49 47. off-season






Ludia was looking out with her cheekbones. There is no familiar garden outside the window.
Lydia and her family are on a summer retreat in the Duke of Ernst's domain, north of King's Landing. The view from the mansion, which was built on a hill overlooking the estate, was expansive and softly green with human activity and nature. A cool breeze came in through the window and shook Ludia's wavy hair.
A small sigh is lost in the breeze.

"Would you like some tea, Master Ludia?

Katrin, the maid, thoughtfully suggested to her master. While Lydia, who had turned around at the sound of the voice, was having a hard time deciding what to do, another raised her hand.

I would like to eat sweets.

The maid, Petra, wore a long-sleeved dress, so even if she raised her hand, her hand could not be seen. The only thing you can do is fold the excess hem.

Why are you assuming I can sit with you?

The maid, Emilia, gave Petra an exasperated look and pointed out. The maid, Emilia, gave Petra a dumbfounded look and pointed out, but Petra only laughed in an indistinct voice.

It's not enough to have tea.

"So?

"So..." "Hmm, yes. I think I'll have some too.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. Emilia, who was about to blame Petra, overheard her master's opinion and shut her mouth.
Ludia asked Katrin to prepare food for the four of them, and Petra quickly brought biscuits from somewhere. Amused by Petra, Emilia placed the saucers and teacups on the table.
After making sure that Ludia was seated in the chair that Katrin had pulled out, Petra sat down first, and then Katrin, who had finished making the tea, sat down a little hesitantly. Then, Emilia, who had been reluctant until the end, continued to receive the gaze of Ludia and the others, and broke down. Seeing Emilia take her seat, Lydia smiled with satisfaction.
Since this is not a mansion in King's Landing, there are enough existing maids to take care of everything. The maids who had been following Lydia had less work than usual, so they had some leeway. As a result, she was allowed to stay at the mansion only while she was here. That is, to sit with the master.

"It's delicious!

Don't eat too much.

If Mr. Jörg were here, he would eat the most.

I wonder how Jörg is doing.

I wonder how Jörg is doing? - He's been beaten to a pulp by his brothers anyway.

Emilia mentioned the current situation of the Yeerks as if she could see through them. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
When they were on their way to their estate for a summer vacation, Lydia asked Katrin and the three guards if they would like to go back to their respective homes. Katrin, however, was adamant that the Ernsts were the place to return to. As if in response to Katrin's opinion that she would not return home due to family reasons, the three members of the guard also refused to return home.
Lydia ordered them to spend at least one week with their families, even though they insisted that they could not leave to protect their master. And so, instead of being the basic guards for Lydia during the off-season, each of them took a week off in turn. Now it's Jörg's turn to go home to his family.

Well, I hope Jörg is okay.

"You don't need to worry about that idiot, Master Ludia.

Emilia, you shouldn't talk like that.

I can imagine Jörg training with his brother with great enthusiasm, even though he was careful, and Rüdia made a small noise in her throat. Katrin smiled in relief when she saw her master.

I'm glad to see you're distracted.

"Ah, .......

I'm glad you're feeling better. I'm not sure what to say.

I'm sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. ......

No.

I just wanted to eat some sweets, that's all.

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a biscuit. It's hard to tell if she's being considerate or if she really means it. It was both funny and amusing to see Petra eat so deliciously.

Thank you.

Lydia looked at the three of them in turn and smiled softly in gratitude.

"Can I ask you why ......?

Emilia asked straightforwardly. Lydia smiled at the honesty of the woman who could not overlook the slightest sign of disappointment in her master.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what's going on in your life.

"...... Zak and a little, you know.

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She looked at Petra and said, "Oh, you mean when he called you a rival?

With a biscuit in her hand, Petra said without hesitation. Hearing the words that she could not say directly, Ludia gave a small groan and held her chest. Seeing her reaction, Emilia glared at Petra.

Why didn't you shut her up right away?

I'm not the one who was there. And it's not my place to use force.

Petra argues that she was not the one who was guarding him. If that's the case, Emilia wondered how she knew what Jörg was doing when he was guarding her, but then she remembered her area of responsibility and decided not to mention it further.

'That idiot is useless.

Emilia regretted that she had not been there. Jörg was not familiar with the subtleties of the female mind. He could not detect anything but a simple insult. Therefore, he judges ironic metaphors by intuition, not by content. Since childhood, Emilia has won every time they have quarreled because of her limited vocabulary.


Because he was such a man, he probably had no idea how his master would feel about the misguided words of a young apprentice gardener.

