“First of all, let me apologize.”
“Why are you doing that?”
I grabbed Julian's arm and shook it, urging him on. Julian was a man of few words, but he rarely trailed off. What was he worrying about that he wasn't even talking to me about? I couldn't ignore him, worried.
“Come on in.”
When I urged him again, Julian ran his hand through his hair. It was unfortunate that only half of his handsome forehead was visible. Unaware of my thoughts, Julian answered steadily.
"I wanted to make sure the doctor's diagnosis was correct. I promised not to ask Madam anything, but I forgot my promise. It's my fault."
I placed my hand over the man's, infinitely serious. Julian's gaze turned to me. His red eyes were shaking slightly. I patted his hand as if to reassure him.
“You’re saying that because you’re worried about me.”
You don't have to hesitate like that. It's all my fault.
My true feelings never reached him. I wanted to be confident in front of Julian, but at the same time, I was still lying to him because of the possibility. I tightened my grip on Julian's hand.
“Julian.”
Julian never took his eyes off me, as if he was listening to what I was saying.
“Would it be okay if I managed your villa?”
I couldn't be honest with Julian, but I wanted to do the best I could. I asked for his permission to give me a small gift, and he nodded. I smiled brightly.
“Thank you. I will never ruin Her Highness’s garden.”
At that, Julian laughed and joked.
“No one ruined the garden more than my mother.”
It was such a mischievous joke that I couldn't help but laugh at his face.
Duchzan Territory, located in the north, rarely had warm days. Even on the warmest days, the wind was so chilly that it made you hunch your shoulders.
But even in this weather, people lived energetically, and the flowers blooming at their feet were always fresh.
This little garden was no different. Even without anyone to watch over it, it grew steadily, bursting into flower buds and blooming.
I touched my fingertips to a pink flower blooming in the garden. The soft, moist texture seemed to tell me just how vibrantly the flower was blooming.
As I walked, taking each step, inhaling the fragrance of the flowers, I saw a stark contrast to the vibrant flower garden: an empty one. It was invisible from the garden entrance, but when I turned around, it was perfectly visible.
“Hey, why is this flower garden empty?”
When I asked the gardener, he nodded repeatedly and spoke in a tense voice.
"Her Highness the Grand Duchess said she would plant flowers, but she didn't tell me what kind. After that, her health deteriorated and she passed away."
“I see.”
I smiled bitterly and looked at the empty flower garden. What did Julian's mother want to plant in that flower garden?
The Grand Duchess was so unfamiliar with the gardener that she felt like sending him away, but her priority was to get advice about the garden.
“Is there anyone who knows that flower?”
I thought Julian would be delighted if I planted the flower and showed it to him. But the gardener said with a dejected expression:
“I’m sorry. Actually, Madam... oh, no. I don’t know because it was my wife who personally designed the garden with Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“Then, can I meet your wife?”
I could sense the gardener was at a loss. I opened my eyes wide and asked.
“Why is that?”
“Actually... my wife had an accident and is no longer with us.”
The gardener sighed deeply, forgetting how tense he'd been. I nodded, feeling sorry for him.
“That’s too bad. You must have had a hard time.”
After hearing my words of comfort, the gardener remembered that he was standing before the Grand Duchess and hurriedly waved his hand.
“Oh, no. I’m sorry for saying something in front of Your Highness...”
"No way. Just step back. I'll ask for help next time."
“Yes. Please call me anytime.”
The gardener bowed politely and left. I strolled through the garden with Anna, enjoying a day like a lady for the first time in a long while.
"Madam, how about planting some cherry blossom trees over there? I think they'll look really pretty when the wind blows."
“That’s true.”
Anna was so enthusiastic about expressing her love for the villa that she was eager to share her thoughts. I nodded and shook my head at her suggestions, contemplating how to decorate the garden. The most important thing was to preserve the garden's original, rustic character.
“What if we painted the fence white?”
“I think it would be so pretty! It goes well with the building.”
"Yes?"
"I think it would be a good idea to replace it with a new one. It's still nice and quiet, but the old fence is dangerous."
As I listened to Anna's chattering words, I savored the breeze tickling my cheeks. Every time the wind blew, I had to hold my wide-brimmed hat with my hand to keep it from blowing away, but even that small gesture lifted my spirits.
