"I'm sure you'll like her."
The Grand Duke of Luxen lingered with Valquiterre with regret until he departed the next day. There was a smooth road between the principality and the kingdom, making it good for horse-drawn carriages, but the round trip took twenty days, so it wasn't easy for the Grand Duke to travel even once.
"It would be nice if we could at least say hello at this point."
When Valquiterre didn't budge even though he continued to complain, the Grand Duke gave up and returned to the principality with Bianque as planned.
There was only one royal carriage following behind the carriage bearing the Grand Duke and Princess.
"And how much are you going to buy there?"
Bianque liked flashy and pretty things, wanting to stand out from others and receive attention. All the jewelry she chose was expensive and rare, and the dresses she wore were worthy of a royal seamstress. She was also a top customer at most of the capital's prestigious dress shops.
Just yesterday, she'd left while drinking tea, saying she needed to pack her luggage, and it was obvious why there was only one carriage loaded with baggage. She must be planning to pester the Grand Duke in the principality and go on a shopping spree.
They said there would probably be three carriages loaded with jewels and dresses on the way back, and Valquiterre could only shake his head.
"I need to get Bianque married."
It was one of the most common thoughts he'd had these days when he pondered his past choices. Why had he thought Kaian would have a hellish married life by ruining the territorial war Kaian had carefully prepared and marrying him off to an enemy family he hated?
Unfortunately, there'd been a lack of understanding about marriage. How could Valquiterre know about a marriage he'd never tried? In a marital relationship, the personality and values of the two people who were husband and wife had great influence.
This had been a failure because he hadn't known much about Claudel's existence due to lack of information. He'd known Kaian wasn't an ordinary person either, but he hadn't known he'd take marriage so seriously.
Claudel was beautiful and attractive, and she seemed honest and upright.
"I would have enjoyed it more if Bianque had emptied Kaian's pockets."
Kaian was free to reject as he pleased, but he was a reasonable person. Baron Colon, the butler of the Lord's castle and a powerful figure in Rowan, was no slouch either.
If Bianque had married Kaian and been extravagant and wasteful, they would have been fighting bloody battles and dragging each other to hell long ago.
Even thinking about it again, it was regrettable that—being alive and well—he'd been so concerned about useless things like the right to succession to the throne that he hadn't realized he'd given Kaian a treasure.
Valquiterre headed to the Hanging Gardens. In a sunny spot, he buried the acorn Claudel had given him.
*You'd think it's just an ordinary acorn.*
Saying he had something to be thankful for had been said on impulse.
*But contrary to what it looks like, there's wood inside. It's very rare.*
It wasn't that he'd wanted anything in return—only the best in the country was offered to Valquiterre anyway. However, while it had felt good just to walk with her and exchange a few words, he'd felt sorry that such a woman was already married with a husband—and that he was the one who'd ordered the marriage. So he'd tried to sound pitying.
He hadn't known she'd actually give him something.
*I don't think it would be good to spend her husband's money to show my gratitude. If I have the chance later, I'll prepare a gift with my own hands.*
Besides, she'd said that something bought with Kaian's money couldn't be a gift. That was truly correct. He didn't think he'd be happy at all if she bought something with money she'd received from Kaian to repay him.
He hoped to see at least a sprouted sapling next year.
Valquiterre said while looking at the spot where the acorns were planted.
"I heard there was a tree already here. I guess I'll have to have it removed."
---
The main occupation of the Rowan estate was farming. Everything lying around was useful if picked. Gathering grains, fruits, and vegetables was food; gathering trees that grew thickly was wood; picking up grass growing everywhere was medicine.
There was a lake in the back garden, and a tributary of the Shen River—which flowed below the capital city—reached the moat surrounding the castle.
Rowan Port, located at the river's mouth, was very close—about ten minutes away by horse or carriage from the Lord's castle. The produce from Rowan was loaded onto ships and transported to the capital.
Otherwise, it would have to be sent by wagon. Grains such as beans, barley, and wheat could be sent that way, but fruits and vegetables whose freshness was important couldn't be sent so slowly. If sent by ship to the capital, they could arrive in three days, whereas it would take a week by wagon.
From there to Valmonde, it had to be transported by cart since the waterway was cut off again from the capital. So even freshly picked fruits from Rowan would be at least ten days old when they arrived at Valmonde.
There was a basis for disparaging Kaian as a "Vermonter who eats dried food."
Anyway, Hannah had been hanging around near the port for a while. A ship could be seen on the wide water stretching far out to sea. Hannah smiled and stomped her feet.
"Oh, I guess they're about to arrive now."
The ship—which had seemed like a small dot—gradually grew larger and eventually moved leisurely, befitting its enormous size, and swiftly anchored in the port. The sailing ship captained by Rohan Hindenburg had completed its voyage and returned safely.
