Reina of Hanneau (English)

DISCOVERY

Mitsue expected Reina to still be up at this hour, but he didn't expect her to open the door for him. The woman is completely unconcerned about her safety. Or is she simply overly trusting?

‘Nonetheless, I am still her husband,’ Mitsuei reasons, trying to justify his actions. 

Well, it is not like he had any ill intentions when he decided to visit her at a time when everyone should already be asleep. He is only worried about her since he heard from Kiyoko that some guests were glaring daggers at her. And it was only her first day.

However, as soon as Reina opened the door, he was immediately captivated by how she looked. 

Reina isn’t wearing revealing clothes. Truthfully, she is wearing an oversized long gown with sleeves halfway through her arms. Her hair was tousled, with strands sticking out despite her efforts to arrange it neatly on her right shoulder. But what caught his attention is the expression on her face. 

She seemed anxious at first. Or maybe troubled by the sudden visit. And even under the little light, they have on the hallway, the reddening of her cheeks is undeniable. 

‘She doesn’t seem sick. Her voice sounds normal, though.’

“Mister Mitsuei?”

He snaps back when he noticed that Reina is looking strangely at him. Her previously anxious face turned to confusion. He can’t help but feel embarrassed as if he was caught ogling her when his mind was too preoccupied. 

Meanwhile, Reina is out of words. Aside from the fact of his sudden visit, she was just thinking about him a few moments ago. She felt like someone had heard her thinking out loud when she was sure that all her thoughts compacted on her mind.

‘He didn’t hear me, right? I wasn’t talking out loud, was I?’

The panic in her inner voice is definitely evident. She only hopes that it is not visible on her face. It would only make her guilty of something. And make Mitsuei utterly confused.

Mitsuei is leaning calmly on the door frame with his hands crossed in front of his chest. He did not respond to her immediately while his eyes bore into her without even blinking once. He only stood there, looking at her for a couple of minutes. 

Then she heard him clear his throat, straightening his back in the process. 

“I thought we already agreed on addressing each other by our given names. And here I thought we can start to get to know one another by calling each other’s names.”

Her eyes blink in surprise. She didn’t expect that to come from him. “Ah, yes. You’re right. I’m sorry, Mi--Mitsuei.”

Apart from his prior statement, what perplexed Reina is the reason why he came to her room at this time of the night. 

Was there something he needed right now that could not wait until morning?

“How can I help you?” Reina musters the courage to ask even if she is getting antsy inside.

Did she mess up somewhere today? Or did those ladies perhaps complain about having a foreigner work in a traditional place? Was her presence an insult to their culture and tradition?

“Relax, Reina. No need to be tense. I merely wanted to ask about your day in Hanneau.”

“Oh, right. Of course.” Reina scratches her head, laughing awkwardly for being too fidgety. “I’m only starting so slowly I will get the hang of it. It is challenging but definitely something I would want to learn. Rest assured that I will learn well from Kiyoko. She is an amazing teacher.”

“Reina, I am talking as your husband here. Not as your employer.”

“Forgive me! I didn’t mean to sound like that. It’s just that I find it hard, especially since it’s so different from teaching kids. But then, it was fun. I enjoyed all the workers’ company. We talked about all sorts of stuff. Although some of them were still anxious around me, in the end, we all seem to be compatible with each other.”

“Oh, you do? So what did you all talk about?”

Reina feels herself blush again after recalling the conversation she had with the workers. Her whole being is suddenly overwhelmed by a rush of awkwardness. She is not comfortable sharing it with him. 

It was just a normal conversation for a married woman. But her situation with Mitsuei is far from normal. 

“Um, nothing much. Just about how surprised they were about the marriage.”

“Hmm. Do they now? I recall telling them about the wedding ahead of time. After all, we had the reception in Hanneau.”

“Ah, no. They were astounded by the relationship as a whole. No one noticed the relationship and they figured that I was the -um- reason that you always reject those who sought after you.”

Reina’s mouth tightened after almost whispering the last part of her statement. The embarrassment of saying such patronizing words is eating her alive. But it’s better than telling Mitsuei the whole thing. 

