Episode 165
Isaac tossed a few lumps of coal into the brazier. Before long, the kettle began to boil.
Isaac's role ended there. Since Sasha had told him with a resolute face not to even lay a hand on the tea leaves, he brought an empty plate and cut the apple pie she had brought into appropriate sizes, placing them on it. Isaac managed to find a book that was at least somewhat clean and used it as a stand, placing it on the table before setting the plate on top.
Before long, the two sat facing each other and enjoyed a modest tea time with refreshments. The confusion that had overwhelmed him only moments ago had nearly vanished. Isaac stared blankly as Sasha picked up two sugar cubes and dropped them into her teacup. Once stirred a few times with a teaspoon, the sugar disappeared as if melting snow.
“Did you come straight here? Mrs. Wells has been talking about you a great deal.”
Isaac worried over what topic to broach, then brought up Matilda. Sasha answered, breaking the edge of the pie into small pieces with her fork.
“Yes. I came straight here. Mrs. Wells knows as well.”
Isaac took out his pocket watch from his pocket and checked the time.
“There are still about two hours until I finish work. If you're spending time with her, I'll come to get you later.”
“Ah, it's all right. I've arranged to meet and spend time with Mrs. Wells tomorrow.”
“…Tomorrow?”
“Yes. I'm going to stay here overnight.”
Sasha answered as smoothly as flowing water. Isaac stopped eating his pie and blinked.
“This is the first I'm hearing of it.”
“I'm telling you right now.”
“…What if I have to return to the mansion today?”
“Then go. I will impose upon the Major's quarters.”
Sasha answered with a peacefully smiling face and drank the rest of her tea.
A brief silence passed. Isaac set down his fork, looking as though he had completely lost his appetite. Without realizing it, his lips poked out ever so slightly in a pout.
“I see. I wondered why you suddenly came to visit, but I was just an excuse. You came to meet your friend.”
“….”
Sasha made an expression of holding back laughter without answering.
“Now that I think about it, it's exactly the same as when you first came here. Is recuperation your purpose this time as well, 'Madam'?”
Words flowed out laced with sarcasm without him realizing it. Sasha was now openly twitching her cheeks as she looked at him.
“Of course, I can't say I have no other intentions. But it's true that I came because I was worried about you.”
“I see. So you planned to look after me roughly in passing and meet your friends.”
“Look after you roughly? No. And there's another reason I came here. Of course, it's related to you. Isn't there something you've been needing to say to me all this time?”
His lips, which had popped out in a pout, slipped back in. Isaac retreated backward defensively. The plush sofa enveloped his broad back, sinking him deep into it.
Isaac tossed back the rest of his tea without even knowing what it tasted like.
Instead of answering Sasha's question, he sprang up from his seat.
“I'll take early leave.”
“But you said you were busy.”
“…The urgent matters are finished. I can come back and do the rest tomorrow.”
Isaac grabbed the jacket draped over his chair and put it on, glancing sideways at Sasha, who was sipping her remaining tea.
“You didn't come alone, did you?”
“Ah, of course. I came with Charles.”
Having grown used to Isaac's nagging and excessive protectiveness, which had intensified since her hospitalization, she nodded with an unperturbed expression and answered cheerfully.
＊＊＊
The balmy midday wind of September tickled his forehead. Isaac naturally received the parasol Sasha was holding and held it over her head.
They encountered several officers and soldiers while walking to the entrance where the carriage would be. Isaac received their salutes—rendered with more rigid discipline than usual—while wrapping his arm around Sasha's shoulder to guide her along the inside. Upon reaching the entrance and looking for the carriage, Sasha calmly answered, “Charles is in the village.”
“We'll walk. I prefer walking.”
“It's still hot.”
Isaac answered with a dumbfounded expression at her nonchalant reply, yet reluctantly followed behind her. Isaac walked ahead with large strides again, then slowed his pace once more to match his wife's steps. And he glanced at his wife's profile.
It truly seemed she had come for recuperation. Just like several months ago, she wore a faint smile.
