The Noble Girl Living in Debt Chapter 20

Bernard called Gigille to his room stating that he wanted to talk.

The air in the office is rigid.

"--So master, what's the story this time?"

"You know!"

He was shouting with all his might, but Gigille didn't move nor changed her expression at all. Bernard thought that the problem generated by her suggestion did not interest her at all.

"It's your idea that caused this mess!"

"Maybe… is it about Ms. Agnes?"

"I guess that's the only problem right now, right?"

This time, he introduced his fiancée to his mother, Oceanne, and the conclusion should be that she returned to her territory with ease. It should have been such a situation.

Nevertheless, the development proceeds extremely fast in the wrong direction.

Oceanne loved Agnes and began to plan their wedding. 

Bernard, fearing the worst, complains to Gigille.

The act is going too far.

"I was surprised at that, too."

"Why?"

"Madam is a cautious person, so I didn't think she would love Agnes at first sight."

"What..."

Bernard sat at the office desk and holds his head.

Seeing that, Gigille proposed an idea.

"Master, what about marrying Agnes?"

"What?"

"I think you would make a wonderful couple."

"Who and who?"

"You, Master and Agnes."

"Why should I!?"

"It's all going in that direction…"

"That's not an answer!"

Gigille tilts her head and while giggling inside happily about this development.

"I repeat, you make a wonderful couple Master. First, you're impatient, but Agnes is docile. I think that the opposite of your personality would be a good match."

"Well, that's a theory."

"The same was for me and my husband Master, and see how happy we're now."

Bernard had doubts about Gigille's opinion, but the example seemed to have convinced him somehow.

"Before the compatibility, I can't decide without her permission, and… it will be annoying."

"Yes, the most important thing are the feelings you harbor for each other. If your wife is serious about getting married, I will lend you my wisdom on how to proceed."

"Your wisdom is always wrong. What happened just now is not enough?"

"Either way. Just do what you want master."

Bernard sighed deeply and left the room.

*Bernard side story*

My mother, Oceanne, asked me if I could read her anything, but my house had little entertainment.

In the study all are war stories and adventure novels given by senior knights.

There wasn't any kind of good old board game such as chess or crux and circle (tte-ti).

The board games in his possession were not something that can be played in front of his mother, such as bandits robbing treasures, monsters attacking the royal capital, or other war tactics board games.

Oceanne that had been talking until now, had no spare time as Agnes was going to take a bath.

"By the way, this house is quite old."

"It's 100 years old."

"Well, is that so?"

The roof tile replacement was finished yesterday. Next was an attic repair, which I had requested for my mother, Oceanne's stay.

"Speaking of that, the color of the outer walls seem a little yellowish."

"When did you last repaint?"

"What?"

At the question, Bernard thought to himself…

-To tell the truth, I have never repainted the house since my father gave it to me. My father told me to repaint it once every five years, but a few years pa.s.s so quickly when you are busy day after day.-

Dominic cares about the walls of the house, but I think it's best to repaint the walls soon or mother would throw a fit.

"Bernard, you… have wrinkles between your eyebrows, what's going on?"

"Price……"

I hurt my head thinking about the cost to repaint the wall… But I can't say that to my mother.

Appropriately, I answered that I was thinking about tomorrow's work.

I thought the story was over, but that wasn't the only requirement of my mother.

"Speaking of which, how much money did you save for marriage?"

"What???????????????"

"Yes, at least you should have saved about this sum…"

Bernard opens his eyes to the amount told by his mother.

The amount includes the cost of issuing a marriage certificate, the bride and groom's dresses, the wedding reception, the honeymoon, and much more.

Shocked, Bernard became less motivated to marry.

After dinner, Bernard called Agnes through Gigille. Of course, he promised not to do anything in the room while alone.

Surprisingly, Gigille accepted quickly.

He called Agnes, who sat opposite of him, and told her that it was a reflection on the actual development of the situation.

"The act went on without any trouble."

"It was very good"

However, it went so well that it had turned into a serious development. A sudden and without return marriage.

"But the problem is that my mother is quite reluctant to turn back from this marriage."

"I also found it like that."

