Falling To Paradise

Meg mentally checked the items needed for the couple’s first night together.

 

‘There’s already a candle in the inn, and I should ask Mrs. Hudson, who runs the inn, to get a good bottle of wine.’

 

It was a pity that the shy couple were still sleeping in separate rooms, but she couldn’t miss this opportunity.

 

She was determined to use all the wisdom of her years to help close the distance between the couple so that Fitzroy II could be conceived safely.

 

TL/N: LOL.

 

“Then, I’ll head to the kitchen first.”

 

“Alright, I’ll clean outside so I don’t get in the way and come in later.”

 

Unlike before, when Aiden would often ask, “What do you mean, get in the way?” he just turned his body and shrugged his shoulders.

 

Seeing the shyness in his movements, Meg burst into hearty laughter.

 

* * *

 

Aiden carefully held the paper with information about the fair and headed straight to the kitchen. He wanted to share it with Anje as soon as possible and get a definite answer to go together.

 

“Ah, Sir. Is this the right thickness to cut the tomatoes?”

 

Right. He had asked her to pick and cut tomatoes from the field before he left the house so he could meet Meg separately and ask for her advice.

 

“Yes, that’s perfect. Then I’ll make a breadcrumb mix.”

 

Today’s dish, using ripe red tomatoes, was tomato gratin. It was a simple dish to make by layering thin tomatoes and breadcrumb mix in a buttered pan and baking.

 

“Ta-da. I made it in advance before you came.”.

 

Aiden tasted the mix Anje handed him with a spoon. It had just the right amount of butter, salt, sugar, pepper, onion, and breadcrumbs.

 

“Perfect. There’s nothing left for me to teach you.”

 

“At this rate, we could open a restaurant, don’t you think?”

 

“Yes, Mrs. Cook. Or should I call you Chef instead?”

 

“Chef, huh? Sounds good, like Jean-Pierre.”

 

Anje, smiling as she answered, widened her eyes when she saw the paper Aiden handed her.

 

“I brought some valuable information for you, Chef.”

 

“This is… a summer fair?”

 

She raised an eyebrow and read the large print.

 

“Are you interested?”

 

“Wait a moment. Let me read it carefully.”

 

Not knowing exactly what the fair entailed, she couldn’t answer easily. After wiping her wet hands on her apron, she took the paper and read it thoroughly. Her green eyes lit up when they landed on a word in the corner of the flyer.

 

“Here! I want to go here. Oh, I mean, can I participate in this?”

 

“Where do you mean?”

 

She turned the paper so he could see the word clearly.

 

“The pig breeding contest, here.”

 

“The pig breeding…”

 

He had thought she would be excited about a play or dance party, but he was wrong. He chuckled and nodded.

 

“Since you’re from Leslie too, of course, you can. You want to show off Pa-Pi-Pu, don’t you?”

 

“That’s right! They’ll easily beat the other pigs.”

 

Anje, stamping her feet in excitement, asked Aiden,

 

“Do they offer prizes if you win?”

 

“Yes, I believe the prize is quite substantial.”

 

He remembered someone in the same unit bragging that the pumpkin he planted before he enlisted grew well and won first prize at the fair.

 

The regions were different, but they were both towns of similar size to Leslie, so they would probably operate in a similar system.

 

“Really? Then I must participate.”

 

Not only would she get to showcase Pa-Pi-Pu’s charms, but she might also be able to pay back Sir Aiden for the pigs’ cost, which had been weighing on her mind all along. She couldn’t miss an opportunity, no matter how small, to lighten her heart.

 

Excited, she grabbed Aiden’s hand and shook it, then quickly let go. Again, he was looking at her with a strange look in his eyes, and it seemed like an awkward atmosphere was forming.

 

Carefully not to reveal her unsettled feelings, she turned to the counter.

 

“Well, anyway, the fair sounds great. I’d like to go. But are you okay with it? There will be a lot of people.”

 

“Yes, I’ve made arrangements to rest if I feel unwell.”

 

He said this as he lightly kissed her cheek, explaining that he couldn’t avoid crowds forever.

 

TL/N: KYAAAH!!!!

 

The tomato in Anje’s hand rolled to the floor. She stammered, turning as red as the tomato.

 

“W-What was that just now?”

 

“Just thanking you for your consideration. You taught me this greeting, so why are you so surprised?”

 

Had he said this teasingly, she would have snapped at him and told him not to fool around. But since he lowered his eyes and blushed, having done something bold, she couldn’t be harsh.