You have a unique choice of words, Isak-san. ......

Katrin smiled and offered words of comfort to her master. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I didn't think of that when you said .......

Lydia later suspected that he had used the word in a different way. She had never seen him use the word in a malicious way. It was true that he was not a good speaker, but as far as Ludia knew, the only time he had said anything close to that was when he was making a point.
I was very surprised when he said those words without even pointing them out. She was shocked that a word that meant enemy was applied to her as if it were a matter of course. My mind went blank when I thought that the boy, an apprentice gardener, was looking at me as an enemy.
In the first place, I was annoyed that the apprentice gardener did not seem to think anything of the fact that I would not be able to see him while he was back in his domain, and that was the answer to the question I had asked him. So I was even more shocked. I've known him for a long time, second only to Katrin. And yet, he hadn't treated me like an enemy. That's what I thought at the time.
By the time I was able to calm down and decide to ask him about his intentions, Lydia had already arrived at the estate.
I couldn't get confirmation because I didn't ask him, and I was torn between the idea that it wasn't true and the fear that it might be.

I've said too much. ......

The blood rushed to my head, and I refused to say anything else, and left without listening to him.

I think Zak must have hated me.

The apprentice gardener did not seem to mind hearing the fact that he would not see him for a long time. The apprentice gardener seemed unaffected by the fact that he would not see him for a long time. If such a person threw a one-sided tantrum, even if they had known each other for a long time, he would probably lose interest in her. In the event that you've got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following.

I'm not sure what to say.

"Master Lydia.

In the event that you've got a lot of time, you'll be able to take a look at a few of the best ways to get the most out of your home. Ludia turned to her, her eyes shaking with anxiety. Katrin smiled softly and left her seat, returning to Lydia with a small jewelry box.
Katrin opens the jewelry box, which is small enough to hold a necklace, and shows it to her. There was a blue ribbon with a white miniature rose charm attached to it.

"You know better than anyone that Mr. Isak is not like that, don't you, Master Ludia?

Katrin smiled and looked into her master's eyes. After looking back into her jade eyes, Lydia looked down at the ribbon of blooming white flowers.
The gardener's apprentice had given her many things, but this was the first tangible gift he had given her. This was the first tangible gift he had given to Lydia, and he had brought it with him to the estate. The things he gives are much more difficult to keep, such as carpets of four leaves, rainbows that disappear, and snow rabbits that melt. That's why this ribbon that he gave me as a substitute for not being by his side has become a truly precious talisman.
After staring at the ribbon for a while, she untied the ribbon that adorned her hair as if she had made up her mind.

"Katrin, will you put it on?

"Yes.

At her master's command, Katrin's face broke into a smile and she replaced the empty hair clip behind Ludia with a blue ribbon. A small white miniature rose bloomed in Ludia's hair.
When she saw it, she said decisively.

I won't be selfishly pessimistic until I see Zaku.

I don't want to worry Katrin and the others with my self-directed anxiety. Even if I wanted to apologize, I couldn't see him until I got back to my palace in King's Landing. I can't stick to the pending matter forever. Until we meet again, I'll trust the feelings he's given me so far and wipe away my worries.
Hearing Ludia's decision, Cathrin smiled as if to say, "Well done. Emilia looked relieved, and Petra looked somewhat satisfied.

Thank you.

Looking at the three faces, Lydia thanked them again.


As the tea was being cleaned up, someone came to Lydia's room.

Oh.

The person, who had been shown in by Emilia, looked at Lydia's face and made an unexpected sound.

"What's the matter, grandfather?

No, it's just that I can't believe my eyes that my grandson is really an angel.

When Ludia asked, her grandfather Osvin replied with a relaxed smile. Rüdia felt that this kind of turn of phrase could only come from her father, Gerald, and blood. Osvin, with his dark blond hair, resembled his father in appearance, and he was sure that his father would look like this when he grew older.

"Dear, are you interested in riding?

Riding, huh?

My grandmother, Franziska, doesn't go out with me these days.

Lydia smiled a little at her grandfather, who shrugged his shoulders, saying that he missed his grandmother Franziska.

Your grandfather is too healthy.

Osvin is in his mid-forties, and his wife Franziska is almost as old. But the riding he was referring to was of a certain speed, and his wife's refusal would mean that it would not be as slow as a walk. A carriage ride is one thing, but riding, even in a carriage, is hard on a woman of her age.

"My horse wants to run. Don't you want to go too?

"I don't blame you. I'll go with you on behalf of your grandmother.

Thank you, little princess.

