Chapter 36
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***
She flinched as if she'd been doused in cold water.
This gold coin was her reward for being a slave. She had finally succeeded in pleasing her master.
Perhaps it was a momentary lapse into sentimentality that made it seem so insulting. Or maybe she was subconsciously making an improbable assumption.
Either way, she couldn't help but laugh at her own foolishness.
"Thank you......."
Delnia swallowed hard and bowed to him. It was a self-deprecating act, a reminder of her predicament.
Roan watched wordlessly as she busied herself with turning red and then blue again.
He knew she was feeling shameful and humiliated, for that was what he had intended.
Still, it didn't feel as pleasant as he'd expected.
But Roan decided not to probe too deeply into why. If he was going to make the woman obedient, he would do it the hard way, the way he was doing now.
Even if the process made him strangely uncomfortable.
***
The only good thing about being Roan's exclusive was the free time she had thanks to his frequent outings.
It wasn't like she had anything to do, but it was still liberating to not be so tense that her hands and feet went numb.
On those occasions, Delnia's favorite place to spend time was in the garden. It was the only place in the manor where she could breathe, so it was inevitable that she would frequent it.
And today was one of those days when Jack would be visiting the flower garden early in the morning. He'd stop by Marcel's lab on the way, and if she was lucky, she might finally hear back from Sophie.
Her steps bounced with anticipation as she strode across the grounds.
A familiar straw hat poked out from among the colorful flowers and leaves in the flowerbeds. Delnia approached him with an light steps.
"I'm here, Jack."
"Uh, Delnia, welcome."
Jack greeted her warmly. His Imperial accent was second nature to him now, thanks to his frequent interactions with Delnia.
He headed straight for the faucet and washed his dirty hands, then dried them roughly on his apron. Then he pulled something out of his pocket.
"Here, what you've been waiting for."
Delnia's face lit up as she finally received the reward for her long wait.
She turned it from Jack and quickly scanned the two letters. One was from Sophie, the other from Marcel.
"Thank you so much, Jack. These letters are really important to me, and I wouldn't have gotten them if it weren't for you."
"It's no big deal. It's not hard at all."
"Still."
Jack watched with amusement as Delnia was visibly pleased, then spoke up.
"Can't wait to read it, can you? Don't help me today, go back early."
"Is that okay?"
"Sure. Oh, wait. I'm giving you flowers. Take them."
Delnia followed Jack in silence as he hurried off somewhere.
As he had told her when they first met, he often plucked flowers from the flowerbed for her.
She wondered what it would be today. There was something about the thrill of recognizing a flower that she would never have encountered if it weren't for him that lightened her step.
Delnia, however, was left speechless by the scene before her.
Irises of an exquisite bluish-purple hue painted a corner of the flower bed like a watercolor.
Their petals danced in the gentle breeze. It was a fantastic scene, like a violet dawn spreading across the land.
"Aren’t they beautiful? It finally bloomed two days ago."
Jack asked proudly, watching Delnia, who couldn't take her eyes off the flowers.
She couldn't help but nod, the lush, beautiful colors bringing back memories.
"The color is a little different from the usual irises."
"Oh, yes, they only grow in the north. I barely managed to get them in, they're hard to get to bloom."
It had taken up a small corner of the flower bed, and Jack, who knew a lot about plants, said it was a tricky flower to grow in more ways than one.
She knelt down in front of it and inhaled deeply. The fragrant, delicate scent of the flower made her feel fresh.
It seemed almost too good to be true. Delnia turned her head, thinking she would refuse Jack's favors for the day, but then she was surprised by his gesture.
Jack was waving his hand, as if he were about to pluck all the irises.
"Take them all."
"All? That's too many, and besides, Jack worked so hard to grow them, it would be a waste."
"It's going to rain hard soon. They’ll be destroyed anyway."
Delnia followed Jack's finger to the sky and let out an ahhhhh.
Sure enough, the sky had been cloudy and gray the last few days. It was the beginning of the rainy season, and once it started, it might rain for days.
"Still, it's too much for me to keep for myself."
Delnia muttered with an embarrassed smile.
It was more than enough for her windowless, cramped room, and it wasn't as if she had anyone to share it with.
Just then, Jack, who seemed to be pondering something, spoke up.
"Delnia, you said you've been spending all your time with the Colonel lately, right?"
Delnia nodded, her face ambiguous between smiling and not smiling. It was a little embarrassing to explain that she'd become his exclusive assistant as if she was his lover.
"Then give them to the Colonel."
"The flowers? I don't think he'd like them."
Delnia replied, recalling the drab bedroom and study where she'd never given room to something as beautiful but useless as a flower.
"No. He like them."
But Jack was sure of it, and he gave Delnia, who looked at him questioningly, a reason.
"Because it was the only flower the Colonel asked for its name."
"..................he asked you for the name of the flower?"
Jack replied, still sounding confident as he looked at Delnia, who repeated the question as if she had just heard something she couldn't quite believe.
“Yes. The Colonel doesn’t usually care for flowers, but he asked me about this one. That's enough to prove he likes them, right?"
With that obvious conclusion, Jack thrust a beautiful bundle of flower at Delnia.
"So, Delnia, give it to him. I'm sure he'll love it."
Jack smiled broadly. It was the kind of smile that made it impossible to say no.
Delnia didn't even bother to nod before she took the flower bouquet in her arms, the blue-violet petals swaying in the air and tickling her chest.
***
Returning to her room, the first thing Delnia did was open Sophie's letter.
[Dear My Lady.
You have no idea how happy I am to receive a letter from you!
If only I could convey this joy to you, but alas, I have not only good news.
Marianne is still reeling from the shock of the events. She spends most of her time in bed and often has seizures at night.
I'm sure she'll get better, though, because I can’t think otherwise.]
Her heart was heavy with the news that her mother's health was not so good.
She could only hope that Marianne would be able to keep her mind under control, but if it was a traumatic illness, she was relieved to know that Sophie was with her. She was better off than she was, after all.
[I can't tell you how comforting it was to hear that at least you’re safe.
Though I was surprised to hear you’re at Roan's mansion.
Still, I suppose it's better than no one at all........... Now that I think about it, I'm not so sure.
But however cold-blooded he's become, I doubt he'll ever completely abandon his old friendship. After all, even beasts know grace.............
I'll be praying that's the case for your sake].
At this point, she had to swallow her breath. Delnia continued to read the letter, trying to figure out how to phrase it.
[Oh, and as for the item you mentioned, thankfully it wasn't taken away.
But when I gave it to the nuns for Marianne's convenience as a token of gratitude, there wasn't much left.
There are no pawnshops in this damned village, and I'm not free to go outside, so I have no way to sell what's left.
So it would be a great help if you could help me with expenses on my way back to Belfort, assuming, of course, that I can get back to Belfort at all.
I'll do my best to make sure Marianne is feeling at least as well as she can, so please take care of yourself, Young Lady.
I look forward to seeing you again safely, as you say, and to returning to Belfort together.
Sophie, the young lady's nanny].
Delnia wished she could find a way to get some more money, just in case.
Pushing the problem to the back of her mind, Delnia finished reading Marcel's letter.
There wasn't much in it. Just a note of regards and a request that she feel free to continue corresponding with Sophie.
'I know it's a bit much to ask how you're doing so many times, but.......’
***
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