🌷 🌷 🌷
THE next thing she knew, it was morning already, and Ophelia got ready and went to work as usual. The Ministry of Justice was as bustling as usual, and the women working in the other divisions whom she passed in the hall all greeted her normally.
Everything was just as it always was, except for the fog that just wouldn’t clear from Ophelia’s tangled feelings.
Because Claudio and Stella’s engagement had only just been dissolved, the decision was made to keep his new engagement with Ophelia private for the time being. It seemed they planned to announce the engagement publicly a year from now. That meant that Ophelia had been given one year’s reprieve.
What should I do? What should I do? Ophelia couldn’t figure out how to calm this anxiety that seemed to be fluttering around like a little bird trapped inside her chest.
Ophelia opened the door to the Director’s Office, feeling as if a heavy weight had settled on her shoulders, to find Samael sitting on the sofa, reading a book and basking in the sunlight streaming in through a nearby window. His cheerful greeting eased her nerves, but only a little.
Ophelia made her way over to the adjoining kitchenette and opened the door, intending to make coffee for Samael to drink in along with all that sunlight. But someone was already there, with two coffee cups set out in front of them.
“Lord Bruno, I’ll do that.”
“It’s fine. I made a lot, so there’s enough for you too.” Bruno peered thoughtfully into Ophelia’s face as he poured coffee into the mugs. “You don’t look very happy for someone who just accepted a proposal of marriage.” One corner of Bruno’s mouth cocked up teasingly as he smiled at her.
It’s Bruno’s fault in the first place that I’m so troubled! All of this only happened because he was rushing Claudio… Ophelia puffed out her cheeks to indicate her displeasure, causing Bruno to laugh out loud.
“Hahaha, it seems I’ve upset you.”
“That’s right! This is your fault, Lord Bruno.”
“My fault, you say?”
“This happened because of whatever you said to the director. Obviously, everyone’s going to be vehemently opposed to the daughter of a simple, powerless earl marrying the king’s brother. What are you going to do if the stress gives Father an ulcer?!” Ophelia’s cheeks puffed out even further after she finished her tirade.
“So that’s what you’re worried about?” Bruno’s smile never faltered as he continued, “Being the daughter of a ‘simple, powerless earl’ is part of what makes you perfect. Not for the Stolarni dukedom, but for Lord Claudio, brother to the king.”
Bruno offered a gentle, encouraging smile when he noticed Ophelia was tilting her head to the side in obvious confusion.
“Ever since the director was still the heir presumptive, he’s been trying to put as much distance between himself and the throne as possible. It wouldn’t make sense for him to poke a sleeping bear by allying himself with another powerful family at this point. Even the Meucci family, despite their high status, is almost entirely uninvolved in political affairs.”
That’s certainly true; an alliance with our family would do nothing to strengthen any efforts to put Claudio on the throne.
Ophelia blinked repeatedly as the realization settled over her. By marrying her, Claudio would be signaling to all of noble society that he had no interest in the throne whatsoever.
Ophelia knew that she could trust Bruno’s insightful assessment of the situation. The heavy cloud that had settled over her suddenly dispersed all at once, leaving her refreshed.
“Oh, your expression suddenly changed quite drastically.”
“B-But… I’m still not sure if someone like me is really suitable for the director…”
“In that case, what about marrying into a fellow earldom? I’d gladly welcome you into my family as my wife.”
“What?! I-I couldn’t possibly…”
For better or worse, Ophelia’s heart belonged to Claudio. There wasn’t anything left to give to Bruno. It would be horribly unfair to even consider marrying him under such circumstances.
“Ouch! You wound me with your immediate rejection!” Bruno chuckled, covering his ears with his hands teasingly. “But there you go, you have your answer, don’t you? So let’s face this head-on and all put our heads together to figure out what to do next. You can count on us.”
Ophelia pictured her coworkers’ faces in her mind. She knew she was fortunate to have such a formidable group of allies.
“…I didn’t refuse because the thought is repulsive. It’s because you are much too wonderful to be anyone’s second choice, Lord Bruno,” Ophelia said, placing the coffee mugs onto a tray to carry back into the office.
