The Perfect Bride - Chapter 51

First, that her cousin is a fool who doesn’t understand the meaning of disguise.

Second, that her first love’s appearance was far too different from what she remembered. In truth, this was the more shocking of the two.

Roger appeared smaller and more frail than she recalled. She had remembered his hair as dazzlingly blond, but it now looked rather dull and ash-colored. To make matters worse, his thinning hair made him look at least ten years older than he was.

Of course, if judged only by his features, he was still fairly neat. If one looked closely, it felt like the Roger from her memories faintly peeked through.

‘In my memories, Roger looked like a prince… What happened to him all this time? Is the Navy that tough? Ian doesn’t look like this…’

Lately, the person she had seen most often was Prince Ian. As such, there was no way she could call Roger handsome, not even as a polite lie.

“Uh, Natal…! Please, let me talk—!”

“Miss, let’s ignore him and move away. At this rate, we’ll draw a crowd.”

Mrs. Bate swiftly whispered into Natalie’s ear. Visitors bustling through Derville had started pausing to murmur and gawk.

“I’ll return straight to the carriage.”

Sigh. Even a love that had lasted a thousand years would cool like this. The unexpected reunion with her first love was nothing but disappointing and irritating.

And then it happened, just as one guard subdued Roger and another, mingled among the crowd, was approaching Natalie.

“Natalie Daus…? That lewd baron’s daughter?”

The middle-aged woman who had been speaking so warmly with Natalie moments ago was now glaring at her with a look of utter disgust.

‘W-what is this?’

At the woman’s suddenly vicious expression, like she had become a ghost, both Natalie and Mrs. Bate instinctively took a step back.

The next moment, the woman picked up an egg from her basket and raised it high into the air.

‘Gasp!’

Natalie’s eyes and mouth widened in shock, while Mrs. Bate shut her eyes tight and stepped in front of her.

At that very moment, someone behind Natalie screamed, “Stop!”

“Get lost!”

With a coarse curse, the woman hurled the egg hard toward Natalie’s feet.

‘What kind of disaster is this…’

Before Natalie could even finish her thought, she reflexively shut her eyes, and—splat!—the raw egg struck the hem of Mrs. Bate’s skirt.

In truth, the woman wasn’t brave enough to throw a raw egg directly at a noble young lady. Natalie and Mrs. Bate had simply panicked.

And there was one more person who had panicked.

At the moment the egg hit Mrs. Bate’s skirt, a sharp yelp came from behind, followed by the sound of someone falling.

Natalie and Mrs. Bate, who had instinctively clung to each other, cautiously opened their eyes.

“A-are you alright, Madam?”

“Y-yes. But Miss Daus, behind you…”

Startled, Mrs. Bate forgot to conceal Natalie’s identity as she answered. But there was no time to point that out. The two of them turned around at the same time, as if they had planned it.

Right behind them, a tall man had fallen to his knees on the filthy, waste-stained cobblestones. His right wrist, braced against the ground, was twisted at an odd angle, as if he had been injured in the fall.

“Ugh…”

A pained groan escaped from between the man’s teeth. His head was bowed, making it hard to see his face.

But those long arms, jet-black curls, and more than anything, the voice that had shouted for them to stop, all felt familiar.

“…Mr. Wald?”

Natalie cautiously spoke.

The man raised his head to look up at her.

The moment their eyes met, he gave a sheepish, awkward smile, and Natalie let out a trembling sigh.

“Ah. Good afternoon. Miss Dau—no, my lady.”

“……”

As Benjamin gauged the silent Natalie’s expression, he added with a forced smile, “Well, at least you’re not hurt.”

“…You are.”

Is this really a situation where you can smile? Natalie muttered under her breath with a face that clearly said she couldn’t understand Benjamin’s reaction.

Benjamin followed her gaze and looked down. When he noticed his own wrist twisted unnaturally, he let out a surprised, “Ah.”

Natalie’s brow crumpled.

***

The commotion died down once the man who had claimed to be Roger—who probably was the real Roger—was dragged away by a patrol officer.

Natalie and her group, supporting Benjamin, fled the scene and climbed into the carriage.

Thanks to Benjamin, who was covered in filth, the cramped carriage quickly filled with a foul stench. Natalie, unfazed, sat directly across from him.

Benjamin’s eyes darted between Natalie’s face and their knees, which were nearly touching.

No matter how much he bent his long legs, there was a limit. After falling on the marketplace ground, his knee had picked up some unidentified grime and now jutted out awkwardly, staining the hem of Natalie’s clean skirt.

As Natalie pretended not to notice Benjamin’s gaze and looked out the window, she glanced briefly at him, who looked as uncomfortable as a puppy needing to poop. Their eyes met immediately. Startled, she stiffened momentarily, then straightened herself and said softly, “You didn’t need to get involved.”