Today, as I looked at the mountain that was shining brightly under the sun, I thought, 'Next time, Julian should come too.'
Dagdak, dagdak.
The sound of a horse-drawn carriage resonated loudly through the quiet villa. I raised my head, still holding onto my hat.
A magnificent carriage stopped at the entrance to the villa, and a girl, undeniably well-dressed, stepped out. She was wearing a charming cape, but judging by her daunting coldness, she wasn't from this region.
“Who is it?”
Anna asked, puzzled. It was understandable. This place wasn't exactly secret, but even so, it was the Grand Duke's villa. It was best for personal security that no ordinary person ventured near it.
“Go and find out.”
I glanced at Anna and gave her a directive, and she immediately walked over. However, the girl was approaching me faster than Anna.
“Miss, please wait a moment!”
Anna seemed flustered and stopped abruptly. Only then did the girl stop running and stop in front of Anna. At this distance, it was impossible to hear what they were saying unless they shouted. However, the girl's face was vaguely visible.
She was a lovely girl, with large, round eyes, nestled beneath a round forehead, like morning stars. Her bright red curly hair, tied into pigtails, was also adorable.
Perhaps because she had been restrained, her pale face looked somewhat pouty, but even that was charming. Even a glance revealed that she was a noblewoman, raised with love.
“Who is it?”
I was gripped by anxiety. She didn't seem like a bad person, but I remembered how Abigail, who was about the same age as me, had been aggressive toward me. What if she, too, had a crush on Julian? If she came to me to claim ownership, how should I respond? As I was racking my brain with these thoughts, my eyes met the girl's.
The girl smiled brightly, showing her white teeth, and waved her hand.
“Sister Layla!”
Sister?
My eyes widened at the affectionate address, and I gazed at the girl more closely. I wondered if there was anyone I knew who was as good as her. Before I could stop her, she ran toward me.
“Sister! It’s me!”
I was so flustered that I even pointed at myself. No one else would call me that friendly. But the girl was incredibly confident.
Luckily, the girl's maid caught her before we collided.
“Oh, Miss! I told you to calm down!”
"But!"
“But that’s not it. You should call her ‘Your Highness the Grand Duchess,’ not ‘Sister.’ If you do, you’ll be in real trouble!”
The girl stuck out her lips, then lifted the hem of her skirt with her face still pouting, and greeted politely.
“Hello, Your Highness, the Grand Duchess.”
I smiled awkwardly and greeted the girl.
“Nice to meet you. By the way, who is the Young Lady?”
At my words, the girl's expression was one of despair. She seemed to have never imagined she would find herself in this situation.
“Sister! Oh, no. Your Highness... Don’t you remember me?”
The girl put her hands to her chest and wore a desperate expression. I felt so sorry, I didn't know what to do, but I had no choice. I nodded slowly.
“I’m sorry. If you tell me your name, I won’t forget it.”
The girl looked gloomy even after receiving the apology. However, she seemed not to have forgotten the etiquette of a nobleman, and once again bowed and introduced herself.
“Greetings again, Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. My name is Nife Sasha.”
“Nife Sasha?”
I was startled and asked back a little louder. Then Nife nodded vigorously.
“Yes! It’s Nife! Do you remember?”
When I heard that name, two people came to mind. First, Count Sasha, whom I had recently met at a party and had a hard time with, and second, his young daughter, Nife.
When I was very young, Countess Sasha and our Countess Winsley had a close relationship, and because of that, I often interacted with Nefe. Nife was such a child back then, and even now, that little child remains in my mind.
And then the little girl appeared before my eyes as a full-fledged young girl.
I wasn't sure whether I should welcome her or tell her to turn back with a cold demeanor. To be clear, Count Sasha and I were now enemies, but his daughter had done nothing wrong.
"Your Highness, I've been wanting to see you for a long time, so I've come to see you. I hope I'm not causing trouble, right?"
Above all, how could I turn away from a girl who was so brightly smiling and desperately clinging to me? Even though Sasha's territory and Duchzan's territory were adjacent, it would have been too far for a young lady to travel alone in a carriage.
I had no choice but to nod and smile.
“Welcome, Sasha Young Lady.”
