I sat at the writing desk in the drawing room, leafing through the stack of afternoon correspondence.
The steward had organized them this morning, and now I was performing the final review. While my husband, Georg Laufen, was busy swinging a greatsword at the border, the management of the territory fell entirely to me. Even in times of peace, the burden of internal administration was skewed so heavily in my favor that people often said the Laufen Margraviate was run not by my husband’s blade, but by my quill. Georg never bothered to deny it.
Friederike Laufen—that is my name, though those close to me call me Frede.
"Madam."
Following a reserved knock, a maid peeked her head into the room.
"Lady Katia has arrived. She says she wishes to speak with you."
"Send her in."
Lately, my daughter has been visiting me like this more and more often.
After years of withdrawal and sharp edges, it warmed my heart that she had finally begun to rely on me again.
Before long, the door opened and Katia entered. She wore her chestnut hair in a short bob tied with a faded red ribbon, and she was cradling a small letter as if it were a precious treasure.
However, her expression was clouded with worry.
"Mother."
Katia took a seat and placed the letter on the table. The sealing wax bore the crest of House Werl.
"A letter... arrived from Rein."
"Oh? That is wonderful news, isn't it?"
Given her reaction, however, she didn't seem particularly happy about it.
"It’s just, um..."
Choosing her words carefully, Katia unfolded the stationery and handed it to me.
—Perhaps because I pushed myself too hard while mastering Recovery Magic, I have fallen quite ill. Therefore, until things settle, I would like to communicate through letters. I believe we can meet again once I have recovered. Please, do not worry about me.
The message was brief, containing only the bare essentials.
—Falling ill and requiring convalescence.
He only recently had his wounds healed by the Saint, and yet he was already overexerting himself again. But I suppose that is simply the kind of boy he is. Kind, single-minded, and so devoted to his goals that he treats his own well-being as an afterthought.
With those thoughts in mind, I folded the stationery and returned it to Katia.
"I’m... worried about Rein’s health..."
Katia’s voice trembled slightly. Perhaps to stave off her anxiety, her free hand was white-knuckled around her Crest Identification pendant.
"After everything that happened to him... and since the parts that were restored weren't just a single hand or foot... It’s true that when I visited him, his complexion was poor and he seemed to be in pain..."
"...But, I also can't help but think... maybe he’s actually come to hate me..."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I keep thinking that maybe he sent this letter because he 'doesn't want to see Katia's face' anymore..."
"Because of my foolishness, Rein was kidnapped and put through such a terrible ordeal... and even though he was unwell, I placed a burden on him by visiting..."
A thin veil of tears welled in Katia’s eyes.
"I feel like it wouldn't be strange at all if Rein didn't want to see me again..."
"..."
"What do you think, Mother?"
She kept her head down, yet her eyes looked up at me with raw honesty.
Never before had this normally strong-willed girl made such a vulnerable face. As a mother, I felt a powerful urge to do something for her.
"In that case, why don't you try corresponding with him?"
"Correspondence?"
"Yes. Continue exchanging letters. If he truly hated you, his replies would stop, or they would be delayed and formal. On the other hand, if he continues to reply properly—it means you aren't hated, doesn't it?"
Katia’s eyes slowly went wide.
"...I'll write!"
She stood up abruptly.
"I'll write! I'll write right now! Mother, the stationery—"
"You have some in your own room, don't you?"
"Ah, right! Thank you, Mother!!"
With that, Katia dashed out of the room. Her chestnut hair vanished beyond the doorway.
I couldn't stop a smile from blooming on my face.
◇◇◇
A few days later, as I was working through more paperwork, a maid peeked into my room with a reserved, slightly wry smile.
"Madam... it's Lady Katia."
"Is something wrong?"
"It seems a letter arrived for her. She is... quite literally walking on air."
Before the maid could even finish her sentence, the door burst open.
"Mother!"
Katia rushed in, clutching a sheet of stationery. Her cheeks were flushed a rose-pink, and her eyes sparkled like stars.
"A reply came from Rein!"
"My, that's wonderful."
"Listen, Mother! Rein wrote that lately, he's been finding time when he feels better to practice Mana Control with his Recovery Magic! And he's been reading lots of medical books because he thinks they might help his restoration!"
"My, how admirable of him."
"Since he replied so quickly, it means I'm not hated, right?! Oh, thank goodness...! Ah, as for the rest of the content, it's a bit private, so even for you, Mother, it’s..."
Growing flustered, she turned the stationery over and pressed it to her chest.
—How many months has it been since I last saw this child smile like that?
For a while after that, Katia remained on the chaise longue, writhing in bliss while hugging the letter. I found it quite amusing, though I suspected her etiquette tutor would have fainted on the spot at such an unladylike display.
◇◇◇
That evening, as I was organizing parchments in the study, Katia visited me again.
This time, however, she looked deeply troubled.
"Mother..."
"What is it now?"
"Um... I wrote my next letter, and I tried reviewing it, but..."
"Yes?"
"The progress of my training, the details of the Rat Hunting in Seltheim, how to swing a halberd using Earth Magic..."
"..."
"Do you think the things I'm writing... are a bit too grim?"
"..."
"This... isn't the kind of letter a girl writes, is it...?"
I instinctively pressed a hand to my face.
—So that is what she had been filling her letters with.
I massaged my temples, feeling a sudden headache coming on, while Katia looked on with genuine concern, asking timidly:
"What should I do to seem more... ladylike? Mother, please teach me..."
The first thing I suggested was perfume.
"Applying a light scent to stationery is the mark of a lady. You make the recipient conscious of you by using the same scent you wear. I shall summon a perfumer, so you must decide on a fragrance of your own."
"I understand! Thank you, Mother!!"
The next day, she consulted with the perfumer and chose a scent. Apparently, she settled on lavender.
It wasn't a cloyingly sweet floral scent, but something refreshing and dignified. I felt it was a scent that suited her perfectly.
However, it seemed she lacked a sense of moderation.
The following morning, when I asked to see the letter to check her progress, the entire area was saturated with the smell of lavender before she had even sent it.
"Katia... this is a bit much, don't you think? You only need a tiny drop on the margin of the paper."
"Eh? But I wanted to leave a strong impression on Rein..."
"A scent that is too strong becomes a stench. It should be just enough to waft gently when the letter is opened."
"Oh, no..."
Looking at the dejected Katia, I had to fight back the urge to laugh at her sheer adorableness.
◇◇◇
"Applying perfume to a letter is certainly effective, but the content is what truly matters."
"What should I do, Mother?"
"Let me see... How about practicing your dancing and writing about that? You haven't practiced much until now, but if you don't take it seriously, you won't be able to dance with Rein, will you?"
"Dance... Dance with Rein..."
Katia murmured the words with an entranced expression.
—My, my. She is truly head over heels.
"I'll do my best so I can dance with him!"
Having fired herself up, she hurried away.
"She still has a long way to go to become a proper lady..."
—But even so...
"To think he could change that girl this much..."
I murmured in genuine admiration.
"You're quite something, Rein."
From then on, the sounds of light music and the rhythm of clumsy, searching steps occasionally began to echo through the manor.