Volume 6 Chapter 203

A week passed quickly. Contrary to Lil’s expectations of it being boring, the days flew by. During the day, she looked at different maps to figure out how to get from the Retiro mansion to Gualtiero, and then from Gualtiero to the Devito Harbour. In the evenings, she strategized with Ed or sparred with him. 

After the day Levi finally allowed meat into her diet, Ed came knocking on her window once more but this time with a sword in hand. Lil couldn’t help but let him into her room after that, especially when he offered to spar with her. Ed was simply a remarkable human being with numerous tricks up his sleeves.

‘And today is already the eighth day.’

Lil rummaged through her clothes to prepare for her outing. Seeing she only had Levi’s more elaborately clothes cut, a sigh came out. 

‘The dresses aren’t that uncomfortable for my indoor life, but when I’m actively moving outside, they tend to become cumbersome enough that I’d desire to tear them apart… What can I do though? I probably just need to wear one of those and ride a horse to the market to buy some more suitable ready-to-wear…’ 

In the midst of her thoughts, someone knocked on the door.

“…Come in.”

“Ta-da!”

At the childish sound that she didn’t even find remotely funny, Lil turned her head towards the doorway. A fluttering dress was held up in the air. It was a dress thin enough that it could pass as an improved version of the chemise.

‘Why is he showing me that? Does he want me to… wear it?’

“Are you crazy?”

The dress, fluttering in the air, came to an abrupt standstill. Dropping the dress, Ed spoke sullenly.

“This is said to be the latest and most fashionable style from Sesbron. Chemise à la reine*. The Empress herself wore it and made it famous…”

“Shut up.”

“How about this? If I remember correctly, I broke one the other day, I felt so bad about it that I ordered a new…”

The moment Lil saw what he was holding… She screamed at the sight of the white lace garter dangling from Ed’s hand.

“Throw it away!”

“Then, what about these?”

“..!”

Ed, who smirked knowingly, showed a shirt and pants this time. In a way to tease her, Ed pretended to leave, but Lil followed quickly, kept his hand from gripping the door handle and closed it.

“I ordered them because I thought you would need them, but should I just throw them away as well?”

A trembling hand snatched the clothes from him. Ed might have a proud expression on his face, in Lil’s eyes he was just being annoying. Putting his hands behind his back, Ed fluttered out of the room. Shortly after, the waiting maids came in carrying boots, hats, justaucorps, and other men’s clothes. 

At first, Lil was irritated by the wind coming in the morning, but when she saw the series of clothes, her heart softened.

‘Despite all the fuss, I’m really content with the newfound freedom of no longer having to wear a dress.’

After changing her clothes, Lil pushed the door open and stepped out of her boudoir. She spotted Ed leaning against a window frame in the hallway. His gaze was fixed on the chemise dress in his hand, when he clicked his tongue.

“Such a shame…”

Nonetheless, Lil extended her hand to Ed.

“Give me some money.”

Ed opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but then paused. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked a question instead.

“Why would I?”

“You took my necklace. It’s priceless. A precious thing. There are many rumours that Kings around the world, including His Majesty, have been looking for relics from the past! You can sell it anywhere and receive dozens of gold bars for it… And you just took it from me!”

“All the cargo from the Bell Rock is mine.”

“How is it yours? Strictly speaking, it’s the Emperor’s.”

“The laws regarding the Visha are a bit more complicated.”

“I’m not interested in how you can have whatever you want regardless of the method you use; if you’re not going to pay me, return my necklace.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Well, won’t you look at this! I don’t even know who between us is the real pirate. Seriously! Oh, just pay the price and take it! Don’t tell me you want me to believe that this shirt and pants are the equivalent of that. Aren’t you an outright swindler?”

Ed, who was dumbfounded by her fountain of words, asked something completely unrelated.

“Where are you going?”

“…I’m not going anywhere?”

“Lies. You’re going to the market, that’s why you’re asking for money.”

“…”

“Why don’t you take me with you instead? I’m like a walking cheque.”

Ed opened his arms wide, but Lil gave him a sour look and then crossed her arms.

“Never mind, I knew this was going to happen, so I already stole some in advance.”

“…What?”

“I said I don’t need you.”

“..?”

Ed looked at Lil in bewilderment. Lil then took some paper bills with the Retiro seal from her chest and spread them like a fan. Even more amazed, Ed looked at the money fan fluttering under Lil’s chin.

“It’s nice to be treated like a mistress. All I have to do is act luxurious and ask for money, and they’ll simply bring it to me.”

