Episode 48

"Whew..."

From a blind spot, the atmosphere appeared serene.

I adjusted my grip on the branch with my left hand and grasped a handful of flower petals with my right.

Scattering flowers like snow was far from simple.

It was an intricate art that required precise calculations of the wind's direction and strength, the ambiance between the two, and even the exact spot where the petals would land.

'The petals mustn't obscure their view or scatter aimlessly.'

Taking into account the sunlight, gaze, and wind—

'Now!'

I sprinkled the petals with just the right amount of force from my arm.

The flower petals descended like snowflakes onto the heads of the count and countess.

The lady seemed utterly uninterested in the source of the petals.

'Lucky for us, but...'

How could she be so indifferent?

With a slight shift of my gaze, I saw beads of sweat forming on her pale forehead.

Ute was playing the violin with all his might, his lips pressed tightly together.

His face, while playing a lyrical tune, was profoundly solemn.

'Brilliant.'

It seemed the atmosphere was set just as planned.

'They don't seem to know where we are.'

It was wise to scout the blind spot beforehand.

In a forest surrounded by trees, the blind spot was obvious.

I gripped the branch firmly with my left hand. If I let my guard down, I’d fall right between the couple.

'That can't happen.'

What a performance we put on to get here.

Moreover...

Unlike me, who had one relatively free hand, Ute Velvet had both hands bound to the violin.

In other words-

He had to support himself with his legs while sitting in the tree.

With the branches growing upwards, it wasn't possible to sit comfortably like in a fairy tale illustration.

Ute, lying flat and wrapping his legs around the branch, looked anything but comfortable.

'It's heartbreaking...'

But I couldn't afford to worry about others.

If I slipped, I’d fall just the same. I took a deep breath and timed the scattering of the petals.

I threw the flowers, and Ute played the violin.

We didn't speak to each other.

We had to focus on our respective roles. And besides, there were others meant to converse.

"It's hard to believe, but I'm sincere."

When the madam didn’t respond, the count spoke again in a nervous tone.

"I’ve always loved you."

The violin bow moved smoothly.

The romantic atmosphere, enhanced by the elegant vibrato—

"I can't."

...turned into a crisis.

The madam shook her head with a pained expression.

"I can't spend my life with you, my lord."

The soulful performance abruptly ceased.

I placed the petals I was about to throw back into the box.

The temperature around us plummeted instantly, leaving only a sense of crisis.

"Ah..."

"Oh..."

Ute and I looked at each other simultaneously.

What do we do with this whole bucket of flowers left?

---

After the madam rejected the lord's confession, the atmosphere in the mansion became miserable.

"What on earth happened?"

The aide demanded with bloodshot eyes.

"I cooperated with everything, so why did this happen?"

"..."

"Since that day, what have I done, ha, never mind. What happened?"

"...That's how it turned out."

The direct impact was placed on me and the aide, but ultimately, the whole mansion became gloomy.

Voices were always whispers.

Fearing to offend the master, the dining staff set the table without even breathing.

There was no way the madam didn’t notice the changed atmosphere.

"Don't you wish to ask why?"

Her lips, which had remained silent for days, suddenly moved.

"You know best how much I acted like a little girl because of him."

Madam, you are a little girl...

Whatever happened, the madam before me was just over twenty.

"Even though I troubled you so much, don't you blame me for saying such things?"

"Me, blame you, madam?"

"Speak comfortably."

"There must have been a reason."

I knelt at her feet and clasped my hands together.

"Even if you threw dirt at the master and ran away, I would take your side, madam."

"Sonnet..."

"I'm rude to the master, but I'm your maid, madam. You must have had a reason that was hard to explain."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

I patted the madam's back as she hugged me tightly.

If Ute hadn't told me in advance, I might have hit my own chest instead of her back.

'The atmosphere was good, so why...'

'Oh!'

Right after the confession, Ute had explained, slapping his forehead.

'I completely overlooked it. My mistake.'

'What mistake?'

'This confession couldn't have worked. It would have been the same in any way.'

'Why?'

'The problem isn't the female lead...'

"Sonnet?"

"Yes, madam."

"I'm really glad you're here. Ah, it's a bit sudden, but could you go to the bakery? I would like to place an order."

"You don't have to ask me. Please leave it to me."

"Yes. Make sure to deliver this as well."

I nodded, holding a thin letter envelope.

A trusting smile saw me off.

---

Just after returning from the bakery.

I bowed my head in a dark, poorly ventilated-room.

"Sonnet Posa."

"Yes, master."

The voice echoed eerily in my ears.

If this were the beginning of my employment, my back would be drenched in sweat, but now it didn't even tickle.

"From now on, you shall speak with not a single lie."

"I will bear that in mind."

I rolled my eyes to look at the aide. He shrugged once and then buried his nose in the documents again.

'Why this all of a sudden?'

Do they develop allergic rhinitis if they don't periodically check on the staff?

Click, click.

The footsteps slowly approached me.

"What kind of man is he?"

"Pardon?"

"The bastard the madam meets secretly behind my back, who is he?"

"The madam meets someone secretly?"

Someone who hadn’t met anyone, holed up in her room for months?

"The hidden name has a clear meaning."

"Pardon?"

'The one who suits a blue ribbon best.'

"Ah."

"Don't pretend you don't know."

It's not that I don't know. I've delivered letters a few times.

'I can't say I do either.'

Several errands to a bakery and a specific recipient.

But I never actually met the 'blue ribbon.'

The count ground his teeth and muttered.

"Since when? Since when have the two been doing this behind my back...?"

If you're going to investigate, why not go all the way?

'Why receive half the information and make it troublesome?'

I misunderstood too, but—

The 'blue ribbon' guy wasn't the madam's lover...

'They're probably an informant.'

'I heard they were an organization dealing with information. Not an ordinary bakery.'

'That bakery's highest and most secretive figure, I guess. The protagonist always gets involved with the best. Crown princes, northern dukes, tower lords, and so on.'

That's why I ran the errands with ease.

It's annoying that someone got the wrong idea though.

"I found it suspicious previously and looked into it."

"The madam has never harbored feelings for anyone other than you, my lord."

"How can I believe that?"

"..."

"My wife's second sister brought every man she fancied to the palace, and that's widely known throughout Ronda!"

First time I've heard of it.

"But the madam isn't her sister, is she...?"

"Blood can't be hidden. I know my wife tells you many things. Speak the truth now."

"It's really not—"

"Speak the truth, I said."

"Well, it's really not—"

"You persist in lies. Is that your so-called loyalty?"

He doesn't listen at all.

I crossed my hands and clenched them tightly.

"Why don't you ask the madam directly?"

The mouth that had been chattering suddenly shut.

The count, who had been fuming, angrily sent me away.

'What do you want me to do?'

It would be better if Ute were here.

After the confession failed, he left for Ronda to address the root cause.

He didn’t have many vacation days, so he would return soon—

"Sonnet!"

Oh my gosh.

Silver hair fluttered wildly.

Ute, whom I hadn't seen in ten days, ran with a bright smile, waving.

"Wait, here is—"

I just waxed the floor...

Crash!

As expected, his tall body went tumbling.

I tried to catch him, but it was impossible.

"Are you alright? You hit pretty hard. Did you hurt your head?"

"Sonnet! I found a way!"

"Let's treat you first—"

"Let's lock them up together!"

...He must have hit his head.

---

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