Episode 74. Why Waiting Isn't Anxious
It was morning. Leon rode his horse toward the Duke of Valois' estate. As he rode, he thought. What he was going to say. How he was going to say it.
The more he thought about it, the more his words became disorganized. After all, Leon was not a man of many words. He was a man who expressed himself through his sword, not through words. Yet, his father's words kept lingering in his mind.
"If you're scared, say you're scared. Saying it's difficult is a cowardly excuse."
And what Serena had said.
"You're going to cowardly evade this question just like you did earlier."
Leon thought. He didn't want to be cowardly. He was just going. Even if his words weren't fully organized. He would find her as he went.
He was in front of the main gate of the Valois estate. Maxim came out and looked at Leon.
"Young Master, have you arrived?"
"Is Serena here?"
Maxim glanced at Leon for a moment. There was something in his eyes. It was the look of someone who knew but pretended not to. It was the look of someone who had worked in this house for a long time.
"She is in the garden."
Leon said he would go alone. Maxim nodded and stepped aside. Leon entered the garden. Serena was sitting on a garden bench. She had documents on her lap, but she wasn't reading them. She was looking at the lavender flowerbed. A faint trace of the sobbing she had done the day before still lingered on her face.
Leon approached slowly. Serena turned around upon hearing the footsteps. It was Leon. Serena froze. Seeing Serena's reaction, Leon froze as well. One of them needed to speak first, but neither of them could bring themselves to say a word.
Serena spoke first.
"Oh, you're here!"
Crazy. Saying all sorts of things just because she's flustered. Leon looked at Serena. She, too, looked as if she had just realized what she had said. You. She had said "you." A 19-year-old princess. To a man she has feelings for.
Serena spoke quickly.
"Ah, no, I saw Maxim over there. The Young Master has arrived."
Leon looked at Serena. Serena averted her gaze and pretended to organize her documents. Leon slowly sat down on the bench next to Serena. It was a scene of the two sitting side by side, gazing at the garden. There was no conversation. The lavender was swaying in the breeze. The morning sunlight settled upon the flowerbed.
Serena spoke to break the silence.
"The lavender over there is blooming beautifully."
"I see."
Leon looked at the lavender. Then he drew his sword from its scabbard. Seeing Leon do this, Serena froze once again. Leon stood up and walked toward the lavender bed. Then, he swiftly sliced a sprig of lavender with his sword. Cleanly. In one swift stroke.
He returned and held it out to Serena. It was lavender. Serena took it and looked at Leon. Leon sheathed his sword and sat back down. He looked completely unfazed. Serena looked at the lavender in her hand, then at Leon, then back at the lavender. She thought to herself: Is there anyone who slices a flower with a sword and brings it? Was the Young Master flustered, too?
Lucy, watching the scene from the mansion window, was taking out her notebook. Serena said, still holding the lavender in her hand.
"...Thank you."
Leon said, looking at the garden.
"Because you said it was pretty."
Serena looked at Leon. Leon was looking at the garden. His face was expressionless. It was the face of someone for whom cutting a flower with a sword and handing it over was natural.
Serena thought as she inhaled the lavender scent. So this is the kind of person he is. It was strangely funny. And strangely, she liked it. Serena giggled as she looked at the flower.
"So that's how the Princess laughs when she sees flowers."
A brief silence followed. Serena held the lavender in her hand. Leon looked at the garden. Serena spoke first.
"Have you sorted out your thoughts?"
Leon said, looking at the garden.
"I have."
Leon looked at the garden, then at Serena. Their eyes met. The way Leon looked at Serena was different from usual. It was expressionless, but within that blankness, his eyes were filled with a firm resolve.
"Princess. I do not wish for you to become the Crown Princess."
The garden fell silent. A breeze swept by once. The lavender swayed to one side before standing up again. Serena looked at Leon. Serena knew what those words meant. Leon wasn't beating around the bush. It was Leon's characteristic way. Short, direct, and decisive. Saying he didn't want her to become the Crown Princess meant he wanted Serena. That was the kind of person who expressed those words.
"Why?"
"It's not because I don't think you are fit for the position of Crown Princess."
Serena didn't answer, but waited for Leon to speak. Leon spoke while looking at the garden.
"It's because I don't want you to be there."
