Chapter 17

“Your emotions may not have returned.”

“Even if they have, I guarantee the same reaction.”

“Is that so? Should I ask Scheue?”

As if he had been waiting, Leilda hopped out of her chair. With an attitude suggesting that he had no intention of returning, he shook hands with Raygraine and said,

“I’m going to hang out with Scheuer while you deal with those annoying things.”

“I told you to return.”

“I don’t want to.”

Before the conversation could end, a strange symbol was drawn beneath Leilda’s feet, and a powerful light and wind surrounded him. When the light ceased, Leilda was nowhere to be found. Raygraine swept his face with his large hand.
Voices from beyond the window, including Scheuer and several others, continued to mix and enter the room.

“Scheuer, a bouquet sent by His Highness has arrived for you.”

“Right now!”

Upon Celly’s call, Scheuer, who had been in the garden all day, stepped back from the camellia branch he had just planted. The training break had ended, and the knights returned to their training. Scheuer brushed the dirt from her hands and got up.
She suddenly felt something under her feet. Instead of the usual crimson robe, it was sky blue.

“What is this…?”

“Is this a plant you’ve been growing?”
Scheuer realized that the person in front of him was the little one he had seen at the meeting room. Now she understood.
Scheuer looked around and asked,

“Where did this come from?”

Only then did Scheuer realize that the figure in front of him was the little person he had seen in the conference room.

Scheuer looked around and asked,

“Where did you appear from?”

“Is this your first time seeing magic?”

Magicians were quite rare even within the Empire. There were a few magicians affiliated with some countries in the center, but from Scheuer’s perspective, they were an unusual presence. Perhaps if he had stayed in the South longer, he might not have found it so strange.

“This is why the garden has turned out like this.”

“Otherwise, I haven’t touched anything. You’re free to do anything here, except for the fence.”

Already coming to inspect the garden. That’s why it was four weeks. When he thought about his decision to stay in Blenga, it seemed like a natural choice.
Scheuer asked carefully,

“Leilda, do you have any magic stones that can regulate temperature?”

“Yes, why?”

Scheuer liked the garden, and this might be useful. Scheuer replied politely,

“I need flowers. His Highness is making an effort, but growing them is easier, you know.”

“That guy growing flowers? It doesn’t suit him at all. Well, be my guest.”

“So, if you send a temperature-regulating magic stone, it will help me decorate the garden.”

Schueer’s words seemed to change the expression in Leilda’s eyes, which had been somewhat cold until then. Young looks might have played a role, but so far he had seemed rather approachable. He asked with a calm look:

“So, if I give you a magic stone, what will you do for me?”

He was small, but by no means easy to handle. Leila Looked around the garden before replying.

“Scholars of your status should know the value of the gems. Especially temperature-adjusting gems are quite precious.”

Gems could not be created by just anyone. Stones capable of holding magic were limited, and people who could directly inject magic into them were even rarer.
Of course, for a tower owner like Leilda, these conditions might not matter.
Scheuer smiled gently, saying,

“You must know that Nettriga’s flowers are quite famous.”

“You mean the flowers made using his sword. His Highness’s golden jarred flowers were all the rage once as a cure for insomnia.”

“That’s right. So I will give you flowers.”
Upon this, Leilda responded nonchalantly,

“Now, is this a scam? Because I look young?”

“I understand. It might be hard to believe due to the rumors. That’s why I prepared the camellia tree like this.”

Scheuer observed Leilda, whose cheeks had turned pale due to the cold.

“I planted it myself.”

“I know. I heard about it.”

“I put down its roots, and it will grow from this soil.”

Scheuer’s determination led to Leilda’s curiosity, and she even clapped her hands in delight. Pointing at the fence, she said,

“I can sense magic in this place. You already knew, yet you act nonchalant.”

Scheuer answered confidently,

“Nettriga’s flowers are guaranteed to have special abilities.”

“Made by the sword, as I know. Although the golden jarred flowers of Count Nettriga were all the rage as a cure for insomnia.”

“That’s why I’ll give you my flowers.”

To this, Leilda responded matter-of-factly,

“It was my talent that made you decide to do it, wasn’t it?”

Scheuer confidently retorted, smiling widely,

“Flowers that bloom by themselves. They won’t last long though, about three minutes. My abilities are still somewhat immature.”

This may have been the reason Celly was so worried about his skin during their all-nighter.
In the morning, she even packed the camellia in a corner of the room, saying that the light from the camellia was hurting her eyes.
Because of that, Scheuer had no idea how long they had been awake.
This was the reason why Celly was so obsessed with Scheuer’s skin in the morning.
Intrigued, Leilda got up and Scheuer seized the opportunity.

“The camellia that fell in the conference room is being kept by Celly. Please check it.”

Leilda chuckled, seeming a bit sinister. She was more than willing to respond.

“Alright, I’ll give you the magic stone. In return, I’ll take some flowers from you.”

“Wow, I’m thrilled! With the help of the magic stone, I can cultivate as many as you want!”

Considering it was winter and the fact that Scheuer didn’t plant the roots but merely moved the branches, there was a high chance of failure. Especially given the current season here. She couldn’t heal them all.
Scheuer smiled brightly and replied,

“You must handle this branch very carefully, just like taking care of a baby. Understand?”

Scheuer held her hand, excitedly responding,

“It’s my first gift, so I was really nervous. Thank you!”
Leilda, on the other hand, had a grim expression as he jerked his hand away.

“Hey, wait a minute! Let go of my hand!”

Despite that, Scheuer gave him a bow.

“Feel free to explore while you’re here. I have some things to take care of, so I’ll head inside first.”

With a light-hearted mood, Scheuer strolled towards the mansion, leaving Leilda behind. But Leilda watched him with a twisted expression.

“That woman…everything she says begins and ends with the Duke. The love affair of Leinigen has never really ended. She adores Duke Raygrain to the point that her affection overflows to those around her. It’s not like the typical emotion of ‘love.’ Her affection seems to stem from something different.”

Raygrain was renowned for its reputation, and the followers of Raygrain were always present. However, she was somewhat more fearful. Her deep affection for Raygrain overflowed not only to him but also to those around her. It seemed like love, but it was somehow different.

While Raygrain’s predecessors had always engaged in loveless arranged marriages, this time it seemed different. With nothing to suggest where this blind devotion came from, it was quite unsettling.
Leilda glanced at the withered camellia buried in the ground. He wondered where the magic came from, as he’d never seen this method of using magic. Her affectionate feelings seemed to be different from mere love.
When Scheuer left, the magic began to radiate from beneath Leilda’s feet. He mumbled,

“If she’s going to be this intriguing, I might just get curious again.”

“Smile Love”