Translator: Nox

Chapter 43

#043. A Handful More of Expectations for the Territory of Vikander

"Aren't you hungry? I'm starving."

When Edwin said he was hungry in the carriage heading to the Territory of Vikander, Olivia naturally thought of bread for the meal.

A sandwich filled with ham and cheese would be nice. She remembered the sandwiches Masa, the chef at the Grand Duke's Residence, used to make.

But Olivia chuckled and dismissed the thought.

She knew better than anyone that jam-covered bread was the easiest to eat in a swaying carriage. It was due to the experience she had gained while traveling from region to region under the Princess's orders.

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.

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So, Olivia found this situation unfamiliar.

The carriage was parked on a quiet road in a vast field, and the Knights were sitting around, taking out sandwiches from pretty baskets.

"Olivia, which one do you think is better?"

As if faced with the most difficult problem in the world, Edwin looked at the four sandwiches and said.

"Melted cheese and ham are good, and so is chicken steak with arugula and green olives, or tomatoes and pickled veal. Oh, I usually like salmon, but I don't really feel like it today."

Edwin looked at Olivia as if asking what he should do. The sunlight filtering through the dense leaves sparkled on Edwin's face.

The wind ruffling his hair, the faint smell of grass, even the awkward way she was sitting on the mat.

Everything felt so vivid.

Olivia swallowed the unfamiliar feeling and asked Edwin.

"...Is it okay for us to do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're busy. It takes three days to get to the Territory of Vikander, and this is..."

Olivia paused and looked around. The sky was as blue as if it had been painted with watercolors, the vast green field was dazzling, and the Knights were sitting at a reasonable distance, laughing cheerfully.

"...It feels like a picnic."

"Lady Olivia. You're not mistaking this for a picnic, are you? When you go to work, you should finish it quickly and come back. Why am I hearing stories that you were leisurely sightseeing?"

Olivia suddenly remembered when she first went to another region under the Princess's orders.

The Princess had scolded her severely for getting out of the carriage to eat the sandwich that Sally had packed for her on the way.

Olivia felt anxious without realizing it. This isn't a picnic. I need to get to the Territory of Vikander, the destination, quickly.

"It's not like a picnic, it is a picnic."

Olivia looked at Edwin in surprise. Edwin, who had clearly corrected Olivia's words, quickly examined Olivia.

The small hands, buried in the folds of her dress, stopped moving.

But after confirming that the white backs of her hands were clean without any nail marks, Edwin gently curved his handsome eyes.

"What's the rush? Whether it takes three days or several days, the destination is the same anyway."

Edwin's languid voice instantly shattered the Princess's words that had been deeply rooted in Olivia.

There's no rush. The destination is the same anyway.

These short words hit Olivia like a huge wave. Olivia slowly blinked her eyes.

Her heart, which had been beating anxiously, began to beat faster for a different reason.

A picnic.

Various emotions flashed across her fair face. Joy, excitement, and a little worry disappeared, making her face more lovely than ever.

Unlike her face, which had returned to its usual demure expression as if nothing had happened, the tips of her ears were gradually turning red. Edwin, noticing this, said playfully.

"Masa told me to eat the sandwiches as soon as possible. Do you know that all the Knights are watching only Olivia right now?"

The floating feeling subsided slightly, and she became aware of reality. As Edwin said, the Knights holding sandwiches were all looking at her. Startled, Olivia grabbed any sandwich from Edwin's hand.

"Edwin, why aren't you eating?"

"How can I eat first when Olivia is making such interesting expressions? Eat slowly."

Even as he mischievously told her to eat slowly, Edwin unwrapped the sandwich that Olivia was holding. The savory smell of melted cheese wafted to her nose.

Her appetite was instantly stimulated. Olivia carefully took a bite of the sandwich.

It was a familiar taste. She already knew that Masa's sandwich, filled with ham and cheese, was delicious, but still.

"It's delicious."

Olivia murmured without realizing it. It was the same sandwich she ate at the Grand Duke's Residence, but it was really, really delicious.

"I'm glad you think it's delicious, Olivia. A sandwich eaten on a picnic is special, isn't it?"

"Yes. It's different. Really."

"Shall we do it again? A picnic?"

Edwin, who had made the suggestion with a sly look, watched Olivia's reaction. He thought she would answer right away, but Olivia hesitated for a moment before answering.

"...Can we do it twice?"

Edwin burst into laughter at her serious voice.

Olivia's face flushed at the sound of his cheerful laughter.

* * *

"But why a picnic? There's a village just a little further ahead. Wouldn't the Lady be more comfortable in a proper restaurant?"

As the many sandwiches were running out, one of the apprentice Knights asked curiously. Howard glanced in the direction of his lord instead of answering.

Under the lush trees, Grand Duke Bikander and the Lady were sitting on a wide, light beige mat, looking as beautiful as a painting.

They were laughing constantly, as if they were having a good time.

The image of Grand Duke Bikander naturally placing juice and fruit in front of the Lady was overlaid with the voice of the physician, Brandon.

"Please drive the carriage as slowly as possible on the way. As you know, the Lady is the type to endure well, so she probably won't say anything even if she feels sick."

"What else should we be careful about?"

"It would be good for her to get a lot of sunlight. She's such a static person that she hardly ever gets any sunlight. I can't even prescribe that."

He also remembered Grand Duke Bikander, who had been listening intently, biting back a handsome smile with his red lips.

"That's a relief. I've already prepared for that."

Howard, who had known Edwin's plan since he had told Masa to pack hundreds of sandwiches, nodded in agreement.

"...Well. The weather is nice, so."

The apprentice Knight still looked puzzled. But soon, he smiled brightly as if good was good.