It took Serena time to accept those words. I don't want you to be there. The position wasn't important. It meant I didn't want you to be there. It meant there was a place I wanted somewhere else. It was the maximum extent of what Leon could express in words.
"Then where is the place you want, Young Master?"
Leon looked at Serena. After standing still for a moment, he raised his hand and pointed to his current location with his index finger, saying.
"Here."
Here. That was the single word. Here. The Valois ducal estate. This garden. Right here, right now.
Serena looked at the lavender in her hand. It was lavender Leon had brought, cut with his sword. Lavender brought here, cut with a sword, not bought from a flower shop or planted directly. As Serena looked at it, she thought to herself, "Here it is." For some reason, those words seemed like they would linger longer than the scent of lavender.
For a while, the two were silent. Leon waited, watching Serena. He did not rush her. Leon had said everything he needed to say. Now it was Serena's turn.
Serena looked at the lavender and said.
"As for me."
Leon waited as Serena continued.
"I know His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is sincere. And I know you're sincere right now, Young Master Leon."
Leon looked at Serena. Serena spoke while looking at Lavender.
"But I still don't know how I feel. Honestly. It's my first time experiencing something like this. I don't know how to handle it."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"I've lived for 80 years."
Leon froze. Serena realized what she had just said. 80 years. It was a remark that just slipped out. Sensing Leon's stiffness, she continued quickly.
"I just meant that I feel like I've lived a long time. Don't worry about it."
Leon looked at Serena. Serena looked at Lavender, pretending to be unaffected. Leon looked at Serena but didn't ask any further questions. He sensed that the mention of 80 years pointed to something, but he also knew that now was not the time to delve into it.
"Can you give me some time? To me?"
Leon said.
"I will wait. Take your time thinking. I will not rush you. We still have plenty of 80 years left."
The words were short and firm. It was typical of Leon. Not to persuade at length, but to say he would wait. That was what Leon could offer.
Serena looked at Leon for a moment, then averted her gaze. She thought to herself, "So this is the kind of person he is."
The scene was of the two of them standing side by side, looking at the garden. Without a word. The lavender was swaying in the breeze. Edward walked past the garden holding some documents and saw Serena and Leon. He looked at Leon again for a while. When he mouthed "What is it?" to Serena, she gestured for him to go far away.
"Ah, sorry. This isn't the right place."
Serena looked in the direction Edward had left. Who enters a garden with documents and then leaves claiming they entered the wrong place? Leon sipped his tea with an indifferent expression.
Soon after, Isabella arrived in the garden. She brought more tea. As she placed it on the table, she looked at Serena, then at Leon, then at Serena again. Then, without a word, she left. A mother who brings tea and leaves without saying a word.
Leon picked up his teacup and said.
"Your family members are quite perceptive."
Leon looked straight ahead while drinking his tea. Serena looked at his profile and thought. "He's not in a position to judge whether they're perceptive or not."
A chuckle escaped her lips as she thought that. Leon looked at Serena. Serena averted her gaze and continued drinking her tea. Leon stared at Serena's profile for a long time. As Leon put down his teacup, he placed his hand on the table. It was a hand wrapped in cloth. Seeing this, Serena asked.
"What's wrong with your hand?"
Leon looked at his hand and said.
"From training."
Serena remained silent. She stood up. She brought the medicine box and sat down in front of Leon. Serena unwrapped the cloth wrapped around Leon's hand and looked at the scraped skin. It was evident that he had swung the sword a lot. The skin was scraped over a wide area.
As she applied the medicine, Serena said.
"Did you train from dawn?"
"Yes."
Serena remained silent as she applied the medicine. He had been swinging his sword alone since dawn. He hadn't even realized his hand was in this condition. And now he had come here. Serena held Leon's hand while wrapping a new cloth around it. They were close. Leon was looking at Serena. Serena wrapped the new cloth around Leon's hand and tied a knot. As she lowered Leon's hand, she looked back at him. They were close.
At that moment, Leon tightly grasped Serena's hand again as she lowered it. The warmth of his trembling hand was transmitted directly to Serena. This man... does he have tremors?
"By any chance, do you have tremors when you hold a sword?"
Leon quickly let go of the hand he had been holding with a cold expression. Then, he looked at Serena with a peculiar gaze.
"The Princess has as little mood as I do. No, even less than me."
