Tea party with the Count (4)
She was shorter than most girls her age and had a more petite build. Her chest-length hair was curly and her skin was tanned. Her hair was the color of dead chestnut. Her eyes were large, with brown pupils, the same as her hair, but slit upward, and her small freckled nose was turned up, as if soaring into the sky. Her lips were small, rough and often bled.
"Ugly dwarf."
Boys my age once called me that.
Unlike Paula, Alicia was a beauty from childhood. She was about the same height as Paula, but her body was moderately plump and her breasts were large. Her waist-length light brown hair was shiny thanks to constant grooming. She did not go outside when the sun was shining, so her skin was fair, her eyes were large, her nose was long and sharp, and her lips were plump, so even a slight smile was seductive enough to bewitch her opponent.
From what Paula could see, Alicia was very pretty. She was so good that rumors spread even beyond the village. The son of a village lord fell in love with Alicia and proposed to her. No, all the men had unrequited love for Alicia. Because of this beauty, even her mean nature was judged attractive.
At the same time, while discussing Alicia, the topic of Paula came up. The object of curiosity was pretty Alicia's older sister. Her little sister was the same, how much more beautiful was her elder sister? So people saw Paula many times when they came to visit Alicia. However, the look that sparkled with anticipation immediately turned to disappointment when they saw her face. There were people who openly frowned or cursed. It was a familiar question when they asked if she was Alicia's real sister.
Paula was silent for a while. She seemed to imagine a maid who dared to be arrogant towards herself.
“Would you despise me too if you saw me? You might not want to keep me around because I'm ugly. Just like other people did to me. Maybe I'm lucky that you don't see me. Because you don't have to look at that ugly face."
“If, like a miracle, you could see me, I don’t want to show you my face.”
She didn't want to be hurt. She had only been a voice from the beginning, and now the lie had come out of nowhere, but it wasn't bad for him to be so wrong. She would be very happy if there was at least one person in her life who remembered her as a nice person.
-You must be beautiful. I can't imagine.
- I hear this often.
And then she laughed bitterly.
- I heard you say that you looked fine before.
- I said this out of politeness.
- You're lucky.
Paula shook her head and let go of the end of her hair he was touching. The mystery seemed to be solved. He was lucky that he did not see the tips of her trembling fingers holding the book.
- The master is also handsome.
- I know.
- Oh, it's a little tiring.
Having expressed his frankness, he slightly raised the corners of his mouth. There was joy in those slightly curved emerald eyes.
'You're smiling...'
- You should be easy to find.
'Well, is that really so? I’m different from the woman in your head right now.”
- Is that so?
- Yes. I can tell them to bring the smallest person here.
His reasoning was unexpected. The smallest person...
- I'm not that small.
- You're small.
- The master is on the weightier side.
-You are too small, so I would like to use you as a staff.
- I'm not small.
Paula said this awkwardly, he laughed again. Pleasure showed on his relaxed face. She often saw a bitter or scared expression on his face, so it must have been very pleasant for her to see him smile. At the same time, her mood improved. She laughed with him.
- You are really evil.
- Only with you.
"I think we'll have a fight to see who's worse."
- It's windy now.
- Don't change the subject.
- Ah, I see. Think as you wish.
Having announced surrender, Paula only moved her legs. The wind was blowing strongly. The wind carried a ticklish laugh.
- The wind is still cold, so tell me if it's cold.
- Everything is fine.
He took a sip of tea and turned away. Paula looked at the book again. She considered continuing to read the part where she left off.
- I want to leave.
It was a random word. Paula looked at him again. Vincent was still looking away. The wind ruffled his hair. Today she couldn't concentrate on reading. And it wasn't just the wind noise. It was because of him.
- Then maybe you want to take a walk?
- What?
Paula put the book on the table and stood up. And in bewilderment she grabbed his hand.
- Let's take a walk.
The forest was silent. As expected, there was no one there. It was located at the back of the outbuilding, so it was not very deep, but it was also unkempt and untouched. Luckily there was a path, so it was a nice walk. Walking to the sounds of nature, the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves seemed like an adventure.
(r.p.: it was so quiet and then the birds appeared)
- The weather is really good.
- Right.
He held her hand and followed a step behind her. Walking hand in hand with a grown man was awkward, but it felt like she was out for a walk with her little brother.
-If you have any problems, tell me. I will carry you on my back.
- As I already said, I didn’t hurt my leg.
- Nevertheless.