“Why are you doing that?”
I grabbed Julian's arm and shook it, urging him on. Julian was a man of few words, but he rarely trailed off. What was he worrying about that he wasn't even talking to me about? I couldn't ignore him, worried.
“Come on in.”
When I urged him again, Julian ran his hand through his hair. It was unfortunate that only half of his handsome forehead was visible. Unaware of my thoughts, Julian answered steadily.
"I wanted to make sure the doctor's diagnosis was correct. I promised not to ask Madam anything, but I forgot my promise. It's my fault."
I placed my hand over the man's, infinitely serious. Julian's gaze turned to me. His red eyes were shaking slightly. I patted his hand as if to reassure him.
“You’re saying that because you’re worried about me.”
You don't have to hesitate like that. It's all my fault.
My true feelings never reached him. I wanted to be confident in front of Julian, but at the same time, I was still lying to him because of the possibility. I tightened my grip on Julian's hand.
“Julian.”
Julian never took his eyes off me, as if he was listening to what I was saying.
“Would it be okay if I managed your villa?”
I couldn't be honest with Julian, but I wanted to do the best I could. I asked for his permission to give me a small gift, and he nodded. I smiled brightly.
“Thank you. I will never ruin Her Highness’s garden.”
At that, Julian laughed and joked.
“No one ruined the garden more than my mother.”
It was such a mischievous joke that I couldn't help but laugh at his face.
***
Duchzan Territory, located in the north, rarely had warm days. Even on the warmest days, the wind was so chilly that it made you hunch your shoulders.
But even in this weather, people lived energetically, and the flowers blooming at their feet were always fresh.
This little garden was no different. Even without anyone to watch over it, it grew steadily, bursting into flower buds and blooming.
I touched my fingertips to a pink flower blooming in the garden. The soft, moist texture seemed to tell me just how vibrantly the flower was blooming.
As I walked, taking each step, inhaling the fragrance of the flowers, I saw a stark contrast to the vibrant flower garden: an empty one. It was invisible from the garden entrance, but when I turned around, it was perfectly visible.
“Hey, why is this flower garden empty?”
When I asked the gardener, he nodded repeatedly and spoke in a tense voice.
"Her Highness the Grand Duchess said she would plant flowers, but she didn't tell me what kind. After that, her health deteriorated and she passed away."
“I see.”
I smiled bitterly and looked at the empty flower garden. What did Julian's mother want to plant in that flower garden?
The Grand Duchess was so unfamiliar with the gardener that she felt like sending him away, but her priority was to get advice about the garden.
“Is there anyone who knows that flower?”
I thought Julian would be delighted if I planted the flower and showed it to him. But the gardener said with a dejected expression:
“I’m sorry. Actually, Madam... oh, no. I don’t know because it was my wife who personally designed the garden with Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“Then, can I meet your wife?”
I could sense the gardener was at a loss. I opened my eyes wide and asked.
“Why is that?”
“Actually... my wife had an accident and is no longer with us.”
The gardener sighed deeply, forgetting how tense he'd been. I nodded, feeling sorry for him.
“That’s too bad. You must have had a hard time.”
After hearing my words of comfort, the gardener remembered that he was standing before the Grand Duchess and hurriedly waved his hand.
“Oh, no. I’m sorry for saying something in front of Your Highness...”
"No way. Just step back. I'll ask for help next time."
“Yes. Please call me anytime.”
The gardener bowed politely and left. I strolled through the garden with Anna, enjoying a day like a lady for the first time in a long while.
"Madam, how about planting some cherry blossom trees over there? I think they'll look really pretty when the wind blows."
“That’s true.”
Anna was so enthusiastic about expressing her love for the villa that she was eager to share her thoughts. I nodded and shook my head at her suggestions, contemplating how to decorate the garden. The most important thing was to preserve the garden's original, rustic character.
“What if we painted the fence white?”
“I think it would be so pretty! It goes well with the building.”
"Yes?"
"I think it would be a good idea to replace it with a new one. It's still nice and quiet, but the old fence is dangerous."
As I listened to Anna's chattering words, I savored the breeze tickling my cheeks. Every time the wind blew, I had to hold my wide-brimmed hat with my hand to keep it from blowing away, but even that small gesture lifted my spirits.
