To Help You Understand – Chapter 6
Violet was lost in thought as the doctor examined her.
Only after coming face to face with her own body did she accept that she wasn’t crazy and that this was actually reality.
When the doctor had finished his examination, a maid belonging to the hotel – Lulu – offered her a warm cup of tea.
“You’ve been through such hardship, Little Madam.”
“What do you mean, hardship?”
“The checkup, of course!”
Violet nodded with embarrassment at Lulu’s serious words. Then the doctor spoke,
“You’re in terrible shape. You’ve been continually taking medicine for your weak heart, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Your former medicine is known to worsen headaches and isn’t used nowadays. I’ll prescribe you a new medicine, so please try it. I don’t know anyone who still uses that drug anymore. Was it really prescribed by a qualified doctor?”
The new doctor blatantly criticized her former doctor’s techniques. It was reassuring to hear that Lichton, who had always said her illness didn’t exist, was actually wrong, but Violet was more concerned with the fact that her headaches could actually be treated.
After the doctor left, Violet raised her body; Lulu spoke, startled,
“The boss told me not to let you get up and wander about, Little Madam.”
Winter seemed to have spoken as if his wife would die immediately.
Violet spoke calmly, “Should we not move before the room’s owner returns?”
“What’s up with this couple…”
Lulu made a strange expression at Violet’s behavior that didn’t suit someone from the Royal Family. Violet soon moved to a room with a stable, comfortable atmosphere, and cream-colored wallpaper. Although it was a lot smaller than Winter’s room, she liked its coziness.
Lulu left the room, announcing that she would be back with refreshments; a moment later, Phillip – one of Winter’s servants – knocked on the door.
After gaining permission to enter the room, Phillip shook his head and spoke,
“I’m very sorry, Little Madam.”
“You’re sorry?”
Violet repeated the strange remark, and Phillip continued,
“I wasn’t able to give you a proper massage due to my failings. If you’d allow me, I’d like to do it right this time.”
Wanting to make up for his mistakes back at the mansion, Phillip held a basin of lukewarm water with flower petals floating on top.
It must have been something Winter got involved in. After all, Winter had always done whatever he wanted.
It was embarrassing, but Violet didn’t refuse the offer of a massage.
She felt a little uncomfortable about a man touching her feet so intimately, but Phillip was just doing his job. In that sense, it was weird for her to think it was weird.
Phillip carefully dipped Violet’s feet in the warm water.
“Please tell me if it’s too painful or too gentle. I’m not good at controlling my strength because I normally only do this for Lord Winter.”
“Alright.”
Phillip was incredibly skillful with his hands. He gently pressed the top of her foot first, and it already felt as if her blood was flowing smoother. He meticulously massaged the soles of her feet before gently rubbing them between her toes.
After going over the entire feet, Phillip wiped off the excess moisture with a towel before applying rose oil to his hands in order to meticulously massage her ankles.
Phillip was completely focused on the task and Violet could feel his determination; her nerves lessened, and she quickly adjusted. She was so relaxed that she became drowsy halfway through.
When he noticed her beginning to doze off, Phillip quickly wiped her feet and helped her to lie back. Violet murmured quietly as she lay back in bed.
“I didn’t expect it to feel that refreshing. Thank you.”
Phillip blushed at Violet’s kind voice; he’d grown accustomed to Winter’s behavior, who only knew how to display his thanks with money.
“I, I’ll take my leave now. Please feel free to call if you need anything else.”
“Yes…”
Violet replied, closing her eyes. She’d been so worried, but she fell asleep easily today.
***
The next morning, as Violet drank tea after breakfast, Lulu came into the room with a clothing rail
“Little Madam, please feel free to choose the clothes you’d like to wear for lunch with the President today.”
“Where did these clothes…?”
“Secretary Hayel made the payment in a hurry.”
There was an assortment of colorful and bold dresses that Violet had never seen before in her entire life.
Violet had an awkward expression on her face. If she wore such a showy dress, the Duke and Duchess of Blooming would lose their minds. But they weren’t here, and even if they found out, they might just let it slide because the dresses were chosen by Winter’s own secretary.
