Chapter 36.1 – The Hurdle Of Happiness

The fun times were too fast. The unpleasant times felt longer.

Violette felt like time flew by fast when they were in that cafe, but when Yulan sent her home and she reached the mansion, her shoulders were suddenly heavy.

Of course, this was not the fatigue after spending time with Yulan. She had forgotten the dejection that she should’ve felt since leaving the school for a moment, so the weight felt heavier on her mind now.

Still, it was much better than what she always felt.

She wasn’t present at the dinner table since she hadn’t digested the pancake yet, but she wondered what those would people think she was plotting… She was more dejected when she thought of tomorrow’s breakfast, but for now, the sense of liberation was stronger.

“Violette-sama, I finished preparing your change of clothes.”

“Thank you.”

Violette wiped off her body after taking a light shower and wrapped herself in a beautifully folded dress. White with no decoration, it was the so-called home wear that prioritized comfort over the design, but the dress was elegant enough for her to go outside without any problems.

Perhaps since her natural appearance stood out, when she was choosing something that suited her, she would definitely focus on the luxury. Even to the small items that seemed simple. They were beautiful and nice to look at, but for Violette, her clothes were hard to move and made her shoulders stiff.

She was tired of it, wanting to at least wear her favorite ones in the house where she spent her times alone. When she was young, all her mother prepared for her was men’s stuff… It was mostly reproductions of what her father was wearing when he was young, the complete opposite of what she was wearing now.

Even so, her father told her that it didn’t suit her when she went out, so she tried to choose “suitable things” for her plain clothes and dresses.

A-line dress, no tightened waist. Neat and elegant, she herself didn’t think that it suited her. Such a cute outfit was even more lovely, which would suit girl like Maryjun better than herself.

“Violette-sama.”

“Marin, you’re back.”

“If you want to take a rest, should I braid your hair?”

“Sure, may I ask for your help?”

“Of course.”

Violette sat in front of the mirror in the bedroom which was large enough to make the full-length mirror in her private room unnecessary. Marin stood behind her, brushing her hair slowly and gently untangling her tangled hair.

In the absence of light, the dull hue of her hair was prominent, but Marin was proud that she knew more than anyone else that when Violette was basking under the sun, the gray color would shine beautifully as if sprinkled with glass. More than Violette who didn’t like this color. Even more than Yulan who valued all of Violette. It was Marin’s privilege since she had combed, touched, and braided her hair.

Marin bundled Violette’s hair thinly one by one, making the braid as loose as she could so that it wouldn’t hurt, but not so loose as to let it unravel. She completed the braid with a white lace hair tie.

“It doesn’t hurt?”

“Yes, thank you.”

What appeared in the mirror looked as if it was not Violette. The students at the school, even her family, didn’t know about this appearance. She didn’t really use make-up in the first place, but just changing her clothes and hairstyle would change her impression considerably.

Sitting down on the bed, Violette let herself fall to her side, burying her cheeks on the pillow just right. The sheets had the scent of the sun, prepared by Marin. It was one of the few things that was prepared only for her in this house.

“It was fun.”

“Yes.”

“The pancake was delicious.”

“Yes.”

“…It was like a dream.”

She was only spending her time relaxing, without worrying about anyone’s gaze. She didn’t have to keep her favourite things away because they didn’t suit her. Even if she ate her hair, she could laugh and it would be forgiven.

What Violette told Marin were her happy memories.

“If you’re tired, please sleep as you are.”

“I’ll do that…”

Her eyes got heavier, and even raising her eyelids became tiring.

She thought that she was physically fit, but this sleepiness was not from fatigue. Her instinct was commanding her to sleep while being wrapped in this comfortable feeling.

When she raised her feet into the bed slowly, Marin gently put the blanket over her.

She buried her face in the warmth that wrapped her, reminiscing about today’s events before she fell asleep, and realized that she enjoyed it more than she’d expected in the end while thanking Yulan.

She felt apologetic, but there was happiness again in the depths of her heart.