01x11 - Tojikomerarete...

[bunniefuu]

Elsa...

I want you to call me by my name, too.

Yes, of course.

Lord Julius.

Elsa.

Once more. Please.

Y-Yes.

Lord Julius.

Elsa... Elsa...

Elsa...

Yes?!

Huh?

You were sleeping so deeply,
I'm sorry to wake you,

but it's time to get ready.

What?

I'll be in the lounge.

How could I have dreamt such a thing?

The Duke's Son Claims He Won't Love Me,
But Showers Me with Adoration

You go around like this...

then go like this,
and when you do this...

Ta-da!

Miss Nina, you're very good at that!

This is the most basic way
to make a decorative cord.

Next, you can use all sorts
of different kinds of threads...

and make accessories and small items

like the ones you bought
at the festival, Lady Elsa.

We started wearing our
accessories right away.

My! Thank you.

Pardon. I'm sorry to
have kept you waiting.

Hello, Lord Julius!

Lo—

Oh, with regards to how you address me,
it's all right to go slowly.

Of course.

I can't tell him that it's because
of the dream I had this morning.

What have you all been doing here?

I was learning how to make
the decorative cords.

Oh, the decorative cords.

When we've returned to the capital,

I thought I could make them with
everyone at the children's home.

I see.

Husband, have you finished
your meeting with Lord Escola?

Yes.

After this, let's go and inspect
the spinning mill, as planned.

Of course.

Have a good day!

If they have materials to make
decorative cords at the mill,

let's purchase enough for the children.

Thank you so much.

Oh, I'm so looking forward to this!

For some reason, Jarmo
comes along with us every time.

Hello, Lord Jarmo.

Hello, Lady Elsa, Julius.

Thank you for allowing me
to accompany you like this.

I've already done all the sightseeing
I can do on my own.

Thank you for being so accommodating.

He said he was invited as a guest
for the festival the other day...

We've also received support from Count
Parnilla for which we are very grateful.

I hadn't heard anything about the Count
Parnilla and Baron Escola's houses

being on such friendly terms...

Once I return to the capital,

I'll have to reinvestigate everything
regarding the Kreisa public works fund.

This facility is the spinning mill
with the most history in our town.

Since long ago, Kreisa has
had a thriving wool industry.

We're making use of those skills.

In recent years, the demand
for cotton products has rapidly increased,

so we aim to mass produce them, primarily
using water-powered spinning machines.

Because of this, I'm hoping to expand
distribution to the royal capital.

And so, Lord Julius,

I was hoping to have a few moments
of your time to explain the details.

Yes, I understand.
Let's go over your plans.

Thank you!

Allow me to show you to our office.

Of course.

My lady...

If you'd like,

you can pick out those threads for the
decorative cords while you're waiting.

Threads?

Yes, we have nearly a hundred varieties.

My! I had no idea there were that many!

It might take me some time
to decide on which to select.

Yes, you should go and have a look.

In that case, I'll accompany Lady Elsa.

Today, I'm here
on private business after all.

Understood.

Lord Jarmo and Lady Elsa
will be shown to the storehouse.

We'll see you later, then.

I do think that something soft that
feels nice to the touch would be best.

I wonder which colors
would make the children happy.

Lord Jarmo?

I'm terribly sorry.

Factories are so unusual to me,
I found myself transfixed.

Lady Elsa, sights like this
must be unusual for you as well.

Not at all.

In our countryside, just before
summer, we'd gather lots of wool,

and I made yarn along
with everyone in town.

I think I'm fairly-skilled
at work like this,

and it makes me think of home.

For me... it's unbearable.

Huh?

We're here.

Please, come this way.

Where are the threads?

Oh.

Where are Lord Jarmo and
the man who was guiding us?

Oh, dear!

Lord Jarmo! I'm terribly sorry.

Not at all. I was looking elsewhere, too.

This doesn't look like
a room to choose threads.

It seems we came in
through the wrong door.

And I've lost sight of our guide.

What?

Wait here a moment, please.

It's locked.

Locked?

There was a door over there, too.

This one's locked, too.

Excuse me!

Excuse me, is there anyone there?

Hello?

There seems to have been some sort of
oversight and we've been locked in.

What? How could this happen?

Well, we told Julius where we were going.

If his meeting ends and
we still haven't returned,

I'm sure he'll find it odd
and come looking for us.

Don't worry. We're still on
the same mill grounds, after all.

I don't want you to let anyone
else touch you ever again.

What shall we do?
Shall we tidy up this room?

Lady Elsa.

We have lots of time.

Why don't we sit and have a chat?