Even if she chose not to tell him, he will ask the people from Hanneau. It will be more troubling for her if they were to tell him the entire conversation. He will know the lies she had knitted to escape being discovered.

Mitsuei smiles after hearing Reina’s confession. It was funny how they labeled him to be the “sought after” man. “Well, they are really capable people but sometimes they can get a little bit nosy. Especially when it comes to my personal affairs though I wonder why no one asked me about it upfront. But still, I do appreciate their concerns.”

Reina can’t look away from the nice view in front of her. Mitsuei was neither cackling loudly nor laughing heartily with glee. Just a plain, barely noticeable yet genuine smile spreads across his face. Reina can’t help the feeling of being in a trance as she continuously follows his face. 

“Yes, it seems the people around you love you dearly, Mitsuei.”

“Well, I don’t remember doing something worth earning their love. Everyone I met, even the kids are scared of me. The scar on my face only made my reputation worse.”

“Nonsense! Don’t say that! I don’t think someone needs to do something spectacular to earn someone’s love. Moreover, it’s a matter of how you treat them. When you regard people with respect and care, I think love comes naturally.”

Mitsuei stills for a moment, staring at Reina as if in awe of her statement. Or perhaps it is out of disbelief since he didn’t expect such mature-sounding words coming out of her lips. Did degrading himself got her worked up?

“Is that so?”

“I’m sorry! It’s just my opinion. I’m not trying to drive these ideas to you by force. After all, I can’t read people’s minds. They might have a different reason for doing so. But demeaning yourself is a no-no,” Reina frantically shakes her hands between them. She didn’t want to sound all-knowing.

‘Oh no. I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries,’ Reina screams in her head. She sounded preachy right there.

Mitsuei, on the other hand, greeted her with the same smile that had held her captive earlier. He shook his head and lowered it a little, covering his complete facial expression, as if he was trying to hide it from her.

‘I didn’t think a grown man would look adorable acting all shy.’

Reina wasn’t able to stifle a giggle. Lots of doors have been opening for her lately. And the worker’s comment about Mitsuei putting his guard down around her, she can finally see it now. Crystal clear. 

And it’s she should practice what she preaches. Mitsuei will continue to be conscious about his appearance if she keeps acting scared whenever he is around. 

Before Reina could react to the facial expression, Mitsuei cleared his throat. His usual stoic voice resounded in the night. 

“Anyway, I heard it was another hectic day in Hanneau. Did you have a hard time?”

“Ah, no. Compared to everyone else, I did poorly in helping them. I have so much to learn yet. I’m just glad that everyone was understanding of me.”

“I see. Then, I’m relieved to know you are fairing well with the job. But make sure not to overdo things. Your body isn’t yours alone anymore.”

“Of course, I’m not forgetting that!”

“I’m glad you’re not. Speaking of that by the way, we will need to meet with Yuuma for your check-up. We need to make sure you’re doing healthy with the baby.”

“Oh, that I forgot. When shall I leave then?”

“Not you but we. I will let you know later on when.”

“So you’re coming with me?”

“Of course. What would people think if a man’s pregnant wife comes to her doctor alone and unattended? What kind of husband would I be in their eyes?”

‘I should not have asked. Ugh!’

Reina castigates herself for having done something unnecessary. She had it coming. Mitsuei has always been consistent with his reasons and demands.

‘Now what?’

The silence that falls between them has been painfully awkward. After Mitsuei’s last remarks, she had no idea how to respond. 

Both of them remained standing in front of her bedroom, having a staring contest. She can’t just tell him to leave now, can she?

‘Perhaps did he need something else? But what?’

Reina can't bring herself to ask Mitsuei such a thing. She lacks the courage, to put it another way. She can't just ask the house owner to leave her room.

She had no idea how long they were standing there without any form of noise. The next thing she heard was Mitsuei clearing his throat while looking around aimlessly. 

“Anyway, we must go to bed right now. You have another early start tomorrow,” Mitsue awkwardly mutters, trying to act casual after the long silence that enveloped them.

“Ah! Yes, indeed.”

“Then, good night, Reina.”

“Yes, good night to you too, Mitsuei.”

Reina flops on her bed, still dumbfounded by the whole conversation with Mitsuei. She is starting to get to know him. Finally.