A Battlefield Of Flowers (10)

The Grand Duke glared viciously at his knight before closing his mouth.

The emotions Marion stirred in him were strangely complex. They had begun as gratitude and interest, then attachment, and before he knew it, they had grown into a searing thirst. An almost unnatural possessiveness had become entangled with human affection.

The Grand Duke spoke in a languid voice like a sigh.

“……Either way, I must bring this matter to an end. I will visit House Welch tomorrow. Do not let her know.”

“Understood.”

“And tell the knights to prepare for departure.”

The veins stood rigidly on the back of his hand.

“We should leave the capital soon.”

The rumor spread like fire through a dry field. Even though I had remained inside the mansion, it was impossible not to hear about it.

Even the servants seemed to know what had happened yesterday. I had heard that House Mort barely interacted with other residences, but since I had openly mentioned the duel at the dinner table, it was only natural that word had spread.

Unexpectedly, however, the maids seemed excited.

“Madam, did you truly knock down a knight of House Welch?”

“Ahem.”

Madam Sermona gave a short warning, but I simply nodded.

“I did.”

“My goodness, Lady Welch was always so rude. Whenever she came here, she ordered the people of the grand ducal residence around as though they belonged to her…….”

“You are before Her Highness!”

At Madam Sermona’s rebuke, the maids quickly closed their mouths. But my heart grew even heavier.

So she really had visited this place. Then again, as the daughter of an allied house and his fiancée, it was only natural for her to come and go from his residence.

I finished being dressed with a gloomy expression.

Still, wearing my hair loose and putting on indoor clothing for the first time in a while made me feel at ease. Merely knowing that I could eat as many snacks as I wished without encountering anyone unpleasant lifted my spirits.

Later, I would go to the kitchen and ask them to make plenty of cookies filled with raspberry jam. I would take them outside and share them with the gardener and gatekeeper, and place some directly into the mouths of the maids cleaning the windows. Was Sir Kaltz still at the mansion? If he was, I would ask him to join me for tea in the afternoon.

As I swung my legs and happily imagined it all, Madam Sermona approached me.

“Madam.”

The moment I saw her serious face, I hurriedly corrected my posture. Ever since receiving strict lessons in etiquette from her, I had developed the habit of sitting primly whenever she appeared.

But she did not point out my unrefined habit of swinging my legs. Instead, she bowed deeply.

“I am truly sorry.”

My eyes widened in confusion.

“W-why are you apologizing?”

“Had I known Lady Welch made you so uncomfortable, I would have sent word to every residence and ensured that you never had to encounter her. I was so shocked when I heard that you had fought a duel…….”

The small elderly woman’s shoulders drooped.

Startled, I shook my head.

“No, those were gatherings I had to attend. I am all right.”

“No, Madam. You are not all right at all.”

She spoke firmly and took my hand. Her hand was smaller and more wrinkled than mine, but it was very warm.

“If you disliked banquets, then you simply should not have attended them……. I am truly sorry that I failed to notice sooner and allowed you to suffer.”

“But that is the duty of a Grand Duchess…….”

“The most important person is you, Lady Amarion.”

I widened my eyes and looked up at her.

With her hair neatly pinned up and her clean uniform, she suddenly resembled the women of my homeland. I saw in her the healers of Amari who had washed wounds with strong liquor and crushed medicinal herbs to apply to them, and the swordswomen who had stood night watch beside me while carrying their dead husbands’ blades.

Madam Sermona spoke quietly.

“Etiquette and duty are important, but what matters most is your happiness. Anyone who cherishes you would think the same.”

“Madam…….”

“Please value yourself. Lady Amarion, you are talented in many ways and possess a warm heart. Everyone in this mansion wishes only for your happiness.”

I looked up at her with an indescribable expression. Something warm and different from the heat Victor gave me pierced my chest again and again. My eyes suddenly grew unbearably hot.

Even though the entire week had been so difficult, I had never once wanted to cry. I barely swallowed the tears surging upward and answered in a choked voice.

“……Yes. Thank you.”

Madam Sermona smiled kindly.

I lowered my head and sniffled several times.

I spent the entire afternoon lounging in my room and eating snacks. Soft custard cream puffs, sweet walnut pie, and savory southern-style fried pastries were served one after another.

Unfortunately, Sir Kaltz was away, so I could not invite him. He and Victor seemed to have been busy with something since morning.

Could it be because of what I had done?

An ominous thought briefly crossed my mind, but the maids soon distracted me by bringing armfuls of pretty flowers and chattering cheerfully.

