About Your Pride and My Prejudice

Chapter 48: Off To Arch Hill

“Mom.”

When the evening was almost over, I knocked on my mother’s door with my swollen eyes.

“I have something to tell you.”

Somehow, my mother opened the door with an anxious look. It was already dark outside, and the room that was covered with curtains was dark.

“What happened?”

I suddenly felt like I saw a tear mark on my mother’s cheek. However, I was not sure.

“Mom, I—”

“Come on in.”

My mother, who grabbed my arm, closed the door. Soon after, when the candle was lit with a match, a faint light spread across the simple interior. We sat side by side on the bed.

“About studying abroad?”

As she asked, my mother swept her face with her dry hands. Then I thought that maybe my mother was really crying.

“…..Yes.”

“Why? Do you need anything?”

My mother asked in a low voice. But I didn’t come to beg for a little more pocket money, so I shook my head quickly.

“Did you send a letter to the great-aunt?”

“No, not yet. Why?”

“I want to go to my great-aunt’s house, mom.”

Perhaps it was unexpected, but my mother looked at my eyes for a moment.

“… before you go, would you like to see her?”

My great-aunt lives in Arch Hill, located in the southeast of the kingdom. It seems that she is still called the Viscountess even now, when the line between nobles and commoners is almost blurred.

(T/N: Melissa’s grandmother is her father’s aunt, so she’s actually her great-aunt)

There was no actual exchange between us because I was a distant relative, but I was left at her house for a while when I was young. I don’t know the details, but there must have been unavoidable circumstances because it was after my family had weakened sharply. It was only a few weeks, but I still remember her being strict and warm.

The last time I saw her was a few years ago when she came to the capital. Great-aunt gave me the hat that I still wear to this day, saying that a lady should have a decent hat, which is the hat I wore when I first met Toby, and now it is surrounded by a sky blue ribbon.

“I’ve been living without exchanging anything for several years already…….”

My mother looked uncomfortable somewhere.

“She might be surprised if you suddenly visit her. Your father isn’t here either.”

“Mom, I… I want to stay there until I leave the kingdom. I’m not going for a tour there.”

“…….”

My mother chose aher words with a complex expression. There was a very brief silence in the quiet room where only silent candles gave light.

“Melissa, is your house uncomfortable?”

“N-no. Not at all…….”

I was taken aback when the story spun in an unintended direction, but I quickly crafted it like the Academy’s chosen novelist.

“I’m worried because it’s my first time living in a foreign country across the sea. I can’t just come visit for a weekend simply because I’m tired.”

“…….”

“So, how about staying at my great aunt’s house in Arch Hill and preparing my mind, Mom?”

“I know you are not the type to speak suddenly, but…….”

My mother was lost in thought for a moment. I impatiently clasped my finger and waited for her next words.

“But would she welcome you? Suddenly there is an unexpected guest.”

I knew that my mother didn’t like my great-aunt that much. Since childhood, my mother used to evaluate her as an arrogant old woman trapped in a house, and it was my father who took me to Arch Hill and brought me back. My mother didn’t even accompany me.

“I used to spend a few weeks in Arch Hill when I was a kid.”

“Yes, your father…… Whew.”

“At first, I had a hard time with my grandma, but she wasn’t as difficult as I thought. Somehow, she looked lonely living with the servants in that spacious mansion.….”

“You were young back then.”

My mother continued in a pretty firm tone.

“I’m sure she treated you well. It’s easy to pretend to be a good adult for a child.”

“But I think she’ll welcome me. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her, so I’m a little nervous.”

My mother let out a low sigh.

“If so, you should write a letter. I don’t know if she’ll gladly say it’s okay.”

“Okay, mom. I should send it tomorrow.”

“…yes.”

Is it just me? Somehow the mother’s eyes looked like those of the person who had something to say. The eyes shone exceptionally lonely on her skinny cheeks.

I wondered if now was the time for me to ask why she didn’t like my aunt, but somehow I didn’t have courage and stopped myself.

“Melissa.”

At that moment, my mother opened her mouth.

“Why did you cry yesterday?”

“Ah…”

Neither Mrs. Kerney nor Julia has asked about it yet. I didn’t think my mother wouldn’t know, but I was embarrassed because there was no answer I had in mind. Because my mother liked Toby…….