*Swoosh.*
At that moment, a man with a rope attached to his arm jumped off the boat and landed on the dock.
"Rohan!"
As Hannah greeted him, Rohan released the rope and approached her, rubbing his hands on his clothes.
"Miss!"
"Don't call me that."
She frowned. Strictly speaking, both were servants of Temnes, but Hannah had been adopted into a vassal family by the Duke of Vermont while staying at Castle Valmonde, so she was of noble status.
Because of his commoner status, Rohan had called her "Miss" the first time he'd greeted Hannah. Using the Pebble family name had simply been a means of being by Claudel's side—just a formality.
It was meaningless, and Hannah had asked him not to call her a lady like that. However, Rohan sometimes took pleasure in deliberately teasing her as if it were some kind of nickname.
Every time, she tried to tell him not to do that, but for some reason, men in relationships were anxious to play around and tease their lovers. Rohan was also an ordinary man at times like that.
"I meant 'my lady.'"
In the end, Hannah laughed at Rohan's sly attitude. Wasn't the beauty of her love life that it was both cringeworthy and funny?
"Did you have a good voyage?"
"As you see."
"Are you hurt or injured?"
"I need your attention. It would have been nice if there'd been just a small injury."
As Hannah narrowed her eyes and glared in confusion, Rohan lifted his arm and flexed.
"I'm very strong."
"Don't say that even as a joke."
Rohan looked pleased at her tone of concern. One way or another, he was simply happy that someone who welcomed him had come to meet him.
"You should have waited at the castle. I would have taken a quick shower, changed clothes, and come to you."
"I did it because I wanted to see you quickly. I happened to have some business outside the castle."
They were dating, but people around them weren't aware of that fact—because no one asked Rohan and Hannah if they were together.
The masters they served had their own concerns. An incredible marriage that might end the rivalry between hostile families that would last long in the kingdom's history. What a storm the protagonists must be living through in their married life.
Anyway, unlike the Lord and Lady, Rohan and Hannah were calmly dating.
"It's been a while since I've seen you, but I can't even hold your hand."
"It doesn't matter."
Rohan seemed to think it was rude to meet her fresh from the boat without washing properly. However, she thought the smell of salty sweat coming from the sailor was the man's passion for life.
Rohan Hindenburg was a very handsome man of the sea—so much so that Claudel meticulously collected his adventure books as a favorite series. Even though he wore dirty clothes and a hat that hadn't been washed in a while, and his hair smelled musty from not having been washed, it was nothing compared to his mysterious adventure stories.
"Hold my hand."
When Hannah held out her hand, Rohan seemed conflicted, then took a handkerchief from his pocket. When he wrapped the handkerchief around his hand and held hers over it, Hannah was dumbfounded but happy, and she laughed again.
"You're not going to the castle? What business did you have today?"
"Ah, I have a telegram to send. Let's stop by the telegraph office and then go."
They entered the small building of the telegraph office in front of the harbor dock. Here, if you showed your identification and paid for the message and delivery fee, a telegram was sent to the designated location after sunset.
Hannah looked confused as she rummaged through her small bag hanging on her arm.
"Oh no."
"What's wrong?"
"I guess I left my identification behind by mistake."
At her words, Rohan took out a crumpled piece of paper the size of his palm from the inside pocket of his jacket.
"I'll send it in my name, if that's all right."
"Really?"
"It would be a waste of time to go back. If you don't mind sending it under my name."
"It's fine. If they read the contents, they'll know I sent it."
Hannah quickly filled out the telegram form and paid.
"Thank you very much."
"It's nothing special."
Rohan smiled brightly. The handsome man with wheat-colored hair was attractive even if he hadn't washed for a few days.
"Go to the castle and wash up."
"I'll stop by the inn. I used to go to the castle just like this, but now that I have a lover, it feels rude."
"In that case, even if it's just empty words, I have to say I feel it would be rude to me too."
After leaving the telegraph office, they didn't walk far before arriving at an inn where Rohan rented a room.
"I'll take a shower, change clothes, and then come."
"Yes."
However, Hannah hesitated with a somewhat wistful attitude. Seeing that, Rohan invited her with his gentle voice.
"Would you like to come in and have some tea?"
"Is that all right?"
"Of course."
The room Rohan stayed in was the best room in the inn. The living room and bedroom were separate, with a bathroom, and it was located on the third floor with a view of the sea and river estuary from the window.
No sooner had she sat down at the table than the waiter from the inn brought a silver tray with cakes, cookies, and tea.
"Drink slowly. I'll take a shower and be back soon."
Once Rohan was gone, Hannah let out a long sigh.
*Rohan, I'm sorry for lying.*
---