The Hated Young Lady, Hilda Fields, Puts an End to It - Chapter 1

Part 1 Chapter 1 1 Hilda Fields’ Love

In the remote area of Cowberry, a peaceful rural landscape stretched out.

Hilda Fields, a fifteen-year-old countess’s daughter, lived here. She was a very beautiful girl with long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes.

She was raised preciously as an only child by her parents, who governed the land of Cowberry. A maid accompanied her whenever she went out, except for when she went to school, and she lived a life without want.

Hilda always traveled to school, a secondary school exclusive to nobles, by carriage. Her pleasure was to gaze at the peaceful countryside her father ruled from the carriage window.

On such a usual school route Hilda spotted a group of five young boys and girls. They were all fifteen years old, the same age as Hilda. However, the difference between them and Hilda was that she was a noble, while they were all children of commoners. Three boys and two girls. And Hilda was in love with one of the boys. The boy’s name was Rudolph. A kind boy with bright brown curly hair and a very lovely smile.

His father worked as the manager of the stables owned by Hilda’s father, so Rudolph would sometimes show up at the stables, and he and Hilda were acquainted. Although she kept it a secret from everyone, Hilda was secretly in love with this boy.

From inside the carriage, she followed Rudolph’s figure with her eyes until he was no longer visible. Hilda stared until the group of young people completely disappeared from her sight.

“Hehehe… I’m glad I ran into Rudolph today. I have a feeling it’s going to be a very lovely day.”

Hilda said with a happy smile.

The secondary school Hilda attended was a girls’ school exclusively for noble young ladies. Every one of them commuted to this school by carriage. Hilda was in her third year at this school and was at the point of deciding whether to continue on to the upper secondary school or attend another school.

After getting out of the carriage, Hilda was called from behind.

“Good morning, Hilda.”

Turning around, she saw Shirley Crave standing there, a classmate characterized by her straight silver hair.

“Good morning, Shirley. Listen, I saw Rudolph again this morning.”

Hilda said happily as they walked side by side toward the classroom. Shirley smiled as she watched her friend.

“Hilda, you really like that boy, don’t you? What was it that made you fall for him in the first place?”

“Well, I met Rudolph when I was twelve. That day, I went to play alone in the woods near my house for the first time and got lost. On top of that, I fell and scraped my knee… So, I couldn’t move and was crouching down crying when Rudolph, who happened to be passing by on horseback, found me. I had seen him a few times before, but that was the first day we talked. He said, ‘Isn’t you Lady Hilda?’ So, I told him I was lost and hurt, and Rudolph gave me a ride on his horse and took me back to the mansion.”

“And that’s when you fell in love with Rudolph?”

“Yes, that’s right. Oh… I envy them for going to the same school as Rudolph…”

And Hilda sighed. Watching Hilda, Shirley said.

“But, Hilda, Rudolph is a commoner, isn’t he?… I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t important. We’re destined to marry noble sons, right? Say, Hilda, you don’t have a fiancé yet, do you? If you’re interested, I can introduce you to my cousin?”

Then Hilda said.

“I’m sorry, Shirley. I… I still want to dream a little longer. The dream of becoming Rudolph’s bride…”

And Hilda blushed.

But Hilda didn’t know yet. That this love would become a tragic one. And that this love would eventually lead to her leaving this place…

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

One weekend Hilda, along with her maid and close friend Camilla, had come to the shore of a small lake near her home for a picnic. They had brought sandwiches, scones, and a tea set.

Camilla, three years older than Hilda, had been her personal maid since Hilda was ten.

“Camilla, the weather is so refreshing today,” Hilda said to Camilla with a smile, her long blonde hair styled in a single braid and a large bonnet adorning her head as she sat on a blanket.

“Yes, it truly is, My Lady,” Camilla replied.

Just then, lively voices reached them, growing closer.

“My Lady… who could that be? It seems they’re coming this way…?”

Camilla stood up cautiously.

“Calm down, Camilla. Those voices… aren’t they children’s?”

As Hilda spoke, the figures emerged from the trees.

“Oh… those are…”

Hilda’s cheeks flushed. It was Rudolph and his friends. Rudolph had arrived with the same group he usually walked to school with.

“Oh… Lady Hilda?”

Rudolph was the first to notice her and rushed over.

“G-good day, Rudolph.”

Hilda stood up, desperately trying to hide her blushing face as she greeted him.

“And isn’t that Camilla, the maid? What were you two doing here?”

“W-well, we were having a picnic here.”

Hilda pointed to the sandwiches and scones spread out on the blanket. Just then, the boy and girl who had been following Rudolph caught up.

A large, red-haired boy asked Rudolph, “Who are they, Rudolph?”

Camilla protested, “W-well! How dare you speak so rudely? To Lady Hilda, even though you’re a commoner…”

“What? Even though we’re commoners…? You… are you nobles or something?”

A boy with long, tied-back hair spoke up.

“Huh? Hilda… I’ve heard that name somewhere before. Ah! That’s right, I remember! Rudolph, is this girl the Lady Hilda you always talk about?”

“W-well! Calling Lady Hilda ‘this girl’…”

Camilla grew angrier, but Hilda was preoccupied with something else.

(Huh…? He always talks about me…? Could it be that Rudolph has been talking about me to these people?)

Involuntarily, Hilda looked at Rudolph, who was scratching his head sheepishly.

Then, a girl with semi-long black hair said, “Hey, Rudolph, Grace said she’s hungry, so let’s go back!”

“Huh?! Wait a minute, Nora! I didn’t say anything like that…”

A girl with flaxen hair and a gentle demeanor, called Grace, said to the black-haired girl with a bright red face.

“Oh? Is that so, Grace? Then, let’s go back quickly.”

Rudolph looked at Grace with concern. Watching them, Hilda had an idea.

“Um… if you’d like, please have these sandwiches and scones.”

“Huh? My Lady, but those are…”

When Rudolph hesitated, Camilla also said, “What are you saying, My Lady? Isn’t this Lady’s meal?!”

“That’s right! We don’t need handouts from nobles!” the large, red-haired boy declared.

“No, it’s not a handout. Actually, I wasn’t very hungry. So, I was wondering what to do with this food. I would be grateful if you would take it. If it’s difficult for you to eat with us here, we’ll leave. Come on, let’s go, Camilla.”

“Huh? My Lady?!”

As Hilda pushed the bewildered Camilla’s back and started to leave, Rudolph chased after her.

“Lady Hilda!”

“What is it, Rudolph?”

“N-no… Thank you. And… I’m sorry. For making you worry about it…”

Hilda nodded.

“N-no, don’t worry about it, Rudolph. Um… the basket…”

“Yes, I’ll ask my father to return it.”

Looking at Rudolph’s gentle gaze, Hilda blushed and said, “Th-then please do that.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Rudolph bowed his head and went back to his friends.

(Like a dream… I talked to Rudolph more than ever before…)

Then Hilda called out to Camilla, “Let’s go back, Camilla.”

At that time, Hilda didn’t notice Grace watching her and Camilla walk away with a complicated expression on her face….