Today, as I looked at the mountain that was shining brightly under the sun, I thought, 'Next time, Julian should come too.'
Dagdak, dagdak.
The sound of a horse-drawn carriage resonated loudly through the quiet villa. I raised my head, still holding onto my hat.
A magnificent carriage stopped at the entrance to the villa, and a girl, undeniably well-dressed, stepped out. She was wearing a charming cape, but judging by her daunting coldness, she wasn't from this region.
“Who is it?”
Anna asked, puzzled. It was understandable. This place wasn't exactly secret, but even so, it was the Grand Duke's villa. It was best for personal security that no ordinary person ventured near it.
“Go and find out.”
I glanced at Anna and gave her a directive, and she immediately walked over. However, the girl was approaching me faster than Anna.
“Miss, please wait a moment!”
Anna seemed flustered and stopped abruptly. Only then did the girl stop running and stop in front of Anna. At this distance, it was impossible to hear what they were saying unless they shouted. However, the girl's face was vaguely visible.
She was a lovely girl, with large, round eyes, nestled beneath a round forehead, like morning stars. Her bright red curly hair, tied into pigtails, was also adorable.
Perhaps because she had been restrained, her pale face looked somewhat pouty, but even that was charming. Even a glance revealed that she was a noblewoman, raised with love.
“Who is it?”
I was gripped by anxiety. She didn't seem like a bad person, but I remembered how Abigail, who was about the same age as me, had been aggressive toward me. What if she, too, had a crush on Julian? If she came to me to claim ownership, how should I respond? As I was racking my brain with these thoughts, my eyes met the girl's.
The girl smiled brightly, showing her white teeth, and waved her hand.
“Sister Layla!”
Sister?
My eyes widened at the affectionate address, and I gazed at the girl more closely. I wondered if there was anyone I knew who was as good as her. Before I could stop her, she ran toward me.
“Sister! It’s me!”
I was so flustered that I even pointed at myself. No one else would call me that friendly. But the girl was incredibly confident.
Luckily, the girl's maid caught her before we collided.
“Oh, Miss! I told you to calm down!”
"But!"
“But that’s not it. You should call her ‘Your Highness the Grand Duchess,’ not ‘Sister.’ If you do, you’ll be in real trouble!”
The girl stuck out her lips, then lifted the hem of her skirt with her face still pouting, and greeted politely.
“Hello, Your Highness, the Grand Duchess.”
I smiled awkwardly and greeted the girl.
“Nice to meet you. By the way, who is the Young Lady?”
At my words, the girl's expression was one of despair. She seemed to have never imagined she would find herself in this situation.
“Sister! Oh, no. Your Highness... Don’t you remember me?”
The girl put her hands to her chest and wore a desperate expression. I felt so sorry, I didn't know what to do, but I had no choice. I nodded slowly.
“I’m sorry. If you tell me your name, I won’t forget it.”
The girl looked gloomy even after receiving the apology. However, she seemed not to have forgotten the etiquette of a nobleman, and once again bowed and introduced herself.
“Greetings again, Your Highness, the Grand Duchess. My name is Nife Sasha.”
“Nife Sasha?”
I was startled and asked back a little louder. Then Nife nodded vigorously.
“Yes! It’s Nife! Do you remember?”
When I heard that name, two people came to mind. First, Count Sasha, whom I had recently met at a party and had a hard time with, and second, his young daughter, Nife.
When I was very young, Countess Sasha and our Countess Winsley had a close relationship, and because of that, I often interacted with Nefe. Nife was such a child back then, and even now, that little child remains in my mind.
And then the little girl appeared before my eyes as a full-fledged young girl.
I wasn't sure whether I should welcome her or tell her to turn back with a cold demeanor. To be clear, Count Sasha and I were now enemies, but his daughter had done nothing wrong.
"Your Highness, I've been wanting to see you for a long time, so I've come to see you. I hope I'm not causing trouble, right?"
Above all, how could I turn away from a girl who was so brightly smiling and desperately clinging to me? Even though Sasha's territory and Duchzan's territory were adjacent, it would have been too far for a young lady to travel alone in a carriage.
I had no choice but to nod and smile.
“Welcome, Sasha Young Lady.”
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