“Isabella, how is Vincent Bellunita’s condition these days? Ethan Christopher won’t tell me anything. He looked fine when I saw him a little while ago, but….”
“His condition has improved significantly.”
“Oh! That’s a relief. Such a relief.”
Violet let out a sigh of relief. I looked at her, puzzled. I had been told that she didn’t know the state of Vincent Bellunita’s health; had I been misinformed?
As if reading my thoughts, Ethan Christopher explained in a low voice.
“Violet thinks Vincent Bellunita is recuperating after suffering a major injury. Since similar incidents have occurred several times, we’ve made excuses—claiming his wounds were too deep to heal properly and that he’s suffering from lingering aftereffects.”
“But, Christopher, what is your relationship with her?”
“We’re friends. The three of us have known each other since we were children.”
So that was why they came together. I nodded, observing her lovely face, currently etched with desperation.
“May I see Vincent Bellunita’s face?”
“I am sorry, Lady Violet.”
“Ah….”
Her expression, bright just moments ago, drowned in disappointment.
“When will I be able to see him properly?”
“Master is doing this out of concern for you, Lady Violet. He doesn’t want to worry his fiancée by showing you how much he is suffering. Please, try to understand his heart.”
“I know. I know that well. But still….”
Her voice trailed off, melancholy. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap, her face twisting as if she were on the verge of tears. She was clearly consumed by worry for her fiancé.
“But still, but still….”
Suddenly, her gaze locked onto me.
“Paula, please, I have a desperate favor to ask of you!”
She stood up abruptly, grabbing both of my hands. Being pulled into such close proximity left me bewildered; my eyes darted around the room.
“Could you tell Vincent Bellunita that I want to see him—really, truly, deeply want to see him—and that no matter what condition he’s in, I don’t mind? Please, just let me see his face.”
“Pardon? Oh, yes?”
My head turned from side to side in a fluster. Behind me, Isabella sipped her tea with composure; beside me, Ethan Christopher bit into a pastry. I scanned them both. They wore nonchalant expressions, clearly having no intention of helping me.
The violet eyes before me sparkled. Caught in their glow, I fumbled for a moment before finally, reluctantly, nodding.
***
“Master.”
He did not stir at the sound of the door creaking open. Even as I approached with heavy footsteps, he gave no reaction. A rounded shape, curled up facing the wall, remained silent. Was it my imagination, or could I feel a strange bloodlust radiating from him?
“Master. Are you asleep?”
“…….”
“Lady Violet asked me to relay a message. I will recite it just as I heard it: ‘I want to see you, really, truly, deeply want to see you. No matter what condition you are in, I don’t mind, so please let me see your face.’ That is all.”
Still, he did not respond. I remembered his face turning pale at the news of his fiancée’s arrival. As I stood there hesitating, Ethan Christopher barged into the room.
“Yo, Vincent Bellunita.”
At that moment, a pillow flew through the air and hit Ethan Christopher square in the face. Vincent Bellunita had pushed himself into a sitting position, glaring at the door.
“Get out.”
Ethan Christopher grumbled, picking up the pillow.
“Don’t be angry. I couldn’t help it either.”
“You said she wouldn’t come if I just wrote a reply to her letter.”
“I thought she wouldn’t! But Violet suddenly said she was coming here and just ran out. Even the nanny and I tried to stop her, but it was no use. You know her—once she gets an idea in her head, she follows through. That’s why I told you to write your replies regularly.”
As Ethan Christopher complained, Vincent Bellunita reached for the cup on the bedside table. Seeing this, Ethan Christopher shut his mouth and quickly hid behind my back. I looked at him, finding his cowardice pathetic.
“Maid. You were really cool just now. I was so moved. I was so moved that I just watched as you held Vincent Bellunita’s hand and ran away. Run, Master! *Whew*, so cool.”
“Please stop.”
I didn’t need a reminder of how rude my earlier actions had been. Besides, for a mere maid to grab her master’s hand and flee—I covered my burning, embarrassed face with my bangs.
“Why? It was so cool, Maid.”
“I said, please stop.”
“Don’t be shy. I almost fell for you, really.”
“Enough.”
Vincent Bellunita set the cup down and reprimanded Ethan Christopher. The chatter ceased, and a dark, heavy tension filled the room. Vincent Bellunita wiped his face with one hand. *Haa.* Watching him let out that deep, miserable sigh, I observed his state and finished what I had to say.
“Lady Violet said she would wait in the garden.”
“Speak to her well… and send her back.”
“She won’t go back. It looks like she’s made up her mind.”
“You leave.”
Vincent Bellunita waved his hand as if he couldn’t bear to hear another word and lay back down. I glanced at him once before nudging Ethan Christopher toward the door. There was no one who could comfort him right now. Ethan Christopher walked out, looking regretful.
