It looks like the gardener hasn’t neglected it, even though she forgot to water it for a few days. A short, unnamed flower has bloomed on the ground, and the citrus tree has fresh new leaves.

“I didn’t think this garden would ever bloom again.”

She glances over at Margrethe, and she’s looking at the flowers in the greenhouse with a nostalgic expression.

“That’s…….”

“This was Yudina’s favorite flower.”

She slowly stood up and brought her hand to the bluish rose and stroked it, her motion alone seeming to release a strong rose scent.

“We were friends.”

“Oh…….”

“Ever since she died, Yudina’s name has been taboo around here. From being reminded of her to speaking of her. Everything.”

The western tower where she was said to have died has been closed ever since, not allowing anyone to enter.

“Even then, this glasshouse was full of lunar silver.”

But the garden’s flowers were burned by Ragnar himself after the death of Yudina. No one has tended the desolate greenhouse since.

All of her belongings have been disposed of and the castle has been stripped of all reminders of her. The castle’s servants were to pretend that Yudina had never existed.

“It’s…….”

Christa blurted out apologetically, and Margrethe didn’t lose.

“I mean, I just wanted to say thank you.”

“What did I do?”

Margrethe slowly approached Christa, her eyes soft. Slowly, she buried her face in her hands.

“You made this place bloom again.”

“Planting the flowers…….”

She didn’t set out to do that, it just happened.

Then she remembered the dark look on the servants’ faces when she first told them she was going to plant roses here.

“Ragnar…….”

It must have been painful for him to see this garden, too. Her fingertips trembled with impatience, wondering if she had touched an old wound.

“He gave me these flowers once.”

He had given her so many flowers that they covered the floor of Baron Palmaril. They were so beautiful that she wondered if she should have received them.

They were the first flowers she’d ever received from anyone, so they meant a lot to her.

That’s the thing about flowers. Christa was a very practical person, and she had never coveted anything in her life that she didn’t need to live.

Flowers, even at such a high price, had never been a part of her life. These weren’t just random wildflowers, they were the work of an expert.

Now that she’s seen them in person, she realizes how much work goes into making each one of these flowers bloom. They need water, the right temperature, fertilizer, sunlight, and wind. Put it all together, and you can see that flowers are quite labor-intensive. Even when they bloom to their fullest, they wither quickly if they are picked.

The flowers she received that day represented one of the most beautiful moments in her life, and then they were gone. At the time, she didn’t quite understand their meaning. But now she understood.

Maybe it wasn’t the flowers she received that day, but a piece of his heart. To him, these roses meant so much.

It’s amazing. It was just a meaningless flower, but in his hands, it became the most special and beautiful thing in the world. That’s why it stayed in her heart for so long.

Another tear dangled from the corner of her eye. She took a deep breath to keep the tears from falling. But even that wasn’t easy.

“It’s okay.”

As if sensing my anxiety, Margrethe lays her hand on top of Christa’s. It’s warm.

“It’s going to be fine.”

“But…….”

“Because the Duke is a strong man.”

And she smiles. Lately, Christa’s tears have become more frequent, to the point where she wonders if the organ that regulates her emotions is broken.

She felt ashamed that she was showing her ugly side to Margrethe, whom she hadn’t seen in so long.

“I, I’m sorry.”

She hurriedly wiped her tears on her cuffs. Somehow, she was embarrassed to be seen like this. Margrethe pulled out a white silk handkerchief and wiped her eyes. The handkerchief smelled good.

“If you want to cry, you can cry as much as you want.”

As soon as she heard those words, Christa burst into tears. In her heart, she wanted to spill out all the hesitations and regrets she had inside, but she couldn’t bring herself to vomit out these dizzying emotions.

So she could only shed a few dry tears if only to melt away the thorn in her heart.

Margrethe asked no questions. She just stroked her shoulder in a slow, childlike motion.

After crying for a while, she became embarrassed and wrinkled her nose.

“I, I’m sorry…….”

She realized that she had done something embarrassing, but Margrethe didn’t seem to mind. It was a toothy smile.

“I’m just glad you’re relying on me.”

“Yeah…….”

She snort and nod, and Margrethe pours her a fresh cup of hot tea. Steam rises from the flavored tea in the tea pot wrapped in a tea cozy. She sips the tea, enjoying the aroma, and feels a little calmer.

“Mmm, I knew from the beginning why Christa called me.”

“What?”

She asked, her heart suddenly racing. She knew, which could only mean one thing. Her eyes closed and opened slowly. Unable to hide her trembling fingertips, Christa reached for her hand with her other. She swallowed hard.

“Christa ……. I’ve told you before, I have a knack for seeing connections between people.”

“…….”

Her eyelids felt so heavy she had to close them. She had already made up her mind.

“I see a new connection right now.”

Christa opened her tightly closed eyes. The world spun dizzily around her. She felt dizzy, like the floor was falling out from under her.

The truth is, she knew. There’s no way she didn’t know. Margrethe had just confirmed it. All the signs were pointing to one thing.

“Congratulations Christa, this is amazing!”

Margrethe threw her arms around her. Christa‘s body twisted helplessly.

“Ah…….”

“What’s wrong?”

She asked, giggling.

“But…….”

Margrethe could understand Christa‘s agitation. It was not uncommon for pregnant women to be confused.

“Is it because you’re worried?”