It seemed as if God had answered her prayer. The time of separation had come sooner than Angie had expected. A few days later, Angie, who was home alone reading a book, opened the front door at the sound of a carriage. She received a letter from Mrs. Dunst, the mansion’s messenger, and opened it.
"Angie, the Master would like to see you, so if possible, please come right away."
She put on her coat without delay and got into the carriage. Her heart was pounding with joy. Is he feeling better now? Will they be able to meet again today as usual?
Angie sighed deeply as she saw the magnificent ducal palace beyond the window. Of course, it was a sigh filled with anticipation and joy.
She got out of the carriage and hurried to the front door. It was hard to resist the urge to run right away. The front garden had changed a little in the three weeks she had been away from the mansion. The ground was covered in melted snow, and blue marguerites, poinsettias, and camellias, which bloomed profusely even in the middle of winter, were in full bloom.
“Angie, welcome back. It’s been a while.”
Mrs. Dunst greeted her blandly, and before Angie could ask, she added:
“His Highness has improved a lot. However, he still needs to rest, so please come down after an hour today.”
“Yes! I’m so glad he's feeling much better...!”
Angie climbed the stairs with light and heavy steps. She felt a little depressed when she thought that she would be able to hear nothing but voices for an hour, just like before. But she soon changed her mind. How fortunate that things have improved to this extent. It would be too selfish to hope for more.
“Angie.”
As soon as she entered the room, a familiar voice came from beyond the curtain. It was a voice her heart always remembered. The moment she heard that warm, low tone, something inside her chest swelled.
“Kai.”
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Yes. I’ve been fine. Kai...”
Angie bit her lip and paused for a moment. She felt like she was going to burst into tears because of her joy. Why am I crying like an idiot!
"Angie, the Master would like to see you, so if possible, please come right away."
She put on her coat without delay and got into the carriage. Her heart was pounding with joy. Is he feeling better now? Will they be able to meet again today as usual?
Angie sighed deeply as she saw the magnificent ducal palace beyond the window. Of course, it was a sigh filled with anticipation and joy.
She got out of the carriage and hurried to the front door. It was hard to resist the urge to run right away. The front garden had changed a little in the three weeks she had been away from the mansion. The ground was covered in melted snow, and blue marguerites, poinsettias, and camellias, which bloomed profusely even in the middle of winter, were in full bloom.
“Angie, welcome back. It’s been a while.”
Mrs. Dunst greeted her blandly, and before Angie could ask, she added:
“His Highness has improved a lot. However, he still needs to rest, so please come down after an hour today.”
“Yes! I’m so glad he's feeling much better...!”
Angie climbed the stairs with light and heavy steps. She felt a little depressed when she thought that she would be able to hear nothing but voices for an hour, just like before. But she soon changed her mind. How fortunate that things have improved to this extent. It would be too selfish to hope for more.
“Angie.”
As soon as she entered the room, a familiar voice came from beyond the curtain. It was a voice her heart always remembered. The moment she heard that warm, low tone, something inside her chest swelled.
“Kai.”
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Yes. I’ve been fine. Kai...”
Angie bit her lip and paused for a moment. She felt like she was going to burst into tears because of her joy. Why am I crying like an idiot!
When she thinks about it, she's nothing to Kai. She's just the daughter of an employee who comes to read books and keep him company.
“How have you been, Kai...? No, are you okay? I heard you were very sick.”
“As you can see, it’s much better. More importantly, I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the birthday present in person. Did you like it?”
“Yes! It’s really great. It’s so mysterious and pretty that I put it on my desk and look at it before I go to sleep and every time I wake up...”
It was true. She never got tired of looking at the white snow globe he gave her.
“Yeah. I’m glad you like it.”
“More than that, Kai. Why didn’t you tell me? Your birthday is on January 6th, the day after mine...”
After a long time, a dry answer came back.
“I didn’t feel the need to talk.”
He was saying that it wasn't necessary to tell her, but that it was pointless to even mention it. Angie hesitated for a moment, then blurted out.
