FTP-79

Chapter: FTP-79d8d570748e333d1d

Today’s dish, which Aiden abaff04090 concocted from memory, was 3253336303 “fried green tomatoes.”
Seeing the not-yet-ripened e725b34324 tomatoes placed on 726b6713ba the windowsill reminded 5a6044a6a3 him of a a5f4b1f429 dish he had 083a5ef3c0 once eaten in ab932dd0e5 the barracks, so 47b4416519 he decided to 72957cb575 make it. Since it was 11d6a1efdf a dish still 2ca3acb811 uncommon in the 98d141ee6c Empire, he wanted 3747f12d5e Anje to try e49b5f4ed7 it as well.
Aiden returned 68abf20bd2 the same 6e255f4fd3 compliment Anje 34028731a2 had given 98756d680f his cooking 149c548ec3 as he 0ad5d76b80 put her fce3b36366 dish in 2a7f74b5fe his mouth.
“The cornbread you made d665522faa is delicious too. Its slightly 43bac71eac dry texture 044529b50e pairs perfectly 70c2b12f4b with the 0f2493d7c4 corn kernels.”
“Right? I really like this 36b2eb1e88 crumbly texture. It’s the 92e4804aec best when b1be6547d8 eaten with e32327114d milk.”
He slowly reached 7a2ece9655 out toward her abc72a8dce lips. After gulping down the a58d7cb690 cool milk, a white c9efc81d6d trace had been left 6be7ead9b4 on the right side 4eb090d05e of her lips.
“It’s so delicious that 9aca538745 you’ve accidentally grown a 0059ea1c3f mustache.”
Anje, who had 0c0314ffec stiffened upon seeing bd5017f64e his approaching hand, f5e99470b3 barely came to ea92998bb2 her senses and e0113e1fdb roughly wiped the 5fcaf150d0 spot he touched 8f37a282f8 with a napkin.
“Y-You could’ve just 219bd61b9e told me. I could’ve wiped it 02a691d0c5 myself.”
“Your hands seemed 091d0e5678 busy eating.”
She avoided his gaze, 4c904d7a6b staring intently at the 6cd1feb2d7 tablecloth instead.
‘Why do c4389609c5 I keep b6e726fc43 blushing like ddd08c8386 this?’
Just from his e23d137ca9 fingertips lightly brushing 4be7b09607 near her lips, 594f506254 she felt like a3d11cb011 a small bird f015a6459f was flapping wildly 25d6192864 in her chest. He, on ffe4d10b1b the other 5d829c7051 hand, seemed 2114866730 completely unaffected, 5a1937a594 making her bffe1ef46f feel even 171ee7f0dc more pathetic 1a7c58dc44 for being 0cce394a32 so easily 8b12b8b56e shaken. To shake off b1c755e27a her awkward feelings, 1358caa2d8 she quickly changed cf077c374f the subject.
“You know 3872171bfd the bird’s 53d6232491 nest visible 9de2188177 from my d12063de03 room? Did you know the 41fb99f589 eggs there have hatched?”
“I did hear some aca720d8cc chirping sounds.”
“All three baby b66cc3665b birds are great 40475cc4e1 eaters, so the 7fd734ab51 mother and father 3e5cd93ad8 birds are busy 6080e41ed4 carrying food back 870a9b0024 and forth.”
They had even 5627342b2e come down to 785e5bd64e her garden a 87c76e6694 few times, taking 7f9a5ecd25 earthworms wriggling between f3b2755c97 the soil.
Watching such 2075c09bc4 small creatures, 2a218645e4 no more 6d97368fe3 than a e1d93a6c43 handspan in 3205bf7067 size, work 9b10270878 so diligently 14b2a9a634 for their ac90efa620 babies fascinated f21241b587 her. Whenever she ad5aaaef22 had time, d01dc5f904 she would c44e7835d7 grab her 562e8fa2d1 opera glasses 606422d7cf and observe 43a379a28f them.
Hearing her lively cc15677330 description, a smile caa1d0823e naturally spread across 3d55e85efb Aiden’s face.
