Chapter 472: A Pledge of Love
“Garments, shoes, mugs, spoons and forks.” May ticked each off on her fingers. “Is there anything else?”
The floor was scattered with household supplies — water kettle, wooden bowl, things a person accumulates without noticing until she has to move them.
“Bedding is the most important,” Irene said. “Take a pillow set, sheets, and a blanket at minimum.”
Rosia and Gait collapsed into laughter. May silenced them with one look.
“The bedding isn’t necessary. Carter says he’ll buy a new set from the marketplace — they’re said to have come from the four families’ basements.”
“Fine silk, then.” Irene said this with a wistfulness that was entirely genuine. “I’ve heard there’s a tailor in King’s City who sells fabric of pure silk. Only great nobles and wealthy merchants can afford it.”
“One set is worth five gold royals, he said.”
The three other girls went still.
“Five gold royals.” Rosia moved her lips. “That’s almost two years of my pay.”
“How can you compare yourself to the Star of the Western Region?” Gait tapped her on the head. “Miss May has performed in King’s City. His Excellency Carter is Chief Knight to His Highness. You can’t compete with either.”
“I envy you so much,” Irene told May, with the open brightness that was entirely her own.
May knew what was genuine in the room and what wasn’t. Irene’s happiness for her was real, completely real — that quality was why Morning Light had fallen for her in the first place, and May had always found it faintly astonishing that a girl raised in the theater had come out the other side with her innocence intact. She was pleased to see Irene envious, just a little. “When you rise to fame, you’ll be able to buy one yourself. A single King’s City performance pays several gold royals, and the nobles tip generously.”
“How long before I’m as good as you?” Irene asked, mouth pulled tight.
Before May could answer, the door swung open.
“Are you rehearsing?” A young man’s head appeared in the gap, dark-haired, well-made, with the expression of someone who genuinely doesn’t know whether he’s welcome. “Am I interrupting?”
“His Excellency Carter!” Gait and Rosia bowed immediately.
“Good morning, Mr. Knight.” Irene turned easily. “We’re discussing what May should bring to your place. We were just talking about you.”
“Really?” He scratched the back of his head. “What did you say?”
“Nothing.” May looked at him with the calm precision she used when she wanted a particular effect. He did look well when he stopped talking — that was true. “Why are you here today? It isn’t your day off.”
“His Highness gave me a little time.” He held a parcel under his arm and set it down carefully. “I brought you something.”
Gait caught the look May didn’t give her and said, “I just remembered — something I need to attend to,” and was out the door before she finished the sentence, pulling Irene with one hand and Rosia with the other.
“I haven’t got anything to do—” Irene’s voice faded down the stairs.
May bolted the door. “What is it? I hope it isn’t another one of His Highness’ inventions.”
Carter glanced at the parcel, then at her, and said, “Your father—”
“He’s busy.” She hadn’t meant the edge in her voice and couldn’t entirely remove it. Her father had found a clerical position at the Ministry of Construction within a week of arriving in Border Town, which had startled her and left her with no reason to worry about him, which had left her without anything to do with the worry. “Don’t look at me like that — everyone isn’t on holiday like you.”
“I’m not on holiday.” He put his hands up. “Iron Axe’s most efficient man got transferred to Longsong Stronghold and now everything lands on me — interrogations, resident verification, criminals coming in from the western camps. I haven’t sat down for a meal in two days.” He said it without complaint, practically — a man accounting for his time. “The camps are the difficult part. These aren’t the local troublemakers from the Western Region. They’re organized men who hid among the refugees. Now that things have stabilized, they’re testing the edges. I’ll catch them when they’re found in the inner city.” He paused. “Don’t worry about the inner city.”
May looked at him: this man who described municipal crime prevention with the quiet satisfaction of a craftsman describing sound joinery, who had appeared at her door on his one free afternoon with a parcel under his arm and his hair still damp from rushing, who had clearly not slept.
“Have lunch here before you go,” she said. “You have enough time.”
