C41
Bianca had no idea that Sauveur would feel embarrassed. She casually looked around the stable. All the horses in front of her were very large. Bianca commanded, lifting her chin.
"Choose one."
"W-Wait a moment. Does Madam want to ride a horse?"
Sauveur asked again, confused. It went against etiquette, but no one pointed it out. It was because Sauveur wasn't the only one perplexed by this situation.
"Do you know how to ride a horse, Madam?"
Yvonne asked, with her eyes wide open, and Gaspard frowned.
Bianca's face blushed as Yvonne, Gaspard, and Sauveur looked at her with a mixture of confusion and doubt.
Bianca herself knew that she wasn't an active person, but this was too much. Bianca coughed loudly. Then she cleared her throat and responded solemnly.
"I will learn from now on."
"Oh no, why all of a sudden? Madam also has a carriage. No, you don't even go out in the first place."
In the face of Bianca's calm attitude, Sauveur began to babble, forgetting his manners.
Everything he said was true, probably because he had just decided it, but to be honest, it was quite rude to say it out loud in front of her.
Yvonne's eyes narrowed in a triangle at Sauveur's attitude. Whether Sauveur was a knight or a vassal, she intended to scold him if Bianca showed any signs of discomfort.
But Bianca shrugged as if she didn't care. It was impolite, but not to the point of being rude.
Sauveur didn't blame Bianca by spinning around like Vincent, nor did he try to insult Bianca with other intentions. It was easy to see that it was a comment he blurted out without thinking.
Bianca said in a monotone voice, as if reciting tonight's menu.
"Well, you never know what will happen. There's nothing wrong with learning, right?"
"It's dangerous, Madam."
Yvonne anxiously dissuaded her. Gaspard also didn't seem to agree, as his lips were tight.
There are many noble ladies who learn to ride horses, so she couldn't understand why she couldn't do it.
Bianca's lips curved.
Of course, even if they said no, Bianca had no intention of listening. They had no right to stop her.
Seeing the anxious and worried faces of Yvonne and Gaspard, Sauveur realized that Bianca's words about riding a horse were not just passing remarks. He swallowed hard, but his voice trembled and he stammered. Sauveur struggled to ask the question again.
"D-Do you really want to ride a horse?"
"I'm not talking nonsense. Well, I'm thinking of giving it up if it doesn't suit my physical aptitude."
Mocking Sauveur's trembling heart, Bianca responded sarcastically. She didn't have the guts to waste time doing things that shouldn't be done. That being said, there was no reason not to start. It's better to try and give up than to regret not having done it. At least in the future, she wouldn't cling to an unpleasant regret.
But things weren't as simple as Bianca thought. Sauveur's head spun and spun. Bianca didn't seem very athletic. She was very weak. Everyone in Arno Castle knew that Bianca had been locked in her room for nearly ten years.
Walking was her greatest exercise, so she didn't know what would happen if she suddenly rode a horse. It would be the same no matter how gentle the horse Sauveur chose.
If Bianca were to fall off her horse... She didn't know what decision Zachary would make, but it was clear that Bianca's family, the Blancheforts, wouldn't let it go.
Not wanting to lose his neck because of Bianca's stubbornness, Sauveur finally decided to use Zachary as an excuse. In fact, that was also his assumption.
"If you're going to ride a horse, you need to get the Count's permission, but..."
"Right."
Bianca was more docile than he thought.
Sauveur looked at Bianca in astonishment. As much as she insisted on riding a horse, her current attitude was not like her. The original Bianca would have raised her voice with reasons like, "Why should I get his permission?"
Sauveur looked at Gaspard and asked why Bianca was suddenly doing this, but Gaspard didn't respond.
"Did she eat something bad? No, did she even eat in the first place? Is it because she didn't eat anything? Yes, it must be that. She doesn't even have the energy to argue..."
Of course, a person without energy wouldn't go out riding horses, but Sauveur worked hard to find reasons. But a series of more shocking events unfolded that made Bianca's compliant resignation laughable.
"Anyway, I've caused you a lot of trouble. If I learn to ride a horse, we'll cross paths often. So I hope for your kind cooperation."
Bianca turned around without remorse, thinking that staying here wouldn't make any difference.
Tap tap, the footsteps walking through the stable were light and unstoppable. Yvonne immediately followed her, while Gaspard tapped Sauveur on the shoulder and followed Bianca.
Sauveur remained expressionless, reflecting on what had just happened. Bianca's words passed through his mind. He wouldn't be so dizzy even if he drank himself full of alcohol.
So, "that" lady came to the dirty stable filled with horse manure, looked around, said she would learn to ride, and that it was fine to get the Count's permission, even regretting having caused him so much trouble?
Bianca's stay in the stable was brief, but during that brief moment, Bianca swung Sauveur with all her might. Like a lightning bolt falling from the sky.
Still incredulous, Sauveur blinked. He felt as if he had been deceived by a fairy.
-----------
"Maybe she's not as bad as you think."
Sauveur tightened his chin and murmured. The place where Sauveur was located was Robert's office.
Robert, who was slightly annoyed with Sauveur, who came to visit him out of the blue and muttered incomprehensible sounds, nervously asked, "Who?"
"The madam."
"What?"
The papers that Robert was reviewing fell onto the desk. Gaspard had accompanied the madam and shared his workload with Sauveur, so there was a lot of work to do. That's why he's now listening to nonsense. Ha ha ha.
Still, he couldn't disappoint the Count since he gave him that task. If he composes himself and is thorough...
"Well, the madam wasn't such a bad person. We were able to communicate."
Sauveur provided an explanation. His confident responses forced Robert to realize that what he had heard was not nonsense. It was then that Robert realized that the strange and hallucinatory vision he had seen a few days earlier was true.
Was it a couple of days ago? As he walked down the hallway because he had a report to give to the Count, Robert looked towards the noise coming in through the window.
It was the garden where Bianca often used to walk. What was the madam doing there? Robert furrowed his brow and leaned over the window.
"What's going on there?!"
As Robert expected, those in the garden were Bianca, Yvonne, and Gaspard. They were resting on a long bench at the side of the garden.
Is she openly resting while he works hard? There was also a snack next to her.
But there was also an unexpected person there, and it was Sauveur, who was now in front of him. He didn't know what they were talking about, but from a distance, they seemed very familiar. At that moment, Robert squinted, wondering if he was seeing things wrong.
Upon closer inspection, it seemed that Sauveur was somewhat excited. As soon as he felt relieved, other concerns shot through Robert's chest. Maybe something is happening. But since Gaspard is still there... No matter how much he disliked Bianca, she was the Countess. Robert felt a pain in his chest.
At that moment, Sauveur suddenly approached the bench where Bianca was sitting.
A choked sound rose to the tip of Robert's throat.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)