was waiting for her.
“Welcome, Miss Rosenberg.”
“...It’s been a while.”
The butler, an old man well past his prime, didn't seem to have changed much. Not his lush white hair, not his always kind smile.
“How have you been?”
“Yes. What about you, sir?”
"It's the same as always. Joseph's writing class isn't over yet, so would you like to wait a moment? Or you can check your room first to see what you need. Everything will be there."
“...Then can I check the room for a moment?”
“Of course.”
The butler smiled and led her to her room. Annette followed him to what had once been her room. Despite being a hallway she'd passed through countless times, it felt unfamiliar.
"I'll be on the first floor. Please feel free to look around, and let me know if you need anything."
"Thank you."
The butler closed the door. Annette, left alone in the room, stood still for a while, looking around.
Even though it had already been two years since her divorce, this place had remained remarkably unchanged. Everything remained the same.
As if someone had stuffed it in its entirety.
It felt completely different from seeing her room in Katrine's house, which had always been the same. Everything here felt overly... unnatural, like a still life.
Annette, who had been looking around the room in a slightly bewildered state, soon began to move. She opened drawers and closets, searching for things to take with her.
Annette's hand reached the last drawer as she checked the drawers under her desk. When she opened it, a rustling sound came from inside.
The last drawer contained a luxurious cloth pouch she had never seen before. Annette took it out, wondering if she had something like this.
"...Ah."
Annette made a small noise as she checked inside the cloth bag. It was something like a seashell or conch she'd picked up on the beach in Glenford long ago.
But something was strange. The cloth bag Annette had put these in was clearly something else. It was plain, plain, and worn, with a slight tear at the end.
What he had thrown in the hotel trash can...
Annette's eyes flickered faintly. She gazed for a long time at the smooth, unblemished surface of the cloth bag.
“Joseph!”
Annette, seeing Joseph, hugged the child with both arms. Joseph, with a slightly dazed expression, returned her embrace.
Just as she was about to feel disappointed, thinking that he might not be very happy, she felt the child's heart beating and breathing rapidly in her arms, as if he were slightly excited.
Annette smiled brightly and kissed the child lightly on the cheek.
“Joseph, how have you been? Have you missed me?”
Joseph nodded. The child still seemed unable to speak.
Her chest ached, aching. She thought he'd be able to speak again someday, but she had no idea when that would be.
Annette tried not to show her dark expression as she asked questions.
"Is living here okay? You're learning to read and write, so how's it going? Isn't it hard to keep up?"
Joseph nodded to the questions he could answer, and wrote down words or sentences in his notebook for the questions he could not answer.
“Really? What kind of person is your teacher?"
It was her first time entering the official residence as a guest. It was only natural, since the main building here was once her home.
Since her divorce from Heiner, she hadn't set foot in the official residence, or even in the capital itself. And she assumed she never would.
The reason she came back to that place was not only to see Joseph, but also because of what the butler had told her over the phone.
"I heard you've moved. It might be presumptuous of me to say this, but Miss Rosenberg's belongings remain in the residence. Why not take a look and see what you need?"
At the time of her divorce, Annette had barely taken anything from the official residence. She'd filled her bags thoughtlessly and indiscriminately, so it's safe to say she had nothing of any use.
She had most of the things she needed to live right away, but starting from scratch, she was left with some regrets about every single thing.
Besides, all the things she'd cherished in the past were in the official residence. She wanted to bring them back if she could.
Annette entered the path leading to the main building. The garden of the residence was in full bloom, welcoming summer. The fresh scent of grass wafted past her nose.
The days she spent here seemed distant. The deeper she ventured into the garden, the more she felt like she was stepping back in time.
Suddenly, Anette turned her head and saw them in their younger days walking down the street, holding hands.
“Heiner, it’s hot, can you not let go of my hand?”
“Didn’t you say earlier that you wanted to hold my hand because it was cold?”
“But as I kept holding it, it got hot.”
"You change your mind too easily. Once you've caught me, it's over."
“So are you going to hold on to it until you die?”
“Not bad.”
From her room in the official residence, a stream of water gushed from the garden fountain. The water flowed down in a curved line, accompanied by a cheerful sound.
Annette turned her gaze to the brown bench in front of the fountain. They were sitting there, huddled together, sketchbooks in hand.
“What is this drawing?”
“It’s a fountain.”
“Then what about this?”