Violet, who normally wore dreary clothing that didn’t compliment her face, looked at the beautiful dresses and spoke with a worried look.
“But… is there enough money for this?”
Lulu replied with a serious expression.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, my husband spent 24 million Lakne to marry me. I heard he was almost bankrupt because of it…”
“I, Is he?”
Lulu looked unsure, clearly not knowing the details. She stared at the dresses.
“If he doesn’t have enough money, why does Secretary Hayel always come back with dresses like these?”
“Always?”
“Yes. He always returns with a clothing rail full of dresses like this.”
“… Dresses?”
Violet’s voice faded slightly.
My husband has never bought a dress for me.
So, for whom did Hayel buy all these dresses?
At that moment, Violet felt a wave of loneliness, but she didn’t want to ruin the occasion, so she hastily buried the emotion with a smile.
“What should I wear…”
Violet’s voice was hesitant, but her hand was already going for a soft, crimson satin dress. There were a few grey and black dresses she usually wore in the Blooming family mansion, but today she was going to wear her favorite color. Lulu seemed to agree with her decision.
“It’s perfect for today’s weather!”
After choosing the dress, she tied a cream-colored ribbon around her waist. After that, she randomly reached out for a pair of shoes in the basket below the clothing rail. They were velvet slippers the same color as the ribbon, with pearls adorning the tips of the shoes. Violet spoke in surprise,
“I didn’t know such pretty slippers existed.”
“Now, please take a seat so we can do your hair.”
Once Violet sat down on the chair, Lulu admired her pale, golden hair.
“How are you so beautiful? The President really is a blessed man. Beautiful and sweet…”
“Thank you for your kind words”, Violet answered, excited at the thought that this was her first date with her husband.
Violet’s hair was adorned with a red ribbon that was currently popular in the capital, and she’d never looked more cheerful.
As she left the hotel with Lulu, three servants stood at the end of the carpet next to her carriage: a butler, a chef, and Phillip.
Turin – the chef whom Violet had praised after breakfast this morning – stepped forward and spoke.
“Little Madam, what shall we prepare for dinner tonight?”
“Any sort of meat would be fine.”
“Then, in total, we shall have a total of ten courses including turnip soup, chicken and pork pie, buttered lobster…”
As the chef spoke, Lulu raised her hand and said,
“She said meat, Turin!”
“There’s pie! Besides, won’t it be a magnificent dish when it’s done?”
“I don’t even know what to say! If that’s what you want to cook then just do it at home!”
“There are material costs! Material costs!”
“Haa, just listen to this. Your real intentions are revealed!”
Violet carefully asked Phillip about the clashing between the two of them.
“Do those two normally not get along?”
“They’ve been quarreling ever since she started working here.”
“I see”, Violet nodded.
When the argument between the two had partially ended, the horseman opened the carriage door and Violet climbed up. Lulu, who joined her in the carriage, grumbled.
“Anyhow, all cooks like to do things their own way.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Little Madam. I can make a meatloaf better than them! Would you like to try it?”
“Yes. I’d like to try that before I leave.”
At Violet’s soft answer, Lulu replied in a strange tone.
“The Little Madam really is the opposite of the President.”
“Really?”
“Mhm. The Little Madam is just like the aristocrats in the capital.”
In a good way, it meant that she was polite, but it was also bad because she couldn’t actually say what she felt.
Violet nodded her head moderately, just like an aristocrat in the capital.
“And my husband?”
“As for the President, he… asserts what he wants clearly.”
In other words, <he’s selfish and loud>.
“He makes fast decisions.”
<If things don’t go his way, he gets angry.>
“If there’s a drawback, then maybe it’s that his etiquette is a little lacking…?”
With the way she was spinning her words, there was clearly a limit to how much she could risk saying regarding his ‘drawbacks’, so perhaps she was implying he had no manners?
Violet nodded after reading the meaning behind Lulu’s twisted wording. She couldn’t risk criticizing her employer, after all.
Meanwhile, the carriage headed on towards the edge of the capital, where the mouth of the river meets the sea.
***
The capital city hadn’t changed much in these past three years.
Violet gazed outside the window as a depiction of her older brother, Ash Lawrence, came into sight.
