"Hello, I'm Luna Chase. Thank you for gracing our hotel."
She wore a white lace crochet dress with a cashmere-silk shawl pinned by an exquisite diamond brooch.
From her introduction to her attire, her social standing was obvious—the highest of high society.
My breath still hadn't steadied from earlier. I nodded and introduced myself simply: "Hello, I'm Rose."
"I hear the Young Marshal becomes acting General as of today."
A waiter came quietly, pouring her coffee.
She added a splash of milk, set down the spoon.
Her hands folded on the table, she leaned slightly forward, her lovely face wearing a cautious smile:
"May I ask, which family is Miss Rose from?"
Putting the context together, I detected the scent of gunpowder.
I sat up straight, propped my chin on my palm, and gave her a meaningful smile:
"I'm an orphan. My background is unknown."
Surprise and relief crossed her eyes simultaneously.
I could understand her. By the old rules, there weren't many suitable matches for Victor's position—but she was one of them.
If I wasn't in the running for the main wife, at most I'd be a concubine.
By this era's rules, that made me no threat to her.
Learning I was merely an orphan made me even less threatening.
Without the bonds of shared interests, how long could a man's love for a woman last?
She'd probably seen that play out too many times with her own father and brothers.
But I added, watching her newfound confidence bloom:
"Even though I'm an orphan, Victor is going to marry into my family."
Luna nearly choked on her coffee.
Behind me, Dan snorted a laugh.
The refined atmosphere quickly restored itself.
"Is Miss Rose joking? Surely no one in this world doesn't understand what the word 'General' means."
"A General can be someone else. But Victor can't leave me."
The mockery in the room, Luna's disdain and sarcasm, didn't diminish my spirit.
Every word I said was, of course, a lie.
I knew full well that if I begged Victor to let me go home, his guilt would compel him to send me back—and then he'd unhesitatingly return to his own time.
We were people from two different worlds. If he became acting General, he certainly wouldn't abandon his responsibilities. And after experiencing all this chaos, I was even more certain I couldn't adapt to his world.
Even though I hadn't found a way back yet, there had to be one eventually. And at that point, Victor and I would share nothing but a brief, passionate memory.
At that point, if Victor were rational, he'd choose someone like Luna—a woman of his own class.
The very thought made me despise her smug confidence.
Jealousy made me casually raise my left arm, stretching languidly.
The oversized men's watch slid from my wrist to my elbow.
"I wonder what time Victor will finish his meeting."
15.
I pretended to check the time, but really I was flaunting Victor's watch.
When I looked up and met Luna's jealous eyes, I told her:
"Marrying a soldier isn't all that great. You worry every day. I'd advise Miss Luna to find a scholar instead. Then you won't have to worry about your children's education."
That last sentence was sincere. warlord rule was a fleeting chapter in history—almost none of them came to good ends.
Luna's eyes nearly popped out at the sight of the watch, and my words only stoked her fury.
In this era, wristwatches weren't common.
Wealthy people carried pocket watches, pulling them out to check the time.
This wristwatch was custom-ordered from Santos in Europe by Victor's sister Grace, specifically for him.
It was Victor's coming-of-age gift—which was why Oliver had recognized it at once.
And Luna, who admired Victor, could recognize it too.
Luna, a woman of refinement, suppressed her fury. She nodded to me and rose to leave.
After my grandstanding, I could finally breathe. I was about to take a sip of tea when gunshots rang out from upstairs.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
My teacup slipped from my fingers, brown milk tea splashing onto the thick carpet.
Even Luna, about to leave, froze in place.
Proving exactly what I'd just said—being with a soldier means constant fear.
Victor and Oliver were holding their meeting on the ninth floor.
The conference room corridor was directly above this café.
I stood up, my heart racing, palms sweating, eyes locked on the elevator.
Three more gunshots.
My heart clenched. I took a hesitant step forward, but Jay stopped me:
"Miss Rose, don't worry. Adjutant Shaw prepared for this."
I remembered Oliver's hawk-like eyes, the pressure of his gun against my skull yesterday:
"I'm precisely afraid of your Adjutant."
Hearing this, Dan let out half a snort, quickly schooling his expression:
"The Adjutant is always loyal to the eldest Miss. Naturally, he'll protect the Young Marshal."
I waited anxiously—only five minutes, but it felt like a century.
The elevator chimed, and the doors opened.
Victor strode toward me.
I exhaled in relief.
His face still held traces of fury, his slicked-back hair slightly disheveled. As he walked, he tossed aside a soiled handkerchief.
Seeing me, he stopped. His brow relaxed, and he tilted his head like a curious child.
The contrast was almost comical.
"Did Miss Rose get into a fight on the first floor too?"
His tone rose, his eyes brimming with amusement.
My disheveled state had apparently lifted his mood instantly.
Luna, who'd also been waiting, spoke up: "Young Marshal..."
Victor glanced at her, his expression slightly blank, as if he didn't quite recognize her.
Oliver prompted: "This is Miss Luna Chase, eldest daughter of the Chase family. The charity gala tonight is hosted by her family..."
Victor tilted his head, cutting him off: "Relax, I remember."
His tone was cheerful. He bent down and scooped me up, telling Oliver: "Rose has decided not to leave. I'm taking her to buy some clothes first."
He ignored Luna, who'd tried to approach him, and didn't wait for Oliver.
He couldn't wait a moment longer. As if buying me clothes was some urgent, joyful task.
I rested my head on his shoulder, inhaling the faint scent of gunpowder on him—glad he was unhurt, worried about the danger that surrounded him.
By the time we left the hotel, it was past eleven. Oliver had other arrangements, but he instructed Jay and Dan to continue protecting us.
Victor and I sat in the back. I asked quietly: "Adjutant Oliver isn't a bad person, is he?"
Victor looked down at me, smiling: "When did I ever say he was bad? I just don't like him."
He didn't lower his voice. Inside the enclosed car, his words carried clearly to the two bodyguards upfront. Dan clicked his tongue. Jay shot him a silencing glare.
Calm restored. They remained expressionless.
I quickly changed the subject and asked what had happened upstairs:
"Victor, what was with the gunshots during the meeting?"
A shadow crossed his face: "Gunshots? To punish traitors, of course."
He didn't elaborate. Instead, he smiled and pinched my cheek: "And what about you? How did you end up looking like a painted cat?"
I wiped my face and told him everything about buying newspapers downstairs.
Victor laughed openly: "Miss Rose truly is... full of surprises."
16.
The car drove from this luxury hotel to another bustling commercial street, stopping at its largest store—Paris Department Store.
The shop owner personally recommended styles—row after row of white lace dresses.
I frowned: "What, does General Vane prefer women in this style?"
Victor, sitting on the sofa, didn't know about my encounter with Luna, but he caught the acidity in my tone.
He rubbed his brow, puzzled: "What? You don't like it?"
The perceptive owner sensed something was off. Hearing me address him as General, his face bloomed with a smile.
"I think Miss has fair skin and a good figure. White lace would suit you."
At the same time, the owner hurriedly brought out several other options—pale yellow or very light pink, not much different from the first.
I browsed casually, asking quietly: "Does Mr. Claude often bring girls here to buy clothes?"
"No, no, Miss! The General has only ever accompanied Miss Grace, the eldest daughter, to buy clothes..."
Grace preferred velvet—heavy reds and dark greens. She'd never choose light colors.