Just a few months ago, he hadn't been able to understand her behavior at all. For someone who had come to demand an apology, she had shown no signs of urgency and had acted as though he didn't exist, so he had once suspected what that woman was really after. Now that he thought about it, she had simply been purely enjoying this place.
The field grasses that had endured the sweltering summer had already grown tall enough to reach one's waist by now, and before long, they would soon turn ashen-grey. His wife would surely marvel at and love even that changed scenery.
Isaac still felt no thrill toward the landscape before him. It was no different now than before—just one common scene among many. But his wife's face as she admired it was not. Isaac no longer stole glances furtively as he once had; he now admired her profile to his heart's content.
When he reached over to tuck away a strand of curly hair tickling near her eyebrow, Sasha turned her head from where she had been staring straight ahead and looked at him. And she smiled softly.
It was a sight well worth it.
No, it was more than enough.
The village was quiet. Since it was the time to slowly begin preparing for the harvest, there was a somewhat desolate feeling compared to before, as the workers had all gone out to the fields.
Only the children, who knew neither heat nor fatigue, gathered together and played tag. A black dog followed behind the children, barking loudly. It did not look as though it was purely joining in their play. The children giggled and kept running about, regardless of whether the old dog nagged at them or chased after them as if supervising.
“You shouldn't run in the street.”
When a child suddenly popped out and nearly collided with them, Isaac naturally wrapped his arm around Sasha's shoulder, pulled her back, and admonished the child. The child, whose hair was soaked with sweat, showed little sign of repentance, shouted “Sorry!” and ran off toward his friends.
Soldiers did not seem to be a very intimidating presence to the people of this village. Perhaps it was a matter of Isaac's personal reputation.
Whether Isaac was mulling over such thoughts inwardly or not, Sasha had gone to a nearby fruit stand and was looking at the fruits. As Isaac approached, Sasha, who had already finished paying, tossed a well-ripened plum at him. Isaac caught it reflexively.
Isaac and Sasha walked into the alleyway, each amiably holding a plum. There was no particular destination. It was simply a humble sightseeing stroll, just as she had readily admitted.
The late-summer plums were sufficiently ripe, and the moment he bit into one, a sweet flavor dyed his mouth. Isaac ate the plum—a fruit he normally had no interest in—with relish, while looking over Sasha's shoulder at the goods in the general store she was eagerly perusing.
The sky, which had been completely blue, was now beginning to show patches of pink. Passing near the square, Sasha soon took Isaac's hand and entered the church building.
Since it was a weekday, the church was empty. Sasha walked between the pews without concern. Then she sat down and beckoned to Isaac.
Isaac sat beside her and watched as she folded her hands in prayer. And when she finished praying, he asked what she had wished for.
“Just the obvious. I prayed to be happy from now on.”
Sasha looked at the cross on one wall with an expressionless face for a moment. She continued speaking while still gazing at the cross.
“And along with that, words I wanted to say to those who have already died.”
“….”
“Yes. Of course, there's something about that child too. ‘Sasha.’”
She added, as if she knew exactly what he was going to ask.
“I wanted to tell her thank you. And just… that I understand. It's different from pity. It's not pity. Just… I prayed to deliver those words.”
“….”
“And this is something I've been thinking about for a while now. Isaac. I'm going to return this name.”
Isaac stared at her without any reaction.
“Since I've already given up the surname Grayson by marrying you, I thought I'd change the remaining name as well.”
“…Do you have a name in mind?”
“No. Not yet. I don't know. Right now any name feels strange and unfamiliar, so I plan to think about it gradually. I'm just borrowing the name until then.”
“….”
“Will you help me too? Finding my new name.”
Isaac nodded and answered.
“Of course. I'll think about it as well.”
Sasha smiled faintly and rested her head on his shoulder. Isaac carefully wrapped his arm around her shoulder, taking care not to touch his wife's injured arm.
Once the conversation stopped, the surroundings fell completely silent.
Feeling her shallow breath against the nape of his neck, Isaac put his left hand into his pocket and fiddled with something.
“…Sasha. There's something I must tell you.”
Finally, he opened his mouth with a resolved expression.