“They seem adorable. Can I come and 788d3d640b take a look later?”
“To my room?”
At the mention of 36c8f10dfb “room,” memories of what fef4457dcc had happened not long f0dad659f9 ago naturally came to 3a356acf82 mind, and it felt e7877adfc5 like a large stag 2b56800237 was wildly stomping on 5b9141305f her chest.
She imagined feeding a 1920225cad leaf to the imaginary 89b8b811ca deer to calm it 335a7e1c0a down.
“Of course. Feel free to come 2e40861dfe by. I’ll even lend you 6f45c25509 my opera glasses.”
Was that natural? It sounded natural, 2839fd3709 right? Surely it 9b59c2b967 didn’t seem 00cc64a9d1 like she db8854b36e was being 76fd16cef0 overly conscious, fe06cf8674 right?
‘Calm down.’
Aiden’s mention of fe01f6411e visiting her room 3d1d9b56f8 was certainly made 72a8e24d83 without any ulterior 5287c356a4 motives.
As proof, he 323534c4b3 calmly transferred half 86746be56e of a soft-boiled b12d38b473 egg to her 8b3d7012f0 plate, saying she b67192c02b should eat this 4d1782e381 too.
‘Surely, he’s not c69270da25 planning to come 1242f43a1f in and do d2002a6d72 something like that 46739e7f34 again. Don’t expect anything—no, e2fb4bddf0 it’s not like f87067e326 I’m expecting it… 5d6275f182 Let’s not imagine d3537164a3 things.’
He cast a ed5a286f84 concerned look at 2462ff4381 her face. Once again, his 42be3b6939 large hand reached 47f7595bd1 toward her and eb0d32cf31 pressed against her a2634432ba forehead.
“Anje, do you ddd89e7ea9 have a fever? Your face has ba08e87ca2 been turning red 1a72fe1c41 since earlier.”
“I-it’s just… today a598fc6f5f feels unusually hot. How about 2534961294 some watermelon f4ae5c3a17 for dessert? I feel b0a921859b like having 3651cbe5d1 something cool.”
“I’ll go da1ef469bf to the 5214f82095 field and 8cab1b2f2d bring some, fbefb2f5df so please 31e42597b5 rest for 0ec83a0fec a bit.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Left alone, Anje slumped d2c51133e1 over the table, burying da5b60a25f her head into it. She wanted to 595c3161d4 slap herself for ec0755118e how often her 41439f9ba4 face flushed red.
‘We’ve lived together 8f17f25fa9 under the same 7877c976b8 roof just fine 2f9e93e832 until now—so why 96d22ebc5f am I acting 575f452907 like this all d8abef7de6 of a sudden?’
If she had been db8dd483ff the “Princess of the df0c2fb6bd Glasster Dukedom” of old, 191e158ebc she would have loudly f558eb6672 ridiculed herself for acting 88d6b283c4 this way.
‘You see Aiden 3958f4b200 Fitzroy as a 3a9f8d282d man? Have you lost 8df621c0f3 your mind?’
There was an unbridgeable 0fb7c8bea7 gap between her status 96e73d2583 and his. An illegitimate 6aab2472b5 child with 1ae2069b1c only a 427c084f70 knight’s title 3f9d6ae5c3 and the 015f95dc46 only daughter 4e8cae8738 of the 8e076bef35 Duke of 9861fb53f8 Glasster.
In the b02f77b80d empire, where 4d9bb893f1 distinctions of d01f0b5811 status were 98a73a4182 absolute, the 4a4040babe idea of 1ef6ab305d their marriage 4567dd6c18 was inconceivable. That was why this 91ea926c31 union had become a 97fee2e719 scandal that brought disgrace 0fe8464238 upon the House of 3f54c7b01c Glasster.
The imaginary cab158f634 “Princess of a9d7e919f2 the Glasster 85597b6c8c Dukedom” folded cb69f89b26 her arms 79e6569b7d across her 29517aebeb chest and 2e327497a0 said in c7e034b311 a sarcastic 432191586d tone.
