CHAPTER 89……………………………
“Ah. I see. So this is what you meant when you said you were checking with Edwin.”
Mephisto, who had quickly hidden his anger, let out a small chuckle as if he had been struck.
“Of course. You’re the sharpest among us. I must have been deluding myself into thinking I was ahead, knowing something on my own.”
Though it was clearly a sneer aimed at Mephisto himself, Asterios didn’t change his expression.
Nothing had changed, and a solution had to be found from this moment on.
So, now that it had come to this, he needed to clearly determine whether Mephisto was an ally or an enemy.
“So… Mephisto, what will you do?”
He, too, was one of the few who understood better than anyone the suffering humans endured during the Three Realms War.
This was because, during the war, young Mephisto’s family had been the most devout believers.
They prayed to the Celestial God again and again, worshipped angels.
Yet the more they did so, the more the gods grew wrathful, and in the end, took their only lives—everyone except the young Mephisto, who did not believe.
Over time, it was natural that the one who was left alone became interested in dark magic.
“Archangels are even less forgivable. I think it’s better to be purely evil. Those who wear the mask of kindness but hide filthy, black desires inside are far more disgusting and vile.”
He rose from his seat, raising a black aura in his hand. The choke around his neck crackled with electricity, but he paid it no mind. His self-proclaimed status as the top of the Demon Realm and preference for monsters came from a similar reasoning.
“Before we compete over my lady, this must be made clear.”
As if resolute, he extended his hand toward Asterios.
“For now, we have a truce. Let’s deal with the sacred spirits first, and then continue our competition.”
Asterios gazed quietly at the arrogantly outstretched white hand, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“Welcome, Mother.”
With a graceful greeting, Rosiana sat in the garden with Empress Ariana for the first time in a while.
Lately, she had been spending more time with the empress—sharing meals, afternoon tea, and sometimes walks. Today, they had decided to enjoy tea together in the garden.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“No, I just arrived a little while ago.”
Once seated, fragrant floral tea and a three-tiered tray full of desserts were set before them.
“I worry that the second trial I proposed might be a bit burdensome for you as well, Rosy.”
Ariana looked at her daughter with an apologetic expression. Meeting sixteen candidates, not just one or two, was bound to be exhausting.
And since these were not ordinary guests but distinguished visitors from foreign lands, it was even more taxing.
Seeing Rosiana, who had grown so quickly in just half a year since birth, now an adult searching for a life partner, stirred a mixture of emotions within her.
“I wish I could have watched you grow a little longer.”
Because her power had been so strong, Ariana had hardly witnessed her childhood, leaving her with a lingering regret—though it was beyond her control.
“So, Rosy. I hope you can spend some time slowly with the person you choose. I grew up as an ordinary person with plenty of time, but in fact, His Majesty also became an adult after six years, with very few childhood memories.”
The Dréart royal family’s growth accelerated with the strength of their dragon power, and once they reached adolescence, it was even faster. Alex and William had grown normally as children but became adults around the same time as Rosiana.
Conversely, royals with dragon power retained their youth for a long time after reaching adulthood, as if aging had stopped.
Ariana herself experienced this after becoming the consort of Emperor Leodian.
“Rapid growth isn’t always a blessing. Of course, it may not matter for you and His Majesty since your souls grow together, but for those watching, it often feels bittersweet, even lonely.”
With no memories of the fast-passed years, it was difficult to fully share or understand them with someone precious. Seeing a touch of sadness in her mother’s beautiful gaze, Rosiana gently reached for the empress’s hand, and they held hands, meeting each other’s eyes.
“I’ll follow your advice, Mother.”
It was clear that the empress considered not only her daughter but also the person who would become her daughter’s life partner.
“Rosy, having a good person by your side and growing old slowly with them is a blessing.”
Ariana smiled, serene and radiant.
“Though it’s not easy to discern a good person in just a few meetings, I believe it’s important to meet frequently and take the time to get to know each other, rather than committing to someone entirely unknown.”