“…Mistress?”

“Levi tried to make it sound as romantic as she could, but in the eyes of the servants, I’m just your mistress as it’s your residence. So, I thought; why don’t I give it a try, right?”

“…What?”

“…”

Seeing Ed’s protruding eyes, Lil realised how clueless he had been. It didn’t make her feel any sorry for her sharp remarks, though.

“Why such nonsense… it can’t be…”

“Do you really think it’s impossible?”

“…”

“Ha… Look at you standing here in front of me, acting all confused. Even if we disregard the fact that you’re an Admiral, then this is still considered the mansion of a doctor. But this landlord, the doctor, is directly ordering clothes and shoes for his female patient? That means she’s no ordinary patient, right? There’s no denying that. Even the clothes he ordered are all a perfect fit, so wouldn’t it be strange if she’s not his mistress?”

“That…”

“That’s fine. You don’t have to listen to me. You can always say that the patient was actually a corpse, and that someone else needed the change of clothes, can’t you?”

“…”

Lil said everything so calmly, but the situation Ed was trying to shake off already began becoming more and more vivid in his head. Lil avoided Ed’s eyes as naturally as possible. She organised the bills roughly and put them in her inside pocket.

“Rather than following me to the market, You’d better use this time to sort out the scandal. I’ll give you until I get back.”

“…You… are coming back?”

When Ed raised his half-bowed head, Lil stopped poking him in the chest. 

‘Yeah… Why did I naturally think about coming back? I have some money now and my body can move around. I could have chosen to find an inn and have my lodgings there…’

Lil stuttered belated excuses.

“…The… the maps and blueprints I need are here…”

The fret in Ed’s face immediately disappeared and was replaced by a sly smile. 

“Isn’t this a little exciting?”

“…And… And Levi… I can’t ask Levi to visit me…”

“Ah… I just thought you were going to run away again. Who would have thought I’d find myself waiting for you to come back… Hmm…” 

“..!”

‘Ed seems to be falling into some kind of… ‘mood’…’ 

Passing Ed quickly, Lil began flapping her collar as a certain heat crept up her spine. When Lil descended the stairs, Ed didn’t seem to be holding on to her on purpose, but Lil clearly felt his eyes stinging the back of her head. Belatedly ashamed of her pathetic stutter, she quickly pulled her hat down. A voice mixed with laughter called out as she walked through the front door.

“…What time are you coming back, huh?…”

Expectedly, Lil passed through the front door without answering…

*** 

Down in the garden, the stable keeper held a horse that was rummaging in the ground while wagging its tail.

Lil stroked its gleaming brown mane. There were many healthy horses at the Retiro residence. It wasn’t an important fact, but Lil appreciated it very much. The beast looked at Lil and blinked its eyes. After the stable keeper put on the saddlecloth and the saddle itself, Lil climbed onto the horse. 

Due to the hill breeze swirling around the residence, the wind surged more and more as their speed increased. It was so refreshing that Lil’s nose began to open and she inhaled the cool air. With narrowed eyes, she surveyed Roahn’s landscape. There was a small forest and a hunting ground along the slope of the hill, and at the bottom was a stream. The wind, relentlessly shaking the trees in the forest, made a low creaking sound.

They eventually reached Roahn’s bustling downtown where Lil dismounted her horse and loosely gripped the reins. The docile beast followed her meekly. 

Entering the market, Lil stepped on discarded fruits and puddles of water. People with fruit baskets on their heads or in front of their aprons passed them left and right. As they made their way through crowded fruit shops, they, before long, reached an area full of food vendors and restaurants. The smell of freshly baked bread filled the streets. Signboards and flags decorating the top of the stands lined up overhead, and in every alley were unions affiliated with the navy located, so the Mondovi naval flag hanging on the outer wall was often spotted.

In wide-open windows of the buildings, were women wearing headscarves shaking laundry or watering potted plants by their windowsills. One happy young man sang a love song, and the woman in the window opposite of him listened to it with her chin resting on her palm. 

It was a sight no different from the southern lands.

 – – – – – 

Footnote:

Chemise à la reine: This chemise actually really existed in the 18th century; The term “chemise à la reine” began to be used after the dress became associated with French Queen Marie-Antoinette when the famous portrait of her wearing the gown by Elisabeth Vigée-LeBrun was exhibited at the 1783 Paris Salon; this engendered widespread criticism based on the gown’s perceived informality. [démodécouture]