A Family at the Seaside Restaurant
Translated by: ME
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*****
「Hey, hey! Old man, you can't even do this much?」
A burly young man slapped Doril’s shoulder roughly, his voice thick with exasperation. His sun-bronzed, muscular arms supported a crate much larger than the one Doril held, and sweat glistened on his forehead.
「I’m sorry... I’ll clean it up right away.」
Doril scrambled on all fours to pick up the items that had spilled from the fallen wooden crate. He bowed his head repeatedly in apology, but inside, his heart was a tempest of resentment.
(I am not a man meant for this kind of menial labor! I was someone who worked in an Earl’s household. I am not some small-timer to be ordered around by an uneducated man in a port town.)
After the fall of the House of Pendleton, he had been introduced to an accounting position at a small merchant house in a port town. Doril was fifty-two this year. Having worked at the Pendleton estate with every intention of dying in service there, he found this treatment unbearable. He had briefly descended into alcoholism and, in his despair, ended up embezzling a small—albeit significant—amount of money from the merchant house.
That incident had cost him his job. Now, he spent his days performing day labor at the docks. He had gone around telling everyone that he could read, write, and calculate, but no one wanted to hire him. There was something about his tone of voice and his attitude that felt inherently unpleasant. The men of the port town, many of whom were straightforward and hot-headed, were sensitive to that kind of aura. As Doril remained picky about the jobs he would take, people eventually stopped dealing with him altogether.
Before long, his savings ran out, and he reached a point where he could barely afford his daily meals. But hunger is a persistent motivator. Out of necessity, he began taking manual labor jobs unloading cargo from ships. Three months had passed, and he found himself unable to escape that cycle.
Physical labor paid well enough. If he worked hard from dawn until dusk, he could manage a decent dinner. However, it was excruciatingly difficult work.
「Listen, I said "this much work," but this is an important task. I don't know how much confidence you have in yourself, but thirteen-year-old brats are out here moving more crates than you, and they're doing it seriously. No one wants to pay a wage to a man who won't work earnestly, even if he can read and calculate.」
The young man delivered his sermon, thudded his crate down, and headed back toward the ship.
***
Exhausted as he was, Doril had a dishwashing job waiting for him next. A kind-hearted landlady he knew had introduced him to it.
「It's a rather nice restaurant for this area. They might appreciate someone like you, uncle, who can calculate properly, so I’ll introduce you. Keep at it. Don't let yourself rot.」
The place he was directed to was a restaurant frequented even by nobles. Its appearance was quite high-end; the prices were not the sort a commoner could afford daily. Since Doril had no experience in the food industry, he was allowed to start on a trial basis doing menial work like washing dishes.
(Hiring even someone with a past... this place’s standards must be low.)
Despite wearing a tattered shirt, Doril looked down on the establishment in his mind. However, the rumors that it was a popular spot were true; it was so busy there was no time to rest.
He managed to get through the day, though he did break one plate. After the sun went down and a large group of guests departed, a sudden stir went through the restaurant.
「Hey, some nobles have arrived! Everyone, pay close attention to the plates! Make sure there isn't a speck of dirt on them!」
As the head waiter called out to the kitchen, everyone’s expression tightened with focus.
「Must we really be so careful just because nobles have come?」 Doril muttered almost to himself.
「Hah?! Of course!! They're nobility!! Well, the ones who come around here aren't usually arrogant, but they’re fundamentally different from commoners. We absolutely cannot be disrespectful, right?」 a young cook replied, looking at Doril as if he were an idiot.
Doril listened in silence.
***
As appetizers, main courses, extra wine, and desserts were carried out one after another, Doril washed dishes mechanically, lost in thought.
(Everything has to be polished to a shine just because they’re nobles... Even the people in a backwater countryside restaurant think that way. What on earth did I do?)
He thought back to the image of the elegant young bride.
She was soft-spoken, with hands that had clearly never known hardship. She had bowed and said, 「I look forward to working with you.」 She was truly refined. Her white neck and beautiful skin were flawless, and the items she brought with her were all high-quality goods the likes of which he had never seen. The curtains and sheets she had handed him, saying they were part of her dowry for her bedroom, were far superior to the fabrics in the Pendleton reception room.