“I didn’t prepare a birthday present... because I had to come suddenly today.”
“Don’t worry about it. Your real birthday present- I think it’ll have to wait a little longer.”
“My real birthday... is a present.”
He remembered. The wish she had bravely spoken of nearly a month ago.
“Then, Kai, please tell me too. Is there any birthday present you would like to receive from me? Of course, there is not much I can give you, but still...”
Still, Angie hoped, if there was anything she could do for him, even if it was just a small thing, something special that only she could do.
“I’ll be staying in the North Annex for the next ten days. I need to get treatment there.”
Angie's heart began to sink slowly at his words. It meant that she would not be seeing him again for a while.
“And ten days later, it will be the first day of February. That night...Can you come to the forest behind this mansion? Then I will show you the present you wanted. And I will also tell you the birthday present I wanted.”
The voice beyond the curtain was serious.
“Behind the mansion...in the forest?”
“There is a greenhouse at the entrance to the forest. It is called the Generalife Gardens... I will tell you then. What I would like as a gift.”
Angie knew the Generalife Gardens. It was a kind of sanctuary. The greenhouse gardens that his father Edward had painstakingly created for his wife Eugenia were off-limits to anyone except select gardeners.
“I’ve made up an excuse to visit for another reason. I’ll send a carriage, so it won’t be dangerous even if the sun goes down.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You mustn’t tell anyone about the gift. I want it to be a secret between us two.”
“Yes, I will. I won’t tell anyone...not even my parents!”
After a while, Angie left the mansion and got into the carriage, her face flushed brightly. It was an expression of a complex mix of emotions.
The joy and happiness of meeting the master after a long time, the relief that his condition was gradually improving, and the anticipation of finally seeing his face amidst the excitement of their secret. All of these overwhelming emotions made her heart flutter and at the same time, nervous.
On the tenth night, Angie clenched and unclenched her fists under the tablecloth. It was a cozy dinner as usual. But she couldn't chew or swallow her food properly.
The sun was already setting and darkness was falling all around. The Duke of Blackwell's carriage was due to arrive in thirty minutes. She had just finished dessert with her parents when she heard the sound of horseshoes outside the front door. The carriage had arrived earlier than scheduled.
Every year, starting on February 1st, the maids at the Duke's residence were busy cleaning the mansion and changing the interior to prepare for the coming spring. Angie was supposed to help out in place of the maids who were out with the flu.
“Angie, go ahead and go. So you’ll stay at the mansion tonight and come back tomorrow afternoon?”
"Yes. See you tomorrow. Good night!”
The couple took care of their daughter's coat and hat and escorted her out the front door. Angie climbed into the carriage as usual. Through the slightly open window, the sound of winter birds' wings could be heard.
Today, I can finally... see Kai. I can’t believe it.
She was very curious about what he would look like. Neither her parents nor her friends from the embroidery club had ever seen the master.
From the rumors and portraits floating around, it was only speculated that the former Duke and Duke Edward were both very handsome men in their youth and that their mothers were very beautiful. If he had inherited such genes, the young master's appearance would not be ordinary either.
But it doesn't matter. Beauty or ugliness doesn't matter. She just wants to be able to talk to him face to face, rather than just hear his voice behind the curtain.
Angie thought of the story of the Beast Prince and Beauty, which she had liked since she was young and read many times. Of course, Kai could not have been a Beast. He could not have been cursed. He was just born with a body that was extremely sensitive to light and had a very weak heart. And it was not Kai's fault.
While Angie was lost in thought, the carriage crossed Blackwell Hill and arrived in front of the Duke's residence. Blackwell's mansion looked very different on a moonlit night than it did during the day.
The mansion and gardens looked like a palace where a Princess and Prince would live in a fairy tale when the light was on. But now, with a slightly gloomy and mysterious air, it looked like a fortress where unknown beings that transcended human existence resided.
“Come this way.”
