Chapter 3. Different Dreams (9)
The next morning after a small incident.
When Ludwig met Sophia again, she was back to her usual calm self, as if yesterday’s events were a dream.
However, judging from the redness around her eyes, it was possible to infer that she shed more tears right before falling asleep.
Even though Ludwig and Emilia noticed it, they didn’t intend to point it out.
“You die early.”
“Yes. I would like to stay for a while longer, but the situation is not good.”
As soon as Adolf finished breakfast, he announced his intention to return to the barony.
Ludwig, who had no intention of interrogating him anyway, and no intention of telling anyone more about yesterday, nodded calmly.
Even though I only stayed for one day, it was a stormy day.
It’s a pity that I can’t talk more with Sofia, whom I’ve met so long ago, but she probably isn’t in the mood to talk anymore.
He didn’t say anything out of courtesy, saying that it might be okay to wait another day or so. In case you didn’t know, there was also a desire not to give it a chance.
Except for a few people who returned to their rooms after eating, the rest gathered in the drawing room and had a tea time.
Because Karl and Adolf had disappeared for a while, saying they had something to talk about, only three women, including Diana, and Ludwig, a blue-collar worker, were left.
“How did you two become friends?”
Diana, who was curious about how Emilia and Sofia treated each other comfortably, asked a question.
Two people who must have met each other for the first time until yesterday were calling each other by their first names without even honorifics.
The eyes of the two women sitting next to him crossed their eyes, and nodded their heads with strange smiles without asking anyone first.
When Ludwig joined in from the side and helped the two talk well, she clapped her hands saying that it was good.
“I’m sorry, son. Because I couldn’t talk to Sophia, whom I met after a long time.”
“Yes?”
Why did the arrow suddenly return to him?
Of course, Diana would say this because she was ignorant of what had happened last night, but it was embarrassing to Ludwig.
“To pretend otherwise. You used to say that Sophia likes to follow you well.”
“Yes… … .”
It was not wrong.
For Ludwig, who had always lived as an only child, Sophia, who had followed him around since childhood, was a precious and cute little sister.
As a joke, there was a time when she thought that if she grew up and got married, she would have to check the status of her husband-to-be.
But why are you revealing that fact in a place like this?
Ludwig barely endured the fact that the black tea he had drank down his throat regurgitated and was almost mixed with breakfast.
“My brother… You did.”
On the other hand, Sophia, who was watching the conversation between the two, pretended to mumble calmly and covered her twitching mouth with a teacup.
Emilia, who was watching the scene from the side, bit her lip in contrast.
Although I know I didn’t mean it that way, I couldn’t help feeling jealous.
“Son, I want to ask you something.”
“No, tell me, mother.”
Ludwig realizes the greatness of his mother, who sent him into a groggy state with just one word.
He grabbed onto the spirit that had run away from home beyond the horizon and tried to smile and reply, but a tremendous shock hit him again.
“I wonder which of the two you prefer.”
“… … .”
Maybe her mother knows everything and is doing this to make fun of herself.
For an instant, the air froze with the thoughts passing through his head.
* * * * * * *
After the hellish interrogation, Ludwig returned to his room and sighed deeply while lying on the bed.
Realizing that the owner she serves has been sighing a lot lately, Paula came over and offered warm water.
I was able to catch my breath only when I raised my body halfway and drank the water.
‘I’m going to live now.’
The tea I drank in the drawing room did not feel the warmth or taste.
He felt great gratitude to Paula for saving him from a near hole in his stomach.
I felt like I wanted to hug her right away and turn her around in place, but I had to endure it because it would only become sexual harassment.
“The car seemed to be in trouble, so I helped… Was it overkill?”
“You’re welcome. Thanks to you, Paula.”
“Fortunately, the.”
She was waiting in the parlor with her sister Nilia.
In the meantime, while receiving questions from women in all directions, he found his owner in trouble and had no choice but to use a small trick.
As soon as she returned to the drawing room, she went out to make up for the lack of refreshments, and called Ludwig outside saying it was a call from the head of the house, Karl.
Although it was questionable whether fabricating the words of the head of household was suitable as a servant, the important thing to her was Ludwig.
If Diana ever asked her husband directly, the circumstances would be revealed and he would be reprimanded, but that was something to think about at that time.
“It was an uncharacteristically bold move.”
“As a servant, it is impossible to overcome the master’s plight.”
“thanks. After all, there is only you, Paula.”
There are times when she jokes around, but as expected, her maid is truly excellent. A smile formed on Ludwig’s lips when he realized this new fact.
Since before, no matter what he thought of, she had read a number or two before acting on it. I was very grateful that he prioritized flexibility over rules for himself.
As for the other servants working in the mansion, there were many cases in which the family’s discipline and the orders of Carol, the head of the house, were given higher priority.
Perhaps this was her own identity as an exclusive lady-in-waiting.
Anyway, the Este family will return in a while, so you will have to leave the room at that time, but it would be okay to evacuate for a while.
