Volume 6 Chapter 52-2 Interlude - Luke and Cecilia
According to the Gardners, the memories were always there.
Nicholas was said to be a man who once headed a mid-sized merchant guild in the Empire.
He showed up at the same time the previous house steward retired due to old age.
It was the kind of offer they would normally refuse, but Nicholas was quite the go-getter, and his record as the head of the merchant guild couldn't be overlooked by the Gardner household, who wished to expand their trade operations.
So, they decided to hire him on a trial basis, and it turned out he was exceptionally talented, just as his resume suggested.
He was good with people, won over the hearts of the mansion's residents, and before they knew it, the Count's house had been taken over.
"Things started getting weird when we expanded the harbor to broaden our trade."
Count Gardner weakly shook his head, his shoulders slumped as he admitted to doing wrong by the merchant guild Belmond and the people.
"So, Elaina──"
As Fried made to dash off in a panic, Count Gardner grabbed his shoulder and said, "Wait."
"What time do you think it is? It's fine if you meet after you make the first move tomorrow morning."
"But tomorrow..."
Fried glanced hesitantly at Cecilia.
His face seemed to say that he had a stroll planned with Cecilia tomorrow.
"You... in this situation──"
Fried shook his head at the astonished Count Gardner and said, "It's not like that."
"Whatever the reason, she is a guest invited to our home. We can't just abandon her..."
"Oh my. Never mind me, but I do believe it would be best for you to offer a sincere apology to whomever you offends, like Lady Elaina."
Cecilia said with a smile. Fried smiled and bowed his head, saying, "Thank you."
The night's event came to a surprisingly anticlimactic end, but as everyone else left the scene, Katarina poked her head out from the room.
"About time, I was thinking the main event should be starting soon."
Katarina said with a giggle.
Luke tilted his head and asked, "Main event?"
"The Lady and the Count, I was told to tell them...that's what I said,"
Despite everything that had happened, Alfred gave a wry smile at Katarina who was laughing, saying that this was the main point.
"No, as Lady Katarina says, this is the main point,"
Luke, nodding vigorously, turned to Cecilia first.
He should have lowered himself to one knee, but Luke stood straight and took a step closer to Cecilia.
"MiLady, I love you."
Cecilia's face heated up at Luke's sincere, straightforward declaration.
Smiling at the crimson-faced Cecilia, Luke turned to Alfred.
"Count, may I continue to love the Lady?"
Alfred, whose expression was unreadable, said, "Just to keep on loving her?"
Luke shook his head at Alfred's words, "Not now..."
"I've realized it. I'm...just a worthless nobody. So...I will definitely become a man worthy of entrusting the Lady."
Luke, looking Alfred straight in the eye, continued,
"By the time the Lady graduates from the academy, absolutely. That's why..."
"I understand. Until then, I will put a stop to any engagement proposals for Cecilia. But the grace period is until then."
Luke nodded vigorously at Alfred, who smiled, "That's enough."
The path to fulfill his love for Cecilia, and the path to achieve it.
There was no hesitation in Luke's eyes, which reflected those goals.
* * *
"So, we're returning home after just one night,"
"There's no other way. Gardner must be busy with the aftermath."
Luke had a reason for his wry smile.
After all, on the way back, Cecilia refused to ride in the carriage and insisted on riding beside Luke on horseback.
Of course, she wasn't astride.
It was a side saddle, a type of riding position.
Sitting in the side saddle with a specially prepared saddle, Cecilia, who was seated thanks to Count Gardner's help, skillfully held the reins and smiled.
"The Count seemed saddened."
"Good for him. If father had properly conveyed his intentions, Luke wouldn't have gotten into such a dangerous situation in the first place."
Cecilia, fuming with aprickly sort of righteous anger, still believed they could at least pull off a decent jest.
(A jest, you say... I doubt that's the real reason.)
This was Luke's impression of Alfred, the man he had met on this journey.
He hadn't told them his true feelings, and Luke believed the reason wasn't simply because he couldn't pull off a good jest.
But even if Luke sensed something, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
It felt like he'd been played, but strangely, there wasn't any bad feeling about it.
Somehow, Luke thought Alfred was withholding the truth for Luke and Cecilia's sake.
As Luke glanced at his companion, he saw Cecilia still riding with a joyful grin, her steed galloping effortlessly.
"My Lady, aren't you finding this tiring?"
Even with a special saddle and years of riding experience, Cecilia had never ridden for this long before.
But Cecilia simply turned her face forward, ignoring Luke's words with a huff.
"My Lady?"
"Call me Cecilia"
Cecilia puffed out her cheeks.
Luke started to stammer, "No, I'm not yet..." but she waved him off dismissively.
"I want you to call me that."
Cecilia's face flushed red, and Luke's own cheeks mirrored the color.
"Then..." he began.
"Lady Cecilia..."
"That's fine."
Cecilia nodded, and Luke burst out laughing, and they both laughed together.
From the back of the carriage, Robert and the other Hartfield Knights watched them.
Captain Conrad, incidentally, had been overtaken by Cecilia and was now riding inside the carriage.
"Ah, to be young."
"Indeed."
"Lucky them."
The Knights murmured their envy of Luke and Cecilia, but their expressions were full of warmth and genuine happiness.
Under those gentle gazes, Luke and Cecilia's conversation continued to flow.
"Look, Luke! That cloud looks just like a cream puff!"
Cecilia looked up at the sky with delight, and Luke smiled and said, "You're right."
The pleasant spring breeze blows, and under the clear blue sky, the laughter of the two echoed through the wide grassland forever.
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