As she got off the carriage, a woman in a maid outfit approached her. She was someone Angie had never seen before. Her face was barely visible due to the white lace maid hat covering her face. It was a strange feeling, something she had never felt before.
She followed the nameless maid into the back hallway of a mansion she had never been to before. Candles hung on both sides of the dark walls, casting dim lights.
A thick fragrance filled the room. It was like a strong foreign tea or the scent of flowers. After walking for a while, the two arrived in front of a large glass door. It was the entrance to the Generalife Gardens.
“Here, wait inside.”
The guide turned around after saying those words and quickly disappeared from sight. Angie hesitated for a moment, then pushed open the glass door and stepped into the greenhouse.
The Generalife Gardens were as beautiful as their reputation. Under the extremely high ceiling, the spacious interior was filled with various flowers, trees, and plants. She even had the illusion that a deep and strong scent was gently permeating her body.
It wasn't dark inside the greenhouse. Angie looked up. The moonlight shining through the glass skylight was quite bright. In addition to the moonlight, there were candles placed in every corner.
“Wow... There’s a place like this inside the mansion.”
Angie let out a gasp of admiration. Everywhere she looked, there were flowers everywhere. There were lilacs, freesias, cattails, and hawthorns, which she liked. It was more like a botanical garden than a greenhouse.
Angie walked around the large greenhouse and returned under the large bingka tree. The table under the tree was lavishly filled with a luxurious tea set, various fruit mousse tarts, and finger cakes. It was like a table for a secret midnight tea time.
She hesitated, then lifted the blue teapot and tilted it over the teacup in front of me. The pink tea, dripping down in thin drops, smelled like roses.
Kai... When will you be coming?
“How have you been, Kai...? No, are you okay? I heard you were very sick.”
“As you can see, it’s much better. More importantly, I’m sorry I couldn’t give you the birthday present in person. Did you like it?”
“Yes! It’s really great. It’s so mysterious and pretty that I put it on my desk and look at it before I go to sleep and every time I wake up...”
It was true. She never got tired of looking at the white snow globe he gave her.
“Yeah. I’m glad you like it.”
“More than that, Kai. Why didn’t you tell me? Your birthday is on January 6th, the day after mine...”
After a long time, a dry answer came back.
“I didn’t feel the need to talk.”
He was saying that it wasn't necessary to tell her, but that it was pointless to even mention it. Angie hesitated for a moment, then blurted out.
“I didn’t prepare a birthday present... because I had to come suddenly today.”
“Don’t worry about it. Your real birthday present- I think it’ll have to wait a little longer.”
“My real birthday... is a present.”
He remembered. The wish she had bravely spoken of nearly a month ago.
“Then, Kai, please tell me too. Is there any birthday present you would like to receive from me? Of course, there is not much I can give you, but still...”
Still, Angie hoped, if there was anything she could do for him, even if it was just a small thing, something special that only she could do.
“I’ll be staying in the North Annex for the next ten days. I need to get treatment there.”
Angie's heart began to sink slowly at his words. It meant that she would not be seeing him again for a while.
“And ten days later, it will be the first day of February. That night...Can you come to the forest behind this mansion? Then I will show you the present you wanted. And I will also tell you the birthday present I wanted.”
The voice beyond the curtain was serious.
“Behind the mansion...in the forest?”
“There is a greenhouse at the entrance to the forest. It is called the Generalife Gardens... I will tell you then. What I would like as a gift.”
Angie knew the Generalife Gardens. It was a kind of sanctuary. The greenhouse gardens that his father Edward had painstakingly created for his wife Eugenia were off-limits to anyone except select gardeners.
“I’ve made up an excuse to visit for another reason. I’ll send a carriage, so it won’t be dangerous even if the sun goes down.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You mustn’t tell anyone about the gift. I want it to be a secret between us two.”
“Yes, I will. I won’t tell anyone...not even my parents!”
After a while, Angie left the mansion and got into the carriage, her face flushed brightly. It was an expression of a complex mix of emotions.