Despite her curt tone, Benjamin gave a warm smile. “It’s embarrassing. I only made things worse.”

Natalie’s eyes wavered; it wasn’t what she had wanted to hear. Seeing her expression, Benjamin furrowed his brows with regret.

“I’m the one who made things worse by showing up in Derville. If you’re going to apologize, please don’t.”

Fearing she’d turn red if they debated further, Benjamin closed his mouth. But as the carriage neared the West Side, he couldn’t help but speak up again.

“Um, Miss Daus. I’m also quite a mess right now, and still…”

“No. You got hurt because of me. There’s a good doctor at the duke’s residence.”

This time, Natalie spoke with unusual firmness. Then, with a slightly shaken voice, she added, “…They’ll help you. The Duke and Duchess are kind to me and my younger sister.”

“There are doctors in Derville, too.”

“Don’t even think about finding one in Derville. You know they’re all unlicensed quacks.”

“But it’s just a sprain. Miss Daus, there’s no need to look so troubled.”

Just a sprain? Natalie scowled again at Benjamin’s wrist, which had swelled thickly in a short time.

“…Just let me do this much.”

Her defeated sincerity made Benjamin’s eyes widen.

“If I don’t even do this, I might die from how sorry I feel,” Natalie added in a mutter.

At the strangely familiar exaggeration, Benjamin couldn’t help but smile faintly. Did she know her tone vaguely resembled David’s writing style?

“You feel sorry… to me?”

“…I went to Derville to find you. Because I couldn’t understand why you apologized to me at the dedication ceremony.”

“So it had been on your mind…”

“I wanted to tell you I was the one who should apologize, and to apologize for everything, from the past to the dedication ceremony.”

“……”

“Why should you be sorry, Mr. Wald? I know you suffered because of my selfishness. I wasn’t in my right mind back then…”

“Miss Daus.”

Benjamin looked directly at the spiraling Natalie. Her anxious eyes reflected his calm face.

“I’m alright.”

Benjamin’s firm voice made Natalie’s expression crumble all at once.

“…That can’t be true. There’s no way you’re alright. Mr. Wald, if someone this soft runs a publishing company, how does it even function…”

“Well. But I really am alright.”

What is he saying? I ruined everything. Natalie looked at him in disbelief.

“Still, looking back after some time, I have many regrets.”

‘…I knew it.’

Natalie lowered her eyes, expecting him to say he regretted ever getting involved with her.

“…The day I regret most was the day you suddenly showed me your long hair. That was the last time we met.”

“…That day?”

“Yes. Looking back, I’m deeply embarrassed and regretful that I cried and rambled instead of believing you were David.”

“……”

“That wasn’t the time to be dazed. I couldn’t do anything to protect you. It was something I couldn’t endure alone.”

A ripple spread through emotions she had buried deep for the past three years. Natalie clenched her lips tightly to endure the shock.

“If it were now, I might have thought to gather petition signatures. Ah, of course, I don’t mean to say I want you to go through that again, what I mean is…”

“I understand what you mean. You don’t have to say more.”

Natalie cut him off, as if she couldn’t bear to hear another word. Her nose tingled; if she heard any more, she might end up making a fool of herself right here.

“Mr. Wald, you’re still so kind. Saying you’re sorry you couldn’t help… That’s nonsense. You should’ve held onto me and cursed me out. Because of me, you…”

“No. The money you anonymously sent was more than enough, and in the end, I got a better opportunity and am still doing the publishing work I love.”

“But…”

Natalie studied Benjamin’s eyes with a doubtful expression.

“I’m really okay. I’m doing very well. Please believe me. Don’t I look better than I did back then?”

Benjamin gave a wide smile, as if pleading with her to believe him.

Once a fresh-faced young man adored by the market ladies, he had certainly matured into a more refined and impressive man.

“White Pen is quite a successful magazine now, Miss Daus. I make a lot of money these days.”

This time, he folded his arms and flashed a smug expression.

At that, Mrs. Bate, who had maintained a blank face the entire time, subtly raised the corners of her lips and turned her head to look out the window.

And at last, a faint smile formed on Natalie’s crumpled face as well.

A sweet and courteous man was a powerful thing.

Seeing Natalie’s furrowed brow finally ease, Benjamin inwardly sighed in relief. Even Mrs. Bate, who had been glaring at him warily from the start, seemed to have softened slightly. Cautiously, he opened his mouth.

“Miss Daus.”

In truth, there was something else he wanted to ask most.

“So, are you really doing well?”

The endless rumors surrounding the prince and the baron’s daughter. Natalie couldn’t answer right away and blinked a few times.

Finally, just as she opened her lips as if to say something—

“I…”

The carriage arrived at the duke’s residence.