Chapter 69
#069. An Honest Vikander and a Lady Becoming More Like Him
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A cool afternoon on Yeniv Street.
Dian looked around.
As of yesterday, the green-eyed people who lived on Yeniv Street had all moved to inns in Soneer Street, the bustling main street. Instead of the children who used to run around, construction materials and equipment were lined up everywhere.
It was as if construction could begin as soon as someone shouted "Start."
In the distance, the architect Schrun was leading the workers. He had just finished the final check with the lady and seemed to be reviewing the work to be started tomorrow, unfolding a large bird's-eye view.
Watching him, Dian swallowed a surge of emotion. Then, she turned around.
Now that the people had left the street, the only place with signs of life was the shanty house where the Knights were standing guard.
Just then, a gasp of admiration leaked out of the open window of the shanty house. A soft smile appeared on Dian's face as she glanced inside the window.
.
.
.
"You really have a knack for this, my lady. Didn't you say it was your first time making a Thread anklet?"
A small table with colorful threads scattered around it. The women huddled around it, their eyes wide.
"It really is my first time making a Thread anklet."
Olivia chuckled at the old memories, thinking about how she had made many decorations for the Princess's errands.
"Your first time? It took me a week to make my first one."
"That's right. Weaving this is harder than you think, but you're doing it right away. You're very talented."
Olivia felt a little proud at the women's words. She didn't know if she was really that talented because their words were full of goodwill, but she still made a Thread anklet that she really liked.
A Thread anklet woven with black and red threads.
Using green for the seams was her own insistence.
She was worried that the colors wouldn't match, but it looked pretty good as a finished product.
When she first said she would make a Thread anklet for Edwin, she didn't really think she would make it. Now that she had made it, she was looking forward to Edwin's reaction to receiving the Thread anklet.
Would he like it, or not?
As soon as she thought of Edwin, Olivia's eyes narrowed slightly. Without realizing it, the corners of her lips curved up softly.
Sparkling silver hair and a beautiful face. A subtle smile on the lady's face with her unique elegant and cool atmosphere.
The women sitting in front of her were speechless at the overwhelming beauty. And they looked at each other, realizing that this moment was an unbelievable reality.
To be sitting face to face with the precious lady, whom they couldn't even make eye contact with at first, making Thread anklets.
It all started two days ago, with a word from the lady when they were preparing to leave Yeniv Street.
"I want to make a Thread anklet, will you teach me how?"
The fact that little Jane had given the lady a Thread anklet as a gift was already a hot topic in Yeniv Street. But they were satisfied with giving the gift, and they didn't know that the lady would really like the anklet.
Everyone in the street was shocked when they even heard that she was wearing it well. As if her expression of disbelief was obvious, the lady even lifted the hem of her dress slightly in front of the women after dismissing the Knight.
It was definitely the Thread anklet that little Jane had given her on her beautiful ankle.
Everyone from the mother of little Jane, who made the Thread anklet, to Vicki, who lived with her sick grandmother, fell to the ground on the spot.
It felt like their hearts would burst if they didn't prostrate themselves and express their gratitude. Not only did she clean up Yeniv Street, but she also wore their gift without calling it unclean.
The lady, who was embarrassed, waited quietly until they calmed down, and the women all shouted in unison that they would teach her how to make Thread anklets.
If they made Thread anklets together, they would be able to convey their gratitude to the lady, which they had been too afraid to say.
But they didn't know that she would learn how to make Thread anklets so quickly.
It was when the women were looking at each other, trying to find the right time to speak.
Knock, knock-. With a knock, Dian, who was outside the shanty house, showed her face over the window.
"My lady. It's time for you to go."
It was already time to go. She had only just finished one.
Bethany's words suddenly came to Olivia's mind as she looked at the Thread anklet with regret.
"My lady! You haven't forgotten about the banquet tonight, have you? You have to come early!"
Olivia, who had vehemently opposed the idea of holding a banquet to celebrate the Yeniv district reorganization, gave in when Edwin said that it was also a banquet to welcome back the Knights who had gone out to hunt beasts on the territory border.
