hohhohhoh-baguette! 

10 Frederick Castley: Let’s be friends

‘h.e.l.lo General Brennan.’

I ambushed the General on his way from the training facility to his office. His adjutant walked a few paces behind, studying doc.u.ments. He looked up at the sound of my voice. The General had a frightened look on his face at the sight of me.

‘Viscount Castley is something the matter?’ the adjutant asked. His gla.s.ses did not hide the concern in his gaze.

‘No, nothing of great import. If you aren’t busy, I would like a little chat.’

‘I’m sorry Viscount; I have to create the new practice rota…’

He is very resistant. Yet, I kept my expression mild and asked, ‘Ah, how about lunch then?’

My gaze went to his aide, who returned a knowing smile and replied, ‘We could adjust things.’

‘Yes, then we can meet for lunch.’

We made an appointment to meet in the cafeteria at noon, and I took my leave of the general.

I gave him look that said “Do not say anything unnecessary”. Did he understand? Well , even if he didn’t understand it okay. Yet…

♢

I headed to the cafeteria at the appointed time. His adjutant reserved a seat that had a privacy screen.

He had a keen mind, that adjutant. I want someone like him. [1]

I chose soup and grilled vegetables and took my tray to the table where General Brennan was already seated with a large meal of meat, vegetables, soup and bread before him.

As I sat before him, Volker looked at my meal and said,

‘The Viscount’s meal is small,’ his face was still impa.s.sive.

I smiled and retrieved a packet, ‘My daughter is learning how to cook. She made sandwiches for me.’

General gaze was immediately drawn to the package in my hand. Hehe, he is an honest man.

‘But today, I don’t have much appet.i.te. I won’t be able to eat all the roast beef sandwiches.’

General Brenan had a conflicted expression on his face.

‘Do you like roast beef, General?’

‘…I like it.’ It was as though he was reluctant to reply. He remained almost expressionless.

‘Well, I can share it with my friend.’

‘What are…?’

‘But I do not have any friends because I am disliked by my peers because I am richer than they are. Oh what should I do?’ (Zuben: Bribery and Corruption!)

If someone was overhearing this, they would think an old man like me was propositioning the General for an affair. Let me tell you, I am happily married! (Zuben: Their imagination must be wild)

 ‘…Viscount…’ the general was trying to say something.

‘What is it?’ I prompted.

‘Please become friends with me!’ he said in a low but firm tone. (Zuben: What is this? Nursery school?!)

I tried to keep the triumphant grin from my face and replied, ‘To celebrate our new friendship, I shall offer you a taste of my daughter’s roast beef sandwich.’

I carefully placed half the sandwich in General Brennan’s plate.

‘Thank you,’ he said, with a slight lowering of his head. He picked up the sandwich with both hands like it was a sacred item.

‘It is a beautiful sandwich.’

I burst out laughing, ‘What are you saying General?! You are funny.’

After a long laugh, I turned to my meal thinking; maybe we could really be friends.

[1] 欲しいなぁ translated by all as ‘I want it.’ I decided to change that to a less selfish ‘I want someone like him.’

11 Slender vs Glamorous (1)

Four days had pa.s.sed since that messenger came with the dissolution contract.

My father informed me that the doc.u.ments had been submitted to the House of Lords and the dissolution of our engagement had been accepted. I was officially an abandoned woman. From now on, we were unrelated people.

It seemed that everything had been completed without issue, but immediately after Eugene appealed for engagement to his destined woman. The Duke Cajes seemed to have been caught by surprise; for according to father, his jaw dropped and he turned red, then blue, then dark red with rage. I really would have liked to a fly on the wall when it happened. It would have been a sight to see.

According to Father, Eugene’s fateful person was named Julia. She was rich, and most importantly, she was slender very cute with orange hair and golden eyes. I know very well Eugene preferred very slender women. He hadn’t liked it when my ample chest brushed against his arm when we were about together. He said a woman like me was dirty and common. (Zuben: The cad)

It had been worrying at the time. Nothing I could do worked. I tried crushing my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, didn’t work. I tried concealing them by wearing clothes with high collars. I had tried using cloths to compensate. Even though I hadn’t been liked, l tried not to be totally disliked.

But it had been in vain.

And in all the nonsense, my breast changed shape a bit.

I did useless things to change myself according to the taste of a man who did not even like me. (Zuben: Hope lessons have been learnt here)

I sighed.

Marie looked at me and asked, ‘My lady, is it painful?’

She relaxed the cords of my corset,

‘Am I getting fat?’ I asked.

I pinched my waist; there was certainly some extra fat. But food has been really delicious lately and I have been having snack eating compet.i.tions with Marie.

‘I think you have become more feminine rather than fat. Your b.r.e.a.s.t.s are bigger and your hips are slightly rounder. You had been getting too thin.’

I was too thin before! Even now I am thinner than normal.

