Chapter 18

When expressed as ‘all at once,’ it didn’t seem like just one or two bundles.

In the distance, she could see her own room.

In front of it, for some reason, Jest was standing.

Huffing and puffing, Shuer asked him, 

‘Jest, uh, Jest…?’

‘…Please come in.’

He opened the door with an attitude that still seemed displeased.

With a slight creak, flower petals flew through the crack in the door and fell under Scheuer’s feet.

As the door opened wide, the fragrant scent of various flowers approached.

The room was full of flowers.

Barely enough space to step in.

And amid all the various natural colors, there was one monochrome.

Raygreine’s icy water-colored eyes met his gaze.

He, who was standing in front of the window, let out a deep voice.

‘You’re late.’

Raygreine frowned as he reached out to catch the fluttering petals.

Scheuer was taken aback.

She understood the phrase “open your eyes” for the first time.

The lighting wasn’t that bright, and there was no direct sunlight, but she felt as if the world was opening up, and sprouts were emerging.

Of course, everything on the floor was flower bouquets, but Scheuer could confidently say that if she had to pick one moment he would never forget, it would be this one.

She looked at the room filled with flowers and asked, 

‘Is all of this…?’

“I didn’t expect Leilda to inspect the north. I told them to bring back everything they could find.”

‘Do we really need this much?’

‘It’s just what I think I’ll need for a single sortie.’

Ragreine replied firmly.

There were also some flowers in the room that were commonly seen in the south.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they had brought back all the flowers circulating within the Empire.

She keenly realized how much emotional expenditure was involved in the expedition.

‘How long will you be back?’

‘I anticipated a month, but with Leilda, I should be back within a week.’

‘What about the swords?’

“Thanks to her.”

At least Raygreine’s answer gave him some relief.

Scheuer, who had turned away with a sigh, looked around silently and then hesitantly licked her lips.

And, exhaling trembling breath, she cautiously made a suggestion.

‘Well, could you, Your Highness, please take one step to the right?’

‘Why?’

‘You’ll know when you go.’

Raygreine, with a cold face, pushed his way through the bouquet of flowers and took a step to the right.

The sunlight poured in behind him.

And flowers are blooming all around.

Amidst the brilliantly blossoming flowers, the solitary black figure was even more striking.

“Goodness, Your Grace. It would be even more perfect if you could give me one red flower in the 9 o’clock direction over there.”

“Is that why you asked for the flower bouquet?”

“The harmony of black and red is perfect, just like Your Highness and your robe.”

He frowned as if he were tired of the scent.

Raygrain asked a question with a harder tone than usual.

“What do you plan to do with the garden?”

“I’m going to plant flowers.”

“It’s a futile effort. Do you believe a mere plant can withstand the winters in the north?”

It was a peculiarly sharp response.

Scheuer answered while walking carefully to avoid stepping on the bouquet with her dress.

“Leilda said he would provide a temperature control magic stone. So now, the garden of Your Highness can be filled with flowers that resemble Your Highness!”

What does it mean to have flowers that resemble oneself?

Raygrain carefully looked through the flowers around, but he couldn’t even guess.

“…Did that kid agree so easily?”

“Yes. Thanks to that, I can grow the flowers you gave me without any problems, Your Grace!”

It was impossible to estimate how many more albums Scheuer would need in the future.

As Scheuer cautiously made his way to avoid accidentally stepping on the flowers, with great effort and focus, suddenly, someone fell from the sky with a thud.

“Wow, what is this?”

The petals fluttered and fell.

The little figure buried in the pile of flowers picked up the robe and shielded their eyes, as if expressing annoyance, Leilda’s large eyes squinted.

Scheuer shouted with a wide-opened mouth.

“My flowers!”

Before Leilda could get up, Scheuer shoved the small figure aside.

The bouquet that Raygrain had given to her must not be crumpled.

Scheuer clutched the crumpled bouquet and shouted with tears in her eyes.

“The flowers you gave me…my flowers…”

Pushed aside by Scheuer, Leilda got up, seeming puzzled, and said.

“Hey, someone just fell from the sky, and you’re worried about the flowers?”

Scheuer, holding a mound of crumpled bouquets in her arms, sat down with a sigh, muttering.

“My collection…”

Raygrain, who was watching Scheuer sobbing, asked indifferently.

“Is the paper important?”

“Of course. It’s a gift from someone.”

She had meticulously labeled and numbered her album over a lifetime to collect it.

To ensure that they could be arranged in order on the bookshelf later, the bookshelf was custom-made to match the album’s size. 

Scheuer glared at Leilda, her eyes wide open. Lying on the narrow floor, he said, touching the crumpled paper as if it were something precious, 

“You’re complaining about the paper so much. You were the one who willingly invested in it up to the magic stone. Why did you come all the way here?”

“I decided to pay for it, so it’s not an investment but a trade. Why did you come here?”

“I came to get a camellia flower, why!”

He came to my room just to get a camellia flower, and he even crumpled the bouquet Raygrain had given me. 

Scheuer stared at him with a serious expression. Leilda, who silently received hier gaze, pointed at Raygrain with a puzzled expression, as if she found it ridiculous. 

“Wow, really? You’re worse than that kid who gave me the paper?”

A natural response. Scheuer turned his head and called for Celly. 

“Celly, bring the stored camellia flower.” 

‘Yes, understood.’ 

She felt Leilda’s dissatisfied gaze from the side, but he ignored it lightly. 

As she unfolded the paper, her hands got dirtier, as if touching soil. It was distressing. 

To others, it might not be a big deal, but to her, it was an irreplaceable memento. 

It was none other than a gift from Raygrain.

Raygrain, who was watching her absentmindedly, took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. 

‘That’s enough. Isn’t it getting worse?’ 

Scheuer stared at the handkerchief he offered. 

The emblem of the Blenga family was embroidered on it. 

At least, nobody would use it casually because it had the family crest on it. 

Scheuer instinctively couldn’t take his eyes off the handkerchief.

 ‘…Is this something His Highness uses regularly?’

 ‘That’s right.’ 

Whether it was because he felt her intense gaze or not, 

Raygrain moved his hand offering the handkerchief hesitantly. 

It was a purely reflexive action, not something he did intentionally.

 Her head followed his hand movement for just a moment. 

For a brief moment, silence filled the room, which was not only bright but also filled with the scent of flowers. 

There was not even the sound of Leilda’s laughter. Not long after, Raygrain’s subdued voice was heard. 

‘…Do you want it?’

 Scheuer picked up the crumpled paper that was struggling to open with her palm. 

‘Would you like to trade it for the paper?’ 

‘…Just take both.’ 

Raygrain handed the handkerchief to her.

“Smile Love”