32 [Bonus chapter]Chapter 32: Letters
Two beautiful women could be seen sitting at a table near the window, slowly sipping their tea while enjoying the view.
Both had silver hair, but the younger one had red eyes while the older one had blue.
"Anastasia, I think it's time you speak your mind." Alexandra, the grand duchess, asked her one and only daughter. Anastasia was fidgeting on her chair, trying to say something but couldn't. Alexandra could understand the young girl's mind as a mature woman, but she wanted Anastasia to speak from her mouth.
It was a holiday, so the mother-daughter duo were enjoying their tea together.
"It's nothing, mother…." Anastasia flinched and shook her head.
"Is it about Ivan?"
"W-what?! Of course not. Why would I want to talk about him? He is just a commoner, and… sigh." Anastasia wanted to retort, but she just sighed. She was well aware of how quick her mother's instincts were.
"Hm, hm~! I understand, dear. It must be boring here, right?" Alexandra chuckled and asked.
Anastasia looked around and nodded softly.
It had been almost two months since Ivan had left the castle. Although nothing had changed apart from Ivan's departure, her days were mostly spent in utter boredom.
Ivan, unlike other servants, didn't listen to everything that Anastasia ordered him to do. He would quarrel and sometimes even scold Anastasia without a single shred of fear for the grand duke.
But it was still fun to be around Ivan. He would tell some interesting stories and talk with Anastasia like a friend.
"B-but… I wanted to ask something…." Anastasia then mustered her courage and spoke with rosy cheeks.
"What is it?" Alexandra asked.
"Say, mother… how do women grow…? I mean… them. How do to make them big…?" Anastasia asked with rosy cheeks glancing at her mother's bosoms.
Alexandra stared blankly at her daughter before a chuckle escaped from her lips. "My daughter wants to have big breasts? Do you want to impress someone? Is it…" Alexandra smiled as she rolled her eyes.
"It's not like that! It's for Prince Arthur! Sigh* just answer me." Anastasia asked with a sigh.
Alexandra chuckled again, wondering how quickly children grow these days. A few months ago, Anastasia was a spoiled child, and now she was concerned about attracting a man's attention.
Alexandra knew why Anastasia brought up this topic. Ivan had a habit of staring at Alexandra's figure, especially her breasts since she does have an hourglass figure. But unlike other men's eyes which were mostly filled with lust and thirst, Ivan only admired Alexandra's overall beauty.
It was like Ivan only admired the diamond from a safe distance and wished to own a similar diamond someday.
However, Anastasia must have seen Ivan staring at Alexandra and got curious if Ivan was only attracted to women with big breasts.
Alexandra smiled and spoke, "Don't worry, my dear daughter. You will become a splendid beauty at the proper age of your marriage."
"Mother…" Anastasia was stunned but nodded with a smile. Although she had also developed quite a lot as she turned 13, there was still time till she would reach 15, the proper age where a girl can get married.
Just then, Kasumi knocked on the door and entered.
"Duchess Alexandra, Lady Anastasia, my father, head butler Shin, has returned and brought some souvenirs," Kasumi said with her hands holding some envelopes.
"Really?! Has Ivan also returned?" Anastasia asked, standing up from the chair.
"No. Ivan won't be returning for a while. But he has sent some letters addressing to the young lady."
"Oh." Anastasia realized her composure was not ladylike. She coughed softly and asked Kasumi for the letter before bidding farewell to her mother and leaving the tea room.
"Why are you still here?" Alexandra asked with her eyes narrowed, looking at Kasumi with contempt.
"Ivan also has sent one for you. Shall I bring the letter to you?" Kasumi asked plainly, ignoring Alexandra's steely eyes.
"Leave it here," Alexandra said.
Kasumi nodded and put an envelope on the table before excusing herself.
Alexandra's mood was off since she saw Kasumi interrupting the quiet tea time between daughter and mother, but she exhaled the stress and decided to read the letter.
[Dear Lady Alexandra.
How are you doing? How is your body? I-I mean… are you feeling better?
I am doing fine here. I have also been looking for a cure for your illness for the past two months. Although I didn't find any complete medicine or treatment, I have some leads, and I will surely be returning with something that can make your health better.]
As Alexandra read the letter, a soft smile appeared on her face. She felt genuinely happy that Ivan was even concerned about her.
The rest of the letter contained Ivan's praises for Alexandra, making Alexandra laugh. The boy must be hopeless to praise Alexandra so openly. Others might fear just lifting their eyes before Alexandra for fear of Grand Duke, but Ivan wouldn't. He must have a heart made of steel.
She put the letter back in the envelope and looked at the dark sky. Though the location was meant to see the sunset, Flareottems is mostly covered with clouds.