Due to being stuck in the room for a long time, his stamina was very low. So she took his hand and walked slowly. The last thing he really improved in his movement was when he was with Ethan, he started getting out of bed. Of course, he was still confined to his room, but it was a nice change from when he was lying in bed.
Wow, the wind blew. He tilted his head with a pleasant feeling. The wind blew through his hair and a cold aura touched his skin. Even Vincent's golden hair fluttered in the wind. The sound of footsteps through the crisp forest echoed pleasantly.
“I think it would be nice to go out like this sometimes.”
- No need.
- Why?
Because when I meet someone it becomes a headache.
But... she didn’t feel the presence of people, but just in case, she nervously looked around.
- There is no one there, but I will let you know as soon as someone comes.
- There won't be anyone.
- Really?
- This is a place where I often came when I was young. With Ethan and Violet.
- I...I'm curious. Who is Violet?
Besides Ethan and the letters, Paula was interested because it didn't seem like a simple relationship. He seemed to be in a good mood now, so she asked, hoping for a chance.
- My bride.
- Bride?!
Paula was a little surprised, but given his age, it would be even more strange if he was without her. She had heard that nobles choose their betrothed from an early age. It reminded her of Alicia, who snorted at the Master's son who insisted that he would leave his fiancée and choose her. Alicia hated the Master's son because he was ugly, but she rejected him under the pretext that he had a fiancée.
“Yes, you love each other. That's why she sent the letter out of concern for him."
Then the letters that arrived with caution began to make sense.
“She seems to love the master very much.”
- This is wrong.
Paula was touched, but the other person resolutely cut off this emotion. She looked at Vincent.
- No?
- No. So if she comes to the mansion, send her back.
- Why? You said she is your fiancee.
- She doesn't know that I'm blind.
Ah... She was told that he was hiding it, but Paula didn't know that he was hiding it even from his fiancée.
- If she found out that her fiancé was blind, she would ask to terminate the contract.
- No way.
“I don’t know what she’s thinking, but she and I weren’t engaged because we loved each other.” It was an agreement between families for profit. Therefore, if one party has become useless, it is only natural that the engagement is broken off.”
-...
“I can’t hide this forever, but it’s better to put it off as long as possible.”
Last time, Ethan, and now Violet, were each trying to find some meaning in their relationship with him. Paula thought that the life of the nobles was not easy either.
- I'll remember this.
She nodded and answered. She was curious though.
Violet was the owner's fiancée. What did she look like?
For some reason, Paula imagined a face as beautiful as a flower.
- And you don't have to do that.
- What are you talking about?
- It's because of what you said last time. This means you don't need to console me.
- …No.
Her answer was delayed because he pointed it out. She tried to talk, but it didn't work for him.
In fact, after this shocking confession, the atmosphere between Vincent and Paula calmed down a little. For some reason, she looked into his eyes, and he became even more silent. Initially, it didn't seem like a casual conversation, but the current atmosphere was tense.
So she wanted to lighten his mood, but he easily discerned her innermost thoughts.
- You don't have to lie.
- This is wrong.
- I believe that you are doing this.
"I'll just pretend I don't understand."
Paula pretended not to hear and concentrated on walking. He didn't say anything else either. Birds chirped in the quiet forest. This sound calmed her heart.
Then, in an instant, a strong wind blew. The tablecloth in her hand scattered in the wind.
- Um-mm! Wait, master!
She set down the basket she was hanging on her wrist and let go of his hand. She felt his movements behind her, confused. She screamed for a while and then followed the flying tablecloth. She thought it would be easy to catch it, but the more she tried to catch it, the further it flew away. As a result, the fabric went deeper into the bushes.
The tablecloth flying around stopped only after it hit a tree. At this moment, Paula hurriedly ran after her.
It was a moment. Before her hand could reach it, a large hand appeared out of nowhere and lifted the tablecloth.
There was someone in the forest.
Paula didn't feel any presence at all, but there was a strange man standing in front of her. She stopped at the sudden appearance of a stranger. His brown hair fluttered in the wind. The man turned his back so she couldn't see his face.
Who was it? Is he the owner here? But this was the first time she had seen anyone here.
Of course, there were many people working here, but the servants she saw were very few. Despite this, the man in front of her did not look like a servant for some reason. It was the clothing of a nobleman, and the atmosphere it created was elegant.
Paula thought and looked at his back, but soon after that the man also turned to her. The man's face that appeared before her eyes was young.
And he, as expected, was a pioneer.