Side Story 1 : It’s Just The Beginning

As spring came, fresh buds sprouted on the ground that had been sleeping during the long winter.

The whole of Arlanta had been in a festive mood for some time. As the date of the marriage between Dice and Rosabella was approaching.

“Hari, what do you think?” asked Rosabella, turning back to me. The rich hem of her skirt painted the enchanting sea like white foam, following her movements.

I smiled as I looked at the dazzlingly beautiful Rosabella.

“I can’t believe I’m the first to see you in a wedding dress like this, and I can’t say anything. His Majesty Dice must be jealous of me right now.”

The people in the dressing room next to us also lavished a rave at Rosabella. Queen Arabella boutique was honored to make a wedding dress for Rosabella Velontia, who would soon be a future Empress.

Rosabella and I moved to another location after Arabella’s staff, who had come to the Velontia mansion to do clothes fitting, had left the room.

Velontia’s garden was filled with colorful, beautiful flowers that were blooming in spring. We were seated face to face with the tea table in the middle of us.

“I’m looking forward to the wedding day. Rosabella is probably the prettiest bride in the world.”

In a lovely flower garden, a mixture of fragrant flowers and delicate tea scents, Rosabella smiled prettily with a spotless clear face.

I felt at ease when I saw that there was no more shadow on her face. I remembered that until last winter, she kept telling me carefully about her future responsibilities.

Moreover, Rosabella seemed to feel even more skeptical after Velontia’s maid’s involvement during the last hunting event.

She seemed a little depressed. How could she embrace the Royal family and Arlanta people as the first lady in the future while she failed to handle her mansion’s internal affairs?

However, today, I felt fortunate that Rosabella was smiling brightly in such a happy bride-to-be-expression without any worry.

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to Hari’s wedding dress, too.”

I laughed a little with a slightly awkward mood at Rosabella’s playful reply. “I have no plans to get married right now.”

“But I don’t think it will be long.”

As time went by, everyone knew about my relationship with Eugene. Not only people around me, even outside, our story had also spread openly.

Since last fall, neither Eugene nor I had tried to hide that fact, so it was normal for everyone to notice it quickly.

I didn’t really care about telling the people around me about the truth. Because I thought that one day, sooner or later, our relationship would undoubtedly be exposed to the outside world.

As predicted, in the beginning, people gossiped about us with gusto like fish in the water. But they quickly changed their mind and began to approach me closer than before.

Their intentions and purposes were very evident from every word and action they took.

Initially, many people approached me because of my status as the Ernst’s daughter and my close friendship with the future Royal couple.

But, right after rumors about Eugene and me swept the social world, there was a massive rise in the number of people who poked their tongues in front of me.

It seemed that the title Duchess of Ernst, which looked like to be part of my future identity, had an extraordinary charm.

Well, of course, I wasn’t the Duchess of Ernst now, but I honestly thought it would be mine someday.

Actually, I was so embarrassed to say this myself…..because becoming Duchess of Ernst meant that Eugene and I were getting married, right?

When I thought about it suddenly, my cheeks felt hot, and I instantly took a sip of tea in front of my eyes.

Seeing me like that, Rosabella teased me mischievously again. “Oh, you’re being shy again? Miss Hari, you’re so cute.”

“Rosabella, are you going to keep making fun of me like that?”

“Your reaction is so funny, Hari. So I can’t help it.”

However, there was a bright side, that the people who had been asking me about Eugene’s marriage had disappeared.

After the breakup with Rosabella, young ladies were aiming for an empty seat next to Eugene and hoping me to leave.

Often, the noblewomen came to me too, and they always told me a story about their daughter or niece.

But now I was glad because those people were all gone. This thought was a little childish. But honestly, I wasn’t happy whenever I saw those ladies showed their dark feeling for Eugene in front of me.

Of course, some of them still despised me, but they were quiet now since they heard about Lavender Cordis’s case.

Everything I did was deal with the people who came to me without saying something. After all, they were the first to stay away from me, so I didn’t have to step up and kick them out. Even so, there was no reason to be closer to them than necessary.

Well, of course, they were still talking about me in the back.

But it didn’t matter to me as I didn’t care about other people’s eyes. That was enough for me if the people I cherish understood and accepted me as they did now.

“I’ll see you next time on your wedding day.”

“Thank you for coming here today, Hari. I feel a lot better after talking to you.”

