As luck would have it, the omen slipped into tranquility.
It had been three months of correspondence with both my fiance and his father, and around that time, I became troubled about the storage location of my received letters.
My letter had a wish for consultation from Wolf.
This is because Wolf is currently faced with a very difficult problem.
There were talks of Duke Ranuncula taking in a second wife.
The duke’s wife, that is to say, Wolf’s mother, died four years ago. During that time, these talks wouldn’t go through. There was one particular audacious lady, who since four years ago, had not been seen giving up at all.
The duke said 『Having a second wife at this age is too late』 and so he never had another person, but personally, I think he underestimated himself too much. Leaving his position as prime minister aside, if it’s that person, it wouldn’t be strange for any woman to say『I want to look after you…』.
In any case, four years had already pa.s.sed since that time, and Wolf’s engagement was officially announced. By the way, this was just from one week ago. If it’s among children, an official ceremony for the decided engagement isn’t done. I was only told to nod my head to the duke, then to my father.
At any rate, it was then that they began sinking their teeth in for a second time. The relatives began whispering things like「Think, now that your son is getting married. You’ll be lonely without a second wife in your old age」which seemed to upset the duke.
These kinds of issues, in truth, even I have it at my home. In our house there was only my father and me, and no doubt presently, there are these hards.h.i.+ps. In my family’s case, since there was no apparent heir, the fight of being the second wife was even fiercer.
There was only one single warning that came from me. Save for a woman that my father personally introduced to me, I absolutely won’t allow those sort of women to step foot into our house.
These people existed in the aristocracy.
The methods they used to show that they could become good mothers was something that I disliked. For example, taking their own servants and placing them into the household. I’ve also heard that they forced things like clothes, jewelry, horses, dogs, and cats, as much as their circ.u.mstances allowed.
Although it would be over once the latter was refused and sent back, the former was worrisome. By taking action, that means the person was capable of doing unreasonable things.
That was what I put together in writing and sent back to Wolf, and the response was this.
『There was a lady who came into the house when my father wasn’t around, alone』
That even now, she doesn’t understand the refusal for her visits, or rather than doesn’t, it was more of, she doesn’t want to understand them, was what he replied back.
It seems that woman has always liked Duke Ranuncula for a long time. She was a woman who continued to think of the duke even after he first married, and she insisted to Wolf that she couldn’t bear being away from his father.
Do you think it would go well? With that question he asked, somehow I replied to him that it might, with great effort. It was really sweet of him.
Hearing my friend trying his best, I also could not sit still.
『Even if she’s not related by blood, the most important thing is that you become a good family. That’s why, good luck. I’m cheering you on』
After composing that letter to my close friend, I sent it to him.
Later on, I would regret those irresponsible words from the bottom of my heart.
—
On a clear sunny day.
A letter came in from Wolf,and it was completely different from usual.
With an adequate envelope and stationary, there were only short sentences.
『Tomorrow is father’s birthday. The same lady will be preparing the feast for dinner. Since father will be late from work, it’s embarra.s.sing to start the conversation. It might be a bit sudden, but won’t you come? I also want you to meet her. If you come, then we could think of words to praise whatever cooking she makes together. I’ll come pick you up』
It was a pretty hasty request.
Based on the date, the『tomorrow』in the letter, meant that it was referring to today. But if I depart by noon, I might still make it for dinner.
He probably only wrote this much yesterday because he was in a hurry.
It appears like he was so nervous that he couldn’t calm down.
Although I was not socially capable of striking a conversation on our first meeting, it would be more comfortable for her to be with a woman. Above all, it would be better to have two people with her instead of one. Somehow, I wanted to try cooperating.
Unexpectedly, my father easily gave me his consent. In fact, Duke Ranuncula asked my father to come, arranging his presence for dinner as well.
It might be because of distrust, but the duke didn’t want any third party to know about the second wife candidate’s presence at the dinner. Socially, my father was considered as part of their family now.
Wolf having wrote『I’ll come pick you up』with a polite demeanor like a gentlemen in the prime of his life, sent over the Ranuncula house’s butler. Moreover with an escort.
Departing separately from my father’s preparation to go with the duke, I prepared as much as I could before leaving the house early.
For that reason, I expected to arrive at the duke’s house earlier.
I felt exhilarated.
After three months, it was a good opportunity to see him so I could confirm if he really had an unexpected growth spurt like he said. If he, who was previously shorter than me of the same age, were to grew exceptionally, I wouldn’t be able to tease him anymore.
The day was still early, I hope I’ll have time to spare before dinner. Then just like he said,『think of words to praise whatever cooking she makes 』, we would be able to think of them together.
Of course, I’ve already decided the best words to describe a heartfelt compliment about delicious food.
（In truth, it would be traumatic for the person cooking if their food causes food poisoning…）
That was when I had the thought.
My head was filled with information.
It was the second time I felt it in my life.
I received awareness after the shock receded.
Frozen solid, I heard an unpleasant sound.
Although I thought that, it was actually the sound of my teeth chattering.
Because of the s.h.i.+vering of my quivering body, no strength entered it, when the carriage merely shook I fell down from my seat.
Not caring about it, with the sound of warning bells in my head, I was able to regain some strength and hit the carriage door.
「What’s wrong!? My lady!」
「W-Where is this place? No, I mean. How long until we arrive at Duke Ranuncula’s residence?」
Even with the abnormal situation I was in, sitting on the floor with a pale face, he still responded「We’ll be there shortly」.
「Please, as much as we can, hurry. Please. Ple-…. It’s okay even if it shakes! I need to arrive as early as possible!」
Having lost his bearing, with me clinging to him with a menacing look, he could only nod back.
As the carriage started again, I gripped the seat from my place at the floor.
I remembered.
Wolfgang Eisenhut, from the game, was a misogynist. But it wasn’t like that when he was born.
The reason why he got messed up, was because of an incident.
The word that triggered my memories was『Food Poisoning』. No, rather, it was the word『Poison』.
Wolf told the game heroine, that in his childhood, he was served poison by a certain woman. On his father’s birthday, he thought that woman would become his new mother.
After somehow escaping from the edge of death because of a young body, what met him, by a forced double suicide, was the cold corpse of his father.
Thanks to Technicolordiscode for helping give me a second opiniom on this.
And same goes to midori for PR again.