My mother had greater confidence than me, the person involved, that Toby and I would become lovers and naturally form a relationship.

“I heard it was a letter from Lunoa.”

“That…”

“Why? Did he say he had a lover in the Principality?”

“…….”

I had no intention of telling Collins’ ladies about the whole story of the stalker disturbance surrounding me and the fact that he was Alan Leopold. As long as I was able to wrap up this situation neatly I didn’t need to cause more undue stress by telling every single thing plus I wasn’t the type to talk so much.

Therefore, I thought I would do the same and not tell my mom about Tobias’ bad news, but I changed my mind when I saw my mother’s face.

If I don’t write about Toby in the letter that I will send to my home while studying abroad, it will eventually become clear that he and I are no longer in a relationship. Wouldn’t it be better to tell her now than to go and disappoint her then?

“Mom, Tobias is coming back to the kingdom.”

“Why? Didn’t you say he’d help in running Leopold’s business?”

“That…”

Of course, it was not easy to tell his story casually.

“I think there’s a health problem.”

“Oh no. But he’s still young, so wouldn’t it be better after a good rest in his hometown?”

“No, mom…….”

When I remembered the person who shattered Toby’s life, I felt like my whole body was cooling down. For Alan Leopold, the sadness of ordinary people like me and Tobias…… It wouldn’t mean anything.

“……it must be a little serious.”

“Oh, my. Suddenly?”

The mother, who covered her mouth, could not easily continue her words. Fortunately, no words like ‘what are you going to do about your marriage?’ came out of my mother’s mouth.

Immediately after I heard the news, I thought for a while about whether to lie that I was okay now or to reassure my mother by saying that I will study hard in Lunoa and become a great writer.

“Mom, I…….”

At that moment, the living room suddenly became busy, and we could easily see that Mrs. Kerney and Julia began to set up dinner tables.

“…..I’ll help them prepare dinner.”

“Okay, let’s go out together.”

* * *

My great-aunt’s reply surprisingly arrived three days later. This much was like writing down a reply right after receiving the letter I sent.

The letter was quite sincere.

On the day I received the letter, I packed my luggage immediately. Now there is less than a month and a half before I leave for Lunoa.

“Lady.”

Julia, who was organizing luggage together in my room, implicitly called me.

“That dress. You’re going to take it, right?”

“Dress? From Longhorn?”

“Yes.”

I was lost in thought for a moment.

“Well…”

If I go to the academy, there will definitely be an annual event like a prom, and festivals will be held in the kingdom during the social season, right?

So, a dress will be absolutely necessary, and the velvet dress Longhorn sent me is the most expensive and luxurious thing among the few dresses I own. But

“…I won’t take it.”

“What? Why? If I were a girl, I would have been the first one to take it!”

Surprised, Julia jumped. I answered calmly.

“I’m not going to socialize, Julia.”

“B-But…… There must be times when you need a dress, right?”

“I think it’s better to take only one simple dress.”

Julia looked at me with her eyes, saying, ‘No way that old dress?’

Well, except for the one that Longhorn sent me, everything is old and outdated.  When I remembered hearing the word rags at the victory ceremony, I burst into laughter.

“I want to be myself in the principality.” [“I don’t want to lose myself and pretend I am something I am not—or change”] is the general gist of what she is saying

“…….”

I continued to speak by tapping the tip of Julia’s nose, who had a blank face.

“I’m going to study literature. So I have to be authentic.”

“Hmm… I don’t know, but wouldn’t you want to enter society at least where Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Kerney aren’t around, right?”

You don’t like it. When Julia touched my hair and added in a small voice, I burst into laughter without resistance. I got caught.

“Will you keep it a secret?”

“Yes, I will.”

Julia’s sad eyes blinked.

“That dress, I’ll lend it to you. Think it’s yours while I’m away.”

“….M- mine, is it mine?”

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Her blank expression that quickly grew into a wide-eyed stunned face was so cute. I would like to give rather than lend, but my study abroad days will be over soon.  After studying abroad and returning to the kingdom, there may be good things that require me to wear a fancy dress.

I answered with a bright smile, hoping that it would really happen.

“Yes.”

***

T/N: Melissa addresses her great-aunt as grandma, in an affectionate way