 

After rolling her eyes for a while without saying anything, she picked up the tomato she had dropped and washed it clean. Her grip on the knife was firmer than before.

 

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s start preparing the meal quickly. A verbal thank you is enough.”

 

“Understood, Chef.”

 

As he took out the pre-prepared biscuit dough, Aiden asked a question that suddenly came to mind.

 

“By the way, was there anything special in the Duke’s letter?”

 

“Ouch!”

 

Because of Aiden’s pointed question of what she was trying to forget, she cut her fingertip slightly.

 

“Darn it…!”

 

Seeing the drop of blood on her wound, Aiden was more shocked than the injured party herself and hurriedly searched for a cloth. He wrapped her wound tightly with the cloth and spoke solemnly.

 

“Please sit here. I’ll fetch the first aid kit in a moment.”

 

“It’s fi—”

 

Before she could finish a syllable, he was already gone.

 

“It’s fine—”

 

He returned to the kitchen even before she finished her sentence.

 

“Wait a minute, Sir Aiden. There’s no need for a bandage. It’s just a light cut.”

 

“Nonsense. What if it gets infected? I’ve always told you that infections are dangerous.”

 

Because of his adamant stance, she couldn’t move and ended up with a thick bandage on her fingertip. Naturally, she was excused from the rest of the cooking process.

 

“Here, say ah.”

 

“My right hand is fine. I don’t need you to feed me!”

 

She barely managed to stop him from offering to feed her during the meal.

 

“Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden lately?”

 

He hid his true feelings and replied nonchalantly.

 

“Does a husband need a reason to be nice to his wife, young lady?”

 

“……Since when did you start acting like my husband?”

 

“Haven’t I provided you with food, clothing, and shelter? I’ve rescued you in times of danger and nursed you when you were hurt… I think I’ve done quite a bit. Just adding a bit of seasoning now.”

 

It was the “seasoning” that was the problem. It wasn’t just light salt or pepper, but a spicy seasoning that turned Anje’s mind upside down.

 

“It’s not ‘a bit’ at all. It’s like your personality has changed. You even call me ‘young lady’ now, and your voice is so… gentle.”

 

He asked in a dispirited voice,

 

“So… you don’t like it?”

 

“No, it’s not that…”

 

“Do you want me to treat you coldly like before?”

 

“That’s…”

 

Anje couldn’t hide her awkward expression. Thinking about it, it would be strange to tell someone who was treating you well to stop doing so because you didn’t like it.

 

Before his expression turned even more disappointed, she quickly explained her feelings.

 

“It’s not that I don’t like it; it’s just that I’m not used to it…”

 

Every time he acted kindly, she was startled, and her face turned red. It didn’t work well when she tried to hold her breath to feign a blush in social circles. She was getting irritated by her own complexion that she couldn’t control.

 

“I see…”

 

He didn’t intend to make her uncomfortable, but when he saw her he couldn’t help the ticklish feelings that welled up inside him. Reflecting on his actions, he promised her.

 

“Then I’ll try to treat you as I did before. I won’t call you ‘young lady’ anymore.”

 

“Okay… Wait, then what will you call me?”

 

“Shall I go back to calling you ‘princess’?”

 

“That’s a bit…”

 

Because of the war stories she heard from him and the letter from her father, she no longer felt the same affection for the title ‘princess’ as before.

 

Aiden agreed with her.

 

“I wasn’t fond of that title either.”

 

The title was originally meant to mock her request to be treated as the Princess of Glasster, so he didn’t want to continue using it. After pondering for a while, he made a suggestion.

 

“Then I’ll call you this from now on.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Would he call her something like ‘Chihuahua’ or ‘Yorkie’ again? His answer was simple, contrary to her expectations.

 

“Anje.”

 

His voice, deep as if it came from beneath a serene lake, resonated clearly in her ears.

 

“I’ll call you Anje from now on.”

 

A sharp sensation passed through her chest.

 

‘…What is this?’

 

A strange feeling, both tingling and prickly. She pressed her hand to her chest, furrowing her brows. It was similar to what Mrs. Rosebird, her oldest tutor, called ‘back pain.’

 

Can you get back pain in your chest too? Should she use herbal compresses like Mrs. Rosebird did for her back?

 

While she was lost in her odd thoughts, Aiden couldn’t wait and asked.

 

“How is it?”

 

He didn’t show it outwardly, but he was anxious, worried that she might dislike the new title. His feet, hidden under the tablecloth, tapped the floor nervously.

 

* * * *

 

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