With the money received from Winter Blooming for marrying his younger sister, Larkround overcame the crisis. Ash had gained popularity with the citizens of Larkround by publishing a daily newspaper depicting himself living on a farm and working on the fields. Violet draped the curtain back across the window, not wanting to see her brother.
The carriage came to a halt on an isle at the mouth of the Rekel River which ran through Larkround.
Lulu spoke, taking the lead,
“These days, I heard that it’s famous as a tourist destination, so foreign visitors always stop by.”
“That’s wonderful.”
There were quaint shops both in front of the bridge and across the street. Violet was intoxicated by the feeling of seeing the world for the first time and unknowingly quickened her pace.
***
As the day got hotter, Winter took off his jacket and frowned at his wristwatch.
“What does she mean by not arriving yet?”
“There are still 2 minutes left, Sir”, Hayel murmured from the side, continuing, “besides, I sent the clothes after 10 o’clock. No wonder it’s taking so long to get ready.”
“Why have you been taking Violet’s side since yesterday?”
When Winter thought about it and questioned Hayel, he avoided his eyes. Winter spoke again, clicking his tongue.
“She’ll have picked another pitch-black dress, as usual.”
“That’s true. Why does the Little Madam always wear a black or grey dress? They don’t even have patterns on them.”
“Must be the Princess’ unfathomable taste…”
Winter’s grumbling faded off towards the end as he spotted Violet in the distance.
Violet was wearing the exact opposite dress and adornments to what Winter had envisioned.
She was like the first flower blooming in spring, fresh and lovely. Violet, too, noticed Winter and walked up to him as gracefully as usual. Violet spoke in a cheerful voice,
“Shall we eat?”
“I thought you’d wear something dark today.”
“… Why did you think that?”
“You like it. The color black.”
Violet opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, then closed it again.
She didn’t have the strength to explain her feelings to him. But it wasn’t that she didn’t possess the strength to speak; rather, she didn’t have the strength to take the cold reply he’d give her. Violet turned away from the topic.
“I’m hungry. Let’s go.”
To Help You Understand – Chapter 6
Violet was lost in thought as the doctor examined her.
Only after coming face to face with her own body did she accept that she wasn’t crazy and that this was actually reality.
When the doctor had finished his examination, a maid belonging to the hotel – Lulu – offered her a warm cup of tea.
“You’ve been through such hardship, Little Madam.”
“What do you mean, hardship?”
“The checkup, of course!”
Violet nodded with embarrassment at Lulu’s serious words. Then the doctor spoke,
“You’re in terrible shape. You’ve been continually taking medicine for your weak heart, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Your former medicine is known to worsen headaches and isn’t used nowadays. I’ll prescribe you a new medicine, so please try it. I don’t know anyone who still uses that drug anymore. Was it really prescribed by a qualified doctor?”
The new doctor blatantly criticized her former doctor’s techniques. It was reassuring to hear that Lichton, who had always said her illness didn’t exist, was actually wrong, but Violet was more concerned with the fact that her headaches could actually be treated.
After the doctor left, Violet raised her body; Lulu spoke, startled,
“The boss told me not to let you get up and wander about, Little Madam.”
Winter seemed to have spoken as if his wife would die immediately.
Violet spoke calmly, “Should we not move before the room’s owner returns?”
“What’s up with this couple…”
Lulu made a strange expression at Violet’s behavior that didn’t suit someone from the Royal Family. Violet soon moved to a room with a stable, comfortable atmosphere, and cream-colored wallpaper. Although it was a lot smaller than Winter’s room, she liked its coziness.
Lulu left the room, announcing that she would be back with refreshments; a moment later, Phillip – one of Winter’s servants – knocked on the door.
After gaining permission to enter the room, Phillip shook his head and spoke,
“I’m very sorry, Little Madam.”
“You’re sorry?”
Violet repeated the strange remark, and Phillip continued,
“I wasn’t able to give you a proper massage due to my failings. If you’d allow me, I’d like to do it right this time.”
Wanting to make up for his mistakes back at the mansion, Phillip held a basin of lukewarm water with flower petals floating on top.
