Chapter 65Â
The New Employee, Cat
âWhat an amusing young lady. She made such a fuss about having to dance with Madam that I followed alongâand ended up with an experience I never expected.â
Tablo, mask in hand, watched the direction Zelda had disappeared toward, then hurried away himself.
Pop! Pop!
As the dance party ended, the grand finale of the summer festival beganâthe fireworks.Â
Dozens of brilliant bursts, conjured by the hands of mages, lit up the night sky in dazzling color.
âSo this is what you call fireworks? Theyâre beautiful!â
Marican shouted, eyes wide as she gazed up at the radiant blossoms overhead.Â
Ruan, standing beside her, looked at her with a fond smile, his gaze brimming with tenderness.
âWell, judging by that reaction, Iâd say youâve succeeded.â
Zelda, returning after parting with her partner, tilted her head toward Marican.Â
She looked almost childlike, entranced by the glowing sky.Â
Then she added knowingly to Ruan,
âReally? You went this far?â
â?â
âWell, you spent quite a fortune on this, didnât you? It makes sense that Rosaline should at least react that way.â
Ruanâs eyes widened in shock.
âHow did you know? This was supposed to be a secret between the elder and me.â
When Marican had said sheâd never seen fireworks before, Ruan had gone all the way to the capital to hire three of the Empireâs most skilled mages.Â
Joseph himself had agreed to Ruanâs request, and together they orchestrated this dazzling display.
âThe elder and I go way back. Normally heâs stingyâalways cutting back on powder for fireworks at festivals. Then suddenly heâs spending lavishly on mages, not just firecrackers? At first I thought heâd gotten his death notice and decided to splurge. But when I saw him darting around like a fish in water from the very first day of the festival, I realized it wasnât that. Then I thought about it: if anyone would go this far, even preparing masks, wigs, and dresses for me and Rosaline, it would be you, Duke.â
Ruan gave a sheepish laugh at Zeldaâs sharp intuition.
âAh⊠but please, donât tell Rosaline. Since itâs her first festival, I wanted her to carry away happy memories.â
âYouâll make a fine husband.â
ââŠWhat?â
âI mean, donât let that heart of yours change. It hasnât even been a year since I met her, but Rosaline is already like a dear sister to me. I wonât forgive anyone who makes her cry again.â
âDonât worry. That will never happen.â
âZelda! Ruan, look at that oneâitâs likeââ
âLike Rosalineâs sandwiches.â
Zelda smirked as Marican stared up in wonder at a firework shaped exactly like a sandwich.Â
Then, lowering her voice, she muttered to Ruan,
âYou really are something, Duke. Donât tell me you had them make every single thing Rosaline likes?â
ââŠâ
The sky answered in his place: flowers, dishes, and even a shimmering outline of Ruan himself burst across the heavens.
âYouâre incorrigible. No matter how much you love Rosaline, weaving her favorite foods, flowersâand even yourselfâinto the fireworks? Honestly, only someone as perceptive as me could figure it out. Rosaline, on the other hand, is too dazzled to notice. But still, slipping your private feelings into a village festival? Thatâs going a bit far, donât you think?â
âWell⊠as you said, I spent a small fortune on this. A little indulgence should be allowed, donât you agree? Besides, itâs not only her favorites appearing.â
âWow! Zelda, look at that! Itâs like flower petals raining down from the sky!â
The festivalâs fireworks, so thoroughly steeped in Ruanâs affection, went on for more than an hourâhalf an hour longer than planned.Â
Yet not a single villager stirred from their place; all gazed up, spellbound.
Finally, with a shimmering portrait of Phenomenon Village and the broad sweep of Lake Arnando, the fireworks came to a close, signaling the end of the week-long summer festival.
âI never knew festivals could be this much fun. This one will be a memory Iâll cherish forever. Archery, sailing, the dance party, the fireworksâeverything was wonderful.â
âPfft. Rosaline, every single thing you just mentioned was with the Duke. What, are you saying you had no fun with me?â
âWhat? No, thatâs not true, Zelda. Catching carp with you and watching the swordsmanship tournament were just as fun.â
âHah, Iâm joking. Honestly, I had a great time this year too. Normally I join out of obligation, but thanks to you, Rosaline, this one was pure joy. Next year, letâs enjoy it together again.â
Though, from the way things look⊠you may not still be here next year.
Zelda smiled, masking her regret.Â
She was glad Rosaline had reconciled with Ruanâbut the thought of her eventually leaving the village tugged at her heart.
âOf course! Donât worry, Zelda. Iâll be here.â
âWell then, Iâd better help with cleanup. See you tomorrow at the shop. And Duke, safe travels back to the capital.â
âUntil we meet again.â
After saying their farewells, Rosaline and Ruan walked home.
âYou have to return to the capital now, donât you?â
âIâll be back soon, Rosaline.â
âI heard it takes three days by carriage. You should leave quickly.â
âNo need to worry. I brought a travel artifactâit shortens the distance. With it, the capital is only a day away.â
âA travel artifact? How fascinating.â
Rosaline leaned closer as he showed her the device, her eyes alight with wonder.