“Almost — yes.” He set the parcel in front of her. “Try it first. I asked His Highness to design it.”
“His Highness designed it?”
“I told him about the wedding date and he described something called a wedding gown. It takes considerable effort to make, apparently.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I had to beg for quite a while, and then I had to bribe Soraya with ice cream bread before she would commit to it, but here.”
May unfolded the fabric.
White. Not the white of common linen or bleached wool but something lighter — layered muslins, weightless in her hands, gathered into a structure that was simultaneously simple and intricate. No jewels. No gilding. The complexity was in the cut alone: a fitted bodice, a wide girdle at the waist, and below it a skirt that flared and fell in waves, each layer catching the light differently. The craftsmanship was embedded in the seams, invisible until you held it up and understood that this effect was not accidental.
She carried it into her room without a word.
When she came back out, Carter’s jaw dropped. Dropped openly, without pretension, without any attempt at recovery.
“God,” he said. “You are — you look—”
“Stunning?”
“Yes.” Very simply. “Stunning.”
The flush that came was involuntary and she let it happen. She could imagine what she looked like. She didn’t need a mirror — she had Carter’s face.
She crossed the room and pressed her lips lightly to his cheek. “Thank you. I love it.”
He put his arms around her, and this time she let him.
She closed her eyes and thought, quite calmly: May Lannis doesn’t sound too bad.
Chapter 472: A Pledge of Love
Translator: TransN Editor: TransN
…
“Garments, shoes, mugs, spoons and forks.” May checked off each item by counting with her fingers. “Is there anything else I should take with me?”
The floor was littered with an assortment of household supplies, everything from a water kettle to a wooden bowl.
“The bedding is the most important,” Irene thought and then said, “you’d better take a set of the pillow, sheets, and blanket.”
Hearing these words, Rosia and Gait both burst out in a fit of giggles, but they were soon silenced, however, when May shot them a cold glance. “The bedding isn’t necessary. Carter says he’ll buy a new set from the marketplace. It’s rumored they once belonged to the four families and were dug up from their mansion’s basements.”
“Wow, then they must be made of fine silk,” Irene commented enviously. “I’ve heard there’s a tailor in King’s City retailing fabric and garments made of pure silk. It’s unfortunate that only great nobles and wealthy merchants can afford them.” If they came from the four families, they must be just as good.”
“Yes, pretty much,” May replied nonchalantly. “I remember he said one set was worth five gold royals.”
“Wow… “The three girls gasped in surprise.
“Five, five gold royals! God Almighty!” Rosia smacked her lips. “It would take me nearly two years to make that much money.”
“How can you compare to the Star of the Western Region?” Gait said derisively while tapping her on the head. “Miss May is a celebrity who has performed in King’s City! As for His Excellency Carter, he’s Chief Knight of His Highness. You can’t compete with either of them!”
“That’s really awesome, May,” Irene said, looking at May with her radiant eyes. “I envy you so much.”
May knew only Irene felt genuinely happy for her, and her sincerity was why Morning Light was attracted to her in the first place. May also wondered how a girl like Irene, who grew up in the theater, was impervious to worldly temptations and desires all the while retaining the innocence and kindness of childhood. Although she had put her past romance out of her mind, May was still delighted to see Irene was a little envious of her. “When you rise to fame, you can buy a set for yourself… You’ll be paid several gold royals for starring in King’s City just once, not to mention the tips you’ll get from the nobles after the show.”
“But how long will it take me to become as good as you?” Irene asked in frustration, mouth pulled tight.
“Looks like you’re pretty busy here. Are you rehearsing?” Right then the door was swung open abruptly. A good-looking young man poked his head in and asked, “Am I interrupting?”
“His, His Excellency Carter!” Gait and Rosia immediately bowed.
“Good morning, Mr. Knight.” Irene turned to smile at him. “We’re discussing what May should take to your place and we were just talking about you.”
“Really? What did you say about me?” Carter asked curiously, scratching the back of his head.
