Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon - Volume 1 - Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - A warm reunion

Miyo quietly sat in front of the desk, weaving the threads together.

She had already familiarised herself with all the steps so if she wanted, she could very well do it faster if she wanted. However, somewhere in her heart, she was still not prepared to face Kiyoka. Hence, she tried to prolong her time alone by slowing down her progress.

Miyo hated thinking about her half-sister.

She's tired of remembering the words her sister spouted, saying that she's useless.

-—As such, she decided to think about Kiyoka instead.

Her strong, beautiful, and kind Danna-sama.

Although he was someone so dazzling that she felt like they were from two different worlds, but her feelings of wanting to stay with him were stronger.

If only she had the courage to tell him that, then she could make reasonable effort to realise it. Even if she's unable to become his wife because she had no ability, there must be ways for her to stay by his side and support him.

No matter what, procrastinating like that wouldn't solve anything.

Miyo directed her line of sight to the corner of the desk.

There sat a beautiful hair tie in that corner. Although it was done by a novice the workmanship that hair tie was pretty good and the uniformity of the weave was also more than satisfactory.

That's right—in actuality, the gift for Kiyoka was already completed.

Right now, she was just using the remaining thread to weave other designs in a bid to stall for time.

Sigh. Her head was feeling really heavy from the lack of sleep.

She had been having nightmares ever since she arrived at this house. And they continue to plague and torment her every night. When she jolts awake in cold sweat in the middle of the night, her mind becomes filled with how she should face Kiyoka, what should she say to him, and what his response would be. As a result, she would find herself unable to fall back asleep with all the anxiety inside her.

"Miyo-sama, may I have a moment?"

Just as she was about to let out yet another sigh, she heard Yurie's voice calling for her.

It was already past noon. As she hadn't had the appetite for lunch these past few days, she couldn't think of a reason why Yurie would be asking for her at this time.

"...Yurie-san?"

"You have a visitor, Miyo-sama. Shall I bring her in?"

(A visitor?)

The movement of her hands came to a halt as she tilted her head in thought.

She wondered just who it was that would visit her at this house. Surely, it couldn't be someone from the Saimori house. As for the friends she made when she went to elementary school—she had long since lost contact with them. Other than these people, she didn't know anyone else and there shouldn't be anyone who knew that she was living in the Kudou residence.

"Please invite them in."

However, it was not like Miyo could simply send away a guest who specially made the trip, hence, that was the reply she gave.

Then, she turned around as she heard the sound of the sliding door open and—

She couldn't believe her eyes.

"It's been a while, Ojou-sama."

She was so surprised by the sight before her that she couldn't utter a single word.

Although this person looked much older than her memories, there was no doubt about it, they were someone Miyo knew very well.

"H-Hana..."

"Yes. You’re all grown up, Miyo ojou-sama."

A heartened smile formed on Hana's face as tears welled up in her eyes.

Now that the two of them were the only ones in the room, seated face to face, the atmosphere in the room felt rather tense while Miyo's eyes wandered around the room, unable to settle on Hana.

Honestly speaking, Miyo was felt much more shock than joy to be meet Hana again.

Although Hana had been by her side from a young age, the memories she had of her most trusted servant, had gradually faded away along with those terrifying memories of being locked in the storehouse. After all, their parting was too sudden.

And many years had passed since then.

Soon after Hana was forced to quit her job, Miyo a sense of emptiness. When she lost the only person she could hold onto as emotional support, the sense of loss she felt, was as if the last remaining warmth in her heart was gouged out.

However, she had since gotten used to this emptiness.

She thought that they would never meet again so she had never considered what she would say to Hana if they did.

Perhaps it was because Hana couldn't bear to see Miyo like that, unable to speak at all, so she took the initiative.

"It's good to see that you're doing well above all else, Ojou-sama."

"Yes, y-you too."

Miyo stuttered a reply.

Come to think of it, Miyo was still using the tone of an FOjou-samaj] when Hana left, but now, the tone of a servant had been completely ingrained in her.

