Reasons for Contract Marriage - Chapter 66

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Brianna had almost no memory of her mother. She was too young when they parted to remember much about her. All she could vaguely recall was that her mother was kind and gentle.

The first death Brianna witnessed was her father’s. When she saw his frozen corpse, she realized for the first time that someone breathing beside her could die at any moment. Death, which had seemed so distant, was actually always lurking nearby.

That was why Florian’s promise to take her to see the fireworks after he returned from the battlefield filled her with unease. It reminded her of her father’s death, and just hearing those words made her feel like she couldn’t breathe.

There was only a week left until Florian’s departure. He had received the offer much earlier but had only told her at the last minute. During that brief week, Brianna did everything she could to change Florian’s mind. She got genuinely angry, begged, and even shed tears in front of him.

But the man who had once said he would do anything for her wouldn’t bend his will this time. He only wiped her tears away with a somber expression, repeatedly apologizing.

All Brianna wanted from him was to stay by her side, but Florian wouldn’t grant her that one wish.

Time flew by, and it was the day before his departure. Brianna went to meet him, her heart emptied of hope.

They met under the camellia tree where they had met before. Last time, a few blossoms still clung to the branches, but now they had all fallen, painting the ground beneath the tree red. In the middle of it all stood Florian.

“Brianna!”

As soon as he saw her, Florian ran over. He examined her stiff expression and tried to be playful.

“Are you still mad at me? Wow, when Brianna’s mad, she’s really scary. This is bad! What should I do?”

When Brianna still didn’t smile, Florian switched to pleading.

“Brie, please, won’t you smile? After today, we won’t see each other for a while. Do you really want my last memory of you to be an angry face?”

Brianna realized he was right. If she couldn’t stop him from going to the battlefield, she should at least send him off with a smile so his heart could be at ease.

“…Come back safely.”

Brianna forced a smile. She knew it was awkward since it was forced, but she didn’t want him to remember her as angry.

“Promise me you won’t do anything dangerous. No matter what happens, your safety comes first. Okay?”

Finally, a bright smile appeared on Florian’s face.

“Don’t worry. I’m just in charge of managing the weapons, so there’s no danger for me. Besides, you’ve heard the news, right? We have the upper hand.”

Recently, the Kazak Empire had paused their advance in anticipation of the Kingdom of Schwerin joining the war. The conflict with the Kingdom of Basel had been tight, and Schwerin’s support posed a significant challenge to them.

Moreover, in this age of advanced explosives, weapon performance was likely to determine the course of the war rather than sheer numbers. Schwerin was known for its superior weapon technology, so the prediction that the war would soon swing in favor of the Schwerin-Basel alliance was reasonable. Some even optimistically suggested the war could end sooner than expected.

Yes, don’t think too pessimistically. Just like Florian said, in a few months, they’d be reunited when the war ended.

Brianna steadied herself and made him promise. “Promise me you’ll come back unharmed and in good health.”

“Of course. My body isn’t just mine anymore, it’s yours too. I’ll make sure you can use it without any problems.”

“What do you mean?”

Florian grinned mischievously and kissed her cheek. Then he pointed to the brooch pinned to his chest.

“And I already have a boutonnière.”

“A boutonnière?”

A boutonnière was the decoration pinned to the groom’s chest at a wedding.

Florian fiddled with the brooch. “I’ve thought of this as my boutonnière, and I’ve worn it on my chest. Do you know the origin of a boutonnière?”

As far as Brianna knew, a boutonnière originated from a man giving a bouquet to his lover as a proposal, and the woman accepting by pinning her favorite flower to his chest.

“Isn’t it a sign of accepting a proposal?”

“That’s true, but even before that, it was pinned to knights or soldiers returning from war. It symbolized their victory and courage. Brianna, maybe you can see the future! How else could you have known to give me this in advance? And since it’s a leaf, it’s kind of like a flower.”

Florian’s words somehow reassured Brianna. The fact that the brooch she had given him coincidentally aligned with the meaning of the boutonnière seemed like a good omen.

“Maybe so. My past self must have known you’d come back safely and given it to you in advance.”

Seeing Brianna’s stiff expression soften like snow melting in the spring sun, Florian smiled widely.

“I’ll keep this close to me on the battlefield too. I won’t take it off, even when I sleep. It’s my symbol of victory. So, don’t worry and take care of yourself.”

Brianna nodded. “Okay, I will.”

“I’ll write you letters. Will you write back?”

“Of course.”

“Then it’s been a while since we last exchanged letters, huh? Wow, I’m excited. I really loved getting your letters.”

After Florian had entered the academy, they had exchanged countless letters. Brianna had feared that being apart for so long would make things awkward between them and that they would drift apart, but their letters brought them closer than ever. Through the letters, they shared serious thoughts that were difficult to say aloud, which allowed them to understand each other better.

In the blink of an eye, four years had passed as they exchanged letters. Florian had graduated, and Brianna had moved from Harzen to Bastogne.

Time is always both absolute and relative.

“I’ll write you every day until you return. And when summer comes, let’s go see the fireworks together.”

Brianna smiled at him.

Time would pass quickly, and soon summer would be here. Writing letters again would make time fly.

This time, if we exchange letters, time will pass quickly and the seasons will change, and it will soon be summer.

***

After both Lucius and Florian had left, Brianna’s life in Bastogne continued in relative tranquility.

Michael still liked Brianna very much. Recently, he was ecstatic to see the hen brooding her eggs. He asked when the chicks would hatch, and Brianna told him that they should see cute chicks in about two weeks. Watching the child’s eyes shine brightly, Brianna hoped the eggs would hatch. If they didn’t, Michael would be greatly disappointed.

Since the engagement party, Brianna had also grown closer to the staff. Just like in Harzen, she sometimes drank tea and chatted with them, and they occasionally went shopping together, picking out clothes for each other.

On her days off, she met Lily. Lily brought the good news that she had landed a supporting role in the next opera. Despite her busy practice schedule, she made time to cheer Brianna up, jokingly inviting her to join a group for women who had sent their loved ones to war, and complaining endlessly about her new neighbors, who she said were terrible.

Meanwhile, Adelheid completely ignored Brianna. Even when they crossed paths in the corridor, Adelheid didn’t so much as glance at her. Whatever measures Lucius had taken, it seemed Adelheid no longer intended to trouble Brianna. And as the social season started in earnest, she became busy attending balls and gatherings, so it was rare to see her at all. With Margot gone from the estate as well, no one remained to make Brianna’s life difficult.

In some ways, it was the most peaceful time she had experienced since Leona’s death. In her tranquil daily life, Brianna quietly went about her tasks, waiting for summer to arrive.

After about two weeks of such days, a letter arrived for Brianna. On the envelope, only the initials of the sender’s name were written in a familiar handwriting. As soon as she received it, Brianna rushed to her room and opened it.