The Count’s Secret Maid - Chapter 30

Tea time with the Count (11)

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Huge thanks to Syris for the Kofi! (1/1)

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Paula hesitated.

‘Should I step back and turn away like this or not?’

[“Paula, cheer me on.”]

Her conversation with Violet came to mind. So Paula mustered up the courage.

“Miss Violet said she understood.”

“Understood? Understood what? Are you saying that because she feels sorry for her blind fiancé, she will at least show some sympathy now?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because that’s what I’m going to say.”

The veins that had been sticking out became sharper. Paula could see his heart closed as tightly as the door. She licked her dry lips and stammered.

“Master knows better that Miss Violet isn’t like that.”

“There is one thing I have learned in my life; should I tell you what it is? The people thought I knew well were actually not…”

“…”

“Even if I pretend to be for me on the outside, the moment I show weakness, they start thinking about crushing me. Everyone whom I thought wouldn’t do it, did it. To come to see me and check my condition was all an excuse. Even when my parents died in an accident, they started calculating how to use that young heir.”

The pain he had suffered was visible in the smile on his face.

“Violet may not do that, as you say. But not the people around her. At least her family won’t accept a blind fiance.”

“…So, are you going to keep doing this?”

“It can’t be like this.”

“…”

Paula realized as she watched Vincent shake her head. He wasn’t afraid of breaking up with Violet. Right now, he was afraid of meeting her. It was his reluctance to face her in blindness.

Courage was what he needed now.

The courage to accept his own condition and move on.

Paula gently let go of his hand. Vincent, too, obediently let go of her hand. She left the room behind him, who seemed particularly weak. Then she went to her room, the room right next door, and opened the drawer. Paula returned to his room with the things tightly packed in her arms.

Vincent looked back at Paula as he was about to lie down on the bed.

“Why are you here again?”

“Master.”

Paula poured out to him what was in her arms. White letters spilt all over the bed. Those were Violet’s letters she had collected until now.

“These are all letters from Miss Violet. I was keeping it under the name of Isabella.”

“…”

He slowly fumbled through the letters pouring down on him. It was large enough to surround him. It was natural. Because Violet sent letters that didn’t stop coming even though she didn’t get a reply.

“Miss Violet sent a letter every two days. Even though she knew she wouldn’t get a reply, she kept sending letters. Master, I’m not good around words. So I can’t give you good advice right now. But, at least, I don’t think this sincerity is false.”

Even though there was no reply, the sincerity of sending letters every time was amazing. Paula was puzzled by the letter’s length, even though it was sent every two days. So, she read the letters several times.

[I took a walk in the garden today. The flowers are so beautiful. I want to show you.]

[I bought a pretty outfit today. I want to see you wearing this.]

[I miss you, Vincent.]

Carefully written letters filled the paper tightly. The content was nothing special. At the end of the letter, which listed the daily routine, it was concluded by saying that she always misses Vincent. Paula could fully feel Violet’s longing for Vincent as she looked at the ink-smudged letters.

“As Master said, not everything will go smoothly, but you must face it. Be brave. I think now is the time for that.”

‘At least I hope that person knocking on your door doesn’t give up on you out of exhaustion. I want you to look at that sincerity. Even if time goes by and she ends up leaving you, I hope you will still believe in that sincerity for now. I don’t want you to lose your relationship with people because of the suspicion that it might be so.’

“If you want, I can read the letters to you.”

“… It’s okay.”

He lifted a letter.

“I know what will be written. She must have written down that she was worried and wanted to see me while conveying her regards. ’Cause it’s been like that every time I thought they weren’t coming because I didn’t reply after I ordered them not to look at them, but she seems to be sending them nonetheless.”

“Yes. It’s already piled up this much. I don’t think it’s polite to keep ignoring someone who cares like this!”

Paula wanted to do it at this time, so she shouted in a worthwhile way, but Vincent was just dumbfounded. She wondered why he had such an expression, but she was speechless at his words this time.

“You are doing this because of what you did wrong. Violet listened to you and said she would stay, so you were looking out for me.”

“…”

‘This one is really sensitive.’

After the incident, Paula tried to ignore the sting in her heart and shamelessly refuted it. She asked if he didn’t know how worried she was for her Master, but he didn’t even listen. Instead, he fumbled through the letters strewn across the bed. She could feel his heart in his careful hands. Still, it seems that there was no power.

“Do you have courage?”

“A little?”

“…”

Still cold.

“You always nag me.”

“If you don’t want to hear it, you should do well.”

