Chapter 33 - Volume 2 (2/2)

I first met her by the side of a pond in this palace’s garden. I was walking along the same path as I did today when I saw this young girl sitting by the side of the pond.

I wondered if she was sick, calling out to her. What came in reply was a grand crying voice. I couldn’t do something like ignore a sobbing young girl, so I stayed with her until she stopped crying. But I certainly didn’t think she was that man’s gardener. I’d heard that he employed a skilled gardener, but who could have thought it would be this girl, so young?

The young girl who had kept working for that man before he became the hero that saved the world, when he was just a rare ‘Black-Hair’. I could imagine things like——what was she thinking, working for such a man? I didn’t mean to be dense enough to not realize the meaning behind that gaze she looked at him with, full of that passion.

That’s why I ended up giving her my name. Not Filmina Veer Adina, but Filmina Von Lancent. Told her that I’m his wife.

Now, I think it was embarrassing. Being jealous towards a girl who could be my own child considering my mental age, going as far as to restrain her – there’s a limit to immaturity, if I do say so myself.

Yes, back then, I just said those words out of a light jealousy. But now, why is it that I’m tormented by a deeper jealousy——by anxiety? I don’t have enough self-confidence to allow someone to actually have feelings towards that man.

If he wanted to leave me, now is his chance since I haven’t been made public yet. His beauty may be androgynous enough to look like a beautiful woman, but he’s still a 『man』. It wouldn’t be that strange if he ran to a cute girl younger than me, would it?

I want to think ‘that’s not possible’ but for some reason, this anxiety still remains in my chest no matter how much time passes. When did I start feeling like this? It couldn’t have been like this in the beginning. But even so, for some reason… On the inside, I’m puzzled at the doubts that rise up within my heart. Once again I start feeling like I can hear that crying voice.

「……Lady Filmina? What happened?」

「O-oh, I’m sorry. Just a little dazed.」

For some reason, I feel guilty at those black eyes looking at me full of worry. She’s a good kid. She really is a good kid. I’ve come to know her in person by visiting this garden countless times and talking to her – she really is a kind-hearted girl.

That’s why I feel so guilty at what I said when we first met. I’m her crush’s wife – to her, I’m a being that’s way beyond just a pain in the butt for her. But despite that, Miss Arche always gladly keeps me company. Ah, her cute smile is so dazzling. I’m realizing just how narrow minded I am.

She looks at me as if to say, ‘are you alright?’ I smile, lying. At times like this, the ‘smile mask’ I inherited from my father comes in handy. As the name suggests, it beautifully hides my innermost thoughts.

「Ahaha, thank you for working so hard. It’s already lunch time but you’re still making such an effort.」

「Huuuh?! Oh no, is it already lunch?」

‘That reminds me, I’m hungry,’ Arche puts a hand on her stomach. That gesture is once again so cute, I can’t help but truly smile this time.

「Thank you, as always. Here, you can have this if you like.」

I take out some baked sweets wrapped in wrapping paper from the basket I’d brought, putting it in Arche’s gloved hands. She blinks in surprise, looking at me as I smile at her.

「It’s a reward for you always working so hard. Please eat it whenever you’re free.」

「T-thank you so much! Aaah, I’m so happy!」

Arche smiles widely, looking at the wrapped package as if it’s something important. By the way, inside are the cookies I baked yesterday. I always make sure to bring something for Arche whenever I come here, as much as possible. It’s the least atonement I can do…… Or not, but for now, she’s happy to have them so I approve.

「Has Edi already been here for the day, Arche?」

Along with Arche who starts working early in the morning, that man also goes to work early. It’s to preserve the plants and herbs Arche harvests while they’re still fresh, but today he left unusually late. Worrying over me as I couldn’t wake up early, he especially went to the trouble of making breakfast for me.

Since I have additional experience from my past life, I have more housework skills than maids when it comes to areas like this. But that man can easily surpass me even when it comes to that. He really, truly is a man that can do anything skillfully.

Now if his civility and communication skills were also flawless, he would truly be perfect…… No, I’ll stop myself. Thinking of him being sociable with a dazzling smile is just creepy. All people are more likeable when they have some flaws. Nodding along to myself internally, I look at Arche. For some reason, she looks around, fleetingly glancing at that man’s laboratory.

「Um, Lady Filmina, today is……」

「Oh my, so this is Sir Agedilus’s garden!」

A voice covers Arche’s words, lovely just like a songbird’s chirping. I and Arche both look to see where it came from. Then, I can’t help but gulp.

A girl stands there, so beautiful she could be mistaken for a flower spirit.