Horseback riding is an experience I never had in King's Landing. Ludia was also more than a little curious. But he agreed reluctantly. Osvin took his grandson's hand and kissed it in gratitude.
After receiving Ludia's approval, Osvin escorted her to the door, saying that he was already ready. Of course, he waited until Ludia was ready to go out. She put on a wide-brimmed hat to protect her from the sun, and changed into a pleated skirt dress without panniers, suitable for riding. The hat was fastened under her chin with a ribbon to keep it from flying off.


When I stepped out of the door, a blue-haired horse with a saddle was already waiting for me. He had black fur all over his body, including his belly, and his outline stood out clearly against the blue summer sky.

It was a beautiful horse. What's your name?

Her name is Katerina.

Nice to meet you, Katerina. Nice to meet you today.

When Rydia called out the name her grandfather had given her and held out her hand to the tip of Katerina's nose, she stared at Rydia and then gently brought her face close to touch her palm. After confirming this, she stroked the bridge of his nose several times.

"You look lovely.

She seemed to be happy to be praised as beautiful by Dia.

Osvin echoed Katerina's sentiments. Lydia was glad that Katerina, who was big but had very kind eyes, was willing to let her go. Osvin praised her for being the first to greet him. He said that it was a good thing to be able to pay respect to a horse without knowing it, because riding is all about building a trusting relationship with the horse, which tickled Lydia somewhat.
First Osvin straddled Katerina's saddle, and then, with the help of his grandfather, Lydia sat down on her side.
Feeling uncomfortable at the sudden elevation of her vision, she grabbed her grandfather's clothes. Osvin smiles at his grandson.

Let's go. Hold on tight.

Osvin kicked Katerina in the stomach, making sure that she nodded her head and grabbed her own clothes with both hands.
She felt the vibration of each clacking hoof and tightened her grip on her grandfather's clothes to keep him from falling.

"Dear, look up.

Osvin urged his grandson, who was so concerned about his balance that he only looked at Katerina's head and downward, to look at the view, saying that he would get used to it after a while. When Ludia looked up with trepidation, she saw houses spreading out in the countryside below the hill where the mansion was located.

Wow.

Living in a city with many buildings, it was refreshing for Ludia to have such a wide field of vision and so much greenery. She had been here before her sister Flora was born, but she was too young to remember much about it. The blue sky stretched to the bordering mountains, and it was very refreshing. The breeze felt refreshing, not only because of its location north of King's Landing, but also because of this scenery.

Isn't this territory lovely?

"Yes, very much!

Yes, very much!" Lydia agreed with her grandfather's proud words. Osvin smiled contentedly at his grandson's honest impression and cupped Lydia's waist with one of his hands.

Then I will show you a better place. Keep your mouth shut for a moment.

Yes, .......

As soon as he said that, Osvin kicked Katerina in the stomach and increased the speed. She felt a strong gravitational pull and banged her head against her grandfather's chest. It was more of a surprise than an instruction, and she had to keep quiet.
The speed of Katerina's body made her feel as if she could easily fall off without her grandfather's support. He knew that if he opened his mouth, the vibration would cause him to bite his tongue. In the wind, which was a little stronger due to the increased speed, he heard laughter and looked up to see his grandfather laughing happily.
His innocent, boyish smile made Ludia's fear of speed fade away. He followed his grandfather's gaze and looked ahead into the distance, and the scenery rushed by with the wind. Rydia's heart leapt with wonder as she saw the scenery change one by one, the outlines dissolving like watercolors.
Before she knew it, the uplifting ride was over and she had arrived at her destination. Oswin had brought her to a meadow. Lydia suppressed her still throbbing heart. A gentle breeze passing over the meadow caressed her cheek as if to calm her down.

"How was it?

I was scared at first, but it was fun.

When he asked her how she liked it, Osvin saw his grandson's eyes light up, and he narrowed his eyes happily.

Osvin narrowed his eyes happily. This is one of my favorite places, and I'm glad I could show it to Dia.

Ludia, still riding Katerina, looked out over the meadow. There were no flowers blooming, just the green of the grass and the blue of the sky. The only sound that reached my ears was the rustling of the grass in the wind.
That was all there was to it, and it made me feel refreshed, as if my heart was empty. Rydia felt she understood why her grandfather liked it so much. Without words, she just felt the wind in her eyes and watched the scene unfold.

"I've always come here when I've had a bad day.

Osvin murmured. When he looked up at her, she nodded and said that it would not matter. This meadow seemed to blow away even the most depressing feelings.

"I guess you didn't need it anymore, Dia.