The joy and happiness of meeting the master after a long time, the relief that his condition was gradually improving, and the anticipation of finally seeing his face amidst the excitement of their secret. All of these overwhelming emotions made her heart flutter and at the same time, nervous.
***
On the tenth night, Angie clenched and unclenched her fists under the tablecloth. It was a cozy dinner as usual. But she couldn't chew or swallow her food properly.
The sun was already setting and darkness was falling all around. The Duke of Blackwell's carriage was due to arrive in thirty minutes. She had just finished dessert with her parents when she heard the sound of horseshoes outside the front door. The carriage had arrived earlier than scheduled.
Every year, starting on February 1st, the maids at the Duke's residence were busy cleaning the mansion and changing the interior to prepare for the coming spring. Angie was supposed to help out in place of the maids who were out with the flu.
“Angie, go ahead and go. So you’ll stay at the mansion tonight and come back tomorrow afternoon?”
"Yes. See you tomorrow. Good night!”
The couple took care of their daughter's coat and hat and escorted her out the front door. Angie climbed into the carriage as usual. Through the slightly open window, the sound of winter birds' wings could be heard.
Today, I can finally... see Kai. I can’t believe it.
She was very curious about what he would look like. Neither her parents nor her friends from the embroidery club had ever seen the master.
From the rumors and portraits floating around, it was only speculated that the former Duke and Duke Edward were both very handsome men in their youth and that their mothers were very beautiful. If he had inherited such genes, the young master's appearance would not be ordinary either.
But it doesn't matter. Beauty or ugliness doesn't matter. She just wants to be able to talk to him face to face, rather than just hear his voice behind the curtain.
Angie thought of the story of the Beast Prince and Beauty, which she had liked since she was young and read many times. Of course, Kai could not have been a Beast. He could not have been cursed. He was just born with a body that was extremely sensitive to light and had a very weak heart. And it was not Kai's fault.
While Angie was lost in thought, the carriage crossed Blackwell Hill and arrived in front of the Duke's residence. Blackwell's mansion looked very different on a moonlit night than it did during the day.
The mansion and gardens looked like a palace where a Princess and Prince would live in a fairy tale when the light was on. But now, with a slightly gloomy and mysterious air, it looked like a fortress where unknown beings that transcended human existence resided.
“Come this way.”
As she got off the carriage, a woman in a maid outfit approached her. She was someone Angie had never seen before. Her face was barely visible due to the white lace maid hat covering her face. It was a strange feeling, something she had never felt before.
She followed the nameless maid into the back hallway of a mansion she had never been to before. Candles hung on both sides of the dark walls, casting dim lights.
A thick fragrance filled the room. It was like a strong foreign tea or the scent of flowers. After walking for a while, the two arrived in front of a large glass door. It was the entrance to the Generalife Gardens.
“Here, wait inside.”
The guide turned around after saying those words and quickly disappeared from sight. Angie hesitated for a moment, then pushed open the glass door and stepped into the greenhouse.
The Generalife Gardens were as beautiful as their reputation. Under the extremely high ceiling, the spacious interior was filled with various flowers, trees, and plants. She even had the illusion that a deep and strong scent was gently permeating her body.
It wasn't dark inside the greenhouse. Angie looked up. The moonlight shining through the glass skylight was quite bright. In addition to the moonlight, there were candles placed in every corner.
“Wow... There’s a place like this inside the mansion.”
Angie let out a gasp of admiration. Everywhere she looked, there were flowers everywhere. There were lilacs, freesias, cattails, and hawthorns, which she liked. It was more like a botanical garden than a greenhouse.
Angie walked around the large greenhouse and returned under the large bingka tree. The table under the tree was lavishly filled with a luxurious tea set, various fruit mousse tarts, and finger cakes. It was like a table for a secret midnight tea time.
She hesitated, then lifted the blue teapot and tilted it over the teacup in front of me. The pink tea, dripping down in thin drops, smelled like roses.
Kai... When will you be coming?
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