What Remains at the End of Regret - Chapter 34

Catherine was very grateful to the Grand Duchess for traveling all the way from the capital and handed over the overall authority for the ball.

Along with a display of appropriate anticipation, there was also affectionate encouragement, hoping for the successful completion of this ball. The conversation flowed smoothly, starting with the latest decorations trending in the capital and trivial stories circulating in Lyton society.

Just as Edmund was starting to get bored with the increasingly lengthy conversation, it was interrupted by a troublemaker who burst into the room.

“Oh, dear, am I too late?”

Felix said, entering with a playful smile and tidying his disheveled appearance. Catherine frowned deeply and said,

“Felix, apologize to Lady Katrin immediately for your rudeness.”

Katrin, tilting her eyebrows as if displeased, made an effort to relax her expression and put on a bright smile again. However, her hand gripping the teacup was strained to the point of paleness, as if she felt deeply insulted.

There was a faint contempt in Katrin’s eyes as she looked at Felix, who was sitting with a relaxed posture.

He’s a cousin of that Lockberg, how can they be so different?

Watching his endlessly frivolous behavior and words, as if he didn’t care about the dignity of a noble, a faint annoyance washed over her. Edmund, who had been quietly observing the ridiculous sight as if watching a spectacle, quietly swallowed his laughter.

“I apologize. I didn’t know such a distinguished guest was coming, and I overslept.”

“It’s alright, don’t worry about it,”

Felix said, sliding into a seat with a sly grin and extending his hand for a handshake.

The Grand Duchess, glancing at him with a displeased look, had the same red hair as him. It gave her a strange sense of familiarity. When she looked at her red, wavy hair, she felt like it was burning like the sun.

Hmm, Felix chuckled strangely, eventually shaking off his embarrassed hand and shrugging his shoulders.

Felix, who had not frequented social circles due to his military service, could completely agree with the praises of the Grand Duchess’s appearance that had reached even the Black Sea.

But whatever.

He wasn’t stupid enough not to know that Katrin had come here because of Edmund. Or that his grandmother had made a big decision for his poor cousin, who had no interest in women at all.

The conversation, which had been interrupted by the sudden intrusion, resumed under Katrin’s lead.

Mostly, Katrin would offer her opinions on how to decorate the mansion, and Catherine would agree and nod in response. When asked for his opinion, Edmund would also nod slightly, which made Katrin smile brightly, as if she couldn’t be more satisfied.

Suddenly, Edmund felt the warm air disappear and a chill creeping in, so he turned his head to the side and gazed out the window. Katrin and Catherine turned their gazes in turn at the small movement.

“Looks like it’s going to pour.”

“I should close the windows now.”

“I should go to town tomorrow. There might be something worth seeing here too.”

The conversation continued endlessly. Until the small raindrops gradually thickened and fell heavily, carrying the smell of damp grass.

Capricious weather.

In an instant, the clear sky was covered with dark clouds, bringing darkness.

Edmund could no longer concentrate on the faint voice that lingered in his ears.

Because time was passing as slowly as a season.

＊ ＊ ＊

The downpour, which seemed like it would stop soon, poured relentlessly from night until dawn when the sun rose. As the blue light gradually returned to the surface of the water, the heavy rain gradually lightened, and finally, as morning broke, the warmth of summer was completely restored.

Vivian’s hair swayed at the end of her waist as she walked energetically on the ground, which was damp from the rain that had fallen all night.

Nevertheless, the air still held a humid moisture.

“Oh, miss. The wedding is coming up soon, how can you keep wandering around!”

Betty, who was following behind her with dissatisfaction, had quickly finished her meal and prepared to go out with Vivian, trailing along behind her.

Normally, she would never have thought of following her miss to town, but Betty, who had been very busy recently with wedding preparations, had barely escaped the endless cycle of work by making the excuse that she had to attend to her miss.

The expectation that she would leisurely sightsee in town and eat delicious food evaporated like clouds in an instant.

Vivian, with a bright voice full of laughter, said to Betty, who was not erasing her sullen expression and kicking the stones in her path with a timid look.

“I can’t help it. It’s a promise I already made!”

Vivian retorted primly and headed to her destination with a lighter heart than ever. As she entered the downtown area, she saw the blue sea between the rows of buildings.

Before she knew it, it was her favorite downhill road. The scene of the sea appearing narrow and then gradually widening always gave her a refreshing feeling. There was a slight impatience mixed in Vivian’s steps as she ran down the hill.

Grandpa Ren had said that he had been called by a relative staying in the capital and would be away from home for a few days. At the same time, he gave Vivian permission to use the bookstore freely and gave her the key to the bookstore.

An invitation to the ball held at the Lockberg estate had been sent to the baronet family a few days ago.

She was already too busy with wedding preparations, but her mother said that the banquets hosted by Lockberg were rare in the first place, and it was a good opportunity to make a good impression on the high-ranking nobles, so she had to attend. That made everyone in the mansion even busier.

Of course, the biggest victim was Vivian.

While her father and mother carefully reviewed the guest list, Vivian tried on countless dresses and accessories for the wedding with Mrs. Purin. Vivian, who had been treated like a doll for days, felt frustrated and angry.

Thus, the outing that was realized was today.

Today, she was the rightful owner of the bookstore in place of Grandpa Ren.

First, she had to open the terrace door wide so that the sunlight could flood in, and put the books that were scattered around back in their places.

Then, she had to dust every corner of the bookshelf!

Vivian’s expression, as she folded her fingers and calmly counted what to do, sparkled brightly as if she were having a happy dream.

Vivian, who arrived at Grandpa Ren’s bookstore at the bottom of the hill with the Tanic Sea unfolding right in front of her, carefully pushed the key into the hole and turned it. With a click, Vivian and Betty, who had opened the door of the bookstore wide, stepped inside.

The first thing they felt as they entered was the cool, damp scent of the books. She felt a sense of stability from the familiar scent that penetrated her lungs, and even a refreshing feeling that the anxiety Vivian had felt disappeared.

Vivian, who raised the corners of her mouth with satisfaction, rolled up her sleeves. Books were scattered messily in the spot where her grandfather sat every day.

Vivian, who had stacked the books neatly, began to tidy up the table, and Betty, who had been grumbling, also found a broom and swept the floor. Vivian, who stared silently at Betty’s fiercely shining eyes as soon as she picked up the cleaning tools, quietly swallowed her laughter.

The long-awaited day began with the dust flying.

＊ ＊ ＊

“This is all of the confirmed list.”

“Good work.”

The pen between Edmund’s fingers spun around once and returned to its place.

“Are you really not going to take any action?”

Varner, who was organizing the documents and carefully tucking them under his arm, asked cautiously in a voice that seemed to be unable to grasp his intentions. As the aide to the Duke while he was here, he knew the seriousness of what this amount of material meant.

“Not yet.”

The Duke still showed no reaction, using the word “not yet.”

If something went wrong and the Emperor found out, even Lockberg would not be safe. Varner, who tried to erase his anxious expression filled with worry, nodded, thinking that the contents of this report to be sent to the capital would not be much different from the last one.

It was at that moment. At the sound of a short knock, Varner turned around and stared at the door. Edmund, who had been looking at the documents, also turned his head loosely.

“Oh, dear, am I interrupting?”

Katrin, who had her hair tied up high, came into the room with a bright smile.

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