Marielle Clarac’s Engagement Chapter 3.4

part 4

“To not be noticed by others’ eyes, I also use this kind of place to have private conversations. That’s it. They pretended that each guests has no relation whatsoever and it’s good that you can come and go as you please. It’s a shop that absolutely won’t leak their guests’ secrets. You can trust them. It’s needless to say, but it’s useless trying to disclose informations from here. Don’t tell your family too. If you flap your mouth then, I think that it won’t end with only your head alone, but it will affect the life and death of the entire Clarac House”

“Of course, I won’t tell anyone. I’ll silently watch the two of you”

“No, that’s why I am saying that it’s a conference!? A political discussion!?

Even though I clearly promised, why does His Highness have an anxious looking face. I wonder if he can’t trust me that much. As expected, I really can’t use this as material for novels, even though there’s enough of a difference to make that judgement.

“.......But first, you will tell me your story. Why does your appearance is like this, and why were you in a place like that? There was Aurelia Cavagnac, and the other one was Jacob Mole with you, wasn’t it? What were you doing with them”

I was picked and seized on the chair like a kitten when His Highness inquired while sitting down. In this strange situation - in the presence of a foreign country’s Amba.s.sador - I explained the whole story.

Even though the fact that Aurelisama would hara.s.s the people she didn’t like is a well-known story in n.o.ble society, His Highness wasn’t really surprised. Although he was amazed that what she did was a little too vicious but, he was more shocked by the fact that I was walking alone, saying everything step by step. (Not really sure :五十歩百歩といったところだろう)  Amba.s.sador Van Rail didn’t interpose, and listened with an interested face.

“Good grief…..for a quiet girl you were too quiet; and even though I thought you were a plain girl without peculiarity, today you keep on surprising me. After the letter arrived from you, Simon became ghastly pale”

“You know about the letter?”

“It appeared like he told your family to let him know immediately as soon as there was contact from you. A notice was filed to the Royal Palace from the Flaubert house. Because of that, I wasn’t able to get Simon to come today. While shaking, he simultaneously knocked his hand and foot against the angle of the desk. Furthermore he was in a state where he dropped his gla.s.ses in a fl.u.s.ter. Even if he came, he wouldn’t been of any help. Although I gave up and quickly came, but…..the fact that you’re here, you pa.s.sed by each other”

“Yes. I went out immediately after I sent the letter”

His Highness that looked to be tired breathed a very deep sigh. His elbow took position on the chair and he holded his temple. Seeing that figure that had a strange seductiveness, I ended up getting a bit moe.

“Why, did you brought out the cancellation of the engagement”

　Ara, I tilted my head.

“You know about that too?”

 “The state Simon was in wasn’t a trivial matter, you know. I asked him what was written. What are you dissatisfied of about that man? …...No, I’m not saying he is without flaws. He was told that he is a sharp and capable person or that he is a schemer and the likes but, the actual point is that he is a man serious to a fault where flexibility doesn’t work. There are places where he is unexpectedly slow, and he is not the degree of cool man he looks to be”

At His Highness’ words, I nodded with an un un. That’s right, Simon-sama is a very serious gentleman. It was something I somehow felt since the engagement after hearing the stories from the Captain-sama and the subordinates. Even at the Knight Order, Simon-sama seemed to be known as a person who is too serious.

It’s a fact that he is in the intellectual faction, and there were also scenes where he intrepidly plays an active role. However the usual Simon-sama seriously devotes himself in his duties, and is impartial no matter whom he faced. Even if he is strict, he possess consideration. He is someone his subordinates adored. While everyone was grumbling saying ‘demon vice-captain’, their faces were also laughing.

There was a bit of difference between reality and the character of him that I embraced. He looked to be a bit different from a diabolic black-hearted officer. Even though it was a good point to be disappointed in, the strange thing was that I had no such feeling. Rather, I went moe for the new appeal. With the appearance which is different from the content…..is this called gap moe, I wonder? Since he is that kind of a person he didn’t abruptly thrust the cancellation of the engagement, he might considered making it appear like I was the one who withdrawn. He did silently corner me at that rate but, as expected I think he’s just a little black bellied.