“Annette Valdemar.”
“There are things you can’t do either.”
With every step, memories of the past flooded back. The scene, which had been unfolding like a panorama, finally ended in the middle of winter.
Annette walked silently with him, her gloves loose. Heiner glanced at her several times before hesitantly speaking.
"When the weather gets a little warmer, let's go to the beach next spring. There are many places better than Glenford. A little further down is Sunset Cliff, famous for its beautiful sunsets."
“...”
"Do you remember Santiago Beach, in Belmont County, where we went before? You wanted to go back there to see the seals."
"... Yes."
"Then, how about taking a vacation to Belmont County sometime soon? Then, when spring comes, maybe to Sunset Cliffs or another western area."
“...”
“Annette?”
Heiner stopped walking and called out to her.
Annette stood there, staring up at him. The woman from her past had vanished. It was just her and him on this road.
Heiner looked anxious, as if waiting for her answer. Annette, who had been staring blankly at him, answered a beat later.
"Is it so?"
Heiner's face brightened slightly. For some reason, that answer alone felt inadequate. Annette nodded and answered once more.
"Is it so?"
Days of endless happiness, or endless misery. Though every moment ultimately passes, the place where love and hate intersect remains, as if it will last forever.
The path that led through the garden ended. Annette entered the main entrance. The butler was waiting for her.
“Welcome, Miss Rosenberg.”
“...It’s been a while.”
The butler, an old man well past his prime, didn't seem to have changed much. Not his lush white hair, not his always kind smile.
“How have you been?”
“Yes. What about you, sir?”
"It's the same as always. Joseph's writing class isn't over yet, so would you like to wait a moment? Or you can check your room first to see what you need. Everything will be there."
“...Then can I check the room for a moment?”
“Of course.”
The butler smiled and led her to her room. Annette followed him to what had once been her room. Despite being a hallway she'd passed through countless times, it felt unfamiliar.
"I'll be on the first floor. Please feel free to look around, and let me know if you need anything."
"Thank you."
The butler closed the door. Annette, left alone in the room, stood still for a while, looking around.
Even though it had already been two years since her divorce, this place had remained remarkably unchanged. Everything remained the same.
As if someone had stuffed it in its entirety.
It felt completely different from seeing her room in Katrine's house, which had always been the same. Everything here felt overly... unnatural, like a still life.
Annette, who had been looking around the room in a slightly bewildered state, soon began to move. She opened drawers and closets, searching for things to take with her.
Annette's hand reached the last drawer as she checked the drawers under her desk. When she opened it, a rustling sound came from inside.
The last drawer contained a luxurious cloth pouch she had never seen before. Annette took it out, wondering if she had something like this.
"...Ah."
Annette made a small noise as she checked inside the cloth bag. It was something like a seashell or conch she'd picked up on the beach in Glenford long ago.
But something was strange. The cloth bag Annette had put these in was clearly something else. It was plain, plain, and worn, with a slight tear at the end.
What he had thrown in the hotel trash can...
Annette's eyes flickered faintly. She gazed for a long time at the smooth, unblemished surface of the cloth bag.
***
“Joseph!”
Annette, seeing Joseph, hugged the child with both arms. Joseph, with a slightly dazed expression, returned her embrace.
Just as she was about to feel disappointed, thinking that he might not be very happy, she felt the child's heart beating and breathing rapidly in her arms, as if he were slightly excited.
Annette smiled brightly and kissed the child lightly on the cheek.
“Joseph, how have you been? Have you missed me?”
Joseph nodded. The child still seemed unable to speak.
Her chest ached, aching. She thought he'd be able to speak again someday, but she had no idea when that would be.
Annette tried not to show her dark expression as she asked questions.
"Is living here okay? You're learning to read and write, so how's it going? Isn't it hard to keep up?"
Joseph nodded to the questions he could answer, and wrote down words or sentences in his notebook for the questions he could not answer.
“Really? What kind of person is your teacher?"
[Just give me homework.]
The crooked handwriting she'd seen in the letter was written exactly as it was in the notebook. Annette answered, suppressing a laugh.
“You have a lot of homework. Are you doing it all?”
Joseph shook his head.
"Yeah, just do as much as you can. I didn't do the homework the teacher gave me either."
From the moment she called the butler, her mind was already made up. She couldn't take the child.
“I thought about it a lot.”