He felt that everything had gone wrong from the moment they fell into the delusion that they were the ones in power. He remembered the day when only the Madame and the nursing infant were home. He had conspired with the head chef to serve her whatever scraps they had on hand. However, that refined lady had merely looked a little sad and eaten it in silence.
(Well... it's just as the Dowager Countess said. We mustn't let her get ahead of herself. As the one in charge of this house, I have to make that young woman understand her place.)
From then on, he had stripped away her freedom whenever the whim struck him. When he took away her lady's maid, he had even felt a sense of exhilaration.
*Know that no matter how much you try to act important, you are someone who cannot even look after yourself!*
It was only after the Kirkland brothers had shouted down the servants and left that he realized that even with the rank of Viscount, 【Nobility is Nobility】. After the lawyer arrived at the Pendleton estate with a mountain of documents, the house fell into ruin in the blink of an eye. The alimony, the repayment of loans, the complaints from contractors... he realized anew that maintaining the dignity of a noble is something only a "noble" can do. They held great power because they bore the responsibility of ruling their territories.
Soon, a barrage of impossible demands arrived—demands that had never occurred once while Rose was there. Siegfried panicked, and as soon as the servants realized their wages wouldn't be paid, they fled in droves.
(Don't let a noble see even a speck of dirt on a plate...)
Even the commoners at this restaurant he looked down upon understood that, yet he had understood nothing.
「It seems the Madame likes her wine! A twenty-year-old vintage from Nobress has been ordered!」
The waiter excitedly brought an old bottle from the wine cellar.
「Is that expensive?」
「Very!! This is the first time I've ever seen the seal broken on that wine! It’s worth three months of our wages!」
Unable to help himself, Doril peeked into the dining hall, curious to see what kind of person would drink such a thing. There, sitting at a window table under a particularly large lamp, an elegant lady caught his eye.
「Madame Rose...」
Clad in a shimmering dress with her hair intricately styled, the lady with the small face was smiling happily at a man. A large necklace graced her neck, and matching earrings sparkled at her ears. With her back perfectly straight, she carved her fish with a grace that was almost divine.
The man with her was surely Logan Goldsmith. He was tall, with his silver hair lightly slicked back, wearing a high-quality shirt. The two were enjoying a lively conversation, and their voices reached Doril's ears.
***
「It's true! Josh intended to play a prank on Alfred, so he set up a bucket of water. Ryan the gardener saw it but left it alone. Then the next day, Josh forgot all about it and pulled the string himself...」
At that point, Rose began to giggle, unable to contain herself.
「So he ended up drenching himself?」
Logan had clearly imagined the scene, for he let out a hearty laugh.
「Right? Isn't he adorable? They both had a great laugh about it. Then they started fooling around and their clothes got soaking wet.」
Rose continued to giggle at the memory. Logan watched his wife tenderly, laughing along with her.
His wife was bright and gently indulged the children’s play. Having married Rose, Logan had realized she was naturally a spirited person. Perhaps that was why she was so tolerant of the boys' mischief. She seemed to get along well with his mother and family back in Mistrial, too; even his father, who usually valued martial prowess, took a great liking to Rose’s refreshing personality.
Rose was far more "manly"—in the sense of being straightforward and honest—than she looked. Logan found his wife utterly adorable. As she took care of her skin, wore clothes that actually fit, and let the maids apply her makeup, Rose had grown increasingly beautiful.
*The foundation is excellent.*
Those were the words of the boutique owner. It was true. When Rose’s good upbringing and kind nature surfaced, she projected a powerful aura. She wasn't a conspicuous beauty, but with her small face and beautiful skin, her slightly full, pillowy lips made her what Logan had recently come to understand as an "atmospheric beauty." He had been advised that "silk" was the best material to highlight her skin’s beauty, and it suited her perfectly.
Logan wasn't a young man anymore, but he felt his heart throb for her every day. He had discovered the joy of married life. Sharing a delicious meal, or the joy of watching the children grow—everything felt twice as rewarding when shared.
***
When Rose returned to society, she had been considerate of Logan, saying, 「If people say spiteful things and it makes you uncomfortable, please don't hesitate to distance yourself from me.」 Her inner strength made Logan fall for her all over again, and he realized clearly that Rose was the only woman he wanted to walk through life with.