“However, I think he is reliable. You have no need to worry about infidelity. He doesn’t have such dexterity. If you marry him you’ll stand with honour as the only wife, and he’ll never a.s.sociate with other women. Even though I said that flexibility doesn’t work on him, he is not oppressive. He shouldn’t become a bad husband. He wouldn’t suppress his wife at his own convenience. As long as it’s not too much of difficult situation to undo, you’ll have freedom to a certain extent”

By enumerating his words in various ways, His Highness was eagerly pleading Simon-sama. As I was listening to him, I thought that it was strange. Why is he doing nothing but defending Simon-sama like this.

“I know that each words you’ve said is really true. I would never, feel dissatisfaction towards Simon-sama”

“Then what’s the problem!? Are his parents the problem!? The Flaubert Earl couples aren’t against it, you know. Setting aside the small details, they are overjoyed by the fact that the heir son is interested in marrying, you know”

It seems like His Highness is under the impression that it’s Simon-sama’s side to have a problem. So this mean, that he didn’t hear anything from Simon-sama? Even though the problem was on my side.

―― How should I explain? I thought. I saw Amba.s.sador Van Rail also staring at me. I don’t want to talk about too embarra.s.sing thing in front of an unrelated person though. The story when I feigned ignorance about my writer activity, and when I made Simon-sama angry by going to the evening party alone. He must have thought that a girl with no shame that doesn’t know what she’s doing and went out to play like that, even if she is a fiancé, she couldn’t become his wife, right. Ever since then, he didn’t show his face even once. He was clearly saying that his not coming was an indirect way to condemn me. Considering my ident.i.ty in society, I understood that his intention was for me to withdraw, and so I submitted the cancellation of the engagement――

While I was speaking His Highness face steadily become shocked. I understand your feeling, but isn’t it fine to not be so plainly disdainful. Though I made a little blunder, I’m more or less a heartbroken young miss that was rejected by her fiancé you know.

On the other hand, as if there was something funny, Amba.s.sador Van Rail’s shoulder were shaking trying to endure his laugher. He turned his face away from me, and as he grasped the armrest of his chair he trembled. Aren’t you also being cruel? I wonder if he is someone who laughed easily. But I wonder what made him so upset on the cancellation of the engagement.

“I don’t feel like saying anything…..”

After a while, His Highness said that mixed with a sigh. Somehow, he had a terribly tired face.

“Since then you haven’t met? Not even once?”

“Yes”

“What about letters…..”

“I have neither received a letter nor a word. If it’s something other than words then I have received it everyday, but in short, that appeared to be something like a signal to urge me to withdraw.”

“What’s that”

With a face that said ‘I don’t really understand’, His Highness couldn’t respond this time. If asked ‘why does the roses has that kind of meaning?’ then, I’ll have to tell all the secrets. You might eventually hear it from Simon-sama but, I don’t want to personally admit it.

When in a way or another silence fell inside the room. the door was knocked from the outside. His Highness’ escort came in. There are faces that I don’t know but they must be Imperial Knight, right.

“Your Highness, the Vice-Captain has arrived”

“Immediately led him here”

“Yes”

The knights briskly left. The door opened immediately once again, revealing Simon-sama’s figure.

“…………”

His beautiful eyes that were behind his gla.s.ses, stared straight at me. I wonder if he came in a hurry. His always neat hair and attire are a little crumpled. While the cancellation of the engagement between us still wasn't completed, I raised a problem with my behaviour again. I put him in great shame in front of his master and the Amba.s.sador of a foreign country. It would make his heart angry, right. In a state where he couldn't immediately get any words out, he merely stayed silent and stared at me.

Kohon, someone cleared his throat and breaked in between us.

“Use the room over there. And talk to each other”

His Highness pointed at the door that was connected to the adjoining room. And there, finally noticing His Highness’ existence Simon-sama’s eye turned, and lowered his head.

“I’m truly sorry, I’ll be rude but I’ll take on your offer”

“Ah. Properly talk to each other, and solve your misunderstandings”

――Misunderstandings?

Urged by His Highness, I also stood up. With Simon-sama pushing my back, I did a small bow towards His Highness and the Amba.s.sador, and turned towards the adjoining room.

But as soon as I entered, Simon-sama suddenly stopped his feet. He was looking at the center of the room with a surprised face. Over there was enshrined an imposing bed with canopy were three people could easily lie down.

――Oh, is this the room where they perform service!

Tn:Naoriel

Ed:Ally-el

Fuhehehehe, The Amba.s.sador xD