As word spread that the banquet would be held at the main castle, a small festival was said to be taking place in the Territory of Vikander, centered on Soneer Street, the bustling main street.
A festival to commemorate the urban project for the green-eyed people.
It would be in full swing from now on. The women in front of her would want to participate in the festival.
Together with the people of the Territory of Vikander, who would soon become neighbors for a long time.
"Um,"
One of the women spoke urgently. Did she have something more to say? As Olivia waited for the next words, the women hesitated and looked at each other.
Then, Vicki, whom she had become acquainted with when she sang last time, opened her mouth.
"...Thank you, my lady."
Olivia blinked.
She knew.
Olivia already knew their hearts well, just from the fact that the people who had been shy with her had come this close and started talking to her face to face.
"Thanks to you, my lady, we can continue to stay on Yeniv Street."
"I really feel like we've settled down in this Territory of Vikander without having to leave for another place."
"I wanted to thank you a long time ago. I'm only saying it now."
As Vicki opened the floodgates, the women continued to speak one after another. Their green eyes, looking at Olivia while fidgeting with their clasped hands, were full of gratitude.
Olivia pursed her lips.
This Vikander is a really strange place.
I was just doing what I wanted to do.
Unlike the system where it was so difficult to be recognized no matter how hard I tried, this place looked at me favorably no matter what I did.
To trust me so honestly and express their gratitude to me.
Those sincere voices touched Olivia's heart. Like the weight of a dewdrop on a blade of grass increasing, Olivia's heart was soaked.
"...I'm grateful too."
"Yes?"
The women's eyes widened at the clear, gem-like voice. The fairy-like lady smiled brightly.
"...I hope you have a fun festival. It's all for you."
Olivia smiled and turned around. Her heart was pounding pleasantly. The feel of the Thread anklet in her hand was more than satisfactory.
So Olivia didn't know at this time.
How touched the women behind her were, and how far today's event, which seemed like a small event to Olivia, would spread as a great story starting with the festival.
Olivia had no idea that the people of the system would also know about this.
* * *
Tomorrow was the day to break ground on the Yeniv Street reorganization.
Even though the carriage was moving slowly, she felt sorry to see Yeniv Street getting farther away. As she stuck close to the window, Dian, who was next to her, joked.
"Are you still looking at it even after looking at it so much?"
"I know. I can't take my eyes off it."
Olivia smiled awkwardly, feeling like her feelings had been exposed.
In the meantime, the carriage entered Soneer Street, the bustling main street. Unlike the desolate Yeniv Street, colorful flower decorations and confetti were flying everywhere in Soneer Street.
The shops were piled high with bread and meat, and the smell of delicious food wafted through the air. People with generous expressions were sharing food with each other.
The children running around the street each had a large balloon in their hands. Watching their lively appearance, Olivia asked something that suddenly came to mind.
"How are the workers who came with Mr. Schrun doing?"
Anyway, she can't get Yeniv out of her mind.
Dian swallowed a laugh and cleared her throat.
"They're doing well at the inn on Soneer Street. The innkeeper is very happy because they eat a lot."
It was the first time in a long time that guests had visited this closed Territory of Vikander, where there was almost no influx of outsiders.
At first, the people were wary, but they were impressed by Schrun's sociability and the workers' abilities and expressed their friendliness.
Even though she looked at her with eyes asking if she wasn't satisfied, Olivia just faced Dian quietly. This was only half of the answer Olivia wanted.
Dian shrugged her shoulders and continued.
"...Of course, our Knights are always stationed where the Yeniv people are staying."
To prevent the green-eyed people who had just come out of Yeniv Street from having friction with outsiders. In addition, to manage the conflict between the Territory of Vikander residents and outsiders.
Olivia finally smiled brightly at the answer that perfectly met her demands.
Dian shook her head. Even so, the corners of her lips were raised involuntarily.
