Rest
A few days later.
Maryne returned to the mansion.
The Flamsteed family mansion.
It had been a while since she'd come home.
Ever since moving into the company office, she had hardly returned at all.
Still, since she had hired servants to maintain the place, the mansion remained spotless.
(I've been busy lately, so today I'm going to relax at home to my heart's content!)
Maryne thought.
For now, she threw herself onto the bed in her room.
Firuru came over beside her and curled up.
The curtains of the canopy bed swayed faintly in the autumn breeze drifting through the window.
Morning sunlight.
A gentle moment.
(It's so quiet.)
She closed her eyes.
She didn't think about work.
She focused only on her breathing.
Mindfulness. Meditation.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe in, breathe out.
She felt the tension slowly melting away from deep within her heart.
The light streaming through the window blurred softly behind her eyelids.
Before she knew it, quite some time had passed.
Her head felt clear.
"I feel recharged."
She murmured softly.
Firuru replied with a short, "Meow."
Maryne sat up halfway and looked around the room.
The bookshelf.
The writing desk.
The garden visible through the window.
… Right.
(Since I have the chance, perhaps I'll do a little reading.)
She pulled a book from the shelf.
The book she picked up was titled Lyrics of Autumn Leaves.
It was a collection of poems written by a poet from this world, depicting autumn scenery, plants, trees, and the wind.
She had been interested in it for some time, but somehow had never found an opportunity to read it, leaving it untouched on the shelf.
(It's a holiday, after all. Rather than reading in my room, I'll read outside.)
Holding Firuru in one arm, Maryne stood and left the room.
As soon as she stepped into the garden, the autumn air gently brushed her cheeks.
It was different from summer's air, clear and cool.
(What lovely weather.)
She looked up at the sky.
Thin scales of cloud stretched wide across it.
Beyond them, the pale blue sky showed through.
It was beautiful.
A table stood in one corner of the garden.
Maryne settled into a seat there.
Firuru slipped beneath the table and stretched out comfortably.
"I'll read here."
"Meowr~”
A maid brought her a glass of grapefruit juice.
The bright yellow liquid sparkled in the autumn sunlight.
Maryne took a sip.
"Haah... it's delicious."
A refreshing tartness spread through the sweetness.
The aftertaste was crisp and clean.
(This is quite an elegant setting.)
Thinking so with satisfaction, she opened the book.
She read poetry.
Read.
And read.
At that moment, an autumn breeze swept through the garden.
The yellowing weeds and the trees painted with autumn colors rustled noisily.
(... Beautiful.)
Maryne lifted her gaze from the book and looked out over the garden.
A modest garden enclosed by stone walls.
Neither particularly large nor particularly small.
It was a familiar sight, yet dressed in autumn's colors, it carried an exceptionally refined charm.
Fallen leaves lay scattered across the yellowed grass.
The autumn wind stirred the colored trees, and leaves fluttered gently to the ground.
It was a peaceful scene.
Firuru let out a small, "Meow~”
"Quite elegant, isn't it, Firuru?"
After murmuring that, she turned her eyes back to the poetry collection.
Sipping her grapefruit juice and savoring each verse, Maryne turned the pages.
And so, amidst a moment of autumn tranquility, Maryne refreshed both her mind and spirit.
~ Read Chapters 57-91 in Advance on Patreon ~
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