Cinderella Did Not Leave Her Shoe

hohhohhoh-baguette! 

‘h.e.l.lo General Brennan.’

I ambushed the General on his wayfrom the training facility to his office. His adjutant walked a few pacesbehind, studying doc.u.ments. He looked up at the sound of my voice. The Generalhad a frightened look on his face at the sight of me.

‘Viscount Castley is something thematter?’ the adjutant asked. His gla.s.ses did not hide the concern in his gaze.

‘No, nothing of great import. If youaren’t busy, I would like a little chat.’

‘I’m sorry Viscount; I have tocreate the new practice rota…’

He is very resistant. Yet, I keptmy expression mild and asked, ‘Ah, how about lunch then?’

My gaze went to his aide, whoreturned a knowing smile and replied, ‘We could adjust things.’

‘Yes, then we can meet for lunch.’

We made an appointment to meet in thecafeteria at noon, and I took my leave of the general.

I gave him look that said “Do notsay anything unnecessary”. Did he understand? Well , even if he didn’tunderstand it okay. Yet…

♢

I headed to the cafeteria at theappointed time. His adjutant reserved a seat that had a privacy screen.

He had a keen mind, that adjutant.I want someone like him. [1]

I chose soup and grilled vegetablesand took my tray to the table where General Brennan was already seated with alarge meal of meat, vegetables, soup and bread before him.

As I sat before him, Volker lookedat my meal and said,

‘The Viscount’s meal is small,’ hisface was still impa.s.sive.

I smiled and retrieved a packet,‘My daughter is learning how to cook. She made sandwiches for me.’

General gaze was immediately drawnto the package in my hand. Hehe, he is an honest man.

‘But today, I don’t have muchappet.i.te. I won’t be able to eat all the roast beef sandwiches.’

General Brenan had a conflictedexpression on his face.

‘Do you like roast beef, General?’

‘…I like it.’ It was as though hewas reluctant to reply. He remained almost expressionless.

‘Well, I can share it with myfriend.’

‘What are…?’

‘But I do not have any friendsbecause I am disliked by my peers because I am richer than they are. Oh whatshould I do?’ (Zuben: Bribery and Corruption!)

If someone was overhearing this,they would think an old man like me was propositioning the General for anaffair. Let me tell you, I am happily married! (Zuben: Their imagination mustbe wild)

 ‘…Viscount…’ the general was trying to saysomething.

‘What is it?’ I prompted.

‘Please become friends with me!’ hesaid in a low but firm tone. (Zuben: What is this? Nursery school?!)

I tried to keep the triumphant grinfrom my face and replied, ‘To celebrate our new friendship, I shall offer you ataste of my daughter’s roast beef sandwich.’

I carefully placed half thesandwich in General Brennan’s plate.

‘Thank you,’ he said, with a slightlowering of his head. He picked up the sandwich with both hands like it was asacred item.

‘It is a beautiful sandwich.’

I burst out laughing, ‘What are yousaying General?! You are funny.’

After a long laugh, I turned to mymeal thinking; maybe we could really be friends.

[1] 欲しいなぁ translated by all as ‘Iwant it.’ I decided to change that to a less selfish ‘I want someone like him.’

11 Slender vs Glamorous(1)

Four days had pa.s.sed since thatmessenger came with the dissolution contract.

My father informed me that thedoc.u.ments had been submitted to the House of Lords and the dissolution of ourengagement had been accepted. I was officially an abandoned woman. From now on,we were unrelated people.

It seemed that everything had beencompleted without issue, but immediately after Eugene appealed for engagementto his destined woman. The Duke Cajes seemed to have been caught by surprise;for according to father, his jaw dropped and he turned red, then blue, thendark red with rage. I really would have liked to a fly on the wall when ithappened. It would have been a sight to see.

According to Father, Eugene’sfateful person was named Julia. She was rich, and most importantly, she wasslender very cute with orange hair and golden eyes. I know very well Eugene preferred very slender women. Hehadn’t liked it when my ample chest brushed against his arm when we were about together. He said awoman like me was dirty and common. (Zuben: The cad)

It had been worrying at the time.Nothing I could do worked. I tried crushing my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, didn’t work. I triedconcealing them by wearing clothes with high collars. I had tried using clothsto compensate. Even though I hadn’t been liked, l tried not to be totallydisliked.

But it had been in vain.

And in all the nonsense, my breastchanged shape a bit.

I did useless things to changemyself according to the taste of a man who did not even like me. (Zuben: Hope lessons have been learnt here)

I sighed.

Marie looked at me and asked, ‘Mylady, is it painful?’

She relaxed the cords of my corset,

‘Am I getting fat?’ I asked.

I pinched my waist; there wascertainly some extra fat. But food has been really delicious lately and I havebeen having snack eating compet.i.tions with Marie.

‘I think you have become morefeminine rather than fat. Your b.r.e.a.s.t.s are bigger and your hips are slightly rounder.You had been getting too thin.’

I was too thin before! Even now Iam thinner than normal.