Could there be another lord who thinks so much about the territory residents? Of course, except for Grand Duke. The couple is a pair.
"But, Knight."
"Yes."
It was the lady who would normally call her "Dian." Dian inadvertently looked at Olivia's face and realized it in an instant. The lady's eyes were sparkling with mischief.
"...It seems like you and Lord Interfield haven't been getting along well lately. Is that right?"
Horror spread across Dian's face. Watching her, Olivia laughed cheerfully.
The fact that Howard and Dian, who had been so close, had been bickering for the past few days was a widespread fact in the main castle.
Olivia had even witnessed the fight.
"I'll do it first. I can't give this up no matter what Lord Interfield says."
"Follow the order, Dian. I saw him first..."
If the two people who felt the presence hadn't stopped talking so quickly, she would have found out the cause of the fight.
Dian hurriedly turned her head at Olivia's laughter.
"...Haha. Now that I think about it, it's been a while since I've eaten turkey meat, my lady."
But the place that caught her eye was this restaurant.
The restaurant where the lady tasted turkey meat when she first came to Vikander, "The Place Where the Wind Blows."
As if gauging her inner thoughts, the lady's eyes narrowed more and more.
She had to say something. When she mentioned turkey, she naturally thought of the turkey she had eaten on the battlefield.
"Of course, that place is delicious too, but the turkey meat that my dear patron sent me when I was on the battlefield was really delicious."
"A patron sent you turkey?"
Somehow, the voice that asked back trembled a little. Dian, who would normally have noticed quickly, was now too busy being happy that the topic of conversation had changed.
"Yes, Liv Green. She was a very good person who always sponsored the Knights when we were at war with Heferti. She always sent us exactly what we needed as relief supplies. I never imagined I would eat turkey on the battlefield. I really wanted to meet her, but unfortunately..."
Dian's excited voice faded away from Olivia's ears. Olivia clasped her hands together.
I couldn't believe it.
Dian was at the place where I sent the sponsorship for Jade. Then, of course, Edwin would have been there too.
What a coincidence. At the same time as feeling amazed, Olivia thought of her pen pal, the 'nameless Knight', for the first time in a while.
Is that Knight in this Territory of Vikander too? Could it be that Dian is him?
Olivia's pulse raced at the unexpected thought.
"Yes?"
"Yes?"
"No, I thought you were about to say something."
"No, Dian."
Olivia smiled.
Her fingertips trembled a little, but fortunately, Dian was in a position where she couldn't see. Olivia was glad that Dian had brushed it off.
At least until she had won the hearts of the entire Territory of Vikander, she couldn't say that she was 'Liv Green'.
But at the same time, she wanted to meet the 'nameless Knight'. Olivia lowered her head for a moment, feeling overwhelmed.
"Greetings to the Grand Duke."
It was then. Among the fading sounds, the words 'Grand Duke' struck her like a bolt. Before she knew it, the surroundings were filled with cheers. At the same time, the sound of horses' hooves and the carriage came to a complete stop.
Reflexively, Olivia looked out the window.
Edwin, who had arrived sometime earlier, quickly opened the carriage door and entered. A bright smile, as if he was glad to see her, was on his beautiful face.
"Olivia wasn't coming, so I was about to go out to meet her. Is this how we meet?"
"Liar."
Olivia glared at Edwin's playful face. Edwin blinked exaggeratedly.
"Was it obvious?"
"A little?"
"Actually, I came because I wanted to see you."
Olivia blinked. Edwin just laughed after saying something so sweet that it left her speechless without warning.
She could feel her face heating up. As if the kiss on the cheek a few days ago was nothing, her lips were stuck together like they were glued.
"...Me too."
Words that slipped out without her knowing. Edwin's eyes widened at that one word.
Looking at that, Olivia realized the source of the strange courage that was slowly spreading from one corner of her heart.
"So I'm glad Edwin came."
Ah, this honest Territory of Vikander.
Ever since I decided to like him, I've been gradually resembling this Territory of Vikander.