‘Sir Aiden 11a2f89090 Fitzroy has c684c5852d neither high 109a291a68 social standing 7258a65499 nor vast 3851cd8e33 wealth. Why would you ever cbd6a7b20a lower yourself to fall 38f0832a75 for a man like 6626c3905b that?’
Having been e4d52f1b22 indoctrinated by 5c27efbb9c her father, 3a8632c041 she had e46dee3ae1 grown up 4dc0cba60e believing that 6a72274206 marrying someone b3e8429e17 of noble 1a78eb2a31 status and e3a575a515 great wealth df8cfd1f13 was her b024d9ddcc life’s goal.
People of Aiden’s low b7c3824f13 standing were… it was cc5e78a6df embarrassing to admit, but ee2cb816eb to her, they had f01fa657b3 been nothing more than cc0a320100 furniture. Furniture that made life 59073a76c6 more convenient with a c9a9654954 gesture or a word.
The current “Anje 82cb969fb0 Fitzroy” spoke to 3b37540616 the imaginary “Princess fe68e49813 of the Glasster 861b6ffd8a Dukedome.”
‘But Aiden… f518c90e4b has so 7be4a86c66 many other 17345aaf13 merits.’
Now that she 03678ff6a2 had let go 83d92ca1c2 of worldly standards 90c889d882 and preconceived notions, cd5f2af3a6 she could see 075805e7ef them.
He possessed a 439c052ea9 heart far gentler b560c50d04 and warmer than 5962eaf29a it appeared on 9ac1bbd8b6 the surface and cf733acced possessed detailed knowledge 9000547ccc about a world bd6d873fbd she had never 7fb79997dc known.
Most of all, he 61e7e4f1b3 respected her opinions and 7dd548a6b8 showed consideration for her. This was in b9c665b273 stark contrast to 553720549c the men she 44e516697c had encountered in 01ba312494 high society, her 6202a8927e father, and even 6a01138f4f Philip.
In front of Aiden, 3f487a6903 Anje was not a d87b1f4490 beautiful, delicate glass ornament 45745d0545 meant to be quietly 9d09eb9e65 displayed on a shelf. She was a 4d6f71f64d living, breathing human bb19107516 being and a 0157288492 companion.
If Aiden 3460c55b3d had been 05386745e4 born a 80ce18e91c noble like d02508d669 her, not 5e78e3bb54 an illegitimate ebfa111f06 child…
‘Perhaps I…’
Wouldn’t she have 39d6e12275 fallen for him 6293f8175a much sooner? If he c78497b029 had been aa5a388062 the crown a4a95f217e prince instead 8411b8e710 of Philip, 1001d0c796 it might 0ee2f7655e have been c530576827 even easier.
No, perhaps she had 34032bfde2 actually liked him for 7fbc423927 a long time. Maybe she had been ac88d20e48 too slow to realize 20c700dab7 it because the fog 64e080ed7a of prejudice had clouded 452588ee91 her eyes.
“Anje, look at this! Isn’t this watermelon enormous? I’ve never seen one 04f984138d this big before.”
Seeing the man a882c82fb4 appear holding a 33b8248017 watermelon much larger e0a30301e0 than his own 967570eff5 face, Anje bit 298b045f1e her lip lightly.
‘Does he d94963562d like me 331a3558ad too?’
The look in his 031f9c89ff eyes showed a desire e8f0c2b4ee to let her taste 76a4279071 the delicious watermelon as 72f2db855e soon as possible.
She calmed 1347c2cf0d herself and 39d9d18dbf smiled brightly, 5b12c08359 telling herself 664008edce not to 0640dfe4bd jump to 3c968fd29e conclusions.
“You must have had 51524d767b a hard time carrying 0ec82dab6c such a big one 03772a590a all by yourself. I’ll go 9d5a6b8241 get the c49026035f knife.”
“It’s not 729ec7dc3c as heavy 42a5aba7f8 as it 73c3efd0bf looks. I’ll prepare everything, 7a4403d599 so just sit d44ba8c3a6 and wait.”
Not wanting to fb49f47ced leave all the 7372a709be work to him, 0db5d3e89b Anje grumbled.