I arranged the flowers in vases, ate as many delicate pastries as I wanted, and bathed in a tub overflowing with bubbles. Afterward, Madam Sermona entered carrying a mountain of invitations. Startled, I looked through the names written on the letters. Some were names I had heard before, while others were entirely unfamiliar.

She explained.

“Most of these invitations were sent by ladies from knightly houses, Madam.”

“Knightly houses? Why would they…….”

“You defeated Sir Jeffrey, Madam! Now that they know of your astonishing skill, of course they are curious about you!”

The maids’ excited chatter left me bewildered.

Was Sir Jeffrey of Sutherland such a famous knight? He had not seemed particularly strong…….

In any case, with Madam Sermona’s help, I opened the letters. Even if I intended to refuse them, I had to read them before writing replies.

While I was engrossed in stacking papers, the door opened.

“Marion.”

Victor walked into the room with the gentle afternoon breeze. The same tender smile as always rested on his lips.

He approached and softly cupped my cheek. His hand smelled of metal.

‘Had he been holding a sword?’

I wondered briefly, then assumed he must have gone hunting with other gentlemen.

“Were you reading letters?”

“Yes.”

“May I read some as well?”

Victor picked up one of the envelopes from the pile. The name of the Duchess of Welch was stamped upon it.

House Welch had written to me?

When I nodded in surprise, Victor roughly tore open the envelope and read its contents.

“What does it say?”

“She wishes to invite you and apologize for her family’s discourtesy. If she thought I would quietly comply, she was mistaken.”

He scoffed and tore the paper in half. Startled, I stared at Victor.

The duchess must have been Lady Nanael’s mother, yet he spoke about her that way?

I asked cautiously.

“Do I not have to go?”

“Marion, you are the Grand Duchess. In the Empire, you are the highest-ranking woman after the Imperial Family. You have no need to go anywhere you do not wish to.”

I silently looked at Victor. Today, he somehow seemed rougher than usual…… and irritated.

The guilt I had only just buried raised its head again. I lowered my eyes and apologized softly.

“I am sorry.”

Victor looked at me in surprise.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because my actions damaged Your Grace’s honor…….”

“My dear, do not think such things.”

His brows tilted with affection. As though touching a fragile glass doll, he carefully wrapped his hands around mine. Victor’s voice was as sweet as the cream I had eaten earlier that day.

“I told you, did I not? You may do anything you wish. There will never come a day when you tarnish my honor.”

A flame-like heat glowed in his amber eyes. Feeling strangely embarrassed and happy, I quickly nodded. Even if it was a lie, I liked hearing him speak of forever to me.

Victor smiled once more, then suddenly spoke in a serious tone.

“In truth, I believe it is nearly time for us to visit the territory.”

“Mort Territory?”

“Yes. Until now, because I was ill…… I could not go, for fear that unsettling rumors might spread.”

His gaze turned sorrowful.

“I keep hearing various reports. I am sorry that it is still the middle of the social season, but…….”

I shook my head vigorously.

I was thoroughly sick of banquets. I felt as though I could ask for nothing more if he took me out of the capital immediately. Besides, there was no way I could refuse when Victor spoke so pitifully.

Smiling, I clasped his hand in return.

“No, I want to go as well.”

At that, a truly dazzling smile appeared on Victor’s face.

“If you wish it, we can leave as soon as tomorrow.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the pile of invitations. Had I imagined the sudden chill in his gaze?

“There are far too many worthless busybodies taking an unnecessary interest in you…….”

“…….”

“What do you say? Shall we leave tomorrow?”

The corners of his eyes curved again.

Nearly bewitched by that smile, I almost nodded before abruptly coming to my senses.

Even so, I wanted to bid farewell to a few people before leaving. The entire previous week had been truly difficult, but there had still been people who treated me kindly.

I asked cautiously.

“Even so, I would like to attend one or two more gatherings before we leave……. Would that be all right?”

For an instant, his perfect smile twisted slightly.

Why? Was the matter in the territory very urgent? Or was he tired?

As I watched his expression, Sir Kaltz, who had at some point taken his place behind Victor, clicked his tongue.

Why was Sir Kaltz acting like that again?

When I peeked my head out, Victor’s hand caught me. Then, wearing such a flawless smile that I thought what I had seen earlier must have been an illusion, he nodded.

“Of course it would. But this time, please take me with you. We have never attended a banquet together.”

He complained almost like a child.

I had been thinking of a small gathering for women, so inwardly I was flustered, but I could not possibly refuse Victor twice. When I nodded, he smiled like a well-fed lion.

“At last, I will be able to dance with you.”

As Victor repeatedly kissed the back of my hand, Sir Kaltz shook his head from side to side.

My cheeks flushed red, and I quickly lowered my head.