C58
The maids left, but Bianca didn't rest. It was because there was someone who entered the room immediately after crossing paths with the maids.
It was Sauveur who came to meet Bianca.
"Madam, you must come down now."
"Understood."
Bianca nodded. By handing over the designs to the maids, Bianca had done everything she needed to do in the castle, and now it was truly time to depart. Yvonne followed Bianca with her luggage, and Sauveur immediately followed in Bianca's footsteps.
Curiously, Sauveur asked, "By the way, those maids who just left seemed very excited. What did you tell them?"
"It was nothing. It seems they are happy because they won't have to see me for a while."
"...Are you joking?"
"You are very perceptive, Sir Sauveur."
There was no change in her indifferent expression. Seeing Bianca's expression, Sauveur trembled as he gently stroked his arms.
"It was a funny joke. Besides, it seemed like you were serious when you said that."
If it were someone else, they wouldn't know, but it was even scarier because it was Bianca who made the self-deprecating joke. It was difficult to determine how much of it was a joke, so it wasn't easy to keep up, and even when he realized it was a joke, he couldn't find the right way to respond.
She is a deceiving lady. Sauveur inwardly clicked his tongue. If some time had passed, it would have been a situation where he would have immediately closed his mouth and read the atmosphere, but Sauveur didn't give up and cleverly spoke to Bianca again.
"So, why didn't you ask why I came here instead of Sir Gaspard?"
"I guess you had nothing else to do."
"You're joking again."
Sauveur shrugged. This kind of joke was easy to accept. He preferred it when a sharp arrow flew towards him. But the problem is that this time it wasn't a joke, it was Bianca's sincerity.
Sauveur really didn't care if it was a joke or not. Because that wasn't the point. With a smile in favor of the cause, Sauveur flattered Bianca.
"Actually, I want to obtain madam's permission for something."
"What thing?"
"I heard from the steward that madam was not satisfied with the Count's clothes..."
"That's correct."
Bianca nodded. It was one of the few things she was proud of lately.
But why is he mentioning that suddenly?
Bianca tilted her head, not knowing why Sauveur was interested in it. Sauveur continued speaking in a low voice, as if gently persuading Bianca not to offend her.
"Then, will you use those garments only in the territory?"
"No. I am actually planning to take this opportunity to buy him clothes in the capital."
"Then, will you discard those clothes?"
"Well, Vincent will take care of the disposal."
At that moment, Sauveur, who had been calm until now, abruptly changed his attitude, raising his hand and jumping.
"Then me! Me!"
"What?"
Bianca stepped back, surprised by Sauveur's frivolous appearance. A bulky knight, a head taller than her, raised his hand and jumped, looking intimidating.
When Bianca, slightly scared, looked at Sauveur with annoyance, Sauveur, realizing his behavior, coughed and carefully lowered the raised hand. Then he cautiously asked, looking at Bianca's expression.
"Can I have them?"
"... I don't care. You must obtain the permission of the Count or the steward..."
"The Count doesn't care about such things, and the steward is under his control, so I came to request your permission. After all, Robert and I are the only ones similar in size to the Count. Gaspard is too big, and Vincent is too thin. I came here to get it before Robert."
Sauveur explained why he has good reasons to take Zachary's 'discarded' clothes.
Bianca pondered for a moment who Robert was. It didn't take long for her to realize that he was the other commander of Zachary's, who was particularly hostile towards her. A smile crossed Bianca's lips. It was because if the Robert Sauveur was talking about was the one she knew, he would never come to her to request the clothes.
Bianca had no intention of letting Zachary continue wearing them, so if she leaves them aside, they will just rot. Sauveur also wanted this, so it seemed like a good option for him. Bianca nodded happily.
"Well, if you want, you can take them."
"Yes!"
Sauveur clenched his fists and left the room. Seeing him brimming with joy, he seemed to forget that Bianca felt threatened by his appearance.
A moment later, Sauveur looked at Bianca dejectedly, wagging his tail as silently as a dog that got a beating on its rear. It was because he was afraid that Bianca would cancel her word.
Bianca laughed at his dog-like appearance. Should she say he's shameless or should she say he's not pretentious? It was the first time she showed such reluctance to say something.
