Cinderella Did Not Leave Her Shoe - Side Stories XI Parts 1 - 2

 

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The General’s Line of Sight: 

To be honest, I wasn’t good at dating women.

It may be because there were too many cunning women who judge people by their looks, money and power. And pretend to be weak, and cry.

And I have looked down at men who were too eager to be with their girlfriend, and buying them expensive gifts.

Above all, I am surrounded by men all the time as a soldier.

And when I think about it, I haven’t had many good encounters with women.

The exception in the lady before me. She was smart but without any airs. Our conversation is nimble and humorous. Her voice is high and girlish like a little bird, and she didn’t have any strangeness. Her green eyes twinkled, her lips were not painted a flashy crimson, but were like freshly plucked fruit harvested in the morning with the dew. When I talked to her, I couldn’t help but smile.

Speaking of fruit…

I remembered her dress and soft limbs last night.

Her collarbone…no not…that! Yes, her collarbones were beautiful. I have to just think about her collarbones.

She also had a choker on that had a jewelled rose. It looked good around her slender neck. It looked very elaborate.

Was it a gift from someone? Probably someone who knew her well.

But the thought of a man giving her such a gift made me feel a tad sick.

Maybe a necklace of forest green emeralds that would shine against her white skin. Nothing gaudy, but delicate with little jewels.

But I wasn’t very familiar with women’s jewellery.

Her outfit today had lace that went up to her neck. But I stared at her neck changing the topic. I didn’t mean to do it, but Miss Fredericka must have felt my unscrupulous gaze because she naturally opened her face and blocked her face.

I was looking at your collarbones, not your breasts!

If Miss Fredericka challenged me, I would be upset but would not deny it.

‘I was wondering what kind of necklace would suit you.’ I said.

I would ask a jeweller to make the necklace I had imagined so I could give her as a gift.

But Miss Fredericka looked both upset and shy; was she not used to getting gifts from men. She gave me a smile that was humorous and cute, but Xavier cleared his throat from the side.

‘Master, I am afraid that to give a necklace to a woman, means “I want to bind you”.’ (Zuben: Oh, FFS Japan! What’s all this crazy symbolism)

What?! I was so shocked I banged my leg against the table causing the tea things to rattle. Miss Fredericka asked if I was alright.

Xavier sighed.

I glared at him.

Miss Fredericka poured more tea with a big smile, smoothing the atmosphere from my blunder. My face naturally smiled with her, thinking how she tried to keep me from being uncomfortable.

She was a true lady.

My chest felt warm.

I hadn’t really thought about what that meant, and I forgot because the impact of the Castleys was so great.

 

Kalome Fantasy Song.

As I entered Kalome, there was a voice calling out, ‘Welcome!’, at the same time I heard people rushing to the back.

It wasn’t unnatural, but something was wrong. The designer I worked with didn’t come down even though I had made an appointment today. Instead, I was chatting with the owner, but I was worried about the tension that appeared and disappeared behind her gentle voice.

I looked around, but could see nothing out of the ordinary. Just when I thought it was all in my head, I heard a horse’s neigh.

Hmm?

It felt familiar, I turned to look out of the window, but Roberto, the designer, came rushing in and blocked my view.

‘Madame! Welcome! I am so sorry I couldn’t meet you at the appointed time.’ He said as he stood in my view as the horse went by.

This was really strange.

‘It’s alright, I know you’re busy.’ I said.

He laughed nervously, ‘It’s all thanks to Madame’s patronage, our customers have increased. We are really grateful.’ He said as he led me to the usual private room, and opened the door for me.

I stared at him; did he not want me to see the horse’s rider?

But if my ears were certain that horse is…

‘If you’re busy, I can come back another time.’ I said.

But he waved his hand, ‘Not at all, you’re the only appointment I have left today.’

It was true that Roberto did not like to have too many appointments, because an artist like him had a habit of losing the sense of time when they got into the zone. So, in other words, that appointment was a fit-in.