âAnd before I go, thereâs someone Iâd like you to meet. Cat?â
At his call, a girl about Rosalineâs age stepped shyly from behind a tree.
âHello, Madam. Itâs an honor to meet you. My name is Cat.â
She had dark hair sprinkled with freckles, and her bright smile softened her timid bow.
M-Madam?
Rosaline blinked, flustered, until Ruan explained.
âThis is Cat. From tomorrow, sheâll be helping at the shop in my stead. Sheâs nineteenâjust a year younger than you. Sheâs already familiar with shop work, so you wonât need to train her much. I didnât want you to be left alone while I was away.â
âI managed fine before, and Zelda still helps me⊠I donât really needââ
But then she looked at Catâbrought all this way because of Ruanâs thoughtfulnessâand she nodded.
âIf youâre someone Ruan trusts, then Iâll welcome you gladly. Call me Rosaline. Iâll be counting on you, Cat.â
Catâs face lit up in relief.
âAh, Rosalineâyouâre my employer, you shouldnât speak so politely!â
âShould I? Then you can just call me Rosaline.â
âOh no, youâre the Dukeâs wife! Calling you by name feels wrong. Iâll call you âBossâ instead.â
âBoss?â Rosaline chuckled. âIf that makes you comfortable, then go ahead.â
âThen⊠Boss, Iâll do my best from here on!â
Rosaline found herself liking Catâs bright, cheerful spirit immediately.
âBy the way, do you have a place to stay? If not, youâre welcome to live with me. Iâve got a spare room.â
Cat looked to Ruan, then back at Rosaline, nodding eagerly.
âReally? I was worried about where Iâd live. If you donât mind, Iâd love to. Iâll do all the cleaning and laundry in returnâbut I canât cook, hehe.â
âThatâs fine. Iâll cook. Weâll share the other chores.â
âThank you, Boss! Oh, and please deduct rent from my wages.â
Rosaline waved her hand. âNonsense. Since Iâm the one inviting you, you can stay free of charge.â
âFree rent? Wow, Boss, youâre the best!â
âCat!â Ruan scolded, clearly unimpressed with her giddy chatter.
âSorry! I tend to talk too much. Iâll be careful around Boss.â
âI donât mind,â Rosaline said warmly. âI like your energy. Shall we head home now?â
Cat cast Ruan a mischievous glance before asking,
âBoss, can I go watch the last bit of the festival first? Theyâre handing out food, and Iâm good at finding my way. The Duke already showed me your house, so Iâll head there afterward.â
âThen go ahead.â
Cat bowed and dashed off toward the crowd.
Watching her run, Rosaline murmured to Ruan,
âSheâs lively. I think itâll be fun having her around.â
Ruan, on the other hand, still looked dissatisfied.
âSheâll help you plenty. Of course, not nearly as much as I do.â
Rosaline laughed softly.
âOf course not. There isnât a person in the world who could ever replace you.â
âRosaline⊠nor could anyone replace you for me. Even if the Empire collapsed tomorrow, I would not leave your side.â
He pulled her into his arms, whispering against her hair.
âAhem! Perhaps thatâs enough farewells for now? At this rate, youâll end up staying.â
Rosaline startled at Tabloâs voice behind them, struggling to pull freeâbut Ruanâs arms only tightened around her.
âTablo, youâre still unmarried because you have no sense. As much as I hate to admit it, youâre rightâbefore I lose all reason, I should go. Iâll return as soon as I can.â
Ruan⊠how embarrassingâŠ
âAlright. Come back safely.â
She whispered back, and he stole a brief kiss before Tablo practically dragged him onto his horse.Â
Together they rode off toward the capital.
Rosaline stood gazing after him until long after he vanished, then hurried home.Â
The festival ended with the last of the food shared among all the villagers.
***
It was strange.
Her days began as usual.Â
Customers filled the shop as always.Â
And Catâbright, energetic Catâworked so well that she nearly erased the emptiness Ruan left behind.Â
In fact, with her help, business grew even busier.
Nothing was wrong.Â
On the contrary, everything was thriving.Â
And yetâŠ
Why did it feel so hollow?
The only thing missing was Ruan.Â
Just him.
But his absence weighed heavier now than it ever had before.
âZelda, is the Boss always this thoughtful?â
Cat, pointing to Rosaline who sat staring blankly into space, asked curiously.Â
Zelda chuckled.
âOf course not.â
âBut she spends all day like that now. Even at home, she just hugs Ruanâs things.â
âThatâs because sheâs waiting for her husband.â
âHer husband? Ahâyou mean the Duke?â
Zelda patted Catâs head with a wry smile.
âYouâre still a child. Leave Rosaline be, and focus on your sweeping.â
âChild? Iâm nearly an adult! I know plenty, you know.â
Grumbling, Cat grabbed her broom and began sweeping the shop floor, while Zelda looked on with quiet amusement.