She didn't hate him, but she didn't want to talk anymore. To be honest, the more she talked with Sauveur, the more tired she felt. Without a word, she hurried past Sauveur and descended to the first floor.
Unable to read what Bianca was thinking, Sauveur followed her steps, trembling with anxiety.
"Madam, are you really giving it to me?"
"Didn't I already do that?"
"You can't change your words."
"Why would I do something so troublesome? Tch, there's Sir Gaspard, so you can go back."
Bianca, who was annoyed by Sauveur's talk, waved her hand. It was just as Bianca said. Gaspard found them and started approaching.
"The carriage is right there, madam."
"Understood."
Bianca walked lightly towards the place Gaspard guided her to. Sauveur didn't follow Bianca's words to go back.
While the tumultuous Sauveur was hovering around Bianca, Yvonne and Gaspard, relatively reluctantly, were forced to step back. Gaspard looked at Yvonne for a moment. In his hand was a large bag. Approaching Yvonne, he said.
"Give it to me."
"...? This is my luggage."
"Give it to me."
"I can hold it myself."
"Give it to me."
Yvonne's eyebrows narrowed as she saw Gaspard repeating the same words. The bag he was carrying was bulky but not heavy. She was capable of carrying it herself, but she couldn't understand why he kept repeating the same thing.
Bianca's head, unaccustomed to commotion, throbbed because apparently Sauveur's whining was not enough by her side, and Yvonne and Gaspard were also chiming in behind them. She didn't feel unwell, but she was tired.
At the moment Bianca let out a soft sigh, a sudden gust of wind blew, disheveling her clothes and hair. She couldn't help it. Bianca used the wind as an excuse to call Yvonne.
"Yvonne. Give it to Sir Gaspard and come fix my cloak. It just got blown by the wind."
"Oh, yes, madam!"
It's funny how they were arguing until that moment, but as soon as Bianca spoke, Yvonne handed her burden to Gaspard as if she was throwing it and ran towards Bianca. Gaspard took Yvonne's luggage and followed silently. His face, which always looked stern, remained the same.
But before Yvonne could approach Bianca, there was someone who moved first. It was Sauveur, who was hovering around Bianca noisily. As soon as Bianca called Yvonne, Sauveur casually approached Bianca.
"It wasn't overturned, just a little wrinkled."
Sauveur's delicate fingertips touched the hood of Bianca's coat.
As if he was unfamiliar with the soft texture of the fabric, his hand gently brushed it. On the surface, it seemed like he was being kind.
Bianca, unable to understand why Sauveur was acting so flirtatiously, received his touch with indifference.
Bianca's face subtly hardened. Not only was Bianca embarrassed, but Yvonne's face also hardened.
Either he doesn't care, or he simply doesn't realize. Despite the embarrassment of the two women, Sauveur continued to speak skillfully.
"Kyaa... the fabric's texture is different. As expected of the madam."
"...Thank you for your help. But next time, ask for permission first."
Bianca stepped back half a step from Sauveur and tugged at the hem of her coat. Sauveur simply helped her, but it seemed sudden to Bianca because she wasn't so accustomed to being close to a man.
Before her return, she had an affair with Zachary, and although it ended in catastrophe, she had also been in a relationship. However, she wasn't familiar with it just because "she had done it before," and because she had lived in the monastery for a long time, she was even further from it.
Without thinking that Bianca would be reluctant to receive even this kind of help, Sauveur tilted his head and asked.
"What permission?"
"A permission to ask if you can help."
"Do I have to ask all noble ladies like that?"
"Yes, you do."
As if she was teaching a child how to write, Bianca continued to patiently respond.
She doesn't think Sauveur hates her, so he wouldn't have done it to intimidate her. He probably knows nothing and simply doesn't know how to treat a lady. Now that she thinks about it, where would a low-ranking knight like Sauveur meet a lady? If you don't know something, you can teach it.
It wasn't common, but she couldn't think of Sauveur coldly in this kind of face-to-face conversation. Bianca was patient and educated Sauveur well.
Just as Bianca was educating Sauveur properly, a penetrating gaze pierced through her cheek as if someone was watching her.
Bianca turned her head in the direction she thought the gaze should be and her eyes met those of her opponent.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)