Cinderella Did Not Leave Her Shoe Chapter 28-30
28 Jealousy Jealousy
With that, we
were friends, and I was allowed to visit the Palace. The chamberlain came up to
get his attention again.
Although I took
the Palace visit permit at face value, I’m glad that he wasn’t displeased at my
request.
He eventually
left with the chamberlain and the door closed behind them.
As soon as the
door shut, Mother collapsed back in her settee laughing.
‘Hahaha, like
father like daughter…’ she said. (Zuben: I was going to say the same thing)
My Mother
laughed herself silly, Father sighed as he turned to look at me.
‘You have to
study a bit more now. You are in dangerous waters.’
That…? How am
I like father?!
♢
When we got
home, I received a lot of words from Father, and was told I should reflect. But
on what should I reflect?
Now I’m lying
in bed thinking about it. But my thoughts inevitably turn to General Brennan. I
became a bit anxious.
General
Brennan wanted me to be his wife. He kissed my palm. It had made me embarra.s.sed
enough to blush, but I felt happy and nyonnyo.
His hands were
so big, and he smelled like a forest. And his baritone that reverberated
through me and caused a heat in the pit of my stomach, his twinkling hazel
eyes…
It’s too nice!
General Brennan, I love you! I pushed my face into my pillow and kicked my legs
in excitement. Such a wonderful person, why are you looking at me? What a
miracle! Perhaps because of this, I have used up all my life’s good luck.
(Zuben: You haven’t. it's just the beginning!)
I would like
to be engaged as soon as possible, if possible, before the General could change
his mind. So that things will be fait accompli. It would be possible if the
General’s feelings change. Thinking of the engagement makes me feel impatient.
I feel
insecure.
Our ages are
vastly different, I have no special skills, I am not a absurdly beautiful. My
personality is somewhat…ah~ this might be difficult. I don’t know the general
very well, and he doesn’t know me well either. If I think about it deeply, our love
seems to be made up of very ambiguous and unstable things like beliefs and
misunderstandings.
Yet…'I want to
see you, General Brennan.’ I say to the empty room quietly.
We might meet
and get to know each other better and think “This person is different from what I
imagined,” but I just saw you not too long ago and I want to see you already.
Even if I say it out loud, I know it’s meaningless, but I can’t stop thinking
and talking.
I want to see
you, but can’t meet.
I don’t know
how we can meet. What excuse do lovers of the world use? I wonder if you would
like to see me too.
I sighed.
My darling,
where are you?
My thoughts a
like a bear in a cage; going round and round. That thought made me laugh to
myself.
There was a
knock on the door, I called out and Marie came in,
‘Milady, it is
tea time. Cook made lemon pie!’
Tea would
nice, but I didn’t feel like eating for some reason. But Marie dragged me to
our drawing room. Did she want to eat the lemon pie that much? When we entered
the room, I gasped in surprise. The drawing room was filled with bouquets of pink flowers.
‘What is
this?’ I asked Marie.
‘They are from
General Brennan for you, lady.’ She said proudly.
It’s a lie.
Mother put her
cheek in her hand and looked at the flowers with a soft grin, ‘In flower
language, the arrangement means “You are attractive”’
‘Why is Mother
so detailed?’
‘That is what
Oliver told us.’
As expected, I
didn’t think Mother was the kind of person to be well versed in flower
language. But why would a butler know about flower language?
‘The charm of
the young lady is finally appreciated! You did it!’
I looked at
the flowers, General Brennan do you think me attractive?! The message could be
unintentional. He may have just picked this arrangement because he liked it.
Even so, I’m happy.
My face is
pink.
I took a seat
and Oliver gently set tea and a slice of pie before me with a gentle smile,
‘It’s a good
thing, Miss.’
‘Thank you.’ I
said as I picked a piece of the pie. I had thought I didn’t want it, but the
refreshing sweet-sourness filled me with joy.
