Chapter 39

That night, after the tea time with Nine, I couldn’t sleep.

With my mind and heart so chaotic, a restful sleep seemed impossible. I finally gave up trying to sleep and got out of bed.

‘Should I go out onto the balcony for some air?’

As I reached for a light shawl, I recalled the encounter I’d had with Nine on the balcony a while ago. There was no guarantee I’d run into him again, but the thought made me put the shawl down. I didn’t want to see Nine right now. If I faced him now, all my careful planning might dissolve, and I might just want to love him wholeheartedly.

‘If I just let go of all my worries and confessed everything, regardless of whether he believes me or not…’

I shook my head to dispel the thought that was tipping my resolve. I knew better than anyone that I shouldn’t. Clinging to a shred of reason, I changed my shoes, threw a thick fur coat over my nightgown, and left the room.

Candles were lit throughout the corridor, but it was still too dim to navigate easily, so I lit a small oil lantern and followed the path illuminated by its light. The empty corridor was silent.

‘I miss my family.’

As my body and mind grew weary, my thoughts naturally drifted to my family in the capital—the Blueberry family. I tried to comfort myself, thinking of them and telling myself to hold on, that I’d be able to return soon. But the North’s cold quickly yanked me back to reality.

Stepping outside the residence, a harsh wind wrapped around me. Even dressed warmly, I couldn’t help but shiver. Every place in the North where the wind seeped in was chilly, and there was no space to comfort my loneliness.

But tonight, I didn’t want to shiver from even the slightest cold draft seeping through a window.

Click.

The place I finally chose was the greenhouse.

The greenhouse had been built for the previous Duchess, Kate Eclipse—Nine’s mother. Since she was from the South, it wasn’t a place that would normally bring me a sense of nostalgia, as I was from the central region, but it was the warmest spot, and the aroma of the flowers brought me a measure of calm.

“Haa.”

Just stepping inside and closing the door, the air felt warm against my stinging cheeks. I briefly set the lantern down on the floor and took off my fur coat. I was in my nightgown, but the fur coat was too warm inside the greenhouse, and it seemed unlikely anyone else would visit at this hour.

With my clothes lighter, my body and breath felt clearer and lighter. I inhaled the fresh, grassy air of the greenhouse, replacing the external cold that had chilled my throat. As my body, stiff from the cold, gradually loosened up, the sinking feeling—like slipping on ice—also briefly improved.

I bent down to pick up the lantern again and noticed the pink flowers near the entrance.

“Hydrangeas.”

Hydrangeas were a summer flower common in the central region and the symbol of the Blueberry County. I squatted down in front of the flowerbed and rested my chin on my hand. It seemed they had just been watered, as small droplets clung to the petals. I gently tapped the drops, and the water collected on the other petals scattered onto the soil below.

I looked at the dried petals and reflected on my own emotions and thoughts. Why had I suddenly become so restless that I couldn’t sleep? I was slowly but surely reaching my goal, and my relationship with Nine had noticeably improved. I now had the opportunity to speak with him in the future, meaning the day I could clear the misunderstanding wasn’t vaguely distant anymore.

It was then I realized.

“The reason I’m so restless is probably…”

Because the moment I can explain the love potion incident is quickly approaching.

I had secured all the evidence regarding the love potion incident while I was still in the capital, but in the rush of the wedding and moving up North, I hadn’t managed to bring it with me. So, I had been waiting for the day I could return to the capital, just for the evidence, and now, that day was coming soon.

In a few days, it would be April, and the social season would begin.

In the Dragon Empire, it was the law and custom for newly married aristocratic couples to attend the Imperial Ball during the nearest social season. Even a Duke could not avoid this custom, which meant Nine would soon have to return to the capital with me to spend the social season.

My job until then was to use the tea times I’d secured as compensation to raise Nine’s trust. And then, once in the capital, to present the evidence and clear the misunderstanding. That was all.

“…The plan isn’t difficult.”

But now that my plan was no longer some distant future, I felt a bitter regret instead.

The reason I couldn’t sleep and felt so restless:

‘How did I grow so attached in just a few months?’

My presence here was solely due to a misunderstanding. Once I returned to the capital and resolved it, I would never return to the North. I would ensure I never set foot here again to completely erase any connection with Nine.

That fact felt disheartening and melancholy.

The North was bitterly cold; every breath stung my throat, and my fingers and toes would quickly turn red and swell. But the wind after a run in the training ground was crisper than anywhere else. I loved the scent of winter that seeped in with the cool breeze, and when the clear, cloudless night sky was tightly studded with stars, I could sit and look up for hours, feeling peaceful.

I enjoyed Adel sitting on my lap, chattering about the desserts he wanted, the tea Van served, Tully’s consideration, and Laura’s vitality. Every moment had become a pillar of my cherished memories.

‘I didn’t mean to give my heart away like this.’

I would probably hold all of this in my heart for a long time. Nine, too, would resurface in my mind, just as he had before, until the memory faded. Comforting my longing by carefully tucking away every cup of tea we shared, every ray of light that illuminated him, and every glance he directed at me…

Tap.

Following my fingertip, the water droplets on the hydrangea again pattered down.

Watching them, I got up.

‘When I return, I’ll start the procedures to inherit the Blueberry Countship. My parents always said they wanted to retire early and travel.’

I imagined a future where my parents, having worked so hard, would travel everywhere and send me souvenirs and letters—to me, the new Countess. It was the happiness I had dreamed of since childhood.

With that determined, bright future in mind, I walked further into the greenhouse. I planned to rest for a bit, leaning against the large flowering tree in the center.

Following the scattered light that filtered through the swaying leaves, I came upon a tree covered in profusely blooming red flowers. It resembled the red camellia, the symbol of the Eclipse Duchy, but it was not a camellia. Since I hadn’t seen this flower in my past life, I thought it must be a plant unique to this world.

‘It’s gorgeous.’

If the camellia held an elegant and modest charm, this unnamed flowering tree boasted a more extravagant beauty. As I got closer, the shape of the flowers became clearer. The petals were layered like a rose but thinner, almost fluttering, and clustered together in groups. It looked as if the clusters of flowers were creating another, enormous flower.

I took a step forward to get a closer look when a faint sound reached my ears.

Rustle.

“…”

My body instantly froze at the unfamiliar presence. As I stood still, holding my breath, the darkness cast beneath the tree gradually became recognizable.

As I was slowly able to discern the shape in the darkness, a distinct human form appeared beneath the tree. Long hair hanging messily, legs bent as if crouched, and hunched shoulders.

I nearly screamed but quickly covered my mouth. If the figure were to turn its head toward me because of a sound I made, my heart might actually drop.

‘What?! Now that I think about it, I vaguely heard the servants talking about a ghost…!’

I quickly backed away, muffling my footsteps as much as possible. My gaze was fixed on the shadow. Because it would be even scarier if it looked my way while I wasn’t looking!

But that was the problem.

Thud!

“Aah!”

I tripped over something and tumbled backward. Fortunately, I tightly clutched the lantern and didn’t break it, but I saw the shadow I was trying to avoid stand up and walk towards me. In a panic, I urgently groped the ground to grab anything, and my hand closed around a wooden object.

‘Caetlia Tree’

It was the signpost that identified the gorgeous tree and the culprit that tripped me.

While I briefly registered the sign, a pale pair of feet had already stopped in front of me.

“…”

My heart pounded with tension. If I just raised my head, I could confirm its identity, but courage wouldn’t come.

*‘No, I can do it!’*

Just as I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to look up, a clear voice spoke.

“Myle? Is that you?”