I smiled vaguely at Marie as she continued to dress me.

Today, my clothes were serviceable and business like. I was going out with my father. After conducting his business thing, we could stop by the jewellery store I like. I haven’t been recently.

♢

‘We’re going to play with the General today.’ My father suddenly announced in the carriage.

Eh? Why?

‘…Because I am still laying the groundwork,’ Father muttered, not meeting my eyes for some reason. He fixedly looked out of the window. What? Laying the groundwork for what? Was it necessary to lay groundwork to see a play?

‘Yes, that’s fine, but…’

When I thought about it after, I decided the general’s invitation to the play had only been out of politeness. There was no reason for him to invite me out. When we were having tea together, he had asked what I did at my leisure time. I told him I couldn’t go out these days, but I like going to see plays. Then he said, he also liked watching plays when he was free. I wonder if he just said that because he was trying to make childish me feel at ease, and he was nearly as old as my father.

But, I like him…no

Maybe it did not matter.

I absently stroked the back of my hand.

‘You’ve been doing that a lot lately.’ I heard father say. I looked up to find him watching me. I looked down at my hands,

‘I didn’t notice.’ I shook my hands out. I was embarra.s.sed father had noticed it, for some reason.

This habit was childish.

‘What kind of sandwiches did you make today?’ he asked changing the subject.

I patted the large picnic basket beside me, ‘Cream cheese and salmon, thick cut bacon and potato salad, shrimp and avocado.’

Father had asked me make lots of sandwiches for some mysterious reason. Though, it was not for work. I wondered if I made too much. Usually a n.o.ble lady like myself did not step foot in the kitchen, but it didn’t matter if it was normal or not. It was nice to be able to make something for myself if I was peckish. As long as I’m not bothering anyone, it’s good. Right?

‘Did you make roast beef?’

‘Yes Father, because you said you like it.’

But Father gave a vague reply and went back to looking out the window again.

What was wrong with him today? Was he depressed? Male menopause? (Zuben: pffft hahahaha)

12 Slender or Glamorous (2)

Our carriage rode on for a while. We pa.s.sed the city centre, then through the suburbs, then farther and farther away from civilization. Where were we going? Were we going for a picnic? Are we going to eat outside? But I don’t feel like the scenery here was good.

As I look out the window, we were getting farther away from the city. Am I really riding a carriage with Father or was it an imposter? Am I being sold? I'm being sold! I feel like crying.

Why isn’t father telling me anything today?

I turn to look at him, but his eyes were closed and he was still. Was he thinking? I should be quiet and not disturb him.

After a sometime, the carriage slowed down. There were male voices and the neighs and snorts of horses. I looked out the window to see a lot of people dressed in armour carrying different weapons. It looked like a training ground.

What is going on?

Our steward came to open the carriage door, and father and I stepped out with the basket in my hands.

We walked along a fence that had been made from felled trees. Out in the field, a large tent dominated the landscape surrounded by smaller tents. There were a group of soldiers outside the large tent.

‘Father, what are we doing here?’ I asked nervously. But he only winked and waved at the group.

‘Hey, I’m here!’ he shouted. The group turned to the sound of my father’s voice. The tallest member of the group looked surprised.

‘Viscount Castley?’

‘You look like you’re working hard.’ Father replied.

Hm?!

Is it just me or was father being overly familiar? It was rare to see father like this.

‘h.e.l.lo, General Brennan.’ I greeted with a curtsey. But General Brennan wrinkled his brow, frowned and bent over.

Seeing the General not want to even look at me, I suddenly felt like crying (Zuben: Quick! Faint! He'll carry you) But instead I pasted a smile on my face,

‘I’ll just be over there. Please be at ease, don’t mind me.’ I said as I went blindly in some direction that was away from him.(Zuben: Silly Fredericka)

‘Fre-Fredericka!’ he called.

I didn’t look back at the agonised sound of his voice. I could hear my father laughing.

We must be here because of some important work.

Father usually talked to me about his work and his schedule when he wasn’t busy. He also usually asked for my opinion, and he listened to me properly. There was constructive criticism when I was wrong and didn’t think things through properly, and when I had a good idea, he would praise me and utilise the idea. But he did not tell me about this,

‘Lady…’

It must be about something I could not be privy to.

But why did he bring me along? Was it a test? To understand the distinction between truth and fiction?

When I think of it he might have said ‘come down’ but not ‘come along’. Was it something like that? Walking about with all this thoughts in racing about in my head, I was not watching where I was going, and I tripped and fell flat on my fa...ce?

‘Fuuu…!’ My yell is like I’m on my deathbed. I do not know how to scream cutely…(Zuben: Is there a cute way to scream?)

At the moment of falling, I was caught by a strong armoured arm. I was turned over to see the armour I just saw earlier.

‘You’re fine…’ I heard whispered from above my head.

♢