Chapter 7
“Sergeant.”
“…Colonel?”
While out shopping, Tracy was met with an unexpected sight.
Standing beside Valentin was an ordinary middle-aged woman.
The heavy paper bag filled with groceries was gently taken from Tracy’s hands and passed into the woman’s rough, weathered hands, marked by years of hard work.
“I’ll carry it.”
“Oh, no…”
Tracy looked at Valentin with wide eyes.
He smiled faintly.
“She used to work as a maid at Allstow Base. Most of the soldiers have returned home, and I heard she was practically being forced to find a new job. So I brought her here.”
As soon as he finished explaining, the woman hugged the bag to her chest and bowed politely.
“My name is Camilla. I look forward to working with you, Sergeant.”
Seeing Tracy still standing there in stunned silence, Valentin smiled warmly.
“I’ll be stopping by often for the negotiation meetings. It bothered me that the Master Sergeant’s quarters didn’t have a proper housekeeper. I also wrote her a recommendation letter, so Haskins should accept her.”
“Ah…”
So it hadn’t just been for yesterday.
He meant for the foreseeable future.
Thinking he had gone through all this because of her, Tracy lowered her head.
“I’m sorry, Colonel. My inadequate hospitality must have inconvenienced—”
“Sergeant.”
It was the first time she’d heard such firmness in his voice.
She looked up.
His expression had hardened, though there was a trace of sadness in it.
“You have nothing to apologize for. Everyone has different roles, which is why people hire help. I didn’t bring a housekeeper because your assistance yesterday was unsatisfactory, so please stop apologizing.”
His blue eyes looked directly into hers without the slightest hesitation.
Though his words were simple, the conviction and authority behind them were unmistakable.
Tracy instinctively straightened her back and placed her arms at her sides.
“Understood, Colonel. My apologies.”
“…”
Valentin’s eyebrow twitched slightly, but she didn’t notice.
After a moment, he simply smiled gently.
“Heading home now?”
“Huh? Ah… no. My… younger sister will be returning from the academy soon, so I was going to meet her.”
His vivid blue eyes widened slightly.
“Ah, your sister…”
He looked as though he was about to say he knew who she was.
Did he already know about Sadie as well?
Tracy nodded.
“You may have heard of her.”
“…Not very well.”
“That’s all right. Very few people actually know what Sadie looks like.”
He nodded thoughtfully before glancing at the grocery bag Camilla was carrying.
“Then why weren’t you taking these home first? They look rather heavy.”
“The weight isn’t a problem.”
She answered matter-of-factly.
“They’re lighter than a rifle.”
“…”
“I was planning to bring them with me because she’ll probably be hungry.”
“Miss Sadie?”
“Yes.”
A gentle smile spread across Valentin’s face.
“In that case, you can go empty-handed.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Camilla, sorry, but could you go ahead first? If Master Sergeant Haskins asks, just show him the recommendation letter.”
“Of course, Colonel.”
Camilla bowed before walking away.
Tracy hadn’t even told her the address, yet she headed confidently in the correct direction.
She really had been hired through Valentin.
As Tracy watched Camilla disappear in bewilderment, Valentin spoke again, his tone noticeably brighter.
“So, where are we going? Did she take the train?”
“She did, but…”
“Then we’d better take a cab. Let’s go.”
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and started walking.
Tracy remained rooted to the spot.
When he’d gotten several steps away, she finally came to her senses.
“Colonel!”
Valentin stopped and turned around.
His expression clearly asked, Why aren’t you coming?
Her voice grew quieter.
“This is my responsibility.”
“I know.”
“Then why…?”
With a gentle smile, Valentin walked back toward her.
“I’d like to greet Miss Sadie.”
“…What?”
“If we’re going to see each other often anyway, it’s better to introduce ourselves now. I happened to bring some cookies. I think she’ll like them.”
He looked almost excited—
Like an uncle eager to meet his young niece for the first time.
Cookies were certainly a luxury these days.
Sadie would probably be delighted.
Tracy frowned slightly.
“You just said everyone has different roles.”
“Mmm. I did.”
“Then welcoming her home is my role as her older sister.”
“That’s true.”
“…Colonel.”
She was completely serious.
Yet Valentin simply laughed.
“She’ll soon be family to one of my closest friends, won’t she? Since we’ll be visiting each other often anyway, making a good first impression can’t hurt.”
His gentle yet playful tone eased the tension in her brow.
Now that she thought about it…
It actually made sense.
“…Very well. But we won’t be taking a carriage. The steam bus is cheaper—and faster.”
