About Your Pride and My Prejudice

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I almost melted like butter on a sunny afternoon and wet the floor. Barely regained my reason, I managed to release Alan’s lips.

“A-after saying that…….”

In fact, I was disappointed, but I pretended to be calm.

“Isn’t it too much to say that I don’t have to come back?”

“I want you to live the life you want.”

Alan was no longer crying, but his transparent eyes sparkled more moist than ever.

“You are such a beautiful person, and you have already given me full and overflowing happiness.”

“You’re beautiful, don’t say that…….”

“So think about it, Melissa. That’s it for me.”

“…….”

I held my breath for a moment. His eyes looking up close are so deep.

“……Sure, I’ll think about it.”

And I didn’t forget to kiss his shallow dimple. No wonder it tasted lonely.

“Thank you for letting me go.”

“Yes.”

As soon as the heat subsided, a bitter reality struck. The dreadful truth that her grand-aunt had passed away, a dreadful truth that could hardly be felt, rang through her head like a pre-emptive sound.

My grand-aunt died.

My grand-aunt, who was not very close to me, but was the only relative in my family who had no communication with people.

During the weeks I was left in Arch Hill’s mansion as a child, I quickly felt happy. The elegant white mansion reflected in my young eyes looked like a palace.

How lonely is the mansion that lost its owner now?

Actually, I liked my great-aunt from the beginning. She looked just like the aristocrats I saw in the book……. The noble Viscount Josephine.

My mother always blamed her, but my grand-aunt was not a scary person, but she was a kind person who was willing to reach out when she asked for help. Now I’m thinking, Grandma and Mom probably didn’t really hate each other.

The old fork bonnet my grand-aunt gave me a few years ago has been reborn as one of my favorite items with Mrs. Kearney’s skills. The hat with a beautiful soft sky blue ribbon was very lovely.

Instead of buying a new autumn hat, I bought a ribbon, and with the money I saved, I bought a poetry book.

So it’s all thanks to ribbon that I got to talk to Alan Leopold for the first time in my life?

……Come to think of it, it seems that the beautiful eyes that look at me now have a color that looks just like this ribbon.

“Melissa.”

Then Alan, who rose from the chair, hugged me.

I slipped into his arms in no time. If he had been a little late, I would have burst into tears.

Then he said,

“If you come back.”

“…….”

“If you really come back, I have something to tell you.”

“……What is it?”

I buried my head in his arms and murmured, and Alan slipped away from me and replied in a stern tone.

“You’ll hear it then. That’s all I can say right now.”

“……?”

He approached me as if he was whispering in a soft voice, so I accidentally brought my ear to his lips.

Then he turned my face around and kissed me.

* * *

Alan was in charge of leading the business, no matter how small the responsibilities were. He felt sorry for not being able to join my trip to Sourne because of the mountainous work.

Of course I didn’t care at all. Partly because I already knew he couldn’t make time for long, but also because I couldn’t afford to walk Florin Boulevard with Alan. It was a little fortunate that he couldn’t go with me.

Alan told me he’d get me a ticket to the Moonlight ship. But when I was told that two weeks was the fastest time to get the ticket, I immediately refused.

He wanted me to go as comfortably as possible to the kingdom, and tried to persuade me because Moonlight was the fastest ship.

However, in fact, I didn’t want to go on a luxury ferry where parties are held every day. I’m going to my great-aunt’s funeral.

Early morning with a cold wind blowing. It was still dark outside. Before Alan left the mansion, he kissed my sleeping cheek, and I greeted him in a sleepy voice. It was the start of the day as usual.

And when the morning was completely bright, I got up and prepared briefly. The packing was simple and the clothes were simple.

Because I didn’t bring proper winter clothes when I came to the Principality, I wore the mansion’s overcoat and shawl— the simplest and most undecorated thing Alan had bought— but the dress was a crude poplin dress from Sourne. I wore it and decided not to wear a hat.

When William, the butler, came to pick me up after getting ready, it was only then that I realized that I was going back home. I felt strange.

Today was the second time I had climbed into a Leopold carriage decorated with a large lion pattern.

Well, that’s the third, including the day I lost consciousness in the snow?

“It’s been a while since the weather was nice.”

“……Yes, it is.”

At William’s words, I pulled up the curtains on the carriage window for the first time. In fact, there was nothing much to talk about with him, and somehow I couldn’t sleep because I was nervous, so there was no option left.