“I’m honored,” Bruno responded sincerely, all traces of his former teasing attitude gone… for a moment. Then he smirked again and remarked, “Well, we should probably get back. If I spend too long alone in here with you, I risk drawing the director’s ire. If I get kicked out of the Director’s Office, there really will be no place left for me to go.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Ophelia scoffed, but a part of her knew that Bruno’s estimation of Claudio’s reaction wasn’t all that implausible.
When Angelo arrived, just moments from being late for work, Ophelia poured him a cup of coffee as well, then rested against the windowsill, both hands wrapped around her own hot cup as she gazed outside.
Ophelia had come here from the Architectural Institute at the furthest outskirts of the Royal Palace complex. It simultaneously felt like both very recently that she’d been working there and a lifetime ago. It was just as her mother had always said… Ophelia was now surrounded by people who understood and accepted her strange ability. People she could rely on and tell anything to. She was still anxious about what the future would bring, but somehow, she knew that as long as she had them, it would all work out.
The door opened with a soft click, and Claudio arrived for work with a broody frown marring his handsome face. He didn’t even bother with greetings.
“Ophelia, we’re going out.”
“O-Okay!”
Ophelia could only assume they were heading out to meet with someone troublesome. And since they were leaving before Claudio could even have his usual morning cup of coffee, she was willing to bet he’d be extra grumpy the entire time. Angelo waved goodbye to Ophelia with a sympathetic expression as she chased after Claudio.
✦ ✦ ✦
🌷 🌷 🌷
THE carriage pulled up in front of the headquarters for a major company that controlled a large portion of the commercial market. Although he was technically a commoner, even aristocrats struggled to secure a meeting with the president of a company that paid an exorbitant amount in taxes every year. Apparently, that was why Claudio had been chosen for the job.
Claudio all but dragged Ophelia out of the carriage, and she found herself standing in front of a magnificent building on a major thoroughfare. As one might expect of such a large company, people were bustling about everywhere. The snippets of conversation that battered Ophelia from all sides caused her legs to shake faintly. When she was forced to leap out of the way to avoid a cart loaded so high with cargo that the person pushing it couldn’t see where they were going, Ophelia wobbled but didn’t entirely lose her balance. Just then, a hand slid up her back, and she heard Claudio say, “Here, hold on to me.”
Ophelia hesitated for a moment, looking dumbly at the arm Claudio offered her. Until now, this arm had been off-limits, but now she was permitted to hold it.
Ophelia reached out her hand hesitantly, and the next thing she knew, Claudio had grabbed her hand and tucked it forcefully into the crook of his arm. Gazing up at his face, which always reflected his true feelings, Ophelia felt her shaking slowly abate.
“It’s easier to walk like this, right?”
“Y-Yeah…”
Just as she said that, a violent shudder ran up Ophelia’s arm.
“…Oi.”
“Oh…”
Claudio stopped walking and glared down at Ophelia with one eyebrow raised. Because they were walking arm-in-arm, his face was closer than usual. “Does that mean you find it easier to walk holding on to my belt rather than my arm…?”
“N-N-No! Of course not! That’s preposterous!”
The more she protested, the harder her hands shook. But, but, but! His face is just too distracting this close-up!
If she were being honest, Ophelia liked his face too much for her own good. She looked up at him with tears gathering in her eyes, mentally preparing to be shouted at for getting this discombobulated before they even met the person they’d come here to see.
“There you go again, looking at me with those eyes…” With a soft sigh, Claudio released Ophelia’s hand. “Hold on wherever you like.”
Without hesitation, Ophelia reached for the belt of his jacket. Once he’d confirmed that Ophelia had calmed down, Claudio’s face twisted irritably.
For now, this is what feels most comfortable. I wonder if a day will come when I naturally reach for his arm without thinking anything of it…
Ophelia realized that her chest, which had previously been full of writhing anxiety, was now full of buoyant anticipation, and a smile bloomed across her face.
As for Claudio, well, those who spotted the couple in passing would’ve sworn that his perpetually brooding scowl softened just a little when he saw the happy expression on the face of the girl who walked half a step behind him.