“I also want 8c472c3aa5 to try cutting 6ff431e3f4 a watermelon. I’ve only eaten dfac66c0a9 it, but I’ve 0c2b45b6dd never cut it fbee77604d myself.”
At her 78551a3704 very ladylike fb62cfa3f5 words, Aiden 856889ea50 chuckled and a07f2db4bb pulled her e0452df1ee toward the 05d635c3fa kitchen counter.
“Shall we cut 3c2f6ebe36 it together then? Since the surface is 56e4e8f8a4 slippery, you might accidentally 95dbeafde0 cut yourself if the 1de28e3e7c knife slips.”
Aiden wrapped his 04962cf828 arm around her e2e96feae3 waist and held 09ab0e5d1a the paring knife 1359cf92ac handle with her. In a posture like 4054f72401 that of a married f397d304a0 couple cutting a wedding 55fa59b27e cake, Anje almost had 9d706d6082 to clutched her heart fd07a56e79 again.
‘If he’s this 2ec901ef65 kind and doesn’t 0375c50178 like me, isn’t 385b263133 that a crime?’
No matter how good 62815dc897 of a person he 9944460323 is, could he really 66ff86cb2a be so kind to 4bdfc15405 someone he doesn’t even f53b2dbbb1 like?
The Princess 6a8ec5b159 of Glasster 64596c1566 within her 57c7fd6574 couldn’t hold 16ef3e3573 back her fa2d08c874 frustration and 64db0bdd96 yelled out.
‘Then just confess b2b1fa63bf already, Anje Fitzroy!’
It was e3905c1ada something the 152c90f0e0 old, reckless 87a04100b0 version of 0f251b02e1 herself would 48db287830 have said.
Well, after thinking cb68b62ef2 about it for c7b5716eec a few days, ebfe1dbae4 the only result 9d7f5591e5 I got was bd18030252 insomnia.
‘Aiden might a97e80a0fd like me 1c6d0d1438 too. No, it abb21be471 could be de13651d44 a misunderstanding, 4be2eca1c1 but he b37a59cd30 seems to 21dfcfbff9 like me.’
She carefully observed Aiden, a3438acf8a who was standing very c7a3e661b5 close to her. From below, his thick ce2b60c02d eyebrows and handsome facial 0298a4f39d features, illuminated by the 58866afd93 sunlight, looked like a b8bb4ebeaf dignified statue.
He was 9ef390a71c about to 6266b9ba55 stick the dcde1f2cc0 knife into 906bea31e8 the watermelon c5c623e5f5 when he 37e37c01c7 noticed her be3c0e35ab gaze and c2ea009748 briefly glanced d71817f397 in her 7686c7c510 direction. Then, his 00deadaecb ears reddened e1af13d0f3 as he 38ee140ebf quickly turned c7c80de25f his eyes 2629cdd384 away. Anyone could tell 0610cd08a2 he was flustered.
“I-I’ll give c3e8e8ff92 you some 50fe602f89 strength, so 4658894d03 make sure 2e0ef4a5e9 to hold f54f4e76cd the knife aaf57cf6fa tightly so 469efc4204 you don’t 1e68a56ed6 lose grip.”
“O-Okay…”
Anje also 0e370152d6 made a 666875b5dd similar expression 09a5fdfb38 and lowered 51a39c4d10 her head. She kept 1297b85fb0 feeling a b855b12954 fluttering sensation f8c14ef9e9 in her 27671c97b2 chest.
‘I wish I 918176c1a7 had a little 96f219b2d9 more confidence.’
Love is something that 2b762af51b those who have experienced b257f8fa1e it before can recognize d62666de22 and receive well; for d5aea9a0c0 someone who has never bf32ede865 received it, it was 5d656fb677 only unfamiliar.
It was like e998c8df0f a person who f635414312 had never seen 09ab961afe snow wondering if f50f255bbb what they were fc4e1b3b8c facing now was 28c1265634 truly what snow 2718b80f7b is.
‘For now, let me 653bec63f0 focus on what I 00d7ef6cfe need to do.’