As I went completely out of the entrance of the mansion, a thick forest of trees appeared. As I got out of there, the full-scale city of Lunos began to slowly enter my view.

How do I feel about the street view of Lunos? …It was like a fireworks display in broad daylight.

The buildings were also very unique, but it was impressive to see people wearing colorful clothes and hairstyles. The clothes with colors and patterns that could not be compared with Sourne, that liked neat and elegant styles, were dazzling.

On the one hand, I was a little disturbed at the thought of how much attention Alan Leopold, the brilliant achromatic person in this city, must have drawn. He is as beautiful as the white moon, shining as black as obsidian.

No matter how high the temperature is compared to the kingdom, I was already adjusting to the climate here, and I was wearing a lot of shawls inside the carriage, but outside the window was somehow filled with heat. Each and every one looked like firecrackers burning themselves for a flash of light.

The impression I got when I first saw Monica Elwood at Antress also seems to have been like this.

A dazed voice burst out of itself.

“……That’s why it’s called the city of art.”

William, who was sitting opposite and wiping the monocle, asked in a neat voice.

“Do you find it difficult?”

“Yes,….. Probably. If I had enrolled in the academy, I might have been like a crow in a flock of swans. Well, it’s not a capital city, so it’ll be a little less? No matter what…….”

Was it fun to see myself muttering silly worries? The old butler, who was solemnly stiffening his expression, laughed.

“You’ll definitely like it if you stay a little longer.”

“Is that so? I don’t know yet. But I think the sunset here is exceptionally beautiful.” (Melissa)

“The whole city is like a huge palette.” (Melissa)

“Yes, I’m sure you’ll like it.” (William)

Having such a trivial conversation, the carriage took us to the port.

The winter sea in December that unfolded before my eyes was a darker color than I remembered.

“Please stay here for a moment.”

“Yes….”

I replied with a bewitched look at the moored boats swaying gently along the waves.

There was no huge and brilliant ship like Moonlight, but the vitality and excitement of people and sailors who were busily walking with their own expectations were not much different from the day I left Sourne.

With a grim face, I quietly inhaled the salty wind and exhaled for a while. I heard urgent footsteps, so I turned around and saw William with a ticket running towards me.

When I first came to the port, I remembered that I was alone and wandering around, so it was fortunate that Willam was with me.

“Thank you, William.”

“Miss, you’ll be back, right?”

Handing me a ticket, the old butler hinted at it.

“He’ll be waiting desperately.”

“Unless I don’t lose my way back, I will come back…….”

“Then I hope you don’t lost your way. Because I don’t see any hope except that you’ve simply packed your luggage.”

“You’re saying something funny.”

I laughed against the sea breeze. The white breath flew out into the air.

The only season when one can see the shape of their breath. In the middle of winter, I suddenly felt more joyous than the month of August.

* * *

“Like the white snow..….”

When I arrived at Arch Hill, my great-aunt’s funeral was long over. It was natural.

“……She has gone home in peace.”

“Yes.”

Mrs. Hugh and I stood side by side in front of my great-aunt’s grave.

“I’m sure she’ll be happy that you are here. It must have been hard on your way here.”

“…….”

Of course it wasn’t easy. I had to spend more than two weeks on the ship—a little delayed due to operational problems—and I was born with the worst motion sickness before I was able to figure out how shabby my time there was compared to Moonlight.

Is it fortunate that I didn’t have any time to be bored because I brought the translation of novel <Fugitive> in Lunoan and a notebook?

“But I’m so glad Mrs. Hugh is still here.”

“I see. I have less than a few days before I leave this place.”

It is said that the mansion was handed over to the great-aunt’s younger brother. Probably a cousin.

As soon as the great-aunt’s funeral was over, all the few servants left, and Mrs. Hugh was left alone to clean up the mansion. She said she was about to leave for a new job in a few days when the new owner arrived.

So I, who came without contacting her, was very lucky to be able to meet Mrs. Hugh.

My conversation with Mrs. Hugh was still awkward, and I was worried that she might ask me if I found love across the sea, but fortunately it didn’t happen.

We prayed for my great-aunt, looked back at the mansion together, and blessed each other’s future. After that, there was nothing left to do.

So I decided to get on the carriage diligently. It was to head to Piccom.

“This.”

However, Mrs. Hugh, who was seeing me off, handed me a small box wrapped in blue velvet.

“It’s from the Viscountess.”

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