Albert Ke no Reijou wa Botsuraku wo go Shomou desu 55

Volume 2 Chapter 15

At the tea party, Mary abruptly said “Okay enough of the talk! Since you guys mentioned before that you guys wanted to eat apple pies, I went the long route to purchase some of them!”

She then continued “I’m going to eat them alone!”

Mary then headed for the kitchen and while looking at her back, everyone had expressions that were beyond description as they separated.

The next morning, Mary was forced awake by the commotions outside the door when she was sleeping soundly in her own bed which she has been away from for a few days. Also, she had some stomach discomfort which caused her to wake up.

“What’s going on early in the morning, people are sleeping…”

While complaining, she looked at the clock nearby and it seems like it’s already noon which made her say “oh…”

Then, although no one was around to hear her, she tried to brush off her statement by getting off her bed and groomed herself. The maids would normally do that for her, but since there was a commotion, it seems like it’s not a right time.

-In the first place, no matter what has happened, they should have no excuses to neglect the grooming preparations of the Albert family’s lady, and Mary has the right to reprimand the maids for that… however since she has already done the grooming herself, she’s not going to abuse her rights-

After changing her clothes swiftly and arranging her hair in a wavy style, she was about to head out to ask about what happened when she saw a face peering through the gap of the door; it belonged to one of the maids who was passing through in a rush.

“Oh, Lady Mary, did you just wake up?”

“No way! This Mary Albert would not sleep until this timing!”

“Yes yes, that’s right. Good morning.”

“…I’ve always thought about this, but shouldn’t everyone reconsider their attitudes towards me? For a smoother employer-employee relationship, I suggest there’s a need for us to reconsider about relationships periodically.”

“So, would you like to have a black tea as a drink to wake you up?”

“I’m fully awake. Rather than that, what’s with the commotion?”

“Sir Patrick of the Dice Family is here and…”

The maid glanced at her as though there’s something that’s difficult to say aloud; Mary tilted her head as she wondered what’s going on.

Also, since Mary heard that Patrick was here, she headed for the lobby and tilted her head once again. Or rather than that, she widened her eyes at the scene before her.

After all, Patrick was hurriedly giving out instructions here and there, it seems like the staffs of the Albert family members were also moving hurriedly and Addie, who was beside him, was visibly troubled.

Why on earth is Patrick giving instructions to the servants of other family, or was she perhaps moved to the Dice family mansion when she thought she’s been sleeping in her own room all along… or rather than that, it’s abnormal for Addie to look troubled like that.

With all these thoughts running in Mary’s mind, she sat down on a chair nearby; she decided to assess the current situation before talking to them. Also, since they were in a hurry, she’s not sure if she could just call out to them easily.

“Did you contact the priest?”

“No, it seems like he’s away and would not be back until one more month.”

“One more month… alright, please prepare the letter for me. I’ll write my name so that he’d respond, so please deliver it as soon as possible.”

“Yes!”

“Also, there’s another thing that needs to be delivered.”

“U-Um…”

Patrick was doing some preparations skillfully and Addie, who was beside him, called out to him timidly.

Mary looked at his behavior and thought that it must be quite a big happening since it involved the priest… she sipped the black tea that was prepared for her as though it’s someone else’s matter.

“Um… I don’t think it is right to proceed on without talking to the person involved…”

“Addie, what’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just that… this is too big a matter.”

Addie was confused and tried to stop Patrick, but the latter just patted his shoulder; looking at their behavior, it looked like their roles have changed despite the five years age difference between them.

“Addie, listen to me.”

“…Yes.”

“The opposite party is that Mary; we have her words, so all we have to do is to clear the obstacles!”

“A person with both power and drive is this scary…”

Patrick said such scary words with serious eyes and Addie had a wry face.

While looking at their interactions, Mary tilted her head; it seems like Patrick just said her name… in other words, this commotion has something to do with her.

“Hey, wait a minute, what are you talking about?”

Since Mary’s own name was mentioned, there’s no way she’s going to leave it alone; Mary stood up and walked towards them.

Addie looked surprised as he bowed and greeted her good morning. In contrast, Patrick said that he’s sorry for intruding since morning before giving a refreshing greeting; he looked quite full of himself, for giving such a greeting towards the lady, who has just woken up, in her own home.

“For now, I’ll say this as part of the greeting ‘please take your time’, so what’s going on?”

“What’s going on?”

“This commotion”

Mary asked and looked around the surroundings.

There were people holding documents in a hurry, and people coming in and out of the room in turns; the person, whom Patrick has entrusted the letter to, has already gone out of the room; he is probably dashing towards the priest.

Mary looked at Patrick as though asking “What else is going on” about this commotion but the latter just nonchalantly said that he’s doing the procedures; it was a reply that doesn’t give any answer.

“I know that just by looking. So what kind of preparation?”

“Yours.”

“Mine?”