These circumstances
aren't what I'd hoped,

but, Lady Elsa, I've been wanting
to speak with you alone.

With me?

Yes.

Previously, I'd heard that
yours is an arranged marriage.

The truth is, I've heard a rumor

that yours and Julius's marriage
was by a royal order.

Lady Elsa,

I feel that you and the ladies who have
grown close to Julius in the past...

are very different.

Lady Elsa, you don't
use his lineage and looks

as though they're accessories, do you?

You are so innocent and much too kind.

Isn't Julius simply using you?

Well then, please wait here until
your lady wife and Lord Jarmo return.

Of course.

If you'll excuse me.

She's taking a long time.

Lady Elsa...

aren't you being used for some purpose?

That's...

Marriages based on self-interest
aren't uncommon among the nobility.

I myself...

accepted his offer to reduce
the number of mouths to feed at home.

In the beginning...

I have absolutely
no intention of loving you.

if it would benefit
my family and our lands,

I thought it wouldn't matter what
kind of person my partner was.

The time I've spend with my husband...

has been so... so...

so very...

full of happiness.

Somewhere along the way, I forgot.

That's right.
I am not here because I am loved.

Oh. Why am I...?

This is so sudden. I'm sorry.

Oh. My words have hurt her.

And so deeply.

To think that the person Julius loves,
loves him this much in return.

Julius...

you already have everything, and yet...

Prefect Julius Royas.

Yes, sir.

I stared at you from behind,
feeling as though I was dying.

I've constantly fought to catch up to you.

And yet...

Who are you again?

To you, I was...

Just like when I was in that place,
I was invisible to you...

someone whose name
wasn't even worth knowing.

That's right. Both then and now,
you have everything.

In that case...

Lady Elsa.

Won't you choose me?

If it were me...

I would understand your pain.

Lord Jarmo?

This innocent love... Can't I have this?

Julius has always been given everything...

so he can't understand
how you feel, can he?

But I can feel what you're feeling.

Pain... and love.

Elsa!

Elsa! Are you there?

Y-Yes!

You really do have everything, don't you?

Please bill me for the repairs later.

Elsa!

Husband.

The locks seem to have broken.

Were you crying?

Jarmo, what did you do to Elsa?

I-I got some dust in my eye!

We got trapped in here, and
we had an abundance of time...

so I thought I could do some cleaning.

Then the dust started flying up...

So, you could say that
I brought this on myself.

It isn't Lord Jarmo's fault, so...

so please don't quarrel with him.

I can't apologize enough!

This is from my lack
of proper supervision!

And so, we ran into
a little bit of trouble,

but the inspections came to an end,

we bid farewell to those
who looked after us...

Bye-bye!

...and we left the Kreisa lands.

I-I got some dust in my eye!

Why did I lie in that moment?

Even if I am being
used for some purpose...

if it means I can be of help
to him, then I don't mind.

Elsa.

Y-Yes?

I'm sorry.

The reason I brought you
on this business trip...

So, there was some role
I was supposed to play.

And yet, I...

It's because I heard that the peaceful
landscape resembled your family's lands.

What?

Lately, when I've seen you
in the manor house...

you've seemed to be in low spirits.

So I thought this might
serve as a change of pace.

But this matter of the storehouse...

While it may have been an accident,
I exposed you to danger.

The employee who guided Lady Elsa to the
storehouse, one not used for thread,

has completely disappeared.

I have no idea why he did such a thing.

Truly, no apology could ever be enough.

Personally, I can't help but suspect
Jarmo had a hand in this incident.

I was just fine.

Because you came to my rescue.

For me...

meeting Miss Nina and the others...

walking through town with you
during the festival...

seeing so many beautiful sights...

It was all so much fun!

Thank you for bringing me with you.

I see.

The mustard flowers, fried potatoes, and
cheese were delicious, too, weren't they?

Yes.

Well, he has been sleeping
on the sofa all this time.

The reason I instinctively
hid the fact that I'd cried...

must have been because I was
scared you'd discover my feelings.

Every time you've shown me kindness...

little by little, I changed.

And before I knew it,
I'd fallen in love with you.

My darling brother Jarmo!

Welcome home!

I've just returned, Serafina.

Say, Brother...

I'm sorry, Serafina.

I'm going to retire to bed now.

I understand. I'll tell Father.

Thank you.

He must be very tired.

Usually, even after a business trip,
he'll make time to have tea with me.

I wonder if something happened

on his trip.

Lord Jarmo, a letter from Lord Escola
of the Kreisa region has arrived.

What could this be about?

I apologize for going back on my word,

but in the upcoming chairperson election,
I will be taking a neutral stance.

No...

This can't be happening!