I took a seat on the sofa. It has been a while since I had any problems. I usually dealt with the little things without the people around me knowing. Unless it was something big, Volker and I didn’t have much trouble.

Something smells…familiar.

A fit-in customer, Roberto’s nervousness, the tense store, and the horse.

‘How do you like this, Madame?’

While I was thinking, Roberto held up a newly designed accessory for me to see.

He looked a bit anxious as I studied the brooch.

‘I wonder…’

‘I think it would suit you well, Madame.’ Roberto said. He wasn’t a flatterer, which was why I trusted him.

‘What kind of jewellery did you propose to my husband?’

‘Huh?!’

I leaned forward, ‘I sometimes look after my husband’s horse, and so I know him well. That horse you didn’t want me to see was definitely my husband’s. He realised I was the one entering and so he left in a hurry, but why? Do you know, Roberto?’

‘Please pardon me, Madame Fredericka!’ Roberto said with a pitiful look on his face. Seeing his expression, I realised how rude I was being.

This was a problem between Volker and me. Roberto was only doing his job; he had a duty of confidentiality.

I had to remain calm.

I took a deep breath, and said, ‘I am sorry, I got emotional.’

‘No Madame, I am sorry too!’ Roberto said putting his hands on his chest in an expression of relief.

I rose to leave, and Roberto opened the door for me.

As I was about to leave, I heard voices from another room,

‘Ah, the Royal General is wonderful.’

‘A really good man! But who does he want to give the “secret to his wife”? (Zuben: His wife?)

‘Do you think…this is an affair?’

‘Scandalous!’

Roberto face had turned blue and looked like he was about to faint.

‘Roberto, are you alright?!’

♦

I returned home, and Xavier greeted me. Marie came to my side. I intended to act normal, but Marie had been with me for years, and Xavier’s seniority could not be deceived.

‘Is something the matter, Miss?’

‘Is this related to the Master? Shall we prepare punishment?’ Xavier said.

‘Wait! Hold your horses, both of you.’

In the end, I ended up telling them about what happened. (Zuben: And Xavier’s seniority and knowledge of Volker did not twig him to deduce the actual truth?)

‘The Master is…’

‘He needs to be punished.’

The two of them were eager to condemn Volker, clenching their fists in solidarity. I hadn’t wanted to tell them because I guessed it might turn out like this.

‘Both of you, calm down. I will talk to him tonight.’

We received word from Volker that he would be home late, so I had dinner and bathed. Marie helped with my evening toilette and I sat in bed trying to read. Because of the issue on my mind, I couldn’t concentrate on the book.

‘I wonder if I can sleep.’ I said out loud as I looked out of the window.

I heard a horse’s neigh, just like outside Kalome and laughed. I rose out of bed, put on a robe and went down to meet Volker.

Volker was handing his coat to Mr. Xavier.

‘Welcome home.’

He enveloped me in a hug, ‘I’m sorry I’m late, Fredericka, why didn’t you go to sleep?’

His arms around me felt the same as usual, but I couldn’t help but wonder if I was the only one who knew this warmth. When I thought about it, the black mist in my heart threatened to leak out when I breathed, so I held my breath.

‘Do you smell something?’

‘No, not at all. I just want to talk to you about something.’ I said with a small smile, while glancing at Xavier, who was glaring daggers at Volker’s back.

Volker nodded and kissed my cheek.

‘I’ll take a bath first, wait for me in the bedroom.’

Although there hadn’t been another’s perfume on him, was he worried? Volker went inside while Xavier stopped me.

‘Madame, he seems to be more concerned with washing off the smell than what you want to talk to him about; is he trying to wash off the scent of another woman?’

‘But I didn’t smell any perfume, he smelled like he always does.’

I quickly went inside, but Xavier did not stop looking suspicious.

‘Madame, if you spoil a man, he can get wayward. It’s better to tighten the reins early on.’ Xavier said behind me.