Patrick purposely left out the important parts, and Mary creased the area between her eyebrows as she had no idea what’s going on. She’s uncomfortable about the cold and hot attitude but Patrick was probably having fun with that. In the middle of the commotion, he was happily giving out instructions.

Addie, not being able to look at their interaction any longer, sighed deeply and looked at Mary’s face apologetically.

“Sorry for waking you up while you’re resting. I’ll deal with everything so please do not worry.”

“I’ve enough rest so it’s fine… so what’s this preparation for?”

Since Addie was apologizing with such a troubled look, Mary asked him about the reason why, and he looked even more troubled. He frowned and turned his face away from Mary’s gaze.

It’s not a playful joking way of escaping her look like he usually does, he did it with a painful look and Mary called his name worriedly.

She has not seen such a painful expression from him so it must be quite a big matter…

“Addie…?”

“…it’s”

“Hm?”

“Mine and yours….”

“Mine and yours?”

Addie was not clear about his words and Mary looked at him; Mary wondered why he seems to be in pain and her considerate look made Addie a little troubled… he then decided to talk about it.

“It’s the marriage preparation of ours!”

Addie said with a flustered voice. Mary was so surprised that she widened her eyes.

After that, with surprise, she looked at Addie, Patrick and everyone in the surroundings before looking at Addie again.

“In that case, wouldn’t it be okay not to stop this?”

Mary said that so naturally and Addie dropped down on his feet. Patrick patted on his shoulder and said “That’s what I said.”

No matter how quick Patrick was, it’s not something that can be done within a day.

Mary is the daughter of the Albert family and an important person who could easily overturn the current noble world; if such a person is going to marry, they’d need the priests, send out invitations and set up the ground works.

“Even so, for the royal family, Alicia has gone to send the message. What’re left are the priest and a few other contacts.”

“As expected of Patrick, you are fast at working.”

“W-Wow… this unbelievable speed of work being done… as expected of Sir Patrick…!”

Patrick drank tea leisurely and said that curtly, while Mary grabbed his wrists and was impressed. Addie alone was unable to keep up with the development as his face turned pale. Or rather, it’s ridiculous that Patrick was saying that nonchalantly when the person involved was Addie the servant; they were nonchalant as the lady of the Albert family and heir of the Dice family. It’s clearly not right to talk about laying the ground works.

By the way, a few hours before, Patrick was in a hurry but right now he’s drinking black tea elegantly and the reason for that was mentioned before; there’s a limit to what he could do today. Even so, that does not mean that he has given up, it just meant that he has already done all he could today. As expected of Patrick Dice, his skills were so impressive that it made Addie pale.

“So, Mary, when is your next break?”

“Break huh? I have a three day test period starting from tomorrow at Eliciana and it’d be the break after that.”

“Alright, I’ll be back four days later.”

“Um, did you listen to me? It’s a break after the exams, a break for the person who studied hard for the exam, you know?”

“In that case, you don’t have to work hard.”

“You just leave me with no choice huh…”

Mary said that he’s going to be a tyrant in the future as she drank up the black tea.

In the first place, she complained but did not refuse him, so she probably does not mind about him returning four days later. Patrick has taken that to be consent and wrote down in his schedule notebook; Addie, who was still pale, looked at Mary.

In the middle of that, one servant came to hand Patrick a document. Patrick looked that and said excuse me before leaving; Mary and Addie looked at him as he headed for the door.

“There’s something I’d like to say now.”

“Eh, something…?”

“That’s right, it’s bad if Patrick or Alicia hear about this, so that’s why I’d say it now.”

Mary said that seriously and Addie gulped without realizing. Right before, they were having their marriage preparations, so from the flow, it’s going to be related to it.

Is he going to be rejected?

Is she going to complain about it?

Or perhaps, she’s say “I’m going to marry you, but don’t forget about your status?” No, or perhaps, she might say “I’ll marry you, but there’s no love…”

At the quick development, he has no idea what she’s going to say-also since the opposite party is Mary, that makes things even more unpredictable- Addie was about to shiver and he tried to suppress it, and made up his resolve before saying “What is it?”

“I’ll say it now.”

“Y-Yes…”

“There is apple pie left in the kitchen, so eat it up while Patrick is unaware of it.”

“H-huh…?”

Apple pie? Addie widened his eyes. Is it the apple pie that you left us for yesterday? The apple pie from the famous store in the neighboring country? …he looked at her and Mary nodded.

“I thought of eating them all yesterday, but of course it’s impossible for me to finish four portions. So, there’s still one more portion left, please eat it without Patrick and Alicia knowing.”

“…You are three portions?”

Addie was surprised and Mary replied with pride that “it’s delicious!”

In return to that, Addie does not know what to respond and just sighed deeply before looking at Mary.

“…that’s fine, but if this continues, I’m really going to have it.”

He did not say what he’s going to have, and Mary did not seem to understand the meaning behind his words and she just said with a smile “please have it!”