Translator: Nox

32 - Chapter 32

The road to Cambon was much more bustling than the road to Blissbury.

People heading to the fields after finishing breakfast, people going to Cambon to sell goods, and conversely, people heading from Cambon through Feltham to the southern cities.

Driving along that road, you had to greet someone at least every five minutes.

Eloise, the daughter of Mr. Serverton, a prominent figure in Feltham, naturally had even more people to greet.

"Miss Eloise! Long time no see!"

A middle-aged man driving a baggage wagon from the opposite direction saw Eloise, took off his hat, and greeted her cheerfully.

"Mr. Hanson! How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, of course. My wife is also doing well, thanks to your help."

The man said that, then went to the back of his baggage wagon, took out something loaded there, and placed it behind Eloise's carriage.

"These are the first potatoes of the year, just dug up this morning. They're still a bit small, but they taste great, so if you give them to Emily, she'll cook them very deliciously. Oh, would you like some cheese too?"

"Oh my, you're doing this again. If you do this, I won't read your wife's prescriptions next time."

At Eloise's reply, the man chuckled and loaded a basket of eggs instead of cheese.

"I can't even go home if I met Miss Eloise and didn't give her at least this much. But who is this person..."

"Oh, I forgot to introduce him. This is Sergeant Ryan Thornton, the new manager of Blissbury. Sergeant, this is Tom Hanson, who farms within the parish of Reverend Harrison."

"Ah, this is the one..."

Mr. Hanson bowed to Ryan.

"Please have a comfortable stay. If you need any help, please call us anytime."

Mr. Hanson said that, then put his hat back on and returned to his wagon.

"Then take care!"

As if he needed to hurry, he drove the baggage wagon and soon disappeared.

Ryan turned his head to look at him, then pulled on the reins again.

"I don't think he likes me very much."

Ryan pondered the man's greeting. He said to have a comfortable stay. What he wanted to say in that greeting was probably 'go back'.

Eloise did not deny his words. Even she could see that Mr. Hanson's gaze towards Sergeant Thornton was not very kind.

She gave a bitter smile.

"I hope you understand. Mr. Hanson thinks he owes my father a great debt. So, when he hears that you're the new manager, he probably thinks you're here to take my father's place."

"A great debt?"

"Yes, it's nothing much... His wife had been unwell for a long time and went to the hospital in Newham. But since they weren't well-off, she didn't receive proper treatment. Then, she happened to meet my father... and he helped them. He thought it was only natural to help someone from the same village..."

"It's not natural."

Ryan cut her off before Eloise could finish speaking.

"How many people would care so much about others?"

"Others? He's from the same Feltham."

"But he's not family, and not exactly a friend, is he?"

"Still, he's from the same village, isn't he? Wouldn't Sergeant Thornton help someone from the village if they were in trouble?"

At Eloise's words, he thought for a moment before answering.

"I don't know. I grew up in a place where I didn't even know who lived next door."

At his answer, Eloise finally realized what she was mistaken about.

A person born in the capital, a person born in a rural farmhouse, a person born in a northern industrial city.

There was no way they could have similar childhoods.

"...Where is Sergeant's hometown?"

Eloise cautiously asked about his hometown.

Come to think of it, it was the first time she had asked him about something that wasn't related to Blissbury or Lieutenant Colonel Wilgrave.

He paused for a moment at Eloise's question, then opened his mouth.

"Chester City."

Chester City.

At his answer, Eloise understood why he had said that he didn't even know who lived next door.

Chester City was a northern port city of Albion. It was also one of the leading industrial cities in the north.

She had never been there, but she knew how bleak it was. All the newspapers in Albion always carried articles about the state of Chester, even describing it as a tragedy.

A city where the sky, let alone the sun, was barely visible due to the smoke from the factories.

Refugees who had lost their livelihoods due to the war had flocked to the factories there to make a living, and as a result, Chester City quickly developed into an industrial city with a large labor force.

But the city could not accommodate all those who flocked there safely.

Since they had to earn a living day by day, owning a house was a pipe dream, and most factory workers used the money they received when they got off work that day to find a place to sleep.

Eloise, who had read articles about people who slept in different places every day as a child, thought about what it would be like if she lived in Chester as she fell asleep that day.

Not seeing the Ogilvy children she saw every day, not seeing the pastor, not even having a desk to sit at and read books and write letters, let alone being able to carry around a doll as she pleased.

That day, she offered a prayer of thanks to God and at the same time prayed that the children in Chester could all live in clean and warm homes like the people of Feltham.

To think that such a city was Sergeant Thornton's hometown. It was surprising that he had said it.

The image of Chester City was, of course, not good. A city of crime, a city of the poor, a city of pollution.

The newspapers even said that if you wanted to find hell nearby, go to Chester City.

If you said you were from Chester City, everyone would give you a pitiful look and say it must have been hard, but when the person who said that turned around, they would whisper to others.

It's better to be careful of that person.

This was because there was a perception that there must be something wrong if you were from Chester City.

So those from there hide their hometowns. But

"Were you born there and lived there all the time?"

"I don't know where I was born... I lived there from the age of three to ten."

"And after that?"

"I just wandered around."

At the words 'just wandered around', Eloise knew that he was reluctant to talk more.

He said he was from Chester City with pride, but he was vague about where he lived after that. Where on earth did he wander around?

She wouldn't ask any more, but the desire to know remained in a corner of Eloise's heart.

If you just drive, it takes a little less than an hour to get from Feltham to Cambon. But today, it took Eloise and Ryan more than two hours to arrive in Cambon.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect to meet so many people I knew today..."

Eloise looked at the back of the carriage.

They still had a long way to go before arriving in Cambon, but the back of the carriage they were riding in was already full of luggage.

This was because everyone they met greeted them happily and shared what they had.

Of course, it wasn't all Eloise's fault. Everyone they met was curious about who the unfamiliar, handsome man sitting next to her was, and when they found out that he was the new manager of Blissbury, they hurriedly greeted him.

Not everyone was as curt to Ryan as Mr. Hanson was.

Most welcomed Ryan warmly and asked him about this year's Summer Ball.

<I'm getting Miss Eloise's help to prepare for that.>

<You thought well. No one knows Blissbury as well as Mr. Serverton, except for Miss Eloise. We look forward to your work this year as well.>

Some even subtly tried to invite Ryan to their homes.

Each time, Eloise would naturally smile and say that they had to hurry because of the preparations, and then leave.

Ryan glanced back, seeing Eloise's distress.

Even in that short time, people talked about what kind of relationship they had with the Serverton family.

And how much Mr. Serverton and Eloise were helping them.

He stared silently at the people sharing old stories and Eloise's appearance.

The beautiful and joyful memories they shared were something he didn't have. He didn't have neighbors like that who trusted and welcomed each other.

Then, he suddenly thought.

What if he had spent his childhood in Feltham?

Then, wouldn't he be a resident who naturally exchanged greetings, rather than a stranger receiving greetings?

For the first time, Ryan envied this village.