C40
Sauveur bowed and approached Bianca with a gentle smile.
Regardless of her whim, the stable was a place that didn't match the lady he knew. It was better not to let her in from the beginning than to hear a scream later. Sauveur hinted at that.
"Why would the lady come to a place-...?"
"I'm here to see the stable. I won't bother you, so you can continue working."
Bianca lifted the tip of her chin. As if looking down on Sauveur, who was much bigger than her, insisting that she wouldn't back down easily.
She's not an easy woman. In front of Bianca, Sauveur was sweating inside.
What? She came here to see the stable? The beautiful dress she was wearing had not a speck of dust, and her long, well-groomed hair was perfectly clean.
Why the hell would a woman who looks like she could step out into high society at any moment come to see the stable, which smells like horse manure?
Recently, he heard that Vincent had been summoned to investigate the castle's administration. It was clear that this was also an extension of the same.
Oh yes. It's clear that the lady doesn't want to visit the stable either. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come dressed like this. A moderate refusal could save her face, and he might be able to chase her away.
But how to say it was the problem. First of all, Sauveur rarely spoke to Bianca. He used to say things he wanted to say without warning, but when he stood in front of Bianca, he closed his mouth. Because he didn't know what to say.
On the other hand, Robert, whom Sauveur teases for being careless, is more arrogant.
To Vincent, she must be a shameful lady who neglects her duties, and to Robert, an arrogant woman who doesn't care about people.
He couldn't make her understand why, and he couldn't convince her, but she wasn't someone he could simply ignore.
A conversation with Bianca was enough to make even the rabid dog of the battlefield, the charge commander without an impenetrable formation, better known as Sauveur, swallow his saliva. The idea of having a conversation with her made his skin crawl.
Even though they have never exchanged words, doesn't one know that fire is hot even if they haven't put their hand in the fire?
It was obvious just by listening to the usual conversation between Zachary and Vincent. She refutes every word, and if things don't go her way, she resorts to violence.
Her stubbornness has never been subdued. If Sauveur were Zachary or Vincent, he would have run out of the room without saying a word.
Bianca stood in front of Sauveur, observing him.
He had to find a way to talk to Bianca and persuade her to return to her nest! Anyway, it was for the good of Sauveur, Bianca, and Zachary.
Sauveur recalled pushing Zachary to talk to Bianca. Feeling a bit regretful in his heart, he apologized inwardly to his master. And cunningly, he said, while desperately lifting the corners of his trembling lips,
"Oh my. Many of Arno's family horses are war horses, so they all have sharp temperaments. When a stranger like Madam enters, they get very agitated. Come this way."
Sauveur blocked the entrance to the stable and gestured to the office next to the stable entrance. It was a small room where the caretakers took turns or rested.
There was a worn-out desk and a chair. He didn't know what kind of whim she had to come to the stable, but he had to refuse, saying she couldn't enter such a place. Then he could use that as an excuse to chase her away.
That's why he mentioned that the interior of the stable was even more terrifying than that narrow, unkempt space.
But Bianca didn't listen to Sauveur's offer. She moved diagonally, avoiding Sauveur.
Sauveur didn't expect her to listen from the beginning, but it was even more bewildering when she went completely against his expectations.
At that moment, Sauveur noticed horse manure that hadn't been cleaned near Bianca's footsteps. It seemed that the caretaker had spilled a bundle while cleaning earlier.
Sauveur, whose complexion had paled and was on the verge of tears, hastily dissuaded Bianca.
"No, no. Not that way, Madam. Come this way. You will ruin your precious clothes."
Bianca looked down. Realizing that she had almost stepped on horse manure, she tilted her head and looked at Sauveur.
"Is the stable management a mess?"
"It's not like that."
Sauveur's voice faded under the reprimand. Although there were some neglected parts, it was perfectly managed, but today... there was evidence right in front of him, so he had nothing to say.
Fortunately, Bianca didn't intend to argue with him for long. Bianca said, avoiding the horse manure as if she didn't care.
"I want to know how many horses there are. Aren't the horses the property of the Arno estate?"
"I-I will inform you later."
Sauveur's heart pounded as her skirt fluttered dangerously close to the ground. A drop of cold sweat rolled down Sauveur's back.
He didn't know what kind of whim she was having, but it would be a big problem if she later left the stable saying that her favorite clothes had horse manure on them...
But Bianca didn't seem willing to turn back.
She looked at Gaspard with a pleading look for help, but Gaspard only shook his head as if he couldn't avoid it. In the end, Sauveur, who had been delaying as much as he could, had no choice but to take Bianca to the stable.
The stable was huge and spacious. Sauveur's claim that the management was orderly was not entirely false. There were empty spaces, probably for the horses released in the ranch.
Contrary to Sauveur's assumption that Bianca would soon escape, Bianca looked around with curious eyes for a long time. Perhaps because she was deep in thought, she didn't reach out recklessly to touch the horse.
Yvonne followed Bianca anxiously. At that moment, a war horse stuck its head out and licked Yvonne's cheek. Feeling the sticky saliva, Yvonne recoiled with a sound. It was Gaspard who caught Yvonne, who was about to fall.
Yvonne awkwardly smiled at Gaspard, who stared at her intently.
"Oh, thank you."
"Are you alright, Yvonne?"
"Yes. It startled me. Please be careful too."
Yvonne responded to Bianca, trying to calm her heart rate. Gaspard supported Yvonne without saying a word until she calmed down, and when Yvonne sighed, he naturally stepped away.
Bianca looked around the stable, repeating her admiration. It seemed quite large from the outside, but it was even more magnificent from the inside.
"There are really a lot."
"It was the first thing our Count did as soon as his power grew. By arming the knights with excellent mobility, wouldn't it be possible to win a hundred battles?"
Sauveur said proudly. As a follower of Zachary, he recounted how wise Zachary was and what happened to those who ridiculed him as a fool who wasted his money back then.
Bianca thought it was fortunate. If there are so many horses, even if she gets kicked out, shouldn't she at least receive a horse? At least, of course, unless all these horses die in the war. It shouldn't happen in the first place, but it's just in case.
Bianca shook her head. She is struggling to break free from the future she knows, but she always assumes the worst.
Still, given that there are so many horses, there might be one she can ride right now. She may not have to wait until next spring. Bianca, thinking positively, asked with a slightly excited voice.
"Are there any horses I can ride?"
"Of course, there are horses that Madam can ride... What?"
Sauveur, who responded without thinking, reconsidered Bianca's words and involuntarily asked.
His blue eyes trembled with embarrassment.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)