Chapter 45
Instead of picking it up, Hitaon only looked at Panae. She merely faced him with a face like a single flower blossom. An expression that seemed to fully understand the meaning of a man picking up a woman’s handkerchief.
A handkerchief was, after all, a tool for wiping away the sweat from one’s face, neck, and other intimate areas. To personally touch and return it was an act signifying romantic interest.
Though difficult to imagine in commoner society, in the world of the upper class, where even a single action could invite dozens of interpretations, this was an obvious ploy—one that could get you cleanly caught if you didn’t know any better.
Since openly expressing affection would result in a loss of dignity for a noble young lady, she would instead drop her handkerchief before a young lord she fancied, allowing him to pick it up, thereby revealing her hidden interest.
“Mikale.”
“Yes, young master.”
Mikale, who had been following behind, stepped forward at the command. With a knight’s graceful and precise movement, he picked up the handkerchief and politely held it out toward Panae. Hitaon smiled at her in a demonstrative manner and took his leave.
“Regrettably, I must depart early. May you have a pleasant afternoon.”
Panae, holding the handkerchief the knight had handed her, watched Hitaon’s retreating back as he left without a trace of reluctance. She hadn’t expected it, but he never once looked back in her direction. In the blink of an eye, he had shrunk to the size of a thumb. As if she, someone like her, was beneath his notice.
“…Hmm.”
Even during the ongoing banquet, he hadn’t made any effort to engage with her—hadn’t even met her eyes—so she had come to create an opportunity herself. But Hitaon Glair, composed to the point of being cold, had only shown a frigid response before leaving. For Panae, who could easily win the favor of any young lord, this was quite an unusual treatment.
“Lady Tourso. What are you doing here?”
“Ah, Sir Pesche.”
“Yes, it’s me. Is there something wrong with your handkerchief?”
Only upon hearing Broil’s voice approaching her as she stood alone did Panae realize she had been clutching the handkerchief tightly. Pretending nothing was amiss, she tucked the handkerchief away and, guided by him, moved toward the center of the crowd.
Hitaon Glair. She chewed on that name, which glittered silver under the sun, with stubborn slowness.
* * *
Eneka was a diligent student. She showed up faithfully at every appointed time, and her focused attitude showed she had a genuine desire to learn.
Because of her proud personality, Luirene had wondered if she might lose her temper when things didn’t go her way, but she didn’t really act like that. Though this was Luirene’s first time teaching anyone, she could tell Eneka was by no means a difficult student.
So their time together gradually became more comfortable. The awkwardness that had marked their early acquaintance slowly melted away under the weight of time, and now they had reached a level where they could understand each other’s thoughts without having to meet eyes awkwardly.
‘Why do you want to learn to read?’
‘Because I think every citizen of the empire has the right to learn.’
Taking advantage of their growing closeness, Luirene casually asked something she had been curious about. Eneka answered that way. Though she suspected there might be circumstances hidden behind the flimsy-sounding answer that anyone could give, she didn’t pry. She wasn’t the only one with secrets, after all.
“Sorry, but I have to leave thirty minutes early today.”
“Why?”
“Because that b***h Miya sneakily dumped her work on me.”
“Miya…?”
“The girl who ties her mottled crimson hair up tight.”
She was one of the maids in the group that always harassed Eneka whenever they crossed paths.
“She’s pushing her work onto you? Is that allowed? You should tell the Nanny you’re being treated unfairly.”
“It’s no use. Miya was brought in as the lady’s personal maid, so she’s quite favored. If I tattle, they’ll just coordinate behind my back and make me out to be the bad guy.”
“So you just do whatever they ask?”
“Do I have a choice? Engaging with them only tires me out, so I just don’t engage at all.”
So her unflinching attitude even under their bullying had come from being already accustomed to it. Her expression, calm as if she had achieved some kind of enlightenment, finally made a bit more sense. Luirene tidied the now-messy spot and asked.
“Why do the other maids bully you, Eneka? Did something happen?”
“Who knows.”
“They do it for no reason?”
“…It’s not that I have no idea at all.”
Eneka scratched her forehead awkwardly.
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