Summer Vacation – Q of Hearts (Part 2)

Note: Please don’t read it in the little pop-up for the reader. For some reason it doesn’t reflect my later edits (which I often make a lot of after publishing), so please click ‘view original’.

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It’s been decided that Déborah’s wedding will be held with dignity at the church with the most history in all the country.
Because there’s the fact that her partner is a commoner as well, it’s not going to be that large and flashy a ceremony.
However, because the many guard colleagues of the groom are coming in full force, the numbers ended up larger than expected.

“Déborah…”

When I went to the waiting room to meet the changing bride, she appeared dressed up.
Right now, Déborah isn’t wearing a hyper princess-style dress, but a mature dress that fell straight down from below the busy. It fit her very well.

“You’re so pretty, Déborah.”

“Thanks, Camille.”

She gave a joyful smile. I’m looking forward more and more to meeting the groom.

After leaving the waiting room, I spotted Achille who was speaking with nobles and guards in the church. To even be looking for useful future contacts at a place like this, as expected of Achille.

“Ah-, Camille returned.”

Achille who I discovered smiled broadly at me. Uwah…
It kind of feels like I’m somebody special to Achille, so I’m feeling self-conscious. So Achille makes expressions like that too…
The guards that Achille were talking to were glancing my way. What? Does this dress… not suit me, I wonder? Or is there something stuck to my face?
While I was feeling bothered by it and looking back at them, Achille grabbed my hand.

“Sit down, it seems that the ceremony is about to start.”

“Eh-, mmn… You’re right.”

I was led by the hand towards the seats in the church, and like that, sat down next to Achille and waited for the bride and groom to appear.
Even when I was sitting down, the guards were still intermittently turning their gazes my way, but…
I wonder if I really have done something after all.
Even though I went to the trouble of erasing my tattoos today because it’s a holy matrimony, and I’m supposed to be inconspicuous…

“Camille, what is it that you’ve been looking at for a while now?”

Somewhat unhappy, Achille drew in towards me.
Even though there’s no need for him to draw in so close in a public place like this! It’s embarassing.
Perhaps knowing something, Désirée was smirking at me while suppressing a laugh.

“…Geez, what is it?”

“It might not be my place to say, but I think it’d be better if you had a bit more wariness.”

“Wariness?”

Is there a need for wariness at a wedding ceremony?

The sound of the pipe organ resounded, and the groom arrived.
The groom was an ash-blonde man who was more handsome than expected. Déborah, you’ve found a nice guy, haven’t you?
Following him was Déborah, who walked slowly, lead by the hand by Soleil. Lined up on the altar, Déborah and the groom looked joyed.

“What a nice ceremony… -,”

“…Camille, are you crying?”

I mean, it’s moving, you know. Even Désirée is also crying hugely with her nose running.
Achille took out a handkerchief and wiped my tears. As usual, he sure is good at looking after people.

“Come on, Camille.”

“Uuu… Déborahh, -sniff-”

Being unable to stop crying even then, I was embraced by Achille. He was patting my head soothingly.
Because I was reluctant to expose my messed up crying face, I stayed in Achille’s arms and buried my face in his chest.
Even after Déborah and her husband exited, I continued crying for a little longer.

※

The reception was being grandly held at another nearby residence of their viscount family.
Déborah’s mother, Adélaïde, whose whole body was dressed enough that it was “even if it’s this, I’ll still dress up properly”, was behaving sociably towards the invited nobles.
Also amongst them was the upstart baron that Désirée mentioned.
However, as expected of Adélaïde, she completely ignored the commoners that were mixed in there. She’s probably a little too blunt about it.

Until the reception began, I was escorted by Achille to the villa’s garden. In the past, Achille’s brought me here to play before.
On a small table nearby were cocktails in various colours, but recalling the painful memories from the entrance ceremony, I didn’t touch them.
It would be much too tragic if I ended up like *that again at the wedding reception.

“Should I bring some drinks with no alcohol?”

Seeing this, Achille kindly made a suggestion.

“Thanks, Achille. But I’m okay.”

I’d feel bad about having him go out of his way to bring me a drink.

“There’s no need to hesistate, you know. It’s not that far away, after all.”

When I looked in the direction that Achille was pointing, I found glasses with non-alcoholic drinks lined up, right inside the building.
Certainly, it was just a little walk away.

“You’re right.”

“Just wait a little.”

Like that, Achille went to bring me a drink.

“…You’re kind.”

The fact that he properly looks at me is something I like about him… I won’t say it though.

A little while after Achille left my side, I was surrounded by a number of men.

“Eh-… Ummm.”

Were they friends of the groom? They were toughly built, and seemed to probably be other guards, but…

“Is there something you need with me?”

After I asked them, they discussed something or other amongst themselves, and then replied to me.

“U-, Umm… We thought that you were beautiful, so we came to talk a little.”

The stern men became red, and fidgeted.
All flattery aside, they might have been looking for somebody to talk to. Amongst the nobles, the groom’s guests seemed a little timid.

“That’s fine, but I have a companion at the moment. Would you be okay with talking later?”

Achille is going to be back any minute, after all.

“Y-, Yes…”

The men immediately left. They don’t seem like bad people.
I mean, they seem interesting after all, so if I have time later, I’ll ask them various things about the groom’s personality.

Now then, Achille sure is late. Even though it’s just right there.
Or so I was thinking, when I noticed that the drinks table that Achille had gone to was surrounded by noble’s daughters. It’s the usual scene.
Noble daughters who boldly call out to an engaged man… Just where on earth does their confidence come from, I wonder. Even though Achille isn’t the type of guy who’ll lay his hands on other women while he has a fiancée.
Last time when we first got engaged there were also cases of people recommending him mistresses, but he clearly told them that he didn’t need one.
Even though it seems that the ladies’ attacks are troubling for him, Achille is still Achille. He’s that courteous, so the noble daughters who follow him around are endless!
Aahh, I’m getting kind of irritated. I can’t stay relaxed.
Even though I used to be able to tease Achille about his popularity. If it was going to be like this, I should have just talked with the guards who approached me earlier.

Unable to suppress the indignance in my chest, I took a cocktail from the nearby table.
It should be fine if it’s just one cup; the only problem was that I drank three last time. Right now I want to quell the annoyance in my heart.
I brought the red cocktail to my lips.

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tl note: let me just state in advance that i have no idea what the differences between a summer house/gazebo/gazebo/pergola/chickadee are supposed to be, or where we draw the line, and what the author is thinking of etc. etc. so a few chapters from now, just imagine a magical gazebo-summerhouse hybrid please

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