"... well, I'll convince her somehow."

"Do your best."

He said he would have a reflection meeting with Agnes, but it wasn't much different from what he spoke with Gigille.

Bernard coughs and apologizes for the development of the situation.

"I'm sorry."

"eh?"

"I asked your help with such light feelings… without seeing this problem coming"

Agnes smiles while thinking that it's ridiculous to know all beforehand and shakes her head.

"Oceanne is very kind and she makes me remember my mother a bit."

"Really?"

"So it's going to be a wonderful memory this time with her"

The expression of Agnes who made such a statement is very radiant, and there is no fragment of the gloomy dark atmosphere that Bernard had instead.

She had now become a lively servant. Bernard wondered if her encounter with his mother had healed her mind.

At the same time, he realized he was the only one to reflect on what happened.

Agnes talks to her if she wants to go back to her room.

"That…."

"Hmm?"

"I chatted today with Oceanne and embroidered a handkerchief for her."

Agnes took the handkerchief out of her pocket and spread it out.

It has a flowered pattern stuck there.

At first glance, Bernard turned a suspicious glance at the handkerchief.

"What's this?"

"It seems to be a lucky charm of the Merlan tree."

Agnes, who was trying to explain about the Merlan tree, suddenly noticed something on Bernard who was looking at her handkerchief on the desk.

Looking closely, it turned from doubt to conviction.

"Um, your neck is red master."

"Hmm?"

He touchs where Agnes was pointing with her finger. It was a little swollen.

"Is it an insect bite?"

"I guess. I helped Dominic this morning, so maybe I was bitten that moment."

"Let's bring an insect bite medicine?"

"No, let it be, it will be cured soon anyway."

"Does it hurt?"

"Well, any insect bite is bothersome."

"I'll bring you the medicine."

Agnes went to the servant's rest area, received the medicine box from Gigille, and returned.

"Excuse me"

Agnes then sits next to Bernard.

The medicine box was packed with medicine bottles and boxes.

Looking for the insect bite medicine bottle, she picks a transparent bottle up while reading the etiquette and opens it. Sure enough, after sniffing its contents, she scoops out the ointment with her fingertips. When Bernard saw it, he got frozen.

"No, I can apply it myself ..."

"I have already taken some of the medicine on my fingers."

"... Oh, oh, then... ok…"

Bernard didn't think anything when he was talking face to face with Agnes, but when sitting side by side like this, he became strangely conscious.

Immediately the reason left him while a sweet scent invaded from the side. It made him feel restless.

To avoid seeing Agnes, his gaze turned in a different direction.

Desperate not to be conscious, a cold, cold thing touched his neck.

Surprised, he shook at the touch.

He soon realized that the cold thing touching him were her fingers with the insect bite medicine, as he thought of Agnes's question, "Does it hurt?" He shakes his head profusely.

Her voice was too close and when he looked sideways, there was Agnes's face in front of him, so he was about to cry out.

Bernard knew that it was not his delusion, she was right in front of his face. A hair's length of touching each other.

However, it feel uncomfortable.

He can get out of this troubled situation if he gets angry and shouts "go away!" as he has always done, but she's doing him a favor. She is kindly applying medicine for him.

No matter how embarra.s.sing the situation, he couldn't shout.

Agnes applied the medicine carefully, while he was trying to endure and not moving.

The sensation of a fingertip crawling slowly over his neck was beyond words for him.

"... does it still hurt?"

"I'm sorry, well, I can't tell."

You can see the sweat floating on his forehead.

His fist on his lap was also clenched more than necessary.

"Finished"

"……Ah"

At that moment, Bernard inhaled deeply and jumped into the sofa next to the door while trying to calm himself.

"It's going to heal quickly if applied three times a day."

"Do you get it?"

"Would you like me to apply it again for you?"

"eh?"

"Because it would be difficult to apply for you, as you can't see your neck."

"Thanks but I best do it myself!"

He grabbed the medicine and ran away as fast as a rabbit.

Agnes blinked her eyes, but soon she apologized while sadness filled her inside.

Then she left to sleep, as it was late at night.

Having done it already. At the very end, Bernard regretted what he did.