"Ivan, my dear child, just be safe and return alive here…." A tear left Alexandra's eyes when she read the hind of his next mission and how dirty it would be.
---
[Hello Grand Duke Tsar
Please grant me my next three months' salary in advance.]
Tsar, who was reading Ivan's letter, flinched when he read that. No one had ever talked so casually with Tsar, so it was a little unexpected coming from Ivan, a 13 years old brat.
"What is it, Milord?" Shin asked, standing on Tsar's opposite while explaining the overall adventure for the past two months.
"Nothing. Continue your report." Tsar said.
"Alright, milord. So, where was I? Yes, I then asked Ivan to search for abandoned places for the missing children case."
[I am sure that Shin is probably taking credit for himself. Let me tell you, duke. He is a lazy ass who sleeps in pink underwear.
He also praises you a lot… in a weird way. I apologize, duke, but I think Shin's sexual orientation has changed.]
Tsar widened his eyes and looked at Shin.
"What is it, milord?"
"Shin, have you ever thought about remarrying?"
"Eh? I don't think I would marry someone since I have to display my duties as Grand Duke's butler."
Tsar widened his eyes and sweatdropped. "Shin, find a woman and remarry someone in the next two years."
"Eh?! Mi-milord that is…."
Tsar ignored Shin and continued to read the letter.
[Anyway, so the details of my next mission include…]
It was the point and next step that Ivan would take. Tsar was shocked at how much and how preciously Ivan had planned his next moves. Ivan's every action was briefly mentioned in the letter.
Ivan has also asked for Tsar's help which also involves capital.
At the end of the letter, Tsar was left speechless. The letter disappeared in his hands before he leaned back and sighed.
"Milord, was there something rude in the letter?" Shin asked.
"Did you leave Ivan alone?" Tsar ignored Shin's previous question and asked.
"Nope, I have left a team with him."
---
Kasumi sat at a desk and read Ivan's letter in her pyjamas.
[Hello Kasumi. How are you doing? I am doing fine here. My height got a lot taller, and I am now the same height as you. My PP is also bigger than you can imagine.]
"Oh, my small ototo-chan…." Kasumi muttered with rosy cheeks as she tried to construct Ivan's image. She squeezed her legs, jolted with an unknown current and exhaled softly.
She was excited to read the rest of the letter, but the following content was about Anastasia whether Kasumi was taking care of a young lady in his absence.
However, the end sentence put a smile on her face.
[Take care of yourself and remain safe. You are a beautiful young woman now, and I am concerned for you as your little brother.]
Kasumi smiled and kissed the letter with rosy cheeks.
"Hmm?" She then noticed something. Her neither region was quite wet for some reason.
"Sigh* this mortal body is so easy to get excited." She sighed and looked at the ceiling of her small room. "Hehe, your Onee-san is someone more normal human you can think of. Oh crap, author-san might be watching me. Better not spill the spoilers."
Kasumi put the letter in her drawer and jumped on her bed, squeezing a body pillow with a young boy with dark hair and purple eyes comically drawn on it.
---
[Hello Lady Anastasia.
How are you doing? Did you wet your bed again?]
"I have never wet my bed! Jeez, is this the way a servant should be greeting their master?" Anastasia shook her head but still smiled even though the content was the letter was addressing her embarrassing past.
[Anyway, do you miss me by any chance? I certainly miss my cute young lady, especially her stubborn face.]
"Idiot…" Anastasia rolled her eyes with a smile and rosy cheeks.
[By the way, I have overcome my trauma.]
Reading it, Anastasia was stunned. The smile disappeared from her face as she read the next paragraph.
It explained how Ivan took the first blood, followed by the evil nature of humans. Anastasia gasped with disbelief and regretted forcing Ivan on this mission. Only if she hadn't forced Ivan to become her butler would Ivan still live a fulfilling life.
[Ann, I know you must be blaming yourself. I always knew that I had to face my past someday, so I don't worry much. Remember, I don't regret my decision to meet you.]
"Ivan…" Anastasia softly called Ivan's name and rubbed her watery eyes. For some reason, she could feel the pain and relief soul that Ivan was going through. She felt happy and sad at the same time, but there was nothing she could do for Ivan.
She put the letter in her drawer when she noticed another letter on the table.
It was a letter from Prince Arthur. At the end of each quarter, Prince Arthur wrote a letter to Anastasia that she enthusiastically waited for, but she didn't want to read the letter for some reason.
Unlike Ivan's letter, where the boy pours his heart into his writing, Prince Arthur's letter was bland, consisting of only pleasantries. She didn't know if he was the one writing those letters.
She sighed and went to her bed. She looked above, thought about sleeping straight to wait for her prince charming but then turned around.
She didn't want to sleep straight anymore.
"Ivan, please come home safe. I miss you…."
