'This is...!'
Karina frowned as soon as she saw the jewelry box. She knew what was inside without even having to open it.
'Could this be a memory from back then?'
As Karina was about to throw the jewelry box on the floor, the door to the office opened. Jeremiah came out, dressed in a tight-fitting uniform and ready to go out. As soon as she saw him, Karina was immersed in memories of the past.
"Are you entering the palace now?"
Her mouth opened against her will. But Jeremiah passed by indifferently as if he hadn't heard her. Karina followed him, panting, as he quickly walked ahead, and continued speaking hurriedly.
"Actually, my father sent you a gift to coincide with Your Highne's entrance into the palace. If I had known that the entrance date was today, I would have sent it to you in advance... Ah...!"
Karina, who had been chattering, suddenly stopped and bumped her face into Jeremiah's back. At that moment, her words stopped. Jeremiah just turned his head and looked at Karina.
"..."
Karina's shoulders flinched as she met his eyes. A frozen expression and an icy gaze looked down at her. It was a sight she often saw whenever she met his eyes.
"No need."
A low voice came out of Jeremiah's mouth.
"Ah... yes."
Karina tried to shake off her embarrassment and pretended as if nothing had happened. However, she couldn't help but feel intimidated by his cold words and lower her gaze without realizing it. Still, Karina mustered up her strength again and spoke.
"Are you stopping by the temple again today?"
"I don't know."
"I'll be waiting."
He made a polite request to her to contact him if he was late. But as always, her heart did not reach him.
"There's no need to wait, just go to sleep."
Jeremiah drew the line firmly.
"..."
Karina, who had become accustomed to such treatment, smiled almost reflexively, raising the corners of her lips. It was to hide her hurt feelings.
"Yes. Have a nice trip."
After that one-sided farewell, Karina stood there until the carriage carrying Jeremiah was out of sight.
“Ha.”
Karina sighed out of habit and fiddled with the jewelry box in her hands.
"I couldn't give it to you today either..."
But it was okay.
'If he goes to the temple today, he will come back with lavender.'
From some point on, Jeremiah would occasionally return to his private residence with a lavender branch. Karina realized that he only did so on days when he visited the temple. The branches that he brought to the Grand Duke's residence ended up in Jeremiah's office, which was so plain that it felt bleak. The purple lavender, neatly arranged in a vase, played an important role in offsetting the bleakness there. Karina felt good just by that. Lavender was her favorite flower. So she was happy that she and Jeremiah had something in common in liking the same flowers. Once, he even gave her the lavender he brought. Of course, he just gave her a single branch without saying anything, but it was still good. She was so happy that he knew what kind of flower she liked and prepared it for her. She was touched by the thought that her efforts were finally being rewarded, even a little.
So when she saw the lavender, her heart became calm. Karina pushed away her bitterness and resentment and returned to her room. After that, she spent the whole day smiling and not showing it, even though she was secretly harassed by Caroline and the maids.
If it had ended like that, it would have been an ordinary day, but that day was a little different. Early evening. Caroline barged into Karina's room and sat down on the pretext of tea time. After a long time of not thinking about going, she suddenly asked.
"Oh, Karina. Didn't you say that was a gift for Jeremiah?"
Caroline knew it well, as Karina had been carrying it around to give to Jeremiah for the past few days.
"Yes. I tried to tell him, but I ended up not being able to tell him."
Karina answered in a slightly sullen voice.
"Oh my! Didn't you say that it was a gift that the Marquis personally prepared?"
Caroline opened the jewelry box on the table and examined its contents.
"What a really nice brooch."
She shook the jewelry box in her hand with a pitiful expression. The gorgeous brooch sparkled and reflected light.
"Wouldn't the Marquis be disappointed if he sees Jeremiah without this brooch on his return to the palace? Wouldn't he be dissatisfied with the gift he gave him? Jeremiah won't even receive the gift, so he'll be unfairly misunderstood."
"That can't be..."
Karina tried to deny it, but she was worried that her father might really do it.
"Wouldn't it be better to go and give it to him right now? It seems like Jeremiah's schedule isn't over yet."
"..."
"Oh, by the way!"
Caroline clapped her hands and cheered as if she was reminded of something.
"I heard that all the ministers are gathered at the temple today to hold a working meeting. Then, Jeremiah may have to meet the Marquis up close..."
Caroline's mutterings to herself made Karina anxious. She was worried that Jeremiah might end up getting in trouble with her father because of her. She decided to get ready right away and go to the temple to see Jeremiah.
"I'll be back soon."
"Go and tell them well."