Lydia rolled her eyes at her grandfather's smiling words.
After a moment's pondering, she realized that her grandfather had realized that she had been depressed. He hadn't only worried about Catelyn and the others, but about his family as well. Reflecting on the fact that she had been more caught up in her own thoughts than she had thought, Ludia smiled back at her grandfather.

I'm glad you're here.

When Rüdia sincerely asked him to bring her back, Oswin nodded that he would be happy to do so.
Back at the mansion, Gerald was jealous that his father had gone out alone with him, and he argued with his grandfather about who should go out with Lydia next. In the end, with the help of Grandmother Franziska and Mother Octavia, it was decided that they would all go on a picnic together.
And so the summer in Lydia passed, with family plans piling up.


Before I knew it, the weather had settled down and it was time to return to the capital.
As the carriage gradually approached the mansion, Lydia's expression gradually changed into one of urgency.

"Did you come, lady?

Flora, worried about her sister who was making a tight fist on her lap, put her hand on it and looked up at her. She looked at her sister, wondering if she had gotten carriage sickness.
With her sister in sight, Lydia smiled as she exhaled softly.



Flora ......, it's okay.

Flora, seeing that her expression was not completely firm, hugged her sister Lydia.

I'm not sure what to say. So I'll share it with you.

Thank you.

Flora's sister's kindness in sharing her energy with her softened her expression this time and she hugged her sister back.
However, even as he held Flora, his thoughts were wandering in search of a solution.
She had decided to wait until the next time she saw the gardener's apprentice, but she hadn't thought about how to apologize when she saw him. I also had to make sure that he meant what he said. Although Katrin and the others had encouraged me and I believed in his character, I wondered if my negligence had affected his opinion of me while we had not met. I regret the fact that the last time I left him, I yelled at him unilaterally.
I wonder if he will forgive me when I apologize. The anxiety that arises makes me fearful of questioning the truth.
I was most afraid of how the apprentice gardener would look at me.
Her heart thudded and pulsed with an unpleasant sound.
Lydia knew this feeling. Her eyes fluttered with anxiety and she looked at her father sitting across from her. Gerald smiled at his daughter as sweetly as a flower smells.

What? What's wrong with your face?

I just remembered the morning I went to apologize to your father for ......

That's right. My heart was beating in fear.
I could barely talk to my busy father, and I was afraid that he would look at me coldly even if I apologized, because I had just shown him the worst of myself the day before.
The only reason I was able to muster up the courage at that time was because he assured me that everything would be fine. So, what should I do if I cannot find the courage to face him?

I'm ......

Dear.

At the sound of Gerald's voice, a weak-eyed Ludia looked back at her father. Gerald reached out and stroked his daughter's cheek.

"My dearest Dia. I love you, Dia. Of course, Via and Flora love her too.

True to his father's words, he had the warmth of his sister Flora in his arms. When I look next to my father, I see my mother smiling lovingly at me. My father's hand on my cheek is so gentle.

"So, it's okay. There's no one in this house who doesn't like Dia.

My father gave me the assurance that I was loved, not in words, not in attitude, but in everything. Why does it make me want to cry when I'm surrounded by love? Ludia held back the tears that threatened to well up and nodded at her father's words. It gave her enough courage to overcome her anxiety.
The carriage arrived at the main entrance of Ernst's house.
As she was about to get out of the carriage with her father's help, she heard an unexpected voice.

"Miss!

Surprised by the unexpected voice at this moment, her heartbeat jumped.
Before she could prepare herself, a young apprentice gardener appeared to greet her. He exchanged greetings with Gerald and the others and offered to talk with them. I couldn't face him, so I turned my head down when I heard his offer.
As she was unable to look up, her father's voice came to her.

"What do you want to do, Dia?

When she looks up at the voice, she is met by eyes of the same color as her own.

"I am .......

I think you have something to tell Isak.

Lydia knew that her father had noticed her, though she did not know how long. Remembering the courage her father had given her, she nodded her head in determination. Gerald stroked his daughter's hair in praise of her determination.
Silence falls as she is left alone with the apprentice gardener at the door. That must have been why the front door sounded so loud when it closed.
While Lydia was wondering how to apologize and missing the right moment to untie her mouth, the gardener's apprentice was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry about the other day, young lady!

".......

Why is he apologizing? It is you who should apologize.
And yet, as I searched for words to apologize, he didn't hide his feelings from me. Isn't he sly, unlike myself who cannot speak well?
He apologized to me, saying that he realized that his choice of words was a mistake. He said he wanted to explain the truth of his words, and even though she felt she had not yet apologized, she wanted to know, so she agreed.
Lydia waited with bated breath to hear what he would say.

