Chapter 9

Always grateful for your help with proofreading.

I don't like the character "一つ" and prefer to write it as "ひとつ." I feel bad for not reflecting your kind and repeated corrections, so I'm reporting this here. Writing "ひとつ" is not due to a conversion mistake but is entirely my personal preference. I apologize for not informing you sooner.

The man who signaled her to "say nothing" seemed to understand and kept his mouth shut. Cecilio, feeling relieved, started by saying to Bérénice, "I would like to buy some items."

"Oh! Thank you so much!"

Bérénice instructed the others to return to their study seats before facing Cecilio.

"Which items would you like?"

"Well, could you pick out ten pieces of jewelry for me?"

"Ten pieces? Thank you so much!"

"And the embroidery is made to order, right? I'd like to order some embroidery as well."

"Thank you. What would you like to have embroidered?"

"On a handkerchief. The design is up to you, but nothing too flashy, please."

Cecilio's purchase amounted to a considerable sum, and after Bérénice wrapped the jewelry and handed it to him, she politely thanked him.

"The women who make these will be delighted. Please wait about five days for the handkerchief. Would you like me to deliver it?"

"No, I'll come to pick it up. In five days, right?"

"Yes, I'll be waiting for you."

With a somewhat complex feeling, Cecilio left the store, watched by a delighted Bérénice, and let out a sigh.

"What a predicament. It's hard to tell her to go back when she's trying so hard to put down roots in this country."

Murmuring this, he headed for the mansion. On horseback, he recalled her words.

"Compared to not having proper water or food, it wasn't that bad," she had said, describing the treatment in his mansion as worse than being beaten by a man. The thought of her suffering pained him.

At that time, he didn't know when he could return. Without an end in sight to the harsh treatment, the time spent enduring in the enemy camp must have been long and painful, he thought, feeling guilty.

"The handkerchief will be ready in five days."

Deciding to reveal his identity then and sincerely apologize for the treatment she received in his home, Cecilio spurred his horse on.

On the other hand, Bérénice was busy.

When she told people that the fee for teaching the imperial language could be paid in either money or goods, almost everyone chose to pay with food. She received meat, vegetables, and beans daily. Occasionally, live chickens or chicks were brought as well.

But since the south was slightly warmer than her homeland, the food would spoil if left unattended. So, despite being inexperienced, she and Dorothee continued to cook together. They changed the seasoning daily, but mostly made hearty soups.

"I can't stand letting food go to waste."

Though she didn't tell anyone, the money and jewelry her family had given her would allow her and Dorothee to live for a considerable time. That's why she said the fee could be paid in kind. As a result, things became complicated, and she was perplexed.

"But it's good that people come to eat, isn't it?"

Recently, elderly people with free time and children whose parents were working and left them at home came to eat the hearty soup. The soup was a purpose, but it seemed that the gathering of familiar faces for conversation was also enjoyable.

By lunchtime, it was unclear whether it was an "embroidery and jewelry shop" or a "free meal place."

"But it's fine. I don't care about appearances."

The despair of having no place to belong in the mansion, where she felt she had no place, was unforgettable. But now she had a place to belong. She had decided to protect and live in her own place.

"Besides, my engagement to Andrew has been dissolved, and I might be destined to never marry and live a peaceful life. This recent event has made me feel even more so."

"Miss, you have no responsibility for what happened with Mr. Andrew."

"That's true, but in any case, it's all in the past. Now, let's do some embroidery."

Thinking of the black-haired customer who visited today, she considered a design suitable for his impression.

He had beautiful blue eyes like sapphires.

"Black hair and sapphire eyes, huh."

She opened the pattern book she had brought from her home. She remembered that the Lord Cecilio, who was supposed to be her husband, also had black hair and blue eyes.

"Hey, Dorothee, are black hair and blue eyes common in this country?"

"Maybe. But the owner of the diner has black hair and blue eyes, and so do the owner and the old man three houses down. They might not be rare."

"That's true, I remember that now."

With that, Bérénice returned to the pattern book.

On the promised fifth day, the black-haired man with blue eyes returned to the shop. This time, it was just before closing.

Besides Bérénice, an older man was taking an imperial language lesson, but he was about to finish, so he left when the customer came in.

"Welcome."

As she greeted him, Bérénice remembered, "Oh, I didn't ask for your name."

"May I have your name, please? Yes, um..." She was about to ask for his name when the man said,

"My name is Cecilio."

He looked at Bérénice with his sapphire-colored eyes.

"Mr. Cecilio, here is your handkerchief. Please check the design."

Bérénice thought, "Oh, the same name? But it's not that rare, and there's no way the representative of the country would come here alone," and reconsidered. Besides, she had refused to meet or apologize to the Lord.

The man unfolded the handkerchief and saw the embroidery of a white-headed eagle and a lion standing back-to-back, with a sword drawn at the point where their backs met.

"This is the national flag, right?"

"Yes, mostly. But I added the black mane of the lion and the blue eyes of the white-headed eagle here to match your black hair and sapphire eyes."

She pointed to the handkerchief as she explained.

"I see. The lion's mane is black, and the white-headed eagle's eyes are blue."

"Yes. I tried to capture your strong and dignified aura. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I really like it."

"I'm glad. The total cost is one large silver coin, including the handkerchief and embroidery."

"No, it wouldn't be profitable for you to charge that much for five days of work. I'll pay a little extra..."

Just as Cecilio was about to say more, the door opened.

"Hey, Bérénice, I'm back! Man, I'm hungry. Oh, sorry, there's a customer."

Evans bowed his head without looking at the customer and hurried upstairs.

Surprised, Bérénice explained to Cecilio,

"He's my cohabitant, like a bodyguard."

"Oh, I see."

Then Evans came down the stairs loudly without showing his face and called out,

"Hey, Bérénice, I'm using the bathroom!"

He went to the bathroom through the back corridor without going through the shop, and the door slammed shut. The sound of splashing water and whistling could be heard. The song was "The Saran River of My Homeland."

"I'm sorry, he's really like a child."

"Hmm. If an unmarried woman and a young man live together, people would usually assume they're more than just cohabitants, wouldn't they?"

"Huh?"

Bérénice sensed a coldness in Cecilio's tone and became wary.

"I was genuinely worried about your struggles in a foreign country, but it seems I didn't need to."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you staying because you've found a lover? Miss, that's fine. It's your life. But I thought you were struggling to return home and working hard in this country out of consideration for your father, and it pained me."

Looking closely at the man's smiling face, Bérénice finally realized that this man was Lord Cecilio himself. Her demeanor changed instantly.

She straightened her back, lifted her chin, and stared at Cecilio with a sharp gaze.

"Evans is just a cohabitant, but I'm prepared for that kind of misunderstanding. You are Lord Cecilio, aren't you? The one who ordered me to come to this country and then told me to go back quickly. I see, it makes sense why your servant acted that way."

"No, about that..."

Cecilio was flustered.

"Damn, I came here to apologize, but I said it wrong," he thought, trying to apologize. But Bérénice stopped him and questioned him.

"I was ordered to marry you just two weeks before my wedding. I gave up everything and came to this country. It's my personal matter, so I didn't tell Ignacio. You dissolved the engagement, sent me to an enemy country, and then told me to go back. Imagine what that means for my life. I'm not staying because I found a lover. Lord Cecilio, tell me, how much money would it take for you to allow me to stay in this country?"