Chapter 8:
Charity Auction (1)
“…I didn’t have a partner either, so this works out well. Then… will Jeremy come to pick me up this weekend?”
“That’s right. And don’t worry about what to wear. I’ve already placed an order at the boutique we visited last time.”
“Thank you as always, Lady Alua. I feel uneasy always receiving and never giving back.”
I truly did feel uneasy—and burdened. It wasn’t that I disliked Jeremy, but Lady Alua’s clear intention to tie me to him weighed on me.
Still, I knew my place. And I understood why she made a point, in front of everyone, to say she would provide my outfit.
The lover of a limping bed-wetter shunned by society—honestly, insults like that didn’t bother me anymore.
What did bother me was the thought that Ines, the princess’s attendant, might attend the auction with Histein.
Even so… to him, I was nothing more or less than a past he wanted to forget.
Then why… why did my heart still ache like this because I couldn’t forget him?
“Miss Rosalie need not worry. We’ll soon be family, after all.”
Lady Alua, who resembled Jeremy closely, smiled in satisfaction. Swallowing a sigh, I spent the rest of the tea party listening endlessly to stories about Jeremy, all while ignoring the piercing gazes of Princess Camille and Ines.
The weekend morning I had hoped wouldn’t come finally arrived.
Wearing the dress and jewelry sent by Lady Alua, I waited quietly for Jeremy. But even after lunch, and even after Angela and Gerard left ahead, he didn’t ring the bell.
At this rate, it might not be so bad if he didn’t come at all.
But Jeremy appeared just before the charity auction was about to begin.
“S-s-sorry… I’m late…”
I slowly rose and opened the door. There he stood, leaning on his cane, drenched in cold sweat.
That cane really seems more like an accessory… considering how he ran off on his own before.
I stared at him, then broke into a bright smile. Jeremy stepped back, letting out a small whimper.
“It’s okay. If we hurry, we won’t be late.”
I boarded the carriage first and took my seat. Jeremy sat across from me, still catching his breath. Glancing at him, I noticed his neatly styled blond hair and elegant suit.
“You look nice today. It suits you.”
“Ah…”
“The handkerchief in your jacket matches my dress.”
“I-is that so…”
And then—silence.
I thought we had grown closer after he read me that history book before, but his current demeanor suggested otherwise.
What should I do? For Gerard and Angela’s sake, I knew I should try harder.
But I didn’t feel like it. The thought of possibly encountering Histein with Ines at the school made me want to jump out of the carriage altogether.
“Um… M-Miss Rosalie.”
“Yes?”
As I stared blankly out the window, Jeremy spoke in a strained voice. Startled, I turned, and he quickly lowered his gaze.
“Y-your ankle… how is it now?”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t that serious to begin with.”
As I rotated my ankle slightly, it accidentally bumped against his leg. Jeremy visibly flinched.
“Ah!”
“Oh… sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I-it’s okay… sniff.”
Why is he crying again? Did I do something wrong?
Suppressing a sigh, I looked at him carefully. His hands were clenched tightly on his thighs, his shoulders trembling.
“C-crowds… scare me.”
“I understand. I’m still like that too.”
“…D-do you really?”
Jeremy suddenly lifted his head. With tear-filled eyes, he looked less like a 27-year-old man and more like a grown-up child.
For a moment, I felt an inexplicable sense of sympathy. Neither of us wanted to be here.
“I just want to stay home… and read books. I’ve only read ‘The Continent of Ranba: 2,000 Years of History and Fallen Dynasties’ seven times so far…”
“…Isn’t seven times already a lot?”
“N-no. It’s not enough.”
Ah, there it is again.
Whenever Jeremy talked about books he loved, he never stuttered.
Resting my chin on the window frame, I spoke.
“Last time you told me about the Pasepin and Euphrang dynasties, right? Today, tell me about the dynasty that came after.”
“That’s easy. After the fall of the Euphrang dynasty, the one who ascended the throne was Ramsiya I…”
Jeremy’s blue eyes sparkled as he spoke excitedly. He continued his history lecture until we arrived at the school.
“…Th-that’s all. Was it boring?”
He finally stopped when the carriage came to a halt. I smiled and told him I enjoyed it.
“I-it’s amazing… You’re the first person who’s listened seriously to what I say…”
“I knew about the queen you mentioned in the middle. There are many novels based on her.”
After getting off the carriage, I awkwardly linked arms with him. Leaning on his cane, he walked at an incredibly slow pace.
He must be dreading entering the hall filled with people. Today, both of us wanted the same thing—to avoid going inside.
“Please hurry! The sign language performance has already started!”
As we moved at a snail’s pace, a staff member nearby urged us on. Startled, Jeremy suddenly sped up, nearly leaving me behind.
I had to rush to keep up.
“S-s-sorry… I got startled…”
“Shh, it’s okay.”
Inside, the hall was dark, with curtains drawn. On stage, countless candles were lit, and students wearing white gloves “sang” with their hands.
Jeremy and I took seats at the back, catching our breath. The performance lasted about ten minutes. Throughout, Jeremy’s eyes darted anxiously around the hall.
“Alright! That concludes the lovely children’s performance! Now, we will begin the charity auction!”
The host announced energetically. Soon, items donated by nobles began to appear one after another.
But where was Histein? I had been scanning the room, but the darkness made it hard to find him.
I did spot Angela and Gerard in the front row—but someone as tall as Histein should have been noticeable.
Perhaps… he didn’t come. That would be better.
“Yes, next item! The novel ‘As the Queen’ by Agate—an original first edition from 30 years ago! Starting at 100 eura!”
“…Ah.”
While searching the crowd, I heard the familiar title.
As the Queen by Agate—a story about a queen who lost her beloved early in life. It had comforted me during the time I was shunned by society and lived in isolation.
“W-what’s wrong?”
Jeremy whispered as I straightened and looked toward the stage. I shook my head, pretending it was nothing, but clutched my skirt tightly.
I already owned the novel. A first edition wasn’t really necessary… but if I had the money, I would have bought it without hesitation.
“150 eura, 200 eura! This is getting competitive! Oh—wait, 500 eura!”
Five hundred eura was about a week’s worth of expenses for my family. It was unthinkable to spend that so carelessly.
I waited for someone to win the bid quickly. 600… 700… the price kept rising.
And then—
“…Two thousand eura!”
Jeremy shut his eyes tightly and raised his arm, shouting.
The host’s gaze snapped toward us.
