The Bloom of Violet

The light pink satin dress with pleats was no different from those worn by noble girls. Of course, it wasn’t. This dress had once been worn by Count Herbon’s young niece.

Ann flushed at the thought. She remembered Charlotte’s words, saying that she had received a reward beyond her worth. Ann had not thought much about it at the time, but now, meeting a girl who was the same age and from the same place, a faint sense of embarrassment arose.

If it weren’t for Lennox… If Lennox had wanted to make her his servant, Ann would probably be wearing the same maid’s uniform as Monica, sweeping the hallways of the palace.

Thus, her situation was entirely dependent on Lennox’s will. If one day, Lennox suddenly decided that her treatment was too much and demoted her to a servant, she could easily find herself in the same position as Monica.

“…That’s not true.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not much different from you.”

“What do you mean?”

Monica tilted her head in confusion. Ann, with a nose reddened by the cold, bit her lip tightly and turned away. She heard the maids’ voices in her ears. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the maids.

“Miss.”

“It’s fine, Monica.”

“You’ll see the doctor once we reach Belvirund.”

Alisa, who was directly across from Monica, spoke up. Unlike Monica, Alisa had long, straight black hair and a pale complexion that stood out. She was about three or four years older than Monica and was tall, with broad shoulders that made her look like one of the young men her age.

Ann considered shaking her head but stopped herself, thinking about Alisa’s usual stubbornness. Alisa was a maid, but she had a stronger will than most noblewomen.

In comparison, Ann’s personality was softer. She had never once managed to break Alisa’s determination.

“Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

Ann nodded at Alisa’s demand for confirmation. She felt exhausted. It felt like no matter how much rest she got lately, she was always tired, just like when she had been pregnant with Lennox’s child.

‘Pregnant? What…’

Ann scolded herself for the sudden thought, trying to push away the inappropriate sensation. There was no way she was pregnant. She hadn’t been with anyone since then.

Since that time, Ann had never allowed herself to be left alone with him in a confined space. She couldn’t predict what might happen.

“Miss, please look outside. The view is so beautiful.”

Monica spoke up, breaking Ann’s train of thought as she had been absentmindedly thinking of Lennox. Ann turned her head to look out the window.

The landscape, flowing like a river, shimmered in the late summer sunlight, so beautiful it almost hurt her eyes. The poplar trees and the flowing streams, bathed in sunlight, looked bright and clear, as though they didn’t know about her troubled heart. Ann stared out the window, lost in thought.

Belvirund, located in Saforas, had relatively cool summers. After a three-day journey, Ann arrived at Belvirund and smiled at the familiar faces of the household servants waiting to greet her at the mansion, sent by the queen. The long-standing faces of the servants were familiar to Ann, too.

“It’s been a while, Miss. You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you.”

One of the older servants, standing in line with the others, stepped forward. A plump woman with a warm demeanor, she was Emma, the head kitchen maid, the most senior among the servants at Belvirund. She had doted on Ann when she was a child, as though she were her niece. Ann smiled widely, as if meeting a relative after a long time.

“I’ve been grown for quite a while, Emma.”

“To an old woman’s eyes, you’re still the little miss.”

Emma laughed, replying. Ann gently hugged her and kissed her cheek. Though the royal villa was said to be a place she could visit anytime, Ann had missed it so much that she wanted to come running immediately.

In fact, despite being a royal villa, the place was rustic, and Ingrid and her maids rarely visited. Because of this, Ann had been able to enjoy freedom with Lennox in Saforas.

“Did you have a good time?”

“Of course. And you, Miss…”

Emma, who was usually so honest and forthright, seemed to hesitate. There was a look of concern on her wrinkled face. Ann smiled faintly at her. The more she hurt, the more she needed to smile, as it would make the people around her worry less.

“Let’s go inside.”

“Yes. Monica, Alisa, it’s been a long time. Let’s go inside.”

Emma cheerfully addressed Ann’s maidservants. As the two maids who had been greeting the servants nodded toward Emma, Ann tilted her head back and observed the unchanged, beautiful mansion before stepping forward.

Arriving at the bedroom she used to stay in at Belvirund, Ann removed her bonnet and set it on the bed before surveying the room.

The servants, having diligently cleaned and tidied the room at Ingrid’s request, had left no dust behind. Though lacking in lavishness, the vintage bedroom maintained its simplicity and purity. It was originally a monastery, so that was only natural…

Ann occasionally recalled the chapel where she and Lennox had gone to pray together. The hands that had roamed freely over her chest, between her legs, and the lips that had sunk into her neck. The time she had lived, not knowing what state of mind she was in, blurred in her memory.

It felt like a distant past, yet it had only been three years. Until then, Ann had lived as a frivolous girl.

“Miss.”

Alisa, who had been standing by the window, approached Ann. Ann turned to look at her.

“I’ve called the doctor. He’ll arrive before dinner, so it might be a good idea to see him before you eat.”

Alisa, coming closer, placed her hand on Ann’s forehead. Ann smiled at her, who was worrying over her health like a mother hen watching over her.

“There’s no fever.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Lisa, you must be tired as well. Go and rest.”

“I’m fine. I’m more worried about you, Miss. You’ve been feeling quite unwell lately.”

“Now you’re making me sound like a sickly noblewoman.”

“Well, you are rather frail.”

Alisa sighed in reply. Ann looked at her maid in surprise. Alisa, in turn, seemed puzzled by Ann’s reaction.

“A healthy young woman wouldn’t collapse in the middle of the day and wouldn’t need to go to the countryside twice for rest.”

“That’s…”

Ann had no words to respond. She had never thought of herself as an unhealthy woman, but now, thinking of other noble girls her age, Alisa’s words didn’t seem wrong. Ann pondered this bitterness before finally speaking to offer an excuse.

“I came here for the marriage. You know that.”

“Oh? That’s not what I heard from Countess Herbon.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that since you’ve been unwell, part of the purpose is for your recovery. She said that if you were even slightly fatigued, any gentleman would be sent away.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, while you’re here, you need to get your health back. Of course, it would be nice if you met some good gentlemen in the process.”

Alisa took Ann’s hand. Ann looked at her with the fondness one would have for a friend rather than a maid. Although Ann had a few young ladies she called friends, she wasn’t sure if they would consider her a true friend.

They had closer friends who were noblewomen in similar social positions, with family ranks, titles of their fathers, and even the same type of fiancés. Sometimes, even their tastes were similar, and the girls would chatter about being bridesmaids for each other’s weddings. Ann, on the other hand, had no family to speak of.

“Thank you, Alisa.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“I wish I had a good older sister like you.”

“Well, my younger sister says it’s really tough having me as her older sister.”

Alisa flashed a playful smile. Ann smiled back faintly as she met her gaze. Suddenly, Ann had a thought. She wished that, even after marriage, she could still be with Alisa and Monica. No matter how strict Ingrid might be with Ann, maybe she would allow that.

As Alisa had said, the doctor arrived around sunset. After seeing him for a check-up, Ann had an early dinner. Not wanting to eat alone, Emma, Monica, and Alisa joined her for the meal.

Normally, that would have been impossible. However, whenever Ann was told that they couldn’t possibly dine with her as a noblewoman, she always responded with.