The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady. - Chapter 59
- Home
- All
- The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady.
- Chapter 59 - Julia and the butler
The Engagement of the Baron of Flowers and the Withered Tree Lady.
Chapter 59 Julia and the butler
Julia, who usually wakes up early, was clearly exhausted from the night gathering and didn’t open her eyes until nearly noon.
Having always been up before sunrise, she felt a mild panic in the room filled with radiant sunlight.
“What should I do? Lord Romand has already left, hasn’t he? I can’t believe I slept without even seeing him off.”
“You seemed quite tired, so I didn’t want to disturb you. And Lord Romand also requested you to be left sleeping,” replied Sharie, a maid, as Viola on the adjacent bed nodded in agreement.
Looking at Viola’s face, Julia suddenly realized.
“Oh, Viola, how are you feeling? Oh, the swelling hasn’t gone down at all. It must be painful. Did you manage to have breakfast?”
Despite Viola enduring such hardship, Julia, realizing her own carefree attitude as a debutante, felt a sense of guilt.
“It still hurts a bit, but I was too hungry, so I had some porridge. It was delicious,” Viola replied, her face still looking pained but with a hint of joy.
“That’s good to hear. Thank you, Sharie.”
“Oh, not at all. Viola is going to be my buddy from now on, so it’s only natural. When I suggested bringing a book to alleviate boredom, Viola said she’d rather learn work than read. Truly diligent and admirable.”
“Buddy?”
“Sharie is going to be Lady Julia’s personal maid. That’s why I can serve Lady Julia alongside Sharie. She’s going to teach me various things, as I don’t know much or can do anything. I’m so happy. I’ve always wanted to become a capable maid who can be of help to Lady Julia.”
Though Julia felt the urge to say she didn’t need a personal servant because she could handle things herself, she managed to suppress those words. She remembered how everyone had taken care of her at the night gathering.
She was going to be a Baroness now. Unlike the pseudo-countess she pretended to be before, she would have to engage in social activities and assist her husband with his work. Perhaps having someone dedicated to her service would be necessary, but she felt reluctant to have two. It seemed inappropriate.
Just as Julia was pondering this, whether Shari had sensed her thoughts or not, she spoke up.
“Of course, not just me, but everyone will help teach Viola her maid duties. But basically, I’ll serve the lady of the house, and Viola will assist in the Baron’s matters, helping both the master and mistress.”
“Eh?!”
Unexpectedly, both of their voices overlapped in surprise.
However, Julia quickly recalled the conversation she had with Romand two days ago. The Baron’s household was planning to open a flower shop in the market, and they wanted Viola to assist with that.
“Young Mistress, it seems there will be a discussion with Butler Hyde as soon as your meal is finished, regarding Viola.”
Still not entirely accustomed to being called “Young Mistress,” Julia blushed and nodded her understanding.
After finishing the brunch, Julia, in Romand’s study, was informed by Butler Hyde about Viola’s circumstances, which she had been unaware of until now.
Viola’s family ran a flower shop, and it was located on the morning market street. No wonder she didn’t mind going to the morning market; in fact, she seemed delighted.
Moreover, the connection between the Plant Baron family and Viola’s family was indeed a mysterious twist of fate. Julia was touched by Romand, Robert, and the people of the Plant Baron family, who were determined to protect this connection without severing it.
“Now that we have become a supplier to the royal family, we directly deliver flowers to the castle, high-ranking nobles, and the church. Originally, in the Plant family estate, without distinction of rank, we cultivated flowers for those who appreciate them. Viola’s father, Mr. Manton, who managed a flower shop, aimed to wholesale flowers from our estate. However, as soon as that dream was fulfilled, heartless individuals caused the shop to disappear. I wanted to find her family immediately and help continue the business, but I couldn’t locate them. It’s quite surprising to find her in such a close place. Moreover, realizing that it was unintentionally the Plant family that brought ruin to those detestable individuals, I sense a deep connection.”
Julia wholeheartedly agreed with the words of Hyde Crossreed, the butler of the Plant Baron family.
Nevertheless, involving Viola in the establishment of the new shop and planning to eventually make her the manager—Romand truly was the perfect choice to be her husband, Julia thought proudly.
“If Viola becomes busy with her work related to the shop and it inconveniences Lady Julia, we will arrange for another dedicated maid. Please feel free to let us know at that time,” Hyde said, and Julia hastily responded.
“With an excellent maid like Sharie, I don’t mind having maids who aren’t exclusively for me. As you may know, I was treated like a maid in the Count’s household, so I can handle my basic personal affairs. You don’t need to worry. Thank you for your consideration, Hyde-san.”
At that moment, Hyde, who usually never ceased to smile, had a momentary sad expression. However, he quickly returned to his calm smile and spoke.
“Actually, Lady Julia, I have a favor to ask.”
“Eh? Hyde-san has a request for me? Yes, please tell me anything.”
Julia’s eyes sparkled with joy. Grateful for the constant care from Hyde and the people of the Baron’s house, Julia was always troubled about what she could do in return.
“Firstly, I would like to confirm, I heard that your marriage has been postponed a bit, is that true?”
“Um… I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to get married or dislike it. I admire Lord Romand. It’s just that I’ve had too little interaction with my father until now, so I thought I’d like to live with him for at least a year. I’ve received so much help from the Plant Baron family, and I feel really sorry about this.”
Julia deeply regretted telling Romand about her feelings in a carefree mood yesterday. She wondered how Romand felt when she suddenly told him about the postponement of their marriage. Was he upset, disappointed, or angry? Despite looking forward to the wedding every time they met.
Seeing Julia turn pale, Hyde strangely wore a relieved expression and said to her.
“I apologize. I’m not blaming you. I just wanted to confirm as the butler. It’s entirely natural for Lady Julia to wish to spend more time with her father, Earl Woodcliff. However, as I am getting older, if possible, I had hoped to impart the education of being the lady of the Plant family to Lady Julia as soon as possible. It’s entirely my personal and selfish desire. I’m sorry.”
“Age? Hyde-san, you still seem quite young.”
“No, I’m already in my mid-sixties, so it wouldn’t be strange if I retired by now. I should have retired long ago. If the rightful heir had taken over this house, as they should have, but that person decided that a baron’s family laden with debt was undesirable. Shameless, to say the least. Moreover, due to that decision, two young boys were burdened with a significant responsibility. Therefore, I couldn’t just run away alone. That’s why, at this age, I continue to serve as a butler. Well, working under the current master unexpectedly turned out to be enjoyable and stimulating, so while I may appear youthful, the contents are quite aged. That’s why I want to convey the necessary information to the future lady as soon as possible.”
“Of course, I also want to learn various things about the Plant family and be of some help, but is it okay to be told about the internal affairs of the house when I’m not even married?”
Julia knew she would never betray Romand or the Baron’s house, but she couldn’t help seeking confirmation. Hyde then spoke with a reassuring smile.
“You’ve already heard about the darker aspects of the Plant family relationships from Lord Romand and Robert, haven’t you? So, there’s nothing new to tell at this point.”