I smiled vaguely at Marie as shecontinued to dress me.

Today, my clothes were serviceableand business like. I was going out with my father. After conducting hisbusiness thing, we could stop by the jewellery store I like. I haven’t beenrecently.

♢

‘We’re going to play with theGeneral today.’ My father suddenly announced in the carriage.

Eh? Why?

‘…Because I am still laying thegroundwork,’ Father muttered, not meeting my eyes for some reason. He fixedlylooked out of the window. What? Laying the groundwork for what? Was itnecessary to lay groundwork to see a play?

‘Yes, that’s fine, but…’

When I thought about it after, Idecided the general’s invitation to the play had only been out of politeness. Therewas no reason for him to invite me out. When we were having tea together, hehad asked what I did at my leisure time. I told him I couldn’t go out thesedays, but I like going to see plays. Then he said, he also liked watching playswhen he was free. I wonder if he just said that because he was trying to makechildish me feel at ease, and he was nearly as old as my father.

But, I like him…no

Maybe it did not matter.

I absently stroked the back of myhand.

‘You’ve been doing that a lotlately.’ I heard father say. I looked up to find him watching me. I looked downat my hands,

‘I didn’t notice.’ I shook my handsout. I was embarra.s.sed father had noticed it, for some reason.

This habit was childish.

‘What kind of sandwiches did you maketoday?’ he asked changing the subject.

I patted the large picnic basketbeside me, ‘Cream cheese and salmon, thick cut bacon and potato salad, shrimpand avocado.’

Father had asked me make lots ofsandwiches for some mysterious reason. Though, it was not for work. I wonderedif I made too much. Usually a n.o.ble lady like myself did not step foot in thekitchen, but it didn’t matter if it was normal or not. It was nice to be ableto make something for myself if I was peckish. As long as I’m not botheringanyone, it’s good. Right?

‘Did you make roast beef?’

‘Yes Father, because you said youlike it.’

But Father gave a vague reply andwent back to looking out the window again.

What was wrong with him today? Washe depressed? Male menopause? (Zuben: pffft hahahaha)

12 Slender or Glamorous(2)

Our carriage rode on for a while.We pa.s.sed the city centre, then through the suburbs, then farther and fartheraway from civilization. Where were we going? Were we going for a picnic? Are wegoing to eat outside? But I don’t feel like the scenery here was good.

As I look out the window, we weregetting farther away from the city. Am I really riding a carriage with Fatheror was it an imposter? Am I being sold? I"m being sold! I feel like crying.

Why isn’t father telling meanything today?

I turn to look at him, but his eyeswere closed and he was still. Was he thinking? I should be quiet and notdisturb him.

After a sometime, the carriageslowed down. There were male voices and the neighs and snorts of horses. Ilooked out the window to see a lot of people dressed in armour carryingdifferent weapons. It looked like a training ground.

What is going on?

Our steward came to open thecarriage door, and father and I stepped out with the basket in my hands.

We walked along a fence that hadbeen made from felled trees. Out in the field, a large tent dominated thelandscape surrounded by smaller tents. There were a group of soldiers outsidethe large tent.

‘Father, what are we doing here?’ Iasked nervously. But he only winked and waved at the group.

‘Hey, I’m here!’ he shouted. Thegroup turned to the sound of my father’s voice. The tallest member of the grouplooked surprised.

‘Viscount Castley?’

‘You look like you’re workinghard.’ Father replied.

Hm?!

Is it just me or was father beingoverly familiar? It was rare to see father like this.

‘h.e.l.lo, General Brennan.’ I greetedwith a curtsey. But General Brennan wrinkled his brow, frowned and bent over.

Seeing the General not want to evenlook at me, I suddenly felt like crying (Zuben: Quick! Faint! He"ll carry you) But instead Ipasted a smile on my face,

‘I’ll just be over there. Please beat ease, don’t mind me.’ I said as I went blindly in some direction that wasaway from him.(Zuben: Silly Fredericka)

‘Fre-Fredericka!’ he called.

I didn’t look back at the agonisedsound of his voice. I could hear my father laughing.

We must be here because of someimportant work.

Father usually talked to me abouthis work and his schedule when he wasn’t busy. He also usually asked for myopinion, and he listened to me properly. There was constructive criticism whenI was wrong and didn’t think things through properly, and when I had a goodidea, he would praise me and utilise the idea. But he did not tell me aboutthis,

‘Lady…’

It must be about something I couldnot be privy to.

But why did he bring me along? Wasit a test? To understand the distinction between truth and fiction?

When I think of it he might havesaid ‘come down’ but not ‘come along’. Was it something like that? Walkingabout with all this thoughts in racing about in my head, I was not watchingwhere I was going, and I tripped and fell flat on my fa...ce?

‘Fuuu…!’ My yell is like I’m on mydeathbed. I do not know how to scream cutely…(Zuben: Is there a cute way to scream?)

At the moment of falling, I wascaught by a strong armoured arm. I was turned over to see the armour I just sawearlier.

♢