Just then, Maxim entered. His expression was different. It was the look of someone bringing something urgent.
"Princess."
Serena looked at Maxim.
"Envoys have arrived from the Imperial Palace regarding a formal marriage proposal. The Duke and the Madam are receiving the envoys in the main hall."
The garden fell silent. Serena rose from her seat and looked at Leon. Just as she was about to say something, Leon smiled and spoke first.
"Have a safe journey. I will stay here."
Serena knew what those words meant. Averting her gaze from Leon, Serena left the garden. Leon sat down, watching her retreating figure. With his hands wrapped in cloth resting on his knees, Leon gazed at the flower garden. It seemed as though the scent of lavender lingered on those hands.
It was the main hall. Claude and Isabella were seated there. An envoy from the Imperial Palace sat opposite them. He was a middle-aged man, dressed politely and neatly. As Serena entered, the envoy rose from his seat and bowed. He formally took out a letter proposing marriage.
It was a letter from the Imperial Palace. It stated that they wished to formally discuss the marriage between the Crown Prince and the Princess of the Duke of Valois. The date and procedures were written in detail.
Claude took the letter and read it. Claude, whose expression was usually unchanging, looked thoughtful as he read it. Isabella looked at Serena with a worried gaze. The envoy said.
"His Majesty and the Empress [regarding] the family of the Duke of Valois, and she said that she cherishes the Princess very much. She said she is convinced that this marriage will be beneficial to both the Imperial Family and the Duke of Valois."
Claude looked at the envoy as he set down the letter.
"I have received the letter. The family will discuss it."
The envoy nodded and said.
"They are waiting for a quick reply."
A quick reply. Those words echoed in the main hall. They were words of urgency. Claude said.
"As this is a matter of great importance to the family, we need time for discussion "
The envoy bowed and withdrew. The main hall fell silent. Claude placed the letter on the table and looked at Serena.
"Serena."
Serena looked at Claude. Claude crossed his arms and said.
"What do you think?"
Serena was silent for a moment. Isabella spoke quietly.
"Just tell me where your heart is right now."
Serena looked at the letter and thought. Where her heart was right now, Leon was in the garden. Leon, who was waiting, saying, "I will be here." Leon, who had pointed out that this was where she belonged in the garden. Leon, who had cut lavender with his sword and handed it to her.
Serena looked at Claude. Then, pointing to the ground with her index finger just as Leon had done, she said.
"Here. My heart is here right now."
Isabella placed both hands on her chest and looked at Serena with an affectionate expression. Then, as if understanding Serena's words, she nodded and hugged Serena tightly.
"Go out quickly. Young Master Leon is outside. Go talk to him first."
Serena looked at Isabella, then stood up from her seat. Serena felt a sense of urgency. She wanted to see Young Master Leon as soon as possible. Had he gone somewhere? Was he still waiting for me? Serena ran, panting, clutching the hem of her skirt. Leon was on the bench in the garden greenhouse. He looked exactly as he had seen her off earlier.
Leon turned around upon hearing the sound of Serena entering. Their eyes met. They exchanged no words. Yet, that silence did not feel uncomfortable. Breathing heavily, Serena sat down opposite Leon and spoke.
"Young Master."
Leon swallowed hard. He watched Serena's mouth, waiting for her to open it.
"I am back."
Without saying a word more, the two looked around the garden. They saw the lavender flowerbed. They saw the spot where Leon had slashed with his sword earlier. Not a single sprig of lavender was there. Looking at it, Serena thought to herself, "Is there anyone else in the world who would cut down a flower with a sword and bring it back?"
Serena herself was unaware that the corners of her mouth were curling up as she thought this. Leon looked at the lavender in Serena's hand. She was still holding it. She had been holding it all along.
Leon looked straight ahead and raised his teacup.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal Episode 74]
Today, I thought Young Master Leon was crazy. Out of the blue, he drew his sword and sliced through the lavender flowerbed with a strange swordsmanship. Strangely enough, only a single flower snapped off, and he presented it to the Princess.
Today, I thought the Princess was crazy, too. Upon receiving the flower, she started laughing like a dazed fool. It was terrifying.
Also, the two of them kept pointing their fingers and saying, "Here, here," and I was confused whether they were signaling for something to be brought or if they were dancing.
They didn't call me over, so I didn't approach them.
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