With such thoughts in mind, I was about to chat with Paula for a while when someone knocked on the door.
– smart.
【Brother, this is Sophia. Is it okay if I come in?]
It doesn’t give you a break.
I could tell just by the name whose voice was coming through the door.
Ludwig smiled bitterly and exchanged glances with Paula. It means it’s ok to bring it in.
After putting the empty cup on the table, she quietly opened the door, and Sophia appeared with a violet flower in her hair, which hadn’t been there until morning.
“Ah, thanks Paula.”
“no. I’ll move away, so please talk comfortably.”
In front of him, he smiles and expresses various emotions, but when dealing with other people, he was a businesslike Paula who felt cold.
Even Sophia, who had met Ludwig frequently since she was young and had learned to know him, was no exception.
nod As she left the room with her head down, Sofia approached the table as if replacing her.
“… You put it on again.”
“Yeah. I swore that I would wear it every time I met my older brother.”
As the memories of yesterday overlapped, the image of her unable to stop crying in front of him came to mind.
The scene where the violets, which were in full bloom when they reunited again, were bowing down with Sophia while they were withering.
Ludwig stopped the hand he was about to reach out from around her head and tried to return it.
Patting your hair like you normally would be something you shouldn’t be doing here. Because I inadvertently thought of it.
– Suck.
“Could you stay like this for a little while? Brother.”
“… yes.”
But Sophia pulled his outstretched hand into her slender hands and placed it over her head.
His refusal, on the contrary, seemed like he would reject it. It was a very bold vote.
He managed to move his stiff hand and stroked her hair as usual, and Sofia enjoyed the touch with a light smile.
The fact that I had been rejected by him wasn’t so sad anymore. I’m not going to stop here anymore, and when I meet him again, I’ll become a more attractive woman and flirt.
However, as long as I can’t become his lover, I can’t wish for these actions that I demanded from the position of a younger sister. It was a pity that I couldn’t bear it.
Now that I can’t pretend to be indifferent to him.
That I couldn’t put a violet on and act like it wasn’t for him.
all of those things
“I stole one of these violets secretly from the garden with permission from Lady Diana. Can you give me permission for this? Brother.”
“then. Wouldn’t you be able to do that much to your precious little sister?”
Wouldn’t it be absurd to say that he stole it at the point of permission from the mistress of the family in the first place?
I had such a question, but I decided not to add the word Katabuta because Sofia boasting about it as if it were a flower I had grown was cute.
“Brother.”
“yes?”
Sophia takes the violets from her hair with her own hands and looks up at him.
Ludwig’s mood sank into his sad eyes.
“I love you. Brother.”
“…sorry.”
“No. You didn’t mean to get an apology, did you? just… … .”
Sophia moved closer to him, blurring her words, and put a violet flower in his coat pocket.
Why are you suddenly giving this to yourself? After all, violets are always in bloom in the garden.
I think I’ll be relieved if I give her at least one flower like this as a gift.
“I will not give up.”
“… Sophia.”
“When this violet withers, and the flower becomes food and a new violet blooms… I will come back to see my older brother.”
Sophia knew that she was not yet close to him.
If so, I will grow and grow myself more. When I become a woman suitable for him, I will come back and confess.
Let’s visit him several times and say I love him until the day he really cuts himself off, never to come back to him and shuts him down at the door.
His kind brother wouldn’t be able to do that. You can curse at me for being ugly. Because anyone who falls in love gets ugly.
“So, brother… Until then, I want you to understand your feelings.”
“My heart?”
Could it be that I have misunderstood something? Why are you suddenly asking your heart?
Ludwig’s head was once again confused, but Sofia only giggled at him.
It was impossible to make a rival do good things, but he himself had committed sins.
Even if it becomes a little more disadvantageous, shall we provide a little more service here?
“Did I ask you yesterday? What do you think of Miss Emilia… … .”
“Sophia, that… … .”
Sophia, who was about to retort, grabbed both of his hands and continued speaking as if pleading.
“Your brother is kind. But why can’t the object of that kindness be you?”
“… … .”
As if trying to face something beyond Ludwig’s eyes. she said so
Soon after, Sophia carefully pulled out the violets she had put in her pocket. Then, he covered his eyes with the hand holding the flower as a cover.
– side.
As she lifted her tiptoe and brought her lips to Ludwig’s cheek, a short sound echoed.
Despite a series of embarrassing actions, he met Sophia’s eyes through the removed screen without any reaction.
“I will keep my lips in anticipation of the day my brother will do it for me.”
Please love the you I love. Brother.
Leaving those words behind, Sophia left the room without looking back.
without even that common greeting.
Left alone in the room, he touched the warmth of his cheeks that still remained and sat down.
While Paula comes back and calls his name, just blankly.
Was it Sofia’s volkis that disturbed his mind? Could it be that she didn’t know what she meant?
The only person who knows that is Ludwig. There was nothing else.