Rosabella was very busy ahead of her marriage, so I didn’t want to bother her and soon left the Velontia mansion.

But, I didn’t go straight back to Ernst. I was planning to visit Bastier’s mansion as well while I was out today.

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***

“Welcome, Hari.”

“Hello, how are you, aunt?”

Mrs. Bastier greeted me as soon as I stepped inside.

“I’m sorry, what should I do? Louise is taking piano lessons, so I think you have to wait a bit.”

“No, because I arrived earlier than scheduled.”

“If you don’t mind, why don’t you join me for tea while you wait for Louise?” asked Mrs. Bastier, staring at my face for a while.

“It’s my pleasure.”

Well, I didn’t turn down her favor even though I was already drinking tea in Velontia.

So then, we walked towards the living room together.

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“So, when will you send the wedding invitation?”

Hufft…

The sudden question almost spat out the tea in my mouth. But Mrs. Bastier was just looking at me gracefully.

“Why are you so shocked? Eugene said he would skip the engagement ceremony, so the only thing left is the wedding.”

Oh, what’s wrong with today? Rosabella also did the same; everyone seemed to think my marriage would be happening soon …… Of course, I would. I wanted to marry Eugene, but I didn’t understand why they all asked me like this?

“Ah, I still have a lot to prepare. Step by step…….”

“Prepare? to be a hostess?”

“Hostess?”

After she made me speechless again by her blunt word, Mrs. Bastier put down the teacup in her hand and continued to speak in a calm voice. “As for that, haven’t you prepared enough? I know, so far, you have always been in charge of Ernst’s household task. Apart from that, I have also taught you well.”

She was right. In fact, while I was living in Bastier, I received a lot of training and advice from her on managing a mansion and so on.

This was a bit heartbreaking story, but perhaps, it was because she secretly thought of me as Johannes’ partner.

I grinned and opened my mouth, “Yes, I learned a lot from auntie while I was here. But, I just don’t think I’m mentally prepared yet.”

Mrs. Bastier was silent for a moment, thinking of something.

A mellow scent hovered in the calm air. There was a slice of sugary lemon floating in the liquid in my teacup.

“Hari, I’m not saying empty words, but I think of you as my real daughter.”

I moved my gaze to the person I was facing, as her voice pierced my ears.

“Of course, I wanted you to be John’s partner, but I had no intention of pushing you. So I tried not to say anything hasty that would become a burden to you.”

As she said, Mrs. Bastier always cared for me. Neither when I was at Bastier nor after I returned to Ernst.

Perhaps this was the kindness characterizing the Bastier people who never imposed their opinions or thoughts on others.

“I know, and I don’t know how to repay you, auntie.”

I had always thought that maybe my rejection of Johannes’s feelings would be a betrayal to them. But even now, they were still so kind to me.

“I am always very grateful.”

I truly appreciated it. I was sure that kindness wasn’t something anyone could easily have just because they wanted it.

“Hari, we sincerely wish for your happiness.”

Her heartfelt whisper had been conveyed to me.

“So believe in the path you have chosen, just look ahead and walk. I’m sure it must be the right path.”

Slowly, my eyes felt hot as I listened to those words. Maybe it’s because no adult beside me to tell me this. Her gentle-soothing voice, like a mother reassuring her daughter, was a little heart-wrenching.

I smiled at her, holding back my tears that were about to pour down, “Thank you, auntie. You too…..I also want you to always have happy things.”

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“Are you done talking to my mom?”

I met Louise in the corridor after I left the living room.

She apparently came after she heard that I was in the room with her mother.
At other times, she was just opening the door right away and walking in. But today, she seemed to wait for me outside, waiting for me to come out.

Louise, who was crouching in the hallway, stood up as she saw me coming out of the door. But for a moment, she looked into my face and sighed. “Oh, mom. I wanted to go with you to a nice place, but how could she make Hari cry like this?”

“No, I didn’t cry.”

“Huh, what do you mean? your eyes are red.”

Ugh, was it so obvious? I wasn’t sure as I couldn’t see the mirror.

I was a little embarrassed. It seemed that I had become a bit sentimental while I was with Mrs. Bastier.

“Let’s just play in my room today,” said Louise, dragging my hand.

I didn’t know, but I thought she had given up her plan to go out with me.

“by the way, where did you wanna go earlier?”

“Well, it won’t be fun if I tell you in advance, so next time,” Louise said with a slight secret smile. I was still wondering, but she didn’t answer me in the end.

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