[X] Vol.1: Epilogue

Under the bright morning sun, Sofia was out again at her garden to raise one particular flower she had planted herself. From what she had heard, the flower was called 'Sunflower'. Base on its appearance - like the sun, it has many bright petals on its sides while the middle seemed to have been burnt off, brown.

It was only a chance that this was the flower she would grow from the seeds she stole from their maids, but she can't be more glad that it was what she got. What she wants to be - like the sunflower, which can stay under the sun, bright and beautiful, and opposite to what she really is, cheerful.

[ Fufu... Walter-san said it was cute... ] she murmurs to herself with a laugh, kneeling in front of the sunflower as she kept her stare at it.

[ And... and... he said I was cute, too...! Uunnnh...! Walter-san...! ] her body trembles in excitement as she remembers what had happened last week - when she had finally met him for the first time. It was a dream come true and she can't believe what had been the result of her courage to try and talk to him without revealing her shy self - if she wasn't able to muster up the courage to chat with him the first time they met, it might not turn out as it did at the ball where the climax of their night came.

But even if everything turned out the best it could be, she still couldn't help but become anxious about what Walter might really think about her. For all she knows, she could've had freaked him out by lying about being his fiancee, or even the fact that she had talked with him so casually and easily might've had turned him off, she just anxiously think so it might be the case.

[ Uhh... I hope father did not tell him to become friendly with me or something... If that was the case, then all that I've worked for would be wasted... ] suddenly, the expression on her face became cold and she pouted as she thinks of the possible negative things that could've had happened.

( But... I'm sure Walter-san would never do that... ) she thought as she flickers the sunflower in front of her with her finger, still pouting to her discontent.

[ Sofia-sama, it's already time, you should get back inside. ] suddenly, a maid behind her calls and her thoughts were interrupted.

[ U-Un! I'll come! ] she replies stuttering, panicking because of the sudden call. And with one last view on the flower in front of her, she stood up on her knees and turns to the maid that called to her.

[ Your father, Arthur-sama had brought more books for you to read, Sofia-sama. Please stay in your room until he arrives and you can ask again for permission. ]

[ Un, I will... ] she replies, disheartened.

Every day, she will be given a chance to leave outside their mansion, but she would not be allowed to stay for too long. She knows that she could handle the heat of the sun much better than when she was just a kid, but there are still strict rules her father had made for her to follow and she just couldn't help but feel dissatisfied about it.

She knows how her father treats her, which is normally good, but she also knows how children like her, who were born from either concubines or mistresses were usually treated outside or even inside their family - she knows that her father just wants to keep her away outside not because of her weakness, but because of her status and situtation. So much so, that in fact, only a few people in the main house know she even exists.

[ Please, follow me, Sofia-sama. ] as her maid said, she turns around and starts to walk for her to follow, and so she does.

They walked inside the hallways of the mansion, and soon, they reached a certain room where her father will usually stay to do his work. And realizing there were voices coming inside, she decided to focus her ears to hear what the people there could possibly be talking about.

[ Tha-That's...! ] an excited voice escapes her mouth as she hears a familiar voice coming from inside the room, it was of the person she idolizes, Walter Ainzach.

Escaping from her maid's vision, she continues to want to listen, and as she does, she notices an open gap between the doors of the room and decided to peek from it, and there - there really was Walter, and in front of him was her father, and besides him is what seems to be a servant of some sort who was wearing a butler's uniform.

She wasn't really able to hear what they were talking about the first time, but as she was able to gain vision, the voices she hears also becomes clear.

[ Thank you very much, Walter. I'm sure those guys would be surprised about this news. ] she hears the delighted voice of her father, speaking loudly with a laugh, satisfied with what seemed Walter had delivered him. Sofia doesn't know anything about it, but she was sure what Walter did was surely commendable - so as she listens, she laughs quietly, but proudly too.

[ Now, let's talk about something different... Walter-san, about your marriage with Sofia. ] immediately, as she hears what her father had said, her face slightly turns red and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. So looking at Walter's back, she also anticipates his reply, her face barely forms an awkward smile.

But before she could hear what he says next...

[ Sofia-sama! What are you doing...!? ] her maid finally realizes she was missing and came back for her, getting her by her hand to take her away in front of the door of her father's office room.

[ W-Wait, I have to listen to this...! ]

[ Your father is busy right now, please talk with him when he's done with what's he's doing, okay? ] with that reply, her maid made sure to gently take her away.

[ Just... Just when it was in the good part... ]