“Oh, that’s—”
The smile disappeared from Valentin’s face as he started to say something.
Then he noticed Tracy had already walked several yards ahead.
He gave up and followed after her.
Tracy looked around until she spotted a steam-powered bus large enough to hold a dozen passengers.
She pointed toward it.
“There it is. That’s the one that goes to Luther Station.”
Valentin froze for a moment before scratching the back of his head.
“I’ve… never ridden a bus before.”
The unexpectedly sheepish confession brought the faintest smile to Tracy’s lips.
At that, Valentin unconsciously slowed his pace.
“Well,” she said softly, “this will be your first time.”
For once, she was the one leading someone of higher rank.
The realization that he, rather than she, was the one feeling awkward made her steps unexpectedly light.
Without realizing it, she gathered the hem of her skirt and began jogging.
Hearing Valentin let out a helpless sigh behind her made the corners of her lips lift a little higher.
Her boots, so different from heavy military boots, felt almost weightless—as though carried by the wind.
For an instant, she even imagined a faint sweetness lingering in the air.
Moments later, she grabbed the handrail at the back of the steam bus and hopped aboard with ease.
“You can take your time getting on!”
The driver’s assistant called out after noticing Valentin still hadn’t boarded.
The passengers who had already climbed aboard watched the tall man awkwardly clamber inside, eliciting a few amused chuckles.
Once both of them had found seats, the assistant turned around and held out his cap.
“Just don’t break the bus wheels.”
“Sorry.”
As Tracy reached for her money, Valentin gently pushed her hand back and awkwardly stood.
“My apologies. I’ve never ridden one before.”
He dropped two silver coins into the cap.
Clink.
The assistant’s face lit up.
Tracy, however, frowned.
“That was two coins.”
Valentin sat down beside her with a slight smile.
“Consider the extra a tip.”
“Haha! Much appreciated!”
The assistant laughed cheerfully.
Valentin merely shrugged at Tracy.
Her eyes narrowed further.
“Don’t tell me… you paid my fare too?”
“It’s the price of letting me accompany you.”
“…”
With him smiling like that, she couldn’t bring herself to scold him.
She gave up, letting out a sigh too quiet for anyone to hear.
Valentin’s smile softened.
“So… I’m the one who’s supposed to be embarrassed.”
“…What?”
She looked at him in confusion.
He met her gaze with a faintly regretful smile.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen you smile.”
She blinked.
Smile?
Only after a moment did she touch the corner of her own lips.
A quiet chuckle escaped from beside her.
“You look better when you smile.”
Looking sideways, she saw Valentin wearing his usual gentle expression.
For a brief moment, his clear eyes shimmered like sunlight dancing on water, as though they could see straight through her.
Startled, Tracy quickly looked away.
“You must have imagined it.”
“Smiling isn’t a crime.”
“…”
She almost replied, It is.
But there was no point.
It would only lead to another pointless argument.
The choker around her neck suddenly felt unbearably tight, forcing her to swallow dryly.
“So why push away such a handsome gentleman, miss?”
The assistant suddenly interrupted.
Both Tracy and Valentin turned toward him.
Grinning broadly, he asked innocently,
“If you reject a handsome fellow like him, what kind of man are you planning to date?”
“…What?”
“Huh…?”
Tracy’s silver-blue eyes widened.
Valentin rubbed his forehead with an awkward expression.
“You’ve misunderstood. We aren’t that kind of relationship.”
“Hm? Then what are you?”
Seeing Valentin hesitate, Tracy answered instead.
“He’s my fiancé’s friend.”
The assistant immediately straightened up and cleared his throat.
“Ahem… My apologies.”
“…It’s all right.”
Covering his eyes with one hand, Valentin let out a quiet sigh.
Tracy, meanwhile, was completely bewildered.
They had been arguing only moments ago.
How had anyone mistaken them for a couple on a date?
More importantly…
Why did she feel strangely disappointed instead of merely offended?
Her face burned under the attention of the other passengers, yet at the same time she felt oddly cold.
Something swelled up from deep inside her chest—
Only to sink again.
It was an unfamiliar, unsettling sensation.
So this is what it feels like when strangers decide your relationship for you…
I’d heard stories like this before and never thought much of them.
Experiencing it myself… is strangely unsettling.
As Tracy silently struggled to untangle the confusion in her mind—
Neither she nor Valentin noticed that Valentin, resting his chin on the window frame, was smiling to himself.
The rest of the passengers, however…
Were watching the entire scene with great interest.