Xavier has been serving Volker for a long time, why was he not being the voice of reason? (Zuben: Indeed. Why?)

♦

‘So, what did you want to talk about?’ Volker came out of the bath quickly, he entered the bathroom with water dripping from his hair, and a towel to dry off.

I immediately regretted my hastiness. I thought he would have a soak. But Volker finished quickly because I hadn’t slept.

‘You’re still dripping wet, if you don’t dry off properly, you’ll catch a cold.’

‘It’s fine…what did you want to talk about?’ he said shrugging off my attempt to help him dry his hair. I hesitated because I felt that my happy time with Volker was about to be destroyed, but I still wanted to know.

‘You went to Kalome today,’

Volker froze. Seeing his reaction, my heart froze.

“Secret kept from Madame Fredericka.”

“Who is he going to give it to?”

“A scandal!”

My vision blurred, was it really an affair?

‘Fredericka, are you alright?’ he sounded like he was far away.

Volker, if there was another person you like…I have to withdraw. Volker was so kind, I’m sure he didn’t want to hurt me, but he’ll be making the other person wait.

Oh, my heart seems to be torn!

‘Volker, don’t you love me anymore…?’ my voice was quivering, but I managed to say it as a tear spilled from my eye.

‘Huh? Fredericka?’

‘But I love you so much, Volker…’

‘Fredericka?’

‘You don’t love me? No!’ I had thought I was calm, but I was crying like a baby. Volker was amazed, he grabbed my shoulders firmly.

‘I love you, Fredericka, more than anyone else!’

‘Huh?!’ my grief paused, ‘You love me?’

‘Of course, how could you doubt that?’

‘Because…’

Volker held me while he looked confused. I was relieved by his warmth, although I was still hiccupping from the crying.

‘Even if you don’t love me anymore, I would never let you go!’ he declared.

‘Volker…’ I was impressed by his devotion. But I heard the peanut gallery from behind us.

‘If the Madame hates you, please give up and withdraw.’

‘Master, you’re being scary…obsessive…’

I turned to see Xavier and Marie peeking through a slight gap in the door.

‘I wanted to keep it a secret because I wanted to secretly prepare and surprise you.’ He said, going to his jacket to collect a Kalome jewellery box.

‘Why did he go and chose the shop where his wife goes to the most to give her a surprise gift?’ Xavier said from their watch post.

There wouldn’t have been such a fuss if it hadn’t been Kalome, and his surprise would have been successful.

‘I know that, but Kalome knows Fredericka’s taste. I feel bad for making Roberto keep it a secret from you.’

He opened held the box before me and gently opened it, it was a necklace of a waterfall of little emeralds.

‘Wow, how delicate.’

‘I remembered when we were courting, I was thinking of a necklace that would suit you, so I spoke to Roberto to get it made.’

He took the necklace from its seat and put it around my neck.’

‘It looks so lovely!’ Marie gasped.

‘It really suits you, Madame.’ Xavier said.

‘Thank you, Volker.’ I said happily and hugged him. He hugged me back.

After those two left, we got into bed.

‘I got so worked up, how embarrassing.’

Volker chuckled, and reached out to get another Kalome box, and cleared his throat. The box was a little bigger than the last one.

‘What is this?’

‘It’s another accessory I had made to match the necklace.’

I opened excitedly. It was a large chain with emeralds dotted along its length.

‘What is this?’

‘Why don’t you let me put it on.’

Volker was grinning in a rather disturbing manner. He told me to take of my nightie.

Hmm? What? 

I complied because he had it made especially for me.

Once it was on, I was flabbergasted.

‘It definitely looks good on you.’

‘Eh? Hold on a moment, Volker!’

He told me it was called a body chain; an item to grab a man’s heart.

However, I was too embarrassed to go to Kalome for a time after that. (Zuben: Because of the body chain or the drama?)

Index