♢
I chatted with
Mother and Marie for a little but after tea. A little while later I headed back
to my room. On my way, I was stopped by Oliver. He handed me a while envelope,
‘This came
with the flowers. I thought you might prefer to read it by yourself.’
I quickly
looked at the sender and my cheeks got hot.
‘Thank you,
Oliver.’ I said. Then I quickly returned to my room.
I went
straight to my window seat and opened the seal.
It was from
General Brennan of course. His feelings were written out in a dignified
handwriting. He said he wanted to meet me and hold me. He had been jealous
seeing me getting along with Prince Stefan and he would like to get the wedding
sorted as soon as possible. (Zuben: Before someone else comes and carries his
kitten off)
Oh my
goodness! The letter made me feel feverish and shy.
He was
jealous, it makes me happy.
I was also
jealous of the Prince who was close to General Brennan.
Lets also be
friends!
Chapter 29 Volker: Men who are not good at standing?
I returned to
my office because of the emergency. Nicolo informed me that my adoptive father
had come to visit.
He has long
since retired from the army. He was elderly now, but still very strong and
active due to a long army carrier.
I communicated
with Nicolo with our eyes, “Isn’t it just my father?”
“It’s still
urgent,” he replied (Zuben: They be psychics!)
I went to my
reception room where my father sat drinking some tea.
‘Father, are you
alright? Why the sudden visit?’
He had never
come to see me at work before. He eventually moved from the Royal City to live
a quiet life in the country with my mother. And he never asked for much,
neither did he come to visit unannounced. So I had a bad feeling about this.
‘I am fine. I
have come because I heard a little rumour.’ He replied.
The bad
feeling turned into a surety.
The rumour is
probably about the incident at the theatre. In other words, he’s come to ask
about Fredericka. I took a seat across from him, and my father looked at me
quietly.
‘Volker, are
we getting a daughter in law?’ he asked directly. My father really preferred to
be direct. I smiled, I hadn’t seen him for a while, it was nice to know father
hadn’t changed.
‘Yes, a pretty
bride.’
‘I’ve heard
it’s the young Honourable Miss Castley.’
‘Yes, her name
is Fredericka.’
‘How old is
she, isn’t she still young?’
‘She’s
seventeen.’
‘Seventeen!’
Father was
silent after that. I guess he didn’t know there was such a large difference in
age. Then my father looked up at me with a smile as he said,
‘You’ve done
well my boy! This is wonderful news. The most wonderful news!’
It was the
first time I had seen Father this happy with anything I had done. I returned a
puzzled smile.
‘It’s been a
long wish of mine that if I had a daughter she would be the bride or second
wife of the Viscount Castley, but it never came true. And now, you and the Miss
Castley…’
Now I’m
hearing ridiculous things.
‘Father, what
do you mean?’
Father gave me
a look and said, ‘Ignore what I said,’ and took a sip of tea. (Zuben: It was a
weird thing, daddykins)
During the
last great war, thanks to the abundant financial aid of the Castley family, the
morale of the soldiers fighting in the war was replenished due to the high
quality food and equipment supplied to the army by the Castley scion at the
time. It was Mr Castley that worked with the Prime Minister in negotiating a
cease fire and eventually the peace treaty.
He came up
against a lot of impossible conditions and opposition. My grandfather seemed to
heavily rely on the Castley money in that war and drew upon it without
permission. He used the Castley money to pay reparations to the neighbouring
countries we were at war with. It was a huge amount of money. It was
unbelievable that all that money came from a single merchant.
My
grandfather, after it was said and done, lowered his head to Merchant Castley
in apology and thanks. He was presented with honours that would be given to a
soldier that risked life and limb for the country.
Then there was
a rumour that the Merchant Castley had loaned the money from a money lender.
Grandfather investigated the source of the rumour and the person’s tongue was
cut.
Merchant
Castley had a gold vault, and that was where the money came from. The King apologised
to the Merchant Castley, but he replied to the king with a laugh, “I’m a very
good money maker, who else can lend to the King but me?”