“Nothing!” May stared at him and thought silently that he always appeared to be the perfect gentleman when his mouth was shut, but the illusion was shattered once he started talking. “Why did you come here today? Today isn’t your day off, is it?”
“Um… don’t worry. His Highness gave me some time off today. So… I brought you a gift.”
“A gift?”
May glanced about the room. Gait soon took the hint and said, “Oh, Miss May. I just remembered that I’ve got something to take care of. Feel free to let me know when you’ve finished packing.”
“Me too. I have to do the laundry. It’s been there for a few days now.” Rosia also took her leave with a bow and pulled Irene away with her as she walked out of the room.
“Huh? I don’t need to do anything. Hang on… I want to see May’s gift too…” When the girl’s voice gradually faded away, May sighed in relief and bolted the door. She turned to Chief Knight and asked, “So, what’s the gift? I hope it’s not a new invention of His Highness’ again.”
Carter glanced around before breaking the silence. “Your father… ”
“He’s busy. Do you think everyone has ‘free time’ like you?” May snapped impatiently. She had thought it would take a while for her father to become familiarized with the new surroundings after he moved from Stronghold to Border Town. However, to her surprise, he had found a clerical job at the City Hall in only one week, and there was nothing she could do about it. Now he was a regular employee at the Ministry of Construction.
“I’m busy, too.” Carter threw up his hands in defense. “His Highness transferred one of the most efficient employees from the Ministry of Justice to Longsong Stronghold. Now I have to deal with all sorts of tasks. On top of interrogating spies and verifying the status of the residents, I also need to hunt for criminals at large. I don’t even have time for meals these days. You have no idea how fierce these criminals are. Unlike any of the locals in Western Region, these guys are gangsters, initially hiding among refugees. Now, as things have gotten a little better, they’ve started to make trouble. But don’t worry, they only stir up on the outskirts of town where the temporary camps are to the west and they won’t get into the inner city easily. And, I’ll catch any of them when they’re found messing around.”
Seeing Carter describe the matter so passionately, May broke into laughter. “Alright, I got it. So, Mr. Knight, as you’re so devoted to the peace and order of the town, would you like to have lunch and a few drinks here before heading back to your business?”
“I’d love to, but I’m afraid my break is almost over.” Carter put down the parcel in his hand. “Try this on to see if it fits. I asked His Highness to design it.”
“His Highness?” May was a little surprised.
“Yes. When I told His Highness about our wedding date, he mentioned a type of gown specifically worn for weddings. The only thing is that it takes a lot of effort to make one. I begged His Highness for quite a while, and even bribed Miss Soraya with ice cream bread before I finally got this dress.”
When May unfolded the fabric, she saw a snowy dress in the parcel.
May’s heart stopped beating for a moment when the knight spread out the garment. It was a simple gown with elaborate and sophisticated details. The dress was simple in the sense that it was not ornamented with any jewels, nor was it hemmed with a gilding of gold. Instead, it was purely layered with white muslins. However, the cut of the dress was rather showy. It was tightened with a girdle and flared out into a contrasting, voluminous skirt below the waistline. The skirt rippled like waves, perfectly showcasing the ingenious handicraft embedded in its design.
She knew any girl, whether noble or peasant, would be fascinated by and obsessed with a gown like this just at the sight of it.
May gently caressed the snowy white gown that weighed almost nothing and retired to her bedroom to put it on.
When she was back in the living room, Carter’s jaw dropped, struck by the breathtaking beauty he saw. “God, you are… stunning.”
“Really?” A rare, vivid blush rose to her cheeks. She could imagine what she now looked like without even looking into a mirror. Chief Knight’s gaping
expression had already told her everything.
May went up to Carter and gently pressed her lips to his cheek. “Thank you for your gift. I really love it.”
The knight flung his arms around her in response.
Watching Carter’s face slowly approaching hers, May closed her eyes.
“It doesn’t sound too bad to be called May Lannis,” she thought.