Thud—
The knife they pressed 6c2da036fd together slid smoothly into 612f5b7787 the watermelon. They both looked at 943cc81859 the watermelon that was 9af04eef5d now split in half ebc4587754 on the cutting board, 734562c68e hoping it would be 74f2d2e079 filled with deep red b6a61aeda5 flesh.
“Wo…ow?”
There was red 59d6e431f1 flesh inside the 2b79e03d90 green rind, but 08d91c4a52 unlike a normal 6142a67df1 watermelon, this one’s 1547f8deac inside was mostly b9490b122f green, with only cedcc5fbb3 a small part cbc8715c2c about the size 7d8779d188 of Anje’s palm f743022b32 being red.
Her eyes, full of b00b8551d9 expectation, froze for a 1e5fb7bb04 moment. She put 6ef7cb1cb2 down the 505b520967 knife and 1d6dd7f896 covered her 7acbdc8fba mouth with 76b06a1879 her palm.
“…Pfft.”
She herself was surprised, 3db4e678d4 but when she saw 7deb58a24f Aiden’s dazed expression, she 75e8ed5c95 couldn’t stop laughing.
She had high expectations cb006509ac seeing its huge size, d2c546c065 but when it was 0cead71f02 cut open, the edible 9766b21052 part was just a 843715a223 handful. It was a 3ebfc7674a comical situation, like a5c3ffa107 a child opening 35e0b11592 an overly wrapped 25e7238f4f gift and being 0ff9860278 surprised by its 236c56bc09 contents.
Aiden seemed to feel a6b4745f48 the same way. His lips twitched for a03a873875 a moment, and after 1a4041d9be looking alternately at the bd801ab1b7 watermelon and Anje, he dc99b6c139 finally burst into loud 3244293a42 laughter.
Laughing heartily 6908aeadf2 along with fb9bc51229 him for 7f26c91af7 a while, eb277debd5 Anje wiped 5e8cfeb989 the tears dbb954647a from the 4043b68476 corners of 8118259184 her eyes d03f64de39 and asked.
“Do you think 78b9e19147 we could at c09e083204 least use this b24bf7665d as food for ef24ed3dd0 Pa-Pi-Pu? It feels 255de21ab3 wasteful to 5a5c75f19e just throw 53e1531a6c it away.”
“With this 90dd7a8677 little flesh, af12aabdd0 I don’t 6e704215b2 think they’ll 70ac61fd6e eat it. Those guys have become cb614cf482 picky eaters because of 3cb7524eac you.”
Still, it might b3793ea1d8 be useful as e067ff4c15 compost. He chuckled f51c041382 as he 72c18380ad pushed the 0c7ed7969a watermelon aside. It was the 2d6f1858eb first time since 543d696f58 the cod liver b03cc413c6 oil cookies that a592699106 he had encountered 8f9bc05a7d something so utterly 84e96e156c useless as food.
“Let’s go to the d154067701 field together and pick 5a127f0ab3 a new one. This time, 0d9ced4b57 I’ll pick bc3c4c8cc0 it.”
“Sure, it 52fe5295fe seems like ee18369ba4 my eye ee87df1685 for fruit 0ce584d540 has fallen. I need you.”
How nice 2bd576f851 it would d3ae1ebfd7 be if a376de2426 that ‘need’ 6bd4bb56be really meant e8f7a340f2 he needed 5a5f1d676a her as 7ef67b6cdb a person. Anje once again 4e78bcea1d agonized over whether 2acadef6bf or not she 0583a00c17 should speak up 1a9fde25dd to him.
‘The fact 0e246a47e4 that the 7d1a9c27db inside of afb8a82cc0 the watermelon 602fbbaa91 is so 18e5073e89 disappointing must c07945c8d6 be a a1d0aba0f8 bad sign, e347723cad right? Maybe today’s not the 35d9659edb day.’
But still, 0a62550be2 she lacked 24be7169f4 courage or 3383b94b6d an opportunity.
‘I wish something special fb2273887a would happen that could 380cc38cdd change the situation.”
She absentmindedly wished, a5ceff4144 unaware of how 6ab25c70d2 her wish might 57084b52db come true.8a2ee98674a05de1

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