“You are shameless, too.”

“That way, I’ll take care of my master.”

Then he smiled softly.

“Thank you.”

Just now… what?

Paula blinked, wondering if she had heard it wrong, but Vincent grabbed her hand again. It wasn’t as strong a grip as before. It was a more careful, ticklish touch. And soon, his fingers got entangled in her knuckles.

“When I practised conversation last time, I said thank you, and I said it to you. It was funny and made me smile because I thought it was difficult for you to say that ‘I missed you.’”

He smiled briefly again as if he remembered that time. That smile was unfamiliar.

‘Although unfamiliar… I am used to it. A kind face that is considerate of others. A face I saw then. The face was facing me.’

“Thank you. I’m serious.”

‘No, it is actually directed at me.’

“I didn’t mean to keep ignoring Violet. It’s not what I wanted, but it happened anyway, so I must deal with it. But as you said, I think I lacked courage. Thank you for cheering me up a bit. Thank you.”

He flinched and raised his head. Cloudy emerald eyes were pinned to her. With some practice, he was able to follow the voice and follow the gaze. And when Paula met that gaze, she opened her mouth several times and ended up shutting it.

The intertwined hands were hot, and a friendly voice tickled her ears. Paula stared blankly at him, unable to think of anything.

The warning in her heart continued with a thud…

* * *

It was one more day after that when the tightly closed door opened. Vincent met Violet. As soon as she saw him, she burst into tears. She seemed to have much to say but replaced her sadness with a slap on his chest. Vincent took her in his arms and gave her a pat on the back. In it, she solved the sorrow of the past. Ethan also patted the backs of those two.

“I will never break up. And I won’t tell anyone about your condition either. Really.”

“Thank you.”

His silence did not mean he could hide his condition forever. Still, she will keep that promise. Knowing that Vincent also smiled at her.

The three of them talked all day that day. After a long time, a joyful laugh echoed through the mansion. Paula patted her chest for no reason at the appearance of the great lovers just by looking at them.

They had tea time the next day.

The attendees were Vincent, Violet, Ethan, and Paula.

Paula was at a loss because it seemed like it wasn’t the right place for her to be, but Violet actively led her. Paula couldn’t do it on her own, so she even got Isabella’s permission.

In the end, Paula, a maid, had the honour of attending the nobles’ tea time.

Tea time was held in the garden behind the annexe. It was the place where she had tea time with Vincent the other day. There, they drank tea and had a normal conversation, nothing special. That alone made the atmosphere friendly enough.

Then Violet’s letters became a hot topic.

“Lady, aren’t there some crumpled letters?”

“What? Oh, come to think of it-”

“Because Violet has a temper. She was writing a letter and got angry at the situation where she didn’t get a reply, so it must have been crumpled and then straightened again. I can imagine.”

Then Ethan giggled. Violet gave an embarrassing look and slapped him on the side. Ethan groaned, and Vincent smiled gracefully as he gulped down his tea. In between, Paula moved her place several times.

It was uncomfortable. It didn’t seem like a place for her. They talked to her and took care of her, fearing that she would feel awkward, but in the end, she was a stranger. Paula had no memories to share with them. So she looked around and stood up with an empty teapot. She tried to get out of the seat with the excuse that she would fill the pot, but that day, Vincent caught her quickly.

“Where?”

“Oh, the teapot is empty. I’m trying to fill it up more.”

“We don’t have to drink more. Here, stay here.”

“What? Oh, but…”

The conversation that had been going on was interrupted by that. Violet and Ethan’s gaze reached Paula. Ethan interrupted when Paula was embarrassed that she had interrupted the fun time.

“Hey, Vincent. Why would you think that Madam would part with you forever? I’m sorry. No matter how much you don’t want to be apart, feel free to let her go so she can have some alone time to get more tea. How uncomfortable would it be to be here?”

“Oh, really?”

Violet asked if it was real, and Vincent waited for Paula’s answer. She was taken aback by the outrageous words and couldn’t answer right away. Then, Vincent gently let go of the hem of her clothes. Not sure if Paula should thank him for this, she just nodded and walked out.

As soon as Paula got away from the three of them, she could breathe. It must have been uncomfortable. She scratched her head and went to the kitchen to make a new cup of tea.

Paula went around on purpose after asking the cook for some sweet snacks. It was true that she wanted to get some fresh air alone. She hadn’t had time to herself lately.

‘Is that why? This short time felt sweet like honey.’

When she returned to the tea time place, there was one more attendee.

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