Layla's
Future 1
The
blazing sunlight disappeared, and the cool autumn breeze swayed the golden ears
of wheat.
Before
my eyes was a wheat field, heavily laden with grain and bowing its heads under
the weight. Despite the long summer rains, it is an abundant harvest this year
as well.
As
the harvest season arrived, we once again visited the foot of the mountain
range where Liebel Village is located. This time it was only an
inspection of the foot of the mountain, but I hear the wheat fields in Liebel
Village also had an abundant harvest.
「Even in the wheat fields we saw on
the way here, the mass withering hadn't occurred, had it.」
Four
days swaying in the carriage. I simply kept looking out the window. I had heard
in the reports that the mass withering hadn't occurred, but I was anxious until
I confirmed it with my own eyes. When I saw the wheat fields with their heads
drooping before my eyes, I almost let out a cheer of joy.
「It's a success, isn't it.」
「Yes.」
Even
as I answered with a smile, the reason I couldn't rejoice from the bottom of my
heart was because I was worried about the pesticide I made in the Jilgista
Kingdom. Because the types of wheat grown in the Jilgista Kingdom
and the Kanista Kingdom are different, the harvest in the Jilgista
Kingdom is about a month and a half away. Even though the types are
different, since the mass withering occurs in the same years in both countries
every year, the cause should be the same.
There
is no doubt that the pesticide I made suppresses the bacteria that multiplies
due to moisture. I can say that with confidence, but since the cause of the
mass withering is not bacteria in the first place, that pesticide is useless.
Perhaps
because my face clouded over slightly, Ashren-sama ruffled my hair
affectionately. Even though I have been told I lack expression, Ashren-sama
immediately picks up on my emotions.
「Well then, shall we eat something
delicious and head back?」
「...Yes.」
Thus,
my inspection ended on a schedule that could be called a forced march, and the Kanista
Kingdom safely finished its harvest.
※※
Soon,
a year will have passed since I came to this country.
During
that time, a letter arrived from my parents only once. There were no words
worrying about me; it was the same as always, reprimanding me for being
incompetent compared to Aisha and lamenting that I was an unfilial
daughter.
To
my parents, I am apparently an uncharming daughter who, despite having my
engagement annulled because of my shortcomings as a woman, held a grudge
against my younger sister and then departed for a foreign country as if out of
spite. I should have been used to their evaluation of me, but because I opened
it thinking they might be worrying about me even a little, the contents hurt
me.
That
is why I still couldn't bring myself to open the letter that had arrived from
my parents again. A dull white envelope, with the Wilbas Viscount Family's
wax seal on the back.
「Haa.」
Leaning
on the armrest of the sofa with my arm, I let out a big sigh. But it's no use
staying like this forever. It's already been a week since the letter arrived,
and my heart has felt heavy no matter what I did during that time. In that
case, I resolved myself to just read it already and picked up the paper knife.
A
small, short shat sound. Bracing myself and taking a deep breath, I took
out the letter and began to read it.
※※
Ashren-sama stopped me as I tried to
return to my room immediately after dinner finished.
「Keep me company for an evening
drink.」
Saying
that, we moved to the living room, and he had the maid prepare liquor and
herbal tea. I couldn't help but marvel at how this person understands me so
well.
A
wine glass and a teacup were lined up on a calm, dark brown low table. Firewood
was placed next to the fireplace, but a fire hadn't been lit yet. Instead, a
fluffy blanket was on my lap.
「What happened?」
Stopping
me from trying to pour, Ashren-sama filled his glass with wine himself
and asked very naturally.
「A letter arrived from my family
home.」
So
I answered naturally as well. While drinking his wine, Ashren-sama
waited for me to speak my next words.
「I was told to show my face at the
ceremony because my younger sister is getting married.」
How
troubling,
I thought, lowering my eyebrows as if smiling wryly and slightly raising the
corners of my mouth. I didn't want him to think I was hurt by any mistake.
Because I really am not hurt or anything.
「I see, and what will you do?」
「I plan to attend. If the contents of
the letter were something unreasonable, I intended to ignore it, but telling me
to return to the country to attend my younger sister's wedding is a valid
reason.」
「However, the groom is your former
fiancé, right? Is that valid?」
「That is exactly why. If I don't
return for this, they will think I still have lingering attachments and am
forcing my own selfishness.」
I
have no feelings of jealousy toward Aisha, and I will gladly yield that
kind of man to her. I didn't come to this country out of spite, and I'm not
refusing to return because I'm sulking. I simply lived the way I wanted to and
found a place where I belong.
That
is why I intend to return proudly; when I conveyed that, Ashren-sama
nodded, saying he understood. I thought he would say that. But what bothers me
is that broadly grinning face.
「Ashren-sama? What are you plotting?」
「Why do you think that?」
「You have your two-faced expression.」
What's
that supposed to mean, Ashren-sama furrowed his brow, but I didn't miss
that the corners of his mouth were turned up.
「Um, could it possibly be that...」
「I can't let a young lady attend a
party alone, now can I. I will escort you.」
No,
no, "will escort you," he says. There is ab-so-lutely an ulterior
motive behind that face, isn't there.
「...However, wouldn't it be a problem
for both of us to take time off work together?」
「Letting you go alone, Layla,
is more of a problem. There's no way my mother would allow such a thing.」
As
my cheek twitched, Ashren-sama floated a composed smile. Looking at that
face, which could look charming or demonic depending on how you look at it, I
felt slightly dizzy.
And
so, carrying a reassuring ally and a bomb, I was to depart for the Jilgista
Kingdom for the first time in a year.
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