Annette remembered what had happened to the Grotts family. They had been forced to leave their hometown and move to Sinsier because of her. And then there was Katrine, who had died in a bombing in Sinsier.
“I also like Joseph a lot, so I kept wondering if we could be together.”
Annette wasn't confident she could raise Joseph in the best possible environment. She didn't want to give him even the slightest chance of suffering the consequences of her actions as he grew up.
"But I felt like if I stayed with Joseph, you have a really hard time. You could be living a much, much happier life in a much better place, and that wouldn't be right. So..."
With the Commander-in-Chief's help, they could have secured a truly excellent adoptive home. Even if it meant keeping the Commander-in-Chief's attention, the adoptive parents would never be able to treat the child carelessly.
“...So, for Joseph’s sake, I decided not to do that.”
Joseph will grow up in comfort, receiving quality care and education in a perfect home. Even if he can't find an adoptive home, the government will take care of him.
“You know it’s not because I don’t want to be with Joseph, right?”
Joseph shook his head, his face hurt, as if he didn't understand. Still, his expression clearly showed his intention to keep his emotions hidden.
Annette quietly hugged Joseph. The boy didn't push her away, but he didn't hug her as tightly as before.
"...Sorry."
Annette whispered, removing her hand from his small back. The child's warmth lingered in her palm. She squeezed his hand tightly, then released it.
The crooked handwriting she'd seen in the letter was written exactly as it was in the notebook. Annette answered, suppressing a laugh.
“You have a lot of homework. Are you doing it all?”
Joseph shook his head.
"Yeah, just do as much as you can. I didn't do the homework the teacher gave me either."
[No, but I do almost everything.]
"...I see."
They talked for quite some time. Annette felt sorry for leaving Joseoh in Potsmann, and throughout the conversation, she expressed her feelings by stroking his cheek or ruffling his hair.
"I'm glad you're doing well. As expected, Joseph does well wherever he goes, doesn't he?"
Then, Joseph rolled his eyes and looked at Annette. He lowered his head, wrote something in his notebook, and hesitantly showed it to her.
[Are you going with me now?]
Annette's face hardened as she checked the sentence written in the notebook. And the child keenly noticed her expression.
Annette slowly moved her lips. She had clearly prepared everything she needed to say to Joseph, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
“...Joseph, so...”
"...I see."
They talked for quite some time. Annette felt sorry for leaving Joseoh in Potsmann, and throughout the conversation, she expressed her feelings by stroking his cheek or ruffling his hair.
"I'm glad you're doing well. As expected, Joseph does well wherever he goes, doesn't he?"
Then, Joseph rolled his eyes and looked at Annette. He lowered his head, wrote something in his notebook, and hesitantly showed it to her.
[Are you going with me now?]
Annette's face hardened as she checked the sentence written in the notebook. And the child keenly noticed her expression.
Annette slowly moved her lips. She had clearly prepared everything she needed to say to Joseph, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
“...Joseph, so...”
From the moment she called the butler, her mind was already made up. She couldn't take the child.
“I thought about it a lot.”
Annette remembered what had happened to the Grotts family. They had been forced to leave their hometown and move to Sinsier because of her. And then there was Katrine, who had died in a bombing in Sinsier.
“I also like Joseph a lot, so I kept wondering if we could be together.”
Annette wasn't confident she could raise Joseph in the best possible environment. She didn't want to give him even the slightest chance of suffering the consequences of her actions as he grew up.
"But I felt like if I stayed with Joseph, you have a really hard time. You could be living a much, much happier life in a much better place, and that wouldn't be right. So..."
With the Commander-in-Chief's help, they could have secured a truly excellent adoptive home. Even if it meant keeping the Commander-in-Chief's attention, the adoptive parents would never be able to treat the child carelessly.
“...So, for Joseph’s sake, I decided not to do that.”
Joseph will grow up in comfort, receiving quality care and education in a perfect home. Even if he can't find an adoptive home, the government will take care of him.
“You know it’s not because I don’t want to be with Joseph, right?”
Joseph shook his head, his face hurt, as if he didn't understand. Still, his expression clearly showed his intention to keep his emotions hidden.
Annette quietly hugged Joseph. The boy didn't push her away, but he didn't hug her as tightly as before.
"...Sorry."
Annette whispered, removing her hand from his small back. The child's warmth lingered in her palm. She squeezed his hand tightly, then released it.
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