Caroline smiled brightly and pushed Karina to the back. Karina went to the temple with the jewel box containing the brooch. The carriage she was riding ran hard and arrived at the temple before the sunset.
"His Highness the Grand Duke is now in Conference Room 3. Shall I guide you?"
Karina learned where Jeremiah was with the help of the priest she met at the entrance. She politely declined the priest's offer and went out to find him alone. She did not want to disturb the meeting in any way.
'Let's just tell him this quietly so he doesn't get into trouble.'
Karina simply thought about that. She headed to the third conference room where Jeremiah was. However, the closer she got to the conference room, the more suspicious she became. There was no one passing by and it was too quiet for a working meeting.
'Did I come to the wrong room?'
Karina tilted her head in confusion, but she kept walking, thinking that she would just check first and then leave. When she arrived at the conference room, she opened the door slightly so as not to make a sound and peeked inside. Inside the spacious, high-ceilinged room, there were pure white tables and chairs arranged in rows.
'Is there anyone?'
As she was about to close the door again. because she couldn't see anyone, she saw the back of a familiar figure in the distance.
'Ah!'
Karina could tell without even looking at his face. It was Jeremiah. Karina smiled and tried to enter the room. At that moment, Jeremiah turned his head and looked at the person next to him. He wasn't alone. He was talking to someone. When she checked, there was a beautiful, gentle woman with long hair standing next to Jeremiah.
'That person is a Saintess...!'
The identity of the woman wearing pure white priestly attire and with flowing white blonde hair was that of a Saintess. Karina remembered seeing her from afar when the Saintess first announced in the temple that she had received the blessing of God. Her long, white hair, fluttering as if made of light, was impressive.
'If you're meeting with the Saintess, you might be having a really important conversation.'
Karina hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should go in. In the meantime, Jeremiah was seen smiling gently and relaxedly at the person in front of him.
"...!!"
Karina was shocked when she saw that sight. It was an expression she had never seen before. The moment she saw the two people smiling at each other, Karina's heart sank.
'You've never smiled at me like that before.'
He had never smiled or shown even a relaxed and comfortable appearance. However, the expression on his face as he smiled at the Saintess now was genuine. Karina's shock did not end there. The Saintess smiled kindly and handed Jeremiah something she was holding in her hand. It was a branch of lavender in full bloom. Without any hesitation, he smiled and accepted the lavender she gave him. And he smiled slightly as he looked at the lavender she had given him.
"...!!"
Another shock caused Karina's pupils to shake wildly. A feeling of dizziness and despair as if she were being thrown into a deep abyss, came rushing in. It was impossible to continue watching the situation. Her vision became distant and dizzy. Karina turned around and ran away from there as if she was running away. She ran without stopping until she was out of breath and it became difficult to breathe. Karina stopped after she had gone a long way from the room where Jeremiah and the Saintess were. She was out of breath. It was the first time in her life that she had run like this. Her heart was pounding like crazy. She couldn't tell if it was because of the shock from earlier or because of the running she had just done.
Even after time passed, she didn't calm down. Karina grabbed her chest with both hands, which seemed like it would burst at any moment, and pressed it down. She wanted to cry. She really wanted to cry. But no tears came out.
"Ugh...!"
Karina let out a suppressed moan. But still, she couldn't think of how to cry, or how to cry. Suddenly, she saw herself reflected in the glass window of the chapel across from her. She saw herself blushing and smiling strangely.
"You're smiling..."
Karina, who had been standing there for a while as if she was nailed to the spot, soon collapsed. Her eyes, filled with extreme sadness, were unfocused. How much time had passed? A priest passing by noticed Karina.
"Excuse me, are you okay?"
"..."
Karina was quite late in responding to the priest's call. She looked at the priest, who continued to speak to her with a bewildered expression.
"Are you lost?"
She shook her head helplessly. Then, out of habit, she licked her lips with a compulsion. To show such shameful behavior to another person. It was something that should not happen.
"Ah..."
Karina blinked a few times and forced her head, which wasn't working well, to roll over whatever came to mind.
"That's... I came because I heard there was a... meeting..."
She continued to speak haltingly.
"Huh? A meeting?"
The priest, who had been expressing doubt because he did not know what was being said, immediately exclaimed, "Aha," as if he understood.
"If it's a practical meeting of palace officials, it's already finished in the morning."
"... Yes?"
Karina looked at the priest with an expression that said she had no idea what he was talking about.
"It has become difficult to coordinate meeting times due to the need to coordinate volunteer schedules as part of the relief work at the temple. So, this week's meeting will be held briefly in the morning."
"..."
Karina was speechless. What the priest meant was that there would be no practical meeting at the temple that evening.
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