The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 162: The coming of age

Closing her palm where the two items rested as if preventing them from falling down, while having her burning eyes still looking at the ceiling of the room, Joanna put her hand on her lap while steadying her breath, which got quickened by the realization that hit her conscience.

Her heart shook when she recalled how long he had kept those items with him, bringing them far from his homeland to Terra. But he could not give them to her right after they met in person because of how much she resisted his presence and was persistent in getting rid of him, as a result of the dream that had haunted her.

He also did not mention anything about the bracelet when he brought up the topic of the wedding ring in the carriage. Instead, he gave it to her through this sort of quiet method, as if he had no heart to see her reject it or throw it away.

Taking a deep breath before exhaling it with her lips slightly trembling and repeating it several times as if to calm her emotions, Joanna closed her eyes before opening them and bringing them back to see the items that shone by the illumination of a warm glow in the room on her palm—items that she had never thought would be prepared a long time ago, not long after he chose her as his wife.

A wedding ring and a birthday gift.

She had also never thought that her birthday had become his concern.

To receive a birthday gift from him was something that she thought to be impossible, and she was certain about it when that thought happened to come across her mind when she found the birthday gift from her brother a few days ago.

She had never dared to imagine that the man whom she had never met in person before they married would remember her birthday and even prepare everything beforehand as if he were profoundly welcoming her, a stranger, as his wife.

Placing the pouch that she held in her right hand on the table, Joanna brought her now-free hand to gently brush the two items that shone on her left palm.

All looked so modest that it made her remember what he said—that he did not mean to ask her to show off the wedding ring he gave her, as it might be nothing to be compared to what the nobilities wore.

He just wanted her to wear it, to not let her finger be bare, so that she would not be disregarded by others as an unfortunate lady who married a commoner, although he managed to lift up his social standing through his achievement as a general at such a young age.

That way, she would also not be regarded as an unwanted and abandoned wife.

Joanna thought that it was normal conduct for him if he asked her to wear the wedding ring to protect his face and his name so that he would not be regarded as a husband who disregarded his wife. But it was not his main purpose to ask her that, and she somehow trusted him that his main concern was to protect her dignity as a woman and wife.

It was also normal conduct for him to let her finger bare, not bothering to protect her dignity as a married woman, as she was the one who left his mansion and requested a marriage annulment once they met in person, ignoring every effort he made to pursue her far from his homeland.

But he did not do that. He was still willing to protect her dignity as his wife after all she had done to him—to him, who did not know that the way she behaved and acted was caused by that nightmare that had haunted her, growing not only doubt but also fear inside her about accepting him as her husband, as he had asked her so many times.

Aside from that revelation that struck her heart, he had prepared all of them a long time ago but hesitated to give them to her.

If there was no invitation to tomorrow’s banquet, Joanna was sure that he would keep them with him for another extra time that only he knew when to give them to her. Or else he would never give them to her.

Feeling something warm swarm inside her heart at the realization, Joanna felt that the barrier that she had built to prevent him from invading her territory more was on the verge of not only crumbling apart but also turning into mist.

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Joanna sat in front of the dressing table and studied herself in the mirror while waiting for Bianca, who was standing behind her, to give the last touch to her hair, which was set into a neat bun. Some hair ornaments were pinned, giving contrast to her black hair, like stars sparkling in the dark sky at night.

The peach-colored muslin dress on her body was a complement to her warm-undertoned skin, along with her hazel eyes.

To add some color to her face so that she would not look too pale, Joanna applied an extract of raspberries that she personally obtained from Alenna Garden to give a light and soft rosy hue to her lips after mixing them with olive oil. Meanwhile, for her cheeks, she applied a coral-colored powder that was made from a mixture of arrowroot and pomegranate powder.

Despite the fact that she was a young noble lady, where most of the ladies around her age and from the same upper-class society as her preferred to apply vibrant make-up that would make one’s face look more appealing, so that they would attract more attention to them, Joanna preferred to apply a soft make-up that would give her a more natural look but a brighter tone compared to when she did not apply any make-up as she always appeared in her daily life.

Looking at the reflection of the beautiful young lady in the mirror, Bianca could not hide her smile. Her young lady always asked her to help her appear as modest as she could, but, unbeknownst to the young lady, simple and modest appearances, in line with the way she brought herself with grace and elegance, were characteristics that made the young lady stand out more compared to the other noble ladies who mostly appeared at the same tone of grand look.

Although others might not have the same opinion as her, in Bianca’s eyes, her young lady was an attractive lady—a young lady who could attract others with her own characteristic charm—and her modesty that complemented her natural beauty could be reckoned as rare in upper-class society.

"It is done, my lady. As always, you look stunningly beautiful," Bianca expressed with a warm and proud smile spread across her face, looking at the young lady through the mirror with a warm gaze as she finished putting on the last hair ornaments on the neat updo of her black hair.

As the smile could still be found on her face, Bianca helped the shy, blushing young lady, who just conveyed her thanks for her help and praise, get up from her seat.

While helping her straighten her dress, Bianca said, "You don’t need to be nervous and hide from many eyes anymore, my lady. You are now a married woman and have your husband with you this time, so there will be no gentlemen dare approaching you, less asking for your hand for a dance."

Upon hearing the senior maid’s words, Joanna returned them with a nod and a smile.

Bianca was right that in every social gathering event, particularly balls, that she attended, she found the approach of gentlemen who kept on rambling to her or asking her hand for a dance somehow made her feel uncomfortable. And she used to rant about that to Bianca, who helped her wash up after she went back from those events where she had to meet many people.

Therefore, Bianca knew about the particular thing that she avoided the most in an event.

Attending any kind of social event in the presence of numerous people was something that Joanna tried to avoid as many times as she could manage. But her father did not allow her to hide herself from the outside world.

Her father also advised her that it was not good if she only spent most of her time in Alenna Garden. As for her father, it was important for a young lady, especially when she was just coming of age, to mingle in social life and build acquaintances.