Chapter 16: Pabst Village Situation
Unexpectedly, Diana’s lips were firmly sucked by Leon, and she could no longer see his face.
(Considering Leon’s shy nature, I thought it would be a more timid kiss. . .!)
Leon’s arms supported Diana’s weak back.
As the pastor moved away from the two, he mischievously whispered in her ear.
“. . .Good job.”
“What’s with you, Leon? You seem quite experienced. I bet you’ve kissed other girls before!”
“That’s not true. . .I swear to God.”
Leon looked down at Diana, who was pouting a little, with a bewildered expression.
And then. . .
“Congratulations, newlyweds.”
A plump, middle-aged man with white hair appeared before them, making a grand entrance. The man extended his hand to the bride.
“. . .I am the village chief of this Pabst village.”
Whispered by Leon, Diana hurriedly shook hands with the man.
“I am Roberto, the village chief of this Pabst village. Escaping from the war must have been tough.”
Pabst village. Diana finally learned the name of this village and realized the long journey from the urban area of Latgip.
“No, it wasn’t that tough because Leon helped me.”
“I see. Well, in any case, you are a beautiful bride. This village has few young women, so as the village chief, I am pleased to see your future. It’s better to have more young people around.”
Diana listened to him and looked around the square.
Indeed, there were hardly any young women to be seen. If there were any, they were either children or middle-aged women.
“Oh, by the way, Leon. I have a favor to ask you right away.”
Changing the topic, the village chief raised his face.
“A favor?”
“You used to be a gardener, right? I want you to make wreaths like the flower crown the bride is wearing.”
“. . .How many do you need?”
“Six. Can you have them ready the day after tomorrow?”
“I can.”
“I’ll send someone to pick them up in the evening of the day after tomorrow. We’ll exchange the payment then. One silver coin for each.”
“Alright. By the way, what are they for? Some flowers may not be suitable depending on the purpose.”
The village chief hesitated for a moment and answered.
“They are for the nobles and wealthy people who escaped from the neighboring country. They escaped the urban area and sought refuge in the safe outskirts. It seems they can’t lower their living standards even in the countryside. They requested flowers because they absolutely need them for their lifestyle.”
The village chief spoke in a tone of exasperation, but Diana understood the feelings of those nobles well.
A sudden drop in their quality of life. Diana could endure and accept it because she could be by her beloved Leon’s side, but for those who had no such option, a simple rural life must be unbearable.
“I understand.”
“Then, I’m counting on you. Take care too, Bride-san.”
“Yes! Thank you very much!”
The village chief left to find wine. And then,
“Diana-san!”
As the village chief left, the group of people who usually exchanged goods at the hot spring hut arrived. They surrounded Diana and separated her from Leon.
“Hey, hey. . .”
“Well, it’s fine for today, isn’t it? After all, you’ll see each other every day as a married couple.”
The older ladies laughed and pushed Diana’s back. Leon looked a little worried as he watched from the side.
“So, what happened after that? Have you already greeted your relatives?”
Diana couldn’t escape the pressure from the older ladies.
“Well, um. . .”
“Then, you heard it, right? About Leon’s unfortunate life.”
Diana lowered her head.
“I know I shouldn’t say this to a newlywed bride, but you should stay away from that George, especially. He’s a natural-born troublemaker. He doesn’t argue with words; he punches people. The way he bullied Leon was no joke. He’s just like his deceased father.”
Indeed, that was the case. Diana wanted to believe in her relatives, but the ladies who had spent much more time with them than Diana did were saying so, so there must be no mistake.
“That’s why we’re relieved. Leon got such a cute bride before any of his siblings.”
“They must be secretly jealous. If anything happens and you’re harassed, just tell us.”
Diana nodded and absentmindedly looked for George’s figure.
“. . .Huh? That girl.”
The ladies murmured in surprise. Diana also noticed.
Unusually, there was a young woman present. With wavy black hair and a slightly mysterious aura, she held a wine glass and was talking to George.
Then, the black-haired woman suddenly splashed red wine onto George’s face. Diana widened her eyes in shock.
“Oh my, it’s Laura.”
One of the ladies said.
“It’s been a while since I last saw her. She’s been a recluse ever since she lost her hearing, but she came out today, huh?”
“Laura has that kind of personality. She usually doesn’t come out, but when there’s a festival, she’s drawn to it like a magnet.”
“She’s basically an attention-seeker.”
Diana watched as the mysterious woman ran away. And then, she saw George start to undress as if giving up on something. Seeing a hint of sadness in George’s eyes, Diana swallowed her saliva.
(Oh. . .Even someone with such a thick skin makes that kind of face.)