“It's about my post… Actually, my retirement may have to be delayed a little.”
Isaac spoke cautiously and looked across at her. Sasha was looking at him with an expressionless face. She didn't seem very surprised.
…As expected, she already knew.
“You don't seem surprised.”
“…Um, yes. Actually, Mrs. Wells kept mentioning there were several houses suitable for a private residence, so I had a rough idea.”
“I don't plan to keep a separate residence. I can commute back and forth from the capital.”
Sasha didn't answer. Isaac continued as if stung in advance.
“There are still some matters left. Things the General had been involved in are surfacing here and there, and some people have asked me to stand as a witness. But this doesn't mean I've been promised some high position because of it. Rather, I've greatly fallen out of favor with my superiors because of this matter. During the investigation into the operational report case, it was discovered that intelligence had planted people within the military. Strictly speaking, it's a matter between agencies, but somehow it became known that I had cooperated with those people….”
“I understand. The military must regard you with considerable displeasure.”
“…Yes. Anyway, with this… my path to promotion is truly blocked. But that means I won't be called out for any more serious and dangerous missions.”
Instead of answering immediately, Sasha stared at him intently.
“Still, I'll settle things and truly retire within a few years.”
“Does the Count know?”
“Yes. We exchanged letters about it recently. When I asked him to wait a little longer, he said he understood.”
“…I understand. Though you've fallen out of favor with your superiors, there are still many people who trust and rely on you.”
He had expected her to react angrily again, saying that he had not discussed it with her, his wife, first, but Sasha was unexpectedly calm.
She fell silent for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts, then looked back at him.
“This isn’t as serious as I thought. Why did you take so long to say it?”
“Not serious? It means my receiving a title will be delayed that much longer.”
When Isaac replied, Sasha laughed as if she found it absurd.
“So what? Did you think I’d rush you because I wanted to be called ‘Countess’ even a day sooner?”
“No. That’s not it, but.”
“Then why?”
“In any case, it was stated in the contract with you. That I would receive a title right after we married.”
Sasha did not answer. Instead, she laughed.
Isaac, still strangely oblivious in the oddest ways, merely raised his eyebrows and looked at her, but Sasha kept laughing regardless. She laughed because the sight of him, still so foolishly upright, was lovable.
“It’s all right, Jack. And the contract was practically void from the moment I lied to you anyway.”
“……Are you done laughing?”
“No.”
Sasha laughed a little more.
Isaac waited patiently until she had finished.
Then, as she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, he suddenly took a box from his pocket and held it out to her.
“What is this?”
Sasha asked, pausing as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Without answering, Isaac opened the small box and showed her the ring inside.
Yes. It was a ring. A ring with a relatively simple band, set with a green emerald of quite striking size.
Sasha froze where she was, looking back and forth between the open box and Isaac, who was still watching her with a stiff, displeased expression.
“I already have a ring.”
She murmured blankly.
Isaac answered without even looking at her.
“That one isn’t ‘real.’”
“…….”
“Give me your hand.”
Isaac said to Sasha, who gave no reply.
Any trace of laughter had long since vanished. She looked at Isaac with an expressionless face, then removed her glove and held out her bare hand to him.
Isaac took off the original ring from her fourth finger and slipped the new one on. Sasha raised her hand toward the sunlit window and stared at the way the jewel sparkled.
When she turned back to him, her face looked not merely expressionless, but as though she were about to cry.
“……Why on earth didn’t you tell me beforehand? I have nothing to give you right now. I only brought one pie.”
“You should probably fix that habit of thinking of everything as an equal exchange. And if it bothers you that much, then the price has already been paid.”
The words did not come easily. He had never said anything like this before. He had never even imagined he would.
“……You. I mean, the fact that you’re by my side already…….”
As he was forcing the words out with the feeling that he might die, Sasha reached out and threw her arms around him.
Isaac carefully embraced her.
From the nape of his neck came the sound of sniffling, along with damp drops that must have been tears. Isaac silently patted her back.
“……You’re really terrible with words.”
She said, and Isaac replied with a face that did not look particularly hurt.
“I know.”