* * *

Sunlight poured through the lush greenery. The dark green leaves sparkled silver in the sunlight. It was quite interesting to see the slender branches swaying whenever the wind blew.

Her hair fluttered in the gentle breeze. Her neck tickled, but Olivia didn't bother to fix her hair.

Everything was good. The voices of the Knights in the distance, watching the grass lie down in the wind and then rise again, and the dazzling sunlight filtering through it.

"Aren't you cold? Even though it's late spring, it's windy."

And Edwin, who was handing her a blanket.

Olivia smiled as she met his red eyes filled with laughter.

This moment, like a painting. This leisure.

Olivia thought that now was the perfect time to speak.

"I have a favor to ask. Edwin."

Edwin widened his eyes as if he was amused. Olivia took a light breath and continued.

"When we go to the Territory of Vikander, will you wait and let me see if the people there welcome me or not?"

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"...Everyone in Vikander is ready to serve the Lady with all their heart."

It was a few days ago, before leaving the Grand Duke's Residence. Sobel's answer to Olivia's question was wise. But Olivia smiled softly and said again.

"I asked about loyalty. Not attentive service."

Sobel, who had always been indifferent and playful, couldn't open his mouth easily. Watching him, Olivia thought it was natural.

The first thing she noticed when she came to the Grand Duke's Residence was that everyone here felt hostility towards the Emperor and the Imperial Family. When they spoke to her, they used neutral expressions as much as possible, but they subtly used negative expressions about the Emperor.

Even Edwin was like that. He was the first noble she had seen who didn't attach 'Your Majesty' to the Emperor.

Whenever that happened, Olivia didn't show it and recalled the information she had about the Grand Duke's family of Vikander.

The story circulating in the Empire was that 'there was a power struggle between the Emperor and the late Grand Duke, but the late Grand Duke lost, and as compensation for that, the late Grand Duke, who had gone to war, died, and then the current Grand Duke, Edwin, who was like the Emperor's limb, went around the battlefield and found power.'

In that sense, she could understand the hostility that the Grand Duke's family showed to the Emperor.

That's why she couldn't help but think more.

She was ready to look at everyone in the Territory of Vikander. But what about them?

And looking at Sobel, who couldn't open his mouth, Olivia found the answer.

That's why she wanted to tell Edwin so much.

To watch over her.

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"When we go to the Territory of Vikander, will you wait and let me see if the people there welcome me or not?"

Even after speaking, Olivia watched Edwin's reaction.

She felt strangely thirsty.

She was worried that her words might have made the people of the Territory of Vikander seem prejudiced.

"I will."

Edwin nodded coolly, as if it were nothing. Olivia hadn't even considered this. She was rather taken aback by how easily Edwin agreed with her.

Edwin's eyes narrowed at her reaction, a mischievous glint appearing in them.

"Why? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"No, it's not that. I just didn't expect you to agree so easily."

"I listen to Olivia well. Besides, you've already made Winster side with you without me doing anything."

"Pardon?"

Olivia tilted her head. Winster was always smiling. She didn't understand what he meant.

"Even though Winster smiles a lot, he's quite perceptive. The fact that he, who is so selective about people, has sided with you shows the power you possess. The power to easily open people's hearts."

Olivia lowered her head at his calm words. Her feet fidgeted nervously beneath her dress. Her fingers kept twisting together.

This ticklish feeling from deep within her stomach felt awkward, as if she would never get used to it,

and yet, she liked it.

"You'll do well even in the Territory of Vikander. Why would I worry? I should be worrying about what to do if you don't play with me."

Edwin's eyes, filled with trust for Olivia as he feigned concern,

made Olivia unknowingly curve her lips into a smile.

The feeling of her heart being gently touched was so sweet. Before she knew it, Olivia's expectations had grown a little more.

* * *

"That's absurd! The lady His Highness chose is Madeleine!"

In the reception room of the Grand Duke's Residence in the Territory of Vikander,

Bethany's eyes turned cold at the sound of a table being slammed roughly. Realizing this, the red-haired Knight flinched and immediately regretted his behavior.

"I apologize, Bethany. Still, this isn't right. How could it be a lady from the Emperor's faction! And she was even the Crown Prince's fiancée!"

"So what? She's the lady His Highness swore an oath to. Why are you making such a fuss? And I heard her eyes are green."

Bethany narrowed her wrinkled eyes as if it were nothing. As expected, the red-haired Knight, Dian Szelin, flinched at the mention of 'green eyes.' Dian spoke even more exaggeratedly, as if trying to hide his reaction.

"...Still! She's a lady from House Madeleine of the Emperor's faction! Who knows what ulterior motives she has. I also don't like the rumors she brings. His Highness deserves a perfect lady, a..."

Dian, who had been furiously angry, suddenly covered his eyes. His brow furrowed as if his left eye was in pain. At this sight, Bethany abandoned her cool demeanor and clicked her tongue.

"That's why I told you to take out the Lens. I've told you so many times that you don't really need Lens in the Territory of Vikander. I'd rather cast a spell for you."

"Thank you, but this is more comfortable. And I'm sorry, but may I go back to my room?"

Bethany nodded at Dian's words. When Dian bowed politely and left the reception room, Bethany clicked her tongue.

"He's a good kid."

Bethany, who looked at Dian as if he were a wary little puppy, turned around. Bethany's eyes became moist as she looked at the portrait with the curtain drawn over it.

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In front of the restroom.

Dian placed his hands on the sink, took a deep breath, and looked in the mirror.

"It's back."

Dian's voice, filled with bitterness, echoed in the restroom. Dian looked at the mirror with a somewhat wounded expression. Beneath the Lens that made his eyes appear brown, his green eyes were visible.