Summer Is For Falling In Love
9. Contradistinction

The seven-day summer vacation is over. It felt, Holland felt that this vacation was too short, so that dividing real moments with the lover was so limited.

Holland and Esther will part ways while riding in a horse-drawn carriage with their respective family crests, and have made each other promises to give word to each other. After all, the two were lovers. Although you can't often speak one eye, at least the language on paper can take over the situation.

A brief kiss did not forget Holland lay on the lips as red as cherries owned by Esther, making the two cheeks of the woman almost rival the color of her hair.

"Holland!" squeal Esther while flinching. The woman was embarrassed to death. Mutual affection in front of others, even though others around them have lower ranks, does not mean both can make out regardless of place.

Holland just chuckles a little. Stretched out a hand to grab Esther's fingers. The back of Esther's old hand.

"I promise to protect you, Esther. Then hold on a minute. I'll take you to be my official side at the right time."

Esther exhales with a slow shiver, then bites her lips. His two golden beads narrowed due to the strange feeling in his smoldering chest.

Esther felt this was so strange. Why does Esther continue to want real action from the man? Even from just a kiss just now, Esther wanted to deepen it, and erode the distance between the two. The more thought out, the more Esther felt that her mind was foggy. Moreover, his chest began to feel claustrophobic about the foreign feeling that swallowed him.

Even so, Esther held everything back. The feeling in her chest cavity was too dangerous to convey, so Esther tried to suppress the feeling.

"Yes, Holland," said Esther, "I'll wait for you at any moment."

Holland straightened his body, stroked Esther's cheek slowly, then smiled gently.

"Then, I'll see you later, Esther."

"Yes, see you soon, Holland."

Holland eventually returned to the Floral and Esther residence to the Descartez residence. The separation of the two should not last long because Holland had planned many things so that the distance between the two could be eroded, but no doubt the feeling of longing immediately settled when the horse carriage began to walk. Taking the opposite direction further widens the distance between the two.

Holland exhaled, leaning his back against the velvet backrest. The feeling of longing in his chest does not know what to manakan. It was too much for Holland to want to forget everything and become a selfish person. So as to hold Esther in his arms, it will not be considered a sin.

...***...

Holland has sent a box of jewels to the Marchioness Sephien as she promised a few days ago, in gratitude for introducing Holland to happiness. Marchioness Sephien immediately teased Holland in her letter, making Holland feel free to widen his smile whenever his mind twisted the design.

It's just that the tense situation at the dinner table froze enough that Holland could not pull his smile. Holland also has no idea why Ivor Delano Floral, Duke Floral, has brought out the freezing situation, as if it were rivaling the cold of the snow on the Antarctic border.

Although there are only Ivor and Holland at the dinner table, the two men who have lost their wives and mothers now have a strange relationship between father and son.

Holland could not understand what Ivor was thinking, nor his unpredictable behavior.

"Time goes by quickly, yes," said Ivor, making Holland raise his head and put the tableware down.

"Yes, I'm right."

Ivor breathed. "My age won't even survive this winter, Holland. That's why, your coronation as Duke must be done quickly."

Holland bit his lip, even Ivor spoke of his death lightly, again failing to understand what was in Ivor's mind.

"Isn't next month too soon for me? I'm 21 years old." Holland smiled faintly. The man had indeed been given education to be the future Duke when he was five years old, but to become the Duke at 21 years old, was too young an age. In fact almost all the rulers of the territory in Teratia in historical records began their rule when the minimum age had reached 25 years.

"Yes." Yeah." Holland swallowed the bitterness at the end of his tongue, unable to refute any longer.

"Then, after your coronation, there will be a feast to celebrate the rise of your social status. However, not only that, this party was held in order to introduce you to the nobles that you are the ruler of the Floral region."

Holland stared at the food on his plate that was left a little.

Feast, is a condition in which all invited nobles will interact. Unlike its name, which is full of happiness, the reality is not so. Feast is a tool for nobles to raise their egos and go as wide as possible for their purposes, even if they have to step on the palms of others to keep going. For Holland, the party is a dizzying political gathering. Interaction with women is also an advantage politics for households with each other. Every small behavior will be measured and looked at one eye.

There was a battlefield, but Holland did not need to use his sword to fight.

"Yes, Dad," Holland briefly replied.

"After that, I'll announce your engagement to Duke Riquetti's daughter."

Ivor's words made Holland turn. "What do you mean, Dad?"

Ivor raised the eyebrows. "Don't you ever tell me that I'm going to get you a match with Olivia Riquetti?"

Holland. "I remember, but that was the case six years ago!"

Ivor scrunched his forehead at the high note that Holland threw at him. "Holland, Riquetti has great power, so that you who are appointed Duke at the age of 21, who would be underestimated by other nobles, can get the power on your back that."

"However, Father did not ask my opinion. I already have someone I love!"

Ivor's breaking the table. The man who now had the old mark frown line on his face looked at Holland with his grim, sharp eyes, as if intending to chop up his son's body.

"The one you love? What's this bullshit, Holland?!"

Holland got up from his chair. "Dad didn't hear wrong. I've loved other women, so you can't impose your will on my future!"

"What does a 21-year-old Duke have?! If you don't have a relationship with Riquetti, then it's over after you've been crowned Duke!" Ivor stepped forward, approached Holland, then clutched his son's shoulders. "For the nobility, the marriage is only a political marriage. No matter you love that woman or any other woman, you must marry Olivia. It's the only way you can survive being Duke Floral. The task of a territory ruler who was still young and had no experience would be too much to deal with. There will be a lot of nobles who are against the rise of your office. No one supports you unless Riquetti is on your back."

Holland's bead trembled faintly, bitten by his lips violently. "Then, what about how I feel, Dad?"

"Holland." Ivor looked at Holland with a sharp look. "Unfortunately, your feelings won't advance this duchy. Break up with that woman and come to the party with Olivia."

Ivor widened the distance from his son, then rushed to leave the dining room.

"Dad! What if I don't want this?! I don't want any woman but Esther!"

Although Holland attempted to express his argument, Ivor did not turn to retort, as if his sentence before it was absolute to inviolability. Ignoring how strange Holland's feelings and thoughts were.

...***...

wow, what is this? the conflict? conflict dong! but that does not mean the sweetness of the protagonist ends here, yes.in addition to Noveltoon and the orange application, other free stalls to write where? I want to get more readers! a greedy writer, indeed.

July 2nd, 2023