Therefore, she was rather confused as to how she should speak to Hana.

"Ojou-sama, I'm actually married now."

"I-I see, congratulations..."

"I also have children now. My husband is someone from the village next to mine and we spend our days as farmers, working together in the fields... Overall, I'm very happy now."

When Hana smiled, wrinkles formed on the skin that had been tanned from the years of working under the sun. She always had a kind expression on her face, but now, it felt even more gentle and benevolent than before.

"How about you, Ojou-sama? Are you happy now?"

Miyo was startled by her question.

"I..."

All the memories she had ever since she came to this house flashed through her mind and disappeared soon after—she didn't how to answer Hana's question so she remained silent.

Then, Hana reached out to the hands Miyo had placed on her lap and enveloped them in her own.

They used to hold their hands together just like this in the past. The warmth that transmitted from Hana’s to Miyo was still the same, it hadn't changed in any way shape, or form.

"Ojou-sama, my dear child. I’m so sorry I wasn't by your side when you were going through your hardest times."

"Hana..."

"In all honesty, I felt that I have no face to meet you again. For someone as powerless as me, it took me so long..."

Hana frowned as regret welled up from the bottom of her heart.

"However, I still decided to come here today."

Miyo raised her head and their eyes met.

"It was because I wanted to see how contented my Ojou-sama is now. I wanted to see my dearest, most precious Ojou-sama who had been suffering for a long time smile and feel joy from the bottom of her heart."

"..."

Miyo felt a lump in her throat, and sniffed, trying to hold back her tears.

That's right, she couldn't allow Hana to see how miserable she had become, how far she had fallen. She had long lost the right to be called the latter's "precious Ojou-sama".

She didn't want to make the woman who gave her warmth and care in place of her mother, who left the world early, grieve for her.

"But, Hana, I..."

She had hoped that she might attain happiness after she left the Saimori family.

When it was decided that her marriage candidate was Kiyoka, even though she found him frightening at first, she eventually found that he was a really gentle man after getting to know him better. Yurie was also very kind to her and she truly felt comfortable living in this house.

Just as per her hopes and Hana’s wishes, Miyo felt really blissful now.

However—

"I don't have special abilities. I don't even have Paranormal Vision."

Miyo said with a trembling voice.

"Therefore, I am unsuited to become Danna-sama‘s wife. I can't stay here forever."

Hana's figure that was reflected in her eyes started to become blurry. As it turned out, the tears in Miyo's eyes were threatening to spill over as she bit on her lip in a bid to hold them back.

When she tried to speak again, she felt excruciating pain, as if someone was wrenching a knife in her heart.

She didn't want to leave this place and it wasn't because she had nowhere else to go.

"Ojou-sama..."

If she said anymore, tears would start rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. Hana looked in concern at Miyo who was choking back tears.

"...Ojou-sama, you..."

Hana muttered, after a moment of silence.

"Ojou-sama, do you know... how I came to be here?"

"Eh...?"

"After I was dismissed, I went back to the Saimori household, hoping to see if they would employ me once more, but I wasn't allowed back. Then, by hook or by crook, in order to gather information about how you were living, I persistently pestered my former colleagues for their help but to no avail. In the end, they got frustrated by me and ignored me... After that, I went back to my parents' house and got married a few years ago at their urging. For someone like me who had lost all connection with the Saimori family and the Imperial City—-how could I come here? Do you understand what I'm trying to get across?"

"That is..."

From her words alone, anyone could see how much Hana thought about Miyo.

However, there was no way for her to get here simply from the strength of her thoughts alone.

Someone must have told Hana that Miyo had left the Saimori residence and came to this house.

"When I first received the letter, I had no idea what was going on. After all, how could someone of such importance have any business with a mere commoner like me? ...Ojou-sama, Kudou-sama is a good man."

That's right, it's obvious—who else could go through the trouble of finding Hana and bring her here?

"Danna-sama..."

At the end of the day, he was the only one who could do it.