It must have been something Winter got involved in. After all, Winter had always done whatever he wanted.
It was embarrassing, but Violet didn’t refuse the offer of a massage.
She felt a little uncomfortable about a man touching her feet so intimately, but Phillip was just doing his job. In that sense, it was weird for her to think it was weird.
Phillip carefully dipped Violet’s feet in the warm water.
“Please tell me if it’s too painful or too gentle. I’m not good at controlling my strength because I normally only do this for Lord Winter.”
“Alright.”
Phillip was incredibly skillful with his hands. He gently pressed the top of her foot first, and it already felt as if her blood was flowing smoother. He meticulously massaged the soles of her feet before gently rubbing them between her toes.
After going over the entire feet, Phillip wiped off the excess moisture with a towel before applying rose oil to his hands in order to meticulously massage her ankles.
Phillip was completely focused on the task and Violet could feel his determination; her nerves lessened, and she quickly adjusted. She was so relaxed that she became drowsy halfway through.
When he noticed her beginning to doze off, Phillip quickly wiped her feet and helped her to lie back. Violet murmured quietly as she lay back in bed.
“I didn’t expect it to feel that refreshing. Thank you.”
Phillip blushed at Violet’s kind voice; he’d grown accustomed to Winter’s behavior, who only knew how to display his thanks with money.
“I, I’ll take my leave now. Please feel free to call if you need anything else.”
“Yes…”
Violet replied, closing her eyes. She’d been so worried, but she fell asleep easily today.
***
The next morning, as Violet drank tea after breakfast, Lulu came into the room with a clothing rail
“Little Madam, please feel free to choose the clothes you’d like to wear for lunch with the President today.”
“Where did these clothes…?”
“Secretary Hayel made the payment in a hurry.”
There was an assortment of colorful and bold dresses that Violet had never seen before in her entire life.
Violet had an awkward expression on her face. If she wore such a showy dress, the Duke and Duchess of Blooming would lose their minds. But they weren’t here, and even if they found out, they might just let it slide because the dresses were chosen by Winter’s own secretary.
Violet, who normally wore dreary clothing that didn’t compliment her face, looked at the beautiful dresses and spoke with a worried look.
“But… is there enough money for this?”
Lulu replied with a serious expression.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, my husband spent 24 million Lakne to marry me. I heard he was almost bankrupt because of it…”
“I, Is he?”
Lulu looked unsure, clearly not knowing the details. She stared at the dresses.
“If he doesn’t have enough money, why does Secretary Hayel always come back with dresses like these?”
“Always?”
“Yes. He always returns with a clothing rail full of dresses like this.”
“… Dresses?”
Violet’s voice faded slightly.
My husband has never bought a dress for me.
So, for whom did Hayel buy all these dresses?
At that moment, Violet felt a wave of loneliness, but she didn’t want to ruin the occasion, so she hastily buried the emotion with a smile.
“What should I wear…”
Violet’s voice was hesitant, but her hand was already going for a soft, crimson satin dress. There were a few grey and black dresses she usually wore in the Blooming family mansion, but today she was going to wear her favorite color. Lulu seemed to agree with her decision.
“It’s perfect for today’s weather!”
After choosing the dress, she tied a cream-colored ribbon around her waist. After that, she randomly reached out for a pair of shoes in the basket below the clothing rail. They were velvet slippers the same color as the ribbon, with pearls adorning the tips of the shoes. Violet spoke in surprise,
“I didn’t know such pretty slippers existed.”
“Now, please take a seat so we can do your hair.”
Once Violet sat down on the chair, Lulu admired her pale, golden hair.
“How are you so beautiful? The President really is a blessed man. Beautiful and sweet…”
“Thank you for your kind words”, Violet answered, excited at the thought that this was her first date with her husband.
Violet’s hair was adorned with a red ribbon that was currently popular in the capital, and she’d never looked more cheerful.
As she left the hotel with Lulu, three servants stood at the end of the carpet next to her carriage: a butler, a chef, and Phillip.
Turin – the chef whom Violet had praised after breakfast this morning – stepped forward and spoke.
“Little Madam, what shall we prepare for dinner tonight?”