“I agree as well.”
Meeting often, getting to know one another.
Hearing those words, Rosiana recalled her past with Terebres.
Their fated encounter, and the few years they spent together.
Even though they loved each other deeply, perhaps they didn’t truly know one another.
But now, at least, she felt she knew much more about him than she did back then.
“That’s a relief, Rosy. Through this trial, you’ll be able to discern those who genuinely care for you from those who don’t. I hope it will be helpful.”
“You mean the tea time, don’t you?”
“Of course, one can also learn about someone through conversation. But if a person intentionally hides their true feelings, it could be difficult, right?”
Rosiana blinked a few times, her jewel-like violet eyes glistening with tears, making them shine even more vividly.
“So, you’re saying the flowers that grow from the seeds will reveal the answer?”
“Yes.”
Ariana began explaining why they were meeting in the garden that day.
“See those flowers? Aren’t they beautiful?”
“Yes. They’re so fresh and lovely.”
Where Ariana pointed, a tangle of roses in vibrant pink and red and airy lisianthus bloomed and shone brilliantly.
“Just as flowers have meanings, the flowers that bloom from the seeds I’ve prepared will take on different names depending on the heart and care given by the one who cultivates them.”
“I see.”
The color and fragrance of the flowers would reveal the candidate’s true intentions.
“By looking at the flowers, you can discern their sincerity?”
“Yes. In fact, these seeds were given by the late empress.”
“Grandmother?”
It was none other than Leodian’s mother, who had gifted them to Ariana, her future daughter-in-law.
“Yes. So His Majesty didn’t even know much about the seeds. The late empress quietly gave them to me before our engagement, saying…”
Rosiana’s violet eyes sparkled with curiosity.
‘Use these to test my son’s heart. If the crown prince isn’t sincere, it’s okay to reject this engagement.’
Wow.
Rosiana’s mouth opened slightly in awe.
“Grandmother must have really liked Mama!”
Ariana smiled beautifully, closing her eyes.
“That’s right. Because of that, I could let go of all my worries. The empress cherished me so much; it was reassuring. She was concerned for me, who was physically weak. In the Dréart royal family, children are precious, so she considered the hardships I would face giving birth.”
It was a lonely and painful position that would have been unbearable without love.
The emperor could take another woman to his bed or go to the battlefield and risk his life.
Furthermore, an heir had to be secured, and because of their special power, pregnancy was not easy, making the bloodline precious.
“It amazed me how well she understood my heart… I liked Leodian, but I wasn’t without fear.”
Ariana’s family was the second oldest marquis family in Dréart after the ducal house. Ariana herself had grown up noble but was ordinary, with no powers. Special abilities were both admired and feared.
“This was a secret just between the empress and me. I asked Leodian if he could make a flower bloom for me, and three weeks later, he brought me a truly beautiful flower.”
“What kind of flower was it?”
Ariana reminisced, looking up at the clear sky, tears forming in her transparent eyes from the emotion.
“It was a mysterious bloom. Golden, radiant, with a delightfully fragrant scent. But the fascinating part was the center—it was a truly beautiful pink.”
“Wow…”
“At that moment, His Majesty proposed to me, saying he would achieve Dréart’s glory for me. I felt the sincerity of his words manifested in the flower.”
Through her mother’s expression, Rosiana could imagine that moment. The pride of the royal family Leodian would inherit was coupled with an intense love for Ariana.
“According to the book Mother gave me, the flower’s meaning was noble love. It suited His Majesty perfectly.”
“Indeed.”
Afterward, Leodian and Ariana’s wedding proceeded smoothly, and she became a loved and admired empress.
“So, Rosy. Let’s look forward to three weeks from now.”
What kind of flowers would bloom for the sixteen men who would care for her?
It was natural to be curious about the colors and fragrances.
“Yes, Mother.”
Ariana raised her fragrant teacup, and Rosiana did the same. Mother and daughter smiled more beautifully than any flower in the garden.