Eventually we
were able to collect reparations and quickly repaid our debts.
Grandfather
fell for the spirit and talent of Merchant Castley, and vowed to repay the
favour.
‘But the
Merchant Castley was not happy with the rise in rank, on the contrary to him it
felt dishonourable for a nouveau riche like himself to rise in such a way. He
had hoped that the status of the Castley family would have risen more
steadily.’
‘So you’re not
against the marriage?’ I asked my father, just to confirm.
‘No, I was
happy to hear about it. I will ask to greet her family soon.’
After that, I
asked Viscount Castley to inform the King and Queen of the impending engagement
to Fredericka. And the application for marriage was prepared to be submitted to
the House of Lords.
Soon we found
ourselves just the two of us, in her family’s drawing room.
30 I’ve
Waited…
The sound of
the door closing sounded strange or was it just in my mind?
The room that
had been filled with a fluffly atmosphere suddenly changed. Rather like from
sweet pink to dark pink!
Somehow I
became embarra.s.sed and put a little distance between General Brennan and me on
the two seat sofa.
Isn’t my elbow
too close? I stayed put but I could not bear it!
‘Fredericka,’
he called in his deep voice, he turned to me holding out his arms.
I stared
blankly.
‘Come.’
Come? Come to
your knees?!
I could not
refuse, his smile was so charming. But I really didn’t want to do that though.
‘Well,
then…please pardon me.’ I asked as I let him lift me onto his knees.
My cheeks got
warm as I settled down. Right, I’m a girl with strong nasal mucosa! Strong
girl! I will not lose to nosebleeds. I cried in my heart while sitting on his
legs. There is such a hard feeling different from the chair. Are men’s leg
muscles so hard? (Zuben: I think it’s just your man, dear) My b.u.m doesn’t have
enough fat to cushion me.
‘Aren’t I
heavy?’ I asked.
The general
waved my question away, ‘I’ve told you before you’re not that heavy.’
He hugged me
tightly from behind. My back and the general’s stomach were stuck together and
it’s very warm. That deep forest-y smell that seems to represent him surrounds
me, I like it very much. It was such a calming scent. But, the situation was
not letting me calm down at all.
‘Ah um General
Brennan…’
‘When you stop
calling me that?’ his voice said directly into my ear. There was a warm wet
feeling behind my ear. He’s licking my ear!!
‘Brennan is my
family name, General is a t.i.tle. Can’t you call me Volker?’
His cheek was
against my ear. Did he just kiss my ear? My brain was turning to mush at his
unique baritone in my ear. My whole body is perspiring. I suddenly softened, so I was strongly
embraced and pulled close. (Zuben: ero ero oyaji)
‘Do you not like
it?’
Don’t say such
a thing! I don’t dislike, my body is selfish.
‘Fredericka,’
My body
bounced at the sound of my name on his lips.
‘Ah Vo-l-ker,’
Oh gosh, I can’t even speak.
‘I don’t
dislike it…I’m just ashamed…’ I finally said. I used my hands to cover my face.
However,
General Bren- I mean Volker seems to be happy about it, ‘I’m sorry, I was
just…’ he didn’t finish his sentence, but I was released.
Ah I’m already
worn out…
I was returned
to my seat beside him drinking tea. My cheeks were hot. I would rather be
drinking something cooler. Because I am still a little girl, I’m very sorry, I can’t
handle a grown up erotic atmosphere. But I don’t want to be lazy.
I’m curious.
I’m
interested.
What should I
do? Should I tell him my feelings frankly?
Yes, let’s do
that.
‘Volker,’
He immediately
put an arm around me and pulled me close. My body tingled, but I didn’t hate
it. Good.
‘I don’t know
anything about things like this, and I think I will inconvenience you, but I
will do my best, so please tell me, will you?
I tucked my
face into his arm once I finished.
But he was
silent.
I looked up. I
was surprised to see Volker’s face was red.
Is he sick? (Zuben:
Well…this is a very patient bear, is all I can say)
♢