“Any sort of meat would be fine.”
“Then, in total, we shall have a total of ten courses including turnip soup, chicken and pork pie, buttered lobster…”
As the chef spoke, Lulu raised her hand and said,
“She said meat, Turin!”
“There’s pie! Besides, won’t it be a magnificent dish when it’s done?”
“I don’t even know what to say! If that’s what you want to cook then just do it at home!”
“There are material costs! Material costs!”
“Haa, just listen to this. Your real intentions are revealed!”
Violet carefully asked Phillip about the clashing between the two of them.
“Do those two normally not get along?”
“They’ve been quarreling ever since she started working here.”
“I see”, Violet nodded.
When the argument between the two had partially ended, the horseman opened the carriage door and Violet climbed up. Lulu, who joined her in the carriage, grumbled.
“Anyhow, all cooks like to do things their own way.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Little Madam. I can make a meatloaf better than them! Would you like to try it?”
“Yes. I’d like to try that before I leave.”
At Violet’s soft answer, Lulu replied in a strange tone.
“The Little Madam really is the opposite of the President.”
“Really?”
“Mhm. The Little Madam is just like the aristocrats in the capital.”
In a good way, it meant that she was polite, but it was also bad because she couldn’t actually say what she felt.
Violet nodded her head moderately, just like an aristocrat in the capital.
“And my husband?”
“As for the President, he… asserts what he wants clearly.”
In other words, <he’s selfish and loud>.
“He makes fast decisions.”
<If things don’t go his way, he gets angry.>
“If there’s a drawback, then maybe it’s that his etiquette is a little lacking…?”
With the way she was spinning her words, there was clearly a limit to how much she could risk saying regarding his ‘drawbacks’, so perhaps she was implying he had no manners?
Violet nodded after reading the meaning behind Lulu’s twisted wording. She couldn’t risk criticizing her employer, after all.
Meanwhile, the carriage headed on towards the edge of the capital, where the mouth of the river meets the sea.
***
The capital city hadn’t changed much in these past three years.
Violet gazed outside the window as a depiction of her older brother, Ash Lawrence, came into sight.
With the money received from Winter Blooming for marrying his younger sister, Larkround overcame the crisis. Ash had gained popularity with the citizens of Larkround by publishing a daily newspaper depicting himself living on a farm and working on the fields. Violet draped the curtain back across the window, not wanting to see her brother.
The carriage came to a halt on an isle at the mouth of the Rekel River which ran through Larkround.
Lulu spoke, taking the lead,
“These days, I heard that it’s famous as a tourist destination, so foreign visitors always stop by.”
“That’s wonderful.”
There were quaint shops both in front of the bridge and across the street. Violet was intoxicated by the feeling of seeing the world for the first time and unknowingly quickened her pace.
***
As the day got hotter, Winter took off his jacket and frowned at his wristwatch.
“What does she mean by not arriving yet?”
“There are still 2 minutes left, Sir”, Hayel murmured from the side, continuing, “besides, I sent the clothes after 10 o’clock. No wonder it’s taking so long to get ready.”
“Why have you been taking Violet’s side since yesterday?”
When Winter thought about it and questioned Hayel, he avoided his eyes. Winter spoke again, clicking his tongue.
“She’ll have picked another pitch-black dress, as usual.”
“That’s true. Why does the Little Madam always wear a black or grey dress? They don’t even have patterns on them.”
“Must be the Princess’ unfathomable taste…”
Winter’s grumbling faded off towards the end as he spotted Violet in the distance.
Violet was wearing the exact opposite dress and adornments to what Winter had envisioned.
She was like the first flower blooming in spring, fresh and lovely. Violet, too, noticed Winter and walked up to him as gracefully as usual. Violet spoke in a cheerful voice,
“Shall we eat?”
“I thought you’d wear something dark today.”
“… Why did you think that?”
“You like it. The color black.”
Violet opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, then closed it again.
She didn’t have the strength to explain her feelings to him. But it wasn’t that she didn’t possess the strength to speak; rather, she didn’t have the strength to take the cold reply he’d give her. Violet turned away from the topic.
“I’m hungry. Let’s go.”