Since it was after the trial, there were naturally men with old-fashioned ideas who viewed Rose critically. However, more than that, Rose received immense support from other women. Surrounded by ladies and radiating a soft smile, Rose was beautiful enough for anyone to acknowledge.
There had been many twists and turns. But now, their life had settled down completely, and they had decided on a trip at the children's suggestion. Amidst the two-week itinerary planned by the boys, tonight was a "restaurant date" organized by Josh. Staying in a mountain lodge, visiting a port town, taking a boat to an island. After keeping an observation diary on sea turtles, they would swim plenty in the ocean, and then the parents would dress up for dinner.
Rose seemed to have a weakness for seafood, and she was drinking more than usual. Her slightly flushed cheeks were adorable, and Logan felt truly happy on this vacation. He even thanked the heavens (and Josh) for this situation, realizing that a change of scenery revealed sides of her he didn't usually see.
And Rose, for her part, was falling again for her husband, who looked more relaxed and sensual than he did in the capital. Even as a civil official, Logan’s tall and sturdy build drew eyes. With his silver hair slicked back, he looked like a sophisticated, slightly "bad" older man.
The alcohol flowed, and she found herself chatting in a playful voice.
「Rose, thank you for marrying me.」
The moment the conversation paused, Logan slid a jewelry box across the table. Inside the green case, a brooch with intricate coral work sparkled.
「It is I... It is I who... am so happy... I’m the one who should be saying thank you.」
The two stared at each other for a moment. Seeing Rose’s happy smile, Logan felt a wave of relief that he had chosen this gift. The nervous excitement of wondering if a gift would be appreciated—this was another feeling he had learned after marrying Rose.
***
Without realizing it, tears were streaming down Doril's face.
「Hey, what's wrong?」 the head waiter asked, looking startled.
「I-I’m sorry. I just saw someone who looked like an acquaintance...」
With only that, he rushed into the restroom.
Doril remembered. In the early days of her marriage to the impoverished Pendleton house, they couldn't afford a gardener. When Doril had taken it upon himself to sow seeds in the garden, she had thanked him with such genuine joy.
*Doril, thank you. I’m sure beautiful flowers will bloom. I love flowers more than anything. People always say, "You must love roses, right?" but I actually prefer small, clumping flowers like impatiens. I love the atmosphere when those lovely pink, red, and white flowers all bloom together.*
She was a lady who had been so happy and complimentary over flower seeds that even a commoner could easily buy. She hadn't cared about the cost; she had shown gratitude for Doril’s thoughtfulness.
(I thought back then that a good person had married into the family...)
(Where did it go wrong?)
The coral work Logan had gifted her was an item a commoner could afford. Yet she was so happy. It was surely because they were on a trip. Every time she looked at that piece, she would remember the memories of this place and rejoice in the feelings of the Count of Goldsmith who had given it to her as a memento.
The Madame had not changed. It was they who had changed. They had all banded together to bully a person who could find honest joy in small happinesses.
*I love flowers. Thank you.*
He had let go of a kind mistress, and now there was no turning back. He was the one who had brought about this result where he couldn't even offer a greeting upon seeing her face.
At the very least... at the very least, he had to live a life he wasn't ashamed of.
He felt ashamed of himself for not having even apologized to the merchant house people who had allowed him to leave with just a dismissal despite his embezzlement. He felt ashamed of the pettiness of his character for stealing such a small amount.
When he left the restroom, they had already departed. Doril bowed his head toward the table being cleared, though he wasn't addressing anyone in particular.
***
Now, after a date like that, Logan was completely intoxicated by his wife’s charm. In the carriage, he was dying to hold her. To be more precise, he had been dying to kiss her at the restaurant. His wife was so adorable when she was tipsy...
Pretending to support Rose, who was a bit unsteady on her feet, he followed her into the bedroom and began undressing her as she let out small noises of surprise.
(Alfred! Father is going to give you that "little sister" you wanted for your next birthday!! Note: I don't know which it will be.)
Logan’s resolve was firm, and the atmosphere of the seaside inn was perfectly romantic. The sound of the waves, the scent of the tide, and a remarkably large bathroom. A wonderful environment had been prepared—whether intentionally or not.
There was no doubt that Josh had pushed his father Logan, and whether Alfred had planned it was a secret between the close brothers.
*****
And that's all folk. See you in the next one.
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