"Because you are beautiful.

"Yes, .......

Lydia was taken aback by the unexpected words. The gardener's apprentice, oblivious to Lydia's condition, continued to speak. She is stunned to find that he is not joking but seriously saying a list of rhetoric that makes her feel embarrassed to hear.

On the other hand, I feel that I have to work hard to become one of them. You'll be able to get a lot more than just a few of them.

I'm not sure what he means by rivalry.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

"Do you know how to say that, young lady?

Why do you use such a confusing expression? And why do you leave it up to me to name her? How would I know? So please don't look at me with such weak eyes.



"Shh, I know .......

You'll be able to find a lot more information on the web. She almost fell into the same trap again.
She missed the opportunity to apologize and struggled to find a way to turn the conversation around. Her cheeks were hot because of him, and she groaned, unable to think clearly.
After much deliberation, she decided to ask him.

"~~ How was Zaku without me, ......?

"Huh?

"Well, you know, ...... lonely, .......

In the event that you've got a lot of time to spend with your family, including your grandparents, while you're at the estate, you'll be able to enjoy the company of Katrin and her friends more comfortably than usual. However, there were times when I wished that the apprentice gardener could have been here. Whenever I found a delicious snack or a beautiful flower, I felt that I was missing him at such a trivial moment.
When I thought about it, it was a long time that I didn't see him for more than a month. So, I wondered if he also felt a little short of something.

No, not at all.

The faint hope was immediately denied, and Lydia was speechless.

I've been thinking a lot about you.

I've been thinking about you a lot. ......?

I've been thinking about my daughter a lot, and I'm hoping she's having a good time because it's a family reunion, and I'm hoping that the perfume plants and the hibiscus will be blooming until my daughter returns. I also regretted that I couldn't take a proper break without her.

But he said something even stronger than that, and Lydia was upset. I wonder if he knows what he's saying. It was too embarrassing that he remembered himself so much that he didn't feel like he had enough. It would have been nice if he had remembered a little of himself while he was gone. Too much.
I nodded my head and wondered what was wrong with him. Lydia backs away, not wanting him to say anything more. He glares at the apprentice gardener, annoyed that he is the only one upset.
He is about to complain that it is unfair that he is the only one who is upset, when he is startled. She reminds him that his outburst had caused her to go off on a tangent, but that she had broached the subject to give him an opportunity to apologize. Realizing that she would not be able to get him to apologize at this point, Lydia resisted the urge to reprimand him.
She took a deep breath to calm herself down, bit her lip once, and opened her mouth. She couldn't look at him and kept her eyes downcast.

"...... Zaku.

"What?

Well, ......, about what you said at the end.

Yeah.

I didn't listen to Zak all the way through. ...... I was out of line, too, ...... so...

I was so nervous that my heart was racing, but I pushed the fear away, remembering how Katrin and the others had encouraged me and how my father had given me courage. Then he said the words he had wanted to say.

I'm sorry.

"It's okay. I'm sorry too.

He smiled easily.
Seeing that smile, I felt relieved that it was so easy.
The gardener's apprentice was the same as always. So, as if it was a lie that she hadn't seen him for more than a month, she pointed out what was bothering her and asked him to correct it as usual. But he laughed, and Lydia almost reprimanded him again.

Welcome home, sweetheart.

It's the first time he's said that to me. It was the first time he had said that to her, and she felt a little nervous at the same time that she knew he was back.

I'm home.

The boy, an apprentice gardener, smiled brightly as I replied with a hint of embarrassment. The smile reminded me of the meadow and sky I had seen with my grandfather.
After reaching an agreement, Lydia went to the front door to enter the mansion. The apprentice gardener, who had no other servants, volunteered to open the door for her.
As he put his hand on the handle of the door, the apprentice gardener suddenly stopped, as if he had noticed something.

"Zak?

When Ludia tilted her head, the gardener's apprentice opened his mouth thoughtfully.

"Just now, but .......

Which one is it?

I couldn't imagine not seeing you when you told me I wouldn't.

He explained that he didn't realize that he wouldn't be able to see her, and that his lack of thoughtfulness was understandable, as he could be so insensitive.

I didn't want to see her because I knew she was coming back, but I think I thought about her a lot. Is this part of being lonely?

"Wow, ......, don't ask me that!

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who can help you. In addition, he also asks Lydia something he doesn't understand. Please don't leave the defining to others.
Lydia made the apprentice gardener promise not to ask him for answers he did not understand.