As soon as the door closed, I sighed. Ethan Christopher seemed lost in thought, but I had a task to finish.
“What were you planning on doing?”
“Maid, I’m the one who feels wronged. I really didn’t know.”
Ethan Christopher wore an expression of genuine grievance. I gave him a look of disbelief.
“What should we do now?”
“For now, let’s try to soothe Violet. Even if she looks firm, she’s tender-hearted and simple-minded. If we comfort her well, she’ll go back. That’s how it’s always been.”
“And if she still won’t go back?”
“Then, um… I’ll have to think about that.”
It turned out he had no plan at all.
***
I walked with Ethan Christopher to the garden. Violet was kneeling before a bed thick with purple flowers, her soft, long fingertips brushing the buds.
“Violet.”
Her gaze left the flowers and turned toward us. Her face brightened instantly, her eyes scanning the surroundings. I didn’t have to ask who she was looking for.
“Where is Vincent Bellunita?”
“He says he won’t see you.”
“I see….”
Her expression slumped. As she glanced at me, I shook my head.
“I tried to tell him several times, but he told me to relay that he wants you to return.”
“I see. I figured as much. …It’s alright. Thank you for delivering the message.”
Though disappointment was evident, Violet tried her best to hide it. She smiled kindly, as if to comfort me instead. She was such a lovely person.
She returned to examining the flower bed. I looked down at her.
“Ethan Christopher, if you don’t mind, could you help me? I want to make a bouquet. I think it would be nice to place it in Vincent Bellunita’s room.”
She was an angel! To make a bouquet for someone who wouldn’t even reply to her letters—her heart was truly like an angel’s.
While I marveled at her internally, she plucked a flower. Her arms were soon filled with colorful blooms. Ethan Christopher said he understood, rolled up his sleeves, and crouched beside her. He began plucking flowers, though he lacked any grace. I frowned slightly and joined in.
“You shouldn’t pluck them like that.”
“Huh?”
“It’s better to snap them off near the ends like this. You want to keep the stems as long as possible so it’s easier to arrange them nicely later. Scissors would be even better.”
I explained the method while deftly snapping a purple flower. Both of them watched me.
“These are nice, but if you only have large buds, it looks distracting. It’s prettier to add smaller flowers on the side. Like these.”
I plucked a few baby’s breath flowers and arranged them around the purple blooms. A small but quite decent bouquet took shape. When I handed it to Violet, her eyes sparkled.
“My goodness, it’s really—you made this so well. How lovely!”
“Y-you’re too kind, My Lady.”
Violet looked at the bouquet with wonder, and Ethan Christopher clapped his hands. I never expected to be praised for something as simple as this.
The village where I once lived held rare, but large, festivals. During these times, people would flood the streets to sell food and goods. Making and selling bouquets had been a decent side job for local women. While usually the domain of married women, I was a worker who never missed an opportunity.
The money I earned at Mark’s bakery was never enough. My father and my third older sister drained me; my sister lived in luxury off my labor, while my father spent his days drowning in gambling and alcohol. I had to handle all the housework and earn all the money on my own. Side jobs were a necessity. Making a bouquet was incredibly easy compared to the competition I was used to.
As I fidgeted, shy, Violet took the bouquet carefully and examined it from every angle.
“It’s pretty. So beautiful.”
Her mesmerized gaze made me shrink back.
“How do you make them so well?”
“You’re too generous with your praise.”
“I’m not! Paula, you must be very gifted with your hands. I’m so envious.”
Violet looked sullen again, burying her face in the flowers. I widened my eyes.
“Actually, I’m not very gifted. I tried learning many things since I was young, but I had no talent. Even my tutors gave up on me.”
“True. You’re hopeless when it comes to that.”
Ethan Christopher chimed in without a hint of tact. In an instant, Violet’s eyes flashed, and she punched him in the side. Her movement was so fast I barely registered it. I stared blankly as Ethan Christopher clutched his side and groaned.
“I am such a lacking fiancée to Vincent Bellunita. That must be why he doesn’t come to see me. Because I’m so unreliable…”
I tore my gaze away from Ethan Christopher to look at her. Her face, filled with worry, began to twist into a mask of misery. I was at a loss for how to comfort her when, suddenly, I heard a crunching sound. In an instant, the violet bouquet in her hands was cruelly crushed.
What did I just see? I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I had hallucinated, but the bouquet remained ruined.
“That bastard.”
Because of the curse that suddenly burst from her delicate lips, I picked at my ear, wondering if I had suffered an auditory hallucination. *Hmm.* Perhaps I’ve been having a hard time serving Master lately.